May 9, 2025 • 57 mins
Energy Line with Nate Thompson and Julie Stewart-Binks open up the show reacting to the controversial no-call in the Golden Knights-Oilers series and Edmonton taking a 2-0 series lead. They also get into Nate’s journey to Medicine Hat to call the WHL Championship. Former NHL player, NHL Network analyst and “Unscripted” podcast host Jason Demers then joined the show. Demers discusses the Oilers taking a 2-0 series lead, playing his final and 700th game for Edmonton and his time going down to the AHL. Demers breaks down the Ducks hiring Joel Quenneville, the playoff bracket, who will win the Cup, the Stars and Leafs chances, his harmonica skills and reading lines with his actress wife.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Energy Line is a production of the NHL and iHeart Podcasts.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Lit some boards looking at it. He blew it, he
missed the call. Everyone else to say.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
I mean, it's a can opener trip, it's a dangerous play,
It's all those things. But it didn't get called.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
So you got to keep playing it.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
And you know, never is one of our guys that
we probably one of the most popular.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Teammates in the group.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
So that is a tough part of playing through it.
It's not as easy as it looks. We're human, right,
but at the end of the day, that's the task
in front of you. When those calls happen or don't happen,
you blew it.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
I just remember all about Billy Madison when I hear
him say you blew it. That was Bruce Cassidy, head
coach of the Vegas Golden Knights. This is the Energy
Line with Dayton JSB. I'm Julie Stewart Binks he's former
NHLR and Nate Thompson and we've got the second round
of the Stanley Cup playoffs in a full Yeah, we've
got a lot to break down. We're gonna be joined
by our fellow NHL and iHeart podcaster, former NHL player,
(01:11):
always entertaining Jason Tamaris as he will join us in
a few minutes. But Energy Line that is a production
of the NHL and iHeart Podcasts. Nates, what do you
think about the the hits or can opener or lack
thereof or whatever. Braiden McNabb Victor Arvidson in overtime and
Vegas loses to the Oilers.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Drama, drama, drama.
Speaker 4 (01:36):
But I totally agree with Bruce Cassidy, though I think
they did miss that call. It was, you know, he
you know, Victor Arverson gets his stick in between Brad
McNabb's feet and it was, you know, he opened up
his feeds can opener.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
It's a dangerous place going back for a puck.
Speaker 4 (01:51):
We don't know the status on Braden McNab yet, but
obviously he's injured, and you know, and you look too,
like Nicholas Waugh takes that five minute major cross checking
and they kill that off. So you would think that,
you know, the officials would have even that up or
called that and but that's the nature of the game.
You know, you I've heard I watched that press conference
and Bruce Catsey said you know, it is what it is.
(02:13):
You know, we you know these things happened at playoffs
where you don't get the calls, but you have to
deal with and you have to play through it. And
you know, unfortunately they didn't get that win, they didn't
get the w and and Connor McDavid, Leon Drive sid
will do their thing. But it's it's tough because I
think the Vegas gold Knights like they had control of
(02:34):
that game, they had control of they had control of
the overtime too, like Edmonton was hanging on, like hanging on.
And again we talk about Connor McDavid and Leon Drive Siddle.
You know that's that's the difference in this Edmonton Oilers team.
And and I think to you with the way the
Oilers are playing, to me, they now they've won six
games in a row in the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
And I've been aping from behind too.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
Coming from behind, and I've been on a team. When
I was in Tampa, we were down three to one
in the series, and I've talked about this before. We're
down three to one in the series. We came back
win that series. Next series, we win four games in
a row. We sweep Washington and then we win the
first game of the Eastern Conference Finals against Boston.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
We won eight.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
Games in a row in the playoffs and it's hard
to do. And I think the Edmonton Oiliers are they're
on their way to do that. But I know that
feeling of being in Edmonton Oiliers when it doesn't matter
the game, doesn't matter how much you're down, like you
just have this feeling that no matter what, you have
a chance to win the hockey game.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
And this Edmonton Oilers team, it just feels.
Speaker 4 (03:36):
Like they are They look like last year's team. They
look like last year's team in the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
I don't know what it is.
Speaker 4 (03:43):
There's just they've all of a sudden, they've morphed into
the low Edmonton Oilers that they were last year. And
unfortunately the Vegas gold Knights they're in a huge hole
right now. Now they got to go try and win
a game in Edmonton, which is very very hard to do.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Yeah, I think that. I mean, you're spot on with
all that kind of stuff, and the fact that, like
we talk so much about Florida knowing what it's like
to win and to be there at the Stanley Cup Final,
but like they had to lose it the first time, remember,
so then it's kind of like Edmonton knows. I mean
they lost to one last year in the Stanley Cup
Final to Florida, so it's like they know what it's
like to be all the way there as well. And
(04:19):
I think now when you saw and you talk about
the fact that they can come back, I think the
hit is bad. Like I think it was a misscall
as well. I would be pissed like Bruce Cassidy with
that because, as you do in overtime, if they were
to have a man advantage in that moment, then this
could be a one to one series and then everything
is completely different. But right before I just said my point,
(04:43):
it seemed like your hand hit something in your like
hotel room you're in, and.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
It totally did.
Speaker 4 (04:51):
I was getting all I was getting all theatrical at
my point, and I hit the lamp in front of.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Me, and I was like, shit, I have to point
out that Nate is in Nate. He went from going
to the Kentucky Derby to now Medicine Hat Alberta. And
for everyone out there who doesn't know even what medicine
Hat is, where it is or why are there.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Tell us all right, Well I did go back to California. First.
Speaker 4 (05:18):
I didn't go from straight from Kentucky to Medicine Hat Alberta.
But I did go back home for a little bit.
But yes, I'm in Medicine Hat Alberta. I am covering
the WHL Finals on TSN. They're playing the Spokane Chiefs.
Game one is tonight here in Medicine Hat. It's gonna
be fun, Julie. I mean there is some like there's
some serious talent on both teams, like young talent, and
(05:41):
I'd be remissf I didn't talk about the main guy
on Medicine Hat, which was Gavin McKenna, who is going
to be the projected twenty twenty six first overall pick.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
He probably would be the first overall pick this year
if he was eligible. He's that good.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
The Islanders would like that because there's not really like
an overall consensus this year.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
Yeah, sorry to tease you Islanders fans. Just dangle that
right in front of you and take it away. But uh, yeah,
it's gonna be funny, it's gonna be good opportunity. I'm
looking forward to it. It's uh, you know, I haven't
I haven't been back to Medicine Hat in twenty years.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
You know, I like I played when were you there
the first I mean last.
Speaker 4 (06:18):
Play when I was playing for the Seattle thunder Bers.
I mean that would be the last time, probably when
I was nineteen or twenty. And And it's funny though,
I both both teams, Spokane and Medicine Hat. You know,
Spokane Chiefs. You know, guess who the head coaches, Julie
brad Lauer assistant coach.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
Yeah, brad Lauer. Oh my god, yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
So brad Lauer.
Speaker 4 (06:38):
And then the head coach of who you know who
we had and why I had anim as an assistant coach.
And then the medicine at Tigers is Willy dasjard Ends,
who I had and I had with La.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
So uh A funny story about that too. With with
with Willy. The last time I saw Willie was in
a hotel in Washington, d C.
Speaker 4 (06:58):
I just got traded from La to Montreal and it
was at the top of an escalator and Willy didn't
know yet and I already been traded. I was literally
getting ready to go in my room to grab my bags,
and he was talking to me about the game that
night and how well he how well he thought I
was playing and how you know, keep working hard, and
I'm like, willly, I just got traded to MONTREALI he
(07:19):
didn't even know. So so I'm actually gonna go over
to the morning skate after this and go see him
and talk to him before the game tonight.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
So that'll be fun. But I'm looking forward to it.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
And it's uh, it's it's interesting being back in medicine Hat.
It's like being in a time capsule right now a
little bit.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Oh gosh, I bet can you tell everyone where medicine
Hat is in relation to like the rest of the world.
Speaker 4 (07:45):
It's actually like in medicine I want to stay on
a map, like I looked at it.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
It's like it's like close to Montana. Yes, yeah, right,
I'm correct.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
I'm pretty sure, pretty sure, pretty sure.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
But it's the weather's good, it's nice.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
I mean, that's big. Like I saw you put up
on Instagram video last night and it was like, SENI, yeah,
like that ain't the medicine hat that I remember when
I lived out in the prairies, and it is. Yeah, okay,
so I'm just looking at a map right now. I
should know this a bit more because I've been through
medicine hat before because I used to live in Regina
and go to like Moosejaw and stuff. So yeah, so everyone, yes,
(08:21):
it is above oh yeah, like Great Falls, Montana. It's
like it's just a hot hop, skip and a jump
from Yellowstone essentially, so that's basically where you are.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
Yikes.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
I'm just looking at all this and I'm like getting
some they I'm just getting some the shakes of like
when I used to like live out there and I
thought my career, i am never going to be leaving
Regina because I'm getting I'm getting ptsdving like oh yeah.
I remember driving to moose Jaw to go shoot like
(08:55):
record video of Morgan Riley, and I didn't put any
gas in the car for our CTV vehicle, like a
station vehicle. We just thought. I just got into it.
I was like someone has already filled it up. I
didn't look, and then the car on the highway just
went and it just stopped. I remember being like, oh my,
(09:17):
oh my god, I'm on the highway and I called CIA,
like the place that come. I didn't call like my agents.
I got them to come, and the guy was like,
I'm not gonna I'm not gonna give you a talking
to about not putting gas in the car. I was like, yeah,
we all know, I'm a fucking idiot. Okay, I didn't
look to see how much gas I have to get
(09:38):
to moose Jaw to get video of borged Riley, who
was a top pick in this year's n I Jil draft.
That's how long ago it was. But I love that
you're there. You are doing by the way. You are
a bit of a media horror. I'm not gonna lie.
Speaker 4 (09:51):
I'm a massive media What what you said? Yeah, media horn?
Speaker 2 (09:56):
I am? I am, I am, I am.
Speaker 1 (09:59):
You're cheating on me, You're you're all the girl is
at the party.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
I'm just having fun. I'm just I'm mis enjoying myself.
That's it. I'm just having fun doing doing the deal.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
Every other podcast you've been on that you said that
they like claim you as their own too, like violent gentlemen.
Guys were like, Nate's got another job, Like I think whatever,
You're on every podcast that's like Nate's got another job,
and I'm like, no, he's he's mine. He's on Energy
Line with date jsp's names in the time.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
This is this is number one. I know this is
number one. Don't don't worry, Julie, I'm not. I'm not.
I'm not cheating on yet. This is the this is
number one.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Okay, Well I've got I've got eyes on your Instagram story. Obviously,
as soon as you post a story, you'll see Julie
SB underscore has looked at it in forty two seconds
after you posted it. But I'm happy for you because
you have to do all this stuff, as you know,
and you're getting opportunities that's like, great, you're gonna be
on ts N. Which one I like that?
Speaker 5 (10:59):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
There's like five of them.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
There's a lot of there's I was gonna say, I'm
in there.
Speaker 4 (11:03):
I mean, I'm in the hotel room and you're you know,
when you go through the sports channels in Canada, it's
like sports Net one, sportsnet W, sports net E, sports
nets like there's like five different sports nets.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Same thing with TSN two. But either way, I'm getting
the chance it's gonna be.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
It's gotten like really confusing ever since at least I
left Canada. It's like, yeah, I go home and my
mom's like, which sports channel do you need us to order?
For our playoffs. I was like, just sports Net. I'm like,
but all of the sports nets because it's not on TSN,
but like, you know, when something might be here there
and like and then when I went home for the Olympics,
she was like, which ones do we need to order?
(11:39):
Is that just CBC? I'm like, nobody, It might potentially
be moved to sportsdat or like whatever.
Speaker 4 (11:43):
Yeah, Jake, our producers chirped me now too, and he's
saying I'm gonna be on TSN eight.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
The oho.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
Ah that's an American joke, yes, but yeah, you know
what you could catch is what I like to say
is like when people are maybe tuning in for something else,
like the Leaf's game, or like the Jets game, or
because I'm talking to the Canadian people up there, that
they might accidentally stumble upon your game and just watch
it and see you.
Speaker 4 (12:13):
I mean, I think they should watch this series. But
like I said, there's a ton of not just Gavin
McKenna there. There's probably like six guys on Medicine hat
that could play in the NHL. I mean, they're that talented.
They've they've only lost one game so far in this
whole playoffs and they're in the finals, Noyle. That's one game,
so they're a wagon. I mean so is Spokane. They're
(12:33):
also a wagon too, so it's two Juggernauts playing as
each other. So I would I would recommend people to
tune in of seeing future NHL stars.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
If you like listening to me right now, watch him
on TV later today. And I almost made the journey
all the way out. I'll say this before we go.
I did something really bad and I promised to my
friends from Winnipeg because I used to live there, as
we know that I would go to Winnipeg if they
beat who did who did they play in the last round? Two?
Speaker 2 (13:08):
They beat Saint Louis Louis sorry so many.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
I'm like, if they won game seven, I was like,
I'll go to Winnipeg. And they're like yay. And then
they won and double overtime obviously, and they're like, Julia, Okay, great,
we're gonna get Sparkley jack jackets, a sunglass, a Hearts
shape sunglasses, and we got reservations and I was like,
oh boy, I don't know. I don't think I I
got a check with my schedule and my recording and
(13:32):
because getting to Winnipeg is like a full day from
New York, and I was like, guys, I I don't
know if I can. Sorry bye, I bailed on them,
but I made it like I was the one that
suggested going to Winnipeg to see them if they if
they make it through this round again, it's Dallas, will
(13:53):
you have to go? I have to go. But the
Winnipeg people are so nice, like Julie, we get it.
It's all right.
Speaker 4 (14:01):
I mean everywhere in Canada I have to say that too,
Like I'm in medicine hat and like I was going
to the grocery store. I actually get stuff from my room,
and like everyone is so nice and so polite. That's
what I love about being Canada.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
It's almost like the two too Polite where you're like, okay,
can somebody just go at the snap sign right now?
You're like, exactly, you go, you go. You're gonna sit
there for hours because no one is gonna do anything.
I'll say, they're not that, they're not super nice. And
in every area of Quebequa, like that would be my one.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
You know, I would say I'm not I'm not gonna come.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
You can't say shit about that because you're a former
Montreal Canadian. Montreal is nice. Although I will say they
made me speak French like I will speak French I
always started. But when I was hungover after four Nations
and I was trying to speak French to this waitress
just I was like it was like me just trying
to run through like mud. I was like, uh, Jevoudre
(14:57):
in cafe a uh, and she just like sat there
and waited for me.
Speaker 4 (15:03):
You're like Will Ferrell. You're like Will Ferrell from Tadagannites.
And then he's like, you selling get marbles in your mouth.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
I was like, just we hung over, and then at
least I got a bit of a laugh and she's like, oh, okay, great,
all right, well, we've got an awesome episode for you here.
And coming up right after this is we have got
Jason Demares, our coworker here on the NHL iHeart Connection,
and he's a former NHL player also with NHL Network,
and here he is all right, well now, very pleased
(15:41):
to be joined by a former NHL player, current broadcaster
for NHL Network, unscripted pod on iHeartRadio and the NHL
And that is none other than Jason Demers, who I
just asked him how to say his last name, because
I don't really know how to say it. But what
I do know is that he is an absolute stud
(16:01):
on the mic, and he is joining us here from Phoenix.
Thank you for being on the pod.
Speaker 6 (16:07):
Thanks for having me the crossover everybody wanted.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
This is what we needed. Everyone needed to hear this exactly.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
Yeah, Nate is joining us obviously from medicine hat and
I say joining us as if we're like there is
a specific central of the studio. But you guys are
up really early right now. Let's just give kudos Jason
at seven thirty am. Where you are, Nate, it's earlier
eight thirty.
Speaker 5 (16:34):
Oh, I mean.
Speaker 6 (16:35):
I got my I got my cold plunge in, I
did my Saratoga water, I did my two hour workout.
Speaker 5 (16:41):
I was up at three, so wait.
Speaker 4 (16:43):
You know, yeah right, yeah, I just did my I
just did my stretching in my room right before too,
right right right here in the middle.
Speaker 5 (16:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
I just did some calisthenics. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (16:56):
I still got my pajama pants on.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
So we're good, good, good, Yeah, so do we? I
mean that's whatever ten thirty in New York City, and
I still have my I got like my deaf leopard,
basically pajamas stuff on. Okay, let's get into some hockey.
I guess so, Jason, there is a lot going on
in the playoffs right now. What's like been your what's
(17:18):
your favorite part right now? Like what do you love
about the playoffs? And what what do you hate? Like
a moment moments?
Speaker 6 (17:27):
I mean right now, what I love is is we
got three Canadian teams in the playoffs. Yeah, and two
of the three are looking mighty fine right now. And
obviously we'll see what Winnipeg does. But you know, this
is probably our best opportunity to finally get a Stanley
Cup to Canada.
Speaker 5 (17:44):
And for me, that's been the most fun.
Speaker 6 (17:46):
It's always fun when you see Canadian teams that the
fan base is just different. It doesn't matter. You know,
you could say that, you know, Chicago's great. You can
say that San Jose Sharks are great, and they are
in their own when the building's rocking, but you know,
these buildings in Canada are just something different. And I
always kind of go back to last year, my first
year broadcasting, and being in Edmonton for Game six of
(18:08):
the Finals was like the craziest best atmosphere you could
ever hope to see. And you know, I never got
to play in a big Canadian market. I know Nate did,
and it's like it's just different.
Speaker 5 (18:20):
Man.
Speaker 6 (18:20):
It just feels the feel of it when you go
to the rink, it's got to be so electric.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
Yeah it is. I mean my time in Montreal.
Speaker 4 (18:27):
I mean I always say it's like it doesn't matter
and no offense, it doesn't matter. If you're playing against
the Coyotes on a Tuesday in Montreal, it's gonna be
it's gonna be bumping in that barn. So I totally
understand what you're saying. I guess I want to talk
about too, is you know, is Edmonton? I guess a
little bit. Is you know they've won six in a row.
(18:48):
They've just been I mean, they're just find ways to
win and obviously we know why. But I think there's
more to it than just the two headed monster for
their team.
Speaker 6 (18:57):
Yeah, I mean number one Calvin Pickards the truth. I've
been on social vocal he is the greatest goal.
Speaker 5 (19:03):
Of all time.
Speaker 6 (19:04):
Uh it's great. Uh, it's crazy. You know, I saw
a look, I had a cup of coffee with them
and and you know, kind of kind of got to
know a little bit of the guys and talk to
around the league, to a lot of people, But I mean,
dating back to last year, their resiliency is just next level.
And it's so you know, that's such a hard thing
(19:25):
to quantify as like teams that are just able to
stay in the moment and and not kind of get
and not shy away from the moment. And you know
they probably they go as their their top guys go,
but you know, anytime their depth kind of steps up.
And I think that hasn't been talked about enough. In
this playoff run, like they're getting healthier of Ander Kaine's
been an X factor for this team, and you know,
(19:46):
Trent Frederick's been great. You got you look at Connor Brown,
He's having a monster playoffs. And they've just done a
great job of kind of like scoring when Connor and
Leon are not typically going, which for them, if they
have a point, that's an off night for them.
Speaker 5 (20:00):
So, uh, it's just been it's been fun to watch.
Speaker 6 (20:04):
And I think the other thing people don't realize is
like the Pacific was a lot tighter than everybody thought,
Like Vegas wasn't this like Juggernaut, like we didn't talk
about him.
Speaker 5 (20:12):
They finished first.
Speaker 6 (20:14):
Same thing with LA, like these were these were all
great teams. And I think this playoffs could have shaken
out anyway in the Pacific, like LA could have easily
won that series and then they could easily beat Vegas.
Vegas could have could have came in and been up
to nothing easily against Edmonton. But it's just one of
those weird things in the Pacific. It's it's very different
than the Central I think, where there's some clear favorites,
(20:36):
but you know, Pacific's very it's a lot tighter than
I think. And then I think people realize.
Speaker 5 (20:42):
Yeah, I agree.
Speaker 4 (20:43):
I think you look at the Kings and everyone's just
going home. Man, that was a tough one to watch.
But I want to go back a little bit JD
and and talk about when we were playing against each other.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
We're on the blue line, or sorry, on the red line.
We're an Onto, we're in Ontario. We're in Ontario.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
Yeah, and I look over and there's Jason and Marors.
He's playing the Bakersfield Condors. And you know, I believe
you were stuck on games six ninety nine at the time,
and you know, we were talking about it and just going,
what are.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
We doing down here? And and you know, elaborate on that.
Speaker 4 (21:15):
You know, you're you're you're stuck at six p ninety nine,
you're playing in Bakersfield, and then you end up playing
your seven hundred game with the Edmonton Oilers.
Speaker 6 (21:22):
Yeah, listen, it's you know, we're kind of sitting there joking,
and it's it's the plight of an athlete of you know,
never knowing what you're capable of. And also, like you know,
when it's just not working, You're you're you're trying so
hard to get back to the top, and it's it's
a tough league to make, and it's a tough leak
to play in the NHL.
Speaker 5 (21:43):
It's even harder to stay.
Speaker 6 (21:44):
I always told younger guys that, like it's it's a
daily grind and and once you kind of get pushed out,
it's so hard to make your way back. So it
was a long process, as a two year process coming
back from back surgery and not having a contract and
then kind of working my way back from going I
had to go overseas when played in Russia, came back
and it was just a long, long, long, journey and
(22:07):
it was two years that felt like ten. But you know,
for me, I kind of always hang my hat on that.
You know, I was able to make the NHL twice
in my career. You know, I made it once when
I was a young guy, and then I got to
make it back in and I feel like for me,
it was something I took as a point of pride
because you know, it's like, you know, Nate, it's a
hard league to make, and especially when you're older and
(22:28):
you kind of get forgotten about it, it's a it's
even tougher to kind of claw your way back in.
So we we I think at that point of the season.
Was that not the game where the zamboni door was
broken in Bakersfield?
Speaker 4 (22:43):
No, that was the one in Ontario, But there was
another one we were in Bakersfield and the zamboni door broke.
Speaker 5 (22:48):
Well, yeah, that's.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
But the game was canceled.
Speaker 5 (22:51):
You remember, the game was oh we yeah, we kind
of had we had a hand in that.
Speaker 6 (22:55):
So like in Bakersfield they have like there's like, you know,
there's I don't know if it was the Tuesday night game,
but we're playing it back to back against Ontario. One
in Bakersfield and then the next night in Ontario, so
we had this like little one of those.
Speaker 5 (23:11):
What would you even call it?
Speaker 6 (23:12):
They roll it out so like the guys they can't
throw beer on us, but we're at home, so it
makes no sense. Yeah, they throw the tunnel, so they
but they these kids walk the tunnel out and as
they're walking it out, they push it too hard and
they hit the zamboni door and they break the glass
like they they like, and they like screw up the hinge,
so the glass isn't closing properly. So we're sitting there
(23:34):
going to start the game and I'm like.
Speaker 5 (23:37):
It's like games.
Speaker 6 (23:38):
It's like game fifty or sixty, and I'm like, we
can't play this game, Like this is like somebody's gonna
get there because it's the glass is literally jetting out,
so if one hit, like, yeah, it's dangerous. So we're
sitting there and they're trying to like rig it up
with like you know, bungee cords and stuff, and I'm
looking at Nate and I'm like, Nate, we got to
get out of this game. I'm like, let's just get
(23:58):
to Ontario and we'll play tomorrow. We'll make this cave
up down the stretch, like I don't need it back
to back with this with that because I'm a right
handed defense and so it's right in my corner and
I'm like, I don't need these young kids running me every.
Speaker 5 (24:09):
D every two ships.
Speaker 6 (24:11):
So we're sitting there and the refs like, I think
we can play, and I'm like, you want to be
liable for this ship, like like seriously, So they're like
going to the coaches. They're talking to the coaches, they're
trying to They're like, you guys have to sign waivers
if we want to play, and eventually, like it took
like two hours, and then they finally canceled the game.
So we all bust Ontario and just ended up making
(24:31):
up that game like two months later. But that's me
and Nate sitting there being like a couple of old
guys sitting about an hour and a half not playing
my hips. We're so tight, I'm like, I'm I'm gonna
blow a groin up for a shift.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
I basically told the official, I'm like, hey, it's too late.
I lost it. We can't play. Now, we can't play.
I lost it. It's gone. It's gone. You got to
cancel the game. It's gone.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
I mean like signing having to sign a waiver too.
Like when you're also trying to make it back into
the NHL, it's like, okay, if you get injured, like
we're not liable or whatever like this, you're like, no,
I didn't put in this amount of fucking effort to
have a weird door thing kind of screw up my career.
But like just one more question on that, like for
both of you too. But like when you're down there
(25:14):
in the AHL after being up in the show and
you're trying to get back there, like I mean, do
you have fun or are you kind of just like
that grind of like I'm trying to get out of here,
like everything is focused on kind of like that one goal.
Speaker 6 (25:31):
I mean, you have to you you can't, you know you.
I kind of looked at it more as like I'm
gonna if I'm here, I'm gonna be president and try
to be a mentor as well, and and if any
kids need anything, and you know, unfortunately ended up helping
a couple of kids too much and.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
Then they yes, that's the same thing you're broadcasting. Let
you tell Yeah, I had a couple of drug me
that I helped, and I was like, okay, don't forget.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
Please.
Speaker 6 (25:58):
Uh but yeah, you know, it's it's again, it's it's
a it's an ego check. You listen, It's we're so
lucky when you play in the NHL, you're so listen.
It's a very hard league. It's so demanding. You know, injuries,
but you know the way you travel, where you stay,
the you know, the money you make. It's it's it's
fantasy land. So it's it's it is what it is.
(26:19):
It's it's not the real world. And when you kind
of go down to the a at times, it's you
have that little bit of a gut check of like, oh,
there's another world outside of the NHL. So it's a
little bit of a culture shock. But again it's also
a bunch of young guys, a lot of them that
are just trying to make it to the NHL. They're
trying to make a living for their families. You have
(26:41):
a lot of older guys there that have, you know,
some summer career, HL guys that are still trying to
chase down that dream. So it's it is a lot
more fun than I thought it was going to be.
Speaker 5 (26:51):
Going back.
Speaker 6 (26:51):
You know, I kind of was a little bit like,
oh no, it's just gonna be and but I enjoyed it.
The guys were great, and and you know it's there's
not many bad guys in hockey and in any league.
So I know, Nate, I don't know how yours was,
but that's for me. I took it as a as
a positive to end my career down in the A.
Speaker 4 (27:09):
Yeah, it was the same for me. It was it
was going in there with an open mind and being
able to, like you said, help help out these guys,
mentor them and put them in the NHL before I
was going to be there. So you know, it's like,
all right, this is how it's going to be. I
guess you're going to the NHL and I'm just going
to watch you. But yeah, but it was, you know,
it was. It was a good experience for me, I think,
just at the end of my career, being able to
(27:31):
be put in that role and help guys, and I
mean it had helped me today. So shipped a little bit.
Speaking of young guys. The Anaheim Ducks, you know they
hired Joel Quinnville. What is your opinion on that and
how they made this decision. Pat Burbeek made this decision.
Speaker 6 (27:48):
Yeah, listen, it's so tough because you know, everything that happened,
and how much did Joel Quinnville know, and what was
he kind of was he you know, he came out.
I thought his press conference was him. You know, he
talked to Kyle Beach. It was him talking about trying
to learn and be better, and he said all the
right things, and I mean there's nothing else for him
(28:08):
to say other than that he can't you know, he
kind of said that I fucked up and and and
probably should have been more vocal about it. So but
it's always you know, I wasn't in the room. So
it's like you it's so it's so difficult, and you
never want to give anyone, you know, you want to
give the benefit of the doubt and in that aspect,
but you know, I think he was out of the
game long enough. He kind of did his time. You know,
(28:31):
if if he reached out to Kyle Beach and and
Kyle Beach is probably a big person that needs to
kind of sign off on it, and and if they
had a good conversation, and I wasn't kind of in
that room.
Speaker 5 (28:41):
So with him and Kyle Beach.
Speaker 6 (28:43):
So but I you know, listen, it's a it's a
tough one to kind of walk through because you're like,
which way do you go? You're like, yeah, you just
hope that everybody learned from it, and you hope that
you know, no one made a bad decision and covered
something up that they they shouldn't have and everything was
done and kind of good faith. So and it's just
(29:04):
it's it's so interesting when you get into that kind
of the ship, that kind of shit. Man, it's it's
it's it's a weird it becomes real life a little bit,
you know what I mean, Like we talk about like
I just said, it's it's a little bit of fantasy land.
So when things like this happened that happened in real
life more times than we we wish it would, it's
(29:27):
it kind of shocks you a little.
Speaker 5 (29:28):
Bit to your core. And and you're just like, man,
where do we go from here?
Speaker 6 (29:32):
And we need to have a lot more accountability and
inside the locker room, and it's not just what happens
with players or trainers. It's all the way to the
top down, and it's an organization, it's a family. They
have to make sure that there's way more accountability and
hoping and and and kind of praying that they do.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
So did you think they made the right hire.
Speaker 6 (29:52):
I mean, Joe Quinnville is listen, as a coach, this
for a young group is probably one of the best.
It's a guy that's going to kind of with a
winning pedigree, you know how it is Nate, you know,
I think I think they went the kind of hard
ass route with with Cronin, and I think they kind
of got as much as they were going to get
out of him, and they did have an improvement this year,
(30:14):
So I was a little surprised that they made the move,
but I think it's a good time. There's always when
you're rebuilding. I feel like there's the there's the coach,
there's the in between coach, and then there's the coach
that's going to come in and get you to the
next level. And I think Cronin was the in between. Unfortunately,
it's just the way it shook out. And I think Quenville,
i mean, listen, if if he's he's was able to
(30:34):
kind of take this time off and I'm sure he
was watching hockey and adding to his repertoire of already,
you know, smart coaching and his knowledge of the game,
and I think he's gonna implement it. And I think
those young guys are going to have a level of
accountability on the ice and and off for sure, because
he he had you know, he had the Patrick Kanes
(30:55):
and Jonathan Taves when they were young. Like he had
those guys, and it's just one of those things. I
think he understands it, and he understands those young guys.
He understands the mctavishes and and the Ziegresses, and I
think he's gonna be able to get a lot out
of them. So and I think it's a make or
break year for Anaheim. They need to make a push.
I mean, you've kind of were around that organization, you know,
(31:16):
you're out there. They need to make a push now
because I think they have all the pieces in terms
of youth and skill that that can really make some waves.
Speaker 1 (31:24):
Yeah, they haven't done anything since, Like Nate was there,
and I was also there too. I played on the team,
I was a broadcaster. But those are the glory days,
is Nate. I know you posted that playoff game or
was it against Edmonton?
Speaker 2 (31:38):
The game five second round.
Speaker 6 (31:40):
Yeah, I mean, you remember those years in Death Valley,
You're coming through, You're coming through San Jose, Anaheim, LA.
Speaker 5 (31:47):
It was like it was a gauntlet. It was a
gauntlet Canot.
Speaker 2 (31:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (31:50):
If you got out with one two points out of
those three games, teams were happy and it was just
we just kicked the shit out of each other every
time each other.
Speaker 4 (31:58):
I remember, I remember, I remember going into San Jose.
It felt like there was one hundred guys on the ice.
Speaker 2 (32:03):
It's just where.
Speaker 5 (32:05):
Well.
Speaker 1 (32:06):
Also like everyone in the crowd seems to have a
jersey there too. I mean, Anaheim was a very different situation.
It felt like everyone was a fan of the Ducks
in the world was at the rink because there was
just no one else who really gave a fuck at all,
like in the entire universe. I mean, I know, I
worked there for three years. People are like, you covered
hockey and Anaheim. I was like, yes, like I know,
(32:27):
no one watched it. We were always ranked the worst
broadcast ever just because we were Anaheim. But now they're
on the up and up. There's only one way to go.
I guess I'm gonna reserve my commentary on the coaching situation. However,
I would say I found the timing of the news
release very interesting because it was at the same time
(32:49):
as the new pope being.
Speaker 5 (32:50):
Announced, poping, yeah, hooping, Like is.
Speaker 1 (32:55):
He maybe the I mean there is a Chicago connection
there too, obviously, but like he's kind of the hockey
pope because.
Speaker 2 (33:05):
Did you disco that.
Speaker 5 (33:07):
There's a lot of ways that could take that.
Speaker 1 (33:09):
Yeah, yeah, that's it. If you're going, I'm I'm I'm
you know, I'm I'm work shopping it right now. But
I just remember seeing like on my timeline everyone's like,
Pope joke, Pope joke joke. Un Bell's the new head
coach of the Hunt Tucks. I was like, all right,
do you think they waited till like came out Pope
(33:31):
Leo came out, and then they're like, boom, news release.
Speaker 5 (33:34):
I don't know, but.
Speaker 6 (33:35):
I know, like there's there's less media there, so you know,
it's a little bit it's it's also you know, a
little smart on their part. And obviously it was a
big day with with an American pope and all the
pope pajing that was going on.
Speaker 1 (33:48):
But so many good memes out there now, I just like,
I love the Internet for days, like an American pope becoming.
Speaker 2 (33:55):
That from Chicago.
Speaker 6 (33:58):
I love that town, town, the south Side, the South
south Side, Dish Pizza.
Speaker 1 (34:07):
Big win for him. He's he has opinions on basketball.
Everyone's now calling him like the fifth Nick or something
like that, because Villanova all these great things. Okay, let's
get back to Canada where you said that and I'm
taking sorry natean taking two q's in a row. Uh,
you talked about a Canadian team you would like to win,
(34:29):
maybe win the Stanley Cup. What do you think the
Leafs chances are there?
Speaker 6 (34:34):
I mean, if you would have told me the Toronto
Maple Leaves would be up to and the Florida Panthers
and just playing some great hockey out goaltending, you know,
Joseph wall Is out goaltending, Sergei Bobrovski. They're playing tough,
they're not you know, I think all of the pickups
they made have just been it's what they needed to
(34:56):
kind of combat of Florida.
Speaker 5 (34:57):
Now, I don't know how.
Speaker 6 (34:58):
The series is gonna end up, but you know, the
Scott Lawtons guys like that, they're able to kind of
just counteract the sam Bennett's and the Matthew Kat Chucks.
And the crazy thing is is Nate. You know, I've
watched that series a bit, and you know, I've watched
Edmonton series a little bit more. But Toronto looks fast.
They look faster than Florida right now. And that's the
interesting thing. I thought last game. You know, again, I
(35:21):
think Florida had some more scoring chances, but they've just
been explosive when they need to be and they're getting
the biggest thing that they've been missing for years is goaltending,
and they're they're keeping pucks out of the net and
I think it's something that they've missed. And you know,
I'm a big fan of you know, defensive decors that
you know how to move the puck and squash plays
(35:43):
and are hard in front of the net, and that
decorp has been very good for this Toronto Maple Leafs
team on this playoff run so far. And I mean,
listen all they got to do. It's not a series
until you lose at home and they get one of
those games out in Sunrise and it's it's going to
be pandemonium in Toronto.
Speaker 2 (36:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (36:01):
When I watched the Leafs now, I mean, I look
back at Brad true Living's teams and Calgary and they
were always hard to play against. And now you're seeing
that with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and you're seeing obviously
with Craig Ruby at the Helm right and it's just
it's North South hockey. It's hard to play against. I mean,
and they go out and they get a guy like
Scott Lawton's everyone's freaking out during the regular season and
(36:21):
I'm going, hey, listen, like, there's a reason why they
got this guy. It's not for the regular seatings. It's
for the playoffs. But getting into that, you know, we
we see their core four, their core five, and you're
seeing what Willie Nilander's doing, and he's he's making me
feel really good about myself because at the beginning of
the season on a different podcast, I said, I think
I think he might be and I say this delicately,
(36:46):
I think he's the most talented player on that team.
Speaker 2 (36:50):
And I think yea.
Speaker 4 (36:53):
Most most talented player in that team because just of
how he can skate, how he can handle the puck,
I mean, how strong he is on his skates, all
the attributes he has uh and seeing it right now.
Speaker 6 (37:05):
I mean, you know what he has too is he's
got that fuck you that's swag man. He's like he's
an arrogant little little sob. But it you know, he
broke Craig Baruba because is a guy that like, you're
playing my way and what did he say last prescos
he's like, just leave alone.
Speaker 5 (37:23):
I figured it out. This kid's he's good.
Speaker 6 (37:25):
He's a gamer and and you know, it's just so
funny that like Craig Bruger, this gruff guy who's at
times had a hard time getting a lot out of
these skill guys. And I think they've just found a
good relationship and that's the end. He's trusting him now,
which is great. So and I mean listen, we mentioned
the depth guys, We mentioned Scottland. We have to mention
Max Paturetti. I mean, yeah, Max, Max Domi Patriti got
(37:49):
like five points in three games like this is and
he was scratched, scratch come back. Just you talk about
older guys, you always got to give their your flowers
to those guys that are able to adapt and change
their game and and just kind of be effective where
they need to be. So yeah, it's a it's a
I'm bullish on on Toronto, but I'm you know, I'm
always waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Speaker 1 (38:10):
With that is as someone from Toronto, I'm like, I
do love that Patches has sixty seven on the back.
I'm not gonna lie. Every time I see him streaking
down the ice, I'm like, yes, it's the year. It's
the year. And then I'm like, stop it, it's not
It'll never be.
Speaker 6 (38:27):
Yeah, that's everybody in Toronto's like yes, oh god, yes, oh.
Speaker 1 (38:31):
God, it's okay. Do you want Oh well, you talked
about wait, Nate likes to give himself props. You said
something on a podcast earlier this year that has now
come to fruition Willie Nelander being good.
Speaker 2 (38:47):
Well, I mean, are you tomster Domas, are you chirping
right now? Are you?
Speaker 5 (38:53):
Well?
Speaker 4 (38:53):
No, it's because I was. I know, I was on
the Empty nurs podcast with.
Speaker 1 (38:56):
Those Yeah you were like, well I said this.
Speaker 4 (38:58):
And they were and they were giving me such a
hard time about the fact that I Willy as the
most talented guy. Because obviously Austin Matthews scores almost seventy
goals a year before Mitch Martin's does what he does
and they're like, I can't believe you're saying that. I'm like, well,
I mean he's pretty, he's pretty fucking good. Look at him,
watch him play, and thank you very much. Look at
him right now.
Speaker 5 (39:18):
You're welcome, and you're welcome.
Speaker 6 (39:20):
You got to sit and say so much shit in
the media, and you're you just pray you get stuff right,
you get wrong.
Speaker 1 (39:26):
You're just like, yeah, it's like my text messages to
my friends being like, no elon Musk is not good
for the US, and I'm just waiting to drop that
one back.
Speaker 5 (39:38):
In to them political.
Speaker 1 (39:40):
I love this my Canadian friends, by the way, who
don't live in the US. So, but okay, so, uh
you were like unrelated, But you play the harmonica, obviously
you played it on TV. I'm just curious, Like, you know,
Neil Young obviously is a pretty big goat of the harmonica.
(40:00):
How long would it take to be able to play
I like Heart of Gold on the harmonica?
Speaker 5 (40:08):
Uh? Probably, it's a little bit.
Speaker 6 (40:11):
I mean, it's especially once you get into those those
very very you know, the wah wah and then bending
the notes and stuff like that.
Speaker 5 (40:19):
It's it's tough.
Speaker 6 (40:19):
It's a lot of it's it's different, and I kind
of picked it up during COVID and you know, I
think after like the third week, my wife's like, I've
heard the same goddamn song one hundred and fifty times.
Speaker 5 (40:30):
Can you just can you get it right?
Speaker 1 (40:31):
Or which song?
Speaker 6 (40:33):
It's just like it's like the new Amsterdams. It's just
I went on like Spotify and started, you know, uh,
just picking songs I like and started playing it. So
I do a little City in Color too. Against the
Grain is one I kind of learned as well. So yeah,
I just like it. It's just a fun instrument. I couldn't
my fingers couldn't do the guitar, so I said, oh god,
I'm not.
Speaker 5 (40:53):
I can't be a guitar guy like that.
Speaker 1 (40:55):
Did you bring it with like, did you have it
on you kind of at all times? Just in case?
Speaker 5 (40:58):
Yeah? Some most times I'll have it like in my
have it.
Speaker 1 (41:01):
Your eyes just wonder too?
Speaker 7 (41:03):
I just do not with me pull it out of
your pocket right now if I just if I just
was like, just so you know, I don't have any
right now, but I know I I did for a while.
Speaker 6 (41:19):
I had, I think when I after COVID for like
a year. I think I had it in my bag
with me at all times, just in case, just to
be that guy'll be like, yeah, I play the harmonica.
Speaker 1 (41:30):
So were you super jazz? When the Harmonica Ladies came out,
We're like, oh my god, were you like jumping up
and down?
Speaker 5 (41:36):
Well?
Speaker 6 (41:36):
I was so the day before when they came out,
I was like I have to do because I was
working the next day Angel and I was like, I
want to do something on harmonica and then Biz did
it that night on TNT and as you know, like
it's it doesn't matter if you're first or first, So
I was like I was screwed. So, like we came
in that day and I was like, they're like, does
anybody play harmonica? I'm like I do, but I don't
(41:57):
want to do it because I'm like Biz did it,
So I'm like, if we do it, I have to
say like shout out to Biz. So we did like
a little ditty. But yeah, it's it's one of those
things I could do something. I could I make it.
I can have a moment. I can have a moment.
And then Biz, just as he does always, he's just
the best and and just thinks of all those things.
Speaker 5 (42:16):
And I mean he's the gold standard right now.
Speaker 6 (42:18):
And and and uh in being outlandish on air and
making it work.
Speaker 4 (42:22):
So yeah, he is an entertainer. And speaking of entertainers,
your wife, Chillian, she is on Broadway an actress. Do
you guys, Uh do you run lines with her? Do
you guys do you practice? Is there is there is
there at home? Is there you guys working on stuff
on stuff together?
Speaker 6 (42:41):
I do run lines with her, and uh, she probably
has two hours of bloopers of me just her being like,
can you just stop doing accents? She's like, stop doing
an accent. It does not call for a British accent.
And hello, that a puppet. She's like, this night, it's
(43:01):
not Parts of the Caribbean. We're doing like a drama.
Speaker 5 (43:03):
What are you doing?
Speaker 6 (43:04):
And I was like, I'm just kind of I'm just riffing,
going off the cuff, like I'll be like yawning on
there or something if we're in there long, and she's like,
can you just stop? It's it's it's a crazy business
what they do. And and I mean, there's you kind
of we joke around on air and do these little bits,
but it's nuts to like watch them read lines and
learn scripts and learn scripts in like a day and
(43:27):
then just run it off with an accent or with
whatever you want to do. And I'm sitting there trying
to like not sound mode it like this, like being like, so,
where did you go today for the reading a line?
Speaker 5 (43:37):
I'm like, I.
Speaker 1 (43:37):
Stink The power play was oh for six And she's like,
you know.
Speaker 6 (43:43):
I like, come on, can you just put a little
bit in there? Put a little I'm like, I'm trying.
Speaker 1 (43:47):
So she where she on? Where's she performing right now?
Speaker 6 (43:51):
She was doing a show on off It closed now,
but she was doing an off Broadway show called Big
a Jamboree in the Lower East Side.
Speaker 1 (43:58):
She did that for yeah, okay, she.
Speaker 6 (43:59):
Did that for like six months, and then right now
she's just back to auditioning. You're starting to try to
create and really, you know, change the way she's thought
about it because you know, as actors, they're taught to
kind of audition, audition, audition, and she's kind of got
really interested in writing and you know, directing and stuff
like that. So she wants to do kind of a
little bit of everything.
Speaker 5 (44:19):
And it's been good. She's just you know, it's a grind.
Speaker 6 (44:23):
It's a it's a hustle for them, man, Like you
get told no two hundred times for one yes, and
you know, I you know, there'll be days where like
when I was playing, I was having a hard day
and I'm like, this is like the ninetieth audition and
it's like, ah, you just you almost had it right
and then you like put out at this amazing audition
(44:44):
and you hear nothing, and I'm like, that's that would
drive me nuts.
Speaker 1 (44:48):
Because it's so subjective. It's like, even though I know
making in the NHL and playing hockey is very difficult,
it's like at least you can kind of look at
like the skill based in a way, it's still subjective
if you're like, wait, no, I'm better than that guy,
or I'm like this mea cut. But in acting and
also in broadcasting too, right, It's like someone could just
be like I don't like the way they blink and
(45:09):
you're like, great now I'm not going to get that
role or something like that, or like just other people,
it just seems to be very very challenging. I was
in a play in unif A City called The Vagina Monologues.
Speaker 5 (45:26):
Why Not Shocked?
Speaker 1 (45:28):
I like that, why are you not shocked right now?
Speaker 5 (45:32):
I'm like I'm like, yeah, that tracks.
Speaker 1 (45:34):
That's for people that aren't actors. It's like they encourage
like regular people to audition for that particular play. So
I understand that, you know, I understand the grinds obviously
of auditioning, but the running lines thing I think is
so fun because like you must be like, hey, maybe
I could kind of like dip my toe in this
(45:55):
whole world.
Speaker 2 (45:56):
Yeah, does she help you out?
Speaker 6 (45:58):
Uh no, because she's trying to get a job, like
like oh on are Yeah.
Speaker 2 (46:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (46:03):
When I first started doing NHL Network, like i'd be
so i'd be doing we'd be doing NHL now and
I just get like a text and I look down
my phone like in at break and she's just like
just a little less, like just a little less. It's
like a little less. Or she'd be like, oh that
was a good joke. I like that, So it was
like kind of it was good. She always helped and
(46:23):
she's always been very super supportive of me, just like
everything I'm doing on this side, and she probably pushed
me more into it than I wanted to.
Speaker 5 (46:32):
Like when I.
Speaker 6 (46:32):
Played I, you know, I was a joke certain stuff,
but I didn't really go into the social media a
ton and love it. And now I've done it, I've
kind of dove in, and she was just like, just
try it, see if you like it.
Speaker 5 (46:45):
And it's been good, and she's.
Speaker 6 (46:46):
Kind of just consistently been like just keep going, keep trying,
keep trying new things and stuff like that. But yeah,
like when we read lines, I mean, I have no
there's no hope for me. There's no hope for me.
I couldn't even remember half the lines that they forget.
So it's like it's but yeah, it's I mean, it's
it's it's a fun it's a fun kind of job
(47:06):
that we both do, and it's interesting when I played
and she did this, it's kind of a good escape
for both of us of like the grind, the grind a.
Speaker 5 (47:14):
Little bit of of her job.
Speaker 6 (47:16):
She can kind of dip into what I'm doing when
I was playing, and then now and then when I
need a day off, it's it's we go watch a player,
we go at you a Broadway show, or we go
watch a new TV show and and and kind of
stuff that she wants to do. And it's it's fun.
It's it's it's a good it's a good mix for me.
Speaker 1 (47:33):
She's like, I need you out of the house. Go
get a job, Go.
Speaker 5 (47:36):
Get a job.
Speaker 6 (47:38):
Both of us can't be unemployed actors. We both have
to go.
Speaker 2 (47:41):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (47:44):
I love that. What a great relationship to be able
to kind of like help each other in certain things
as before we let you go. I just wanted to
say I used to help Eric stone Street run lines
and I was Jesse Ferguson like I was, you know,
playing a gay guy on the show. I love that,
Like I know, I mean, just getting really into it.
Eric would be like, can you just yeah, do less?
Speaker 5 (48:07):
Act small act?
Speaker 1 (48:08):
Like really messing up me trying to memorize these lines
right now. But we know that you have lots of
work to do because you're on NHL Network and you're
on you got unscripted all this. Can you just give
us as we you know, I'm sure you do this
to people. But like, who's gonna win the Stanley Cup
right now?
Speaker 5 (48:29):
Right now? I have to say, I'm gonna go Dallas Stars.
It's pretty good.
Speaker 6 (48:35):
I had I had Colorado and that did not work out.
I mean, my bracket. I don't know about your guys,
bracket I got eviscerated.
Speaker 5 (48:43):
I beat PK sue Man, but.
Speaker 6 (48:44):
I was like three for eight. I was like three
for eight and it was touch and go with Winnipeg.
So I'm you know, the two teams I took to
go to the final are both out in nice fashion
with Tampa and Colorado. So I went, I just if
Dallas can get Miro and Robertson and them kind of
cooking and all healthy, I think they're a very hard
(49:07):
team to beat.
Speaker 5 (49:08):
With Jake Ottinger back there, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (49:10):
Those are good picks. I had the Leafs in the
finals and the King so they're done.
Speaker 5 (49:14):
But the Leafs, he just.
Speaker 1 (49:16):
Said, I had the Leafs as if they are already.
Speaker 6 (49:19):
Like, how was your first how was your how'd your
bracket turn out?
Speaker 2 (49:24):
Mine?
Speaker 5 (49:24):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (49:25):
Well, I said, like I had the Kings in the final,
and obviously we know how that played out.
Speaker 1 (49:29):
We never publicly made one, like you guys, like, I
don't know why. It's not a good idea to put
a bracket out there publicly.
Speaker 5 (49:36):
I feel I just I might We're going to be wrong.
Speaker 6 (49:37):
Well, it's the crazy thing is I think this year
I was talking with Brad Richardson and we're sitting there
and I was like, this year is we both said,
we're like, it's the most parody, where like eight teams
could have won the Cup, you know, if other than
maybe Montreal. It's like you felt like eight teams could
have made a run. So it's like, I'm not surprised
that there was these kind of weird like Minnesota almost
(50:00):
took Vegas to the to the woodshed there, And it's
just a it's a credit to the league and where
teams are getting and and and how good teams are
are becoming year over year. So it's just like and
maybe that's because we have four or five teams tanking
every year, so it's just we're really top heavy. But yeah,
uh yeah, it's a it's a you could give it
(50:21):
to anyone. I mean Edmonton right now, Like.
Speaker 1 (50:23):
It's Edmonton looks good.
Speaker 6 (50:24):
They look very good right now. And it's like, but
I think a Dallas is just one of those teams
that they've done it right for so long now that
it's just one of them.
Speaker 5 (50:34):
They deserve it.
Speaker 6 (50:35):
And I'd love to see Tyler Segond and Jamie ben
Win one and and and uh, you know, I just
think it's I love Jim nil too. I think he's
a fantastic GM and and it's kind of like one
of those things and like they just have all the
pieces and it feels like this year might be the
year for them.
Speaker 1 (50:52):
Yeah, and Pete de Boor, as we've said, that guy
needs to cap it off.
Speaker 5 (50:57):
I just mister game seven.
Speaker 1 (50:59):
Yeah, mister game seven, mister he's never Yeah, it's it's time.
Although as someone from Toronto, I'm still like just not
against the leaf. So like, let the leaf quote earlier
and then they can win it. Okay, Well well yeah,
well we'll give it to Dallas here for you. We'll
hold you to it. And as Nate likes to bring
up the past always, so the receipts are kept and
(51:23):
we thank you so much for joining us as an elephant.
Speaker 6 (51:26):
This guy, Hey, remember everything everything I know. I said,
Canada is gonna win the Cup, and then I take
Dallas ask Canada.
Speaker 1 (51:34):
Let's just say Canada wins the Cup. They already won
four nations, so.
Speaker 5 (51:38):
One of the teams that are still in will win.
Speaker 2 (51:40):
That's like, there you go, thanks buddy, thanks for coming on.
Speaker 6 (51:44):
Yeah, thanks, guys, appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (51:53):
All right, So that was Jason Kamares and we know
that he is a good time Nate, Like, what a
fun guy.
Speaker 2 (52:00):
Oh, JD is the best. I actually met JD. I
was playing in Tampa, so a long time ago. I
think it was twenty eleven.
Speaker 4 (52:07):
Him and I were both going up to Saint John's,
Newfoundland for Teddy Purcell and Ryan Close golf charity outing
and Ryan Clothes playing in San Jose. Teddy was playing
in Tampa and it was a bunch of us. Was myself,
Jason de Merez, Brian Boyle, I can't remember who else
was there, but there was a lot of guys and
man did we have a good time. So that that
(52:29):
was my introduction to Jason de Meairs and and seeing
what kind of character he is, and man, what a
just good guy and definitely good at his job too.
He's he's very good at NHL network. I really enjoy
watching him.
Speaker 1 (52:42):
It's crazy to think he's been in it for like
a year, he said, broadcasting.
Speaker 4 (52:45):
Yeah, No, he's he's a natural. He's very very good.
He's got such a good personality. He's a good talker.
I mean, his insight is great. Yeah, he's he's fun
to watch. He was he was a great guest.
Speaker 1 (52:57):
Julian, Yeah, great guest. Good hang especially early on this
Friday morning, as you guys, it's like the crack of
d and you're like just waking up and having to
just like have a conversation for everyone to listen to.
I give that a lot of credit. And I think
like it's having seen, having witnessed the evolution of the
analyst in hockey. I think it's great that it has
(53:20):
now become more personality driven in the way that like
we can talk about stuff that and not we but
like you guys can have opinions on things that Like before,
it felt like on the earlier days just like you
couldn't do that, or people would just think like oh no, no, no, no,
like you know, like don't show you just analyze the game.
Speaker 2 (53:42):
Just have that.
Speaker 1 (53:44):
And now it's like maybe it's because of Biz bus Nasty.
Speaker 4 (53:48):
Yeah, I know, I know. I think the hockey culture
as a whole. I mean, when when it comes to
the media side of things is so buttoned up, right,
everything's so buttoned up, it has to be so proper,
And yeah, I think you're right. I think I think
biz for sure change the whole landscape. Of things with
everything for the start when he first started, I mean
spitting checklets too, you have to say, I mean yeah,
I think all of that has really opened up and
(54:11):
made hockey cool really yeah, Like it's a lot cooler
because these broadcasters are adding personality, adding fun and I
think JD is at the forefront of that as well.
Speaker 1 (54:23):
And it's not just like BIZ doing it and T
and T doing it. It's like you're just seeing it
more and more everywhere, which right, I really.
Speaker 4 (54:31):
Respect and like, yeah, even PK too. I think PK
does a good job of bringing to a lot of personality.
I mean, I think everybody there's a lot of guys
that all have different personalities, but I think it helps
when you have a lot more of that, not I
don't want to say like not care attitude, but you
know what I mean, like it's more of a you know,
let's let's make some jokes, let's have fun with it,
and let's not be too serious and buttoned up because
(54:52):
hockey is a fun sport and we can broke around too,
you know.
Speaker 1 (54:56):
Yeah. And I think like to that point, I guess
it's then the people running it being like, okay, yeah,
we can do this, like we can allow this to
happen because what happens is that then you also get
other audiences involved and interested, and you get you know,
contents shared or people are interested. And we want people,
(55:17):
especially in the States to be more into hockey because
once they see it, they love it, especially in the US,
like hockey is should Americans should fucking love hockey? Yeah, right,
with like what we're seeing on the ice. I love
when I when I'm with someone who's watching like their
first game and they're just like, oh my god, what
is this WWE on ice? This is amazing. I'm like,
(55:39):
I know this is meant for America. Yeah, look at
the Knights they're opening, Like I mean that is like
that's pretty Vegas.
Speaker 2 (55:50):
But like, well, look at these playoff games.
Speaker 4 (55:52):
I mean, if you're a fan of not even a
fan of hockey, you're watching a game, it's.
Speaker 2 (55:56):
Like it's must see TV.
Speaker 4 (55:58):
I do know we're biased, but I mean it's there's
no it is there's no other playoffs than any other sport,
like best none, it's more Hockey playoffs is one of one.
Speaker 1 (56:07):
I agreed, And I know my dad was texting me
last night being like, wow, this is like Vegas Edmonton game,
and I was just like wow, love of my dad's
up late watching this game that he never would have
cared about ever. But anyway, regardless of that, we have
had a lovely time here on the show. We hope
that you have. Thank you for listening to episode seventeen
(56:28):
of Energy Line with Nate and JSB. Energy Line is
a production of the NHL and iHeart podcast and we
wish Nate good luck on his WHL championships. Thanks to
fellow NHL iHeartRadio podcaster Jason Demerica coming on the Energy
Line and to our producer Jake Brown for producing the show.
Subscribe to the show on Apple, Spotify, wherever you get
(56:49):
your podcasts, or listen on the iHeartRadio app. Give us
a five star rating. Please write in a nice review.
I'm Julie Sewart Binks, He's Nate Thompson. Nate and Now
will be back on Tuesday as we continue breaking down
the second round of the playoffs. Maybe the Leafs will
have swept by that point haha jokes. Thanks so much
for tuning in to the Energy Line and we'll chat
with you next week. Energy Line is the production of
(57:13):
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.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Lit some boards looking at it. He blew it, he
missed the call. Everyone else to say.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
I mean, it's a can opener trip, it's a dangerous play,
It's all those things. But it didn't get called.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
So you got to keep playing it.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
And you know, never is one of our guys that
we probably one of the most popular.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Teammates in the group.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
So that is a tough part of playing through it.
It's not as easy as it looks. We're human, right,
but at the end of the day, that's the task
in front of you. When those calls happen or don't happen,
you blew it.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
I just remember all about Billy Madison when I hear
him say you blew it. That was Bruce Cassidy, head
coach of the Vegas Golden Knights. This is the Energy
Line with Dayton JSB. I'm Julie Stewart Binks he's former
NHLR and Nate Thompson and we've got the second round
of the Stanley Cup playoffs in a full Yeah, we've
got a lot to break down. We're gonna be joined
by our fellow NHL and iHeart podcaster, former NHL player,
(01:11):
always entertaining Jason Tamaris as he will join us in
a few minutes. But Energy Line that is a production
of the NHL and iHeart Podcasts. Nates, what do you
think about the the hits or can opener or lack
thereof or whatever. Braiden McNabb Victor Arvidson in overtime and
Vegas loses to the Oilers.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Drama, drama, drama.
Speaker 4 (01:36):
But I totally agree with Bruce Cassidy, though I think
they did miss that call. It was, you know, he
you know, Victor Arverson gets his stick in between Brad
McNabb's feet and it was, you know, he opened up
his feeds can opener.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
It's a dangerous place going back for a puck.
Speaker 4 (01:51):
We don't know the status on Braden McNab yet, but
obviously he's injured, and you know, and you look too,
like Nicholas Waugh takes that five minute major cross checking
and they kill that off. So you would think that,
you know, the officials would have even that up or
called that and but that's the nature of the game.
You know, you I've heard I watched that press conference
and Bruce Catsey said you know, it is what it is.
(02:13):
You know, we you know these things happened at playoffs
where you don't get the calls, but you have to
deal with and you have to play through it. And
you know, unfortunately they didn't get that win, they didn't
get the w and and Connor McDavid, Leon Drive sid
will do their thing. But it's it's tough because I
think the Vegas gold Knights like they had control of
(02:34):
that game, they had control of they had control of
the overtime too, like Edmonton was hanging on, like hanging on.
And again we talk about Connor McDavid and Leon Drive Siddle.
You know that's that's the difference in this Edmonton Oilers team.
And and I think to you with the way the
Oilers are playing, to me, they now they've won six
games in a row in the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
And I've been aping from behind too.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
Coming from behind, and I've been on a team. When
I was in Tampa, we were down three to one
in the series, and I've talked about this before. We're
down three to one in the series. We came back
win that series. Next series, we win four games in
a row. We sweep Washington and then we win the
first game of the Eastern Conference Finals against Boston.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
We won eight.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
Games in a row in the playoffs and it's hard
to do. And I think the Edmonton Oiliers are they're
on their way to do that. But I know that
feeling of being in Edmonton Oiliers when it doesn't matter
the game, doesn't matter how much you're down, like you
just have this feeling that no matter what, you have
a chance to win the hockey game.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
And this Edmonton Oilers team, it just feels.
Speaker 4 (03:36):
Like they are They look like last year's team. They
look like last year's team in the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
I don't know what it is.
Speaker 4 (03:43):
There's just they've all of a sudden, they've morphed into
the low Edmonton Oilers that they were last year. And
unfortunately the Vegas gold Knights they're in a huge hole
right now. Now they got to go try and win
a game in Edmonton, which is very very hard to do.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Yeah, I think that. I mean, you're spot on with
all that kind of stuff, and the fact that, like
we talk so much about Florida knowing what it's like
to win and to be there at the Stanley Cup Final,
but like they had to lose it the first time, remember,
so then it's kind of like Edmonton knows. I mean
they lost to one last year in the Stanley Cup
Final to Florida, so it's like they know what it's
like to be all the way there as well. And
(04:19):
I think now when you saw and you talk about
the fact that they can come back, I think the
hit is bad. Like I think it was a misscall
as well. I would be pissed like Bruce Cassidy with
that because, as you do in overtime, if they were
to have a man advantage in that moment, then this
could be a one to one series and then everything
is completely different. But right before I just said my point,
(04:43):
it seemed like your hand hit something in your like
hotel room you're in, and.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
It totally did.
Speaker 4 (04:51):
I was getting all I was getting all theatrical at
my point, and I hit the lamp in front of.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Me, and I was like, shit, I have to point
out that Nate is in Nate. He went from going
to the Kentucky Derby to now Medicine Hat Alberta. And
for everyone out there who doesn't know even what medicine
Hat is, where it is or why are there.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Tell us all right, Well I did go back to California. First.
Speaker 4 (05:18):
I didn't go from straight from Kentucky to Medicine Hat Alberta.
But I did go back home for a little bit.
But yes, I'm in Medicine Hat Alberta. I am covering
the WHL Finals on TSN. They're playing the Spokane Chiefs.
Game one is tonight here in Medicine Hat. It's gonna
be fun, Julie. I mean there is some like there's
some serious talent on both teams, like young talent, and
(05:41):
I'd be remissf I didn't talk about the main guy
on Medicine Hat, which was Gavin McKenna, who is going
to be the projected twenty twenty six first overall pick.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
He probably would be the first overall pick this year
if he was eligible. He's that good.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
The Islanders would like that because there's not really like
an overall consensus this year.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
Yeah, sorry to tease you Islanders fans. Just dangle that
right in front of you and take it away. But uh, yeah,
it's gonna be funny, it's gonna be good opportunity. I'm
looking forward to it. It's uh, you know, I haven't
I haven't been back to Medicine Hat in twenty years.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
You know, I like I played when were you there
the first I mean last.
Speaker 4 (06:18):
Play when I was playing for the Seattle thunder Bers.
I mean that would be the last time, probably when
I was nineteen or twenty. And And it's funny though,
I both both teams, Spokane and Medicine Hat. You know,
Spokane Chiefs. You know, guess who the head coaches, Julie
brad Lauer assistant coach.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
Yeah, brad Lauer. Oh my god, yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
So brad Lauer.
Speaker 4 (06:38):
And then the head coach of who you know who
we had and why I had anim as an assistant coach.
And then the medicine at Tigers is Willy dasjard Ends,
who I had and I had with La.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
So uh A funny story about that too. With with
with Willy. The last time I saw Willie was in
a hotel in Washington, d C.
Speaker 4 (06:58):
I just got traded from La to Montreal and it
was at the top of an escalator and Willy didn't
know yet and I already been traded. I was literally
getting ready to go in my room to grab my bags,
and he was talking to me about the game that
night and how well he how well he thought I
was playing and how you know, keep working hard, and
I'm like, willly, I just got traded to MONTREALI he
(07:19):
didn't even know. So so I'm actually gonna go over
to the morning skate after this and go see him
and talk to him before the game tonight.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
So that'll be fun. But I'm looking forward to it.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
And it's uh, it's it's interesting being back in medicine Hat.
It's like being in a time capsule right now a
little bit.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Oh gosh, I bet can you tell everyone where medicine
Hat is in relation to like the rest of the world.
Speaker 4 (07:45):
It's actually like in medicine I want to stay on
a map, like I looked at it.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
It's like it's like close to Montana. Yes, yeah, right,
I'm correct.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
I'm pretty sure, pretty sure, pretty sure.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
But it's the weather's good, it's nice.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
I mean, that's big. Like I saw you put up
on Instagram video last night and it was like, SENI, yeah,
like that ain't the medicine hat that I remember when
I lived out in the prairies, and it is. Yeah, okay,
so I'm just looking at a map right now. I
should know this a bit more because I've been through
medicine hat before because I used to live in Regina
and go to like Moosejaw and stuff. So yeah, so everyone, yes,
(08:21):
it is above oh yeah, like Great Falls, Montana. It's
like it's just a hot hop, skip and a jump
from Yellowstone essentially, so that's basically where you are.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
Yikes.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
I'm just looking at all this and I'm like getting
some they I'm just getting some the shakes of like
when I used to like live out there and I
thought my career, i am never going to be leaving
Regina because I'm getting I'm getting ptsdving like oh yeah.
I remember driving to moose Jaw to go shoot like
(08:55):
record video of Morgan Riley, and I didn't put any
gas in the car for our CTV vehicle, like a
station vehicle. We just thought. I just got into it.
I was like someone has already filled it up. I
didn't look, and then the car on the highway just
went and it just stopped. I remember being like, oh my,
(09:17):
oh my god, I'm on the highway and I called CIA,
like the place that come. I didn't call like my agents.
I got them to come, and the guy was like,
I'm not gonna I'm not gonna give you a talking
to about not putting gas in the car. I was like, yeah,
we all know, I'm a fucking idiot. Okay, I didn't
look to see how much gas I have to get
(09:38):
to moose Jaw to get video of borged Riley, who
was a top pick in this year's n I Jil draft.
That's how long ago it was. But I love that
you're there. You are doing by the way. You are
a bit of a media horror. I'm not gonna lie.
Speaker 4 (09:51):
I'm a massive media What what you said? Yeah, media horn?
Speaker 2 (09:56):
I am? I am, I am, I am.
Speaker 1 (09:59):
You're cheating on me, You're you're all the girl is
at the party.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
I'm just having fun. I'm just I'm mis enjoying myself.
That's it. I'm just having fun doing doing the deal.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
Every other podcast you've been on that you said that
they like claim you as their own too, like violent gentlemen.
Guys were like, Nate's got another job, Like I think whatever,
You're on every podcast that's like Nate's got another job,
and I'm like, no, he's he's mine. He's on Energy
Line with date jsp's names in the time.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
This is this is number one. I know this is
number one. Don't don't worry, Julie, I'm not. I'm not.
I'm not cheating on yet. This is the this is
number one.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Okay, Well I've got I've got eyes on your Instagram story. Obviously,
as soon as you post a story, you'll see Julie
SB underscore has looked at it in forty two seconds
after you posted it. But I'm happy for you because
you have to do all this stuff, as you know,
and you're getting opportunities that's like, great, you're gonna be
on ts N. Which one I like that?
Speaker 5 (10:59):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
There's like five of them.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
There's a lot of there's I was gonna say, I'm
in there.
Speaker 4 (11:03):
I mean, I'm in the hotel room and you're you know,
when you go through the sports channels in Canada, it's
like sports Net one, sportsnet W, sports net E, sports
nets like there's like five different sports nets.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Same thing with TSN two. But either way, I'm getting
the chance it's gonna be.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
It's gotten like really confusing ever since at least I
left Canada. It's like, yeah, I go home and my
mom's like, which sports channel do you need us to order?
For our playoffs. I was like, just sports Net. I'm like,
but all of the sports nets because it's not on TSN,
but like, you know, when something might be here there
and like and then when I went home for the Olympics,
she was like, which ones do we need to order?
(11:39):
Is that just CBC? I'm like, nobody, It might potentially
be moved to sportsdat or like whatever.
Speaker 4 (11:43):
Yeah, Jake, our producers chirped me now too, and he's
saying I'm gonna be on TSN eight.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
The oho.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
Ah that's an American joke, yes, but yeah, you know
what you could catch is what I like to say
is like when people are maybe tuning in for something else,
like the Leaf's game, or like the Jets game, or
because I'm talking to the Canadian people up there, that
they might accidentally stumble upon your game and just watch
it and see you.
Speaker 4 (12:13):
I mean, I think they should watch this series. But
like I said, there's a ton of not just Gavin
McKenna there. There's probably like six guys on Medicine hat
that could play in the NHL. I mean, they're that talented.
They've they've only lost one game so far in this
whole playoffs and they're in the finals, Noyle. That's one game,
so they're a wagon. I mean so is Spokane. They're
(12:33):
also a wagon too, so it's two Juggernauts playing as
each other. So I would I would recommend people to
tune in of seeing future NHL stars.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
If you like listening to me right now, watch him
on TV later today. And I almost made the journey
all the way out. I'll say this before we go.
I did something really bad and I promised to my
friends from Winnipeg because I used to live there, as
we know that I would go to Winnipeg if they
beat who did who did they play in the last round? Two?
Speaker 2 (13:08):
They beat Saint Louis Louis sorry so many.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
I'm like, if they won game seven, I was like,
I'll go to Winnipeg. And they're like yay. And then
they won and double overtime obviously, and they're like, Julia, Okay, great,
we're gonna get Sparkley jack jackets, a sunglass, a Hearts
shape sunglasses, and we got reservations and I was like,
oh boy, I don't know. I don't think I I
got a check with my schedule and my recording and
(13:32):
because getting to Winnipeg is like a full day from
New York, and I was like, guys, I I don't
know if I can. Sorry bye, I bailed on them,
but I made it like I was the one that
suggested going to Winnipeg to see them if they if
they make it through this round again, it's Dallas, will
(13:53):
you have to go? I have to go. But the
Winnipeg people are so nice, like Julie, we get it.
It's all right.
Speaker 4 (14:01):
I mean everywhere in Canada I have to say that too,
Like I'm in medicine hat and like I was going
to the grocery store. I actually get stuff from my room,
and like everyone is so nice and so polite. That's
what I love about being Canada.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
It's almost like the two too Polite where you're like, okay,
can somebody just go at the snap sign right now?
You're like, exactly, you go, you go. You're gonna sit
there for hours because no one is gonna do anything.
I'll say, they're not that, they're not super nice. And
in every area of Quebequa, like that would be my one.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
You know, I would say I'm not I'm not gonna come.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
You can't say shit about that because you're a former
Montreal Canadian. Montreal is nice. Although I will say they
made me speak French like I will speak French I
always started. But when I was hungover after four Nations
and I was trying to speak French to this waitress
just I was like it was like me just trying
to run through like mud. I was like, uh, Jevoudre
(14:57):
in cafe a uh, and she just like sat there
and waited for me.
Speaker 4 (15:03):
You're like Will Ferrell. You're like Will Ferrell from Tadagannites.
And then he's like, you selling get marbles in your mouth.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
I was like, just we hung over, and then at
least I got a bit of a laugh and she's like, oh, okay, great,
all right, well, we've got an awesome episode for you here.
And coming up right after this is we have got
Jason Demares, our coworker here on the NHL iHeart Connection,
and he's a former NHL player also with NHL Network,
and here he is all right, well now, very pleased
(15:41):
to be joined by a former NHL player, current broadcaster
for NHL Network, unscripted pod on iHeartRadio and the NHL
And that is none other than Jason Demers, who I
just asked him how to say his last name, because
I don't really know how to say it. But what
I do know is that he is an absolute stud
(16:01):
on the mic, and he is joining us here from Phoenix.
Thank you for being on the pod.
Speaker 6 (16:07):
Thanks for having me the crossover everybody wanted.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
This is what we needed. Everyone needed to hear this exactly.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
Yeah, Nate is joining us obviously from medicine hat and
I say joining us as if we're like there is
a specific central of the studio. But you guys are
up really early right now. Let's just give kudos Jason
at seven thirty am. Where you are, Nate, it's earlier
eight thirty.
Speaker 5 (16:34):
Oh, I mean.
Speaker 6 (16:35):
I got my I got my cold plunge in, I
did my Saratoga water, I did my two hour workout.
Speaker 5 (16:41):
I was up at three, so wait.
Speaker 4 (16:43):
You know, yeah right, yeah, I just did my I
just did my stretching in my room right before too,
right right right here in the middle.
Speaker 5 (16:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
I just did some calisthenics. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (16:56):
I still got my pajama pants on.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
So we're good, good, good, Yeah, so do we? I
mean that's whatever ten thirty in New York City, and
I still have my I got like my deaf leopard,
basically pajamas stuff on. Okay, let's get into some hockey.
I guess so, Jason, there is a lot going on
in the playoffs right now. What's like been your what's
(17:18):
your favorite part right now? Like what do you love
about the playoffs? And what what do you hate? Like
a moment moments?
Speaker 6 (17:27):
I mean right now, what I love is is we
got three Canadian teams in the playoffs. Yeah, and two
of the three are looking mighty fine right now. And
obviously we'll see what Winnipeg does. But you know, this
is probably our best opportunity to finally get a Stanley
Cup to Canada.
Speaker 5 (17:44):
And for me, that's been the most fun.
Speaker 6 (17:46):
It's always fun when you see Canadian teams that the
fan base is just different. It doesn't matter. You know,
you could say that, you know, Chicago's great. You can
say that San Jose Sharks are great, and they are
in their own when the building's rocking, but you know,
these buildings in Canada are just something different. And I
always kind of go back to last year, my first
year broadcasting, and being in Edmonton for Game six of
(18:08):
the Finals was like the craziest best atmosphere you could
ever hope to see. And you know, I never got
to play in a big Canadian market. I know Nate did,
and it's like it's just different.
Speaker 5 (18:20):
Man.
Speaker 6 (18:20):
It just feels the feel of it when you go
to the rink, it's got to be so electric.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
Yeah it is. I mean my time in Montreal.
Speaker 4 (18:27):
I mean I always say it's like it doesn't matter
and no offense, it doesn't matter. If you're playing against
the Coyotes on a Tuesday in Montreal, it's gonna be
it's gonna be bumping in that barn. So I totally
understand what you're saying. I guess I want to talk
about too, is you know, is Edmonton? I guess a
little bit. Is you know they've won six in a row.
(18:48):
They've just been I mean, they're just find ways to
win and obviously we know why. But I think there's
more to it than just the two headed monster for
their team.
Speaker 6 (18:57):
Yeah, I mean number one Calvin Pickards the truth. I've
been on social vocal he is the greatest goal.
Speaker 5 (19:03):
Of all time.
Speaker 6 (19:04):
Uh it's great. Uh, it's crazy. You know, I saw
a look, I had a cup of coffee with them
and and you know, kind of kind of got to
know a little bit of the guys and talk to
around the league, to a lot of people, But I mean,
dating back to last year, their resiliency is just next level.
And it's so you know, that's such a hard thing
(19:25):
to quantify as like teams that are just able to
stay in the moment and and not kind of get
and not shy away from the moment. And you know
they probably they go as their their top guys go,
but you know, anytime their depth kind of steps up.
And I think that hasn't been talked about enough. In
this playoff run, like they're getting healthier of Ander Kaine's
been an X factor for this team, and you know,
(19:46):
Trent Frederick's been great. You got you look at Connor Brown,
He's having a monster playoffs. And they've just done a
great job of kind of like scoring when Connor and
Leon are not typically going, which for them, if they
have a point, that's an off night for them.
Speaker 5 (20:00):
So, uh, it's just been it's been fun to watch.
Speaker 6 (20:04):
And I think the other thing people don't realize is
like the Pacific was a lot tighter than everybody thought,
Like Vegas wasn't this like Juggernaut, like we didn't talk
about him.
Speaker 5 (20:12):
They finished first.
Speaker 6 (20:14):
Same thing with LA, like these were these were all
great teams. And I think this playoffs could have shaken
out anyway in the Pacific, like LA could have easily
won that series and then they could easily beat Vegas.
Vegas could have could have came in and been up
to nothing easily against Edmonton. But it's just one of
those weird things in the Pacific. It's it's very different
than the Central I think, where there's some clear favorites,
(20:36):
but you know, Pacific's very it's a lot tighter than
I think. And then I think people realize.
Speaker 5 (20:42):
Yeah, I agree.
Speaker 4 (20:43):
I think you look at the Kings and everyone's just
going home. Man, that was a tough one to watch.
But I want to go back a little bit JD
and and talk about when we were playing against each other.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
We're on the blue line, or sorry, on the red line.
We're an Onto, we're in Ontario. We're in Ontario.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
Yeah, and I look over and there's Jason and Marors.
He's playing the Bakersfield Condors. And you know, I believe
you were stuck on games six ninety nine at the time,
and you know, we were talking about it and just going,
what are.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
We doing down here? And and you know, elaborate on that.
Speaker 4 (21:15):
You know, you're you're you're stuck at six p ninety nine,
you're playing in Bakersfield, and then you end up playing
your seven hundred game with the Edmonton Oilers.
Speaker 6 (21:22):
Yeah, listen, it's you know, we're kind of sitting there joking,
and it's it's the plight of an athlete of you know,
never knowing what you're capable of. And also, like you know,
when it's just not working, You're you're you're trying so
hard to get back to the top, and it's it's
a tough league to make, and it's a tough leak
to play in the NHL.
Speaker 5 (21:43):
It's even harder to stay.
Speaker 6 (21:44):
I always told younger guys that, like it's it's a
daily grind and and once you kind of get pushed out,
it's so hard to make your way back. So it
was a long process, as a two year process coming
back from back surgery and not having a contract and
then kind of working my way back from going I
had to go overseas when played in Russia, came back
and it was just a long, long, long, journey and
(22:07):
it was two years that felt like ten. But you know,
for me, I kind of always hang my hat on that.
You know, I was able to make the NHL twice
in my career. You know, I made it once when
I was a young guy, and then I got to
make it back in and I feel like for me,
it was something I took as a point of pride
because you know, it's like, you know, Nate, it's a
hard league to make, and especially when you're older and
(22:28):
you kind of get forgotten about it, it's a it's
even tougher to kind of claw your way back in.
So we we I think at that point of the season.
Was that not the game where the zamboni door was
broken in Bakersfield?
Speaker 4 (22:43):
No, that was the one in Ontario, But there was
another one we were in Bakersfield and the zamboni door broke.
Speaker 5 (22:48):
Well, yeah, that's.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
But the game was canceled.
Speaker 5 (22:51):
You remember, the game was oh we yeah, we kind
of had we had a hand in that.
Speaker 6 (22:55):
So like in Bakersfield they have like there's like, you know,
there's I don't know if it was the Tuesday night game,
but we're playing it back to back against Ontario. One
in Bakersfield and then the next night in Ontario, so
we had this like little one of those.
Speaker 5 (23:11):
What would you even call it?
Speaker 6 (23:12):
They roll it out so like the guys they can't
throw beer on us, but we're at home, so it
makes no sense. Yeah, they throw the tunnel, so they
but they these kids walk the tunnel out and as
they're walking it out, they push it too hard and
they hit the zamboni door and they break the glass
like they they like, and they like screw up the hinge,
so the glass isn't closing properly. So we're sitting there
(23:34):
going to start the game and I'm like.
Speaker 5 (23:37):
It's like games.
Speaker 6 (23:38):
It's like game fifty or sixty, and I'm like, we
can't play this game, Like this is like somebody's gonna
get there because it's the glass is literally jetting out,
so if one hit, like, yeah, it's dangerous. So we're
sitting there and they're trying to like rig it up
with like you know, bungee cords and stuff, and I'm
looking at Nate and I'm like, Nate, we got to
get out of this game. I'm like, let's just get
(23:58):
to Ontario and we'll play tomorrow. We'll make this cave
up down the stretch, like I don't need it back
to back with this with that because I'm a right
handed defense and so it's right in my corner and
I'm like, I don't need these young kids running me every.
Speaker 5 (24:09):
D every two ships.
Speaker 6 (24:11):
So we're sitting there and the refs like, I think
we can play, and I'm like, you want to be
liable for this ship, like like seriously, So they're like
going to the coaches. They're talking to the coaches, they're
trying to They're like, you guys have to sign waivers
if we want to play, and eventually, like it took
like two hours, and then they finally canceled the game.
So we all bust Ontario and just ended up making
(24:31):
up that game like two months later. But that's me
and Nate sitting there being like a couple of old
guys sitting about an hour and a half not playing
my hips. We're so tight, I'm like, I'm I'm gonna
blow a groin up for a shift.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
I basically told the official, I'm like, hey, it's too late.
I lost it. We can't play. Now, we can't play.
I lost it. It's gone. It's gone. You got to
cancel the game. It's gone.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
I mean like signing having to sign a waiver too.
Like when you're also trying to make it back into
the NHL, it's like, okay, if you get injured, like
we're not liable or whatever like this, you're like, no,
I didn't put in this amount of fucking effort to
have a weird door thing kind of screw up my career.
But like just one more question on that, like for
both of you too. But like when you're down there
(25:14):
in the AHL after being up in the show and
you're trying to get back there, like I mean, do
you have fun or are you kind of just like
that grind of like I'm trying to get out of here,
like everything is focused on kind of like that one goal.
Speaker 6 (25:31):
I mean, you have to you you can't, you know you.
I kind of looked at it more as like I'm
gonna if I'm here, I'm gonna be president and try
to be a mentor as well, and and if any
kids need anything, and you know, unfortunately ended up helping
a couple of kids too much and.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
Then they yes, that's the same thing you're broadcasting. Let
you tell Yeah, I had a couple of drug me
that I helped, and I was like, okay, don't forget.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
Please.
Speaker 6 (25:58):
Uh but yeah, you know, it's it's again, it's it's
a it's an ego check. You listen, It's we're so
lucky when you play in the NHL, you're so listen.
It's a very hard league. It's so demanding. You know, injuries,
but you know the way you travel, where you stay,
the you know, the money you make. It's it's it's
fantasy land. So it's it's it is what it is.
(26:19):
It's it's not the real world. And when you kind
of go down to the a at times, it's you
have that little bit of a gut check of like, oh,
there's another world outside of the NHL. So it's a
little bit of a culture shock. But again it's also
a bunch of young guys, a lot of them that
are just trying to make it to the NHL. They're
trying to make a living for their families. You have
(26:41):
a lot of older guys there that have, you know,
some summer career, HL guys that are still trying to
chase down that dream. So it's it is a lot
more fun than I thought it was going to be.
Speaker 5 (26:51):
Going back.
Speaker 6 (26:51):
You know, I kind of was a little bit like,
oh no, it's just gonna be and but I enjoyed it.
The guys were great, and and you know it's there's
not many bad guys in hockey and in any league.
So I know, Nate, I don't know how yours was,
but that's for me. I took it as a as
a positive to end my career down in the A.
Speaker 4 (27:09):
Yeah, it was the same for me. It was it
was going in there with an open mind and being
able to, like you said, help help out these guys,
mentor them and put them in the NHL before I
was going to be there. So you know, it's like,
all right, this is how it's going to be. I
guess you're going to the NHL and I'm just going
to watch you. But yeah, but it was, you know,
it was. It was a good experience for me, I think,
just at the end of my career, being able to
(27:31):
be put in that role and help guys, and I
mean it had helped me today. So shipped a little bit.
Speaking of young guys. The Anaheim Ducks, you know they
hired Joel Quinnville. What is your opinion on that and
how they made this decision. Pat Burbeek made this decision.
Speaker 6 (27:48):
Yeah, listen, it's so tough because you know, everything that happened,
and how much did Joel Quinnville know, and what was
he kind of was he you know, he came out.
I thought his press conference was him. You know, he
talked to Kyle Beach. It was him talking about trying
to learn and be better, and he said all the
right things, and I mean there's nothing else for him
(28:08):
to say other than that he can't you know, he
kind of said that I fucked up and and and
probably should have been more vocal about it. So but
it's always you know, I wasn't in the room. So
it's like you it's so it's so difficult, and you
never want to give anyone, you know, you want to
give the benefit of the doubt and in that aspect,
but you know, I think he was out of the
game long enough. He kind of did his time. You know,
(28:31):
if if he reached out to Kyle Beach and and
Kyle Beach is probably a big person that needs to
kind of sign off on it, and and if they
had a good conversation, and I wasn't kind of in
that room.
Speaker 5 (28:41):
So with him and Kyle Beach.
Speaker 6 (28:43):
So but I you know, listen, it's a it's a
tough one to kind of walk through because you're like,
which way do you go? You're like, yeah, you just
hope that everybody learned from it, and you hope that
you know, no one made a bad decision and covered
something up that they they shouldn't have and everything was
done and kind of good faith. So and it's just
(29:04):
it's it's so interesting when you get into that kind
of the ship, that kind of shit. Man, it's it's
it's it's a weird it becomes real life a little bit,
you know what I mean, Like we talk about like
I just said, it's it's a little bit of fantasy land.
So when things like this happened that happened in real
life more times than we we wish it would, it's
(29:27):
it kind of shocks you a little.
Speaker 5 (29:28):
Bit to your core. And and you're just like, man,
where do we go from here?
Speaker 6 (29:32):
And we need to have a lot more accountability and
inside the locker room, and it's not just what happens
with players or trainers. It's all the way to the
top down, and it's an organization, it's a family. They
have to make sure that there's way more accountability and
hoping and and and kind of praying that they do.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
So did you think they made the right hire.
Speaker 6 (29:52):
I mean, Joe Quinnville is listen, as a coach, this
for a young group is probably one of the best.
It's a guy that's going to kind of with a
winning pedigree, you know how it is Nate, you know,
I think I think they went the kind of hard
ass route with with Cronin, and I think they kind
of got as much as they were going to get
out of him, and they did have an improvement this year,
(30:14):
So I was a little surprised that they made the move,
but I think it's a good time. There's always when
you're rebuilding. I feel like there's the there's the coach,
there's the in between coach, and then there's the coach
that's going to come in and get you to the
next level. And I think Cronin was the in between. Unfortunately,
it's just the way it shook out. And I think Quenville,
i mean, listen, if if he's he's was able to
(30:34):
kind of take this time off and I'm sure he
was watching hockey and adding to his repertoire of already,
you know, smart coaching and his knowledge of the game,
and I think he's gonna implement it. And I think
those young guys are going to have a level of
accountability on the ice and and off for sure, because
he he had you know, he had the Patrick Kanes
(30:55):
and Jonathan Taves when they were young. Like he had
those guys, and it's just one of those things. I
think he understands it, and he understands those young guys.
He understands the mctavishes and and the Ziegresses, and I
think he's gonna be able to get a lot out
of them. So and I think it's a make or
break year for Anaheim. They need to make a push.
I mean, you've kind of were around that organization, you know,
(31:16):
you're out there. They need to make a push now
because I think they have all the pieces in terms
of youth and skill that that can really make some waves.
Speaker 1 (31:24):
Yeah, they haven't done anything since, Like Nate was there,
and I was also there too. I played on the team,
I was a broadcaster. But those are the glory days,
is Nate. I know you posted that playoff game or
was it against Edmonton?
Speaker 2 (31:38):
The game five second round.
Speaker 6 (31:40):
Yeah, I mean, you remember those years in Death Valley,
You're coming through, You're coming through San Jose, Anaheim, LA.
Speaker 5 (31:47):
It was like it was a gauntlet. It was a
gauntlet Canot.
Speaker 2 (31:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (31:50):
If you got out with one two points out of
those three games, teams were happy and it was just
we just kicked the shit out of each other every
time each other.
Speaker 4 (31:58):
I remember, I remember, I remember going into San Jose.
It felt like there was one hundred guys on the ice.
Speaker 2 (32:03):
It's just where.
Speaker 5 (32:05):
Well.
Speaker 1 (32:06):
Also like everyone in the crowd seems to have a
jersey there too. I mean, Anaheim was a very different situation.
It felt like everyone was a fan of the Ducks
in the world was at the rink because there was
just no one else who really gave a fuck at all,
like in the entire universe. I mean, I know, I
worked there for three years. People are like, you covered
hockey and Anaheim. I was like, yes, like I know,
(32:27):
no one watched it. We were always ranked the worst
broadcast ever just because we were Anaheim. But now they're
on the up and up. There's only one way to go.
I guess I'm gonna reserve my commentary on the coaching situation. However,
I would say I found the timing of the news
release very interesting because it was at the same time
(32:49):
as the new pope being.
Speaker 5 (32:50):
Announced, poping, yeah, hooping, Like is.
Speaker 1 (32:55):
He maybe the I mean there is a Chicago connection
there too, obviously, but like he's kind of the hockey
pope because.
Speaker 2 (33:05):
Did you disco that.
Speaker 5 (33:07):
There's a lot of ways that could take that.
Speaker 1 (33:09):
Yeah, yeah, that's it. If you're going, I'm I'm I'm
you know, I'm I'm work shopping it right now. But
I just remember seeing like on my timeline everyone's like,
Pope joke, Pope joke joke. Un Bell's the new head
coach of the Hunt Tucks. I was like, all right,
do you think they waited till like came out Pope
(33:31):
Leo came out, and then they're like, boom, news release.
Speaker 5 (33:34):
I don't know, but.
Speaker 6 (33:35):
I know, like there's there's less media there, so you know,
it's a little bit it's it's also you know, a
little smart on their part. And obviously it was a
big day with with an American pope and all the
pope pajing that was going on.
Speaker 1 (33:48):
But so many good memes out there now, I just like,
I love the Internet for days, like an American pope becoming.
Speaker 2 (33:55):
That from Chicago.
Speaker 6 (33:58):
I love that town, town, the south Side, the South
south Side, Dish Pizza.
Speaker 1 (34:07):
Big win for him. He's he has opinions on basketball.
Everyone's now calling him like the fifth Nick or something
like that, because Villanova all these great things. Okay, let's
get back to Canada where you said that and I'm
taking sorry natean taking two q's in a row. Uh,
you talked about a Canadian team you would like to win,
(34:29):
maybe win the Stanley Cup. What do you think the
Leafs chances are there?
Speaker 6 (34:34):
I mean, if you would have told me the Toronto
Maple Leaves would be up to and the Florida Panthers
and just playing some great hockey out goaltending, you know,
Joseph wall Is out goaltending, Sergei Bobrovski. They're playing tough,
they're not you know, I think all of the pickups
they made have just been it's what they needed to
(34:56):
kind of combat of Florida.
Speaker 5 (34:57):
Now, I don't know how.
Speaker 6 (34:58):
The series is gonna end up, but you know, the
Scott Lawtons guys like that, they're able to kind of
just counteract the sam Bennett's and the Matthew Kat Chucks.
And the crazy thing is is Nate. You know, I've
watched that series a bit, and you know, I've watched
Edmonton series a little bit more. But Toronto looks fast.
They look faster than Florida right now. And that's the
interesting thing. I thought last game. You know, again, I
(35:21):
think Florida had some more scoring chances, but they've just
been explosive when they need to be and they're getting
the biggest thing that they've been missing for years is goaltending,
and they're they're keeping pucks out of the net and
I think it's something that they've missed. And you know,
I'm a big fan of you know, defensive decors that
you know how to move the puck and squash plays
(35:43):
and are hard in front of the net, and that
decorp has been very good for this Toronto Maple Leafs
team on this playoff run so far. And I mean,
listen all they got to do. It's not a series
until you lose at home and they get one of
those games out in Sunrise and it's it's going to
be pandemonium in Toronto.
Speaker 2 (36:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (36:01):
When I watched the Leafs now, I mean, I look
back at Brad true Living's teams and Calgary and they
were always hard to play against. And now you're seeing
that with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and you're seeing obviously
with Craig Ruby at the Helm right and it's just
it's North South hockey. It's hard to play against. I mean,
and they go out and they get a guy like
Scott Lawton's everyone's freaking out during the regular season and
(36:21):
I'm going, hey, listen, like, there's a reason why they
got this guy. It's not for the regular seatings. It's
for the playoffs. But getting into that, you know, we
we see their core four, their core five, and you're
seeing what Willie Nilander's doing, and he's he's making me
feel really good about myself because at the beginning of
the season on a different podcast, I said, I think
I think he might be and I say this delicately,
(36:46):
I think he's the most talented player on that team.
Speaker 2 (36:50):
And I think yea.
Speaker 4 (36:53):
Most most talented player in that team because just of
how he can skate, how he can handle the puck,
I mean, how strong he is on his skates, all
the attributes he has uh and seeing it right now.
Speaker 6 (37:05):
I mean, you know what he has too is he's
got that fuck you that's swag man. He's like he's
an arrogant little little sob. But it you know, he
broke Craig Baruba because is a guy that like, you're
playing my way and what did he say last prescos
he's like, just leave alone.
Speaker 5 (37:23):
I figured it out. This kid's he's good.
Speaker 6 (37:25):
He's a gamer and and you know, it's just so
funny that like Craig Bruger, this gruff guy who's at
times had a hard time getting a lot out of
these skill guys. And I think they've just found a
good relationship and that's the end. He's trusting him now,
which is great. So and I mean listen, we mentioned
the depth guys, We mentioned Scottland. We have to mention
Max Paturetti. I mean, yeah, Max, Max Domi Patriti got
(37:49):
like five points in three games like this is and
he was scratched, scratch come back. Just you talk about
older guys, you always got to give their your flowers
to those guys that are able to adapt and change
their game and and just kind of be effective where
they need to be. So yeah, it's a it's a
I'm bullish on on Toronto, but I'm you know, I'm
always waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Speaker 1 (38:10):
With that is as someone from Toronto, I'm like, I
do love that Patches has sixty seven on the back.
I'm not gonna lie. Every time I see him streaking
down the ice, I'm like, yes, it's the year. It's
the year. And then I'm like, stop it, it's not
It'll never be.
Speaker 6 (38:27):
Yeah, that's everybody in Toronto's like yes, oh god, yes, oh.
Speaker 1 (38:31):
God, it's okay. Do you want Oh well, you talked
about wait, Nate likes to give himself props. You said
something on a podcast earlier this year that has now
come to fruition Willie Nelander being good.
Speaker 2 (38:47):
Well, I mean, are you tomster Domas, are you chirping
right now? Are you?
Speaker 5 (38:53):
Well?
Speaker 4 (38:53):
No, it's because I was. I know, I was on
the Empty nurs podcast with.
Speaker 1 (38:56):
Those Yeah you were like, well I said this.
Speaker 4 (38:58):
And they were and they were giving me such a
hard time about the fact that I Willy as the
most talented guy. Because obviously Austin Matthews scores almost seventy
goals a year before Mitch Martin's does what he does
and they're like, I can't believe you're saying that. I'm like, well,
I mean he's pretty, he's pretty fucking good. Look at him,
watch him play, and thank you very much. Look at
him right now.
Speaker 5 (39:18):
You're welcome, and you're welcome.
Speaker 6 (39:20):
You got to sit and say so much shit in
the media, and you're you just pray you get stuff right,
you get wrong.
Speaker 1 (39:26):
You're just like, yeah, it's like my text messages to
my friends being like, no elon Musk is not good
for the US, and I'm just waiting to drop that
one back.
Speaker 5 (39:38):
In to them political.
Speaker 1 (39:40):
I love this my Canadian friends, by the way, who
don't live in the US. So, but okay, so, uh
you were like unrelated, But you play the harmonica, obviously
you played it on TV. I'm just curious, Like, you know,
Neil Young obviously is a pretty big goat of the harmonica.
(40:00):
How long would it take to be able to play
I like Heart of Gold on the harmonica?
Speaker 5 (40:08):
Uh? Probably, it's a little bit.
Speaker 6 (40:11):
I mean, it's especially once you get into those those
very very you know, the wah wah and then bending
the notes and stuff like that.
Speaker 5 (40:19):
It's it's tough.
Speaker 6 (40:19):
It's a lot of it's it's different, and I kind
of picked it up during COVID and you know, I
think after like the third week, my wife's like, I've
heard the same goddamn song one hundred and fifty times.
Speaker 5 (40:30):
Can you just can you get it right?
Speaker 1 (40:31):
Or which song?
Speaker 6 (40:33):
It's just like it's like the new Amsterdams. It's just
I went on like Spotify and started, you know, uh,
just picking songs I like and started playing it. So
I do a little City in Color too. Against the
Grain is one I kind of learned as well. So yeah,
I just like it. It's just a fun instrument. I couldn't
my fingers couldn't do the guitar, so I said, oh god,
I'm not.
Speaker 5 (40:53):
I can't be a guitar guy like that.
Speaker 1 (40:55):
Did you bring it with like, did you have it
on you kind of at all times? Just in case?
Speaker 5 (40:58):
Yeah? Some most times I'll have it like in my
have it.
Speaker 1 (41:01):
Your eyes just wonder too?
Speaker 7 (41:03):
I just do not with me pull it out of
your pocket right now if I just if I just
was like, just so you know, I don't have any
right now, but I know I I did for a while.
Speaker 6 (41:19):
I had, I think when I after COVID for like
a year. I think I had it in my bag
with me at all times, just in case, just to
be that guy'll be like, yeah, I play the harmonica.
Speaker 1 (41:30):
So were you super jazz? When the Harmonica Ladies came out,
We're like, oh my god, were you like jumping up
and down?
Speaker 5 (41:36):
Well?
Speaker 6 (41:36):
I was so the day before when they came out,
I was like I have to do because I was
working the next day Angel and I was like, I
want to do something on harmonica and then Biz did
it that night on TNT and as you know, like
it's it doesn't matter if you're first or first, So
I was like I was screwed. So, like we came
in that day and I was like, they're like, does
anybody play harmonica? I'm like I do, but I don't
(41:57):
want to do it because I'm like Biz did it,
So I'm like, if we do it, I have to
say like shout out to Biz. So we did like
a little ditty. But yeah, it's it's one of those
things I could do something. I could I make it.
I can have a moment. I can have a moment.
And then Biz, just as he does always, he's just
the best and and just thinks of all those things.
Speaker 5 (42:16):
And I mean he's the gold standard right now.
Speaker 6 (42:18):
And and and uh in being outlandish on air and
making it work.
Speaker 4 (42:22):
So yeah, he is an entertainer. And speaking of entertainers,
your wife, Chillian, she is on Broadway an actress. Do
you guys, Uh do you run lines with her? Do
you guys do you practice? Is there is there is
there at home? Is there you guys working on stuff
on stuff together?
Speaker 6 (42:41):
I do run lines with her, and uh, she probably
has two hours of bloopers of me just her being like,
can you just stop doing accents? She's like, stop doing
an accent. It does not call for a British accent.
And hello, that a puppet. She's like, this night, it's
(43:01):
not Parts of the Caribbean. We're doing like a drama.
Speaker 5 (43:03):
What are you doing?
Speaker 6 (43:04):
And I was like, I'm just kind of I'm just riffing,
going off the cuff, like I'll be like yawning on
there or something if we're in there long, and she's like,
can you just stop? It's it's it's a crazy business
what they do. And and I mean, there's you kind
of we joke around on air and do these little bits,
but it's nuts to like watch them read lines and
learn scripts and learn scripts in like a day and
(43:27):
then just run it off with an accent or with
whatever you want to do. And I'm sitting there trying
to like not sound mode it like this, like being like, so,
where did you go today for the reading a line?
Speaker 5 (43:37):
I'm like, I.
Speaker 1 (43:37):
Stink The power play was oh for six And she's like,
you know.
Speaker 6 (43:43):
I like, come on, can you just put a little
bit in there? Put a little I'm like, I'm trying.
Speaker 1 (43:47):
So she where she on? Where's she performing right now?
Speaker 6 (43:51):
She was doing a show on off It closed now,
but she was doing an off Broadway show called Big
a Jamboree in the Lower East Side.
Speaker 1 (43:58):
She did that for yeah, okay, she.
Speaker 6 (43:59):
Did that for like six months, and then right now
she's just back to auditioning. You're starting to try to
create and really, you know, change the way she's thought
about it because you know, as actors, they're taught to
kind of audition, audition, audition, and she's kind of got
really interested in writing and you know, directing and stuff
like that. So she wants to do kind of a
little bit of everything.
Speaker 5 (44:19):
And it's been good. She's just you know, it's a grind.
Speaker 6 (44:23):
It's a it's a hustle for them, man, Like you
get told no two hundred times for one yes, and
you know, I you know, there'll be days where like
when I was playing, I was having a hard day
and I'm like, this is like the ninetieth audition and
it's like, ah, you just you almost had it right
and then you like put out at this amazing audition
(44:44):
and you hear nothing, and I'm like, that's that would
drive me nuts.
Speaker 1 (44:48):
Because it's so subjective. It's like, even though I know
making in the NHL and playing hockey is very difficult,
it's like at least you can kind of look at
like the skill based in a way, it's still subjective
if you're like, wait, no, I'm better than that guy,
or I'm like this mea cut. But in acting and
also in broadcasting too, right, It's like someone could just
be like I don't like the way they blink and
(45:09):
you're like, great now I'm not going to get that
role or something like that, or like just other people,
it just seems to be very very challenging. I was
in a play in unif A City called The Vagina Monologues.
Speaker 5 (45:26):
Why Not Shocked?
Speaker 1 (45:28):
I like that, why are you not shocked right now?
Speaker 5 (45:32):
I'm like I'm like, yeah, that tracks.
Speaker 1 (45:34):
That's for people that aren't actors. It's like they encourage
like regular people to audition for that particular play. So
I understand that, you know, I understand the grinds obviously
of auditioning, but the running lines thing I think is
so fun because like you must be like, hey, maybe
I could kind of like dip my toe in this
(45:55):
whole world.
Speaker 2 (45:56):
Yeah, does she help you out?
Speaker 6 (45:58):
Uh no, because she's trying to get a job, like
like oh on are Yeah.
Speaker 2 (46:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (46:03):
When I first started doing NHL Network, like i'd be
so i'd be doing we'd be doing NHL now and
I just get like a text and I look down
my phone like in at break and she's just like
just a little less, like just a little less. It's
like a little less. Or she'd be like, oh that
was a good joke. I like that, So it was
like kind of it was good. She always helped and
(46:23):
she's always been very super supportive of me, just like
everything I'm doing on this side, and she probably pushed
me more into it than I wanted to.
Speaker 5 (46:32):
Like when I.
Speaker 6 (46:32):
Played I, you know, I was a joke certain stuff,
but I didn't really go into the social media a
ton and love it. And now I've done it, I've
kind of dove in, and she was just like, just
try it, see if you like it.
Speaker 5 (46:45):
And it's been good, and she's.
Speaker 6 (46:46):
Kind of just consistently been like just keep going, keep trying,
keep trying new things and stuff like that. But yeah,
like when we read lines, I mean, I have no
there's no hope for me. There's no hope for me.
I couldn't even remember half the lines that they forget.
So it's like it's but yeah, it's I mean, it's
it's it's a fun it's a fun kind of job
(47:06):
that we both do, and it's interesting when I played
and she did this, it's kind of a good escape
for both of us of like the grind, the grind a.
Speaker 5 (47:14):
Little bit of of her job.
Speaker 6 (47:16):
She can kind of dip into what I'm doing when
I was playing, and then now and then when I
need a day off, it's it's we go watch a player,
we go at you a Broadway show, or we go
watch a new TV show and and and kind of
stuff that she wants to do. And it's it's fun.
It's it's it's a good it's a good mix for me.
Speaker 1 (47:33):
She's like, I need you out of the house. Go
get a job, Go.
Speaker 5 (47:36):
Get a job.
Speaker 6 (47:38):
Both of us can't be unemployed actors. We both have
to go.
Speaker 2 (47:41):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (47:44):
I love that. What a great relationship to be able
to kind of like help each other in certain things
as before we let you go. I just wanted to
say I used to help Eric stone Street run lines
and I was Jesse Ferguson like I was, you know,
playing a gay guy on the show. I love that,
Like I know, I mean, just getting really into it.
Eric would be like, can you just yeah, do less?
Speaker 5 (48:07):
Act small act?
Speaker 1 (48:08):
Like really messing up me trying to memorize these lines
right now. But we know that you have lots of
work to do because you're on NHL Network and you're
on you got unscripted all this. Can you just give
us as we you know, I'm sure you do this
to people. But like, who's gonna win the Stanley Cup
right now?
Speaker 5 (48:29):
Right now? I have to say, I'm gonna go Dallas Stars.
It's pretty good.
Speaker 6 (48:35):
I had I had Colorado and that did not work out.
I mean, my bracket. I don't know about your guys,
bracket I got eviscerated.
Speaker 5 (48:43):
I beat PK sue Man, but.
Speaker 6 (48:44):
I was like three for eight. I was like three
for eight and it was touch and go with Winnipeg.
So I'm you know, the two teams I took to
go to the final are both out in nice fashion
with Tampa and Colorado. So I went, I just if
Dallas can get Miro and Robertson and them kind of
cooking and all healthy, I think they're a very hard
(49:07):
team to beat.
Speaker 5 (49:08):
With Jake Ottinger back there, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (49:10):
Those are good picks. I had the Leafs in the
finals and the King so they're done.
Speaker 5 (49:14):
But the Leafs, he just.
Speaker 1 (49:16):
Said, I had the Leafs as if they are already.
Speaker 6 (49:19):
Like, how was your first how was your how'd your
bracket turn out?
Speaker 2 (49:24):
Mine?
Speaker 5 (49:24):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (49:25):
Well, I said, like I had the Kings in the final,
and obviously we know how that played out.
Speaker 1 (49:29):
We never publicly made one, like you guys, like, I
don't know why. It's not a good idea to put
a bracket out there publicly.
Speaker 5 (49:36):
I feel I just I might We're going to be wrong.
Speaker 6 (49:37):
Well, it's the crazy thing is I think this year
I was talking with Brad Richardson and we're sitting there
and I was like, this year is we both said,
we're like, it's the most parody, where like eight teams
could have won the Cup, you know, if other than
maybe Montreal. It's like you felt like eight teams could
have made a run. So it's like, I'm not surprised
that there was these kind of weird like Minnesota almost
(50:00):
took Vegas to the to the woodshed there, And it's
just a it's a credit to the league and where
teams are getting and and and how good teams are
are becoming year over year. So it's just like and
maybe that's because we have four or five teams tanking
every year, so it's just we're really top heavy. But yeah,
uh yeah, it's a it's a you could give it
(50:21):
to anyone. I mean Edmonton right now, Like.
Speaker 1 (50:23):
It's Edmonton looks good.
Speaker 6 (50:24):
They look very good right now. And it's like, but
I think a Dallas is just one of those teams
that they've done it right for so long now that
it's just one of them.
Speaker 5 (50:34):
They deserve it.
Speaker 6 (50:35):
And I'd love to see Tyler Segond and Jamie ben
Win one and and and uh, you know, I just
think it's I love Jim nil too. I think he's
a fantastic GM and and it's kind of like one
of those things and like they just have all the
pieces and it feels like this year might be the
year for them.
Speaker 1 (50:52):
Yeah, and Pete de Boor, as we've said, that guy
needs to cap it off.
Speaker 5 (50:57):
I just mister game seven.
Speaker 1 (50:59):
Yeah, mister game seven, mister he's never Yeah, it's it's time.
Although as someone from Toronto, I'm still like just not
against the leaf. So like, let the leaf quote earlier
and then they can win it. Okay, Well well yeah,
well we'll give it to Dallas here for you. We'll
hold you to it. And as Nate likes to bring
up the past always, so the receipts are kept and
(51:23):
we thank you so much for joining us as an elephant.
Speaker 6 (51:26):
This guy, Hey, remember everything everything I know. I said,
Canada is gonna win the Cup, and then I take
Dallas ask Canada.
Speaker 1 (51:34):
Let's just say Canada wins the Cup. They already won
four nations, so.
Speaker 5 (51:38):
One of the teams that are still in will win.
Speaker 2 (51:40):
That's like, there you go, thanks buddy, thanks for coming on.
Speaker 6 (51:44):
Yeah, thanks, guys, appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (51:53):
All right, So that was Jason Kamares and we know
that he is a good time Nate, Like, what a
fun guy.
Speaker 2 (52:00):
Oh, JD is the best. I actually met JD. I
was playing in Tampa, so a long time ago. I
think it was twenty eleven.
Speaker 4 (52:07):
Him and I were both going up to Saint John's,
Newfoundland for Teddy Purcell and Ryan Close golf charity outing
and Ryan Clothes playing in San Jose. Teddy was playing
in Tampa and it was a bunch of us. Was myself,
Jason de Merez, Brian Boyle, I can't remember who else
was there, but there was a lot of guys and
man did we have a good time. So that that
(52:29):
was my introduction to Jason de Meairs and and seeing
what kind of character he is, and man, what a
just good guy and definitely good at his job too.
He's he's very good at NHL network. I really enjoy
watching him.
Speaker 1 (52:42):
It's crazy to think he's been in it for like
a year, he said, broadcasting.
Speaker 4 (52:45):
Yeah, No, he's he's a natural. He's very very good.
He's got such a good personality. He's a good talker.
I mean, his insight is great. Yeah, he's he's fun
to watch. He was he was a great guest.
Speaker 1 (52:57):
Julian, Yeah, great guest. Good hang especially early on this
Friday morning, as you guys, it's like the crack of
d and you're like just waking up and having to
just like have a conversation for everyone to listen to.
I give that a lot of credit. And I think
like it's having seen, having witnessed the evolution of the
analyst in hockey. I think it's great that it has
(53:20):
now become more personality driven in the way that like
we can talk about stuff that and not we but
like you guys can have opinions on things that Like before,
it felt like on the earlier days just like you
couldn't do that, or people would just think like oh no, no, no, no,
like you know, like don't show you just analyze the game.
Speaker 2 (53:42):
Just have that.
Speaker 1 (53:44):
And now it's like maybe it's because of Biz bus Nasty.
Speaker 4 (53:48):
Yeah, I know, I know. I think the hockey culture
as a whole. I mean, when when it comes to
the media side of things is so buttoned up, right,
everything's so buttoned up, it has to be so proper,
And yeah, I think you're right. I think I think
biz for sure change the whole landscape. Of things with
everything for the start when he first started, I mean
spitting checklets too, you have to say, I mean yeah,
I think all of that has really opened up and
(54:11):
made hockey cool really yeah, Like it's a lot cooler
because these broadcasters are adding personality, adding fun and I
think JD is at the forefront of that as well.
Speaker 1 (54:23):
And it's not just like BIZ doing it and T
and T doing it. It's like you're just seeing it
more and more everywhere, which right, I really.
Speaker 4 (54:31):
Respect and like, yeah, even PK too. I think PK
does a good job of bringing to a lot of personality.
I mean, I think everybody there's a lot of guys
that all have different personalities, but I think it helps
when you have a lot more of that, not I
don't want to say like not care attitude, but you
know what I mean, like it's more of a you know,
let's let's make some jokes, let's have fun with it,
and let's not be too serious and buttoned up because
(54:52):
hockey is a fun sport and we can broke around too,
you know.
Speaker 1 (54:56):
Yeah. And I think like to that point, I guess
it's then the people running it being like, okay, yeah,
we can do this, like we can allow this to
happen because what happens is that then you also get
other audiences involved and interested, and you get you know,
contents shared or people are interested. And we want people,
(55:17):
especially in the States to be more into hockey because
once they see it, they love it, especially in the US,
like hockey is should Americans should fucking love hockey? Yeah, right,
with like what we're seeing on the ice. I love
when I when I'm with someone who's watching like their
first game and they're just like, oh my god, what
is this WWE on ice? This is amazing. I'm like,
(55:39):
I know this is meant for America. Yeah, look at
the Knights they're opening, Like I mean that is like
that's pretty Vegas.
Speaker 2 (55:50):
But like, well, look at these playoff games.
Speaker 4 (55:52):
I mean, if you're a fan of not even a
fan of hockey, you're watching a game, it's.
Speaker 2 (55:56):
Like it's must see TV.
Speaker 4 (55:58):
I do know we're biased, but I mean it's there's
no it is there's no other playoffs than any other sport,
like best none, it's more Hockey playoffs is one of one.
Speaker 1 (56:07):
I agreed, And I know my dad was texting me
last night being like, wow, this is like Vegas Edmonton game,
and I was just like wow, love of my dad's
up late watching this game that he never would have
cared about ever. But anyway, regardless of that, we have
had a lovely time here on the show. We hope
that you have. Thank you for listening to episode seventeen
(56:28):
of Energy Line with Nate and JSB. Energy Line is
a production of the NHL and iHeart podcast and we
wish Nate good luck on his WHL championships. Thanks to
fellow NHL iHeartRadio podcaster Jason Demerica coming on the Energy
Line and to our producer Jake Brown for producing the show.
Subscribe to the show on Apple, Spotify, wherever you get
(56:49):
your podcasts, or listen on the iHeartRadio app. Give us
a five star rating. Please write in a nice review.
I'm Julie Sewart Binks, He's Nate Thompson. Nate and Now
will be back on Tuesday as we continue breaking down
the second round of the playoffs. Maybe the Leafs will
have swept by that point haha jokes. Thanks so much
for tuning in to the Energy Line and we'll chat
with you next week. Energy Line is the production of
(57:13):
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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