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Episode 22: Stanley Cup and NBA Finals in the front mirror & Other Sports Talk
20 Plays1 month ago
in this episode Leo is back in the host chair along with Landan "Lando" Semenok, they talk about what Happened to the Colorado Avalanche is there a culture problem and potential coaching change there?, the rise of Mitch Marner, the amazing season of the Buffalo Sabers and some trade rumors surrounding Connor Hellebuyck a possible destination for him to the land in Buffalo, will the sign some key pieces on their team this off season? Leo and Lando dives into that, as well as NBA talk, CFL, Memorial Cup, and Team Canada winning at the worlds plus some jokes and some funnies in this episode! And they also talk about the sudden passing of Claude Lemieux former Avalanche, Canadiens, and New Jersey Devils player and is Montreal Canadiens run out of gas? check out this episode and hear the talk!
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Transcript
Introduction and Host Shoutout
00:00:18
Leo Ernewein
Welcome back to the Leo and Lando show. I'm your host, Leo Orto. I'm joined by my co-host, Landon and Lando Semenok. Landon, say hi, brother.
00:00:25
Lando
Hey but guys, what's going on?
00:00:27
Leo Ernewein
And shout out to Kyle Bacni for filling in last week, keeping the momentum going. Let's get right into the today's slate.
Avalanche vs Golden Knights: Game Analysis
00:00:34
Leo Ernewein
Vegas Golden Knights just swept the President's st Trophy, winning Colorado Avalanche. Landon, Colorado is your childhood team. Where exactly did this series get lost for the Avalanche?
00:00:44
Lando
Well, i'm ah I'm going to speak as a fan, not as an analyst. As a fan, i was very disappointed. Like, I thought that Colorado was going to win the Stanley Cup.
00:00:56
Lando
And they just they just blew it. And they... Yeah, yeah i I'm lost for words because like I'm still a couple days later. I just I don't know how else describe it. But I think as a fan, as watching the team, um I think where they lost it is I think they got outcoached.
00:01:17
Lando
um And I think the the problem with Colorado is they've got too many passengers on the team that didn't help them score when McKinnon and McCarr And all of them couldn't score or weren't scoring.
00:01:31
Lando
And I think the other team where they the other thing that they lost it in was the fact that they have too many of the same players on each line. And yeah, it's just the i don' i like I said, I'm i'm lost for words because i I don't know how to describe it other than they sucked.
00:01:47
Lando
It was just brutal. Like, i I was so disappointed when they lost like um couple of nights ago. i I'm a Vegas fan, too, as everybody knows. And I like them a lot. And i I actually was so mad at
Conflicted Allegiances: Landon's Perspective
00:02:00
Lando
Vegas. I'm like, I don't even feel like cheering for them for the rest of the way. So that's ah that's where I'm at with Colorado. Yeah.
00:02:07
Leo Ernewein
Yeah, it was a gut-wrenching exit for them for sure, man. um
00:02:10
Lando
Yeah. it
00:02:11
Leo Ernewein
I think changes are coming. What about you? do like do you think they changed head coach? like Jared Bednar's been there for like a decade. Is he on the hot seat after the sweep?
00:02:22
Lando
Well, i'm I'm hearing rumors that he is on the hot seat, whether that's true
Avalanche Coaching Rumors
00:02:27
Lando
or not. Like, i don't i don't think I don't think he's the problem, honestly. Like, I just i just think they just got out they got outplayed and outmuscled by a better hockey team. i just That's just...
00:02:39
Lando
I don't think, I mean, you can't fire a guy for somebody for somebody who got a team to win the President's Trophy and then, you know, suck, right? Like, it it's not it's not that they just, you know...
00:02:54
Lando
they had a horrible regular season. They just snuck in and your performance, your coaching performance is based on how you do in the playoffs. I, I don't see that at all. And, and, and I don't see how the players quit on them either. They, they, they played hard. It just, I don't know if maybe injuries have hit them, but to answer your question, I don't think Jared Bendar is on the hot seat. Do you, have you heard anything?
00:03:18
Leo Ernewein
No, I think he'll be there. he Like, even if he would be on the, sure, his seat might have got a little bit hotter than it would would be if they made the Stanley Cup final. But it was still, you know, yeah it was it was Stanley Cup final or bust, right? So just because it's a bust doesn't mean that you go and blow everything up, right?
00:03:37
Leo Ernewein
Sometimes it's just weak.
00:03:37
Lando
Yeah. Right.
00:03:38
Leo Ernewein
Sometimes
Avalanche Goaltenders: Performance and Future
00:03:39
Leo Ernewein
retool. Sometimes it's nothing. Like, I don't even know if they're gonna be changing their goaltending Because last season, I didn't think their goaltending was going to get them to where they were. And this season, Wedgwood and Blackwood look incredible. and Scott Wedgwood is like definitely going to be there next year.
00:03:56
Leo Ernewein
Right? like
00:03:57
Lando
right
00:03:59
Lando
Yeah, i I didn't think, I mean, I know that the goaltending was, you know, scrutinized a little bit on Sportsnet a little bit and other other outlet other radio outlets and stuff like that. But, like, I don't think Blackwood and Wedgwood were the problems. They just, you know, I mean, yeah, they Wedgwood probably led a ah goal or two each game that probably shouldn't have gone in the net, but.
00:03:59
Leo Ernewein
So...
00:04:22
Lando
I mean, when your team in front of you doesn't help doesn't score, i mean, right? And they allow grade A chances on you. Like, yeah, I just, I don't i don't think Wedgwood and Blackwood were the problems.
00:04:34
Leo Ernewein
So they they've got Mackenzie Blackwood for five years, so for four years after this, through to 2030 for five mil a year, and Black, or Wedgwood, sorry, Scott Wedgwood will have to get extended if he comes back.
00:04:49
Lando
he's alreadytined He's already extended.
00:04:49
Leo Ernewein
Surely higher than
00:04:51
Lando
They extended him.
00:04:52
Leo Ernewein
He is, eh?
00:04:52
Lando
Yeah, he did. They extended him back in January, i think it was.
00:04:54
Leo Ernewein
Okay.
00:04:56
Lando
Yeah. So in the middle of the season, I know that. So they signed him for.
00:05:00
Leo Ernewein
ah Yeah, he's got a one year until 2027, sorry.
00:05:03
Lando
Yes. Yeah.
00:05:04
Leo Ernewein
For two and a half. Wow, he actually sounded good for him.
00:05:06
Lando
Yeah. Yeah, he did.
00:05:07
Leo Ernewein
um
00:05:08
Lando
Yeah.
00:05:09
Leo Ernewein
So they've got their goaltending set for next year. I don't think the changes are going to come there. Do you think they maybe lost the Mikko Rantanen trade?
00:05:19
Lando
I know people are saying that that might be that might be it like I personally think that i think he definitely was missed in this series.
Trade Speculations and Team Culture
00:05:30
Lando
because i With his rough and toughness and his being able to grind it out along the boards and get McKinnon the puck, I think that was definitely missed.
00:05:39
Lando
um Because, I mean, Natchez, the guys that they got was Natchez and Drury. And Jack Drury is a mucker, so I'm not blaming him. But Natchez is not a go-getter in the corner. like he he did That's not his game.
00:05:51
Lando
so i think that's where i think was lost was that they they missed the they missed miko rantanen as out at that top line where they were ranting and could get mckinnon the puck so i think yeah i think in a a little bit maybe lost the trade but i mean ranting didn't have a very good year this year and nature's had an outstanding year so
00:06:16
Leo Ernewein
So it's got to be – like there's no deeper issues culture-wise in the locker room for Colorado. It's right just just running into a a hot Vegas team, right?
00:06:27
Lando
i I don't think that there's a culture issue. i mean, it doesn't show it. i don't see it. um ah At least, i mean, where' i were you and I are both so far away from Denver that I mean, there there are people that have said on Twitter that there you know there's a couple radio shows on in the Denver area that were saying that there is a culture issue. And I'm like, well, I don't i don't know how it how how there is. And they're also saying the Nuggets are in that same ballpark too. And and so the owner who owns the Los Angeles Rams owns the Avalanche and the Nuggets.
00:07:01
Lando
And i from my understanding, they have a great ownership. They They leave everybody alone and what their' let the management run the teams. And, you know, obviously they have to report to them. But I don't think there's a culture issue on this team. I think, yeah I mean, they've got a good leader in Landis Cog. And, I mean, yeah, McKinnon gets heated. But he's not belligerent, and I don't think, at people, at his players. He just wants to he wants the best out of everybody. So, yeah, I don't think there's a culture issue in Colorado at all.
00:07:31
Lando
Because otherwise, otherwise Joe Sackick would clamp on that big time.
00:07:32
Leo Ernewein
Well,
00:07:35
Lando
I know you would because he's a culture guy.
00:07:39
Leo Ernewein
yeah, I mean, obviously the season's probably looked at as a failure for the avalanche,
The President's Trophy Curse: Myth or Reality?
00:07:43
Leo Ernewein
right? But do you think that this brings up more evidence that the president's trophy is cursed?
00:07:51
Lando
I think... I think it is to a point, but here's why I say that to a point is i think what happens is when teams win the president's trophy as the best team in the regular season.
00:08:06
Lando
I think what happens is when teams play that particular team, um, they they raised their level to try to compete against this team. And I think the team who wins the President's Trophy has trouble um rate keep raising their intensity up to so that they can play their game. And I think that's where the struggles comes in with a lot of the teams, including the Colorado AdWords this year, is that when they run into a team that maybe ah isn't expected to win,
00:08:40
Lando
that's that's where the President's Trophy winner gets into trouble. So to a point, I think it is cursed, but I think it's more teams raise their level of of play on the President's Trophy winners.
00:08:53
Leo Ernewein
So you think it's more to do with how people play the game and their level of play and expectations and stuff like that versus versus just the luck of the bouncing puck and stuff like that, where they just but be don't get the bounces.
00:09:07
Lando
Yeah, yeah, that's what I think, yeah.
00:09:10
Lando
What do you, ah how do you see that?
00:09:11
Leo Ernewein
Yeah, it's very...
00:09:12
Leo Ernewein
I agree. i think you I think you nailed it on the head. Although I do think that hockey, out of all the sports, has the the the the bounce can go any way In any game, right?
00:09:25
Leo Ernewein
Out of any sport, I'd say the hockey, like the the margins are tighter in in those top teams. um As much as I think Colorado separated themselves from other top teams in the league this year, I think those other top, it's still so tight.
00:09:46
Leo Ernewein
And part of that is, it's just the way that the game of hockey is played with the way the puck goes, it bounces up the boards or, you know, the the luck of the puck, we'll say.
00:09:55
Lando
Right. Yeah. No, I agree with that too. Yeah. i I mean, it's fun. It's fun as you, as fans, like you and i we could say it's cursed, but there's more to it than that. I just, I just think that the play, that the, the teams that play the presence trophy winners, they raise their, they, they raise the level. and And then I think also, i forgot to add this too, Leo.
00:10:18
Lando
um I think pressure hits teams too, right? They're expected to win the Stanley cup. Right. And I, and I, you know what I mean?
00:10:28
Leo Ernewein
So it's the pressure combined with, it's not only the pressure of the expectations of advancing to the second round where fans are already thinking of their mashup for the next round. It's okay. They got to go in and play whichever team is the eight seed or bottom seed or something like that.
00:10:45
Leo Ernewein
And, and maybe they haven't played them in a while or, you know, maybe they're in a slot. Yeah. it It depends on if you're hot or not, I guess. Right.
00:10:53
Lando
Right, yeah, exactly.
00:10:56
Leo Ernewein
And somebody who is hot on the other side of those of the Avalanche Vegas series is Golden Knights forward Mitch Marner, current
Mitch Marner's Success with the Golden Knights
00:11:06
Leo Ernewein
Maple Leaf.
00:11:06
Leo Ernewein
How I wish, how I wish, how one man can dream.
00:11:08
Lando
ah it Yes.
00:11:11
Lando
ah
00:11:11
Leo Ernewein
But beating the entire playoffs in points, what do you think has unlocked his game over there in Sin City?
00:11:19
Lando
Well, I think what's happened what's happened is that he's not the guy. he iss just ah He's just part of the team. he He's not the guy that has to carry the team.
00:11:31
Lando
There's other guys...
00:11:31
Leo Ernewein
Do you think he was the guy that wanted to carry the team in Toronto, though, or was that Matthews?
00:11:36
Lando
I think that was warm Well, i think I think Marner was expected. I think when you talk about the core four...
00:11:41
Leo Ernewein
It was kind of a one-two punch, and if one doesn't perform, you're expecting the other one to carry the load of a one-two punch, yeah, instead of being built around a cohesive team.
00:11:45
Lando
Exactly. Yeah. Correct. yeah Yeah. Yeah, exactly. and and And so the core four, they would have... they favored heavily on the core four in Toronto to carry the team, which they couldn't.
00:12:01
Lando
You need a whole team. So when Marner gets, when Marner goes to the Vegas Golden Knights, he did struggle over this year, but mainly that's because William Carlson got hurt.
00:12:03
Leo Ernewein
Yeah, basketball.
00:12:12
Lando
And Marner had to place you know a position of center when he he's not used to even playing center. So when Carlson came back in the playoffs, that's when he just – instant chemistry. And so that's why that's why Marner is playing so well is because he's back in his natural position. But he's also, like i said at the stop at the top of our discussion on this topic,
00:12:36
Lando
That, i yeah, he's he's not the guy. The guys that are carrying the team are the, you know, the Eichels, the Stones.
00:12:44
Leo Ernewein
Yeah, but if Eichel and him or other guys or Chase Ead or anybody has a bad game in Vegas, they could leave the arena without much scrutiny.
00:12:53
Lando
Correct.
00:12:53
Leo Ernewein
It would take some 30 minutes to an hour to get out of there.
00:12:54
Lando
Yeah.
00:12:57
Leo Ernewein
It's probably not like the two-hour rodeo that was Toronto.
00:13:00
Lando
Oh, Kurt, you are right. But one thing I want to add is with this whole Mitch Marner thing, it's funny because i Kelly McCrimmon came on today and he talked about how we fans need to get over Mitch Marner.
00:13:18
Lando
And that's true. and Well, not fans, but media in general. And I said, you know what? You are absolutely right, man.
00:13:25
Leo Ernewein
That's a good point.
00:13:26
Lando
over them.
00:13:26
Leo Ernewein
Media needs to get over them.
00:13:26
Lando
Yeah, get over yeah get over it
00:13:28
Leo Ernewein
The fans probably are. They've done – they probably missed some or whatever, but it's the media that keeps stoking the fire going, hey, look at this guy.
00:13:35
Lando
Yeah.
00:13:36
Leo Ernewein
He used to be here. Look how well he's doing.
00:13:37
Lando
yeah Yeah, I know.
00:13:39
Leo Ernewein
Remember that?
00:13:40
Lando
It's...
00:13:40
Leo Ernewein
Remember how you –
00:13:40
Lando
Yeah. You remember... Yeah. You remember how you ran him out of town? Yeah, I know.
00:13:45
Leo Ernewein
and then it wasn't even the fans that ran around town. It was the media. Yeah.
00:13:48
Lando
Exactly. I know. Wow. they meet the Some fans did too. Because I think I heard...
00:13:53
Leo Ernewein
Yeah, but it was smoked by the media for sure. For sure.
00:13:56
Lando
Very true. It was. it was. But I did hear...
00:13:59
Leo Ernewein
It had to have been. It's like it's their job when there's juicy stuff like that.
00:14:03
Lando
It is.
00:14:04
Leo Ernewein
It's my job to do that.
00:14:04
Lando
Well, you you you would know. you would know you would know but what one of the things you and know
00:14:08
Leo Ernewein
I would know exactly. Yeah.
00:14:11
Lando
But one of the things I heard was that Mitch Marder had a couple of death threats from you know wherever he lived in Toronto. He had a couple of death threats, apparently.
00:14:21
Leo Ernewein
Yeah.
00:14:22
Lando
So, yeah, it it wasn't just all media. There was some fans. But, yeah, I would say if if we did a ratio, man, I think it would was probably eighty twenty
00:14:34
Lando
80% media, 80% media, 20% fans.
00:14:34
Leo Ernewein
Okay, that's fair.
00:14:35
Leo Ernewein
I mean, I've heard also reports where, like, Mitch was, like, constantly on his phone and stuff like that.
00:14:36
Lando
Yeah,
00:14:41
Leo Ernewein
Like, he didn't he didn't need to put himself in that position.
00:14:41
Lando
he could be. Yeah. Yeah, he probably was too. There's there's probably ah plenty of blame to go around, to be honest with you. so But anyways, I'm happy for him.
00:14:51
Leo Ernewein
I mean, it doesn't make it right. It doesn't excuse death threats. And if I was a player this position, I'd want to want to be able to go on my phone and not have to receive death threats too.
00:14:54
Lando
No, that's that's very true. i
00:15:01
Leo Ernewein
So,
00:15:02
Lando
Correct. I would too. Yeah. But congratulations, Mitch Marner.
00:15:03
Leo Ernewein
Yeah.
00:15:05
Lando
You're in the Stanley Cup final.
Claude Lemieux's Legacy in the NHL
00:15:08
Lando
So he is, he is.
00:15:08
Leo Ernewein
He is. Yeah. Stanley Cup final. Well earned. Some somber news here, though, to touch on. Four-time Stanley Cup champion in 1996, Avalanche playoff hero Claude Lemieux passed away at the age of 60.
00:15:23
Leo Ernewein
Lando, you know exactly how vital he was to shaping the identity of that 1996 championship team. Give us your thoughts on his ah his legacy and his impact to the game.
00:15:32
Lando
Well, i it was a little bit of a shock today, considering that he carried the torch for the Montreal Canadiens a couple days ago. um So that would it was a shock. But Claude Lemieux had so much impact on in helping...
00:15:48
Lando
the Colorado average become the team they are in Denver and, you know, in the the state and around North America. And when he won the Stanley cup, when they won the Stanley cup, they put the avalanche on the map. And I mean, he, he he did a lot of stupid things after that. I mean, I mean, I, remember I, remember, mean, you know, where I'm going with this. I remember the amount of, um,
00:16:13
Lando
line brawls that he started with the Detroit Red Wings in the late 90s like he he was front and center I remember um watching a Detroit Colorado game on TV and Claude Lemieux just absolutely drilled Chris Draper like Chris Draper's face went into the deck like f picture everybody the you know, what hockey boards look like.
00:16:39
Lando
So your face, half of your face goes into that stanchion of the boards. Chloe Mew hit him from behind and just smoked him. And that started that whole line, that started the line brawl.
00:16:50
Lando
That started the whole Patrick Waugh against Osgood and Vernon fights. that So he's the one who started all that. And that's kind of how that Detroit-Colorado rivalry started.
00:17:00
Lando
kind of rivalry kind of got started but I mean he was he was a rough and tough player he did a lot of things that a lot of players nowadays I think would be afraid to even do and the type of player that he was back then when he would survive in the game today but I mean what a competitor he I mean he won three other Stanley Cups with uh Montreal so he he was a player and i I really like him and what a shock to see such a
00:17:01
Leo Ernewein
Mm-hmm.
00:17:29
Lando
Another man and another, you know, an impact person in the game that passed away a little too early, even though he was 60. Yes.
00:17:40
Leo Ernewein
I like those. Yeah, he certainly played an impact on those Detroit and Avalanche rivalries. To me, that's the best almost rivalry in modern hockey, at least that I've seen, because of the amount of sheer stardom on either side.
00:17:52
Lando
yes
00:17:56
Leo Ernewein
And I think the salary cap era, we just don't see that as much anymore, right?
00:18:00
Lando
No, no. You know, and and what I back then up until probably just recently, i hated the Detroit Red Wings with an absolute passion.
00:18:10
Leo Ernewein
Hehehehehehe.
00:18:13
Lando
And i don't anymore. I am actually starting to Detroit starting to grow on me mainly because, um, my brother is friends with, um, uh, with the head coach, his son, um,
00:18:28
Lando
Oh, I've lost his name. Todd son. so um So I'm starting to kind of feel, yeah, a little bit of a soft spot for the de Detroit Red Wings.
00:18:40
Lando
And, I mean, I have the uttermost respect for Steve Eisner, even though he drove me absolutely insane um when the when Detroit played Colorado.
00:18:50
Leo Ernewein
What about Nick Litstrom and Federov and Pavel Datsy?
00:18:53
Lando
Oh, Federov. Datsuk, Lidstrom, all those guys drove me absolutely insane. I mean, but then I hear from Red Wing fans that guys like Rob Blake, Claude Lemieux that we just talked about, Adam Foote, Alex Tagay, Milan Hayduk, Chris Drury, Adam Deadmarsh.
00:19:08
Leo Ernewein
Yeah. Yeah. First jury. Yeah.
00:19:16
Lando
I mean, I could go on and on the amount of players that Colorado had over the over the years that they drove Detroit Red Wings fans nuts.
00:19:29
Lando
So it was just, it was a great robbery and, and Claude Lemieux definitely started it because my goodness, I, I still remember this.
00:19:36
Leo Ernewein
He was an instigator for sure.
00:19:37
Lando
that He was the instigator. If anybody, honestly, if anybody wants to actually go and look, look up what I'm actually talking about, it's on YouTube.
00:19:39
Leo Ernewein
Yeah.
00:19:46
Lando
Just type in, um I guess look at the hit that Claude Lemieux did first and then also look at the fights that Patrick Waugh, Chris Osgood and then the next year Mike Vernon did. It is an incredible to watch.
00:20:03
Lando
like It is just a total... ah like There's blood everywhere on the ice. It's nuts.
00:20:09
Leo Ernewein
it It was a different age of hockey, that's for sure, right?
00:20:11
Lando
It was, yeah. so Anyways, rest in peace, Claude. That's so sad to hear.
00:20:17
Leo Ernewein
It is it is um ah sad news
Carolina Hurricanes vs Montreal Canadiens Series Analysis
00:20:22
Leo Ernewein
for sure. But we'll shift over to the Eastern Conference Finals here. The Carolina Hurricanes holding a 3-1 lead over the Montreal Canadiens.
00:20:29
Leo Ernewein
Is Carolina just that dominant or is the Canadien running out of gas there, Landon?
00:20:34
Lando
I think they are running out of gas. I mean, it's it's certainly is showing in their play. I mean, they've played two tough series, and they went to Game 7 both times, and they just snuck by both times. So I think they're running out of gas. But I also think Carolina has been – Been the best team in the Eastern Conference for a reason.
00:20:54
Lando
And it's showing. And they they are relentless. They are in your face constantly. But also Montreal plays that way. And I don't understand.
00:21:01
Leo Ernewein
Thank you.
00:21:03
Lando
Like I watched them last night. Like Martin St. Louis got completely outcoached again. And yet he's got the same lineup. He sends out the same players. It's like, why aren't you mixing this up?
00:21:15
Lando
You're down 2-0 or to one You're trying to tie this series up. Why aren't you changing your lineup? It's not working. Change your lineup. Now now you're going to change your lineup. When it's 3-1, it might be too late. The series might be gone where you had an opportunity to do that last night. So I think i think i think Montreal's youth is definitely also becoming a factor, too, that their inexperience is starting to show Where Carolina, they've been there, done that. They've gone through ah lots of heartbreaks the last couple years.
00:21:45
Lando
And it's starting to show that they are ready for the big dance.
00:21:49
Leo Ernewein
No, I agree. Like, it's that age-old adage of, like, rest versus, ah you know, well, I forgot the age-old adage here. Come on, Leo.
00:22:00
Leo Ernewein
But, you know, rest for ah versus rust.
00:22:00
Lando
Rust?
00:22:04
Lando
Rust?
00:22:05
Leo Ernewein
There you go. Rest versus rust. Spunned on me there. But, yeah, Carolina was, like, they hadn't played since, like, May 9th before starting the series. So they had probably a good eight days off for something close to that.
00:22:20
Lando
Yeah.
00:22:21
Leo Ernewein
think it was the start of the series 11.
00:22:21
Lando
eleven 11, 11.
00:22:24
Leo Ernewein
Wow. It was even worse.
00:22:25
Lando
Yes.
00:22:25
Leo Ernewein
It started on the 20th. That's a long time to have off, but I mean, clearly it showed that, um, they used their time well and they certainly didn't come out rusty, at least in my opinion.
00:22:28
Lando
Yeah.
00:22:37
Leo Ernewein
Um, So you think Martin St. Louis being outcoached right now. What do you think he can do to make changes to fix that up for game six?
00:22:47
Lando
Well, I think, I think what they, yeah.
00:22:49
Leo Ernewein
Not game six, sorry. Game five is tomorrow.
00:22:52
Lando
Game five. Yeah. um i will
00:22:54
Leo Ernewein
Yeah.
00:22:54
Lando
What I what I think that he needs to do is I think Brendan Gallagher and Jack I need to come in. I don't know of you who he wants to take out. I would say the guy who have the two that are, you know, so the least impactful player, I guess, if you want to call it that. But he's got to do something because, i mean, the season's on the balance right now. And I, to answer your question, do I think, I think Martin St. Louis is completely out getting out coach. Cause I think, I mean, I'm not saying that he's not a smart hockey guy. He really is. But I think, I think his inexperience as being a younger coach is starting to show where, you know, Rod Brindamore had that problem, you know, a couple years ago where he also, you know, got out coached by, you know, Florida and Tampa and all, all those guys. Right. Or even Pittsburgh that,
00:23:45
Lando
You know, it it took him a bit to kind of, you know, learn some lessons all along the way too. So same thing's going happen with Martin St. Louis. he's If they don't win this, come back in this series, I think he'll look back and say, yeah, I made some big mistakes and I got outcoached. At least I hope he'll admit to that anyways.
00:24:03
Leo Ernewein
I think you for sure you will, and it'll definitely be a good learning experience for the whole Canadian core, which is a scary young core to think of how young and good they are already, and that they're all locked down mostly for the the next three, four, or five years.
00:24:09
Lando
Right. Yeah.
00:24:20
Leo Ernewein
um Yeah, I don't think much changes are going to come on Montreal's end either, although caden Game 5 hasn't been played yet, so we'll see how that goes.
Buffalo Sabres' Surprising Season and Future Moves
00:24:30
Leo Ernewein
um Another thing I wanted to to touch base on here was the Buffalo Sabres because you and Kyle ran out of time to talk about the Sabres last week, so we'll dive in.
00:24:32
Lando
Wait.
00:24:39
Leo Ernewein
Lindy Ruff signing a two-year extension after pushing Montreal to seven games. How do you evaluate Buffalo's season as a whole? It has to be a success, right?
00:24:48
Lando
Oh, absolutely. it's ah It's a success. Like, i I was blown away how good of a team that they became over the years over this season. I mean, they went on three, I think they went on three almost, at least they got one or two 10-game winning streaks, and I think they almost came came close to another. tit So they almost went for, like, they went on a 30-game winning streak altogether. I'm talking about not, like, altogether, not at separate times, but That's what got them into the playoffs and how they became one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. And I think it was a ah huge success. And congratulations to Lindy Ruff for getting an extension because, I mean, he deserves it. The team deserves it.
00:25:30
Lando
And they have lots to build on. They've got a good young core as well. And he's got them to buy in. And it's really exciting to see how Buffalo really has embraced this team from being such a, well, a better word, trash team, if you want to call it that,
00:25:47
Lando
um or not trash but brutal a brutal team for so long yeah yeah yeah
00:25:50
Leo Ernewein
Like a rollover, yeah. Like people would chalk up getting points to, we're playing Buffalo tonight. There's three points or two points or three points is so good.
00:25:56
Lando
yeah exactly are are so the city the city really Yeah, exactly. So the city really really embraced the team just like they did with the Buffalo Bills. So it was great to see. A huge success for the Buffalo Sabres. So um really really proud of that organization for ending a 14-year playoff drought. That was an NHL record.
00:26:21
Leo Ernewein
Yeah. So props to, you know, Buffalo fans deserve it too. Right. And now rumors might be swirling that they're looking to trade for Connor Hellebuck. Do you think somebody like young goaltender, Uka Pekka Lukonen would be involved in a package like that? you think they're ready to, to swing for the fences?
00:26:37
Lando
I heard that, yes. I think well i don't know if you heard this rumor because I've i've i've heard a couple rumbles, that they' there is at least on the and NHL Network Radio, that there's been talks about that Connor Halibut is not happy with the direction that Winnipeg's going.
00:26:53
Leo Ernewein
Yeah, I don't think he is Yeah.
00:26:55
Lando
and And so I think Buffalo has, i think before the trade deadline, I think they asked where are they with Connor Hellebuck and what kind of, what would you be willing to, you know, what what what kind of what kind of package could we throw your way to try to see if we can lure there were him in? So, I mean, Buffalo would be a good place for him to go play. I mean, an up and coming team, a young team, and he's got,
00:27:23
Lando
relatively a good defensive core in front of him if he does go to Buffalo. So, but yeah, I think if, if
00:27:28
Leo Ernewein
but You'd have to make room for him in the net and that Uka, Pekka, Lukonen, Young, he's probably going to go the other way.
00:27:32
Lando
we'd have to go, i was just going to say, he has to go back the other way.
00:27:36
Leo Ernewein
And I think that that's a huge risk. But goaltenders are giant risks in general. So sometimes you just got a swing for it.
00:27:44
Lando
i honestly sometimes i I honestly don't know if Uka Pekalukainen would be the guy. Sometimes I thought of Alex Lyon going the other way too. I don't know. There was a lot of scenarios that that that these NHL.com guys had.
00:27:56
Leo Ernewein
See, I don't know if I'm Winnipeg, if I'm taking that package with Alex Lyon, unless there's some heavy young prospects or draft capital.
00:28:05
Lando
Well, there was more to it than that. Yeah, I think there was a there was a player.
00:28:07
Leo Ernewein
Okay.
00:28:09
Lando
of so I can't remember who the player was that they said was going to – and there was a draft pick. And, yeah, so there there was more to it just there for a goalie swap. There was way more more to it than that.
00:28:20
Leo Ernewein
Because a one-two punch with Hellebuck and Uka Pekalukin and Bakulabap.
00:28:21
Lando
Yeah.
00:28:26
Leo Ernewein
would be that would be scary for years to come as far as the net.
00:28:30
Lando
Oh, yeah. Well, then you have an up and coming you have an up and coming young goaltender.
00:28:32
Leo Ernewein
Yeah.
00:28:35
Lando
You have a veteran goaltender showing them the ropes. And my goodness, that would be a scary.
00:28:38
Leo Ernewein
Right. it is If um if Hellebuck starts to to fade or he has injury issues or something like that, you don't worry about it.
00:28:46
Lando
Exactly.
00:28:48
Leo Ernewein
You give him the contract that he probably wants, probably not as long as he wants, but you give him you know the money that he wants.
00:28:55
Lando
For sure.
00:28:56
Leo Ernewein
it's I don't know. It's a tough one. I think that that'd be a spot, especially after seeing from Hellebuck's perspective, seeing the Sabres push Montreal to seven games, seeing how good they were this year.
00:29:08
Leo Ernewein
If this was last year, no, no, we would not be having this conversation, right?
00:29:13
Lando
Correct. No, you're 100% right about that.
00:29:15
Leo Ernewein
Yeah.
00:29:17
Lando
That, yeah, I just, i think I think it would be a neat package to see now whether Connor Halbach and the Winnipeg Jets want to make a move like that. But, I mean, time will tell this summer.
00:29:28
Leo Ernewein
I think it fits their timeline.
00:29:30
Lando
It does.
00:29:30
Leo Ernewein
I think it's, well, yeah, and it sort of would kickstart a little bit more of a younger core rebuild because, I mean, they still have Shifley and stuff like that, and he played amazing this year, but I'm not counting on that again next year, you know?
00:29:31
Lando
Yeah.
00:29:44
Lando
I wouldn't either. 100%. I wouldn't either at all.
00:29:47
Leo Ernewein
um And speaking of Buffalo, like, Zach Benson's eliible ah eligible for an offer sheet here. Should Sabres fans be worried about a rival team poaching him? or offering at least an offer, making them
00:29:59
Lando
Um... I'd be a little concerned, yeah, could just just based on the... He had a good playoffs. He actually had a good year, too. so um He reminds me so much of a young Brad Marchand. He's like that little irritator pest sort of person. like That's how he plays. He's very much like Brad Marchand.
00:30:19
Lando
um But yeah, as Searitz fans, I would be a little worried that somebody would take an off sheet on him. But at the same time, Buffalo has a lot of cap space, too. So I think whatever teams throw at them, I think Buffalo would match depending on how how high it is.
00:30:32
Leo Ernewein
I think they would too.
00:30:33
Lando
Yeah.
00:30:34
Leo Ernewein
um
00:30:34
Lando
Depending on, depending on how high it is.
00:30:37
Leo Ernewein
Alex Tuck is entering his final year of his DL. Do you think Buffalo is going to lock him down or is he going to be like a potential trade candidate? What's what's going on with him?
00:30:47
Lando
Why? i think, I think, He's got tremendous chemistry with with Thompson. so i And he is from the area. So I think he would love to stay. um And I can't see any reason why he wouldn't want to stay in Buffalo with the year that he had and the team. Although he did struggle in the playoffs. He was basically a ghost in the playoffs.
00:31:10
Lando
But i i I think, you know, I think he definitely will be like any other player who's entering free agency this summer, um weigh his options and, you know, his agent will do his work and all blah, blah, blah, blah. blah um And so, like, i think I think, yeah, I think he's going to, like I said, he's going to weigh his options and see where what what teams would offer him and say, hey, this is what these teams are offering. Buffalo, what do you got?
00:31:39
Leo Ernewein
Nice. I think so too.
00:31:43
Lando
So, like and and I think, you know, and and Alex Tuck isser is 100% deserving of ah of a good contract. he's at He's at the age where he's still young enough that he could sign a long-term deal. But yeah, I think like any other player, I think he's going to have to, you know, talk to his wife. I mean, he's got a a wife in a young and a young family.
00:32:05
Lando
Does he want to? you know, uproot them and move from the Buffalo area where, you know, that's where he's, where he's f from and move on to another team. But I mean, that's going to be up to him. So, but I hope not. Cause I think for save his fans, I mean, he had so much chemistry with, with with Thompson that I, I just, yeah, I, I hope he doesn't move anywhere, but I mean, he has that right to be a free agent too. Right. so
00:32:34
Leo Ernewein
It's true. Yeah. We'll, we'll hit some off season headlines here. Kenny Malkin just signed a one year deal. So one more year of Malkin mania with the Pittsburgh pena Penguins at this stage in his career. Is Malkin still the right fit for that money? Do you think Pittsburgh should have used that cap space to get younger or, or is it an obvious bring him home, bring him back?
00:32:56
Lando
yeah i I was kind of stunned of the amount of money that they did sign him for. I thought 5.5 is steep for a 39-year-old player.
00:33:07
Lando
um Did he have a good year? Yes, he did. Did he help Pittsburgh get back to the playoffs? Yes, he did. But is he worth 5.5 billion? Is he going to be able to keep up that same pace that he did this year? I don't know.
00:33:22
Lando
i think... I...
00:33:25
Lando
my am
00:33:25
Leo Ernewein
I thought he would assign for a little bit more of a hometown discount, but I guess 5.5 being that that's his, you know, his name, he probably could have caught.
00:33:29
Lando
Me too.
00:33:35
Leo Ernewein
You could have got seven somewhere else in Nashville or something like that. Right.
00:33:39
Lando
Probably.
00:33:40
Lando
um
00:33:40
Leo Ernewein
So it can, it can go either way, I guess.
00:33:45
Lando
It could have well what surprised me what What surprised me with this, though, Manny, is the fact that I get that they want to keep these guys until they retire. But at what point do you have to sit as management and...
00:34:01
Lando
sit there and say, when are when are we going to start rebuilding? Because once these guys are gone, and I'm talking about not just Malkin, I'm talking about Crosby, Letang, Carlson, and even, you know, I would even throw Ricard Raquel in that category too. So when these guys retire, who are you bringing in Who are you bringing up that are going to be able to replace these guys? Not that anybody is going to ever replace the the type of caliber of players that they that they have.
00:34:34
Lando
But at what point, like I said, are they going to flip the coin and say, we're moving on, we got to rebuild? Because they don't have a lot in their farm system either. Like they're... They're going to be, once they retire, boy oh boy, they're going be years away from being even becoming a contender again once they go.
Pittsburgh Penguins Post-Core Era
00:34:52
Leo Ernewein
Yeah, no, that's – I mean, it's going to be a full-on rebuild down in Pittsburgh for sure.
00:34:58
Lando
Yeah, it's going to ugly.
00:34:59
Leo Ernewein
Ain't no retooling down there. Well, like it could – I don't know.
00:35:02
Lando
It'll...
00:35:03
Leo Ernewein
I i agree. They're to have to build through the draft and stuff like that. it's gonna But if I'm Pittsburgh's GM, I'm extending Melkin too. i'm I'm paying whatever it takes to –
00:35:12
Lando
Oh, for sure. I would, too.
00:35:13
Leo Ernewein
Not seeing him in another jersey for one or two more years. Nope. He's retiring a pen. going be one of those career one club player kind of guys only playing at one team.
00:35:26
Leo Ernewein
And you just don't see that as much anymore. So that's kind of nice too.
00:35:30
Lando
It is. and and And you know what? He's well deserving of it. and So is Crosby and so is the Tang. So, you know, and those guys have been through the thick and they've gone through thick and thin with, you know, through the ups and downs of,
00:35:45
Lando
the regular seasons that they've played together they 100 deserve it and you know they've been great ambassadors for the pittsburgh community and all that stuff so it's great to great to see that they want to keep them but like i said at one point do they actually um come out to and realize that we we have to you know maybe turn the page a little bit and say We may need to rebuild. so But again, like they had a good season, so it's really hard to say really hard to really hard to disagree with would disagree with the the term that they
00:36:22
Lando
they gave them
00:36:24
Leo Ernewein
No, I agree for sure. It's, um yeah, you just, you just have to have them there. And speaking of somebody who might've not disagreed on terms, it's just rumors as of right now, but former Oilers head coach, Jay Woodcroft reportedly been interviewed for the Leafs head coaching vacancy.
Jay Woodcroft's Potential with the Leafs
00:36:41
Leo Ernewein
Is he the tactical fix this Maple Leafs roster needs?
00:36:46
Lando
Well, I mean, he he definitely gave Connor McDavid a boost and Leon Dreisaitl. So i can I can't see how he he wouldn't do the same thing with Austin, Matthews, and William Nylander. I think they need somebody like Jay Woodcroft to kickstart this offense again in Toronto and just give a younger blood because ah they've had such older, like, I mean, they had Sheldon Keefe for a while.
00:37:09
Lando
um Then they also had Mike Babcock. So they've been kind of flipping back and forth between old new, old, new. I think Jay Woodcroft is a good pick. like ah you You as a Leafs fan, what do you think of him as as a head coach?
00:37:25
Leo Ernewein
I mean, to me, it looked like he got the Oilers playing
00:37:32
Leo Ernewein
at ah at a high level. And it's hard to argue that that would be bad for the Leafs. I just, I don't know.
00:37:42
Leo Ernewein
i don't I don't know if I know enough about him either. that'ss It's a tough one for me. Like... like I think they go with them because i don't think there's a better option on the market right now.
00:37:59
Leo Ernewein
That's my opinion.
00:37:59
Lando
Yeah, I completely agree. i don't think that there's, like, I don't think there's anybody else in the market that you would even try to, don't think don't think there's anybody
00:38:10
Leo Ernewein
I don't think anybody else really the entices me that doesn't, that's, that's doesn't already have a head coaching job or is in retirement or, you know, I mean, there's always guys that you can try to pull out a left field and stuff like that.
00:38:18
Lando
else in the market that you even
00:38:23
Leo Ernewein
but But when the Maple Leafs were talking about Bruce Cassidy, right? I think they were talking to Bruce in Vegas was like, uh, what are you doing? Get out of here. Shoot. Shoot.
00:38:36
Leo Ernewein
Go away. Right. I'd do the same thing.
00:38:39
Lando
Yeah, I completely agree with you. Yeah, like, here's here's what I think about Jay Woodcroft. He's a good young coach. He pre he coaches offense. um He does have... I don't know if it's so much that he has a defensive side to him, but I think... um one of the things that I remember him being in Edmonton is that offense was definitely a thing for him.
00:39:03
Lando
And i mean, right.
00:39:03
Leo Ernewein
Yeah.
00:39:05
Lando
It was kind of like what Rod Brindamore does for Carolina that they, they get in their face. And I think that might be what Toronto maybe needs to do at going forward is they need a coach that has, can coach a team to get into teams faces.
00:39:19
Lando
And and that's how they win.
00:39:21
Leo Ernewein
Well, I think Berube was a bit more defensive in that sense that it wasn't really Toronto's strengths, right? Their strengths were offensive.
00:39:27
Lando
Right.
00:39:28
Leo Ernewein
And I think maybe Woodcroft might fit that a bit better um or better than any other current coach that's available on the market besides like a guy like Bruce Cassidy or something like that because Cassidy's just well-rounded.
00:39:42
Leo Ernewein
um And I think he'd be no-brainer just to have his look at culture fit too, right? So...
00:39:48
Lando
I
00:39:49
Leo Ernewein
I wouldn't, but we're not going to, the Trotters not going to get Cassidy.
The Knicks' Historic NBA Finals Return
00:39:53
Leo Ernewein
So we'll switch gears over to here to basketball for the first time since 1999. The New York Knicks are heading to the NBA playoffs or sorry, NBA finals after sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers. Lando, do you remember that 1999 Knicks run?
00:40:07
Lando
i do. it was i they They went on a massive run. i They unfortunately lost to an up-and-coming team of the San Antonio Spurs.
00:40:20
Lando
And, yeah, it was really incredible with the teams that they that they beat. I'm actually just looking this up right now, ah who they beat.
00:40:31
Leo Ernewein
They had guys like Patrick Ewing, Alan Houston, and Latrell Sprewell.
00:40:34
Lando
Yeah.
00:40:36
Leo Ernewein
Larry Johnson, Charlie Ward, Marcus Camby, who became a Raptor eventually.
00:40:36
Lando
And they got...
00:40:41
Lando
Yeah, yeah. I mean, they beat they beat the Atlanta Hawks. um
00:40:46
Leo Ernewein
they beat the Basers at all in that series?
00:40:48
Lando
They did. They beat the Indiana Pacers.
00:40:50
Leo Ernewein
Or in that run?
00:40:50
Lando
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:40:51
Leo Ernewein
They did. So I'm wondering if that was Reggie Miller's choke game to to Spike Lee against the Knicks.
00:41:02
Lando
I think it was. I think that was... It's really funny. i know we're talking... We'll get back to the Knicks, but it's really funny how... um Reggie Miller reminds me so much of, or sorry, let me back.
00:41:02
Leo Ernewein
and makes sense
00:41:14
Leo Ernewein
Oh, that was in 1994, sorry.
00:41:16
Lando
Oh, is it? Okay. So we're mixing that up, but,
00:41:18
Leo Ernewein
Oh, sorry, in 95 is when it was, there was an origin story leading up to it in 94. So it already had happened.
00:41:24
Lando
but my point being is it's funny. Indiana, the Pacers had a generational player in, in Reggie Miller. He reminds me, reg Conor McDavid reminds me so much of Reggie Miller.
00:41:39
Lando
he Reggie Miller never won an NBA championship, ever. And he's one of the best basketball players in the NBA, in NBA history, and yet he never won a championship.
00:41:50
Lando
And it kind of makes me wonder if Conor McDavid might be in that category. i hope not, but um but I do.
00:41:55
Leo Ernewein
Patrick Ewing never won one as well. Charles Barkley never won one.
00:41:57
Lando
He did not.
00:41:58
Leo Ernewein
Yeah.
00:41:59
Lando
Charles Barkley never won one. Yeah. And there was a big, that was a good generation of basketball. My goodness, man.
00:42:04
Lando
That was what,
00:42:05
Leo Ernewein
Well, when you're running into Jordan and then Shaq and Colby Lakers, right, it's tough.
00:42:08
Lando
oh yeah. When you, oh yeah. No, it was really tough. Like the Lakers, the Bulls, um the Utah Jazz were really good.
00:42:18
Lando
The Supersonics were really good.
00:42:19
Leo Ernewein
And then the Spurs starting their dynasty pretty much then too.
00:42:21
Lando
The Spurs, yeah.
00:42:22
Leo Ernewein
Yeah.
00:42:23
Lando
Tim Duncan, that was the start of the Tim Duncan dynasty, yeah.
00:42:28
Leo Ernewein
Yeah, they had, they still had David Robinson too, the Admiral.
00:42:28
Lando
Greg Pogpovich, yeah.
00:42:32
Lando
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So they, they've, uh,
00:42:34
Leo Ernewein
Nicknamed because he served a couple years in the Navy.
00:42:36
Lando
dava Yep, they have. So, boy, oh, boy, yeah. So, congratulations the New York Knicks. I've never been a Knicks fan, but they've been so bad for so long that it's actually kind of nice to see a New York team actually in the finals for a change, other than the Rangers.
00:42:52
Leo Ernewein
I agree. What about on the west side there? What's your takeaway between the Thunder and the Spurs so far in their series?
00:42:59
Lando
Boy, that's been a coin flip, hasn't it? I mean, I haven't watched much basketball because of the hockey, but I have kept it and i kept watching you know some of the highlights and the and the scores. And boy, it's been very close between and the two teams.
00:43:13
Lando
I do think personally, i think the Spurs have a little bit more in them too and that that drive to win. But like I wouldn't count out the Thunder.
00:43:22
Leo Ernewein
Man, both those teams look so good for the years to come. OKC might get in little bit of top trouble, but they'll figure out a way to move it.
00:43:26
Lando
oh my goodness. Yeah.
00:43:31
Leo Ernewein
They have so many picks that it'll be hard to use them all.
00:43:35
Lando
It will be. Yeah.
00:43:35
Leo Ernewein
It's going to be a different kind of problem to have for Oklahoma City Thunder trying to juggle how to he use those picks to move up to get better picks for better players or whatever and get under a cap.
00:43:46
Lando
Yeah.
00:43:46
Leo Ernewein
Spurs... um man, Dylan, Dylan Harper and Stefan Castle on of course, Victor woman Yama. They, they, I'm just so jealous. Both Stefan Castle and Dylan Harper were two guys when I would play 2k and I would tank with whatever team I chose to rebuild.
00:44:04
Leo Ernewein
Those were the guys I was picking in the draft. So when the Spurs got them both, I was so cheesed. Cause like, I'm not really a big Spurs fan.
00:44:13
Lando
Neither have i but I'm with you.
00:44:15
Leo Ernewein
um And that's mainly because I thought it was boring basketball, so I have to stick to my guns. It was beautiful basketball. I was wrong. I was just a stupid kid who wanted dunks and 360 layups and all that dumb crap.
00:44:27
Leo Ernewein
When, instead of like actual pure sport. So I have to stick by my guns now and not like the Spurs because I didn't as a kid. And therefore, um it bums me out that they they have probably three of my favorite players in the league out of...
00:44:45
Leo Ernewein
My top five, three are probably on the Spurs. I'd have to say Because i loved I loved Dylan Harper coming out of the draft. I thought Stephon Castle was going to be awesome too.
00:44:57
Leo Ernewein
And they both are going to be really good. But they were my favorite players coming out of the draft. And when the Spurs got them both, I was crushed. i was like, do i have to cheer for this team? Like, I don't i don't want to. I don't want to.
00:45:08
Lando
Well, doesn't, doesn't Hart, I was just going to say, doesn't Dylan Harper, and who was the other guy that you said?
00:45:09
Leo Ernewein
What do you think about all the... Go ahead.
00:45:15
Lando
I lost his name.
00:45:16
Leo Ernewein
Upon Castle. He was the fourth overall pick, I think, a second.
00:45:17
Lando
Stefan Casl. Yeah.
00:45:21
Leo Ernewein
Second or fourth. ah
00:45:22
Lando
Doesn't that remind you? Doesn't that, doesn't, doesn't those two players remind you of Tony Parker and And Manu Ginobili, very similar.
00:45:32
Lando
And then you have Manu Nama as your center with Tim Duncan.
00:45:33
Leo Ernewein
In a way...
00:45:36
Leo Ernewein
Yeah, because...
00:45:39
Lando
that kind of like they They drafted the same three guys that they did in the 90s and they drafted and they brought them up. and And now, yeah.
00:45:45
Leo Ernewein
Yeah, Swan Castle's a bit more of a... I don't know. he could I could see him playing Manu Ginobili quite well, actually. um Dylan Harper's got a long way to go to be Tony Parker, though.
00:45:59
Lando
Oh, for sure. Yeah, oh, for sure.
00:45:59
Leo Ernewein
And the way he runs an offense, he's a bit more...
00:46:03
Leo Ernewein
He could be Manu Ginobili, too.
00:46:05
Lando
Oh, yeah.
00:46:06
Leo Ernewein
It seems like they got two Ginobili's almost. And nothing's wrong with that because, you know... I, if I were them, I'd be moving Stefan castle to the three and bring in Stefan and putting Dylan Harper at the two and starting them. But he's so still, he's still, he's a rookie. So they're bringing them off the bench, which is understandable.
00:46:25
Leo Ernewein
But the fact that he's playing that well and as a rookie, like I think, yeah, it's just, it makes me jealous. Um,
00:46:32
Lando
It does, and i I'm with you, man. I am not um i'm not a Spurs fan either. i never really liked San Antonio. um But, I mean, good for them.
00:46:43
Lando
I mean, they they managed, like I said, because that's why that's why I said it kind of reminds me of the the same caliber of players that they had back in the 90s that they drafted, and they went on their, you know, their kind of their – I wouldn't call it a dynasty run.
00:46:54
Leo Ernewein
Oh,
00:46:59
Lando
But they they definitely were there yeah year in, year out. It just – well, they did win three.
00:47:03
Leo Ernewein
I'd call it a dynasty. They had several championships within a span.
00:47:07
Lando
Yeah, they did. um
00:47:09
Leo Ernewein
And they were always playoff.
00:47:09
Lando
They probably would have – yeah, they they probably would have won more if if the Lakers weren't so good.
00:47:12
Leo Ernewein
Yeah.
00:47:17
Lando
ah Or – right?
00:47:18
Leo Ernewein
Yeah.
00:47:19
Lando
I mean, they they probably would have won more. it Like I said, if the Los Angeles Lakers –
00:47:22
Leo Ernewein
And they ran into the heat LeBron one year in the heat as well.
00:47:26
Lando
Correct. Yeah. Yeah, they did. So, but I mean, I'm just thinking to the Western Conference because I think they had trouble getting, well, I actually, I would actually throw the Dallas Mavericks in that too, because I mean, they had, what's his face from Dirk Nowinski from, yeah, in Dallas that he and they had Jason Kidd go from the New Jersey Nets and help them.
00:47:40
Leo Ernewein
Dirk. Yeah.
00:47:49
Lando
So they, they had a good team back then too. So, but like I said, I think the Spurs would have won more back then.
Spurs Roster Comparisons: Now vs Early 2000s
00:47:56
Lando
If that they didn't run into those two teams, but like I said to you if this team that of San Antonio reminds me so much of that early 2000s team that Same caliber of players.
00:48:08
Lando
So yeah, really need to see
00:48:12
Leo Ernewein
right, well, let's ah kick things over to the CFL here because the season's right
CFL Teams' Rankings Predictions for Upcoming Season
00:48:16
Leo Ernewein
around the corner. Give me your rapid-fire worst-to-first win projections for all nine teams here, Landon.
00:48:23
Lando
All right Let me let me um rub my hands together. i got them hot. I got them ready. Here we go. So the the first place team that I think is going to...
00:48:37
Leo Ernewein
Worst.
00:48:37
Lando
Worst to first.
00:48:38
Leo Ernewein
Yes. Yes.
00:48:39
Lando
Worst. Okay, my apologies. So the worst team I still think will be the Ottawa Red Blacks.
00:48:45
Lando
i Eighth place will be the ah Toronto Argonauts will be the next one.
00:48:45
Leo Ernewein
Okay.
00:48:52
Leo Ernewein
Really?
00:48:53
Lando
Yes. i don't think chad kelly's I don't think Chad Kelly is their answer. But, I mean, they don't have any other choice.
00:48:58
Leo Ernewein
I don't think so either. Yeah.
00:48:59
Lando
um Seventh place will be the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. I think their age has definitely caught up to them. But, I mean, you you draft well, you you never know. they always seem dead They always seem to find players. But think Winnipeg, this will be a down year for them.
00:49:15
Lando
So that was seven. BC will be sixth. Fifth, I think, will be the BC Lions.
00:49:23
Leo Ernewein
No, you just said BC is fifth.
00:49:23
Lando
um Did I say BC 5th? What did I say? sixth was... 6th BC... six pc what Here, let me say this again.
00:49:35
Leo Ernewein
Yeah, sixth BC, sorry.
00:49:37
Lando
yeah Okay, so Ottawa, 9th. Toronto, eighth 7th was Winnipeg. 6th would be C. 5th was going to be Hamilton.
00:49:49
Leo Ernewein
Okay.
00:49:49
Lando
4th will be Saskatchewan. I'm actually picking Edmonton above Saskatchewan because I think the Edmonton Elks are going to do way better than I think a lot of people are predicting.
00:50:01
Lando
um And then second will be the Stampeders.
00:50:02
Leo Ernewein
All right,
00:50:06
Lando
And the number one team in the country that's probably, i think, is going to win the Great Cup is going to be the Hamilton Tiger Cats.
00:50:15
Leo Ernewein
right there you have it. um Jumping over here to the quarterbacks, Vernon Adams Jr. just signed a two-year extension with the Calgary Stampeders. Their backup, P.J. Walker, forced into retirement due to a medical diagnosis on his shoulder.
00:50:29
Leo Ernewein
How devastating you think that loss is for Calgary and their depth chart?
00:50:33
Lando
It's a big loss, man. But also I heard like I didn't go to the their first preseason game at home. But apparently that they have a number of good backups to back up Vernon Adams.
00:50:46
Lando
And so I think that's a good thing. i guess that they said, according to Calgary Sun, that this was the best group of quarterbacks that Calgary brought to camp.
00:50:56
Lando
and the best backups that they brought to camp in and a long, long time. So I guess that's positive. I don't know their names. I didn't write them down or look them up. um But apparently... Apparently, they are a good group of quarterbacks. in my debt And my parents who went to the game because we're season ticket holders, they said that they've they've got a good group of young quarterbacks coming up. So that's great to see. For Vernon Adams, no brainer to sign him to a long-term extension because that's all. I think he's you sink or swim with him.
00:51:27
Lando
um There's really nobody else of of his caliber that you can replace him with unless a draft pick somehow miraculously... shows up, but that's you years down the road. So, yeah, i'm i'm I'm happy to hear and report about the Calgary Stampeders on both fronts because I think Vernon Adams is the is a good quarterback to have on the team, although he's got to have a better year that than he did last year because he started off like gangbusters and then he just, he tailspin for majority of the season until the playoffs, but then it was too too little too late.
00:52:06
Leo Ernewein
I think he got hurt a little bit too though, right?
00:52:07
Lando
He did.
00:52:08
Leo Ernewein
Yeah.
00:52:08
Lando
he did. Yeah, he did, unfortunately.
00:52:12
Leo Ernewein
The backups, Josh Love emerges the front runner competing against rookies Ben Woolridge and Jacoby Criswell for the Sneed Peeders fans out there.
00:52:21
Lando
Okay. I do remember the law i remember the name Love. Yeah.
00:52:27
Leo Ernewein
Yeah. Reminds me of Jordan Love that just got picked by the Cardinals in the NFL draft coming into the University New Orleans.
00:52:28
Lando
So.
00:52:33
Lando
Very similar.
00:52:35
Leo Ernewein
They're running back. Josh Love is the backup quarterback for the Stampeders. But Landon, anything else you want to touch base on here before we wrap things up?
00:52:44
Lando
Um, I'm trying to think what, uh, well, I guess just real quickly, i know that nobody really cares about this. I know we talked about, uh, off, off mic that we weren't going to bring this up, but just, uh, yeah, let's do it anyway.
00:52:58
Leo Ernewein
No, do it anyways.
00:53:01
Lando
So, um, for those people, for those who don't know, um This is also the World Hockey Championship time. And tip Canada is represented in the World to Hockey Championships. And it's in Zurich, Switzerland, as one of the host cities.
00:53:17
Lando
And Canada today, as of Thursday morning, May 28th, our time, they beat the the Americans, the United States, 4-0 to go on to the semis to play Finland.
00:53:32
Lando
Unfortunately, there was some bad blood in the game. um Lindgren, who's the brother of Charlie Lindgren of the Washington Capitals, Lindgren plays for the Seattle Kraken. He absolutely smoked Evan Bouchard in the head.
00:53:50
Lando
Bouchard did not return to the game, and Lindgren received a five-minute major and a game misconduct for checking to the head. And yeah, so Canada, there was some bad blood. Of course, obviously, there's always going to be between the two nations. So Canada moves on to the semifinals. I think the semifinals are this weekend. i think Saturday.
00:54:13
Lando
Canada plays Finland. And the other semifinal is the host city or host country, Switzerland, taking this taking on the surprising Norway.
00:54:26
Leo Ernewein
Nice. Do you want to take us through?
00:54:27
Lando
So...
Canada's World Hockey Championship Progress
00:54:30
Leo Ernewein
Well, actually, before we get over to that, was there any standout players? Like, i know Sidney Crosby's on Canada's roster. Is there any other standouts, big names on Canada at the World Cup?
00:54:40
Lando
Yeah, so Macklin Celebrini is the team is the team team captain.
00:54:45
Leo Ernewein
Yeah.
00:54:46
Lando
Good for him for 19-year-old, 20-year-old.
00:54:48
Leo Ernewein
It's a weird not seeing Crosby without the C in a Canada jersey. I'm not going to lie.
00:54:51
Lando
it is It is, but he came late. he He accepted the invitation to go over there. So, I mean, obviously Canada's not going to turn him down. But, yeah, good good on Crosby to say, no, I don't want to see it.
00:54:59
Leo Ernewein
Right.
00:55:03
Lando
It's Macklin's time. So, good on Crosby. that That shows what type of person he is. Other names that are playing in this tournament, Ryan O'Reilly, who plays for the Nashville Predators, John Tavares, who plays for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Morgan Riley, who also plays for the Maple Leafs, um i Darnell Nurse for the Edmonton Oilers. um And there is also Cam Talbot, who plays for the Detroit Red Wings this year. He's one of the goaltenders.
00:55:35
Lando
um So yeah, it like there's some there's some really good names. There's also, I'm trying to look at the roster here. Give me a second here. I've lost some lots ah lost some of the names of of Team Canada. Give me a second, ladies and gentlemen. I'm going to pull a Leo and look this up while we're on air.
00:55:54
Lando
ah So Team Canada, 2026 roster players.
00:56:02
Lando
World Hockey Championships.
00:56:06
Lando
So, oh, yeah. So then Matthew Barzell from the New York Islanders are on this team. We talked, touched on Macklin Salabrini. Dylan Cousins from the Ottawa Senators. Emmett Finney. He's a third line center for the Detroit Red Wings. Dylan Holloway from the St. Louis Blues. He's a good pit player.
00:56:25
Lando
um ah Yeah, we've talked about that a few times on our show.
00:56:25
Leo Ernewein
Bet you Orlers are missing him.
00:56:29
Leo Ernewein
Yeah, we have.
00:56:30
Lando
We touched on that a few times, and I don't think that will be the last time we'll talk about him either. Mark Streifle, also from the Winnipeg Jets, is on the team. Gabriel Velarde from the Winnipeg Jets.
00:56:43
Lando
um And then forward Sam Dickinson, same or sorry, defenseman Sam Dickinson from the San Jose Sharks. is on the team. Dylan DeMello from the Winpig Jets.
00:56:55
Lando
Zach Whitecloud from the Calgary Flames. Parker Wotherspoon from the Pittsburgh Penguins. else we have here? Denton Matinchuk from the Columbus Blue Jackets. Now, if you want to talk about a young defenseman, my goodness, guys.
00:57:09
Leo Ernewein
Yeah. buttonton chuck Yeah. Canada. Yeah.
00:57:10
Lando
Yeah, Matinchuk, my goodness, he's a defenseman. And then Jet Greaves, who's taken over the net for his...
00:57:17
Leo Ernewein
Yeah. canda
00:57:18
Lando
For Canada, he's taken over the net. He's a Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender.
00:57:21
Leo Ernewein
i
00:57:23
Lando
He actually had a really good year for Columbus. he He was in the net for, yeah, he had a good, good year.
00:57:26
Leo Ernewein
it yeah
00:57:29
Lando
And then Cam Talbot. So, yeah, they've got, oh, Robert Thomas too from the Louis Blues. So they've got a good team. So go Canada.
00:57:38
Leo Ernewein
Interesting.
00:57:40
Lando
Yeah, so what do you think?
00:57:40
Leo Ernewein
And then, Landon, you want to, oh, sorry.
00:57:41
Lando
What do you what do do what do you think of all these players that i've yeah ah that I mentioned?
00:57:46
Leo Ernewein
I mean, that's a pretty good roster. I wouldn't expect anything less from Canada.
00:57:50
Lando
Yeah, I think this is one of their better rought this is one of their better rosters.
00:57:52
Leo Ernewein
But
00:57:54
Lando
So what were you going to say, man? Sorry to cut you off.
00:57:57
Leo Ernewein
I wanted to ask you or take us through the stuff at the Memorial Cup as well.
00:58:01
Lando
Okay, so the Memorial Cup real
Memorial Cup Update: Rangers vs Rockets
00:58:05
Lando
quick. So for those who don't know, the Memorial Cup is happens around this time of the year. um every Every year...
00:58:14
Lando
uh, there's, uh, a host city, whether it be in the WHL, the OHL, or the Quebec, whatever hockey league they want to, I can't remember the name.
00:58:24
Leo Ernewein
Quebec Junior. click like major your gene
00:58:25
Lando
Yeah. Junior hockey league whatever, whatever they're called. They've changed their name. So many, they've changed their name so many times. It's actually kind of funny. I'm not the only one who screwed this up. Uh, I was watching, uh, overdrive and Jeff,
00:58:38
Leo Ernewein
Oh, it's it's the LHJMQ. It's not... What? The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey.
00:58:45
Lando
What the?
00:58:47
Leo Ernewein
What is it? Not the... What is it?
00:58:49
Lando
What the heck is that?
00:58:49
Leo Ernewein
Not the Q...
00:58:50
Lando
What the heck is that?
00:58:52
Leo Ernewein
Yeah. What is that? When is it not the QMJHL? It always used to be the Quebec major junior hockey league. Now it's the league. What is it? What is it?
00:59:03
Lando
It's a lot of kerfuffle.
00:59:05
Leo Ernewein
Yeah. rabble-rabblerabblerabble Rabble, rabble, rabble, rabble. That's me.
00:59:09
Lando
It's a lot of...
00:59:11
Leo Ernewein
I'm with you here, Landon.
00:59:11
Lando
It's a...
00:59:12
Leo Ernewein
I know I didn't, no idea that it changed.
00:59:14
Lando
It's a mumble jumble of a whole bunch of letters mixed in and added and subtracted. Let's put it that way. So let's just call it the qe That's what you were going to call it. Sorry, folks. That's what we're going to call it. So we're going to call it the Q. So back on the rails.
00:59:31
Lando
So, they yeah, the Q sometimes hosted so that the teams that were in it this year was the Kitchener Rangers, the Colonna Rockets, Everett Silvertips and the Chikunami was also in it.
00:59:46
Lando
Unfortunately, the whole city of co Colonna, the Colonna Rockets, they did not make the playoffs or the semifinals of the tournament. Why is that? It's because they had a five-week layoff since the last time they played hockey. So they got bounced out by the Everett Silvertips at the end of March.
01:00:05
Lando
And so they had a five-week layoff of not playing hockey to host the tournament. It's too bad because I think Kelowna would have done... better if they They didn't have quite the team this year.
01:00:17
Lando
um Back in 2021 when the pandemic happened, Kelowna was supposed to host. um it It got unfortunately postponed until now.
01:00:30
Lando
And I think Kelowna back then had a way better team than they do now. not taking anything away from T.J. Ginlaw, but yeah, when you have a five week layoff, that's, that's a recipe for a disaster.
01:00:42
Lando
So um the, yeah, exactly.
01:00:44
Leo Ernewein
It's a wrap.
01:00:46
Lando
So, i so I think believe it's Everett and Chikunami who are going be in the semifinals, the Kitchener Rangers who have been the number one team in the country for pretty much the whole for since January, I think it is.
01:01:01
Lando
So they are, They've got a bye to the semifinals. So they've got a couple of days off to prepare for the finals, which happens this Sunday on TSN.
01:01:10
Lando
So that's the, that's the Memorial cup talk on that. So yeah, it's too bad about Kelowna. Cause I, I think they like, you don't want to see a host city lose. So here's a skill testing and question for you here, Leo.
01:01:26
Lando
So,
01:01:27
Leo Ernewein
Yeah.
01:01:28
Lando
My question for you is, so what happens when the WHL, let's talk about the WHL. So let's just say Kelowna. All right, let me rephrase this question. So there's four teams in the um in this tournament.
01:01:44
Lando
Can there be less than four?
01:01:46
Leo Ernewein
Right?
01:01:48
Lando
It can. And here's here's why.
01:01:51
Leo Ernewein
Yeah.
01:01:51
Lando
So any it can. So here's why. There has been other years where there's only it's only been a three-team tournament, and here's why. So what happens is is the whole city is granted the Memorial Cup.
01:02:05
Lando
um If the more the whole city bounces everybody out in the WHO, they are the representatives of the Western Hockey League going into the Memorial Cup. Now, if the host city gets taken out by another organization or team, there is a four-team tournament.
01:02:26
Leo Ernewein
Interesting.
01:02:27
Lando
make Does that make sense?
01:02:29
Leo Ernewein
Yeah.
01:02:30
Lando
So, yeah, so interesting. So, yes, it can be less than four. So, yeah, so that's that's the CHL talk end of our
01:02:40
Lando
the end of our show
01:02:42
Leo Ernewein
and um Well, that wraps up episode 22. Thanks everybody for tuning in and supporting the show's growth. Lando, take it away and close us out here, bud with the shout outs.
01:02:52
Lando
So I've fought long and hard for our shutouts, um but I want to take a quick shout out to my boss, Sean. He listens to us once in a while, um especially the hockey talk. So i want to shout out to my boss, Sean Eltham, for thanks for listening and being such a good boss and being a good teammate and all those good stuff. So shout out to Sean Eltham.
01:03:17
Leo Ernewein
Right on. shot Shout out Sean Ocum. um That's it for for episode two. And Leo totally forgot to hit the music again because Leo wasn't paying the attention. So I'm going hit it now.
01:03:30
Leo Ernewein
Finally, after the third press, we'll slowly walk you out here, Lyndon. It's been a good week in sports, hasn't it, man? Lots going on.
01:03:37
Lando
It has been. It has been. You know what? It's funny how we get to the NMA and things are slowly starting to wrap up as we head into the as we're headed into the summer. So things are starting to wrap up.
01:03:51
Leo Ernewein
Yeah, and the Blue Jays playing some good baseball as well. Just beat the Orioles. So two to one today.
01:03:56
Lando
I saw that. I did see that. Yes, 2-1. Good job. They're turning it around. We'll talk about them next episode.
01:04:02
Leo Ernewein
Yeah.
01:04:04
Lando
So anyways, guys, thank you very very much for listening.
01:04:09
Leo Ernewein
As always.
01:04:19
Leo Ernewein
And as always, noise.
01:04:20
Lando
Nice.