May 13, 2025 • 56 mins
Energy Line with Nate Thompson and Julie Stewart-Binks open up the show talking about Nate calling the WHL games in Canada. They break down the Oilers now being Stanley Cup favorites, being one win away from the Western Conference Finals and the Hurricanes now being a win away from knocking out the Capitals. NHL Network, NESN, MSG Network analyst and former NHL player Brian Boyle then joins Nate and JSB. Boyle discusses getting into the broadcasting world when his career ended, the Panthers-Maple Leafs series, the surprising Hurricanes 3-1 lead and the Jets-Stars series.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
Energy Line is a production of the NHL and iHeart
podcasts Welcome my Name is the Energy Line with Nate
and JSB and Julie Stuart Binks and he's former NHL
R Nate Thompson, and the second round of the Stanley
(00:24):
Cup playoffs rolls on. And one former player with plenty
of playoff experience is Brian Boyle, who will join us
in a few minutes. Energy Line is a production of
the NHL and iHeart podcasts and Nate, you and I
are both in different places right now than we usually
are aka our homes. I'm in my childhood bedroom. You
(00:46):
are in Spokane, Washington, the state. What's it like covering
the WHL Finals.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
It's been fun. It's been a lot of fun in spring.
It's been tiring too though, I mean yesterday was a
long day trial getting a Spokane. But it's been a
heck of a series. I mean it's tied one one
Medicine Hat and Spokane. Spokane tied it up last game.
So I have a feeling I'm gonna be going back
to Medicine Hat this weekend because I don't think either
one of these teams are gonna win three games in
(01:13):
a row here in Spokane.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
But it's been a great series.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
There's been a lot of young talent, you know, guys
like Gab McKenna, Berkeley, Catton, Tanner, Mullendyke all guys, all
three guys that I think are going to play in
the NHL soon. So it's been it's been good, Julie,
it's been it's been fun to to experience the roads,
the road trips and the road of being a broadcaster
and going back and forth in series a little bit.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
You know.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Yes, I was looking at your Instagram and seeing like
you calling the games like you as an analyst, and
I was like, wow, this is like serious. Nate in
on like explaining the why of situations happening. He's wearing
many different hats. How have you liked being an in
game analyst.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
It's been good, it's been fun. It's been Uh, it's
been different. I mean, obviously I've done radio, I've done
the you know, the pre and post game and intermissions
and stuff like that, but this has been it's definitely. Uh,
it's exciting, you know, because you're on. You know, you
have to be on, and you have to be you know,
just you can't zone out when you're no, no, you
(02:15):
got to be lively every time you call something. So
it's been fun though. It's been a good experience. A
guy i'm doing it with, David Foot's been good too,
So we've kind of created a little bit of chemistry.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
And yeah, I'm just having fun with it. That's what
we're supposed to do, right, have fun with it?
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Yeah, just have fun. Isn't that the best Adviceive? I
love when people tell me just to have fun and
I want to go telling off themselves because it's like,
of course I want to have fun.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Of course I'm trying to have fun.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
I'm trying to have fun, all right, don't tell me
to have fun. That will make me not have fun.
Is when just relax and you're like, I would be
relaxed if you didn't tell me to relax, Like you're
now making me more pissed off right now?
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Yeah, it's uh, I mean, this is really good hockey.
I did not expect for the the guy has to
be this good, and they're really good.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
It's fun to watch.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Okay, So for a lot of these young guys, I
find it fascinating looking at their names because they're just
like very different. Have you found any like weird ones.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Yeah, there's a name. There's a kid on the actually
overage kid on medicine hat. His name is oasis Wiseblat Wow,
which is yeah, it's the coolest name. And and like
he was you know, they did they did a story
on him last game. It was a cool story his
his mom's death. He's got a ton of other siblings
and you know, they did a he did like a
Mother's Day sign language to her on TV on the
(03:39):
Patron last game, which was really cool, and he hadn't
seen her in like two years or something like that.
His other siblings names over her over him talking, and
his I think his brother's name is Ozzy. He's got
another brother sister named Ocean, like really really different names,
but his name is oasis Wise Blat so interesting name.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
Well, first of all, I mean like snaps to oasis
Wise for being able to sign Mother's Day to his mom.
That is like such a really beautiful, I'm sure, and
poignant moment for everyone to watch that. And so I'm
sure it wasn't easy growing up, and I'm sure they've
gone through a lot, but I'm sure his mom is
just very extremely proud of him. And then on my
(04:22):
second point is there's definitely a theme between Oasis and
ocean and and Ozzy. Yeah, so there's this sort of
like an an oceanic vibe going on right there. While
you've been on the road, though you're up, you're up
in oil Country. We got to talk about the Oilers
(04:43):
and the fact that they are now Stanley Cup favorites
after going up three to one on the Vegas Golden Knights.
They blanked the Vegas Golden Knights in Game four three nothing.
Skinner has a nice little bounce back game for himself.
Is there something about this Oilers team that feels different
(05:03):
then that last year?
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Yeah, I mean they honestly, it feels like the same
team as last year in the playoffs when they started
gaining momentum, and I was sick.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
About this, truly. I was thinking about, like it's the
Oilers are like.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
An animal backed into a corner, and once they get
back into the corner, they all of a sudden they
fight and then they become their best And that's exactly
what's happened in the playoffs. It's happened last year in
the playoffs, Like they they go down to nothing to
the Kings and their you know, their lives are on
the line, and then all of a sudden they start
playing their best hockey and they were like, who are
(05:34):
these Who is this team? It's the Edmonton Oilers of
last season. And that's what they're doing now against Vegas.
Like last night's game, the way they played defensively, like
the way they didn't give any time in space to Vegas.
Like Vegas, they're having to earn everything they get and
they and they're not getting it, you know, like guys
like Jack Eichel mark Stone, like they're having a tough
time creating offense. Like last night I was watching and
(05:57):
you're and this is a good sign if you're the
Edmonton Oilers, if you're Edmondon. Oler's fan is Connor McDavid
was blocking shot like all these things like when you
see your when you see your captain and the level
of count Connor McDavid. You see him blocking shots like that,
like he goes down on one knee and takes that shot,
makes a play, a good defensive play out of the
zone like man, like these Oilers they look really good
(06:18):
and then obviously Stewart Skinner goes in net gets you know,
he gets his confidence, and you know that's just gonna
bleed throughout the rest of the team obviously. So I
mean this Oilers team, I think Vegas is not going
to beat them three games in a row.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
I'm sorry.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
The Oilers are definitely prime for a deep run again.
And not only that, but you look at the depth too,
Like look at their depth, Like Adam Henry gets.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
Two goals last night.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
You know, Corey Perry continue to continues to do his thing,
and I mean, what else can we say about him?
And there's just so many guys of Ander Kaine. You
know how much of an impact he's been since he's
come back. And I mean there's just different guys that
keep stepping up to the it's you know, stepping up
in their lineup and making a huge impact. And then
you have you know, obviously the two headed monster with
Conor McDavid, Leon Driyce add to that, and I mean
(07:05):
they're going to be tough to beat. I just I
feel like an idiot now because we were like Oilers
are floundering into the playoffs and now look at him there, Juggernaut,
you know, in the second round, about to be in
the third round.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
So they look good.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
It's Mike Johnson that would look like the idiot because
he said the Oilers would get swept or not swept,
that they would lose in five. And we never got
that clip out, which I was really trying hard to
get our producer Bob to get that clip because it
was such a statement. And thanks to Bob giving an
assist to Mike Johnson that we never got that clip
out publicly because that would a really Johnny would not
(07:42):
be looking too hot right now with that with that clip.
But we'll bring up the receipts here on this show.
And I think that, like, have you ever had a
guy that you've played with that is so good, like
say it's a gets laugh probably or someone else where
it's like they're not only counted on a score to
lead the team, but then you see them laying their
body out on the line. And after also seeing how
(08:05):
Connor McDavid reacted in the locker room last year and
we all saw that, are you not kind of just
like okay, like I'll like I'll do whatever. This guy's good,
Like this guy wants it, this guy needs it, this
guy's gonna do whatever he wants. I have to now
do whatever I have I can do to give it
to him.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
You said it, Julie.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
I mean, if the captain is doing if your best
player is doing it, why can't you do it? Everyone
else has to join into And yeah, I've been on
teams like that. I mean, guys that jump out or
you know Marty Saint Louis, Steven Stampcos. You know, there
was an instance when we were playing Boston, I think
it might have been game seven, Stammer got hit with
the puck right in the nose, like just right straight
(08:45):
in the noose, off the ice, like it didn't look good.
But of course he came right back. You know, he
came right back, finished the game. But you see stuff
like that from superstars, and it's hard for other guys
not to get in line.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
You have to. You have to jump in line, and
that's how you win.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
I mean, there's you see different instances of different highlights
of different guys like you Alexandrovtchkin when they won the
Cup and he's going down and doing like a kicksave
block shot at the blue line. You know, guys are
just selling out, doing it whatever it takes, because you
have to. You know, if you want to win that
big shiny mug. You got to do whatever it takes.
And you know you're seeing you're seeing guys like Connor McDavid.
(09:21):
You know how bad he wants to win it. I
mean you we saw that, We saw that replay on
the Amazon thing and how much how much he cares.
You can see it, how much he cares every time
he hits a guy or he blocks the shots. I mean,
there's so many different instances these guys that are selling
out and doing whatever it takes to win these hockey games.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
And it's fun to watch, right And conormc david doesn't
even have that many goals, but he does have quite
a few asists. He also has Leon dry Side on
the team, and I'm looking at those two and being
like Matthews and Marner, which we're going to get to
obviously on this podcast here, but you mentioned Alexandrovitchkin. He
does score, but it is like a little too late
(10:00):
in a way, caps on the brink of elimination and
against the Canes, and the Canes just like, did we
not really give them a lot of credit or what's
going on? They're gonna they could close this thing out.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
Yeah, we didn't give the Keynes any credit. I don't
think anybody did. I think everyone is picking the Caps
to win the series, and Carolina's making us look bad.
I mean, they they've been so good, They've been suffocating
on Washington. I've been so good defensively, and then we
have to mention Freddie Anderson. I mean, how good? How
good has Freddy been? I mean since he's come back,
he's been lights out. You know, he's a big reason
(10:35):
why Carolina is is up three to one in this series.
And I think too what you're watching a little bit
yesterday's game, like you know, Carolina's turned their cheek to
Washington right now, like there's any scrum, you know, anything
going on, Like Washington was trying to, you know, get
them off their game. You know, Tom Wilson's yelling at
Jordan Stall yesterday.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
They didn't even budge, you know.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
They, like Carolina was, was totally unflappable by Washington. And
you're seeing it now and they're up three to one
and Washington's you know, their backs are against the series now.
So I mean, it's this is wild. I didn't I
did not foresee this, you know, I did not think
Carolina was going to be up three to one in
this series. I didn't think that, you know, they were
going to have the physicality or be able to sustain
(11:17):
the physicality against Washington. But you know, Carolina with certain
guys and playing so well for them, it just jumps
out for me, like for once, for Carolina on this
Cup run. We always talked about goaltending right goaltending was
there is shoe and it's not right now? And the
Carolina Hurricanes look really really good?
Speaker 1 (11:36):
Isn't that wild? Like Freddy Anderson has always been a
question where kind of like wherever he's been because either
he's pretty good or he's he's hot, he's not, He's
not as been as consistent. You played with him in
Anaheim seeing him, I guess now at this level, like
what's maybe something that we don't know about Freddy Anderson
that like guys like you would have seen in the
(11:57):
locker room.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
Well, Freddy's a quiet guy, as we know, but I
think you know, when you talk to me, when you
see interviews, I think people don't realize how competitive he is.
Like Freddie was so competitive and he was you know,
he wanted to win it.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
Everything.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
He wanted to you know he wanted to be the best,
and I think, you know, like I said in his interviews,
and when people see him, he's so soft spoken and
so quiet that you know, you don't gather that from him.
But Freddie in a way is a little bit of
a killer. And I think that you would never think
that from Freddie Anderson, but he is, and we're seeing
that right now. And he has that killer instinct and
(12:31):
he's you know, he's leading his team to every single
victory right now.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
I hope he's not like a killer instinct in the
sense that he listens to media, because I've definitely given
him a lot of flack over the years. Like when
he went from Anaheim to Toronto, I was like, I'm
not so sure about this guy, and then ever went
in Toronto was like, okay, yeah, Julie was right. And
then like he goes to Carolina and I was like, no, guys,
(12:56):
he ain't. I don't, I don't believe, and then it
was right. And then now it's like he maybe he
has just like a whole bunch of quotes that I've
said before about him, and then is like, I'm going
to prove this girl wrong. Actually, he'll probably beat the
Leafs if they both I mean, if we're lucky, if
the team is lucky to get to the next round,
(13:16):
and just be like, Hey, all your caters in Toronto, did.
Speaker 3 (13:19):
You just say that he's probably going to beat the Leafs.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
So you're saying that Carolina is going to play Toronto
in the conference finals.
Speaker 1 (13:27):
I think I might have just actually wheeled the Toronto
Mape Beliefs into the Eastern Conference Final, specifically to get
embarrassed by Freddie Anderson a funny note when he got
when he signed with Toronto, my mom was like, oh,
do you think he has anywhere to have Thanksgiving? Like
Canadian Thanksgiving? Canadian Thanksgiving. I'm like, I'm pretty sure he
(13:51):
probably has, like teammates. She's like, can you send him
a message in and fight them tired Thanksgiving? I was like, Mom,
that would be so weird.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
I want to talk to your mom because I want
to know if she talks just like that, And I don't.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
Think she does.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
No, she does. She does. She is the queen of
like bring up the most random thing and then be
like what do you think about this? Like there was
an SNL sketch this past weekend about mother's day and
how it's like a mom will be like, Wow, what's
going on with that leanne rhymes? And the daughter's like,
I don't know. It's like wow, she's a real train wreck.
Like Mom's just like I don't know. My mom has
(14:29):
definitely dialed into a lot of things that I am
not dialed into, and she'll have an opinion on them,
and I'm like, I just I don't know. I don't
have as much time to go over these things because
I'm now watching every playoff game, which is like kind
of becomes a lot. I heard Kevin Bixa called the
dog days of the playoffs. Would you call this part
(14:50):
like the second round where not no one can clinch
yet it's like a bit a bit long.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
Yes, we are in the dog days of playoffs because
I feel like it doesn't really get real until you
get to the conference finals when they's just four teams.
You're watching just one game the night usually right you're
watching one game a night. I think that's I think
that's what he means by the dog days is when
you're what you're having to flip back and forth and
watch multiple games. Yes, at the same time, those are
the dog days, but when you get down to four
(15:16):
teams and you're watching one game a night, it's it's
it's a little bit easier, but yeah, we are definitely
in the dog days.
Speaker 3 (15:21):
I think I agree with that.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
Yeah, And it's like we said, NHL playoffs are amazing.
We continue to believe that. The first rounds banana Sandwich
and you like you can't even keep up. You're like,
I don't even know who's playing. Oh, it's just like
crazy town, crazy town, and then it's chaos. And then
it kind of when you eliminate half of those teams,
you're like, Okay, it's like slower, but it's it's still
there's still like two games a night, so there's still
(15:44):
like enough that you got to get up and go,
but it's not as like chaotic. So it's like gets
it's it's it's you know, it's it's you gotta piece yourself.
I'm going to game five.
Speaker 3 (15:54):
That's wow.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
I just wanted to put that one out there before
we have our guest on the show. I don't currently
have tickets in my possession, but I'm working on it
and I'm just already planning to go with my two cousins.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
So you're already manifesting that you're going and you don't
have tickets.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
I'm manifesting that I'm going to the game. I don't
have tickets. I have been looking a lot on the
secondary market and they are pretty expensive. But it's like,
if you're gonna go on NHL.
Speaker 3 (16:25):
Help help help Juliet right now, help me.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
Please don't. I don't want to have I don't want
to be paying the NHL back for anything. I don't
want them to have any money in the bank on me,
like because they will not forget, just like Freddie Anderson.
All Right, we have a whole lot coming up on
the show, and that is with our next guest, who
is coming up after the break, none other than Brian Boyle.
(16:50):
Stay tuned with us. This is the Energy line with
natean JSB. I'm very excited to now be joined by
a network analyst from MSG. Also nessen and had a
long career in the NHL. That's none other than Brian
(17:12):
Boyle here on the show. Brian, thank you so much
for joining us. I believe the last time I saw
you was in person watching you with John Gia known
as I shadowed John for an MSG broadcast and let
me tell you put in not that much work, but
you really pulled it off. Well.
Speaker 4 (17:30):
I gotta say, listen, you just gotta fake it till
you make it right. I mean, tom Or knows. You
gotta smile, show your teeth a little, even though mine
aren't very good, and speak like you know what you're
talking about. I do remember that at MSG, saw you
a couple of times at MSG over the last maybe
year and a half. It's covering hockey. I can't really
(17:52):
do anything else, so I try to just talk about
what I know natural, stay in my lane a little bit.
I don't know anything else, so hopefully I'm half decent.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
No boiler. You're good and it's it's good to see
you man.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
And so I guess that's my question, is how has
the transition been from retiring into the media side, which
I'm doing the same thing, So you know, how's it going.
Speaker 4 (18:16):
I don't Yeah, I don't want to speak for you name,
but it sounds like just because I pay attention to
what you're doing too, and a lot of guys I'm
sure you do when they're take the step out of
playing into something else, whatever it might be. I like
I said yes to pretty much everything there's there was
a number of different things that you know, we did
one thing, but it was so dominant of our lives
(18:39):
every morning night, even in the off season, you'd think, like,
where are we at in the off season? Training? Everything
was you know, for that one goal of playing, and
it really occupied a lot of headspace for me. When
that was done, you know, it was kind of cool
to decompress for I don't know, a week. But then
(18:59):
I don't know, I got itchy. I wanted to do more.
I wanted to get out and have a purpose, I guess,
and you know, we had more kids. I was fairly busy,
but I mean I started coaching. I started helping players
and kids around my area that were my son's age.
Everything was sort of bringing me back to the game
and had opportunities with the NHL network. Josh Bernstein reached
(19:23):
out when I was still playing. Actually, so I just
I took actually a media class because I didn't really
want to step into something and hope I tried to
prepare a little bit. And especially if you're going to
go on television and you know, my parents might watch
or you know, my siblings, I'm kind of representing these
people in some way I wanted to be, you know not,
(19:45):
I didn't want to embarrass myself for them, So I
just that's kind of how I approached it. That's how
I did it. It's been it's been a lot of fun.
You get to see people, meet people and reconnect with
people I haven't seen in a while, like like you, Nate,
and you get to interview people that you haven't seen
and just kind of shoot it little bit. It's a
lot of a lot of the positives that I missed
(20:07):
I thought I was going to miss when I was
done playing. Now nothing's like playing. I still miss playing,
especially this time of year. But it's certainly certainly decent
second choice, I guess.
Speaker 1 (20:19):
Yeah, definitely. And I'm very curious about this media class.
Like I don't know if you can see foile, but
I got an International Masters in Journalism right above me,
behind me right here, and I obviously don't work out
an NHL network, But that did mean nothing at all.
But for you and the media class, what's something that
(20:40):
you learned that has helped you that you had no
idea that was something that would be part of being
a broadcaster when you were a player.
Speaker 4 (20:51):
It's it's harder than you think in a lot of ways,
and it's a lot easier than you would think in
a number of ways too. That's sort of what I learned.
It was like throw your punch if you're asking a question,
like get to the question. And and for fourteen years
I was the one that was giving the answer. I
was the one that was trying to give the people,
(21:11):
I guess, or the fans or whatever, that was the answer.
Right now, it's just like t up the answer. Give
this person the chance to give the audience the answer
because they're there to see that person. Throwing your punches.
One and then my whole life, I was probably like
the loudest one in a room. As I got older,
I probably got quieter. From a big family. I got
(21:32):
on TV, and after the first day I was told like,
we couldn't really hear anything you were saying. I never
thought I didn't project that well until I got on television,
and then I worked the show with Bill Pedo, and
I realized what they were talking about. Billy P's the man.
He is screaming at you the whole show, and it's
awesome and you get more energy and sometimes manufacturing energy
(21:55):
just slow yourself down, get rid of the ums and ohs,
and use a certain case and so those were things
I learned. It was with a group called OMG. Actually
it was on an app and I took the course.
I was supposed to try and go out and sell
this course, but I can't sell anything. I'm a terrible salesman.
(22:16):
I learned that. So I just kind of stay in
my lane.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
It was really whole lot of jobs, right, you know,
on salesman as well as broadcaster or at that time, no, I.
Speaker 4 (22:26):
Just feel so like these people are looking at me
like a full crap and they know it and I
know it, And so I took the course. It was
really helpful and beneficial and at the end of the day,
just saying what I see on TV, I'm not covering
geopolitical things. I'm not covering a sport I didn't play.
(22:46):
This is stuff I know. So organize your thoughts and
go prepare.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
Real quickly.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
Would you could you see yourself coaching boiler? Could you
see yourself getting out of a meeting and go on
the coaching side, because you mentioned you talked about how
you you've you've done a little bit of coaching around
your area. Would you would you ever get any the
NHL and coach.
Speaker 4 (23:05):
Well, I always say I played every position in the NHL,
so I got to I know everything, especially when I'm
critiquing coaches when I'm on TV listen, it's I got
to give a lot of credit to what these guys
do and how much they dedicate their lives to it.
I probably noticed it more in the last like five
years of my career when I was there early and
I left late, and I was never at the rink alone.
(23:28):
The coaching staff was still always there and just in
front of a computer looking at the same place over
and over. I was like, that's that's really incredible. And look,
it comes down to how competitive are you, how badly
do you want to get better at your job, how
badly do you want to win? So I understand why
they do it. But I got a nine year old,
a seven year old, three year old, and two one
(23:49):
year olds. It's not the moment in my life now
where I would leave them because of how time consuming
it is.
Speaker 1 (23:58):
See to your wife, You're like, I'm going to be
on the road right now. Yeah, And you.
Speaker 4 (24:03):
Know what, my life last year was in pitt and
my family stayed back, and I'm really thankful for that year.
I was thankful to get to play that year. We
had a good team. I don't think I could do
it again. I don't think I could be away from
the kids that long, my wife that Long's it's just
too difficult when they're at this age. I need to
be around them, right.
Speaker 1 (24:24):
I totally can empathize and understand that. And I remember
just in another vein, but like Mac Brown, who was
most recently coaching North Carolina football, which has oddly been
in the news a lot recently too, he told me
before he took that job that he like I was
working at ESPN with him, and he was just like
my Julie, my wife does not want me to be
(24:48):
back there coaching football because I am a wreck. I'm
never home and I'm always working, and it's just like
it is so much of a mental and physical stress
on everyone in your entire family. So I spent with
five kids and you said two that are one one
years old, twins twin Bapez. That's so great. Okay, well,
(25:12):
congratulations to you and your wife, and let's get into
some some hockey here. On the fact that you played
for these two teams like yeah, not like for a long,
long long time, but like the Leafs and the Panthers.
And I'm in Toronto currently right now where everyone is.
I'm gonna say a little bit, a little bit worried
(25:34):
right now at the game five coming up. This series
has had a lot going on. We saw how the
last game ended, Game four, a lot of you know,
extracurricular samax Domi getting the fine just for five grand,
which is like really really nothing at all for an
NHL player, imagine. But just like the vibes the end
of game four, what do you expect for game five?
Speaker 4 (25:56):
I expect a reset. I think. Look, I was impressed
with Toronto and games one and two at home, obviously
that place was buzzing more than it has really in
the last six years. And I was impressed with how
Toronto played and how they turned the other cheek. Now,
this series is obviously far from over. It was far
from over, and it's two nothing, And there was conversations
(26:18):
that we all had at the network. And I wouldn't
be surprised if I wouldn't be surprised if Florida ripped
off Florida Row. That's what I said. It wouldn't surprise
me because of Florida's pedigree and what they're capable of.
I just think they're so calculated and smart in how
they use all different avenues to try to get a
(26:38):
competitive advantage. The thing that I liked about Toronto was,
especially when they had leads, they just turned the other cheek,
and I thought Tampa probably tried to be too much
like Florida at times, and when your goalie wasn't one
hundred percent like himself and your top scorer wasn't one
hundred percent himself, Like, they're not going to beat Florida,
(26:58):
especially if it's a first round. If it was the
third round, who knows, because fatigue might sit in for
the Florida Panthers. Having said that Florida has Florida has
seven or eight players maybe who all have Yeah, they
have eight players who all have eight points. Like their
depth and there, like how they're just constructed as a
(27:23):
lineup is it's daunting. So what Toronto has to realize
is this is where we're going to take our step.
You have to understand how good we can be. We
haven't gotten a goal from Matthews, we haven't seen the
best from some guys, and we're on our second goalie
two two is not a terrible place to be back
at home, and that's sort of the emotional and mental
(27:44):
hurdle that they need to hop I want to see
Toronto do well. I want to see this series go seven,
just because it's really entertaining to me, and I wonder
like what kind of third round would we get if
Toronto does move forward. That said, I don't think Florida's
played all their cards because they just have so many
in the deck. They can find different ways. I think
(28:05):
Bob's getting better as the series is going on. I
understand the temperature in Toronto, but this is what you
sign up for with playoff hockey, and the farther down
you go, the more intense it's going to get. So
fans in Toronto don't be upset if it's a nail
by the seven game series. I don't think he can
barred or lament the Toronto maple Leaves if they don't
(28:25):
win the series. They're playing against champions.
Speaker 1 (28:27):
I think they will come. They should have won that one.
They and they will. They will destroy this team in
this city.
Speaker 4 (28:36):
Think about that four. You know they lose an overtime
in Game three, like they could have been up three
to nothing and.
Speaker 1 (28:43):
Morgan Riley scored.
Speaker 2 (28:44):
You know, yeah, there's a lot of it was just, yeah,
this series have a different look. Say, so, okay, Mitch
Marner has no shots on goal in the last two games,
and you mentioned that Austin Matthews hasn't scored in this
series too, and Craig Brewery came out and tash I
tell him to shoot the puck a right, like you.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
Think that is I know, I know that, But do
you think that it's like.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
Them just not shooting the puck or is it or
is it a mental thing again with these guys where
it's like, okay, we're we're tied to too, and they
go into this they go into like the shell it
seems like right where they just can't score, they can't
find offensive opportunities. What do you think it is, Boiler.
Speaker 4 (29:24):
Do you think it might be like they're trying to
play a different way, because I mean, that's why you
have to do it for eighty two games, and I
think they were committed to doing it under chief this
year and now they're worried like that's just not in
their DNA it's you have to stay the course. You
have to understand this is what is giving. This is
why you did it since October, this is why it
was implemented in September. It can't. It's it's you're not
(29:47):
gonna blow out the Florida Panthers. So there's gonna be
times where it doesn't go in the net. But you
have to continue to do the right things. It's not
curl back and try to go east west. Like Mitch Marner,
he shot a puck from the snack bar in Game two,
went in the net like that was a game winning goal.
So like with Matthews, I think Austin is laboring. I
(30:09):
think he is. It's been a really long year. He's
done a number of different things to try and get
back to playing healthy hockey. And I don't think he is,
but I'm giving him a ton of credit for gotting
through it. And if I'm a leafsman, he's gutting through this.
I think he's laboring. Something's up, maybe his hand, who knows,
he blocked a shot, but you had four nations, you're
(30:30):
gonna have the Olympics. There's no like runway for him
to rest and recover that long. So what do you do? Well,
you do what Austin's doing. And he's going out and
he's playing two hundred foot hockey. He's paid a lot
of money to put it in the net though, and
he's probably putting that pressure on himself. But he's shooting
the puck. He's just got to elevate if he can.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
Yeah, and with the shooting of the puck, and maybe
Matthew's not being one hundred percent. We know that he
went to Germany this year for like, you know, some
kind of maybe like a back thing, back thing. How
much does that like if a guy is dealing with something,
maybe not even the back thing, but if a guy's
doing something, could that affect just even like the physics
(31:13):
of the shot, because there's so many shots that he's
had that haven't hit the net where you're like, does
this guy need buyfocals or something like what's going on?
Speaker 4 (31:22):
I think, yeah, it's so coaching. I coach these kids
in high school now and we work on different ways
to shoot, and they missed it at a lot, which
drives me crazy because I never missed a net. But
I also talk to them being like, look, I used
to be able to put it wherever I wanted, because
every single day I would shoot pucks and I use
the same stick for twelve straight years, and I know
(31:43):
where it's going. I can do it in my sleep.
I can look on the ice. I know where the
net is from the lines and the dots on the ice.
It's just reps. Austin Matthews is a better shooter than
I ever wished I could be. Right. So, if he's
missing the net this often, okay, some of them might
be there's someone in the lane and he's trying to
pick up a quarter of an inch somewhere sixty feet away.
(32:05):
That's okay, that's understandable. But if at this volume that
he's missing the net, yes, something physiologically is off. There's
a the muscle memory isn't there, because maybe one of
the muscles or a ligaments or something is you know,
inhibited a little bit. That's why I would assume that
he's laboring and it doesn't affect strength. You can still
take a draw, tom or knows like you can have
(32:28):
like one finger on one hand and two on the other.
You can figure out a way to get in there
and win a draw. Like it's there's a certain art
to that, but putting it by a goalie and putting
it in a certain spot with precision, Yeah, I can
can change some things.
Speaker 2 (32:41):
Yeah, I mean I love that you mentioned that too
about Austin Matthews and how he's played this two hundred
foot game, because I don't think he gets enough credit
from people, Like everyone talks about, oh, he hasn't scored,
he hasn't scored, but like there's so many different things
that he's doing. Ye job, I know, but this is
what this is what we're saying though. He he If
they don't have him in the lineup, Julie, like, there's
(33:03):
going to be here serious holes, not just goalscorer.
Speaker 3 (33:11):
You are such a Leafs fan, it's crazy.
Speaker 2 (33:13):
We're all right, oh yeah right, well all right, Well
we'll talk about the other series no one's really talking
about because of this series is the Hurricanes and the Capitals,
and now the Caps are on the brink and you're
seeing what Carolina is doing and how they're basically enforcing
their will and their game on the Caps.
Speaker 4 (33:36):
Yeah, it's it's not my favorite brand Carolina Hurricane or
if I'm Rob Brindamore, I love this brand of hockey.
If I'm a coach. I love this brand of hockey,
not because you just don't have to expand much energy defending.
They're so efficient at getting it out of their end,
whether it looks cool or whether it is pretty, or
(33:56):
even the volume at which they shoot pucks and recover.
I understand the idea. I just wish there was like
get to that game and then after you've rolled a
few shifts, maybe you can go one, two, three, four,
which which Rod does do. All right, let's kind of
open them up. Now they're on their heel, especially in
that first period. If you go Carolina like Tom, you
(34:18):
know it's survived till the second TV time out. If
it's one nothing, Mo're down, Like we're actually okay, Like
make make some more plays, Like I lament so many teams.
I get so frustrated with so many teams that are
going east west too earlier. They're they're starting the other
team's breakout because they're too high risk. And we see
more of it now with the younger players, like they're
(34:40):
a one eighty from that. They're almost like you guys
have enough skill where you've already worn them down. You
got to your game, like make a make a play
and they blow these teams out. I really think with
Freddy kicking the way is I thought, you know, last night,
they did make a couple more players. I love Taylor
Hall's sort of I'm not gonna come all the way
back in the zone. I think we might get this
(35:02):
puck and like his calculated risk for his breakaway goal,
like he's able to do that. Yeah, they're a scared
team and if they win a series in a short
amount of games, again, I think this might be the
year where they'll give you something in the conference finals,
because if you remember their conference finals the last two
or three times they've been there, they've have nothing left
in the tank and they get swept.
Speaker 1 (35:25):
Okay, So on the topic of Carolina, we switch over
to the Western Conference and all I think about is
two thousand and six Carolina and Edmonton Oilers. What are
the chances you think that could be a Stanley Cup Final?
Speaker 4 (35:40):
Um, very real possibility, I think.
Speaker 3 (35:44):
I mean.
Speaker 4 (35:46):
Again, if Carolina can get through this series, after the
next game, they'll have their time to kind of recover.
And it's shown that the way they have to play
is it's taxing. With Edmonton last night, how they played,
that's the most impressive I've seen them play. That is
that looked like last year's Florida team in all different
(36:06):
fast sets. See McDavid's killing penalties like a stud. I
didn't know. I knew he probably could if he wanted to,
because he could do whatever he wants. Their de zoned structure,
their physicality, they were bullying the Vegas gold to Knights.
I just I really didn't expect to see that, and
I had Vegas going to the Cup final. Edmonton's really
(36:29):
impressed me, top to bottom, their depth, showing up. Adam Henry,
you got to give him a ton of credit, just
kind of quietly goes about his business. If he gets
a chance under the bar and it's between his legs,
like kidding me. Came and celebrate between the legs goal
because you know, Kaner runs over Aiden hill and then
there's a Brewja on the corner. But Edmonton really impressed me.
(36:51):
And yeah, I'd be scared if I was in the
West having to face that. Although Dallas, Dallas has been
pretty impressive with out there, I'd say best all around
player and Miro not playing, So I like Dallas a lot.
I've liked Dallas for three straight years. Andre looks pretty good.
But if Stuart Skinner's pitching shutouts. Now you have these
two goalies that just won't lose all of a sudden,
(37:12):
their weakness becomes their strength in Edmonton. Who knows?
Speaker 2 (37:16):
How does how does Vegas get back in this series?
I don't think Vegas is going to roll over. I mean,
do you think that there's a chance Vegas can come
back in this series?
Speaker 3 (37:25):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (37:25):
I think if you know, Hurdle gets going a little bit,
he's kind of been vanilla and I just think, I mean,
I can't I can't say anything about Ikeahl. He's been
I think he's been really good all parts of the ice.
They just need some depth help, Like do you need
guys to You saw it when they won Game three,
(37:47):
I thought, you know, Riley Smith was awesome, but you know,
where's it going? They're kind of getting bullied though, Like
they got to figure out a way to be physical
and but not take the bait, almost initiate it and
not like react. I think you got a quiet aid
and Hill down a little bit. He was pissed since
all the first stoppage of play, swinging his stick. It
seemed like and I love a fiery goalie, but you
(38:11):
need to you need to kind of play your position first.
You can throw that in once in a while. But
Vegas going home, Yeah, they win a game, the series
could change a little bit. That place is tough to
play though. Up in Edmonton it's a pretty loud barn.
Speaker 1 (38:25):
Yeah, definitely. And speaking of loud barns, we got to
pay a little bit of tribute to our randomly uh
large I guess audience from Winnipeg that is listening to us,
So any we are a Winnipeg Jets podcast. Randomly, what
do you think about the Jets? Like do they And
(38:47):
we talked about how Dallas is just such a juggernaut
and they don't even have everyone in the lineup, but like,
what kind of what's your hope level meter of the
Jets making this a series?
Speaker 4 (38:59):
Well, hella buck Is it looks like he's figured some
things out. I thought he might after winning a series,
just to sort of exercise those demons a little bit.
That's the road games that are kind of getting into him,
and those are his bugaboos at this point. He's just
I mean, he's obviously likes his comfortability with sight lines
(39:20):
and whatnot. Look I love Winnipeg. I love Scott O'Neil.
I don't know about you, tom Or, but like Adam
Lowry is one of my favorite players, and Julie I
just I say as a Tomer because of the role
that we sort of played. He is like fun to
(39:41):
watch and not fun to play against in terms of
what I look at in a hockey player, like Shifey
showing me a lot this playoffs round like he is
and even since he was I don't know, quote unquote snubbed.
How do you get snubbed for Team Canada? But he's
showing me a lot more in this playoff series. I'm
(40:01):
root for for that franchise in a way that like,
I don't know if they get overlooked. I just have
a ton of respect for Kevin schvel day Off and
how he's built that. Like the facts are the facts, guys.
If they have an opportunity to play in Winnipeg or
they have an opportunity to play two or three other places,
I don't know if Winnipeg sight unseen for them is
(40:22):
on the top of their list, and how they've built
a team that's this competitive that won a President's Trophy,
deserves to be commended, and I like the structure in
which they play with. Yeah they have stars and Connor
and Morrissey and who's been dinged up a little bit.
But they are better than the sum of their parts
(40:43):
in a lot of ways. And I always root for
teams like that because like, that's the essence of a team.
That's what I tell the kids when we're coaching them,
like we have to do this together. You can accomplish
great things. All the cheesy lines that you try to
get them to work hard and buy into. Like they're
kind of doing that. So yeah, I got a lot
of time for I love that they are showing up
(41:06):
in the white out and they have pride for that team,
which is a great thing. And as a player, it
doesn't matter you could be on the moon if people
are showing up and cheering for you, you want to
give whatever you have to that group and the group
in the room. They seem to be doing that. I
think just Dallas is a juggernaut because I mean Rattan
(41:27):
is on a different planet.
Speaker 3 (41:29):
Yeah, he really is.
Speaker 2 (41:30):
And I love what you said about Adam Lowry too.
I mean I played with him. This guy is he
is a dog boiler, like this guy. He is definitely
a captain. The way he plays, he's hard to play against.
And I want to say too, like for our fans listening, Like,
you know, Boiler and I played against each other a
long time. We both played for a ton of teams.
We bounced around a lot. But something that you were always, Boiler,
(41:50):
is you were always hard to play against you And
every time we went against each other, I was like, Okay,
this is going to be a tough night because I'm
playing against a guy like Brian Boyler played hard. And
I guess my question is, you know you talk about
missing the game and playoffs and I feel this same
way as you know.
Speaker 3 (42:05):
Tell me tell us some of your.
Speaker 2 (42:06):
Favorite playoff memberies because you played in a lot of
playoff games.
Speaker 4 (42:11):
Well, it's like we're irrational people and the things that
we would do to play and the things we do
to try to win, and from the outside looking in
like post game handshake, saying hi to you in the
in the lobby and anahi whatever, like people, you guys
are just literally trying to kill each other for two
hours and now it's like, uh, how's your family. It's
(42:32):
doesn't make sense, It's not it's authentic. We are trying
to do whatever we can to beat that guy, and
that's the mutual respects. And I always appreciated that with
guys who gave everything they had. Playoff stories, Man, you
know what, sitting in Stammer's house house watching the Rangers
(42:56):
play with Washington in the second round. It was like
twelve of us. We had just finished our second round series,
and that's who we were going to play in the
conference finals, and we're all just sitting there having a beer,
watching other teams trying and kick the shit out of
each other so we had the chance to play them next.
(43:17):
Like stories like that going on the road. Every city
we went to when I was with the Rangers, we'd
have the night before, we'd have a team meal and
we would watch the games that were going on that night,
and we'd all just be sitting around in like a
function room at whatever nice restaurant the city was. We
were so spoiled, especially in the playoffs, just watching hockey,
(43:43):
our team, only watching the games the night before, like
whatever the other series were. Those were some of the
best memories. Like you can talk about overtime games and
those were a lot of fun, and you can talk
about different series that you won. Those were a ton
of fun too, but like part of it was just
we were there. You know, you're not getting paid much
(44:04):
money at all. You're all just a group together. The
world around you stops and you're all sort of pulling
the rope for the same thing and winning around to
having that handshake line and getting back in the room.
There's not really a lot of feelings like that. And
the two times that we closed out the Game seven
against the Rangers and MSG to go to the Cup final,
(44:26):
and in Game six against Montreal also in MSG to
go to the Cup final. That was my first Cup final.
I guess that game six to one at home, crazy,
crazy feeling, crazy locker room after the picture with the
Prince of Wales trophy. Those are I mean, never forget
those things. They're unbelievable.
Speaker 1 (44:46):
Wow. I mean, just listening to that, it's like I'm
being transported to thinking about what it could possibly be
like to be with a bunch of guys that you're
all working together for this incredible goal. And I'm sure
you also have some great stories that you can't ever
share ever again anywhere, And that's what means.
Speaker 4 (45:04):
It's a couple that come to mind.
Speaker 1 (45:05):
Yeah, and I'm sure watching with your your teammates like
there must be such good commentary. I think about it
because guys are so good at chirps, they're so quick
like there, and watching with them watching a game, I
just would I would just imagine I'd be wanting to
tweet like such as they were like my thoughts like
(45:27):
because they'd be so good like these little things that
the guys would say. That's that's what I think about.
But I mean, Brian, thank you so much for joining us.
We won't take up any more of your time. We
could talk with you about so much more because you've
had such an illustrious career and have continued it throughout
on TV, radio, everywhere that you are right now. So
thank you so much for spending the time and giving
(45:49):
us some insight analysis into your career and into the
NHL playoffs.
Speaker 4 (45:53):
Well, thanks for letting me come on guys. You guys
are doing great. Appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (46:04):
A great time happening Brian Boyle to join us here
on Energy Line with Dayton Jas. We know he's super busy,
but he is get it to win it on the
broadcast side. And speaking of the broadcast we saw on
TV Nate in the Dallas Winnipeg game, which was filled
with a lot of very questionable moments. I have some
different thoughts on how things a game winning goal went down,
(46:27):
But let's go on to the Mason Marchmont quote slash
on the ref and am not caring about it. I
first of all, if I don't even think he notices it,
to be honest, but he because he doesn't even flinch.
But you mentioned that you've seen this before in your career.
Speaker 2 (46:46):
Yeah, And emotions get the best of guys, and sometimes,
you know, even a nice, super nice guy, this can happen.
Your emotions get the best of you and you you know,
top the lines when whatever.
Speaker 3 (46:55):
But it has happened.
Speaker 2 (46:56):
I've seen it when I was in Anaheim and twine
Vermett off a face off. I can't remember who the
linesman was, but he didn't like to drop or you know,
he lost lost the face off after the drop and
he kind of like slashes the back of the ref
or slashes his legs in the back of his legs
like right after. And Antoine Remett got ten game suspension
(47:16):
for that. And if anyone knows Antoinea Remett he was
like the nicest human being, like would never do anything
like that. But it's just your emotions get the best
of you and you just you don't realize it.
Speaker 3 (47:27):
And I think that's what happened.
Speaker 2 (47:28):
But Mason Marshman got a little lucky, I think, because
he can't do that.
Speaker 3 (47:32):
Yeah, you can't hit the officials. It is not okay.
Speaker 1 (47:35):
Yeah you got to watch your emotions. You can't. Yeah,
be given a little stick tap to the ref because
you just don't know what might happen. Like, you know,
nothing happened to Mason Marchman. He was able to avoid something.
But what if he did get a ten game suspension, Man,
that could like affect your entire career for the rest
of your life, because what if a team doesn't want
to keep you, water you traded or don't get signed.
(47:57):
It's like this guy can't control his emotions in a
huge moment, Like all these different little things. I think,
like there's a lot of weird decision making by guys
to go use their emotions at different moments, Like even
Brad Marshaan with his like no glove on his hand
the end of the Leafs Panther's Tampa game like punching.
Speaker 2 (48:17):
I think you're such in the moment that was nice, truly,
I think you're I think you're such that I can't
stop laughing now because it was strong hand.
Speaker 3 (48:27):
No.
Speaker 2 (48:27):
I mean when you're in the when you're in the
emotions and you're in there, you're in the moment of
the game, like you're never thinking. You're definitely not thinking
of the repercussions of what can happen after. I think,
I if I'm going into a player's mind and when
I was playing, like, you're never really thinking at the moment, Okay,
how is this gonna if I do this?
Speaker 3 (48:47):
Is this going to be bad? After?
Speaker 2 (48:48):
You know, you're just going to do it because it's
you're in the moment, you're in the game. And you
even saw like Domei's hit on Barkoff, right, Like, I mean,
that was a bad hit, but he knew what he
was doing. He knew that he had to finish his head,
finish his hit on the best player of Florida. He
got a five thousand dollars fine, and that was it.
But at the end of the day, you know, it's
(49:10):
paying dividends for down the road in a deep long series,
maybe maybe he's you know, banged up. Maybe you know,
maybe that helps, Maybe that helps Toronto, right. And I'm
not condoning the hit, because you can't hit anybody like that,
but you know, there are dividends that you pay by
by continuing to finish checks on guys like that.
Speaker 1 (49:29):
This is where I'm curious about your non Leaf's brain.
Is that Sam Bennett appreciation? This guy is fucking good.
That line not except that line would not not fly
here in the olds four one, six six four seven
situation that we got going on. What do you think
the rest of the league thinks about the the overload
(49:51):
of of you know, elbow forearmed situations going on in
this series.
Speaker 2 (49:56):
There's a lot of it. But you talk about Sam Bennett.
This guy has made for the playoffs. It's like you
put someone, you put a player together that you want
for the playoffs and Sam Bennett's kind of it. Man,
He's been good. And here let me ask you this, Julie.
He's going to be a free agent this summer Brad
Tree living had him in Calgary. Would you be happy
(50:17):
if the least brought in Sam Bennett.
Speaker 1 (50:19):
Well, that would mean that, like Mitch Marner's gone which
at this point feels like a real upgrade. I think
that he made his he made his point known when
what was it when he got in the first round,
Florida defended him on whatever he did that was stupid,
and people were like, he's going to want to stay
(50:41):
in Florida because that kind of behavior and that what
he does on the ies won't fly in like a
big market like Toronto. It was like, he will be
they will always protect him, they will always be on
his side no matter what happens, Like everyone will just
be Sam Bennett's biggest fan in Florida, but that might
not be the case in another market. I mean, I
(51:02):
think he's a great player. I think obviously was great
the goal that he scored, the second goal that was
a bit of a defensive felt like a mis cue
from McCabe and Tanev and whatnot. But like, he is
a very good player. I just don't like some of
the extracurriculars that he does because it's changed the series
for Toronto, that's for sure, because then now you're worried again.
(51:24):
As my mom had said before the whole playoff started,
She's like, I just don't like when the other team
tries to injure our players, and I was like, Mom,
you can't control injuries, and I'm like, well, you can
control them if you don't allow guys throwing elbows. I'm
still not happy about the stolar situation, That's all I
gotta say.
Speaker 3 (51:43):
I feel that from you. I do. I do.
Speaker 2 (51:47):
Feel I feel that from you right now after you
said that, Yeah, I agree there is no place for it.
But I think you know that's you know, that's the
kind of style that Sam Bettett plays, and it's the playoffs.
And I get it too from a player standpoint. You know,
you're doing anything it takes to win, and you know
if somebody on their team gets hurt, it's probably gonna
give you your team a better chance to win. I
(52:09):
just think I do think that Sam Bennett would be
a great fit in Toronto. I just for some reason
that just seems like a really good fit. And I
know that means that Mitch Martin is probably not there,
but I think that. I mean, but I'm getting I'm
getting way ahead of myself right now, but anyways, I digress.
Speaker 1 (52:25):
That's okay, that's what That's what hockey podcasts are all about. Okay,
So speaking getting way ahead. As we wrap things up
before we do our next podcast on Friday, what do
you think will be the biggest storyline from now until then?
It's a big headline that the.
Speaker 2 (52:40):
Leafs put the Florida Panthers on the brink of elimination.
Speaker 1 (52:44):
You just said that to make me feel good, right, No?
Speaker 3 (52:47):
I didn't, No, I didn't.
Speaker 2 (52:48):
I do think I've said this. The Leaves are different
this year. There's something about them. They just seem they
seem focused, they seem like they're on it. No matter
what happens, they're going to continue to play well and
they're going to find a way well.
Speaker 1 (52:59):
They just go the eye doctor between now in game five,
we will see if they will be able to get
some bucks on it. And okay, quickly before we go,
what would you do as a player? You have two games,
two days off in between playoff games, like mentally, physically,
what do you do to pass the time?
Speaker 2 (53:16):
I think you have to get away from it a
little bit. On the first day off, I would say, relax,
do whatever you need. You know, some guys are going
to need some treatment, I mean, whatever it is. But
and then I think it's just relaxed, spend time with
some family friends. I think you don't need to go
crazy to go do anything. I think it's just relaxing,
especially the playoff time. But you know, I was a
(53:37):
guy when I was playing. I always watched other playoff games,
so it was hard for me to get away from it.
When you're in the playoff mode, I guess. So you know,
you're chilling, you're hanging. It's obviously a nice time of
the year right now, so you're probably doing something outside
maybe you know when it's with the sun, with the sunshining, but.
Speaker 3 (53:51):
It's it's playoff mode.
Speaker 2 (53:53):
So I mean, I'm sure these guys are going to
be dialed watching other playoff games.
Speaker 3 (53:56):
I know.
Speaker 2 (53:56):
I mean you heard you heard Boiler talk about you know,
guys love watching other playoff hockey games during the playoffs,
and I'm sure that's what guys are doing. So but
that's nice. A couple of days off rare.
Speaker 1 (54:07):
So long, but just rehab the body.
Speaker 2 (54:09):
But there's no days in the playoffs, Like there's no Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.
It's like game day, off day, game day off day,
game day off day, that's all.
Speaker 1 (54:16):
It is, travel day, all those different things. I remember
it when you were playing in Anaheim. When do you
remember Nashville? It felt like there was like one hundred
days off in between games when you guys played them
in Gosh. I don't even know what year it was,
but I just remember all of us broadcasters. There should
have been like a documentary about us broadcasting during those
(54:38):
those golden years of the Ducks, because we got a
bicycle tavern in Nashville on a day off like that
was kent.
Speaker 3 (54:47):
Yes, oh, you guys are one of those pedal pubs.
Speaker 1 (54:51):
Really, yes, we did.
Speaker 3 (54:53):
How banged out did you guys get?
Speaker 1 (54:56):
We got pretty banged up and we got a good
workout in It was like before they were I even
knew what they were. I just remember Frenchy taking us
to this pedal pob tavern thingy and we got we
brought a whole bunch of beer with us, and then
I just remember us going around Lower Broadway in Nashville
just on that pedal bicycle tavern thingy and seeing some
(55:16):
of the guys from the Ducks. I think it was
like McGinn saw us on the corner. He was just
like really like kind of looking at us like it's like,
what you guys do like in your spare time, all
of you guys are hanging out and you're doing You're
basically like a bachelor at party right now in Nashville,
And we were like, Yes, this is what it's like
(55:38):
to be a broadcaster for a team on the road
with days off. It is literally the best thing in
the world. Yes, if you don't have a family and
you know you're not a degenerate, I guess Okay, So
on that note, Nate, go enjoy the rest of the
WHL finals. We'll be watching listening to you on TSN
(55:59):
and everyone else. Thank you, guys so much for listening
to the Energy Line with Nate and JSB. This has
been a production of the NHL and iHeartRadio. We thank
Brian Boyle for joining us, and we thank Jake Brown
and Bob Bender for producing the show. You can subscribe
to the show on Apple, Spotify or reprogate your podcasts
(56:19):
or listen on the iHeartRadio app. Please give us a
five star rating, and please rate a nice review. I'm
Julie Shurpinks, He's Nate Thompson. We'll be back Friday, as
we may end up having a series or two to
wrap up by then, or you might have some Game
seven's on the docket. We'll have to see. Enjoy the
games the next few days. We'll chat with you soon.
Thanks for dropping by the Energy Line. Energy Line is
(56:43):
the production of the NHL and iHeart Podcasts. For more
podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or
wherever you get your podcasts.
Energy Line is a production of the NHL and iHeart
podcasts Welcome my Name is the Energy Line with Nate
and JSB and Julie Stuart Binks and he's former NHL
R Nate Thompson, and the second round of the Stanley
(00:24):
Cup playoffs rolls on. And one former player with plenty
of playoff experience is Brian Boyle, who will join us
in a few minutes. Energy Line is a production of
the NHL and iHeart podcasts and Nate, you and I
are both in different places right now than we usually
are aka our homes. I'm in my childhood bedroom. You
(00:46):
are in Spokane, Washington, the state. What's it like covering
the WHL Finals.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
It's been fun. It's been a lot of fun in spring.
It's been tiring too though, I mean yesterday was a
long day trial getting a Spokane. But it's been a
heck of a series. I mean it's tied one one
Medicine Hat and Spokane. Spokane tied it up last game.
So I have a feeling I'm gonna be going back
to Medicine Hat this weekend because I don't think either
one of these teams are gonna win three games in
(01:13):
a row here in Spokane.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
But it's been a great series.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
There's been a lot of young talent, you know, guys
like Gab McKenna, Berkeley, Catton, Tanner, Mullendyke all guys, all
three guys that I think are going to play in
the NHL soon. So it's been it's been good, Julie,
it's been it's been fun to to experience the roads,
the road trips and the road of being a broadcaster
and going back and forth in series a little bit.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
You know.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Yes, I was looking at your Instagram and seeing like
you calling the games like you as an analyst, and
I was like, wow, this is like serious. Nate in
on like explaining the why of situations happening. He's wearing
many different hats. How have you liked being an in
game analyst.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
It's been good, it's been fun. It's been Uh, it's
been different. I mean, obviously I've done radio, I've done
the you know, the pre and post game and intermissions
and stuff like that, but this has been it's definitely. Uh,
it's exciting, you know, because you're on. You know, you
have to be on, and you have to be you know,
just you can't zone out when you're no, no, you
(02:15):
got to be lively every time you call something. So
it's been fun though. It's been a good experience. A
guy i'm doing it with, David Foot's been good too,
So we've kind of created a little bit of chemistry.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
And yeah, I'm just having fun with it. That's what
we're supposed to do, right, have fun with it?
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Yeah, just have fun. Isn't that the best Adviceive? I
love when people tell me just to have fun and
I want to go telling off themselves because it's like,
of course I want to have fun.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Of course I'm trying to have fun.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
I'm trying to have fun, all right, don't tell me
to have fun. That will make me not have fun.
Is when just relax and you're like, I would be
relaxed if you didn't tell me to relax, Like you're
now making me more pissed off right now?
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Yeah, it's uh, I mean, this is really good hockey.
I did not expect for the the guy has to
be this good, and they're really good.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
It's fun to watch.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Okay, So for a lot of these young guys, I
find it fascinating looking at their names because they're just
like very different. Have you found any like weird ones.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Yeah, there's a name. There's a kid on the actually
overage kid on medicine hat. His name is oasis Wiseblat Wow,
which is yeah, it's the coolest name. And and like
he was you know, they did they did a story
on him last game. It was a cool story his
his mom's death. He's got a ton of other siblings
and you know, they did a he did like a
Mother's Day sign language to her on TV on the
(03:39):
Patron last game, which was really cool, and he hadn't
seen her in like two years or something like that.
His other siblings names over her over him talking, and
his I think his brother's name is Ozzy. He's got
another brother sister named Ocean, like really really different names,
but his name is oasis Wise Blat so interesting name.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
Well, first of all, I mean like snaps to oasis
Wise for being able to sign Mother's Day to his mom.
That is like such a really beautiful, I'm sure, and
poignant moment for everyone to watch that. And so I'm
sure it wasn't easy growing up, and I'm sure they've
gone through a lot, but I'm sure his mom is
just very extremely proud of him. And then on my
(04:22):
second point is there's definitely a theme between Oasis and
ocean and and Ozzy. Yeah, so there's this sort of
like an an oceanic vibe going on right there. While
you've been on the road, though you're up, you're up
in oil Country. We got to talk about the Oilers
(04:43):
and the fact that they are now Stanley Cup favorites
after going up three to one on the Vegas Golden Knights.
They blanked the Vegas Golden Knights in Game four three nothing.
Skinner has a nice little bounce back game for himself.
Is there something about this Oilers team that feels different
(05:03):
then that last year?
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Yeah, I mean they honestly, it feels like the same
team as last year in the playoffs when they started
gaining momentum, and I was sick.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
About this, truly. I was thinking about, like it's the
Oilers are like.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
An animal backed into a corner, and once they get
back into the corner, they all of a sudden they
fight and then they become their best And that's exactly
what's happened in the playoffs. It's happened last year in
the playoffs, Like they they go down to nothing to
the Kings and their you know, their lives are on
the line, and then all of a sudden they start
playing their best hockey and they were like, who are
(05:34):
these Who is this team? It's the Edmonton Oilers of
last season. And that's what they're doing now against Vegas.
Like last night's game, the way they played defensively, like
the way they didn't give any time in space to Vegas.
Like Vegas, they're having to earn everything they get and
they and they're not getting it, you know, like guys
like Jack Eichel mark Stone, like they're having a tough
time creating offense. Like last night I was watching and
(05:57):
you're and this is a good sign if you're the
Edmonton Oilers, if you're Edmondon. Oler's fan is Connor McDavid
was blocking shot like all these things like when you
see your when you see your captain and the level
of count Connor McDavid. You see him blocking shots like that,
like he goes down on one knee and takes that shot,
makes a play, a good defensive play out of the
zone like man, like these Oilers they look really good
(06:18):
and then obviously Stewart Skinner goes in net gets you know,
he gets his confidence, and you know that's just gonna
bleed throughout the rest of the team obviously. So I
mean this Oilers team, I think Vegas is not going
to beat them three games in a row.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
I'm sorry.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
The Oilers are definitely prime for a deep run again.
And not only that, but you look at the depth too,
Like look at their depth, Like Adam Henry gets.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
Two goals last night.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
You know, Corey Perry continue to continues to do his thing,
and I mean, what else can we say about him?
And there's just so many guys of Ander Kaine. You
know how much of an impact he's been since he's
come back. And I mean there's just different guys that
keep stepping up to the it's you know, stepping up
in their lineup and making a huge impact. And then
you have you know, obviously the two headed monster with
Conor McDavid, Leon Driyce add to that, and I mean
(07:05):
they're going to be tough to beat. I just I
feel like an idiot now because we were like Oilers
are floundering into the playoffs and now look at him there, Juggernaut,
you know, in the second round, about to be in
the third round.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
So they look good.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
It's Mike Johnson that would look like the idiot because
he said the Oilers would get swept or not swept,
that they would lose in five. And we never got
that clip out, which I was really trying hard to
get our producer Bob to get that clip because it
was such a statement. And thanks to Bob giving an
assist to Mike Johnson that we never got that clip
out publicly because that would a really Johnny would not
(07:42):
be looking too hot right now with that with that clip.
But we'll bring up the receipts here on this show.
And I think that, like, have you ever had a
guy that you've played with that is so good, like
say it's a gets laugh probably or someone else where
it's like they're not only counted on a score to
lead the team, but then you see them laying their
body out on the line. And after also seeing how
(08:05):
Connor McDavid reacted in the locker room last year and
we all saw that, are you not kind of just
like okay, like I'll like I'll do whatever. This guy's good,
Like this guy wants it, this guy needs it, this
guy's gonna do whatever he wants. I have to now
do whatever I have I can do to give it
to him.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
You said it, Julie.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
I mean, if the captain is doing if your best
player is doing it, why can't you do it? Everyone
else has to join into And yeah, I've been on
teams like that. I mean, guys that jump out or
you know Marty Saint Louis, Steven Stampcos. You know, there
was an instance when we were playing Boston, I think
it might have been game seven, Stammer got hit with
the puck right in the nose, like just right straight
(08:45):
in the noose, off the ice, like it didn't look good.
But of course he came right back. You know, he
came right back, finished the game. But you see stuff
like that from superstars, and it's hard for other guys
not to get in line.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
You have to. You have to jump in line, and
that's how you win.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
I mean, there's you see different instances of different highlights
of different guys like you Alexandrovtchkin when they won the
Cup and he's going down and doing like a kicksave
block shot at the blue line. You know, guys are
just selling out, doing it whatever it takes, because you
have to. You know, if you want to win that
big shiny mug. You got to do whatever it takes.
And you know you're seeing you're seeing guys like Connor McDavid.
(09:21):
You know how bad he wants to win it. I
mean you we saw that, We saw that replay on
the Amazon thing and how much how much he cares.
You can see it, how much he cares every time
he hits a guy or he blocks the shots. I mean,
there's so many different instances these guys that are selling
out and doing whatever it takes to win these hockey games.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
And it's fun to watch, right And conormc david doesn't
even have that many goals, but he does have quite
a few asists. He also has Leon dry Side on
the team, and I'm looking at those two and being
like Matthews and Marner, which we're going to get to
obviously on this podcast here, but you mentioned Alexandrovitchkin. He
does score, but it is like a little too late
(10:00):
in a way, caps on the brink of elimination and
against the Canes, and the Canes just like, did we
not really give them a lot of credit or what's
going on? They're gonna they could close this thing out.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
Yeah, we didn't give the Keynes any credit. I don't
think anybody did. I think everyone is picking the Caps
to win the series, and Carolina's making us look bad.
I mean, they they've been so good, They've been suffocating
on Washington. I've been so good defensively, and then we
have to mention Freddie Anderson. I mean, how good? How
good has Freddy been? I mean since he's come back,
he's been lights out. You know, he's a big reason
(10:35):
why Carolina is is up three to one in this series.
And I think too what you're watching a little bit
yesterday's game, like you know, Carolina's turned their cheek to
Washington right now, like there's any scrum, you know, anything
going on, Like Washington was trying to, you know, get
them off their game. You know, Tom Wilson's yelling at
Jordan Stall yesterday.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
They didn't even budge, you know.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
They, like Carolina was, was totally unflappable by Washington. And
you're seeing it now and they're up three to one
and Washington's you know, their backs are against the series now.
So I mean, it's this is wild. I didn't I
did not foresee this, you know, I did not think
Carolina was going to be up three to one in
this series. I didn't think that, you know, they were
going to have the physicality or be able to sustain
(11:17):
the physicality against Washington. But you know, Carolina with certain
guys and playing so well for them, it just jumps
out for me, like for once, for Carolina on this
Cup run. We always talked about goaltending right goaltending was
there is shoe and it's not right now? And the
Carolina Hurricanes look really really good?
Speaker 1 (11:36):
Isn't that wild? Like Freddy Anderson has always been a
question where kind of like wherever he's been because either
he's pretty good or he's he's hot, he's not, He's
not as been as consistent. You played with him in
Anaheim seeing him, I guess now at this level, like
what's maybe something that we don't know about Freddy Anderson
that like guys like you would have seen in the
(11:57):
locker room.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
Well, Freddy's a quiet guy, as we know, but I
think you know, when you talk to me, when you
see interviews, I think people don't realize how competitive he is.
Like Freddie was so competitive and he was you know,
he wanted to win it.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
Everything.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
He wanted to you know he wanted to be the best,
and I think, you know, like I said in his interviews,
and when people see him, he's so soft spoken and
so quiet that you know, you don't gather that from him.
But Freddie in a way is a little bit of
a killer. And I think that you would never think
that from Freddie Anderson, but he is, and we're seeing
that right now. And he has that killer instinct and
(12:31):
he's you know, he's leading his team to every single
victory right now.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
I hope he's not like a killer instinct in the
sense that he listens to media, because I've definitely given
him a lot of flack over the years. Like when
he went from Anaheim to Toronto, I was like, I'm
not so sure about this guy, and then ever went
in Toronto was like, okay, yeah, Julie was right. And
then like he goes to Carolina and I was like, no, guys,
(12:56):
he ain't. I don't, I don't believe, and then it
was right. And then now it's like he maybe he
has just like a whole bunch of quotes that I've
said before about him, and then is like, I'm going
to prove this girl wrong. Actually, he'll probably beat the
Leafs if they both I mean, if we're lucky, if
the team is lucky to get to the next round,
(13:16):
and just be like, Hey, all your caters in Toronto, did.
Speaker 3 (13:19):
You just say that he's probably going to beat the Leafs.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
So you're saying that Carolina is going to play Toronto
in the conference finals.
Speaker 1 (13:27):
I think I might have just actually wheeled the Toronto
Mape Beliefs into the Eastern Conference Final, specifically to get
embarrassed by Freddie Anderson a funny note when he got
when he signed with Toronto, my mom was like, oh,
do you think he has anywhere to have Thanksgiving? Like
Canadian Thanksgiving? Canadian Thanksgiving. I'm like, I'm pretty sure he
(13:51):
probably has, like teammates. She's like, can you send him
a message in and fight them tired Thanksgiving? I was like, Mom,
that would be so weird.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
I want to talk to your mom because I want
to know if she talks just like that, And I don't.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
Think she does.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
No, she does. She does. She is the queen of
like bring up the most random thing and then be
like what do you think about this? Like there was
an SNL sketch this past weekend about mother's day and
how it's like a mom will be like, Wow, what's
going on with that leanne rhymes? And the daughter's like,
I don't know. It's like wow, she's a real train wreck.
Like Mom's just like I don't know. My mom has
(14:29):
definitely dialed into a lot of things that I am
not dialed into, and she'll have an opinion on them,
and I'm like, I just I don't know. I don't
have as much time to go over these things because
I'm now watching every playoff game, which is like kind
of becomes a lot. I heard Kevin Bixa called the
dog days of the playoffs. Would you call this part
(14:50):
like the second round where not no one can clinch
yet it's like a bit a bit long.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
Yes, we are in the dog days of playoffs because
I feel like it doesn't really get real until you
get to the conference finals when they's just four teams.
You're watching just one game the night usually right you're
watching one game a night. I think that's I think
that's what he means by the dog days is when
you're what you're having to flip back and forth and
watch multiple games. Yes, at the same time, those are
the dog days, but when you get down to four
(15:16):
teams and you're watching one game a night, it's it's
it's a little bit easier, but yeah, we are definitely
in the dog days.
Speaker 3 (15:21):
I think I agree with that.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
Yeah, And it's like we said, NHL playoffs are amazing.
We continue to believe that. The first rounds banana Sandwich
and you like you can't even keep up. You're like,
I don't even know who's playing. Oh, it's just like
crazy town, crazy town, and then it's chaos. And then
it kind of when you eliminate half of those teams,
you're like, Okay, it's like slower, but it's it's still
there's still like two games a night, so there's still
(15:44):
like enough that you got to get up and go,
but it's not as like chaotic. So it's like gets
it's it's it's you know, it's it's you gotta piece yourself.
I'm going to game five.
Speaker 3 (15:54):
That's wow.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
I just wanted to put that one out there before
we have our guest on the show. I don't currently
have tickets in my possession, but I'm working on it
and I'm just already planning to go with my two cousins.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
So you're already manifesting that you're going and you don't
have tickets.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
I'm manifesting that I'm going to the game. I don't
have tickets. I have been looking a lot on the
secondary market and they are pretty expensive. But it's like,
if you're gonna go on NHL.
Speaker 3 (16:25):
Help help help Juliet right now, help me.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
Please don't. I don't want to have I don't want
to be paying the NHL back for anything. I don't
want them to have any money in the bank on me,
like because they will not forget, just like Freddie Anderson.
All Right, we have a whole lot coming up on
the show, and that is with our next guest, who
is coming up after the break, none other than Brian Boyle.
(16:50):
Stay tuned with us. This is the Energy line with
natean JSB. I'm very excited to now be joined by
a network analyst from MSG. Also nessen and had a
long career in the NHL. That's none other than Brian
(17:12):
Boyle here on the show. Brian, thank you so much
for joining us. I believe the last time I saw
you was in person watching you with John Gia known
as I shadowed John for an MSG broadcast and let
me tell you put in not that much work, but
you really pulled it off. Well.
Speaker 4 (17:30):
I gotta say, listen, you just gotta fake it till
you make it right. I mean, tom Or knows. You
gotta smile, show your teeth a little, even though mine
aren't very good, and speak like you know what you're
talking about. I do remember that at MSG, saw you
a couple of times at MSG over the last maybe
year and a half. It's covering hockey. I can't really
(17:52):
do anything else, so I try to just talk about
what I know natural, stay in my lane a little bit.
I don't know anything else, so hopefully I'm half decent.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
No boiler. You're good and it's it's good to see
you man.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
And so I guess that's my question, is how has
the transition been from retiring into the media side, which
I'm doing the same thing, So you know, how's it going.
Speaker 4 (18:16):
I don't Yeah, I don't want to speak for you name,
but it sounds like just because I pay attention to
what you're doing too, and a lot of guys I'm
sure you do when they're take the step out of
playing into something else, whatever it might be. I like
I said yes to pretty much everything there's there was
a number of different things that you know, we did
one thing, but it was so dominant of our lives
(18:39):
every morning night, even in the off season, you'd think, like,
where are we at in the off season? Training? Everything
was you know, for that one goal of playing, and
it really occupied a lot of headspace for me. When
that was done, you know, it was kind of cool
to decompress for I don't know, a week. But then
(18:59):
I don't know, I got itchy. I wanted to do more.
I wanted to get out and have a purpose, I guess,
and you know, we had more kids. I was fairly busy,
but I mean I started coaching. I started helping players
and kids around my area that were my son's age.
Everything was sort of bringing me back to the game
and had opportunities with the NHL network. Josh Bernstein reached
(19:23):
out when I was still playing. Actually, so I just
I took actually a media class because I didn't really
want to step into something and hope I tried to
prepare a little bit. And especially if you're going to
go on television and you know, my parents might watch
or you know, my siblings, I'm kind of representing these
people in some way I wanted to be, you know not,
(19:45):
I didn't want to embarrass myself for them, So I
just that's kind of how I approached it. That's how
I did it. It's been it's been a lot of fun.
You get to see people, meet people and reconnect with
people I haven't seen in a while, like like you, Nate,
and you get to interview people that you haven't seen
and just kind of shoot it little bit. It's a
lot of a lot of the positives that I missed
(20:07):
I thought I was going to miss when I was
done playing. Now nothing's like playing. I still miss playing,
especially this time of year. But it's certainly certainly decent
second choice, I guess.
Speaker 1 (20:19):
Yeah, definitely. And I'm very curious about this media class.
Like I don't know if you can see foile, but
I got an International Masters in Journalism right above me,
behind me right here, and I obviously don't work out
an NHL network, But that did mean nothing at all.
But for you and the media class, what's something that
(20:40):
you learned that has helped you that you had no
idea that was something that would be part of being
a broadcaster when you were a player.
Speaker 4 (20:51):
It's it's harder than you think in a lot of ways,
and it's a lot easier than you would think in
a number of ways too. That's sort of what I learned.
It was like throw your punch if you're asking a question,
like get to the question. And and for fourteen years
I was the one that was giving the answer. I
was the one that was trying to give the people,
(21:11):
I guess, or the fans or whatever, that was the answer.
Right now, it's just like t up the answer. Give
this person the chance to give the audience the answer
because they're there to see that person. Throwing your punches.
One and then my whole life, I was probably like
the loudest one in a room. As I got older,
I probably got quieter. From a big family. I got
(21:32):
on TV, and after the first day I was told like,
we couldn't really hear anything you were saying. I never
thought I didn't project that well until I got on television,
and then I worked the show with Bill Pedo, and
I realized what they were talking about. Billy P's the man.
He is screaming at you the whole show, and it's
awesome and you get more energy and sometimes manufacturing energy
(21:55):
just slow yourself down, get rid of the ums and ohs,
and use a certain case and so those were things
I learned. It was with a group called OMG. Actually
it was on an app and I took the course.
I was supposed to try and go out and sell
this course, but I can't sell anything. I'm a terrible salesman.
(22:16):
I learned that. So I just kind of stay in
my lane.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
It was really whole lot of jobs, right, you know,
on salesman as well as broadcaster or at that time, no, I.
Speaker 4 (22:26):
Just feel so like these people are looking at me
like a full crap and they know it and I
know it, And so I took the course. It was
really helpful and beneficial and at the end of the day,
just saying what I see on TV, I'm not covering
geopolitical things. I'm not covering a sport I didn't play.
(22:46):
This is stuff I know. So organize your thoughts and
go prepare.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
Real quickly.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
Would you could you see yourself coaching boiler? Could you
see yourself getting out of a meeting and go on
the coaching side, because you mentioned you talked about how
you you've you've done a little bit of coaching around
your area. Would you would you ever get any the
NHL and coach.
Speaker 4 (23:05):
Well, I always say I played every position in the NHL,
so I got to I know everything, especially when I'm
critiquing coaches when I'm on TV listen, it's I got
to give a lot of credit to what these guys
do and how much they dedicate their lives to it.
I probably noticed it more in the last like five
years of my career when I was there early and
I left late, and I was never at the rink alone.
(23:28):
The coaching staff was still always there and just in
front of a computer looking at the same place over
and over. I was like, that's that's really incredible. And look,
it comes down to how competitive are you, how badly
do you want to get better at your job, how
badly do you want to win? So I understand why
they do it. But I got a nine year old,
a seven year old, three year old, and two one
(23:49):
year olds. It's not the moment in my life now
where I would leave them because of how time consuming
it is.
Speaker 1 (23:58):
See to your wife, You're like, I'm going to be
on the road right now. Yeah, And you.
Speaker 4 (24:03):
Know what, my life last year was in pitt and
my family stayed back, and I'm really thankful for that year.
I was thankful to get to play that year. We
had a good team. I don't think I could do
it again. I don't think I could be away from
the kids that long, my wife that Long's it's just
too difficult when they're at this age. I need to
be around them, right.
Speaker 1 (24:24):
I totally can empathize and understand that. And I remember
just in another vein, but like Mac Brown, who was
most recently coaching North Carolina football, which has oddly been
in the news a lot recently too, he told me
before he took that job that he like I was
working at ESPN with him, and he was just like
my Julie, my wife does not want me to be
(24:48):
back there coaching football because I am a wreck. I'm
never home and I'm always working, and it's just like
it is so much of a mental and physical stress
on everyone in your entire family. So I spent with
five kids and you said two that are one one
years old, twins twin Bapez. That's so great. Okay, well,
(25:12):
congratulations to you and your wife, and let's get into
some some hockey here. On the fact that you played
for these two teams like yeah, not like for a long,
long long time, but like the Leafs and the Panthers.
And I'm in Toronto currently right now where everyone is.
I'm gonna say a little bit, a little bit worried
(25:34):
right now at the game five coming up. This series
has had a lot going on. We saw how the
last game ended, Game four, a lot of you know,
extracurricular samax Domi getting the fine just for five grand,
which is like really really nothing at all for an
NHL player, imagine. But just like the vibes the end
of game four, what do you expect for game five?
Speaker 4 (25:56):
I expect a reset. I think. Look, I was impressed
with Toronto and games one and two at home, obviously
that place was buzzing more than it has really in
the last six years. And I was impressed with how
Toronto played and how they turned the other cheek. Now,
this series is obviously far from over. It was far
from over, and it's two nothing, And there was conversations
(26:18):
that we all had at the network. And I wouldn't
be surprised if I wouldn't be surprised if Florida ripped
off Florida Row. That's what I said. It wouldn't surprise
me because of Florida's pedigree and what they're capable of.
I just think they're so calculated and smart in how
they use all different avenues to try to get a
(26:38):
competitive advantage. The thing that I liked about Toronto was,
especially when they had leads, they just turned the other cheek,
and I thought Tampa probably tried to be too much
like Florida at times, and when your goalie wasn't one
hundred percent like himself and your top scorer wasn't one
hundred percent himself, Like, they're not going to beat Florida,
(26:58):
especially if it's a first round. If it was the
third round, who knows, because fatigue might sit in for
the Florida Panthers. Having said that Florida has Florida has
seven or eight players maybe who all have Yeah, they
have eight players who all have eight points. Like their
depth and there, like how they're just constructed as a
(27:23):
lineup is it's daunting. So what Toronto has to realize
is this is where we're going to take our step.
You have to understand how good we can be. We
haven't gotten a goal from Matthews, we haven't seen the
best from some guys, and we're on our second goalie
two two is not a terrible place to be back
at home, and that's sort of the emotional and mental
(27:44):
hurdle that they need to hop I want to see
Toronto do well. I want to see this series go seven,
just because it's really entertaining to me, and I wonder
like what kind of third round would we get if
Toronto does move forward. That said, I don't think Florida's
played all their cards because they just have so many
in the deck. They can find different ways. I think
(28:05):
Bob's getting better as the series is going on. I
understand the temperature in Toronto, but this is what you
sign up for with playoff hockey, and the farther down
you go, the more intense it's going to get. So
fans in Toronto don't be upset if it's a nail
by the seven game series. I don't think he can
barred or lament the Toronto maple Leaves if they don't
(28:25):
win the series. They're playing against champions.
Speaker 1 (28:27):
I think they will come. They should have won that one.
They and they will. They will destroy this team in
this city.
Speaker 4 (28:36):
Think about that four. You know they lose an overtime
in Game three, like they could have been up three
to nothing and.
Speaker 1 (28:43):
Morgan Riley scored.
Speaker 2 (28:44):
You know, yeah, there's a lot of it was just, yeah,
this series have a different look. Say, so, okay, Mitch
Marner has no shots on goal in the last two games,
and you mentioned that Austin Matthews hasn't scored in this
series too, and Craig Brewery came out and tash I
tell him to shoot the puck a right, like you.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
Think that is I know, I know that, But do
you think that it's like.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
Them just not shooting the puck or is it or
is it a mental thing again with these guys where
it's like, okay, we're we're tied to too, and they
go into this they go into like the shell it
seems like right where they just can't score, they can't
find offensive opportunities. What do you think it is, Boiler.
Speaker 4 (29:24):
Do you think it might be like they're trying to
play a different way, because I mean, that's why you
have to do it for eighty two games, and I
think they were committed to doing it under chief this
year and now they're worried like that's just not in
their DNA it's you have to stay the course. You
have to understand this is what is giving. This is
why you did it since October, this is why it
was implemented in September. It can't. It's it's you're not
(29:47):
gonna blow out the Florida Panthers. So there's gonna be
times where it doesn't go in the net. But you
have to continue to do the right things. It's not
curl back and try to go east west. Like Mitch Marner,
he shot a puck from the snack bar in Game two,
went in the net like that was a game winning goal.
So like with Matthews, I think Austin is laboring. I
(30:09):
think he is. It's been a really long year. He's
done a number of different things to try and get
back to playing healthy hockey. And I don't think he is,
but I'm giving him a ton of credit for gotting
through it. And if I'm a leafsman, he's gutting through this.
I think he's laboring. Something's up, maybe his hand, who knows,
he blocked a shot, but you had four nations, you're
(30:30):
gonna have the Olympics. There's no like runway for him
to rest and recover that long. So what do you do? Well,
you do what Austin's doing. And he's going out and
he's playing two hundred foot hockey. He's paid a lot
of money to put it in the net though, and
he's probably putting that pressure on himself. But he's shooting
the puck. He's just got to elevate if he can.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
Yeah, and with the shooting of the puck, and maybe
Matthew's not being one hundred percent. We know that he
went to Germany this year for like, you know, some
kind of maybe like a back thing, back thing. How
much does that like if a guy is dealing with something,
maybe not even the back thing, but if a guy's
doing something, could that affect just even like the physics
(31:13):
of the shot, because there's so many shots that he's
had that haven't hit the net where you're like, does
this guy need buyfocals or something like what's going on?
Speaker 4 (31:22):
I think, yeah, it's so coaching. I coach these kids
in high school now and we work on different ways
to shoot, and they missed it at a lot, which
drives me crazy because I never missed a net. But
I also talk to them being like, look, I used
to be able to put it wherever I wanted, because
every single day I would shoot pucks and I use
the same stick for twelve straight years, and I know
(31:43):
where it's going. I can do it in my sleep.
I can look on the ice. I know where the
net is from the lines and the dots on the ice.
It's just reps. Austin Matthews is a better shooter than
I ever wished I could be. Right. So, if he's
missing the net this often, okay, some of them might
be there's someone in the lane and he's trying to
pick up a quarter of an inch somewhere sixty feet away.
(32:05):
That's okay, that's understandable. But if at this volume that
he's missing the net, yes, something physiologically is off. There's
a the muscle memory isn't there, because maybe one of
the muscles or a ligaments or something is you know,
inhibited a little bit. That's why I would assume that
he's laboring and it doesn't affect strength. You can still
take a draw, tom or knows like you can have
(32:28):
like one finger on one hand and two on the other.
You can figure out a way to get in there
and win a draw. Like it's there's a certain art
to that, but putting it by a goalie and putting
it in a certain spot with precision, Yeah, I can
can change some things.
Speaker 2 (32:41):
Yeah, I mean I love that you mentioned that too
about Austin Matthews and how he's played this two hundred
foot game, because I don't think he gets enough credit
from people, Like everyone talks about, oh, he hasn't scored,
he hasn't scored, but like there's so many different things
that he's doing. Ye job, I know, but this is
what this is what we're saying though. He he If
they don't have him in the lineup, Julie, like, there's
(33:03):
going to be here serious holes, not just goalscorer.
Speaker 3 (33:11):
You are such a Leafs fan, it's crazy.
Speaker 2 (33:13):
We're all right, oh yeah right, well all right, Well
we'll talk about the other series no one's really talking
about because of this series is the Hurricanes and the Capitals,
and now the Caps are on the brink and you're
seeing what Carolina is doing and how they're basically enforcing
their will and their game on the Caps.
Speaker 4 (33:36):
Yeah, it's it's not my favorite brand Carolina Hurricane or
if I'm Rob Brindamore, I love this brand of hockey.
If I'm a coach. I love this brand of hockey,
not because you just don't have to expand much energy defending.
They're so efficient at getting it out of their end,
whether it looks cool or whether it is pretty, or
(33:56):
even the volume at which they shoot pucks and recover.
I understand the idea. I just wish there was like
get to that game and then after you've rolled a
few shifts, maybe you can go one, two, three, four,
which which Rod does do. All right, let's kind of
open them up. Now they're on their heel, especially in
that first period. If you go Carolina like Tom, you
(34:18):
know it's survived till the second TV time out. If
it's one nothing, Mo're down, Like we're actually okay, Like
make make some more plays, Like I lament so many teams.
I get so frustrated with so many teams that are
going east west too earlier. They're they're starting the other
team's breakout because they're too high risk. And we see
more of it now with the younger players, like they're
(34:40):
a one eighty from that. They're almost like you guys
have enough skill where you've already worn them down. You
got to your game, like make a make a play
and they blow these teams out. I really think with
Freddy kicking the way is I thought, you know, last night,
they did make a couple more players. I love Taylor
Hall's sort of I'm not gonna come all the way
back in the zone. I think we might get this
(35:02):
puck and like his calculated risk for his breakaway goal,
like he's able to do that. Yeah, they're a scared
team and if they win a series in a short
amount of games, again, I think this might be the
year where they'll give you something in the conference finals,
because if you remember their conference finals the last two
or three times they've been there, they've have nothing left
in the tank and they get swept.
Speaker 1 (35:25):
Okay, So on the topic of Carolina, we switch over
to the Western Conference and all I think about is
two thousand and six Carolina and Edmonton Oilers. What are
the chances you think that could be a Stanley Cup Final?
Speaker 4 (35:40):
Um, very real possibility, I think.
Speaker 3 (35:44):
I mean.
Speaker 4 (35:46):
Again, if Carolina can get through this series, after the
next game, they'll have their time to kind of recover.
And it's shown that the way they have to play
is it's taxing. With Edmonton last night, how they played,
that's the most impressive I've seen them play. That is
that looked like last year's Florida team in all different
(36:06):
fast sets. See McDavid's killing penalties like a stud. I
didn't know. I knew he probably could if he wanted to,
because he could do whatever he wants. Their de zoned structure,
their physicality, they were bullying the Vegas gold to Knights.
I just I really didn't expect to see that, and
I had Vegas going to the Cup final. Edmonton's really
(36:29):
impressed me, top to bottom, their depth, showing up. Adam Henry,
you got to give him a ton of credit, just
kind of quietly goes about his business. If he gets
a chance under the bar and it's between his legs,
like kidding me. Came and celebrate between the legs goal
because you know, Kaner runs over Aiden hill and then
there's a Brewja on the corner. But Edmonton really impressed me.
(36:51):
And yeah, I'd be scared if I was in the
West having to face that. Although Dallas, Dallas has been
pretty impressive with out there, I'd say best all around
player and Miro not playing, So I like Dallas a lot.
I've liked Dallas for three straight years. Andre looks pretty good.
But if Stuart Skinner's pitching shutouts. Now you have these
two goalies that just won't lose all of a sudden,
(37:12):
their weakness becomes their strength in Edmonton. Who knows?
Speaker 2 (37:16):
How does how does Vegas get back in this series?
I don't think Vegas is going to roll over. I mean,
do you think that there's a chance Vegas can come
back in this series?
Speaker 3 (37:25):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (37:25):
I think if you know, Hurdle gets going a little bit,
he's kind of been vanilla and I just think, I mean,
I can't I can't say anything about Ikeahl. He's been
I think he's been really good all parts of the ice.
They just need some depth help, Like do you need
guys to You saw it when they won Game three,
(37:47):
I thought, you know, Riley Smith was awesome, but you know,
where's it going? They're kind of getting bullied though, Like
they got to figure out a way to be physical
and but not take the bait, almost initiate it and
not like react. I think you got a quiet aid
and Hill down a little bit. He was pissed since
all the first stoppage of play, swinging his stick. It
seemed like and I love a fiery goalie, but you
(38:11):
need to you need to kind of play your position first.
You can throw that in once in a while. But
Vegas going home, Yeah, they win a game, the series
could change a little bit. That place is tough to
play though. Up in Edmonton it's a pretty loud barn.
Speaker 1 (38:25):
Yeah, definitely. And speaking of loud barns, we got to
pay a little bit of tribute to our randomly uh
large I guess audience from Winnipeg that is listening to us,
So any we are a Winnipeg Jets podcast. Randomly, what
do you think about the Jets? Like do they And
(38:47):
we talked about how Dallas is just such a juggernaut
and they don't even have everyone in the lineup, but like,
what kind of what's your hope level meter of the
Jets making this a series?
Speaker 4 (38:59):
Well, hella buck Is it looks like he's figured some
things out. I thought he might after winning a series,
just to sort of exercise those demons a little bit.
That's the road games that are kind of getting into him,
and those are his bugaboos at this point. He's just
I mean, he's obviously likes his comfortability with sight lines
(39:20):
and whatnot. Look I love Winnipeg. I love Scott O'Neil.
I don't know about you, tom Or, but like Adam
Lowry is one of my favorite players, and Julie I
just I say as a Tomer because of the role
that we sort of played. He is like fun to
(39:41):
watch and not fun to play against in terms of
what I look at in a hockey player, like Shifey
showing me a lot this playoffs round like he is
and even since he was I don't know, quote unquote snubbed.
How do you get snubbed for Team Canada? But he's
showing me a lot more in this playoff series. I'm
(40:01):
root for for that franchise in a way that like,
I don't know if they get overlooked. I just have
a ton of respect for Kevin schvel day Off and
how he's built that. Like the facts are the facts, guys.
If they have an opportunity to play in Winnipeg or
they have an opportunity to play two or three other places,
I don't know if Winnipeg sight unseen for them is
(40:22):
on the top of their list, and how they've built
a team that's this competitive that won a President's Trophy,
deserves to be commended, and I like the structure in
which they play with. Yeah they have stars and Connor
and Morrissey and who's been dinged up a little bit.
But they are better than the sum of their parts
(40:43):
in a lot of ways. And I always root for
teams like that because like, that's the essence of a team.
That's what I tell the kids when we're coaching them,
like we have to do this together. You can accomplish
great things. All the cheesy lines that you try to
get them to work hard and buy into. Like they're
kind of doing that. So yeah, I got a lot
of time for I love that they are showing up
(41:06):
in the white out and they have pride for that team,
which is a great thing. And as a player, it
doesn't matter you could be on the moon if people
are showing up and cheering for you, you want to
give whatever you have to that group and the group
in the room. They seem to be doing that. I
think just Dallas is a juggernaut because I mean Rattan
(41:27):
is on a different planet.
Speaker 3 (41:29):
Yeah, he really is.
Speaker 2 (41:30):
And I love what you said about Adam Lowry too.
I mean I played with him. This guy is he
is a dog boiler, like this guy. He is definitely
a captain. The way he plays, he's hard to play against.
And I want to say too, like for our fans listening, Like,
you know, Boiler and I played against each other a
long time. We both played for a ton of teams.
We bounced around a lot. But something that you were always, Boiler,
(41:50):
is you were always hard to play against you And
every time we went against each other, I was like, Okay,
this is going to be a tough night because I'm
playing against a guy like Brian Boyler played hard. And
I guess my question is, you know you talk about
missing the game and playoffs and I feel this same
way as you know.
Speaker 3 (42:05):
Tell me tell us some of your.
Speaker 2 (42:06):
Favorite playoff memberies because you played in a lot of
playoff games.
Speaker 4 (42:11):
Well, it's like we're irrational people and the things that
we would do to play and the things we do
to try to win, and from the outside looking in
like post game handshake, saying hi to you in the
in the lobby and anahi whatever, like people, you guys
are just literally trying to kill each other for two
hours and now it's like, uh, how's your family. It's
(42:32):
doesn't make sense, It's not it's authentic. We are trying
to do whatever we can to beat that guy, and
that's the mutual respects. And I always appreciated that with
guys who gave everything they had. Playoff stories, Man, you
know what, sitting in Stammer's house house watching the Rangers
(42:56):
play with Washington in the second round. It was like
twelve of us. We had just finished our second round series,
and that's who we were going to play in the
conference finals, and we're all just sitting there having a beer,
watching other teams trying and kick the shit out of
each other so we had the chance to play them next.
(43:17):
Like stories like that going on the road. Every city
we went to when I was with the Rangers, we'd
have the night before, we'd have a team meal and
we would watch the games that were going on that night,
and we'd all just be sitting around in like a
function room at whatever nice restaurant the city was. We
were so spoiled, especially in the playoffs, just watching hockey,
(43:43):
our team, only watching the games the night before, like
whatever the other series were. Those were some of the
best memories. Like you can talk about overtime games and
those were a lot of fun, and you can talk
about different series that you won. Those were a ton
of fun too, but like part of it was just
we were there. You know, you're not getting paid much
(44:04):
money at all. You're all just a group together. The
world around you stops and you're all sort of pulling
the rope for the same thing and winning around to
having that handshake line and getting back in the room.
There's not really a lot of feelings like that. And
the two times that we closed out the Game seven
against the Rangers and MSG to go to the Cup final,
(44:26):
and in Game six against Montreal also in MSG to
go to the Cup final. That was my first Cup final.
I guess that game six to one at home, crazy,
crazy feeling, crazy locker room after the picture with the
Prince of Wales trophy. Those are I mean, never forget
those things. They're unbelievable.
Speaker 1 (44:46):
Wow. I mean, just listening to that, it's like I'm
being transported to thinking about what it could possibly be
like to be with a bunch of guys that you're
all working together for this incredible goal. And I'm sure
you also have some great stories that you can't ever
share ever again anywhere, And that's what means.
Speaker 4 (45:04):
It's a couple that come to mind.
Speaker 1 (45:05):
Yeah, and I'm sure watching with your your teammates like
there must be such good commentary. I think about it
because guys are so good at chirps, they're so quick
like there, and watching with them watching a game, I
just would I would just imagine I'd be wanting to
tweet like such as they were like my thoughts like
(45:27):
because they'd be so good like these little things that
the guys would say. That's that's what I think about.
But I mean, Brian, thank you so much for joining us.
We won't take up any more of your time. We
could talk with you about so much more because you've
had such an illustrious career and have continued it throughout
on TV, radio, everywhere that you are right now. So
thank you so much for spending the time and giving
(45:49):
us some insight analysis into your career and into the
NHL playoffs.
Speaker 4 (45:53):
Well, thanks for letting me come on guys. You guys
are doing great. Appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (46:04):
A great time happening Brian Boyle to join us here
on Energy Line with Dayton Jas. We know he's super busy,
but he is get it to win it on the
broadcast side. And speaking of the broadcast we saw on
TV Nate in the Dallas Winnipeg game, which was filled
with a lot of very questionable moments. I have some
different thoughts on how things a game winning goal went down,
(46:27):
But let's go on to the Mason Marchmont quote slash
on the ref and am not caring about it. I
first of all, if I don't even think he notices it,
to be honest, but he because he doesn't even flinch.
But you mentioned that you've seen this before in your career.
Speaker 2 (46:46):
Yeah, And emotions get the best of guys, and sometimes,
you know, even a nice, super nice guy, this can happen.
Your emotions get the best of you and you you know,
top the lines when whatever.
Speaker 3 (46:55):
But it has happened.
Speaker 2 (46:56):
I've seen it when I was in Anaheim and twine
Vermett off a face off. I can't remember who the
linesman was, but he didn't like to drop or you know,
he lost lost the face off after the drop and
he kind of like slashes the back of the ref
or slashes his legs in the back of his legs
like right after. And Antoine Remett got ten game suspension
(47:16):
for that. And if anyone knows Antoinea Remett he was
like the nicest human being, like would never do anything
like that. But it's just your emotions get the best
of you and you just you don't realize it.
Speaker 3 (47:27):
And I think that's what happened.
Speaker 2 (47:28):
But Mason Marshman got a little lucky, I think, because
he can't do that.
Speaker 3 (47:32):
Yeah, you can't hit the officials. It is not okay.
Speaker 1 (47:35):
Yeah you got to watch your emotions. You can't. Yeah,
be given a little stick tap to the ref because
you just don't know what might happen. Like, you know,
nothing happened to Mason Marchman. He was able to avoid something.
But what if he did get a ten game suspension, Man,
that could like affect your entire career for the rest
of your life, because what if a team doesn't want
to keep you, water you traded or don't get signed.
(47:57):
It's like this guy can't control his emotions in a
huge moment, Like all these different little things. I think,
like there's a lot of weird decision making by guys
to go use their emotions at different moments, Like even
Brad Marshaan with his like no glove on his hand
the end of the Leafs Panther's Tampa game like punching.
Speaker 2 (48:17):
I think you're such in the moment that was nice, truly,
I think you're I think you're such that I can't
stop laughing now because it was strong hand.
Speaker 3 (48:27):
No.
Speaker 2 (48:27):
I mean when you're in the when you're in the
emotions and you're in there, you're in the moment of
the game, like you're never thinking. You're definitely not thinking
of the repercussions of what can happen after. I think,
I if I'm going into a player's mind and when
I was playing, like, you're never really thinking at the moment, Okay,
how is this gonna if I do this?
Speaker 3 (48:47):
Is this going to be bad? After?
Speaker 2 (48:48):
You know, you're just going to do it because it's
you're in the moment, you're in the game. And you
even saw like Domei's hit on Barkoff, right, Like, I mean,
that was a bad hit, but he knew what he
was doing. He knew that he had to finish his head,
finish his hit on the best player of Florida. He
got a five thousand dollars fine, and that was it.
But at the end of the day, you know, it's
(49:10):
paying dividends for down the road in a deep long series,
maybe maybe he's you know, banged up. Maybe you know,
maybe that helps, Maybe that helps Toronto, right. And I'm
not condoning the hit, because you can't hit anybody like that,
but you know, there are dividends that you pay by
by continuing to finish checks on guys like that.
Speaker 1 (49:29):
This is where I'm curious about your non Leaf's brain.
Is that Sam Bennett appreciation? This guy is fucking good.
That line not except that line would not not fly
here in the olds four one, six six four seven
situation that we got going on. What do you think
the rest of the league thinks about the the overload
(49:51):
of of you know, elbow forearmed situations going on in
this series.
Speaker 2 (49:56):
There's a lot of it. But you talk about Sam Bennett.
This guy has made for the playoffs. It's like you
put someone, you put a player together that you want
for the playoffs and Sam Bennett's kind of it. Man,
He's been good. And here let me ask you this, Julie.
He's going to be a free agent this summer Brad
Tree living had him in Calgary. Would you be happy
(50:17):
if the least brought in Sam Bennett.
Speaker 1 (50:19):
Well, that would mean that, like Mitch Marner's gone which
at this point feels like a real upgrade. I think
that he made his he made his point known when
what was it when he got in the first round,
Florida defended him on whatever he did that was stupid,
and people were like, he's going to want to stay
(50:41):
in Florida because that kind of behavior and that what
he does on the ies won't fly in like a
big market like Toronto. It was like, he will be
they will always protect him, they will always be on
his side no matter what happens, Like everyone will just
be Sam Bennett's biggest fan in Florida, but that might
not be the case in another market. I mean, I
(51:02):
think he's a great player. I think obviously was great
the goal that he scored, the second goal that was
a bit of a defensive felt like a mis cue
from McCabe and Tanev and whatnot. But like, he is
a very good player. I just don't like some of
the extracurriculars that he does because it's changed the series
for Toronto, that's for sure, because then now you're worried again.
(51:24):
As my mom had said before the whole playoff started,
She's like, I just don't like when the other team
tries to injure our players, and I was like, Mom,
you can't control injuries, and I'm like, well, you can
control them if you don't allow guys throwing elbows. I'm
still not happy about the stolar situation, That's all I
gotta say.
Speaker 3 (51:43):
I feel that from you. I do. I do.
Speaker 2 (51:47):
Feel I feel that from you right now after you
said that, Yeah, I agree there is no place for it.
But I think you know that's you know, that's the
kind of style that Sam Bettett plays, and it's the playoffs.
And I get it too from a player standpoint. You know,
you're doing anything it takes to win, and you know
if somebody on their team gets hurt, it's probably gonna
give you your team a better chance to win. I
(52:09):
just think I do think that Sam Bennett would be
a great fit in Toronto. I just for some reason
that just seems like a really good fit. And I
know that means that Mitch Martin is probably not there,
but I think that. I mean, but I'm getting I'm
getting way ahead of myself right now, but anyways, I digress.
Speaker 1 (52:25):
That's okay, that's what That's what hockey podcasts are all about. Okay,
So speaking getting way ahead. As we wrap things up
before we do our next podcast on Friday, what do
you think will be the biggest storyline from now until then?
It's a big headline that the.
Speaker 2 (52:40):
Leafs put the Florida Panthers on the brink of elimination.
Speaker 1 (52:44):
You just said that to make me feel good, right, No?
Speaker 3 (52:47):
I didn't, No, I didn't.
Speaker 2 (52:48):
I do think I've said this. The Leaves are different
this year. There's something about them. They just seem they
seem focused, they seem like they're on it. No matter
what happens, they're going to continue to play well and
they're going to find a way well.
Speaker 1 (52:59):
They just go the eye doctor between now in game five,
we will see if they will be able to get
some bucks on it. And okay, quickly before we go,
what would you do as a player? You have two games,
two days off in between playoff games, like mentally, physically,
what do you do to pass the time?
Speaker 2 (53:16):
I think you have to get away from it a
little bit. On the first day off, I would say, relax,
do whatever you need. You know, some guys are going
to need some treatment, I mean, whatever it is. But
and then I think it's just relaxed, spend time with
some family friends. I think you don't need to go
crazy to go do anything. I think it's just relaxing,
especially the playoff time. But you know, I was a
(53:37):
guy when I was playing. I always watched other playoff games,
so it was hard for me to get away from it.
When you're in the playoff mode, I guess. So you know,
you're chilling, you're hanging. It's obviously a nice time of
the year right now, so you're probably doing something outside
maybe you know when it's with the sun, with the sunshining, but.
Speaker 3 (53:51):
It's it's playoff mode.
Speaker 2 (53:53):
So I mean, I'm sure these guys are going to
be dialed watching other playoff games.
Speaker 3 (53:56):
I know.
Speaker 2 (53:56):
I mean you heard you heard Boiler talk about you know,
guys love watching other playoff hockey games during the playoffs,
and I'm sure that's what guys are doing. So but
that's nice. A couple of days off rare.
Speaker 1 (54:07):
So long, but just rehab the body.
Speaker 2 (54:09):
But there's no days in the playoffs, Like there's no Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.
It's like game day, off day, game day off day,
game day off day, that's all.
Speaker 1 (54:16):
It is, travel day, all those different things. I remember
it when you were playing in Anaheim. When do you
remember Nashville? It felt like there was like one hundred
days off in between games when you guys played them
in Gosh. I don't even know what year it was,
but I just remember all of us broadcasters. There should
have been like a documentary about us broadcasting during those
(54:38):
those golden years of the Ducks, because we got a
bicycle tavern in Nashville on a day off like that
was kent.
Speaker 3 (54:47):
Yes, oh, you guys are one of those pedal pubs.
Speaker 1 (54:51):
Really, yes, we did.
Speaker 3 (54:53):
How banged out did you guys get?
Speaker 1 (54:56):
We got pretty banged up and we got a good
workout in It was like before they were I even
knew what they were. I just remember Frenchy taking us
to this pedal pob tavern thingy and we got we
brought a whole bunch of beer with us, and then
I just remember us going around Lower Broadway in Nashville
just on that pedal bicycle tavern thingy and seeing some
(55:16):
of the guys from the Ducks. I think it was
like McGinn saw us on the corner. He was just
like really like kind of looking at us like it's like,
what you guys do like in your spare time, all
of you guys are hanging out and you're doing You're
basically like a bachelor at party right now in Nashville,
And we were like, Yes, this is what it's like
(55:38):
to be a broadcaster for a team on the road
with days off. It is literally the best thing in
the world. Yes, if you don't have a family and
you know you're not a degenerate, I guess Okay, So
on that note, Nate, go enjoy the rest of the
WHL finals. We'll be watching listening to you on TSN
(55:59):
and everyone else. Thank you, guys so much for listening
to the Energy Line with Nate and JSB. This has
been a production of the NHL and iHeartRadio. We thank
Brian Boyle for joining us, and we thank Jake Brown
and Bob Bender for producing the show. You can subscribe
to the show on Apple, Spotify or reprogate your podcasts
(56:19):
or listen on the iHeartRadio app. Please give us a
five star rating, and please rate a nice review. I'm
Julie Shurpinks, He's Nate Thompson. We'll be back Friday, as
we may end up having a series or two to
wrap up by then, or you might have some Game
seven's on the docket. We'll have to see. Enjoy the
games the next few days. We'll chat with you soon.
Thanks for dropping by the Energy Line. Energy Line is
(56:43):
the production of the NHL and iHeart Podcasts. For more
podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or
wherever you get your podcasts.
Hosts And Creators
Nate Thompson
Julie Stewart-Binks
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