Mike Sullivan on 4 Nations, coaching Team USA; Brad Richardson talks Pettersson, Miller

Energy Line with Nate Thompson and Julie Stewart-Binks opens up looking ahead to 4 Nations, the excitement surrounding the tournament, the intriguing line combos and the matchups to watch between Team USA and Canada. Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan joins Nate and JSB to dive into coaching for Team USA in 4 Nations this week, the special players on the team, coaching his son-in-law Charlie MvAvoy and coaching against Sidney Crosby this tournament being awkward. Former NHL forward Brad Richardson stops by the pod to discuss the Super Bowl, 4 Nations, the future for Elias Pettersson, the Rangers outlook with J.T. Miller and Alex Ovechkin’s quest for the goals record. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Energy Line is a production of the NHL and iHeart podcasts.

Speaker 2 (00:17):
Energy Energy, Energy.

Speaker 1 (00:19):
Welcome on into the Energy Line with the NJSB. We
are rocking and rolling here. We're recording this on Monday.
So what does that mean, Nate? That Four Nations face
off is getting ready to go. And I got to
tell you, it's like the NHL took a pause and
one second later it feels like boom, everyone's already a practice.

(00:40):
I don't know, how are you feeling right now?

Speaker 3 (00:42):
I'm excited.

Speaker 4 (00:43):
I see highlights of guys Team Canada getting on the
ice for practice Team USA.

Speaker 3 (00:47):
I saw.

Speaker 4 (00:48):
I saw a clip of Torts talking to Matthews, Hughes
and Keel I think, so it's like, what is towards
the end of them? You know initially, but it's just
all of these dynamics and then obviously both of us
are going, so it's I'm we're both circling one game
on the calendar on Saturday, I think.

Speaker 2 (01:07):
But I mean the Finland Sweden.

Speaker 1 (01:09):
Yeah, no, I'm joking much respect to Finland Sweden, because well,
Finland's got some you know, injuries and different things they're
dealing with. Everyone is going to be probably at that
point dealing with stuff. But Canada USA is like I mean,
for the generation of which we are in, that is
so much of what we grew up on in just

(01:31):
I mean, the fact that they haven't played the NHLers,
haven't played together at this level since twenty sixteen World
Cup is like banana sandwich. We've been waiting for it.
We've been wanting it, We've been salivating for it. Canada
USA in Montreal Saturday night has the juices flowing.

Speaker 2 (01:48):
I mean when you look at it too.

Speaker 1 (01:50):
I got to tell you as a new American and
also as a Canadian, so I can you know whatever
team wins that game, I will I will win, I
guess kind of. I mean will you though I haven't
been American that long.

Speaker 2 (02:03):
So I guess can't really.

Speaker 1 (02:04):
Oh yeah, I'm going for the winning team. What do
you feel about that?

Speaker 4 (02:07):
Well?

Speaker 2 (02:08):
What do you think about that matchup?

Speaker 4 (02:09):
Like I want to I mean, first, I want to
preface this with I want to stress to every fan,
every person, how grateful you should be for the hockey
you're about to watch. Like, I don't know if people
really understand this might be the best hockey we ever
watch ever.

Speaker 3 (02:26):
Yeah, like this might be the best.

Speaker 4 (02:28):
Hockey, quality of hockey, talent, intensity, everything, This might be
the best. Like this is right up there with Game
seven Stanley Cup Finals. This is right there or even
above that. So I want to stress that first off
to everybody that this is going to be electric. But
I mean this, this matchup with US and Canada, I
mean I was looking at I was looking at the

(02:48):
line combinations today.

Speaker 2 (02:50):
Yeah, what do we got there, Nate?

Speaker 3 (02:51):
Well, who do you want to go with first? US
or Canada?

Speaker 1 (02:54):
Well, let's go with America because you know we're both
going at least a bit of that America.

Speaker 4 (03:00):
Yeah right, we're going first line. I'm not going to
fit's the rest of it, uh, Kyle Connor, Jack Eichel,
Matthew Kachuck, Jake Gnzel, Austin Matthews, Jack Hughes, Brady Kachuk.

Speaker 3 (03:14):
J T Miller, Matt Boldi.

Speaker 4 (03:16):
And then you have Nelson, Trocheck and Larkin and Krider
was rotating and then on their d pairings, and I
want to say Slaven and Fox are probably the second pairing,
and then you have Wrenski and McAvoy, uh, probably as
your first pairing, and then Hannafin and Faber and then
Sess Sanderson as the extra. So, I mean you look
at the tv USA roster and it's almost like it's

(03:39):
you start laughing as you're reading these lines, and but
I see, I see what they're doing.

Speaker 3 (03:43):
You know, they're they're trying to create. Obviously, it's just like.

Speaker 4 (03:45):
Any team, you know, you have to have roles, you
have to have a scoring prowess, you have to have,
you know, maybe a shutdown line.

Speaker 3 (03:51):
You maybe have to have a fourth line, you know.

Speaker 4 (03:52):
And and these guys are going to have to buy
into these roles. Which is going to be which is
going to be a little different, right for us and Canada.
It's who's going to be the fastest to you know,
play as a team, and guys to accept those roles,
you know, because you're not going to be a first
power play unit guy or a first penalty killing unit guy.
Now you know, maybe you're not even playing the power play.

(04:13):
Maybe you're not even playing the penalty kill. So those
are things that I think is going to be a
big dynamic that people are going to have to end.

Speaker 3 (04:19):
Players on those teams are going to have to recognize, right.

Speaker 1 (04:22):
And Nate just sort of teased an interview that we
have coming up shortly with head coach Mike Sullivan from
Team USA, who really hit on that point of you
got to take what you're giving and you got to
be someone that is. This is what KeAndre Miller said
after Jonathan Quick got his four hundredth win. He was like,
he's such a good guy, like when he's not playing,
even opening the door giving guys water, just like being

(04:43):
that good teammate. And there's going to be superstars that
are going to be taking on.

Speaker 2 (04:48):
Rules like that.

Speaker 1 (04:49):
And I think that it's going to be interesting to
see who is you know who, because in a tournament
like this, like we might see someone pop off that
hasn't been okay. I like seeing Matthews and Hughes together
because I'm like, oh my lo, that's going to be
just insane.

Speaker 2 (05:03):
But that that fourth line kind of feels a bit
of a I don't.

Speaker 1 (05:07):
Know, like rickety old House, Like I I'm not really
sure about it.

Speaker 3 (05:11):
You're not you don't like the fourth line.

Speaker 2 (05:14):
I'm just not sure.

Speaker 1 (05:14):
I'm just not. Like it's like Nelson, Trocheck, Crider or
Larkin and Crider. It's kind of like I don't really
know what to expect from that.

Speaker 4 (05:20):
That expects to me, it's a hard line of play against.
I feel like that's okay, you know you have I
don't know. That's that's my take on it. Obviously I'm
American naturally.

Speaker 3 (05:32):
But I digress.

Speaker 2 (05:34):
I digress, that's for sure.

Speaker 4 (05:37):
But let's but you know what, because you were born Canad,
let's get into team Yeah.

Speaker 2 (05:41):
Let's okay. Yeah, you're right.

Speaker 1 (05:43):
We should be doing this like it's USA versus Canada,
you versus me, so as.

Speaker 2 (05:49):
The captain of Team Canada.

Speaker 1 (05:50):
Here we got the lines of which this is courtesy
of Chris Johnston, Reinhart, McDavid Marner. Oh my god, that's applying.
Holy bananas. Second, well, I mean these lines can change.
But then Stone Crosby, McKinnon, Jarvis Point, Marshawn Wow, hegel
Sarellie Bennett, and then we got Dave's mccarr. We knew

(06:12):
about that one, Theodore Dowdy, you said you called that
one on the weekend.

Speaker 3 (06:17):
I did.

Speaker 4 (06:18):
I actually said I thought that Drew would be playing
with Shay Theodore. Probably he would just slide right into
Petrangula's spot and play with him.

Speaker 2 (06:25):
So you're pretty good at predicting these things.

Speaker 1 (06:29):
Okay, I'm gonna just one more more CE Paraco Santa
and then in net in goal, we're going to be
a little bit of a toss up. And we always
know what happens when you don't really have a goalie
is not really the best.

Speaker 4 (06:41):
Before before we get into Canada, Canada, I didn't mention
the goalies for US.

Speaker 3 (06:45):
I just realized that they.

Speaker 2 (06:46):
Didn't have them on there. I know, I was like, yeah,
they got better goalies.

Speaker 3 (06:49):
I imagine, you know, hellabuck Ottinger, swaymen.

Speaker 2 (06:53):
I mean, not even fair.

Speaker 3 (06:54):
We don't.

Speaker 4 (06:55):
We don't really need to talk about it too much.
I think it speaks for itself. But we'll go. We'll
go back to Team Canada. Drew doubt coming back. He's,
you know, a Team Canada veteran. What do you kind
of expect from him? Like actually on the ice. I
luckily I got to watch the Kings games this last
week and to cover both of them. And Drew has

(07:17):
played six games since returning from his injury, and he's
gotten better every single game. I mean Friday night they
had a game against Dallas and it was probably one
of the games of the year. And Drew, I think
he played twenty nine minutes and then they played back
to back. They play the next night he played thirty
one minutes. And this is only six games backed injury.
But this is this is classic Drew Dowdy. This guy

(07:38):
is just what I see from Drew is you know,
he's represented Team Canada literally at every single level he's won,
and it just shows you how much Hockey Canada cares
about having Drew Dowdy on their team. That he's only
played six games and they're like, you're on our team.
And I think it just shows to how good Drew
Dowdy is. Obviously he's a first ballot Hall of Famer,

(08:00):
but I think it's Drew's gamesmanship to where he is
one of those guys where you know he's not going to.

Speaker 3 (08:07):
Be a power play guy for their team.

Speaker 4 (08:10):
You know, he knows that, I'm sure, but he's going
to be a huge part of shutting other you know,
shutting their team's top lines down, penalty killing. I mean,
that's what that's what I see from Drew Dowdy for
this tournament. And I think too people that don't know
Drew Dowdy personally, he is a guy too that is
going to be one of those locker room guys.

Speaker 2 (08:28):
Yeah, just what I was thinking.

Speaker 4 (08:30):
And I think that's another reason why they bring him in.
You know, he's a veteran guy, he's been around, but
Drew's a fun guy and he's a guy that you
want in the locker room.

Speaker 1 (08:37):
Right, And I think that's so great when you have
so many of these superstars that are probably guys that
are just really locked in, like I don't see I mean, well,
I seen McDavid get a locker room fired up in
a different way. Obviously we all have, but I think
that also is a fascinating point with Crosby. So we
know that Sidney Crosby, this is Monday that he said
he's good to go. He was skating a practice. We're

(09:00):
not sure, like on a scale of one to ten,
how what that kind of looks like at this point,
But we will get to see. I mean, if he
does play on Wednesday night against Sweden, that's when things
open up. But Crosby's got to be one of those
guys too that because he is so entrenched in honestly
my favorite moment as a hockey fan. I know I'm

(09:22):
going to talk about it again in this episode. But
the golden goal quite literally, you ask any Canadian hockey fan,
just even any Canadian, that moment is just like so
amazing for us.

Speaker 2 (09:35):
Like I am sorry being on the other side would side.

Speaker 4 (09:37):
Oh no, no, I know, it's okay. I mean I
appreciate it.

Speaker 3 (09:41):
I can.

Speaker 4 (09:42):
I can appreciate the moment because it is Sidney Crosby.
And to be honest, Sidney Crosey be currently is my
favorite player.

Speaker 3 (09:49):
In the NHL. Wow wow watch Well.

Speaker 4 (09:53):
I think I played against him obviously for so many years,
but I think it was just how he goes about
his game. But I think just his overall complete game,
Like I think he's the most complete player in the league,
the way he I mean, look, and then what he's
still doing every year. I mean he's a point per
game guy for what is it, nineteen seasons or twenty seasons.
I don't have it, but it's insane. So I respect

(10:15):
Sidney Crosby. I really hope that he plays every single
game because this tournament is only going to be better
with Sidney Crosby playing.

Speaker 2 (10:21):
Yeah, it's great.

Speaker 1 (10:22):
I mean, hey, that's the highest compliment you could give
someone that's your opponent, is how much you respect them
and I think that.

Speaker 2 (10:28):
Okay, so just very quickly drew Dowdy.

Speaker 1 (10:31):
As being someone that we think will be a bit
of an energy guy in the room just before we
head on out. Who do you think on Team USA
will be that energy guy?

Speaker 3 (10:40):
Probably JT.

Speaker 4 (10:41):
Miller I think from the sounds and that he sounds
like a guy that kind of likes to get everyone
going and gets everything riled up. So maybe JT. Miller
is my guest. I mean, I'm really looking forward to
watching him play in this tournament too. I mean he's
going to be a one man racking crew out there,
I think yeah.

Speaker 1 (10:54):
And he's definitely feeling it right now. They have a
lot of energy in that tam USA locker room. Not
gonna lie just looking at the lines we just talked about,
all right, coming up next on Energy Line with Dayton JSB,
It's Penguins and Team USA head coach Mike Sullivan, don't
go anywhere. We're now pleased to welcome in two times

(11:16):
Stanley Cup winning head coach for the Pittsburgh Penguins and
also coach for Team USA at the Four Nations face off,
none other than Mike Sullivan. Sally, thank you so much.
For joining us here on the energy line. We are
very excited to watch your team in the four Nations
face off.

Speaker 2 (11:33):
We're recording this on Monday. You guys are just getting.

Speaker 1 (11:35):
There to Montreal and everyone's just coming to camp. Basically,
how are the vibes. How's the first practice?

Speaker 5 (11:42):
Yeah, the first practice was great. You know, I thought
we had great energy. Obviously there's a there's a certain
level of enthusiasm around this tournament. I don't think we're
any different than the other three teams. You know, to
have the opportunity to compete best on best with these
four nations is a great thrill for all of us.
So it's from my standpoint, it's an incredible honor to

(12:04):
coach these guys. Our coaching staff is really excited about
about what's coming up this week. It should be great hockey.

Speaker 4 (12:10):
Before I get in my first question, you were my
first coach at my first training camp back in Boston
long time ago, so this is funny full circle. But
I guess my question is is who who's getting the
locker room, you know, locker room loose early? Is it
got the Chuck brothers?

Speaker 3 (12:26):
Is it?

Speaker 4 (12:27):
I just want to know who's you know, who's kind
of the guy that that's kind of the glue that,
you know, joking around a little bit of locker room.

Speaker 5 (12:32):
I think we got a few of them, but certainly
Brady and Matthew two of the guys that I'm sure
will be the central figures in that category. You know,
I think we've we have some guys. One of one
of the things I think might be one of the
advantages of the National Development Program and and some of
the other events that these guys have had the opportunity
to participate in, I think gives us a chance to

(12:56):
hit the ground running in the sense that there's a
lot of established relationships inside our dressing room, right and
so I think these for the most part, most of
these guys have familiarity and have developed relationships. But having
said that, there's going to be a few central figures
that I think are going to keep it light in there,
and I think brading in Matthew or two of them

(13:16):
for sure.

Speaker 4 (13:17):
I guess I want to follow up with that is
I guess what would be the biggest challenge going into
a short tournament like this to be able to get
get chemistry right away.

Speaker 5 (13:24):
I think that's the challenge right, it's uh. You know,
it's a short tournament. We're going to have three practices
and then essentially it's a plug and play tournament. We're
going to play three games every other night. It's going
to be over before it starts. So the challenge is
to become a team in the in the quickest way possible.
We're trying to build chemistry on the ice. I think
the relationships that these guys already have give us the

(13:44):
opportunity to to build chemistry off the ice. As I said,
I think the challenge for all four teams is going
to be to become a team in the true sense
of the word. You know, and you know, when you
think about what it takes to win in these types
of events, talent is is the most obvious. And every
team has talent, you know, they check that box in
every locker room. There's game breaking players on all four teams.

(14:08):
There's talent on all four teams. Talent alone is going
to win this thing. We've got to put a team
game on the ice that gives us the best chance
to win, where the hole is greater than the summer
of the part, so to speak. And I think that's
the ultimate challenge of the tournament, you know, and it
involves a lot. It's everything from coming together off the
ice to roll acceptance on the ice. You know, when

(14:28):
you think about it, these guys, all of these guys
that are coming here are the go to guys for
their respected teams and all their NHL cities. Well, now
we've got twenty something of them in the same dressing room.
So not everybody can play in the first power play
or the second power play. Not everybody's going to be
a first over the boards penalty kill guy. We're going
to have to embrace roles that we're casting guys in.

(14:49):
We're going to try to set guys up for success.
But I think embracing those roles and having a level
of humility and self sacrifice for the betterment of the
group goes a long way to building the chemistry that
we need to become a team.

Speaker 2 (15:01):
Definitely.

Speaker 1 (15:01):
And when you've mentioned that, you reminded me back to
the Olympics this summer with the men's four by one
hundred meter relay, where the talent was so good for
each one of those runners, but not necessarily them together,
and they ultimately obviously didn't win that race. So when
you look at trying to get that chemistry, do you
guys have like trust falls, do you do games outside?

(15:24):
Like what is it that kind of helps bond guys
quickly that you've tried in the past that you know
that can kind of work.

Speaker 5 (15:30):
Now, we don't have any formal team building exercises built
in place. What we do have, we've got a fairly
consistent schedule of team events, whether it be Dinners yesterday,
when the players came in, they had an opportunity to
watch the Super Bowl together where they've got a chance
to let their guards down and so to speak, in

(15:51):
a more informal environment, so that players have an opportunity
to interact. I think that's a big part of it.
The other thing I will tell you that will be
a big part of it is once that tournament starts
is nothing builds chemistry more than going through challenges together.
When we start playing games, there's going to be challenges.
Things aren't always going to go our way. That the
competition is going to be stiff, the game is going

(16:12):
to be hard, and I think we've got to embrace
that struggle. And I think through that struggle we're going
to have the ability to come closer together as a team.
So I think part of it is going to be
the experience of the game itself and the challenges that
that these games are going to present that's going to
give us an opportunity to come together. I also think there's, uh,
there's an opportunity with some of the consistent team events

(16:34):
that that that we have on our agenda here over
the next little while that are going to give us
a chance to continue to continue to build on those relationships.

Speaker 1 (16:42):
Can you give us a gain it's on any of
those team events, Well.

Speaker 5 (16:46):
A lot of it is around team dinners and UH
and and things of that nature, where it's just about
spending time together. You know, we're trying to build in
those opportunities where the players have going to have a
chance to spend time together. Sometimes it's going to be
with the with the coaching staff and in the whole group,
so to speak, our management team. Other times it's just
going to be just players where they've got a chance

(17:06):
to get away from the uh you know, the powers
that be, so to speak, and give them an opportunity
to just let their guard down and and and hang
out with their peers. And I think that's an important
aspect of it.

Speaker 4 (17:17):
Speaking of spending time you get to uh, you get
to spend some time with you know, with some family
on your team. Uh, your your son in law, Charlie McAvoy.
Touch on that dynamic. I mean, it's a pretty cool,
pretty cool experience and a lot of fun for obviously
both families to watch.

Speaker 3 (17:31):
That it really is.

Speaker 5 (17:33):
You know, it's it's an incredible honor to coach this team,
to have the opportunity to do it with my son
in law, and it means the world to me. Uh,
it means the world to my family. I know someday
that we're going to look back on it and smile.
The first thing I'll say to you is as Charlie is,
first and foremost, he's a he's a terrific hockey player
and a fierce competitor. But he's also he's maybe more importantly,

(17:55):
he's a great kid. You know, he married my daughter,
they just had their first child together, and uh, and
so we there's a lot of exciting things go going
on around to our family, and we're certainly proud of
him and what he's accomplished in the game. We're more
proud of him on who he is as a person,
and for me to have the opportunity to coach him
in an event like this is just is an incredible honor.

(18:17):
And as I said, I know someday we're going to
look back on this and we're going to smile and
we're going to have some laughs. But obviously my relationship
with him off the ice means the world to me
and for our family, you know, to share in this event,
I think is a great thrill for all of us,
both my family and my side, but also Charlie and

(18:40):
his mom and dad and his family. And it's a
proud moment for all of us, and we look forward
to we look forward to enjoying this experience together.

Speaker 1 (18:49):
So, Mike, you obviously know him well, but your daughter
knows him better than that. And I mean I got
to ask, did you give you any kind of scouting tips,
advice on maybe how to get the best out of him,
or just you know, some more insight, because she obviously
she's got it.

Speaker 2 (19:03):
She's got eyes on.

Speaker 1 (19:04):
Him first, so she she's the first source.

Speaker 5 (19:07):
Yeah. The only thing I'll tell you is is Charlie
has his handful. I'll tell you that with with my daughter,
and so she Uh, you know, she's she's got a
strong personality and uh and and so I know he's
got his hands full when he's at home with with
respect to their relationship. But all in all seriousness there,
you know, they're they're a great they're a great couple.

(19:28):
They you know, they compliment each other very well. And uh,
we're certainly proud of both of them for everything that
they represent, how they care themselves.

Speaker 4 (19:37):
So it looks like Crosby's in for Foreign Nations, and
obviously you coach him at Pittsburgh. What is it going
to be like for you coaching on the other side
now against him.

Speaker 5 (19:45):
Yeah, it's going to be a little awkward.

Speaker 3 (19:47):
It's going to be a little different.

Speaker 5 (19:49):
I'm used to having them on on the same bench,
and you know, we've been together a long time, as
you know. You know, I can't tell you, you know what
what Sid means to me personally and how much respect
I have for him, not only as a p but
as a person. You know, he's the heartbeat of our
team in Pittsburgh, has been our whole time. You know,
he just he represents everything that's right about our sport.

(20:12):
The way he carries himself off the ice with just
the grace and integrity and the humility that he carries himself.
It certainly makes us proud in Pittsburgh. But uh, and
and he's a fierce competitor on the ice, as you
guys know, and I think that that unfolds every night
on television. You know, just just the legacy that he
continues to build on what is already a Hall of

(20:32):
Fame career. But uh, you know, he's he's a guy
that that's easy to root for. Let's just say that.

Speaker 1 (20:38):
I'm both Canadian and American. I just got a US citizenship,
so I feel like I can, you know, straddle both
of these things. But I remember seeing you know, of
course Sid scoring the Golden goal is Sorry, I know
this isn't good for this conversation, but like for Canadians
and for Pittsburgh fans, like that's just in hockey lore,
one of the highest moments ever that a lot of

(20:58):
people remember.

Speaker 2 (21:00):
For you, you know.

Speaker 1 (21:01):
Being part of Team USA, knowing the rivalry with Canada,
how would you describe it from your perspective living it?
When you know Nate and I clearly have never both
played for Team can or Team USA.

Speaker 5 (21:15):
You know there is obviously a certain amount of pride
that the players have on both sides, first and foremost,
to represent your country as an incredible honor, you know,
and it's bigger than the sport. And so that in
and of itself, when you pull that jersey over and
you wear that USA crest, and I'm sure Canada feels
the same way, there's a certain pride that is associated

(21:37):
with that that's difficult to articulate in words. And then
I think there's a certain competition or there's a certain
pride with respect to hockey in each respective country. You know,
I can only speak on behalf of being an American,
but we're certainly proud of how far hockey has come
in our country over the last twenty five plus years.

(22:00):
When you look at the amount of players that are
playing in the NHL to versus you know, nineteen ninety six,
the last time that when that tournament took place, there's
twice as many Americans in the NHL today. I think
that's an indication of how far hockey has come in
our country. And that's a credit to so many people
across so many districts in the United States. But there's

(22:24):
a certain pride that comes along with that. When you
look at the pool of players that we have at
our disposable to select this team, this team arguably might
be one of the deepest teams that the United States
has been able to put on the ice, just from
a sheer number standpoint, And that's how far hockey's come
in the United States. I think all of us that
are participating at the highest level with respect to this

(22:47):
stuff am proud of that and we represent something that
I think that is important to us. So when we
compete in these types of events, having the ability to
represent our nation and represent our sport with respect to that,
these guys take these events very seriously and so because
of that, there's fierce competition between Canada and the United

(23:10):
States and for all of the countries for that matter.
And so I don't know if you want to call
it bragging rights, whatever it may be, but I know
these guys are proud guys on both sides. At the
end of the day, the takeaway is is it's great
for hockey. It's great for hockey fans, great for people
that love the sport because it's the type of entertainment
that people are going to see is going to be

(23:32):
at the highest level. You know, these players are the
best of the best, and USA and Canada, you know,
have a fair amount on both sides.

Speaker 1 (23:40):
I think you're spot on with the fact we just
saw a team USA win World Juniors. Your team, of
course has so much depth and there's been such a
great growth for US hockey. And when you mentioned just
the feeling of pride, can you take us to the moment,
like you're at the Bell Center and it's going to
be Canada USA and you're standing there listening to the

(24:02):
national anthem? What is that feeling do you expect to
be like having been being a part of Team usay
just that I mean anticipation.

Speaker 5 (24:11):
Well, I would anticipate that. It's hard for me to
articulate in words the feeling that I will have when
we stand behind the bench. It's a proud moment for
all of us, you know, it's for me to be
the head coach of this team is an incredible honor.
It's a humbling experience to get that phone call from
Billy Garrean when he asked me to be the head

(24:31):
coach of this team. There's a lot of really good
coaches in the United States that are very capable of
this job. So the fact that I was asked to
do this is an incredible honor and it's humbling when
you look at the caliber players that are going to
be sitting on our bench. And the same can be
said for Canada. I think the environment is going to
be electric. You know, Montreal is one of the meccas

(24:52):
of hockey in the NHL, and you know in the
atmosphere and the Bell Center is is going to be electric.
And so for everyone that loves competition, loves a high
stakes environment, the anticipation of this is exciting for all
of us. You know, it reminds me a bit of

(25:13):
you know, when we were in the finals for the
Stanley Cup finals and twenty sixteen and twenty seventeen, and
you know, you're so close in the Stanley Cup finals.
When you get to that final series, you know you
can see it and feel it and taste it. It
becomes tangible, you know, when you get that far in
the playoffs and you go through the first three rounds

(25:34):
and you know that there's light at the end of
the tunnel, it's an incredible feeling. And I would anticipate
this is a little bit of a different venue, but
a lot of the same pride, a lot of the
same emotions I would imagine will fall upon all of us.

Speaker 4 (25:47):
You talked about USA Hockey and how much deeper is gotten,
and I know for myself from when I started and
where USA Hockey is at now, I kind of want
to get into your roster.

Speaker 3 (25:56):
Line combos.

Speaker 4 (25:57):
Obviously, players like you know, like a Chuck Brothers, Hughes,
Austin Matthews, all these guys you know, have a plethora
of riches and I guess you know with line combos
and the matchup against Team Canada that obviously everyone's looking
forward to watching. You know, what is the thought process
behind that going into a game against like Team Canada.

Speaker 5 (26:16):
Well, we're going to try to put the best team
on the ice that gives us the best chance to win.
I mean, I know that's simplistic in nature, but at
the end of the day, that's the question we're trying
to That's the question we're trying to answer every day.
And I think we've we have, you know one as
far as line combinations, defense pairs, and in the thought
process of putting those things together, one of the things
we're looking for is is balance and we have to

(26:38):
have the ability to have you know, offensive production throughout
our lineup. We have to have responsible play throughout our lineup.
We have to have a speed dimension on all our lines.
For me, speed is the ultimate competitive advantage in today's
game and the way it's being played. So for me,
we're looking for combinations that are complementary. You know, if
we have a scoring prowess on one line, then we

(27:01):
certainly need we need someone that has ability to distribute
the puck and get the puck to to those guys
that have the ability to score. You know, those are
some of the things that we talked about when we
were talking about putting line combinations together, and the same
type thing on our back end with the with the
blue line and our defense pairs. So I would envision
this being a little bit of a work in progress,
you know, my experience of going through this stuff and

(27:23):
putting uh line combinations and defense pairs on paper. Sometimes
what you envision on paper doesn't always play out and
real in the real world the way you envision it
to be. And that's the human element of it, right,
And you'd think, hey, these three guys should work. It
should just should work with their skill sets and their complementary.
But you know, my experience has been that sometimes when

(27:45):
you think those those things, that doesn't always turn out
that way. And so you know, we're going to have
a heightened divigilance early on and watching our line combinations
and see if they're accomplishing what we're looking for and
if not, you might see a little bit of tweak,
and to make sure that we try to find the
right combinations as quickly as we can that are gonna
that are gonna meet that cry that I defined, And

(28:05):
regardless of who our opponent is, you know, I know
Canada is trying to do the same thing. So you know, listen,
that's going to be an exciting game. There's a lot
of great, great talent on both.

Speaker 2 (28:15):
Teams right well, Nate and I will both be there.

Speaker 1 (28:17):
We don't have tickets or our credentials yet, but we're
going to figure out a way to get to that
game somehow. And coach, I got to ask you when
I was I did the PWHL takeover in Pittsburgh last year,
and I remember head coach from Montreal, Corey Chvry, had
said that you know, having worked with you guys and
been there, you went into the locker room. You gave

(28:37):
you know, a good speech ahead of time to the
ladies ahead of the game, and she really talked to
me afterwards about how you're such a great order to
so many of these athletes. And I love that about coaches,
and we see that in the NFL, we see that
in college football. But for you in particular, what is
kind of that that message to the guys right now
as they come into being a part of Team USA,

(29:00):
that you feel can really speak to them when they
are in that locker room.

Speaker 5 (29:05):
So the message is, we've got an unbelievable opportunity to
put a certain stamp on the game and build a
certain legacy as a group. You know, when you look
at this group of players, they're incredibly they're incredibly accomplished group.
This is a unique opportunity that doesn't come around all
the time, and I think we have We have an
opportunity to put our stamp on the history of the

(29:25):
game in so many ways, and that, for me, should
inspire people, It should get people excited about about this,
about this endeavor. The other aspect of it is is
you don't always have the opportunity to represent your nation
when you pull that jersey over with the USA logo
and on your crest, that's bigger than any individual. That's
bigger than the sport. In my mind, you're representing so

(29:47):
many people at so many levels. I can only speak personally,
but I think about, you know, representing my parents and
my family and and you know, in the community that
I grew up in that has helped me, you know,
become the person that I've become. It's it's it's greater
than any individual. And for me, that's an inspiring message.

(30:08):
And the last thing I would say is that when
you become part of a team like this, I had
a similar experience when we won the Stanley Cups in Pittsburgh,
in the sense that you have an opportunity to become
part of something that is greater than oneself, and that's
an incredible feeling. And it doesn't come around. Those opportunities

(30:29):
don't come around all the time. You know. I've been
associated with the NHL, for example, for thirty five plus years,
either as a player or a coach, and the opportunity
to actually compete for a Stanley Cup where it was tangible,
there were very few opportunities in all those years I
think the same thing of this experience. You know, we've

(30:49):
got a hell of a hockey team. We've got an
incredible opportunity in front of us, but right now, that's
all it is. It's an opportunity, right we got to
get excited about it and then we got to go
out and earn it, and that should, in my mind,
get people excited about what in front of us. So
that's the message. You know, when you have the opportunity
to become part of something that's bigger than yourself, it's
an incredible feeling.

Speaker 2 (31:10):
Wow, Well that just got me going, I'm ready to go.

Speaker 3 (31:13):
Now, I'm ready to go. Now, we're ready to hit
that Go USA. Yeah, let's go.

Speaker 2 (31:21):
Coach, thank you so much for joining us here. Were really.

Speaker 1 (31:28):
Well that was of course Mike Sullivan, head coach for
Team USA, and I think he's got us rearing to go,
ready to hit, hit the ice and play for tv USA.

Speaker 4 (31:39):
That last statement, I was like, Okay, I'm ready to
put a us A jersey on, and like I'll just
cheer on the sidelines, but I'm.

Speaker 3 (31:45):
Ready to put a US I was going to say play, but.

Speaker 4 (31:50):
That's not it's not going to happen. But yeah, No,
it was incredible speaker and so well well spoken.

Speaker 1 (31:55):
You can just tell that like whatever he's probably going
to say too. I was I was curious if we'd
had more time, just like what would he what would
be his message kind of now is everyone's coming in
which he did say just that idea of like this
moment could never maybe happen again, and you get this
really cool moment to do something.

Speaker 2 (32:14):
But that also I want to hear.

Speaker 1 (32:16):
Him the night of Canada USA in there where it's
like the Vile. It's just the level is way way
way higher, and it's i mean in the Bell Center
is just so loud anyway, with all the fans in
there too, and it's just gonna be absolutely hoot Nanny
and I could just see him getting those those horses
ready to run.

Speaker 2 (32:37):
I'm scared.

Speaker 3 (32:38):
Oh yeah, it's gonna be amazing. I can't wait.

Speaker 1 (32:41):
I know we do focus a lot on Canada, USA,
but obviously hats we tip the hat to Finland and
Sweden as well, then are in the Four Nations.

Speaker 4 (32:51):
I know, I know we haven't even taught we have
literally I would even talked about Finland and Sweden, which is.

Speaker 1 (32:55):
They're gonna go one of them is gonna go on
to wait at all. It will be like who is
on the team, right, I know, I know William Nilander,
but yeah, I know Canada.

Speaker 3 (33:04):
I'll break it down to us.

Speaker 1 (33:06):
Well, we're going with like our region right now. Yes,
I was gonna say the countries we're in and then
I reminded myself, Oh, right, you're in the US right now.

Speaker 2 (33:14):
So state.

Speaker 1 (33:15):
And on that note, we are thrilled to welcome on
another guest to the show, and that is former NHL
player Stanley Cup winner Brad Richardson. Please to welcome on
a Stanley Cup winning a former NHL player turned media
connoisseur for missing curfew, Brad Richardson too the show, who's

(33:38):
also Nate's buddy friend. And we really appreciate you joining
us on this Monday after the Super Bowl, after the
waste management opened. So teas and peas to how you're
feeling right now. We appreciate you being on.

Speaker 6 (33:52):
Well what an intro. Thanks for having me. Yeah, like
you said, it was.

Speaker 3 (33:55):
A long week.

Speaker 7 (33:56):
If you live in the Scottsdale area, this waste management
week really really gets you.

Speaker 6 (34:01):
So and then you got to know it is my birthday.

Speaker 7 (34:04):
I turned forty on Tuesday last week, so happy birthday. Yeah, yeah,
I just throw that out there. Thanks for the birthday wishes.
But yeah, but that turned from.

Speaker 6 (34:12):
That to the waste management into you know, super Bowl.

Speaker 2 (34:15):
Oh god, that's a tough week.

Speaker 6 (34:18):
Yeah, yes it is. So I'm a little tired, but
I'm hanging in there.

Speaker 4 (34:23):
So you just gotta you're you're pro richie, So I mean,
I'm not. I'm not really too surprised. I'll be okay,
but your.

Speaker 6 (34:30):
Par was the Super Bowl was a sleeper.

Speaker 7 (34:31):
So I didn't even watch the fourth quarter. I was
you got your ego stuff on, so I was off
the other way.

Speaker 3 (34:36):
So you were so so So you had the Chiefs yesterday.

Speaker 6 (34:40):
I had the Chiefs. I didn't bet a lot, but
enough to get your you know, enough to be mad.

Speaker 7 (34:44):
Yeah, and then so that was it and I I
went fourth quarter, I shut it off, went to bed.

Speaker 6 (34:50):
I was a secre of this, so I got some sleep.

Speaker 1 (34:52):
All right, Let's get to some hockey for our hockey
fans listening, of which we know there are many and okay,
so we're heading into four nations right now. We're recording
this on the Monday how you feeling for who's got
your juices going? Brad Canada, USA, Sweden, Finland.

Speaker 7 (35:12):
Well, obviously, as being Canadian kid, you gotta be excited
for Team Canada. I mean getting to see Crosby and
McDavid play together for the first time and be on
the same ice, you know, and McKinnon and all these
guys just in macar and all these guys playing together
for the first time in a while.

Speaker 6 (35:28):
I think it's pretty exciting. I'm excited to watch some
of the guys from the Missing Curfy you're going in
to watch, I'm not able to, but I'm excited for that.

Speaker 7 (35:34):
I'm also excited to see Team USA kind of match
up and the Kad Chuck brothers play together, you know,
some stuff like that.

Speaker 6 (35:40):
I think JT.

Speaker 7 (35:41):
Miller be fun to watch after his his trade and
all the stuff he's went through. So I'm just looking
forward to some good, really good quality hockey.

Speaker 6 (35:47):
And you know, the other teams are going to be
good too.

Speaker 7 (35:49):
If Finland's always stingy and really tough to beat, especially
if they get up early on you, and then obviously
Sweden's always.

Speaker 6 (35:55):
Always a great team as well.

Speaker 7 (35:56):
So I think it's just it's gonna be a fun mix,
and I'm definitely excited about the Canada Canada team.

Speaker 4 (36:01):
On Team Canada, what player are you really looking forward
to that you think that you that you think could
be like an X factor in this tournament.

Speaker 3 (36:08):
You think it's going to be that guy.

Speaker 7 (36:09):
I mean, there's so many to pick fromm but I
think a guy that kind of woulds dound for me
is Sam Reinhardt, maybe playing in that He's gonna be
on the probably that first unit power play, probably in
the bumper spot, you know, that one time where he's
so good at but he's gonna have some really elite
players passing the puck. So I think he's gonna be
maybe that guy that has a really big tournament. That's
maybe not the you know the Cosby McDavid and you
know McKinnon or mccarr, but he's one heck of a player,

(36:32):
super smart and then if he's playing with those guys,
he's smart enough to be able to get.

Speaker 6 (36:36):
Open and a great shooter.

Speaker 7 (36:38):
So and the other guy I would say is probably
Drew Dowdy. You know, a good friend, and I'm so
happy I talked to him a couple of weeks ago.

Speaker 6 (36:44):
And he was really.

Speaker 7 (36:44):
Hoping he could get on this team and play and
be healthy. And he's such a gamer. So I'm looking
forward to see him back in that uh, in that
environment as well.

Speaker 2 (36:51):
Big Daddy guys would love Dewey.

Speaker 3 (36:53):
I love the best. Yeah, he's the best.

Speaker 4 (36:55):
So I got to watch him this weekend both games,
and he was I was telling Julie he was he
was so good this weekend, like he was. I mean,
you know how Dowey is he Yeah, twenty nine minutes
the first night, back to back, thirty one the next night,
you know, and it was like and he makes it
look easy, right, So it's just he and you said
it like he Dowey has like gamesmanship, so he will
be that guy that will come up with some big

(37:18):
play and at some key moment or whatever. I mean, you know,
you played.

Speaker 3 (37:20):
With him, so I kind of want to get into
And I.

Speaker 4 (37:23):
Know we've talked about it a lot, and I've heard
you talk and I you know, i've heard you talk
about it on Missing Curfew. Shout out to those guys,
ob Uppy, those guys Schmalsey too. You know you've talked
about the Canucks and Pederson situation and now that JT.
Miller's gone and traded and you've played there, you've played

(37:43):
with both of them. Do you see this as a
moment for you know, for Peterson where he kind of
takes off now with with this situation being over, or
is it you know, maybe is it go the other way?

Speaker 3 (37:54):
Who knows? I don't know.

Speaker 7 (37:55):
Yeah, I wish I had the crystal ball to tell
you which way it goes. I mean, I think you
know p D's a hell of a player when he
wants to be, and there's no doubt on the talent.
But I mean, I think the thing for him is
when he's on it, he can be two different players.
When he's engaged physically and sharp, he is. He's world
class and that's why they sign him on that big contract.
But I mean, lately his game, he looks, he looks

(38:15):
like he's mentally not there. And obviously that whole thing
was a huge distraction. But I'm pulling for the kid,
you know, I really want him to see him do well.
You never want to see a kid fail at anything.
But I'm not sure which way it's going to go.
I mean, he does, he does need a man up
a little bit, and I really hope he does.

Speaker 5 (38:30):
J T.

Speaker 1 (38:30):
Miller Brad I'm in New York. I cover the Rangers
a lot of the time. JT's arguably instantly changed the
locker room because he's just someone that you can at
least talk to who will say something of interest, and
it feels like they were really missing that kind of
guy at least in the room. What's like unique about
him that we don't, like, say, someone like me on

(38:52):
the outside media or like fans don't know about him,
but that can can really make a team.

Speaker 7 (38:58):
Well, he's definitely he's a big personality. He's a guy
that is very vocal in the room. I really got
along with JT. I love JT, and some of the
comments I made it was we're just being honest. But
I think he's a great guy. I would hang with
him any second of the day. But he's he's one
of those guys that he you know, he takes over
a locker room in ways. So I think New York
was a great spot because they have some older veteran guys,

(39:20):
guys have been in the league, really high end players
surrounded by him, so he's not just kind of the
main focal point on that team. So he got a
guy like Jonathan quick who's wan multiple times, and just
certain guys around him that JT can get a little
fiery and can say things that probably you know, are
not said in the proper way sometimes. So I think
having that team is something that you know, he'll fit

(39:43):
in really well there. But he's definitely kind of a
really simple, kind of almost redneck guy in a way,
pretty blue collar, but he's a really great guy to
be around. He's always has something interesting to say. And
the guy I enjoyed having a couple of beers with
here and there.

Speaker 4 (39:57):
A gamer, like, Yeah, he's the guy that moves the
needle for me, you know, I think, and I think,
I guess that's my question is is he you know
you talk about like you know, he's a guy that he.

Speaker 3 (40:07):
Plays was he plays with hard on his sleeve.

Speaker 4 (40:09):
And when he was in Vancouver, you know, maybe he
didn't have a veteran guy to kind of, you know, say,
hey JT, calm.

Speaker 3 (40:15):
Down now, you know what I mean?

Speaker 4 (40:16):
Or and now he's in New York and like you said,
he's got you know, Quickie, he's got different guys you know,
like who do you think or even his best buddy
Vinny Trochik.

Speaker 3 (40:24):
I guess, yeah, right, so, yeah.

Speaker 1 (40:26):
You've seen a lot of those young pictures of them,
and he's living at their house.

Speaker 4 (40:30):
Yeah, so I guess. I mean, do you see the
Rangers making the playoffs now that they have JJ Miller.

Speaker 6 (40:35):
I'm really pulling for that. That team.

Speaker 7 (40:37):
I think they're that team if they can kind of
get hot, I see them having a chance to win.

Speaker 6 (40:41):
I I like their team a lot. They got it out.

Speaker 7 (40:43):
They kind of just had this weirdest start to the
season and it just got really down on themselves and.

Speaker 6 (40:48):
Everything looked off right, But ja, this is a team
that could.

Speaker 7 (40:51):
Get hot, and like you look at their goaltending and
they have great, you know, young defenseman and obviously there's
a there's no lack of talent on that up front.
So this is a team I'd be scared to play
if they got.

Speaker 6 (41:01):
Into the in the first round. I wouldn't want to
play the Rangers.

Speaker 7 (41:04):
There's a lot to be you know, I don't I'm
not even sure how far are they out right now?

Speaker 6 (41:07):
A couple points three or four.

Speaker 1 (41:09):
Yeah, we're not like numbers on the show, but yeah,
we'll just say they're in.

Speaker 7 (41:13):
That no well, I mean, I know they're close, but yeah,
they need to heat up a bit. But I mean
I wouldn't I would not want to play them. So
I'm really pulling for them. Yeah, and they're fun to
watch when they're playing good. They're a fun team to watch.

Speaker 1 (41:26):
You're not the first person to say that too. I've
heard an executive from another Eastern Conference team say they
do not want to play the Rangers if they end
up getting into that second wildcard spot, just because just
like what you said, if they go on a bit
of a heater go and an igor is healthy and
then you got quick I mean defense, maybe who knows
what they do with the deadline, But if they're playing

(41:46):
like as you guys said with JT, you see him
like he is battling every for every inch out there,
it's like, it's great to see that kind of energy
come on.

Speaker 4 (41:54):
In.

Speaker 1 (41:55):
Other than that, I guess if you're saying the Rangers,
you kind of like that they could get in who's.

Speaker 3 (42:00):
Three points out?

Speaker 6 (42:01):
Three points out there?

Speaker 2 (42:02):
You go three points out?

Speaker 1 (42:03):
Wow, Well so then they're basically they're basically in the
Stanley Cup Final at that point. With that, who are
your like two favorite teams right now in the NHL,
you think they can go all the way like one
from the east, one from the west.

Speaker 7 (42:17):
Man, oh man, well you should maybe get me my
heads up on this now, I gotta think.

Speaker 2 (42:21):
I mean, I even know that was going to come
out of my mouth when I said that. So okay, perfect.

Speaker 6 (42:25):
So well, we just talked about the Rangers. I do
like them.

Speaker 7 (42:28):
Obviously They're not my favorite right now, probably, but I
mean there's all there's I find it really hard to
pick a winner. But if I I really like the
way Florida Panthers play. I know they it's hard to repeat,
but I do like the way they play. They just
they have that this gritty team. I like to make
up with their team, and they have goaltending that can
you know, push them through. So I'll take them just
because I'm there on the top of my head right

(42:48):
now is we're speaking.

Speaker 6 (42:49):
But then I.

Speaker 7 (42:50):
Think in the in the in the West, for me,
I think Colorado is gonna make a late push, but I.

Speaker 2 (42:55):
Would say Edmonton.

Speaker 7 (42:56):
I'm really cheering for Edmonton. I want to see Connor win.
It'd be nice to see a Canadian team win again.

Speaker 6 (43:01):
And that kid just.

Speaker 1 (43:02):
Wait again, like how how old were you in the
last Canadian team one?

Speaker 6 (43:06):
I was it was what was it? What year was it?
Nineteen ninety three, ninety three Canadians?

Speaker 7 (43:10):
Right, yeah, so I was eight years old or we
had eighty five, so it was eight years old and
that was my brother's favorite team.

Speaker 6 (43:16):
So I hated him for that.

Speaker 7 (43:17):
But anyway, I just like it'd be cool to see
mcdaber winn.

Speaker 6 (43:21):
He puts a lot into it.

Speaker 7 (43:22):
He's our best player, and you want to see your
best player win championships.

Speaker 6 (43:26):
So I'll pick Edmonton.

Speaker 3 (43:27):
It's a good pick.

Speaker 4 (43:28):
I like it.

Speaker 3 (43:28):
I mean, they're they're humming right now.

Speaker 2 (43:30):
They're running, you're running it back Florida and Edmonton.

Speaker 6 (43:33):
That'd be it. That'd be And I'd like to see
him go the other way.

Speaker 3 (43:37):
But yeah, all.

Speaker 4 (43:38):
Right, well, okay, now we got to talk. We got
to talk about Obie and what he's doing. What is
he still?

Speaker 3 (43:43):
Is he sixteen goals back?

Speaker 5 (43:45):
Now?

Speaker 4 (43:45):
See where we're not we're not a numbers podcast, offen,
Yeah podcast.

Speaker 3 (43:49):
Something like that.

Speaker 6 (43:50):
Yeah close, you're right, you're right.

Speaker 3 (43:53):
Somewhere around there.

Speaker 4 (43:54):
And see, Richie and I have both had the pleasure
of penalty killing against alexandrovitchkin. God, yeah, there's been a
lot of you know, ding ding ding dinging and then
look back in the goal lights on right, but as
a penalty killer, Richie, a fellow penalty killed guy, face off, guy?
Do you see him breaking the record? This is I

(44:15):
guess My My question is too, is do you see him?
Do you see him breaking the record on a power
play or an empty net or goal?

Speaker 7 (44:23):
He's one hundred percent breaking the record. I mean, are
you talking this year?

Speaker 3 (44:26):
This season? Yes?

Speaker 6 (44:27):
Yeah, I mean how many games?

Speaker 1 (44:28):
Yeah?

Speaker 5 (44:29):
Left?

Speaker 6 (44:29):
Probably what thirty games left?

Speaker 7 (44:30):
I'm guessing you're not a number, so I won't ask you,
but I'm gonna put podcast.

Speaker 4 (44:35):
Its fifteen to tie sixteen to pass him.

Speaker 7 (44:38):
Yeah, I want to say he does it this year
close to the end of the season. I hope it's
not an empty netter, even though they all count, but
I hope it's a power play goal from his spot,
you know, do it the right way. I definitely think
he gets it. He just how he does a score.
I mean he can he obviously, let's face it, He's
not the fleet is the foot.

Speaker 6 (44:56):
Anymore, but he stole is just an elite score.

Speaker 3 (44:59):
And I saw something the other day.

Speaker 7 (45:00):
I think it was actually quickie or it was a
quickie he said. He's like, and I never really thought
of it from a goalie's perspective, but he's like, his
shot comes off different than anybody else's. Like most people
come off like, comes off like, you know, pretty flat
and straight. His comes off like and it dives and
moves and curves in shutters. And I was like, that's
kind of I never ever ever asked a goalie what
what the difference is in his shot in mine or

(45:22):
anyone else's. He says, there's this is just so hard
to read. It's like a knuckleball pitcher. Yeah, you just
never know where it's coming. So I felt that was
pretty interesting.

Speaker 4 (45:29):
Twenty seven games, he needs sixteen goals, Yeah, twenty seven.

Speaker 7 (45:33):
Games, okay, Yeah, And I just don't doubt this guy.

Speaker 4 (45:36):
I mean, and now I feel the same way I
picked him to break the record this year too, because
because it's him, Yeah, and he you know, sometimes he
can get back to back hat tricks, you know, like.

Speaker 3 (45:46):
He's done that before.

Speaker 4 (45:47):
Yeah, so it's like then he's you know, then he's
right there. So yeah, that's why I would never count
him out.

Speaker 2 (45:51):
Exact and Neate's.

Speaker 1 (45:52):
Been really good at picking things. Recently, We've noticed he
picked the Eagles to have a blowout in the Super Bowl.

Speaker 2 (45:58):
He didn't bet on it.

Speaker 1 (45:59):
He picked Drew Dowdy to be paired with Shaye Theodore.
He didn't bet on that there, but they were paired
at practice today.

Speaker 2 (46:06):
So I think we should just go with whatever Nate says.

Speaker 6 (46:09):
Well, I can maybe text me next time in the
final Super Bowl score.

Speaker 3 (46:12):
Maybe in the next next time, will pass it on, Richie.
I will pass it on. Jesus.

Speaker 1 (46:21):
How do you guys know each other? By the way,
like what's your what's your past?

Speaker 7 (46:25):
I think it's probably just playing against each other was
kind of the first way we probably met. And then
I don't know, and it was just like we both
lived in LA in the summers, and well, I.

Speaker 3 (46:33):
Think it's probably the beach. You know.

Speaker 4 (46:34):
It's like in any hockey world, it's like one degree
of separation, you know, you're you. So Richie was roommates
with Teddy Purcell and played with him in LA and
so then Teddy and I played together in Tampa for
about five years. Actually, he came from LA and then
I went to Tampa too, and we were We were
roommates on the road for many years. We lived in
the same building, so I think it was probably probably

(46:56):
Teddy was the connection, I would guess, or Stolely maybe too.

Speaker 1 (46:59):
But there's yeah, there's an LA connection there too, right, yeah, yeah,
for sure.

Speaker 4 (47:04):
Yeah, And then we hung out of different different gatherings
many and many of times, so it would.

Speaker 1 (47:11):
Beating for us discuss how we know of one another.
But yeah, we all hockey players know one another, as
I've just learned right here. But her most of beach. Yeah,
I used to live on the strand fifteenth.

Speaker 2 (47:23):
We all.

Speaker 1 (47:24):
I guess that's like our connection here on the energy line, is.

Speaker 6 (47:27):
There we go? It was Park Avenue, Yeah, right there, Martha's.

Speaker 1 (47:32):
Love it, great brunch spot. It's are you still there
now in La?

Speaker 6 (47:37):
No, we were in just Scottsdale. We sold our place
in June of last year just because we were in
Scottsdale so much. Didn't make much sense. But but yeah,
I always always loved going back there.

Speaker 4 (47:46):
Now that you're done, I know you're on missing curfew
and you're doing this, what is that You're you're going
to the media side, maybe do some Are we going
to see you on TV.

Speaker 7 (47:53):
Maybe you know what I did the job with Calgary
last year, the kind of the scouting and a little
bit of player development, But to be honest, it was
way too much traveling.

Speaker 6 (48:03):
It was just like, especially with the Coyotes leaving here.

Speaker 7 (48:05):
I mean, I was on the road like twelve days
a month last year, which just felt like too much
for me. And then you know it would be like
twenty this year, which with a young family, that is
not possible.

Speaker 6 (48:13):
And it's just a lot of work and long.

Speaker 7 (48:16):
Days and sometimes I don't want to watch the American
League GY's play. I gotta be honest, like in Bakersfield
on a Tuesday night when I could be home with
my kids.

Speaker 3 (48:23):
But valid, so you know, that's just what it is.

Speaker 6 (48:28):
And I don't know that was.

Speaker 7 (48:29):
You know, me and Shane have talked about it for
a long time and going in help and doing stuff,
and I just I don't know.

Speaker 6 (48:34):
I didn't. I was hesitant to get into the media.

Speaker 7 (48:36):
Side because sometimes I want to say stuff and I
probably shouldn't.

Speaker 3 (48:40):
It is what it is.

Speaker 7 (48:40):
I haven't put it much thought into it, to be honest.
It's just kind of see what happens with it and
just kind of on with it.

Speaker 4 (48:46):
Well, you're good at it, buddy. So I mean I
watched a miss and Curfew and you have to say so.

Speaker 3 (48:50):
I'll thank if you want to get into it. You're
gonna be good at it.

Speaker 6 (48:53):
All, thanks, buddy.

Speaker 1 (48:54):
I think that's great for guys like you know that
are finishing their career and it's not like, Okay, do
you want to be on on the panel and get
twenty seconds to say something or like you get to
have an actual voice and tell stories and stuff here
Because there's the proliferation of podcasts that are more personality driven,
it feels like guys want to do that, which is
odd because you guys never gave good answers when you

(49:15):
were players, like Nate sure did because I worked with
the Ducks.

Speaker 2 (49:20):
I would go to.

Speaker 1 (49:21):
Nate when they'd lose and he would say something like
at least like that wasn't Randy Carlisle, like, you know,
yelling at me or something like that, but A right, yeah,
it's yeah, I mean he's yelling at everybody.

Speaker 2 (49:34):
That's that's to be honest.

Speaker 1 (49:35):
But I love it now that you guys are out
sort of like you're out of the you're free. You
guys just want to talk about all the all the
stories that you probably can't.

Speaker 7 (49:44):
Yeah, I mean, I like I was kind of like Nate,
if someone asked me a question, I'd try to answer
it honestly and not give the typical dumb like hockey answer,
get a deep, you know, kind of crap like whatever.
But yeah, I you know, some guys are more like
with Shane and Jordan Schmaltz's on our podcast in Uppy,
they they talk probably a little bit more personal stuff
that I'm willing to Yeah, you know, and it comes

(50:07):
to like, you know, certain situations I'm not you know,
I'm trying to keep it a little bit pg in sometimes,
but also you want to be honest and give the
people you know a real, real side of it. And
if there's a fine line between taking it too far right,
so I'll just leave it at that, I guess.

Speaker 2 (50:23):
Yeah, the Internet never forgets.

Speaker 1 (50:25):
It always remembers one question for you guys, like, as
former players, when you would talk to the media, would
you just say what the coach just told you in
the locker room?

Speaker 7 (50:33):
Some I mean no, I would just give them my opinion.
But sometimes that was you know, maybe influenced by what
the coach said, but I wouldn't. I would always try
to be my own person, and especially as I got
like older in my career, when you actually were like
knew you could say, you know, have an opinion and
you weren't really that insecure saying the wrong thing. I
would just kind of say what I felt, and if
the coach didn't agree with it, I don't care.

Speaker 6 (50:55):
What what are you gonna do? So early in my career i'd.

Speaker 7 (50:58):
Probably say the pigeon answer and be like, yeah, you know,
pox indeed props out, you know, don't you know whatever?
But I think as he get older, you're like, you
don't want to hear that. No one wants to hear
that crap.

Speaker 1 (51:07):
Yeah, it feels like the young guys are scared of
their own shadow. When you're talking to them. It's just like,
my god. But to your point about pat Roon, when
they were in against Colorado and the Stanley Cup, that
one that they lost. I talked to him about like
just the locker room DJ type who was in charge
of the ox court, and.

Speaker 2 (51:24):
He was like, oh, I don't think I can tell
you about that. I was like, oh, okay, He's like all.

Speaker 1 (51:28):
Right, I'm going to tell you about it, and he
went into like a five minute detailed the whole thing
on like every inch of what was coming.

Speaker 2 (51:36):
What's it was mind blowing.

Speaker 1 (51:38):
It was like he just wanted to actually talk about
what went on in the locker room and how the
song We're decided to somebody that was not his teammate.

Speaker 6 (51:45):
I guess.

Speaker 1 (51:46):
I was like, this is amazing, But yeah, Roon is
a beauty for anything, and that's why we'd also go
to him for stuff too as well.

Speaker 7 (51:52):
And it's and it's too like some of these young guys,
like as you get older, like the game has changed
a lot, Like you know, as me and Nate were
kind of like our generation would go out a lot
more and like go for dinners and some beers and
do different stuff.

Speaker 6 (52:05):
A lot of these guys now are playing a lot
of video games.

Speaker 7 (52:08):
They bring their yes, yes, I don't even know what
it is, PS four or five seven, I don't know,
on the road with them.

Speaker 6 (52:13):
They're playing on the plane. They're playing a lot of
video games, in which there is nothing wrong with that.

Speaker 7 (52:16):
But I don't have a lot in common with some
of the younger generation except for hockey, you know what
I mean. So it's just a different different lives, I
guess in a way.

Speaker 1 (52:25):
I read an article that it was like they come
home after a game like the Leafs, and then they'll
just get on there gaming and they all just like
game against one another, and it's like, man, that is
just a very unrelatable I could see for a lot.

Speaker 2 (52:39):
Of people at that point.

Speaker 1 (52:40):
But younger generation also more cameras out, more everyone, especially
if you're in Toronto. I'm sure those guys can't go
anywhere without just like a spotlight on them.

Speaker 2 (52:50):
But Brad, thank you.

Speaker 1 (52:53):
So much for being here on the show with us today.

Speaker 2 (52:55):
Well we'll let you get going.

Speaker 1 (52:57):
We know it's been a long, exciting week and yeah,
a lots of shenanigans and happy Birthday again and look
forward to hearing on missing Curfew and seeing how Team
Canada Affairs and druout it.

Speaker 6 (53:11):
Oh all right, guys, well thanks for having me. I
really appreciate it.

Speaker 1 (53:18):
I got to love how honest Brad Richardson is there
with saying you know, he's not sure if he wants
to do media, or that he was honest about the
whole scouting situation. We love people to be honest. We
also know that, Nate, as you're experiencing now being on
like a podcast and then also doing TV and radio,
there are certain there's certain sort of like no go

(53:39):
zones that you either figure it out as you go
along by you know, saying the wrong thing. But like,
how has that been for you just coming to the
other side here.

Speaker 4 (53:48):
Yeah, it's been a it's been an adjustment for sure.
I mean I was coaching last year and then now
I'm going to the media side. So yeah, you have
to walk on thin ice, not walk on thin ice.
But you have to just be careful with what you say,
and you have to make sure that you know you're
not speaking like you're in the locker room, but at
the same time be honest like he was saying, and
say what you feel, say what you want to say,
but just say it in maybe more of a elegant way, right,

(54:12):
I think the elegant way is probably the way to do.

Speaker 1 (54:14):
It as least personal as possible. Like if there's if
a guy makes a bad play, you just talk about
the play.

Speaker 2 (54:20):
Not the guy, unless the guy is the problem.

Speaker 4 (54:23):
I don't know.

Speaker 1 (54:24):
I've done this for a while too, so I'm curious
seeing you know, you guys come on to the side
and see like oh okay, right, like this is what
we have to do, or this is how we want
to get certain answers out of guys, and you realize
it's actually quite difficult because you guys don't say anything well.

Speaker 4 (54:41):
And at the same time, I mean, I think you're
I mean, in my opinion, I think you're better off
being honest and that's what hockey needs. I mean, I
think that's I was and I was serious about that.
I do think that Richie would be good on TV.
He would be good in this role because he is
so honest and what he says holds weight. And you know,
he's been there, he's done that, He's won a Stanley Cup.
So you know, we need more more guys like that

(55:02):
that are willing to be on and and tell it how.

Speaker 1 (55:05):
It is, and more guys at sport full on Eagles
gear as they have won the Super Bowl. I was
gonna call you full kit waker just because this is
soccer term, but you are Nate is full if you're listening,
He's just been wearing all Eagles stuff today.

Speaker 5 (55:20):
So in the.

Speaker 4 (55:21):
Colors, just to let you know, yeah, I just want
to let everyone know that we're the champs, and we're
the champs, yet we're the best, you know, we're the
best and the.

Speaker 3 (55:30):
Chiefs are not.

Speaker 1 (55:31):
And maybe maybe we can get into some fun wagers
throughout the tournament of like we need to get some
jerseys Canada, USA, Sweden, Finland.

Speaker 2 (55:40):
Jerseys and have some bets going.

Speaker 1 (55:44):
We're gonna be wearing Finland jerseys next week at this point.
Thank you guys so much for listening. You can subscribe
to the show on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get
your podcasts, and please give us a five star rating.
You can also write us a nice review, emphasis on
the nice, and you could hear us on the iHeartRadio app.
I'm Julie Sharpinks he's Nate Thompson. You'll be hearing from

(56:06):
the Energy Line every Tuesday, and thank you guys so
much for listening. We'll talk to you all next week
with another huge guest joining the Energy Line. Energy Line
is the production of the NHL and iHeart podcasts. For
more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts,

(56:31):
or wherever you get your podcasts.