April 28, 2025 • 53 mins
Energy Line with Nate Thompson and Julie Stewart-Binks open up discussing the Capitals-Canadiens series so far. Hockey Hall of Famer, six-time Stanley Cup champion, Game 7 founder and ESPN NHL analyst Mark Messier then joins the show. Messier discusses the thrilling Kings-Oilers series, key role players, Jack Eichel’s struggles, his dynamic on ESPN with P.K. Subban and advice to Nate on broadcasting. Messier gets into the Rangers drama, Chris Drury getting an extension, whether they will go after Mike Sullivan as their next head coach, his favorite Game 7 memory and his Stanley Cup prediction. Nate and JSB close the show breaking down the Jets-Blues series and Sullivan getting let go.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
Energy Line is a production of the NHL and I
Heart podcasts.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Welcome back to.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
The Energy Line with Nate js B.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
I'm Juli stur Finks he's former NHL R Nate Thompson.
We have an incredible episode to start the week as
we have the legend Hall of Famer Mark Messier joining
us in a few minutes.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Can't believe we got Mark Mazziera.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
The show energy Line is a production of the NHL
and I Heart Podcasts and Nate. Speaking of Energy Line,
we have seen so much energy in the first round
of the playoffs, but none other than coming from the
Bell Center Montreal Canadians Le Belle Provence taking on the
Washington Capitals. Game three absolutely bananas, and then even in
(00:55):
Game four we saw a lot more of that because
of who Tom Wilson.
Speaker 4 (01:01):
Yeah, this place, I mean, this series has been electric.
It's been so physical. Montreal has i think has actually
matched Washington's physicality up until Tom Wilson ran over Carrier,
which was, oh my god, what a hit, Like this
guy just ran him over. He goes to the bench,
you see Josh Anderson trying to fight him and ensuing.
(01:22):
Right after that, Washington scores a goal, And honestly, I
think that hit. Sometimes hits like that can literally change
the momentum of the whole series or change the game.
And this is what Tom Wilson does. He's just he's
that unicorn that every old general manager in the league
would want this guy on their team. Everybody hates him.
Everyone doesn't want him to be on they don't want
(01:43):
to play against him. And when he's on the ice,
you have to be you have to be aware of him.
He's always around. He's like a he's like a shark
hunting on you, whether it's looking for the puck or
he's looking to put you in a body bag like
you did with Carrie. I mean, it's it's incredible the
impact he can have on a series. And he's doing
that and right now with this series.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
Right in Washington, Capitol's head coach Spencer Carbery said that
that really changed the momentum of the game.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
It was a turning point.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
That was in the third period of Game four when
they were tied and then they went on to the
Washington Capitals went on to win five to two.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
But like I mean, as a viewer.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
And you, of course as a guy who was on
the ice that you know would get physical and stuff.
I mean, how how does he even know where the
line is because it seems like he just goes like
he's a bull in a china shop no matter what,
and he doesn't ever seem to really get penalized a
whole lot.
Speaker 4 (02:36):
Well, I think he's gotten so much better over the years.
Obviously he's had his fair share of suspension. Yeah, I
had to tow the line. He's had to figure it out.
But I think Tom Wilson has figured out. And you know,
I've fought him once before, I've played against him a lot,
I've run into him a bunch of times. But he
is a guy that he's just like I said, he
really is a unicorn because the skill set he can
(02:57):
bring every single game, Like, if you want to skill
it up, he can skill it up. If you want
to fight, we know he can fight. If you want
to play physical, you know he can do that. And
he can play on your fourth line or he can
play on your first line. He can do so many
different things. And that's why Tom Wilson, I think, is
h He's working. He's worth every single penny, and the
Washington Capitals are happy to have this guy right.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
And he had the like he was like pantomiming hit
the tears. I love that.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
I think like that gamesmanship is a lot of fun.
And then also our producer Bob Bender just told us
that in them in the Bell Center, they have like
pictures of Tom Wilson in the urinals, which is like wild.
I think that gives Tom Wilson like so much more
bolts and board material.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
And Mo to just like just annihilate the halves.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
That's the best couple of it ever. Like someone is
peeking on my face.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
Then I'm thinking, all right, I'm doing something right, clearly right.
I mean, if it's he's got all of Montreal who
hates him, and he's just I mean, this guy is
this guy's been unbelievable. We have to give credit though
to the Canadians as well, because I don't think this
score was indicative of the game. I think it was
it was a very close game, and some of these
(04:10):
young guys from Montreal, like guys like debit Off and
Lane Hudson, Kaffield, Sefkowski, all these guys were so good
and had a huge impact on this game as well.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
I thought, right, and I think that, I mean, these
This was a team that got into the playoffs in
the last day, our last game of the regular season,
and they've had a carousel of goaltenders coming in and out,
but they've been able to really keep themselves in this
And like, what do you think now going forward? I know,
they go back to Washington and like it's a really
(04:41):
au pill battle for them, but you want to see
another game in the Bell Center. Do you think that
they have enough to be able to try to push
this one?
Speaker 2 (04:51):
I do, I really do. I think we.
Speaker 4 (04:53):
I think over the course of the series, you've seen
the maturity of the Montreal Canadians, Like you saw them
kind of a deer in the headlights in the first game,
and then as they've kind of gone on every single game,
they see to be getting better, maybe a little bit
more calm in certain situations where you know, for a
team in their first playoff series, you know, these are
things that you learned, Like I know over the course
of my career when I was playing, Like you know,
(05:14):
we played it against Pittsburgh in the first round of
my first ever playoff series and we were.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
Down three to one.
Speaker 4 (05:19):
Same thing, right, and there was a lot of young
of you a lot of young guys and we had
no idea. We just went, we went, we went about
the next game. Okay, we just got to win this
next game. That's all we got to worry about. Okay,
we just got to win this game. And the next thing,
you know, you're in a game seven, and we both
know anything can happen in a game seven. So and
to make point of that, we ended up did winning
that series. By the way, we were down three to
(05:39):
one and came back and won the series. So to
my point, I do think that Montreal definitely has what
it takes. Uh, it's just a matter of, like I said,
you just have to win that next game.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
That's it.
Speaker 4 (05:50):
Just we're the game and bring it back to the
Bell Center, please because we all want to see you that.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Okay, So last note on that you played with Martin
Saint Luis, who is the coach of the Montreal Canadians.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
What do you think he is saying in the.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Locker room to these guys to be able to try
to get it back to that Bell Center energy, just
keep it going.
Speaker 4 (06:09):
Well Marty, I mean he's he's probably telling them listen
and enjoy the moment, have fun. You only get so
many opportunities to do this, to come back from a
three to one deficit, like you're getting the opportunity to
do that.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
And I think he's saying the same thing.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
I think he's saying, Listen, we don't need to worry
about the other games. We need to worry about tonight's game,
and that's it. This game is the night. This is
the game we're going to worry about, and we'll move
on after that. I think he's I think you just
have to dumb it down. You have to simplify things
when you're down in a series like that. That's the
way you have to go about it, right.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
And they've been so close in so many different circumstances
and being able to win one at home put a
little bit of doubt into the Capital's minds, or at
least not doubt, but at least give themselves some motivation
to be able to keep going, keep the energy going.
So many different series have energy inside them around them,
and we're going to get into all of that coming
(07:02):
up with our guest, none other than Mark Messier. We
talk New York Rangers, his oilers, Mike Sullivan, maybe wherever
he's going to be going next and his company Game
seven with Danny DeVito also on board.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
That's coming up in just a matter of seconds. Stay tuned.
All right, Well, now we.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
Are so fortunate to be able to welcome in our
coolest guest by far so far on the Energy Line
with Natan jasb. And remember we've only done like eleven episodes,
so the bar is pretty low.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
But that is none.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
Other than Hall of famer, six times Stanley Cup champion
ESPN Broadcast. You're co founder of Game seven, none other
than Mark Messier. Mark, thank you so much for taking
the time to join us here to talk some hockey
and beyond, and got to give a shout out to
your company, Game seven. You and I are both wearing
the swag here, so we uh.
Speaker 5 (07:57):
Well have done, Julie, well done. You're wearing the brand.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
Well yeah, well, I wanted to just appease my audience
here and get you warmed up to talk about all
things hockey going on here, and we'll get to your
company in a seconds. We know that you've done so
much with that, but because this is the Energy Line,
that's Nate and I you know, were were the people
on the ice to get things going so far in
(08:20):
the first round of the playoffs, Like which series and
even maybe like which players or moments do you think
have had the most energy in your mind?
Speaker 5 (08:30):
Oh wow, you could do. That's a great question.
Speaker 6 (08:32):
You got to look at Saint Louis probably the hottest
team coming into the playoffs, playing the number one seed,
that when the President's Trophy and they're given Winnipeg all
kinds of trouble. They're playing with speed, they're getting great
goaltending obviously, you know, I think when you see a
team that's had to play that hard to get themselves
(08:53):
in position to make the playoffs.
Speaker 5 (08:54):
They went into the playoffs.
Speaker 6 (08:56):
With a lot of confidence, a lot of momentum, and
it's showing their speed is given the Winnipeg some problems.
You gotta love Montreal Montreal same thing. Fought hard to
get in, kind of battle hardened once the playoffs started,
and just a little inexperience showing. But got to love
what they've been able to do in the playoffs. But
(09:17):
did you look at you look at any series. Every
series had its own its own, you know, unique skill
set if you will.
Speaker 5 (09:26):
Florida Tampa, I mean look at it, Look at the
La Kings.
Speaker 6 (09:30):
I could go on and on and on, but no
shortage of storylines this playoffs so far.
Speaker 4 (09:35):
Let's get into your former team, Oilers and Kings. If
you're the captain for the Oilers or the Kings tied
to to heading to LA, what are you saying in
the room.
Speaker 6 (09:45):
Well, what's happened to this point doesn't matter whether it's
positive or negative. You know, I think both teams probably
think that they've let something or given something back. The
Oilers didn't play great at times in the playoffs, but
they found a way to get themselves to even a
series last night.
Speaker 5 (10:03):
For the Kings, they.
Speaker 6 (10:04):
Probably feel like they left a lot on the table
where they could have won those two games if they
would have executed down the stretch. But a little bit
of an experience with the Kings, you know, last couple
of games. So you know, if you're the captain, the
only thing that matters now is what's in front of me,
And take the rear view mirror off the car and
throw it out the window.
Speaker 5 (10:22):
It doesn't matter.
Speaker 6 (10:24):
Obviously you want to know and try to improve on
some things, but as far as feeling disappointment or feeling
overconfident or whatever, you know, the only thing you need
to concentrate on is the next game.
Speaker 5 (10:38):
And I think both captains are telling their.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
Team that, yeah, and if they aren't, they'll definitely be
clipping this from the show and having you be the
captain in the room to give them.
Speaker 5 (10:46):
That kind of that ship sailed a long time.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
Well, anything for bulletin board material, probably in the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
Is definitely out there.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
So we've seen so many players in the playoffs mark
like that maybe aren't even superstars, but that rise to
the occasion or they are the guy that is the
hero in the moment. I'm looking at Simon Benoasse for
the Leafs, But overall, there's so many great talents out there.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
If you were to be.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
Playing in these playoffs, and you cannot mention anyone from
the Edmonton Oilers, who.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
Would you want to be playing with on your line?
Speaker 5 (11:28):
Well, that's a great question.
Speaker 6 (11:30):
And I think about all of the role players that
were so instrumental on the Cup teams that I played on,
And of course it was always a coffee and Gretzky
and Leech and Richter and all the great players, and
they did play unbelievable, but it was always you know,
guys that the Kevin mcclellands of the world that scored
a huge goal in the nineteen eighty our first Cup
(11:50):
in nineteen eighty four to win one nothing. You know
in New York, you know Eddie Oldchicks and Gilbert's and Namchinov.
There are so many guys that played pivotal roles and
it's funny. You know, you win, and you know, you
create this unbelievable chemistry and synergy amongst the team, and
(12:11):
it always seems to be the guys in the bottom
six that are traded away because they feel that they're replaceable,
and those often are the guys that actually bring the
whole energy together.
Speaker 5 (12:22):
They're the glue guys.
Speaker 6 (12:23):
They're the guys that mean so much, and we know
that they're always forced and challenged with you know, how
can they be productive between six and ten minutes? And
that is the hardest thing in hockey in my opinion.
Other you know, obviously goaltending, but for those energy guys,
that to your point, between you and Nate, if you're
(12:46):
going to be energy players, we got to set the
ground rules right.
Speaker 5 (12:49):
How can you be productive in six to ten minutes
in a game? I mean, it's not a lot of
shifts per period, and that's a unique skill set. And
then you got to be a great character guy. You
got to be a great guy not only on the
ice and doing.
Speaker 6 (13:03):
Your job, but you've got to be a great role model,
you know, setting example and practice working hard. Those guys
are invaluable in the team success in my opinion, and
we're seeing that in this in this playoffs. Again, you
don't notice it as much during the regular season, but
you really notice it because you're only as strong as
(13:23):
your weakest link. And if you look going up and
down the rosters of all the teams, you've got to
be able to rely on everybody. The coach has to
be able to trust that when he puts a player
on the ice that he's going to do what's asked
of him. He's going to be where he's supposed to
be on the ice. He's not going to be undisciplined.
And so I put a lot I put high high
(13:44):
value on those energy guys, those glue guys, those bottom
six forwards that play a pivotal role in my experience.
Speaker 4 (13:50):
As a role player, Mark and being in this situation
of the playoffs, who do you see as the role
players that are jumping.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
Out to you.
Speaker 6 (13:57):
Vegas has has a very very strong team. They got
a lot of depth if you look at their bottom
six and and how big and strong they are, how
talented they're able to score goals.
Speaker 5 (14:11):
Saint Louis.
Speaker 6 (14:12):
I mean, I can't I just keep getting back to
Saint Louis there because of how well they're playing as
a team. I could go on and on and on
about the role, but you know the players that would
need a list in front of me now to kind
of really yea, try to talk about man.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
In Uh, well, let's let's go to Vegas.
Speaker 4 (14:32):
I mean, you have a guy and a former centerment
myself and you and you as a centerman, what were
things that you would do to get out of a
slump if you were slumping in the playoffs? Insert Jack Eichel.
Obviously he hasn't been scoring. He hasn't been, you know,
been the Jack Eckle that we're used to seeing. What
would you do to get out of a scoring slump?
Speaker 5 (14:48):
Well, you gotta get you know.
Speaker 6 (14:50):
One of the things that I thought was so impressive
in the Four Nations was watching the Americans and the
Canadians play, and the teams were so evenly matched that
it was hard for anybody to really dominate. And what
I really impressed me about it with McDavid in the
Four Nations was how patient he was with his game.
Speaker 5 (15:09):
You could really see the maturation of his game.
Speaker 6 (15:12):
He didn't get anxious, he didn't try to do too much,
he didn't overextend his shifts. He really stayed in himself
and he and he really played for the team.
Speaker 5 (15:27):
And that spoke volumes to.
Speaker 6 (15:29):
Me about where he's come in his own game as
far as learning how to win. And sure enough, when
it got to the most, when it really mattered most,
you know who got the chances in overtime Matthews for
the States and McDavid and McDavid finally got.
Speaker 5 (15:46):
The chance and he and he capitalized on it.
Speaker 6 (15:49):
But he didn't jeopardize a team by being, you know,
being getting frustrated, trying to do too much. And I
think if you look at Ico right now, obviously guys
like that, they're going to be paid attention to team's
game plan around players like Jack Icele. He's got to
stay he's got to stay patient, he's got to really
(16:10):
concentrate on the defensive end, not expose himself trying to
do too much offensively that he becomes a liability defensively.
Speaker 5 (16:19):
And then and then he's.
Speaker 6 (16:21):
Got to get to the maybe to the dirty areas.
You know, he's such an amazing talent skater. He can
play everywhere. He's big and strong. And if what has
been working for you in the past isn't working for
you now, maybe try to get inside a little more.
Maybe try to get some greasy goals, a deflection, something
that goes off your shin pad.
Speaker 5 (16:42):
Start hanging around that net a little bit more, and
I guarantee.
Speaker 6 (16:46):
The puck will pop up to you in the most
inopportune time or most opportune time, and.
Speaker 5 (16:51):
That can often be the difference of getting yourself going again.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
Oh, Mark, I appreciate you bringing up the Four Nations
and of course Canada winning that tournament, because we like
to discuss that here and it's obviously American.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
Well I'm also both Canadian American. But like Team Canada.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
Won that one, okay, so John Cooper of course Team
Canada head coach, and we saw him and Paul Maurice.
You know, they kind of have their their battle of
the words. Let's just say like they're both very well spoken.
They both really know how to They know how to
talk to the media and have great responses to stuff.
(17:28):
And both of them have sort of gone back and
forth in terms of, you know, hitting guys when they
have the puck.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
When you played, did you ever notice coaches.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
Maybe going at one another, not necessarily on the ice,
but I don't know, maybe off the ice or in
the media, or just sort of like that other type
of gamesmanship.
Speaker 5 (17:48):
I think what you're talking about is the psychological warfare
that happens in amongst us a series, and it happens
on the ice with the players, but it also happens
with the coaches. And words matter in the playoffs. Words
matter in a playoff series.
Speaker 6 (18:02):
Everybody's UH has acessibility to the press, conferences, to the
words that are being spoken in the press, UH, including
the referees and everybody else around the league. And there
are subliminal ways of messaging and getting your point across
without overstepping the boundaries. UH and and I think it
(18:26):
all matters. And those are two of the best of
the guys.
Speaker 5 (18:30):
In in our league.
Speaker 6 (18:32):
Anyways of you know, talking to the media, getting their
point across, their words that they're talking to the media
are also being listened to by their players, and so
there's a lot of different ways to message everybody, and
that psychological warfare is not to be taken lightly. On
your quest to a Stanley Cup, you're basically trying to
(18:54):
pick the will away of your team of four different
teams over you know, for seven game series, and you've
got to kill the will, as they say, and you.
Speaker 5 (19:05):
Got to make sure that things are trending in your direction.
You got to be.
Speaker 6 (19:08):
Making sure that the calls if there are a fifty
to fifty mic balance towards you. I mean, you don't
leave anything for not in your pursuit of a Stanley Cup.
And what we're seeing with those two coaches, there are
a lot of experience getting their messages across in many
different ways.
Speaker 4 (19:29):
Speaking of coaches, Mark, did Mike Keaton ever have any
good sayings or any good wars when you were playing
for him?
Speaker 5 (19:36):
Oh? Yeah, Mike was great.
Speaker 6 (19:37):
Mike was a master at keeping his teams on their toes.
He didn't let anybody relax. And as you know, it's
human nature to take the easy way out. It's a
human nature to look for the easy road. But you know,
Mike was a guy that was able to keep his teams,
you know, focused. He did play a lot with the media.
(20:01):
I remember we were on a losing streak and in
New York and there was a lot of chatter about
this trade, this trade, fire, the coach, do this, do that,
and and he had a press conference one day and
he thought it might be a good idea to bring
Dennis Potman to the UH, to the Rangers to help
us out and of course anybody.
Speaker 5 (20:21):
All they could talk about for the next two weeks.
Speaker 6 (20:23):
While we're in a losing streak was bringing Dennis Potman
to the Rangers and took the focus in off of
what was happening to we got our traction again and
started winning some games.
Speaker 5 (20:34):
So there's a lot of ways to UH to UH.
You know it.
Speaker 6 (20:38):
You're you're shepherding a lot as a head coach, a
general manager. There's a lot of nuances to it, a
lot of subtleties UH and they're all really important.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
Well, speaking of Mike Keenan, I know that when I
met him, he said that when he played for the
University of Toronto, he would memorize the Queen's University chant
that they would say and then go over to their
bench and say it to them just to sort of
get in their heads. So I love that I found
that was I love the psychological warfare. I think that
that's such an interesting game to be able to play.
(21:09):
And there's more about that, even just in warm ups,
I think is fascinating too and getting into guy's heads.
And both of you guys can speak to that. But
we have to take a quick time out here on
the Energy Line with Natan JSB. We'll have more with
Mark Messier coming up after the short break. We're back
(21:34):
here on the Energy Line with Nayton jsp and of
course with Hockey Hall of Famer Mark Messier, who's so
kind to be giving us his time here today.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
You're a broadcaster.
Speaker 1 (21:42):
Now you're a big jay journalist on ESPN covering everything,
and you and PK Suban have developed, you know, such
a unique partnership. And I still will always to this
day love the video of you chasing him around the
studio with the Stanley Cup because it was perfect because
(22:03):
he never won a cup.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
You've won six.
Speaker 1 (22:05):
You guys, you know, couldn't be more different in so
many ways, but you've come together and created this partnership.
Speaker 3 (22:11):
What is it about.
Speaker 1 (22:12):
Maybe your chemistry that you think sticks out and works.
Speaker 6 (22:16):
When I got to ESPN, it occurred to me that,
you know, we are a team. We we got to
figure out the way to become a team. We got
to figure out a way what works the chemistry, how
we work together, how we can anticipate each other, how
we can you know, look at a game and and
try to decode it and bring something interesting into the intermissions.
Speaker 5 (22:39):
And for me, that's been really fun. It's it's what
I love to do, it's what I live for.
Speaker 6 (22:44):
It's what I played twenty six years, is trying to
find that balance and that harmony within the team, and
you know, the galvanization that happens. And to your point,
p K and I are doing great, and and Steve's
been you know, the guy that you know brings it
all together for us. But you know, we're from two
different generations. It's interesting to hear his perspective on the
(23:07):
game and and and the new players. And you know,
I come from a completely different generation. So trying to
blend those two I think can be interesting. And so
far it's it's been fun, and I think we've we've
to your point. I think we've we've found a nice
balance there that it seems to be working pretty well.
Speaker 4 (23:28):
What advice would you give to a new hockey analyst
nate like myself, a rookie like myself.
Speaker 6 (23:36):
You know what, when I took the job, I said,
how hard can it be to talk about hockey? It's
it's all I've done my whole life. It's I knowed
hockey inside. Note I can smell a hockey player outside
the arena, you know.
Speaker 5 (23:48):
It's just it just comes naturally.
Speaker 6 (23:50):
I didn't anticipate how difficult the job was going to
be because of the constraints that are around it. At times,
you have to be able to articulate a point very
quickly and succinctly.
Speaker 5 (24:04):
Because you don't have a lot of time.
Speaker 6 (24:06):
I kept trying to give the background of why, the
cause and effect of why this happened, why this mistake happened,
why this goal will scored, And of course you can
go back, you know, ten fifteen twenty seconds about thirteen
mistakes that happened along the way to the big mistake
that eventually and you just don't have.
Speaker 5 (24:25):
Time for that.
Speaker 6 (24:26):
So you've got to really figure out what you want
to say, how you want to say it and then
but be able to deliver it, you know, very succinctly.
It's taken me. I'm only starting after this is my
fourth year. I'm only starting now to feel better about it.
Like I'm not going home after every show and wanting
to drive off the road because of.
Speaker 5 (24:49):
All the things that were.
Speaker 6 (24:50):
So obvious, you know, the fact it was so obvious
to me that I should have said this, I could
have said that. Why didn't I think of that? And
so now what I've really learned is I really got
to be instead of looking.
Speaker 5 (25:04):
At the the game from an ext no standpoint, I
got to what I'm trying to do is.
Speaker 6 (25:09):
Really understand what's going on in the game, the game
within the game, because I think that can be really
interesting and and you know, whether a team is being intimidated,
whether the team is being you know, their condition, whatever,
whatever the the the scenario may be. That's not the
obvious of just kind of talking about a goal that
(25:31):
was scored. I think there's a much deeper conversation to
have around it. So that's what I'm trying to bring
to it. So it's it's it's been fun, It's been
been the best decision I made in a long time.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
Well, I mean that feeling that you just described of
just you know, oh gosh, why didn't I say this
or that? I mean, I think that's always going to
be the case in broadcasting, right.
Speaker 3 (25:54):
It's it's never as good as you think it is.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
It's never as bad as you think it is, is
what I was told earlier on and then that has
been sort of the thing that has sort of kept
And I mean all of us have very high standards,
and especially for you yourself, you know, you're used to winning.
You used to winning it, holding a Stanley Cup. You
kind of feel like you want to do that within
your day to day life as a broadcaster. Now. You
have been very poignant with how you spoke about the
(26:20):
Rangers this year, and I really appreciated that as somebody
who is in the New York market, and I felt
sometimes maybe not necessarily, the media here were really I
don't know, saying what felt like it that needed to
be said, which was a communication, a cultural problem. You
talk about the game within the game, it was more
(26:41):
than just the players on the ice within the New
York Rangers team this year, and for me personally, I
was very surprised to see Chris Drury get an extension
based on how things went this year. What was your
response when Drury got an extension.
Speaker 6 (26:56):
Yeah, I think you know, when you look at the
New York Rangers, they won their President's Trophy last year.
Speaker 5 (27:02):
And they decided to make.
Speaker 6 (27:04):
Changes, which is perfectly in their right, whether they felt
they were good enough to ultimately win a Stanley Cup
or whatever, they thought they needed to make a change,
which is what teams do. It didn't seem to capture the.
Speaker 5 (27:20):
Effect that they were hoping for.
Speaker 6 (27:22):
You know, you think about the balance, like even the
best teams in the league, like Winnipeg or all the
teams that were at near the top this year, even
when things are going.
Speaker 5 (27:31):
Great, they're riding on the razors edge.
Speaker 6 (27:33):
The tipping point of falling off one way or another
is always right. There is so sensitive to keep that
harmony throughout a team for you know, six months and
keep everybody kind of happy. And there's always things that
are going on, you know, malcontent, you're not playing enough,
you're playing for a contract, you got problems at home.
(27:54):
I mean, there's a multitude of problems that you face
every day. To keep a team kind of focusing on
the task at hand. And the Rangers, which we've come
to realize now from their own words, not mine their
own words, is that there was a lot missing from
that perspective this year and for that they the team
(28:14):
suffered and they couldn't get it back on track. Because
once you lose that, it's very hard to bring it back.
Once you lose that spirit in the team, once you
lose that that uh, that that that encompassing kind of
feeling that you're playing for each other, and there's harmony
within the whole organization. I don't I don't ever remember
(28:35):
having success when there was discontent somewhere down the chain.
Whether you can be mad at your coach, Don't get
me wrong, everybody's mad at the coach at one time
or another for different periods, for whatever reason, throughout the
whole year. But you still have to respect your coach
and you still have to have enough respect for teammates
that you're going to go come to the rink every
day with the right attitude and and do your part
(28:57):
and and and figure that all out. So it's just
for for the Rangers. I can't speak for the Rangers
because I'm not there. I don't know what's going on.
I'm not on the inside. I know that one thing
that is important for a team, and that's to have
some kind of continuum, meaning.
Speaker 5 (29:17):
Not firing people all the time and bringing in new people.
Speaker 6 (29:21):
And you know, the chemistry that I've had in my
success was years in the making. To build that kind
of chemistry with my linemates, with the organization. You understand
each other, you have the same drive, you have the
same vision, and that takes a long time. If you
look at the two players with the Rangers that had
the most chemistry, Crier and Zimbanijeed.
Speaker 5 (29:43):
They played together.
Speaker 6 (29:44):
For years and that's one of the reasons why they
are great friends off the ice, but they also had
great chemistry on the ice. You don't get that when
you bring in new people year after year after year
after year. So you know, obviously mister Dolan and Jury
have a plan that they feel they're on the right
track of. It was maybe they thought they took a
(30:05):
step back this year to take two steps forward next year.
So we're gonna all have to wait and see. As
Ranger fans, we're just gonna have to wait and see
it all unfolds.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
That was you should be a politician as well. That
was a great answer to a difficult question, really really.
Speaker 2 (30:19):
Really good answer. So I'll give you another tough one.
Speaker 4 (30:21):
If what direction should the Rangers go in hiring a
new coach obviously Mike Sullivan became available today, what direction
should they do or what should they go?
Speaker 6 (30:30):
Well, I think I think that from the ownership to
the general manager to the coaching staff, that chain of
command has got to be.
Speaker 5 (30:38):
In my experience, maybe ninety four was a little bit
different there because there was a lot.
Speaker 6 (30:42):
Going on behind the scenes of ninety four, But ultimately,
ultimately what happened even in ninety four, it all came
together and we all got on the same page and
and everybody you know was pulling on the same rope.
So whoever they hire, I would think that mister Dolan,
mister Jury and the coach have to be aligned on
their philosophy of how they're going to actually try to win.
Speaker 5 (31:05):
A Stanley Cup. You have to have a plan.
Speaker 6 (31:07):
You're not You're not going to back into a Stanley
Cup if you don't have a distinct plan of what
you're trying to do and how you're trying to accomplish it.
And the players that you need in order to play
the way that you feel is important to win. Then
you're just throwing you know, darts and you don't know
where they're going to land. So I think that has
to be the first step is bringing in a coach
(31:29):
that's in complete alignment with the philosophy and and and
with with with the Rangers jury and mister Dolan, and
then from there they set the vision and then they
go up and fire and try to find the players
that can can carry it out. So I think that's
from my experiences, those are the teams that have that
have been or were successful having that kind of.
Speaker 1 (31:51):
Philosophy, right, everyone on the same page going together.
Speaker 3 (31:54):
Yeah, you can't back into a Stanley Cup. There's no way.
It's already hard enough to try to win one with teams.
Speaker 6 (32:02):
There's thirty two teams. I mean, it's not you don't
win because it's your turn, your your turn. You don't
win because you're you're a good guy and and you
know you're doing a lot of good things. You win
because you got a great plan that's executed flawlessy with
people that care and have and have pride and passion
of what they do and and they and everything else
other than family comes second.
Speaker 5 (32:22):
It's just it's just too hard if you don't have
all that.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
In place, yeah, or I mean usually just yeah, maybe
not even family that that also probably comes second at
this point. Okay, well, if I was playing, the Stanley
Cup will be coming second. Let's go to the fact
that you won a Stanley Cup in Game seven. We
got your for those out there, I'm wearing Mark swag.
He's got it on in Game seven. The whole philosophy
(32:48):
of Game seven perfect for you.
Speaker 3 (32:50):
I love that you did this.
Speaker 1 (32:51):
Can you tell us, like how the whole conception of
it is going?
Speaker 3 (32:56):
Right now?
Speaker 1 (32:56):
We know that you had documentaries, you have like a
whole ideology behind it. What do you want people to
really take away from, like the whole concept of what
you're doing?
Speaker 6 (33:07):
Well, I think Game seven is well. We say that
Game seven. Two greatest words in sports. Why is it
that when there's a Game seven on and you're not
necessarily a fan of the sport, or you're not necessarily
a fan of the team, but you're willing to go
watch it because of the consequence of the game. And
(33:29):
I think for me, when we had an opportunity to
grab the trademarks of Game seven.
Speaker 5 (33:37):
I thought that there was an opportunity, or we thought.
Speaker 6 (33:40):
There was an opportunity to build a brand around the
ethos of what is your Game seven.
Speaker 5 (33:45):
Moment in life?
Speaker 6 (33:46):
Because even if you're not a sport fan, there's certain
times in your life that you're going to be faced
with a decision that's going to alter the trajectory of
your life, either for the good or for the bad.
And you know, one of our partners, Danny DeVito, said,
you know his big Game seven moments when he went
in the auditioned for a taxi and he knew that
(34:06):
this was his opportunity.
Speaker 5 (34:08):
And they gave him the script and he went in
there in front of the casting crew and he tore
the script up and threw it back at him and
he goes, who wrote this shit? And they all.
Speaker 6 (34:17):
Started breaking out lap and they go, you're Louis to Palma.
And he got the part and it changes life. But
the night before that he was thinking about, this is
this is my opportunity. I got to figure out something
to do. And I think you know, in games, so
if you look at Game seven as as a life
altering you know moment not only in sport, but but
(34:38):
away from sport. We can we can ask everybody what
their Game seven moment is and.
Speaker 5 (34:42):
Build an aspirational, inspirational brand around that and.
Speaker 6 (34:46):
Help people and give them the people and give our
young boys and girls the tools to be able to
succeed in those pressurized moments when therese moments come up
to you in your life and you have the skill
set in order to not freeze, You're able to breathe, You're.
Speaker 5 (35:02):
Able to You're able to use your skill set that
you've worked your.
Speaker 6 (35:05):
Whole life on to have success because you have these
tools that are so important for success in those moments,
we feel that the brand is going to be centered
around that.
Speaker 5 (35:17):
We had to build a community, and to build a community.
Speaker 6 (35:19):
We did our five part docu series on Amazon Prime
called Game seven and they're amazing.
Speaker 5 (35:25):
Connorshell, you know from the Last Dance and thirty for
thirty did them for us. They're all incredibly compelling.
Speaker 6 (35:35):
And then from there we started with the swag and
just launched our NBA merch on Amazon on the Game
seven Shop, Game seven Store, and it's just been a
lot of fun. It's been a lot of fun building
a company from scratch, from a concept and bring it
into reality.
Speaker 5 (35:56):
It's been amazing.
Speaker 4 (35:57):
Actually we got to play together in that La charity game,
so I got to see dan ay to v know
and be around and be and be around uh you
know everybody. It was, it was it was incredible. How
did you get into partnership with Danny? How did that
relationship come about?
Speaker 6 (36:14):
Well, he's good friends with my partner, Isaac Shira, who's
a commercial real estate family in New York City. We
met through a charity years ago, years ago and became
very good friends. Two young guys came into Isaac's office
and asked him to invest in her company.
Speaker 5 (36:32):
He goes, what's your company?
Speaker 6 (36:33):
And he goes, well, we own Game seven, so I
and they had me on the cover of their pitch deck.
Speaker 5 (36:38):
So Isaac says, excuse me. So he came out and
phoned me. He goes, you know anything about these guys.
Speaker 6 (36:43):
And and I said no, I said, what do they want?
Speaker 5 (36:46):
They go, they want me to invest in the company.
Speaker 6 (36:48):
I go, well, if they owned the trademarks and and
all the IP around what they say they have, don't invest.
Let's buy the company. So that's what we did. We
bought the company and to your to your to your
point with Danny DeVito, Isaac was just casually talking about
Game seven because Danny's loves you know, he loves his sports,
(37:10):
but he's not necessarily a sportsman. He goes, well, I
had my own Game seven moment, and that's when he
told the sad story.
Speaker 5 (37:16):
Wow, and that kind.
Speaker 6 (37:17):
Of really kind of triggered the thought that everybody's got
a Game seven moment. So that's how the whole Danny
DeVito relationship, and then he invested in the company and
he's been a big proponent out in LA.
Speaker 5 (37:29):
And he's an amazing, amazing guy.
Speaker 3 (37:33):
That's incredible toap.
Speaker 1 (37:35):
I love the idea of everyone having a Game seven
moment because like that just, I mean, it gives me
shivers thinking about it. It's kind of like the idea
with the Olympics, right, where everything can kind of connect
to people's emotions to big decisions in their life, whether
they do something or not. And I think that by
taking something that is even just one game and making
(37:56):
it like a whole movement is just such a brilliant idea.
So that means that you can do so many things
beyond a game seven. Even like I was thinking, I
was like going to text you about it. I'm like, hey,
you got to do something on Canada USA women's hockey
like that rivalry.
Speaker 3 (38:14):
I think is Well, the.
Speaker 6 (38:16):
W n b A is going to a game seven
next year. We definitely want to get to the p
w h L. We got the n C Double A
the Super Bowls A game seven, Yes, any game that's
the finale, the n C Double, any different, you know,
the tournaments, the final four, the championship, there's so many
different ways. But also musicians, artists, dancers, everybody that that
(38:41):
is affiliated with it, with the team can tell their
story to help our boys and girls. And for me,
that's that proponent of the whole thing is probably the
most compelling to me of doing this is how do
we deliver this message? How do we talk to people
that have had that have been faced with these kinds
of situations and and excelled in these in these in
(39:05):
these critical moments.
Speaker 5 (39:06):
And if we can give those tools to our young
boys and girls.
Speaker 6 (39:11):
Through our lens, through content, through community, all the things
that we'll be doing through podcasts like this, I think
that is that that's a real win, and that's what
we're setting ourselves.
Speaker 5 (39:20):
Up to do.
Speaker 4 (39:21):
Okay, Mark, I'm asking this as a fan and not
as a former player. What is your favorite Game seven?
I think I know which one it is, And then
who is your Cup favorite?
Speaker 5 (39:31):
Played in nine game sevens and that was we We
won seven of them, lost two and the two that
we lost still sting again.
Speaker 6 (39:41):
I think, you know, I you know, we we beat
Philly in Game seven back in the in the eighties
with the Edmonton the ninety.
Speaker 5 (39:51):
Four Cup was just otherworldly on so many levels.
Speaker 6 (39:57):
The history, the team, how we got there, you know,
the final series, I mean Jersey, getting through New Jersey,
you know, getting coming home to you know, hoisted Stanley
Cup in Game five of the finals and only having
to go all the way back to Vancouver and getting
your asses kicked in game six and then you know,
(40:18):
two days off and now we got to regroup and wow,
are we still cursed? I mean this it was just
so epic, the energy around it. I don't know if
I'll ever be involved in something that magical, that big
(40:38):
in in some ways. I was at Game six last
year at Edmonton and it felt like that it was.
It was otherworldly in Edmonton. In game six last year,
but a Game seven. I have to say that Game
seven there was in ninety four is amazing. Who's going
to win the Cup this year? I thought Tampa? You know,
I didn't know if with Florida was you know, just
(41:01):
out of the odds that it team you can get
back there in this era three years in a row
was was concerning for me. And then with kud Chuck
being could he stay healthy because he's such a catalyst
for that team. And then they're playing against you know,
a really strong Tampa that that have rebuilt their defense
behind that goaltending and still got some incredible skill, and
(41:22):
then Florida comes out and just man handles man handles
them in the first game, and it's like, wait.
Speaker 5 (41:28):
What's going on?
Speaker 2 (41:29):
You know?
Speaker 5 (41:29):
I always I always they said who that at ESPN?
Who's who are you gonna pick this year? Who's your winners?
Speaker 6 (41:34):
And I go, well, New York and in in Edmonton
they go, well New York didn't make it, and I go,
it doesn't matter.
Speaker 5 (41:39):
I'm still picking.
Speaker 2 (41:40):
Them smart, So I'm still going to New York and
the Oilers.
Speaker 5 (41:46):
So every year I picked the two teams.
Speaker 3 (41:49):
I love it well. The Oilers. Then I guess you're
thinking that they're going to get past.
Speaker 5 (41:53):
La Absolutely well.
Speaker 6 (41:55):
I I think though, you know what I mean that
they made some changes this year from the team last year.
They're not the same team, so we'll see if they
can have the horsepower to get through four series.
Speaker 1 (42:07):
Yeah, okay, well, I noticed that you talked about a
lot of teams except for the Toronto my belief, so
I'm just going to make that as a personal joust
from you against the City of Toronto and Leafs fans.
Speaker 5 (42:17):
I actually like the Leafs this year. I think they're
playing a much more mature game. Their defense.
Speaker 6 (42:22):
They've rebuilt the defense and now all of a sudden
they have a very strong, big, experienced defense. Eckland Larson's
playing great, Tana's really Ben Weah. All of a sudden,
they got a defense that not only is big and strong,
but has some experience, and Stolars is playing well. You
mix that in with the pretty talented group up front
that's playing way more discipline than they ever have in
(42:44):
the last four or five years. Toronto actually has a
chance to come out of the East if they can
continue that and Stolars can really play that kind of
goal that we've seen them in that first round, which
would be unbelievable.
Speaker 5 (42:55):
So I'm not counting the Leafs out well.
Speaker 1 (42:57):
I mean, Mark, you just made me almost think right there,
and you said come out of the East totally banana sam,
which would that not be wild? And then leaf fans
expectations would be to win the Cup. So then no
one will be happy regardless of what happens. But very
kind words of you to say, we really appreciate you
taking the time here and just talking hockey, talking Game seven.
(43:19):
We know that you're such a busy guy. We know
that you got to be on air tonight, I believe,
or whenever. You guys are on air all.
Speaker 3 (43:25):
The time, I feel like.
Speaker 1 (43:26):
So for everyone out there, make sure you check out
Game seven on Amazon. The documentaries are great, especially the
one Rangers and Canucks watched it myself. I thought it
was one of the best documentaries I've ever seen. And
I'm not just saying that because Mark Messi is on
the show right now, but it was really, really good.
Speaker 3 (43:42):
So congratulations.
Speaker 5 (43:43):
The Red Sox. The Red Sox one, the Cleveland Indians
is unbelievable.
Speaker 6 (43:48):
The Yankees, Dirk newhiskey for Dallas, I mean, all five
are amazing, So I hope your listeners enjoy it.
Speaker 2 (43:54):
Thanks Mark again, really appreciate it. This is great.
Speaker 5 (43:56):
Here's everybody, Welcome back.
Speaker 3 (44:06):
To the Energy Line with Nate and JSB.
Speaker 1 (44:08):
And we've got a touch on the fact that Connor
Hallibuk seems to find himself under fire once again. We
thought that maybe he had chased the demons after going
up to nothing in the series against Saint Louis and
now has allowed like whatever, I don't know, one hundred
goals in the last two games. Sorry, we're not a
(44:28):
numbers podcast, as I've said, but Nate, here are here
are twelve?
Speaker 3 (44:32):
Yeah whatever, something like that.
Speaker 1 (44:34):
Okay, So here in the last thirteen playoff games, stats
provided by Bob Bender is that he has only won
three playoff games out of the last thirteen. He's allowed
four plus goals allowed in ten of his last thirteen games.
Speaker 3 (44:51):
Is Connor Hallibook maybe maybe.
Speaker 6 (44:55):
Not that good?
Speaker 2 (44:59):
I do not think that's the case.
Speaker 4 (45:00):
He was just nominated for the Vesida, he won almost
he's wanted numerous times, but obviously he has not.
Speaker 2 (45:08):
Wanted the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (45:09):
And I don't see and I watched all these goals
recently and I don't think this is all on Connor Hellibuk.
I think the Winnipeg Jets defense as a team has
not been great. They've been leaving him out to dry
a little bit. But at the end of the day,
if they lose this series, the spotlight is going to
be on Connor Hellibuok. And do I think there's a
(45:30):
little bit of a mental a mental thing going on
in his head.
Speaker 2 (45:33):
I think maybe there is.
Speaker 4 (45:34):
I mean, that's the only thing I can come up with,
because I think everyone else is thinking the same thing,
like why does this have a trend? Why does this
continue to happen every year? But I think if the
Winnipeg Jets play better defensively and Connor can somehow, you know,
have a simple game maybe I don't know, they have
to find a way to help each other out team
(45:55):
as a team defensively and Connor both of them as one.
Because you saw Scott Arneil come out and say he's like,
I am not. I have full confidence it's in Connor Hellibuck.
Speaker 2 (46:04):
I believe in one. And I think you have to.
Speaker 4 (46:08):
I mean, you can't even fathom or even come up
with the idea that Eric Comery can play in the
next game. I know that's been talked about, but that's absurd, absurd,
that's absurd. You cannot even go there, Like, it's Connor Hellibuck,
it's his net, it's his team, he's the best player.
Speaker 2 (46:23):
He might even win the Heart Trophy this year.
Speaker 1 (46:25):
So I mean, not now, maybe not right now, but
during the regular season, yes, they're a regular season, yes,
but I think they have to play better defensively.
Speaker 4 (46:35):
Obviously, you can't give up five five goals every single
game and expect to win hockey games, especially in the playoffs.
So if the Winnipeg Jets can bring down the goals
against and Connor Hellibuck can see the first shot and
go from there, I think the Winnipeg Jets are in
the driver's seat. They just have to reset going back
to Winnipeg. But obviously it's a lot easier said than done.
But this, this thing, this hopefully doesn't pick up steam.
(46:57):
And we're talking about Connor Hellibuck being the being the
problem again.
Speaker 1 (47:00):
Right, yeah, And so like if you're a guy in
the room for the Jets and you know that you
know that this is a storyline for Helbuck because it
has been, it was last year. But he also was
Team USA's goalie, like he's and he's you know, VESNA
finalists all this kind of stuff. Is this maybe like
a galvanizing thing for a team to be like, hey,
let's we're winning. We want to win these games for
(47:21):
our team and for our city, but we want to
also like help out our goalie here who's under like
immense pressure and like almost be this like galvanizing effect
for a team.
Speaker 2 (47:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (47:32):
I mean, if I'm Adam Lowery and I'm the cap
that I'm going guys, this is this is form Like
we have to fucking pick it up for him, Like
what are we doing here?
Speaker 2 (47:40):
You know, like that is something that he has to address.
I think Connor Hellibuck too. I played with Connor.
Speaker 4 (47:45):
Hillibuck in Winnipeg during the short and COVID season, and
he is a proud guy. He is a guy that
takes care of himself.
Speaker 2 (47:52):
You see his his pregame routine, he does his eye tracking. Yeah,
I mean, the guy is dialed. I mean, and you
know he's a proud guy.
Speaker 4 (47:58):
You know he's gonna he's gonna bounce back, and he's
he's gonna want to be the best player for the
Winnipeg Jets in that game against the Blues.
Speaker 1 (48:04):
Yeah, the video of him, like the eye tracking thing.
I was trying to think, like what in my life
would I be that? Like, like would I be a
dog to a treat with? You know, just like what
is that one thing that you just like can't keep
your Do you ever see the guys do that and
then do it yourself?
Speaker 2 (48:20):
I do not do that. No, I've never tried that.
Speaker 4 (48:23):
I probably should have, but I mean I never I
wasn't a goalie, so I usually where the goalies did
their own little pregame routine.
Speaker 2 (48:28):
You just kind of laugh, you watch your giggle. You
see what they do.
Speaker 4 (48:31):
They all have different routines and some are weirder than others,
and yeah, you go about your own business after that.
Speaker 1 (48:36):
I just don't know how they don't just zone out
at some points and be like WHOA, okay, right, well
here I am, you know, like just because mental lapses
in life. But their goalies in the NHL and the playoffs,
so they're obviously pretty good. And speaking though of a
team that's not in the playoffs, Pittsburgh Penguins, they mutually
part ways with head coach Mike Sullivan, who won two
Cups with them and also coached USA this year.
Speaker 3 (48:59):
Also Friend of the Show was on the energy line.
Speaker 1 (49:03):
And this guy knows how to coach, this guy knows
how to be a great order what team do you think,
like the sweepstakes for Sullivan, Like, where do you think
this guy could end up, not based on the team
needing him, but where he might even want to go.
Speaker 2 (49:18):
Well, I think it all adds up, does it.
Speaker 4 (49:19):
It's really I think it looks like it's the Rangers
that are probably gonna make the biggest pitch for him.
Speaker 2 (49:24):
I think it just makes the most sense. He was
the assistant coach there.
Speaker 4 (49:28):
At one point under Torts under Tortorella, you know, and
there is even a source that Tortorella was gonna.
Speaker 1 (49:33):
Come on is Yeah, what would you think of Tortorella
being the head coach Mike Sulvan being the assistant again.
Speaker 2 (49:39):
Well, I mean that's not gonna happen.
Speaker 3 (49:41):
I know, let's play around with dynamics, you know.
Speaker 4 (49:45):
But I mean I could see Mike Sullivan being the
head coach and Towrts being the assistant. Yeah, it seems
to me that that's the way this is setting up.
I mean, if I'm Chris Drury. I'm throwing everything I
can at Mike Sullivan to be the next head coach
the New York Rangers. I think that has to be
the move. I think it was the writing was on
the wall when Pitt's didn't bring him back. I think
it seems to be what's going to happen. I don't
(50:07):
know what else would for me. If there's any other
coach that the Rangers hire, it doesn't make sense for me.
If they're going to hire a coach, they got to
hire Mike Sullivan. They got to give him whatever he wants,
and they need to be on the same page with
him going to the new season.
Speaker 1 (50:21):
So that's what Mark Messi I just mentioned to us
too on the show. Everyone's got to be locked and loaded.
You're all in the foreman Bob said, together, you gotta
know what path you're on to the Stanley Cup, because
you can't back your way into it. And I think
with Mike Sullivan sort of cut you off on that
being available that probably maybe I don't know how much
they knew about him becoming available or not, but they
(50:43):
could have been heading in a very different direction hearing
some of the other not even Tortorella, but other candidates
potentially out there. But if you have a chance to
get Mike Sullivan, I think you just got to give
him a happy gil More big check blank and just
say write it in yourself whatever you want.
Speaker 4 (51:00):
Yeah, And I think Mike Sullivan's probably going to get
to cheer us where he wants to go. I would
imagine he's gonna have choices. But I think, I mean,
if you're Mike Sullivan getting to go in the same
division and step right over to New York and you know,
be the head coach inw York Rangers, it seems like
a pretty good, pretty good job offer Soon.
Speaker 1 (51:17):
What if he brought Sid with him, Julie, Julie, let's
just sprinkle.
Speaker 3 (51:27):
It out there and get little New York sports scene going.
Speaker 4 (51:31):
Not happening, there's no way, But I mean I think
that we'll see. I mean, who hires Who does Pittsburgh hire?
Now that's another that's.
Speaker 3 (51:38):
Another one, and like, yeah, what does what happens with Sid?
Speaker 2 (51:41):
Now? Too? Sid becomes player coach? They don't hire anybody.
Speaker 1 (51:44):
Oh yeah, Sid becomes Yeah, Sid becomes the coach of
the team, which he probably already was anyway, because he's
Sidney Crosby. All right, well, this has been a whole
lot of fun on this episode here. We have been
so pleased, so thankful, grateful to have Mark Messier join us.
I mean Mark mess Yeah, hey out with a couple
(52:05):
of Joe Browni's like us is a big, great deal.
We want to thank you, guys all for listening to
episode fourteen of The Energy Line with Nate and JSB.
Energy Line is a production of the NHL and iHeart podcasts.
Thank you to Mark Messi of course for joining us.
Thank you to Jake Brown for producing the show. And
subscribe to the show on Apple, Spotify or wherever you
get your podcasts, or listen on the iHeartRadio app. Give
(52:27):
us a five star rating. Please write in a nice review.
I'm Julie Sharp Binks.
Speaker 3 (52:31):
He's Nate Thompson. Nate and I will be at back
Friday reacting to the.
Speaker 1 (52:34):
First round of the playoffs, and I'm sure there's gonna
be a wild hoot nanny of storylines coming up this Friday,
so and a.
Speaker 3 (52:44):
Lot of series coming to an end.
Speaker 1 (52:45):
Thank you, guys so much for tuning into Energy Line,
and we'll chat with you in a few days. Energy
Line is the production of the NHL and iHeart Podcasts.
For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts,
or wherever you get your podcasts.
Energy Line is a production of the NHL and I
Heart podcasts.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Welcome back to.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
The Energy Line with Nate js B.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
I'm Juli stur Finks he's former NHL R Nate Thompson.
We have an incredible episode to start the week as
we have the legend Hall of Famer Mark Messier joining
us in a few minutes.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Can't believe we got Mark Mazziera.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
The show energy Line is a production of the NHL
and I Heart Podcasts and Nate. Speaking of Energy Line,
we have seen so much energy in the first round
of the playoffs, but none other than coming from the
Bell Center Montreal Canadians Le Belle Provence taking on the
Washington Capitals. Game three absolutely bananas, and then even in
(00:55):
Game four we saw a lot more of that because
of who Tom Wilson.
Speaker 4 (01:01):
Yeah, this place, I mean, this series has been electric.
It's been so physical. Montreal has i think has actually
matched Washington's physicality up until Tom Wilson ran over Carrier,
which was, oh my god, what a hit, Like this
guy just ran him over. He goes to the bench,
you see Josh Anderson trying to fight him and ensuing.
(01:22):
Right after that, Washington scores a goal, And honestly, I
think that hit. Sometimes hits like that can literally change
the momentum of the whole series or change the game.
And this is what Tom Wilson does. He's just he's
that unicorn that every old general manager in the league
would want this guy on their team. Everybody hates him.
Everyone doesn't want him to be on they don't want
(01:43):
to play against him. And when he's on the ice,
you have to be you have to be aware of him.
He's always around. He's like a he's like a shark
hunting on you, whether it's looking for the puck or
he's looking to put you in a body bag like
you did with Carrie. I mean, it's it's incredible the
impact he can have on a series. And he's doing
that and right now with this series.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
Right in Washington, Capitol's head coach Spencer Carbery said that
that really changed the momentum of the game.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
It was a turning point.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
That was in the third period of Game four when
they were tied and then they went on to the
Washington Capitals went on to win five to two.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
But like I mean, as a viewer.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
And you, of course as a guy who was on
the ice that you know would get physical and stuff.
I mean, how how does he even know where the
line is because it seems like he just goes like
he's a bull in a china shop no matter what,
and he doesn't ever seem to really get penalized a
whole lot.
Speaker 4 (02:36):
Well, I think he's gotten so much better over the years.
Obviously he's had his fair share of suspension. Yeah, I
had to tow the line. He's had to figure it out.
But I think Tom Wilson has figured out. And you know,
I've fought him once before, I've played against him a lot,
I've run into him a bunch of times. But he
is a guy that he's just like I said, he
really is a unicorn because the skill set he can
(02:57):
bring every single game, Like, if you want to skill
it up, he can skill it up. If you want
to fight, we know he can fight. If you want
to play physical, you know he can do that. And
he can play on your fourth line or he can
play on your first line. He can do so many
different things. And that's why Tom Wilson, I think, is
h He's working. He's worth every single penny, and the
Washington Capitals are happy to have this guy right.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
And he had the like he was like pantomiming hit
the tears. I love that.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
I think like that gamesmanship is a lot of fun.
And then also our producer Bob Bender just told us
that in them in the Bell Center, they have like
pictures of Tom Wilson in the urinals, which is like wild.
I think that gives Tom Wilson like so much more
bolts and board material.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
And Mo to just like just annihilate the halves.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
That's the best couple of it ever. Like someone is
peeking on my face.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
Then I'm thinking, all right, I'm doing something right, clearly right.
I mean, if it's he's got all of Montreal who
hates him, and he's just I mean, this guy is
this guy's been unbelievable. We have to give credit though
to the Canadians as well, because I don't think this
score was indicative of the game. I think it was
it was a very close game, and some of these
(04:10):
young guys from Montreal, like guys like debit Off and
Lane Hudson, Kaffield, Sefkowski, all these guys were so good
and had a huge impact on this game as well.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
I thought, right, and I think that, I mean, these
This was a team that got into the playoffs in
the last day, our last game of the regular season,
and they've had a carousel of goaltenders coming in and out,
but they've been able to really keep themselves in this
And like, what do you think now going forward? I know,
they go back to Washington and like it's a really
(04:41):
au pill battle for them, but you want to see
another game in the Bell Center. Do you think that
they have enough to be able to try to push
this one?
Speaker 2 (04:51):
I do, I really do. I think we.
Speaker 4 (04:53):
I think over the course of the series, you've seen
the maturity of the Montreal Canadians, Like you saw them
kind of a deer in the headlights in the first game,
and then as they've kind of gone on every single game,
they see to be getting better, maybe a little bit
more calm in certain situations where you know, for a
team in their first playoff series, you know, these are
things that you learned, Like I know over the course
of my career when I was playing, Like you know,
(05:14):
we played it against Pittsburgh in the first round of
my first ever playoff series and we were.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
Down three to one.
Speaker 4 (05:19):
Same thing, right, and there was a lot of young
of you a lot of young guys and we had
no idea. We just went, we went, we went about
the next game. Okay, we just got to win this
next game. That's all we got to worry about. Okay,
we just got to win this game. And the next thing,
you know, you're in a game seven, and we both
know anything can happen in a game seven. So and
to make point of that, we ended up did winning
that series. By the way, we were down three to
(05:39):
one and came back and won the series. So to
my point, I do think that Montreal definitely has what
it takes. Uh, it's just a matter of, like I said,
you just have to win that next game.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
That's it.
Speaker 4 (05:50):
Just we're the game and bring it back to the
Bell Center, please because we all want to see you that.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Okay, So last note on that you played with Martin
Saint Luis, who is the coach of the Montreal Canadians.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
What do you think he is saying in the.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Locker room to these guys to be able to try
to get it back to that Bell Center energy, just
keep it going.
Speaker 4 (06:09):
Well Marty, I mean he's he's probably telling them listen
and enjoy the moment, have fun. You only get so
many opportunities to do this, to come back from a
three to one deficit, like you're getting the opportunity to
do that.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
And I think he's saying the same thing.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
I think he's saying, Listen, we don't need to worry
about the other games. We need to worry about tonight's game,
and that's it. This game is the night. This is
the game we're going to worry about, and we'll move
on after that. I think he's I think you just
have to dumb it down. You have to simplify things
when you're down in a series like that. That's the
way you have to go about it, right.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
And they've been so close in so many different circumstances
and being able to win one at home put a
little bit of doubt into the Capital's minds, or at
least not doubt, but at least give themselves some motivation
to be able to keep going, keep the energy going.
So many different series have energy inside them around them,
and we're going to get into all of that coming
(07:02):
up with our guest, none other than Mark Messier. We
talk New York Rangers, his oilers, Mike Sullivan, maybe wherever
he's going to be going next and his company Game
seven with Danny DeVito also on board.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
That's coming up in just a matter of seconds. Stay tuned.
All right, Well, now we.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
Are so fortunate to be able to welcome in our
coolest guest by far so far on the Energy Line
with Natan jasb. And remember we've only done like eleven episodes,
so the bar is pretty low.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
But that is none.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
Other than Hall of famer, six times Stanley Cup champion
ESPN Broadcast. You're co founder of Game seven, none other
than Mark Messier. Mark, thank you so much for taking
the time to join us here to talk some hockey
and beyond, and got to give a shout out to
your company, Game seven. You and I are both wearing
the swag here, so we uh.
Speaker 5 (07:57):
Well have done, Julie, well done. You're wearing the brand.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
Well yeah, well, I wanted to just appease my audience
here and get you warmed up to talk about all
things hockey going on here, and we'll get to your
company in a seconds. We know that you've done so
much with that, but because this is the Energy Line,
that's Nate and I you know, were were the people
on the ice to get things going so far in
(08:20):
the first round of the playoffs, Like which series and
even maybe like which players or moments do you think
have had the most energy in your mind?
Speaker 5 (08:30):
Oh wow, you could do. That's a great question.
Speaker 6 (08:32):
You got to look at Saint Louis probably the hottest
team coming into the playoffs, playing the number one seed,
that when the President's Trophy and they're given Winnipeg all
kinds of trouble. They're playing with speed, they're getting great
goaltending obviously, you know, I think when you see a
team that's had to play that hard to get themselves
(08:53):
in position to make the playoffs.
Speaker 5 (08:54):
They went into the playoffs.
Speaker 6 (08:56):
With a lot of confidence, a lot of momentum, and
it's showing their speed is given the Winnipeg some problems.
You gotta love Montreal Montreal same thing. Fought hard to
get in, kind of battle hardened once the playoffs started,
and just a little inexperience showing. But got to love
what they've been able to do in the playoffs. But
(09:17):
did you look at you look at any series. Every
series had its own its own, you know, unique skill
set if you will.
Speaker 5 (09:26):
Florida Tampa, I mean look at it, Look at the
La Kings.
Speaker 6 (09:30):
I could go on and on and on, but no
shortage of storylines this playoffs so far.
Speaker 4 (09:35):
Let's get into your former team, Oilers and Kings. If
you're the captain for the Oilers or the Kings tied
to to heading to LA, what are you saying in
the room.
Speaker 6 (09:45):
Well, what's happened to this point doesn't matter whether it's
positive or negative. You know, I think both teams probably
think that they've let something or given something back. The
Oilers didn't play great at times in the playoffs, but
they found a way to get themselves to even a
series last night.
Speaker 5 (10:03):
For the Kings, they.
Speaker 6 (10:04):
Probably feel like they left a lot on the table
where they could have won those two games if they
would have executed down the stretch. But a little bit
of an experience with the Kings, you know, last couple
of games. So you know, if you're the captain, the
only thing that matters now is what's in front of me,
And take the rear view mirror off the car and
throw it out the window.
Speaker 5 (10:22):
It doesn't matter.
Speaker 6 (10:24):
Obviously you want to know and try to improve on
some things, but as far as feeling disappointment or feeling
overconfident or whatever, you know, the only thing you need
to concentrate on is the next game.
Speaker 5 (10:38):
And I think both captains are telling their.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
Team that, yeah, and if they aren't, they'll definitely be
clipping this from the show and having you be the
captain in the room to give them.
Speaker 5 (10:46):
That kind of that ship sailed a long time.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
Well, anything for bulletin board material, probably in the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
Is definitely out there.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
So we've seen so many players in the playoffs mark
like that maybe aren't even superstars, but that rise to
the occasion or they are the guy that is the
hero in the moment. I'm looking at Simon Benoasse for
the Leafs, But overall, there's so many great talents out there.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
If you were to be.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
Playing in these playoffs, and you cannot mention anyone from
the Edmonton Oilers, who.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
Would you want to be playing with on your line?
Speaker 5 (11:28):
Well, that's a great question.
Speaker 6 (11:30):
And I think about all of the role players that
were so instrumental on the Cup teams that I played on,
And of course it was always a coffee and Gretzky
and Leech and Richter and all the great players, and
they did play unbelievable, but it was always you know,
guys that the Kevin mcclellands of the world that scored
a huge goal in the nineteen eighty our first Cup
(11:50):
in nineteen eighty four to win one nothing. You know
in New York, you know Eddie Oldchicks and Gilbert's and Namchinov.
There are so many guys that played pivotal roles and
it's funny. You know, you win, and you know, you
create this unbelievable chemistry and synergy amongst the team, and
(12:11):
it always seems to be the guys in the bottom
six that are traded away because they feel that they're replaceable,
and those often are the guys that actually bring the
whole energy together.
Speaker 5 (12:22):
They're the glue guys.
Speaker 6 (12:23):
They're the guys that mean so much, and we know
that they're always forced and challenged with you know, how
can they be productive between six and ten minutes? And
that is the hardest thing in hockey in my opinion.
Other you know, obviously goaltending, but for those energy guys,
that to your point, between you and Nate, if you're
(12:46):
going to be energy players, we got to set the
ground rules right.
Speaker 5 (12:49):
How can you be productive in six to ten minutes
in a game? I mean, it's not a lot of
shifts per period, and that's a unique skill set. And
then you got to be a great character guy. You
got to be a great guy not only on the
ice and doing.
Speaker 6 (13:03):
Your job, but you've got to be a great role model,
you know, setting example and practice working hard. Those guys
are invaluable in the team success in my opinion, and
we're seeing that in this in this playoffs. Again, you
don't notice it as much during the regular season, but
you really notice it because you're only as strong as
(13:23):
your weakest link. And if you look going up and
down the rosters of all the teams, you've got to
be able to rely on everybody. The coach has to
be able to trust that when he puts a player
on the ice that he's going to do what's asked
of him. He's going to be where he's supposed to
be on the ice. He's not going to be undisciplined.
And so I put a lot I put high high
(13:44):
value on those energy guys, those glue guys, those bottom
six forwards that play a pivotal role in my experience.
Speaker 4 (13:50):
As a role player, Mark and being in this situation
of the playoffs, who do you see as the role
players that are jumping.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
Out to you.
Speaker 6 (13:57):
Vegas has has a very very strong team. They got
a lot of depth if you look at their bottom
six and and how big and strong they are, how
talented they're able to score goals.
Speaker 5 (14:11):
Saint Louis.
Speaker 6 (14:12):
I mean, I can't I just keep getting back to
Saint Louis there because of how well they're playing as
a team. I could go on and on and on
about the role, but you know the players that would
need a list in front of me now to kind
of really yea, try to talk about man.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
In Uh, well, let's let's go to Vegas.
Speaker 4 (14:32):
I mean, you have a guy and a former centerment
myself and you and you as a centerman, what were
things that you would do to get out of a
slump if you were slumping in the playoffs? Insert Jack Eichel.
Obviously he hasn't been scoring. He hasn't been, you know,
been the Jack Eckle that we're used to seeing. What
would you do to get out of a scoring slump?
Speaker 5 (14:48):
Well, you gotta get you know.
Speaker 6 (14:50):
One of the things that I thought was so impressive
in the Four Nations was watching the Americans and the
Canadians play, and the teams were so evenly matched that
it was hard for anybody to really dominate. And what
I really impressed me about it with McDavid in the
Four Nations was how patient he was with his game.
Speaker 5 (15:09):
You could really see the maturation of his game.
Speaker 6 (15:12):
He didn't get anxious, he didn't try to do too much,
he didn't overextend his shifts. He really stayed in himself
and he and he really played for the team.
Speaker 5 (15:27):
And that spoke volumes to.
Speaker 6 (15:29):
Me about where he's come in his own game as
far as learning how to win. And sure enough, when
it got to the most, when it really mattered most,
you know who got the chances in overtime Matthews for
the States and McDavid and McDavid finally got.
Speaker 5 (15:46):
The chance and he and he capitalized on it.
Speaker 6 (15:49):
But he didn't jeopardize a team by being, you know,
being getting frustrated, trying to do too much. And I
think if you look at Ico right now, obviously guys
like that, they're going to be paid attention to team's
game plan around players like Jack Icele. He's got to
stay he's got to stay patient, he's got to really
(16:10):
concentrate on the defensive end, not expose himself trying to
do too much offensively that he becomes a liability defensively.
Speaker 5 (16:19):
And then and then he's.
Speaker 6 (16:21):
Got to get to the maybe to the dirty areas.
You know, he's such an amazing talent skater. He can
play everywhere. He's big and strong. And if what has
been working for you in the past isn't working for
you now, maybe try to get inside a little more.
Maybe try to get some greasy goals, a deflection, something
that goes off your shin pad.
Speaker 5 (16:42):
Start hanging around that net a little bit more, and
I guarantee.
Speaker 6 (16:46):
The puck will pop up to you in the most
inopportune time or most opportune time, and.
Speaker 5 (16:51):
That can often be the difference of getting yourself going again.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
Oh, Mark, I appreciate you bringing up the Four Nations
and of course Canada winning that tournament, because we like
to discuss that here and it's obviously American.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
Well I'm also both Canadian American. But like Team Canada.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
Won that one, okay, so John Cooper of course Team
Canada head coach, and we saw him and Paul Maurice.
You know, they kind of have their their battle of
the words. Let's just say like they're both very well spoken.
They both really know how to They know how to
talk to the media and have great responses to stuff.
(17:28):
And both of them have sort of gone back and
forth in terms of, you know, hitting guys when they
have the puck.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
When you played, did you ever notice coaches.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
Maybe going at one another, not necessarily on the ice,
but I don't know, maybe off the ice or in
the media, or just sort of like that other type
of gamesmanship.
Speaker 5 (17:48):
I think what you're talking about is the psychological warfare
that happens in amongst us a series, and it happens
on the ice with the players, but it also happens
with the coaches. And words matter in the playoffs. Words
matter in a playoff series.
Speaker 6 (18:02):
Everybody's UH has acessibility to the press, conferences, to the
words that are being spoken in the press, UH, including
the referees and everybody else around the league. And there
are subliminal ways of messaging and getting your point across
without overstepping the boundaries. UH and and I think it
(18:26):
all matters. And those are two of the best of
the guys.
Speaker 5 (18:30):
In in our league.
Speaker 6 (18:32):
Anyways of you know, talking to the media, getting their
point across, their words that they're talking to the media
are also being listened to by their players, and so
there's a lot of different ways to message everybody, and
that psychological warfare is not to be taken lightly. On
your quest to a Stanley Cup, you're basically trying to
(18:54):
pick the will away of your team of four different
teams over you know, for seven game series, and you've
got to kill the will, as they say, and you.
Speaker 5 (19:05):
Got to make sure that things are trending in your direction.
You got to be.
Speaker 6 (19:08):
Making sure that the calls if there are a fifty
to fifty mic balance towards you. I mean, you don't
leave anything for not in your pursuit of a Stanley Cup.
And what we're seeing with those two coaches, there are
a lot of experience getting their messages across in many
different ways.
Speaker 4 (19:29):
Speaking of coaches, Mark, did Mike Keaton ever have any
good sayings or any good wars when you were playing
for him?
Speaker 5 (19:36):
Oh? Yeah, Mike was great.
Speaker 6 (19:37):
Mike was a master at keeping his teams on their toes.
He didn't let anybody relax. And as you know, it's
human nature to take the easy way out. It's a
human nature to look for the easy road. But you know,
Mike was a guy that was able to keep his teams,
you know, focused. He did play a lot with the media.
(20:01):
I remember we were on a losing streak and in
New York and there was a lot of chatter about
this trade, this trade, fire, the coach, do this, do that,
and and he had a press conference one day and
he thought it might be a good idea to bring
Dennis Potman to the UH, to the Rangers to help
us out and of course anybody.
Speaker 5 (20:21):
All they could talk about for the next two weeks.
Speaker 6 (20:23):
While we're in a losing streak was bringing Dennis Potman
to the Rangers and took the focus in off of
what was happening to we got our traction again and
started winning some games.
Speaker 5 (20:34):
So there's a lot of ways to UH to UH.
You know it.
Speaker 6 (20:38):
You're you're shepherding a lot as a head coach, a
general manager. There's a lot of nuances to it, a
lot of subtleties UH and they're all really important.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
Well, speaking of Mike Keenan, I know that when I
met him, he said that when he played for the
University of Toronto, he would memorize the Queen's University chant
that they would say and then go over to their
bench and say it to them just to sort of
get in their heads. So I love that I found
that was I love the psychological warfare. I think that
that's such an interesting game to be able to play.
(21:09):
And there's more about that, even just in warm ups,
I think is fascinating too and getting into guy's heads.
And both of you guys can speak to that. But
we have to take a quick time out here on
the Energy Line with Natan JSB. We'll have more with
Mark Messier coming up after the short break. We're back
(21:34):
here on the Energy Line with Nayton jsp and of
course with Hockey Hall of Famer Mark Messier, who's so
kind to be giving us his time here today.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
You're a broadcaster.
Speaker 1 (21:42):
Now you're a big jay journalist on ESPN covering everything,
and you and PK Suban have developed, you know, such
a unique partnership. And I still will always to this
day love the video of you chasing him around the
studio with the Stanley Cup because it was perfect because
(22:03):
he never won a cup.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
You've won six.
Speaker 1 (22:05):
You guys, you know, couldn't be more different in so
many ways, but you've come together and created this partnership.
Speaker 3 (22:11):
What is it about.
Speaker 1 (22:12):
Maybe your chemistry that you think sticks out and works.
Speaker 6 (22:16):
When I got to ESPN, it occurred to me that,
you know, we are a team. We we got to
figure out the way to become a team. We got
to figure out a way what works the chemistry, how
we work together, how we can anticipate each other, how
we can you know, look at a game and and
try to decode it and bring something interesting into the intermissions.
Speaker 5 (22:39):
And for me, that's been really fun. It's it's what
I love to do, it's what I live for.
Speaker 6 (22:44):
It's what I played twenty six years, is trying to
find that balance and that harmony within the team, and
you know, the galvanization that happens. And to your point,
p K and I are doing great, and and Steve's
been you know, the guy that you know brings it
all together for us. But you know, we're from two
different generations. It's interesting to hear his perspective on the
(23:07):
game and and and the new players. And you know,
I come from a completely different generation. So trying to
blend those two I think can be interesting. And so
far it's it's been fun, and I think we've we've
to your point. I think we've we've found a nice
balance there that it seems to be working pretty well.
Speaker 4 (23:28):
What advice would you give to a new hockey analyst
nate like myself, a rookie like myself.
Speaker 6 (23:36):
You know what, when I took the job, I said,
how hard can it be to talk about hockey? It's
it's all I've done my whole life. It's I knowed
hockey inside. Note I can smell a hockey player outside
the arena, you know.
Speaker 5 (23:48):
It's just it just comes naturally.
Speaker 6 (23:50):
I didn't anticipate how difficult the job was going to
be because of the constraints that are around it. At times,
you have to be able to articulate a point very
quickly and succinctly.
Speaker 5 (24:04):
Because you don't have a lot of time.
Speaker 6 (24:06):
I kept trying to give the background of why, the
cause and effect of why this happened, why this mistake happened,
why this goal will scored, And of course you can
go back, you know, ten fifteen twenty seconds about thirteen
mistakes that happened along the way to the big mistake
that eventually and you just don't have.
Speaker 5 (24:25):
Time for that.
Speaker 6 (24:26):
So you've got to really figure out what you want
to say, how you want to say it and then
but be able to deliver it, you know, very succinctly.
It's taken me. I'm only starting after this is my
fourth year. I'm only starting now to feel better about it.
Like I'm not going home after every show and wanting
to drive off the road because of.
Speaker 5 (24:49):
All the things that were.
Speaker 6 (24:50):
So obvious, you know, the fact it was so obvious
to me that I should have said this, I could
have said that. Why didn't I think of that? And
so now what I've really learned is I really got
to be instead of looking.
Speaker 5 (25:04):
At the the game from an ext no standpoint, I
got to what I'm trying to do is.
Speaker 6 (25:09):
Really understand what's going on in the game, the game
within the game, because I think that can be really
interesting and and you know, whether a team is being intimidated,
whether the team is being you know, their condition, whatever,
whatever the the the scenario may be. That's not the
obvious of just kind of talking about a goal that
(25:31):
was scored. I think there's a much deeper conversation to
have around it. So that's what I'm trying to bring
to it. So it's it's it's been fun, It's been
been the best decision I made in a long time.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
Well, I mean that feeling that you just described of
just you know, oh gosh, why didn't I say this
or that? I mean, I think that's always going to
be the case in broadcasting, right.
Speaker 3 (25:54):
It's it's never as good as you think it is.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
It's never as bad as you think it is, is
what I was told earlier on and then that has
been sort of the thing that has sort of kept
And I mean all of us have very high standards,
and especially for you yourself, you know, you're used to winning.
You used to winning it, holding a Stanley Cup. You
kind of feel like you want to do that within
your day to day life as a broadcaster. Now. You
have been very poignant with how you spoke about the
(26:20):
Rangers this year, and I really appreciated that as somebody
who is in the New York market, and I felt
sometimes maybe not necessarily, the media here were really I
don't know, saying what felt like it that needed to
be said, which was a communication, a cultural problem. You
talk about the game within the game, it was more
(26:41):
than just the players on the ice within the New
York Rangers team this year, and for me personally, I
was very surprised to see Chris Drury get an extension
based on how things went this year. What was your
response when Drury got an extension.
Speaker 6 (26:56):
Yeah, I think you know, when you look at the
New York Rangers, they won their President's Trophy last year.
Speaker 5 (27:02):
And they decided to make.
Speaker 6 (27:04):
Changes, which is perfectly in their right, whether they felt
they were good enough to ultimately win a Stanley Cup
or whatever, they thought they needed to make a change,
which is what teams do. It didn't seem to capture the.
Speaker 5 (27:20):
Effect that they were hoping for.
Speaker 6 (27:22):
You know, you think about the balance, like even the
best teams in the league, like Winnipeg or all the
teams that were at near the top this year, even
when things are going.
Speaker 5 (27:31):
Great, they're riding on the razors edge.
Speaker 6 (27:33):
The tipping point of falling off one way or another
is always right. There is so sensitive to keep that
harmony throughout a team for you know, six months and
keep everybody kind of happy. And there's always things that
are going on, you know, malcontent, you're not playing enough,
you're playing for a contract, you got problems at home.
(27:54):
I mean, there's a multitude of problems that you face
every day. To keep a team kind of focusing on
the task at hand. And the Rangers, which we've come
to realize now from their own words, not mine their
own words, is that there was a lot missing from
that perspective this year and for that they the team
(28:14):
suffered and they couldn't get it back on track. Because
once you lose that, it's very hard to bring it back.
Once you lose that spirit in the team, once you
lose that that uh, that that that encompassing kind of
feeling that you're playing for each other, and there's harmony
within the whole organization. I don't I don't ever remember
(28:35):
having success when there was discontent somewhere down the chain.
Whether you can be mad at your coach, Don't get
me wrong, everybody's mad at the coach at one time
or another for different periods, for whatever reason, throughout the
whole year. But you still have to respect your coach
and you still have to have enough respect for teammates
that you're going to go come to the rink every
day with the right attitude and and do your part
(28:57):
and and and figure that all out. So it's just
for for the Rangers. I can't speak for the Rangers
because I'm not there. I don't know what's going on.
I'm not on the inside. I know that one thing
that is important for a team, and that's to have
some kind of continuum, meaning.
Speaker 5 (29:17):
Not firing people all the time and bringing in new people.
Speaker 6 (29:21):
And you know, the chemistry that I've had in my
success was years in the making. To build that kind
of chemistry with my linemates, with the organization. You understand
each other, you have the same drive, you have the
same vision, and that takes a long time. If you
look at the two players with the Rangers that had
the most chemistry, Crier and Zimbanijeed.
Speaker 5 (29:43):
They played together.
Speaker 6 (29:44):
For years and that's one of the reasons why they
are great friends off the ice, but they also had
great chemistry on the ice. You don't get that when
you bring in new people year after year after year
after year. So you know, obviously mister Dolan and Jury
have a plan that they feel they're on the right
track of. It was maybe they thought they took a
(30:05):
step back this year to take two steps forward next year.
So we're gonna all have to wait and see. As
Ranger fans, we're just gonna have to wait and see
it all unfolds.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
That was you should be a politician as well. That
was a great answer to a difficult question, really really.
Speaker 2 (30:19):
Really good answer. So I'll give you another tough one.
Speaker 4 (30:21):
If what direction should the Rangers go in hiring a
new coach obviously Mike Sullivan became available today, what direction
should they do or what should they go?
Speaker 6 (30:30):
Well, I think I think that from the ownership to
the general manager to the coaching staff, that chain of
command has got to be.
Speaker 5 (30:38):
In my experience, maybe ninety four was a little bit
different there because there was a lot.
Speaker 6 (30:42):
Going on behind the scenes of ninety four, But ultimately,
ultimately what happened even in ninety four, it all came
together and we all got on the same page and
and everybody you know was pulling on the same rope.
So whoever they hire, I would think that mister Dolan,
mister Jury and the coach have to be aligned on
their philosophy of how they're going to actually try to win.
Speaker 5 (31:05):
A Stanley Cup. You have to have a plan.
Speaker 6 (31:07):
You're not You're not going to back into a Stanley
Cup if you don't have a distinct plan of what
you're trying to do and how you're trying to accomplish it.
And the players that you need in order to play
the way that you feel is important to win. Then
you're just throwing you know, darts and you don't know
where they're going to land. So I think that has
to be the first step is bringing in a coach
(31:29):
that's in complete alignment with the philosophy and and and
with with with the Rangers jury and mister Dolan, and
then from there they set the vision and then they
go up and fire and try to find the players
that can can carry it out. So I think that's
from my experiences, those are the teams that have that
have been or were successful having that kind of.
Speaker 1 (31:51):
Philosophy, right, everyone on the same page going together.
Speaker 3 (31:54):
Yeah, you can't back into a Stanley Cup. There's no way.
It's already hard enough to try to win one with teams.
Speaker 6 (32:02):
There's thirty two teams. I mean, it's not you don't
win because it's your turn, your your turn. You don't
win because you're you're a good guy and and you
know you're doing a lot of good things. You win
because you got a great plan that's executed flawlessy with
people that care and have and have pride and passion
of what they do and and they and everything else
other than family comes second.
Speaker 5 (32:22):
It's just it's just too hard if you don't have
all that.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
In place, yeah, or I mean usually just yeah, maybe
not even family that that also probably comes second at
this point. Okay, well, if I was playing, the Stanley
Cup will be coming second. Let's go to the fact
that you won a Stanley Cup in Game seven. We
got your for those out there, I'm wearing Mark swag.
He's got it on in Game seven. The whole philosophy
(32:48):
of Game seven perfect for you.
Speaker 3 (32:50):
I love that you did this.
Speaker 1 (32:51):
Can you tell us, like how the whole conception of
it is going?
Speaker 3 (32:56):
Right now?
Speaker 1 (32:56):
We know that you had documentaries, you have like a
whole ideology behind it. What do you want people to
really take away from, like the whole concept of what
you're doing?
Speaker 6 (33:07):
Well, I think Game seven is well. We say that
Game seven. Two greatest words in sports. Why is it
that when there's a Game seven on and you're not
necessarily a fan of the sport, or you're not necessarily
a fan of the team, but you're willing to go
watch it because of the consequence of the game. And
(33:29):
I think for me, when we had an opportunity to
grab the trademarks of Game seven.
Speaker 5 (33:37):
I thought that there was an opportunity, or we thought.
Speaker 6 (33:40):
There was an opportunity to build a brand around the
ethos of what is your Game seven.
Speaker 5 (33:45):
Moment in life?
Speaker 6 (33:46):
Because even if you're not a sport fan, there's certain
times in your life that you're going to be faced
with a decision that's going to alter the trajectory of
your life, either for the good or for the bad.
And you know, one of our partners, Danny DeVito, said,
you know his big Game seven moments when he went
in the auditioned for a taxi and he knew that
(34:06):
this was his opportunity.
Speaker 5 (34:08):
And they gave him the script and he went in
there in front of the casting crew and he tore
the script up and threw it back at him and
he goes, who wrote this shit? And they all.
Speaker 6 (34:17):
Started breaking out lap and they go, you're Louis to Palma.
And he got the part and it changes life. But
the night before that he was thinking about, this is
this is my opportunity. I got to figure out something
to do. And I think you know, in games, so
if you look at Game seven as as a life
altering you know moment not only in sport, but but
(34:38):
away from sport. We can we can ask everybody what
their Game seven moment is and.
Speaker 5 (34:42):
Build an aspirational, inspirational brand around that and.
Speaker 6 (34:46):
Help people and give them the people and give our
young boys and girls the tools to be able to
succeed in those pressurized moments when therese moments come up
to you in your life and you have the skill
set in order to not freeze, You're able to breathe, You're.
Speaker 5 (35:02):
Able to You're able to use your skill set that
you've worked your.
Speaker 6 (35:05):
Whole life on to have success because you have these
tools that are so important for success in those moments,
we feel that the brand is going to be centered
around that.
Speaker 5 (35:17):
We had to build a community, and to build a community.
Speaker 6 (35:19):
We did our five part docu series on Amazon Prime
called Game seven and they're amazing.
Speaker 5 (35:25):
Connorshell, you know from the Last Dance and thirty for
thirty did them for us. They're all incredibly compelling.
Speaker 6 (35:35):
And then from there we started with the swag and
just launched our NBA merch on Amazon on the Game
seven Shop, Game seven Store, and it's just been a
lot of fun. It's been a lot of fun building
a company from scratch, from a concept and bring it
into reality.
Speaker 5 (35:56):
It's been amazing.
Speaker 4 (35:57):
Actually we got to play together in that La charity game,
so I got to see dan ay to v know
and be around and be and be around uh you
know everybody. It was, it was it was incredible. How
did you get into partnership with Danny? How did that
relationship come about?
Speaker 6 (36:14):
Well, he's good friends with my partner, Isaac Shira, who's
a commercial real estate family in New York City. We
met through a charity years ago, years ago and became
very good friends. Two young guys came into Isaac's office
and asked him to invest in her company.
Speaker 5 (36:32):
He goes, what's your company?
Speaker 6 (36:33):
And he goes, well, we own Game seven, so I
and they had me on the cover of their pitch deck.
Speaker 5 (36:38):
So Isaac says, excuse me. So he came out and
phoned me. He goes, you know anything about these guys.
Speaker 6 (36:43):
And and I said no, I said, what do they want?
Speaker 5 (36:46):
They go, they want me to invest in the company.
Speaker 6 (36:48):
I go, well, if they owned the trademarks and and
all the IP around what they say they have, don't invest.
Let's buy the company. So that's what we did. We
bought the company and to your to your to your
point with Danny DeVito, Isaac was just casually talking about
Game seven because Danny's loves you know, he loves his sports,
(37:10):
but he's not necessarily a sportsman. He goes, well, I
had my own Game seven moment, and that's when he
told the sad story.
Speaker 5 (37:16):
Wow, and that kind.
Speaker 6 (37:17):
Of really kind of triggered the thought that everybody's got
a Game seven moment. So that's how the whole Danny
DeVito relationship, and then he invested in the company and
he's been a big proponent out in LA.
Speaker 5 (37:29):
And he's an amazing, amazing guy.
Speaker 3 (37:33):
That's incredible toap.
Speaker 1 (37:35):
I love the idea of everyone having a Game seven
moment because like that just, I mean, it gives me
shivers thinking about it. It's kind of like the idea
with the Olympics, right, where everything can kind of connect
to people's emotions to big decisions in their life, whether
they do something or not. And I think that by
taking something that is even just one game and making
(37:56):
it like a whole movement is just such a brilliant idea.
So that means that you can do so many things
beyond a game seven. Even like I was thinking, I
was like going to text you about it. I'm like, hey,
you got to do something on Canada USA women's hockey
like that rivalry.
Speaker 3 (38:14):
I think is Well, the.
Speaker 6 (38:16):
W n b A is going to a game seven
next year. We definitely want to get to the p
w h L. We got the n C Double A
the Super Bowls A game seven, Yes, any game that's
the finale, the n C Double, any different, you know,
the tournaments, the final four, the championship, there's so many
different ways. But also musicians, artists, dancers, everybody that that
(38:41):
is affiliated with it, with the team can tell their
story to help our boys and girls. And for me,
that's that proponent of the whole thing is probably the
most compelling to me of doing this is how do
we deliver this message? How do we talk to people
that have had that have been faced with these kinds
of situations and and excelled in these in these in
(39:05):
these critical moments.
Speaker 5 (39:06):
And if we can give those tools to our young
boys and girls.
Speaker 6 (39:11):
Through our lens, through content, through community, all the things
that we'll be doing through podcasts like this, I think
that is that that's a real win, and that's what
we're setting ourselves.
Speaker 5 (39:20):
Up to do.
Speaker 4 (39:21):
Okay, Mark, I'm asking this as a fan and not
as a former player. What is your favorite Game seven?
I think I know which one it is, And then
who is your Cup favorite?
Speaker 5 (39:31):
Played in nine game sevens and that was we We
won seven of them, lost two and the two that
we lost still sting again.
Speaker 6 (39:41):
I think, you know, I you know, we we beat
Philly in Game seven back in the in the eighties
with the Edmonton the ninety.
Speaker 5 (39:51):
Four Cup was just otherworldly on so many levels.
Speaker 6 (39:57):
The history, the team, how we got there, you know,
the final series, I mean Jersey, getting through New Jersey,
you know, getting coming home to you know, hoisted Stanley
Cup in Game five of the finals and only having
to go all the way back to Vancouver and getting
your asses kicked in game six and then you know,
(40:18):
two days off and now we got to regroup and wow,
are we still cursed? I mean this it was just
so epic, the energy around it. I don't know if
I'll ever be involved in something that magical, that big
(40:38):
in in some ways. I was at Game six last
year at Edmonton and it felt like that it was.
It was otherworldly in Edmonton. In game six last year,
but a Game seven. I have to say that Game
seven there was in ninety four is amazing. Who's going
to win the Cup this year? I thought Tampa? You know,
I didn't know if with Florida was you know, just
(41:01):
out of the odds that it team you can get
back there in this era three years in a row
was was concerning for me. And then with kud Chuck
being could he stay healthy because he's such a catalyst
for that team. And then they're playing against you know,
a really strong Tampa that that have rebuilt their defense
behind that goaltending and still got some incredible skill, and
(41:22):
then Florida comes out and just man handles man handles
them in the first game, and it's like, wait.
Speaker 5 (41:28):
What's going on?
Speaker 2 (41:29):
You know?
Speaker 5 (41:29):
I always I always they said who that at ESPN?
Who's who are you gonna pick this year? Who's your winners?
Speaker 6 (41:34):
And I go, well, New York and in in Edmonton
they go, well New York didn't make it, and I go,
it doesn't matter.
Speaker 5 (41:39):
I'm still picking.
Speaker 2 (41:40):
Them smart, So I'm still going to New York and
the Oilers.
Speaker 5 (41:46):
So every year I picked the two teams.
Speaker 3 (41:49):
I love it well. The Oilers. Then I guess you're
thinking that they're going to get past.
Speaker 5 (41:53):
La Absolutely well.
Speaker 6 (41:55):
I I think though, you know what I mean that
they made some changes this year from the team last year.
They're not the same team, so we'll see if they
can have the horsepower to get through four series.
Speaker 1 (42:07):
Yeah, okay, well, I noticed that you talked about a
lot of teams except for the Toronto my belief, so
I'm just going to make that as a personal joust
from you against the City of Toronto and Leafs fans.
Speaker 5 (42:17):
I actually like the Leafs this year. I think they're
playing a much more mature game. Their defense.
Speaker 6 (42:22):
They've rebuilt the defense and now all of a sudden
they have a very strong, big, experienced defense. Eckland Larson's
playing great, Tana's really Ben Weah. All of a sudden,
they got a defense that not only is big and strong,
but has some experience, and Stolars is playing well. You
mix that in with the pretty talented group up front
that's playing way more discipline than they ever have in
(42:44):
the last four or five years. Toronto actually has a
chance to come out of the East if they can
continue that and Stolars can really play that kind of
goal that we've seen them in that first round, which
would be unbelievable.
Speaker 5 (42:55):
So I'm not counting the Leafs out well.
Speaker 1 (42:57):
I mean, Mark, you just made me almost think right there,
and you said come out of the East totally banana sam,
which would that not be wild? And then leaf fans
expectations would be to win the Cup. So then no
one will be happy regardless of what happens. But very
kind words of you to say, we really appreciate you
taking the time here and just talking hockey, talking Game seven.
(43:19):
We know that you're such a busy guy. We know
that you got to be on air tonight, I believe,
or whenever. You guys are on air all.
Speaker 3 (43:25):
The time, I feel like.
Speaker 1 (43:26):
So for everyone out there, make sure you check out
Game seven on Amazon. The documentaries are great, especially the
one Rangers and Canucks watched it myself. I thought it
was one of the best documentaries I've ever seen. And
I'm not just saying that because Mark Messi is on
the show right now, but it was really, really good.
Speaker 3 (43:42):
So congratulations.
Speaker 5 (43:43):
The Red Sox. The Red Sox one, the Cleveland Indians
is unbelievable.
Speaker 6 (43:48):
The Yankees, Dirk newhiskey for Dallas, I mean, all five
are amazing, So I hope your listeners enjoy it.
Speaker 2 (43:54):
Thanks Mark again, really appreciate it. This is great.
Speaker 5 (43:56):
Here's everybody, Welcome back.
Speaker 3 (44:06):
To the Energy Line with Nate and JSB.
Speaker 1 (44:08):
And we've got a touch on the fact that Connor
Hallibuk seems to find himself under fire once again. We
thought that maybe he had chased the demons after going
up to nothing in the series against Saint Louis and
now has allowed like whatever, I don't know, one hundred
goals in the last two games. Sorry, we're not a
(44:28):
numbers podcast, as I've said, but Nate, here are here
are twelve?
Speaker 3 (44:32):
Yeah whatever, something like that.
Speaker 1 (44:34):
Okay, So here in the last thirteen playoff games, stats
provided by Bob Bender is that he has only won
three playoff games out of the last thirteen. He's allowed
four plus goals allowed in ten of his last thirteen games.
Speaker 3 (44:51):
Is Connor Hallibook maybe maybe.
Speaker 6 (44:55):
Not that good?
Speaker 2 (44:59):
I do not think that's the case.
Speaker 4 (45:00):
He was just nominated for the Vesida, he won almost
he's wanted numerous times, but obviously he has not.
Speaker 2 (45:08):
Wanted the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (45:09):
And I don't see and I watched all these goals
recently and I don't think this is all on Connor Hellibuk.
I think the Winnipeg Jets defense as a team has
not been great. They've been leaving him out to dry
a little bit. But at the end of the day,
if they lose this series, the spotlight is going to
be on Connor Hellibuok. And do I think there's a
(45:30):
little bit of a mental a mental thing going on
in his head.
Speaker 2 (45:33):
I think maybe there is.
Speaker 4 (45:34):
I mean, that's the only thing I can come up with,
because I think everyone else is thinking the same thing,
like why does this have a trend? Why does this
continue to happen every year? But I think if the
Winnipeg Jets play better defensively and Connor can somehow, you know,
have a simple game maybe I don't know, they have
to find a way to help each other out team
(45:55):
as a team defensively and Connor both of them as one.
Because you saw Scott Arneil come out and say he's like,
I am not. I have full confidence it's in Connor Hellibuck.
Speaker 2 (46:04):
I believe in one. And I think you have to.
Speaker 4 (46:08):
I mean, you can't even fathom or even come up
with the idea that Eric Comery can play in the
next game. I know that's been talked about, but that's absurd, absurd,
that's absurd. You cannot even go there, Like, it's Connor Hellibuck,
it's his net, it's his team, he's the best player.
Speaker 2 (46:23):
He might even win the Heart Trophy this year.
Speaker 1 (46:25):
So I mean, not now, maybe not right now, but
during the regular season, yes, they're a regular season, yes,
but I think they have to play better defensively.
Speaker 4 (46:35):
Obviously, you can't give up five five goals every single
game and expect to win hockey games, especially in the playoffs.
So if the Winnipeg Jets can bring down the goals
against and Connor Hellibuck can see the first shot and
go from there, I think the Winnipeg Jets are in
the driver's seat. They just have to reset going back
to Winnipeg. But obviously it's a lot easier said than done.
But this, this thing, this hopefully doesn't pick up steam.
(46:57):
And we're talking about Connor Hellibuck being the being the
problem again.
Speaker 1 (47:00):
Right, yeah, And so like if you're a guy in
the room for the Jets and you know that you
know that this is a storyline for Helbuck because it
has been, it was last year. But he also was
Team USA's goalie, like he's and he's you know, VESNA
finalists all this kind of stuff. Is this maybe like
a galvanizing thing for a team to be like, hey,
let's we're winning. We want to win these games for
(47:21):
our team and for our city, but we want to
also like help out our goalie here who's under like
immense pressure and like almost be this like galvanizing effect
for a team.
Speaker 2 (47:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (47:32):
I mean, if I'm Adam Lowery and I'm the cap
that I'm going guys, this is this is form Like
we have to fucking pick it up for him, Like
what are we doing here?
Speaker 2 (47:40):
You know, like that is something that he has to address.
I think Connor Hellibuck too. I played with Connor.
Speaker 4 (47:45):
Hillibuck in Winnipeg during the short and COVID season, and
he is a proud guy. He is a guy that
takes care of himself.
Speaker 2 (47:52):
You see his his pregame routine, he does his eye tracking. Yeah,
I mean, the guy is dialed. I mean, and you
know he's a proud guy.
Speaker 4 (47:58):
You know he's gonna he's gonna bounce back, and he's
he's gonna want to be the best player for the
Winnipeg Jets in that game against the Blues.
Speaker 1 (48:04):
Yeah, the video of him, like the eye tracking thing.
I was trying to think, like what in my life
would I be that? Like, like would I be a
dog to a treat with? You know, just like what
is that one thing that you just like can't keep
your Do you ever see the guys do that and
then do it yourself?
Speaker 2 (48:20):
I do not do that. No, I've never tried that.
Speaker 4 (48:23):
I probably should have, but I mean I never I
wasn't a goalie, so I usually where the goalies did
their own little pregame routine.
Speaker 2 (48:28):
You just kind of laugh, you watch your giggle. You
see what they do.
Speaker 4 (48:31):
They all have different routines and some are weirder than others,
and yeah, you go about your own business after that.
Speaker 1 (48:36):
I just don't know how they don't just zone out
at some points and be like WHOA, okay, right, well
here I am, you know, like just because mental lapses
in life. But their goalies in the NHL and the playoffs,
so they're obviously pretty good. And speaking though of a
team that's not in the playoffs, Pittsburgh Penguins, they mutually
part ways with head coach Mike Sullivan, who won two
Cups with them and also coached USA this year.
Speaker 3 (48:59):
Also Friend of the Show was on the energy line.
Speaker 1 (49:03):
And this guy knows how to coach, this guy knows
how to be a great order what team do you think,
like the sweepstakes for Sullivan, Like, where do you think
this guy could end up, not based on the team
needing him, but where he might even want to go.
Speaker 2 (49:18):
Well, I think it all adds up, does it.
Speaker 4 (49:19):
It's really I think it looks like it's the Rangers
that are probably gonna make the biggest pitch for him.
Speaker 2 (49:24):
I think it just makes the most sense. He was
the assistant coach there.
Speaker 4 (49:28):
At one point under Torts under Tortorella, you know, and
there is even a source that Tortorella was gonna.
Speaker 1 (49:33):
Come on is Yeah, what would you think of Tortorella
being the head coach Mike Sulvan being the assistant again.
Speaker 2 (49:39):
Well, I mean that's not gonna happen.
Speaker 3 (49:41):
I know, let's play around with dynamics, you know.
Speaker 4 (49:45):
But I mean I could see Mike Sullivan being the
head coach and Towrts being the assistant. Yeah, it seems
to me that that's the way this is setting up.
I mean, if I'm Chris Drury. I'm throwing everything I
can at Mike Sullivan to be the next head coach
the New York Rangers. I think that has to be
the move. I think it was the writing was on
the wall when Pitt's didn't bring him back. I think
it seems to be what's going to happen. I don't
(50:07):
know what else would for me. If there's any other
coach that the Rangers hire, it doesn't make sense for me.
If they're going to hire a coach, they got to
hire Mike Sullivan. They got to give him whatever he wants,
and they need to be on the same page with
him going to the new season.
Speaker 1 (50:21):
So that's what Mark Messi I just mentioned to us
too on the show. Everyone's got to be locked and loaded.
You're all in the foreman Bob said, together, you gotta
know what path you're on to the Stanley Cup, because
you can't back your way into it. And I think
with Mike Sullivan sort of cut you off on that
being available that probably maybe I don't know how much
they knew about him becoming available or not, but they
(50:43):
could have been heading in a very different direction hearing
some of the other not even Tortorella, but other candidates
potentially out there. But if you have a chance to
get Mike Sullivan, I think you just got to give
him a happy gil More big check blank and just
say write it in yourself whatever you want.
Speaker 4 (51:00):
Yeah, And I think Mike Sullivan's probably going to get
to cheer us where he wants to go. I would
imagine he's gonna have choices. But I think, I mean,
if you're Mike Sullivan getting to go in the same
division and step right over to New York and you know,
be the head coach inw York Rangers, it seems like
a pretty good, pretty good job offer Soon.
Speaker 1 (51:17):
What if he brought Sid with him, Julie, Julie, let's
just sprinkle.
Speaker 3 (51:27):
It out there and get little New York sports scene going.
Speaker 4 (51:31):
Not happening, there's no way, But I mean I think
that we'll see. I mean, who hires Who does Pittsburgh hire?
Now that's another that's.
Speaker 3 (51:38):
Another one, and like, yeah, what does what happens with Sid?
Speaker 2 (51:41):
Now? Too? Sid becomes player coach? They don't hire anybody.
Speaker 1 (51:44):
Oh yeah, Sid becomes Yeah, Sid becomes the coach of
the team, which he probably already was anyway, because he's
Sidney Crosby. All right, well, this has been a whole
lot of fun on this episode here. We have been
so pleased, so thankful, grateful to have Mark Messier join us.
I mean Mark mess Yeah, hey out with a couple
(52:05):
of Joe Browni's like us is a big, great deal.
We want to thank you, guys all for listening to
episode fourteen of The Energy Line with Nate and JSB.
Energy Line is a production of the NHL and iHeart podcasts.
Thank you to Mark Messi of course for joining us.
Thank you to Jake Brown for producing the show. And
subscribe to the show on Apple, Spotify or wherever you
get your podcasts, or listen on the iHeartRadio app. Give
(52:27):
us a five star rating. Please write in a nice review.
I'm Julie Sharp Binks.
Speaker 3 (52:31):
He's Nate Thompson. Nate and I will be at back
Friday reacting to the.
Speaker 1 (52:34):
First round of the playoffs, and I'm sure there's gonna
be a wild hoot nanny of storylines coming up this Friday,
so and a.
Speaker 3 (52:44):
Lot of series coming to an end.
Speaker 1 (52:45):
Thank you, guys so much for tuning into Energy Line,
and we'll chat with you in a few days. Energy
Line is the production of the NHL and iHeart Podcasts.
For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts,
or wherever you get your podcasts.
Hosts And Creators
Nate Thompson
Julie Stewart-Binks
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