Reaction to Kaprizov's Record Breaking Deal and Ryan Malone Joins the Show

Welcome to this week’s edition of Energy Line. You know what’s giving Nate and Julie energy this week? Kirill Kaprizov signing a massive, record-breaking deal—right while they were recording. They react in real time with guest Ryan Malone, breaking down the huge news and what it means for the rest of the league.

Also, Nate's former Tampa teammate Ryan Malone joins the show to discuss the upcoming season and the inspirational work he's doing with The Malone Family Foundation (hockeyishealing.org).

Next time we're back, it'll be opening night. Can't wait.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

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

Speaker 2 (00:25):
Welcome on into the Energy Line with thank JSB. I'm
Julie Short thinks he's former NHL R Nate Thompson. Energy
Line is a production of the NHL and iHeart podcasts
Now Full Transparency. We have already recorded the show. However,
during the show, some massive, massive news broke, and that
was that Corokaprizov signed the largest contract in NHL history

(00:50):
eight years, seventeen million dollars AAV for total of one
hundred and thirty six million dollars. We referenced this in
our interview with Ryan Malone as it broke while we
were talking with him. However, we'd be remiss not to
start the show with the biggest news of the day.
And Nate, when I said this when I came on

(01:12):
in every interview, what you guys will hear? What did
you think about the fact that this is the deal
that Corell the Thrill signed.

Speaker 3 (01:20):
Holy shit, I mean, like the biggest contract in ninchell history.
And I am I admit, I am eating some crow
right now. I did not anticipate that he would set
them up. I knew he wanted I knew he wanted
to set the market. Clearly he did, and holy fuck
did he set the market. I mean to get it
at seventeen. I mean for eight years. I got the

(01:44):
eight years right. I was on an empty Netters podcast
about a year ago and we were talking about this.
Yeah I remember, I remember, Oh yeah, Dan Powers just
texted me and wrote and sent me the clip said
this was a year ago, and so I'm eating crow.

Speaker 4 (01:58):
He was right. I think he set around fifteen. I
didn't think he would even get close to fifty.

Speaker 3 (02:03):
Yeah, I thought he was about fourteen to fifteen range
Leon drysidele and I mean seventeen the year eight years.

Speaker 4 (02:11):
I mean, like.

Speaker 3 (02:13):
Wow, I don't know what to say. I mean, he
deserves it. He is an unbelievable player. I think all
the other superstars should be patting him on the back
and thanking him because they're going to get paid now
too because of that, because of him. I mean, Connor McDavid,
he's gonna I mean, when does he get twenty now?
I mean the thing though, is what happens the rest

(02:38):
the team, Like how.

Speaker 4 (02:39):
Do you how do you add depth?

Speaker 3 (02:41):
You know, like we were talking about it with Bugsy,
you know, like Sid's making eight point seven.

Speaker 2 (02:48):
That's insane when you think about the difference.

Speaker 4 (02:50):
Free sauce making seventeen.

Speaker 2 (02:51):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I think. I mean, there's so many
different layers to this. I think that it is I
think it is good for the players setting the market,
you know, power to them. I think that this will
change so many contracts going forward, as we know, I'm
very curious to see how that even does. Like right now,
I was thinking like how many players, first of all,

(03:13):
are calling all other players being like, okay, great, this
is like good for us. And then how many are
calling their agents being like hey, like if we're in
the middle of any negotiations right now, like look at this,
like now it kind of changes everything if other players
were renegotiating at this point in this moment. But then
it's kind of like fantasy football, which I mentioned a
couple episodes ago, where it's like if you and I'm

(03:35):
thinking of an auction draft here, where it's like, if
I spend all my money on Josh Allen, I got
nobody else on my fantasy team, then like I can't
get flex players, I can't get defense, I can't you know,
I'm gonna have bad like it's not necessarily gonna work
out for the best team in that regard. However, we
know with the salary cap going up, like things are

(03:56):
gonna change. Like I don't know what I mean. Again,
we're not a numbers podcast, but like these numbers that
we're talking about on this podcast are I'm blowing. And
I will say, when you listen to the rest of
the podcast, you're gonna think I'm nostradamus because I did
say he was going to get that bag, and I

(04:16):
did say it was a game of chicken, and I
did say that Minnesota was at contender.

Speaker 4 (04:24):
Then you and you and Dan Powers are right, you
guys are right.

Speaker 2 (04:27):
I actually I did the deal for Corella.

Speaker 4 (04:29):
Like there you go, there you go. You could be
my agent.

Speaker 3 (04:32):
I have to say, though, like I think in the end,
it's pretty clear that Carill Capri Soften, his agent, had
all of the.

Speaker 4 (04:40):
Leverage in the world. Oh yeah, all of the leverage.
And now it just goes to show.

Speaker 3 (04:45):
I mean, these guys, I think the landscape of the league's
going to change a little bit. I think you're going
to have these superstars, like guys coming up, Ikle McDavid,
all these guys like they're gonna pick what they want
to do and where they want to go and how
much they want to make. I mean, now that carill
is making seventeen I mean, what's to say, Jack, I
can't get that or another player? Why can't he make

(05:06):
that much? So this changes everything is it's a new NHL.

Speaker 2 (05:11):
Now, it's a new NHL today September thirtieth, ok, twenty
twenty five. It's a new NHL. And Corollkoprizov and his
team can think Craig Leopold for saying we will do
whatever it takes to say and they said, okay, well
we ain't going to sign for your sixteen million a year.
I see that was the deal that he had turned down.

(05:32):
Now it's seventeen million, which is banana sandwich. And congratulations.
You got to take advantage of every leverage you can
in this league, in this business, in this life. And
with that, here is the rest of our podcast, which
we recorded like two hours ago. It's up super super
early because he's on the West coast because I have

(05:54):
to go do an NHL fantasy show later today, which
I really have absolutely no draft strategy whatsoever, which I
think I might just go auto draft really at this
this show. But I want to thank you because Nate's
gonna have to bring the energy at six eleven am.

Speaker 4 (06:13):
Yes, correct, six eleven am. No, I'm good, Julie.

Speaker 3 (06:16):
It's you know, I'm usually up with Wilder sometimes at
around six like she's usually like, dadda, wake up, wake up,
you know, one of those at like six am, and
I'm like, uh so, it's okay, let's pod, let's bring
the energy.

Speaker 2 (06:33):
Do you ever pretend like you can't hear her?

Speaker 4 (06:36):
Oh yeah.

Speaker 3 (06:37):
I I'll usually say like she'll be like, dadda, wake up,
and I'm like my eyes will be closed, and I'm like,
I am awake.

Speaker 4 (06:45):
I'm just resting my eyes.

Speaker 2 (06:46):
You know, one of those Oh yeah, I am awake.

Speaker 4 (06:50):
I am awake.

Speaker 2 (06:51):
Well, speaking of children, We've got some fun weekend updates,
and I'll go first, Nate, just because I just let you.
I'll let you have a ten second break before fee break.
Fun weekend things. Speaking of children, I went back to
my high school for reunion twenty years, which.

Speaker 4 (07:10):
Is really you're talking about that last week.

Speaker 2 (07:12):
Really makes you feel like, wow, twenty years is the
amount of time essentially that like you were born to
when you finished high school to them now. But what
was really cool was I was super I don't know
if I said this last podcast, like I was really
stressed thinking like, oh, excuse me, so socially awkward, like
cause you.

Speaker 4 (07:31):
Said you went to all girls school too, right.

Speaker 2 (07:33):
Okay, yeah for from grade three so these I'm speaking
in Canadian right, So grade three to grade twelve it
was all girls, no boys. So I, oh, I have
a funny.

Speaker 4 (07:46):
Thing for you.

Speaker 2 (07:47):
So I was not around boys, like I didn't really
know how to talk to boys. That's the one downside
of going to an all girls school for that long.
There's other girls that like were cool and went to like,
you know, hang out with the boys' schools. That ain't me.
But what I found in an old journal was oh my,
you're gonna die. I did not plan on saying this
on podcasts. I have in an all journal saying goals

(08:09):
four game. So I played hockey on an all boys team.
Off ice, Talk to Andrew, get Matt's MSN Talk to
Elliott if you see him on ice. Beat up boys,
head up, hash marks, cover the point, skate hard.

Speaker 4 (08:32):
How old are you it is?

Speaker 2 (08:34):
I think I was like fifteen, Oh.

Speaker 4 (08:37):
My god, that's great. That's really good. That's good. That's
that's good shit right there.

Speaker 2 (08:42):
That's all so embarrassing that I was. I would like
think of topics that I would that I would talk
out to the boys about on the bench. I'd be like, so,
what do you think about that thing? Or I asked
one of them out once, I asked one of them
to my semi four No I got I had a

(09:03):
phone number from the roster. I asked him out, he said,
asked him to come my semi formal like I went,
I went above and beyond and he said, sorry, I
have to hang up my grandparents that night, and I
was like, okay. And then I found out afterward that
he told the whole select locker room that I had
asked him out. Because the guys never ever let me

(09:26):
live it down through university and beyond. But anyways, as
fun going back, you got up to something fun, a
little reunion of your own.

Speaker 4 (09:33):
Yeah, it was my you're right, what was kind of reunion?

Speaker 3 (09:36):
Yeah, Tampa Tampa Bay Lightning held the fantasy camp this
last weekend and they invited myself another alumni.

Speaker 4 (09:44):
Well, the other guys that flew in was myself Frederick.

Speaker 3 (09:46):
Mordine and Andre Wis, and then there's a number of
guys like Ryan Malone, Adam Hall, Matthew Garon, a bunch
of guys that were you know, all live in the
Tampa area.

Speaker 4 (09:57):
And basically, yeah, I was.

Speaker 3 (10:00):
Welcome dinner Thursday night, and then Fridays was like practice
in the morning, a couple of games.

Speaker 4 (10:05):
Like I was like, I was on the ice a lot.
Like it was practice.

Speaker 3 (10:10):
Every morning around nine, nine or ten, and then you'd
have a game against each team and there was like
three it was running time, but it was three periods
and it was fun and we and we did. We
played at International Benchmark Arena is what it's called now,
not Emily anymore. So we got to play games there
and it was fun. I mean, we had a bunch

(10:31):
of guys. I think it was like thirty five campers
and then you know all the you know, all the
alumni and we went to one of the preseason games
Friday night. Had some fun there. We definitely did not
go to bed early ever, No, no, And you know
how I mean, yeah, you get together with old guys,

(10:51):
you play with you know, guys like Bugsy and stuff,
and you just you know, you kind of pick up
where you left off and everything kind of feels normal again,
you know. So I don't think I went to bed
before like three am every night.

Speaker 2 (11:02):
So it was, uh, there we go that that's it.

Speaker 5 (11:05):
Good for you.

Speaker 3 (11:06):
Yeah it was, but it was great. It was a
great time. I loved Tampa. I mean, it's just the
place has grown so much. It's it's like a different city.
But I love it there.

Speaker 2 (11:16):
It feels like you were like actually back playing because
you had the morning skate, You're with the guys, you're
playing the games where you're like, oh, I feel like
I'm back. It's like my high school. It's like your
high school.

Speaker 3 (11:27):
It's so funny you say that. It's like because I
was staying at the Embassy Suites and that nice old
older hotel, right, and I stayed there when I got
picked up off Waivers from Tampa, and I was lived
there for like three months. So one morning I'm like obviously,
went to bed pretty late, woke up panicked. It was

(11:50):
like eight forty five. We were on the ice at nine,
so I walk I walk over to the rink. I
walk in obviously the you know, when everyone's not rushing
to get on the ice, So I was okay, but
I was like, I had deja vu in my hotel,
the like of doing that.

Speaker 4 (12:05):
When I was playing, I was like, where am I?

Speaker 3 (12:09):
You know kind of thing. But it was it was
a fun weekend, Julie. It was a lot of fun.
Too much fun, baby.

Speaker 2 (12:15):
So I I envy you, but I think that that's
great that you guys were able to go back have
that in Tampa. Look pretty good in the preseason.

Speaker 4 (12:22):
So far, they look really good.

Speaker 3 (12:25):
And it was it's funny you say that we were
out at a restaurant bar or whatever, and uh was
with some former guys, you know, Malon and those guys,
and Vinnie too. Got to see Vinnie and John Cooper
and this whole coaching staff came in and we got
to hang out with them, and we talked to Coop
for a little bit. And there's some good young players
they have that are knocking on the door too for

(12:46):
this lets you know, for this Lightning team, and they
already have their you know, core group of guys and
they look good. They look good. But it was great
to see Coop and some other guys like Dan h
Note and his coaching staff. Yeah, yep, Jeff Halpern and
uh so it was good.

Speaker 4 (13:00):
It was it was fun to see everybody.

Speaker 2 (13:02):
Coop is a bea beauty. He just reminds me of
the guy from Billy Madison who does like the decathlon
at the end with the questions to both Eric and
Billy like the business sethics guy.

Speaker 4 (13:16):
Yeah, yeah, very specific reference. Yeah part you're talking about.

Speaker 2 (13:22):
Ye, everyone in this room is now this is stupid,
more dumb for having listened to what he said, you
know that guy? Okay, Uh, it's something also John Cooper
would say. I think if he was like listening to
this podcast right now, he's like, God, anyone listening his
podcast right now.

Speaker 5 (13:36):
Is yeah he is.

Speaker 3 (13:38):
His motto is no excuses for like the champion he
gets from Yes, you know he loves that. That was
That was one of the first things I remember about
him when he when he came in.

Speaker 2 (13:46):
Yeah, he used to have Twitter and I remember that
was that was his bio And I was like, gosh,
this is this guy cool. So he's cool and he's respected.
That's a very tough combination to have. Okay, uh, why
don't we get to some predictions. Maybe we've got the
NHL season coming up. Holy smokes. I will say the

(14:09):
preseason does feel a little long because I've been waiting
to post our TikTok we did with Jay Gottinger and
in Vegas.

Speaker 3 (14:18):
Well, luckily this is the last year of all the
preseason games. There's long gonna be what like two or
three next year, and it's eighty four regularly. Actually, I
think starting yesterday or whatever, the regular season would start now, yeah,
like right the end of September.

Speaker 2 (14:33):
Yeah, it just gets kind of annoying. I mean not annoying.
It's just like, okay, like, how much should I time?
Am I going to spend on watching this? And blah
blah blah? Is anyone even does anyone? Is anyone even listening?

Speaker 4 (14:43):
You know, is anybody listening right now? I don't is
anybody listening.

Speaker 2 (14:50):
Horse horses? Horses wear horse shoes and horse socks.

Speaker 3 (14:54):
I don't know.

Speaker 4 (14:55):
Something. Producer Matt is listening right now.

Speaker 2 (14:57):
We know that, Yeah, yeah, Producer Matt's listening being like okay,
I'm gonna have to cut out the entire first eighteen minute.
It's the show twenty twenty five predictions. You know you
want them, and we're going to do them in a
little bit different way because as we do here on
the energy Line, Nate, I'm going to ask you a
bold take. You know isn't true about the season, but

(15:22):
you wish it was.

Speaker 3 (15:26):
That wasn't true, Yeah, bold take, bold take, I wish
it wasn't.

Speaker 2 (15:32):
I wish it was true, but it's no, it isn't
going to be.

Speaker 4 (15:35):
No, it's not going to be true.

Speaker 2 (15:36):
But you wish it was.

Speaker 3 (15:39):
I wish that Sidney Crosby would go and play in Montreal,
but I don't think it's going to happen.

Speaker 2 (15:47):
You're like the one person in the world that doesn't
think that's going to happen.

Speaker 4 (15:51):
I don't. I just don't. I just like, I don't know.
I just don't think that's going to happen. I don't know.
I don't know why. But I wish that will but
I don't know. I just don't think it will.

Speaker 2 (15:59):
Okay, so well, then maybe we say bold prediction I
think that won't happen. Is Sydney Crosby wins a Stanley
Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins. I think it would be
really nice for him to do that after he wins
gold with Team Canada. It's a bit awkward on this podcast.

Speaker 4 (16:19):
That's I was like thinking, No, it was just I
was literally thinking about that.

Speaker 5 (16:23):
Hmm.

Speaker 4 (16:24):
But I do like, I.

Speaker 2 (16:26):
Guess, what if we didn't have a SID year, like
we had an over year, just said it like.

Speaker 3 (16:30):
That would be I don't think that's going to happen,
but I wish is if Pittsburgh won, Yeah, Pittsburgh one,
that would be ideal. I mean, imagine if they're yeah
for correct for SID and imagine if they're fuck imagine
if they're in first place around Olympics.

Speaker 4 (16:45):
Who knows?

Speaker 2 (16:46):
That would be That would be the craziest insant thing happened.
I would be like, well, I'm just I mean, I
don't understand. I'd be like, I don't I don't understand hockey.
They're the team that's like basically trying to tank and
they're going to be in first Like that would be
just like whatever. But crazier things have happened, as we've
seen even in the last couple of weeks, as teams
have out up and down the rankings because of various andreies,

(17:06):
different things going on. Okay, next up, hey team, Yes,
you're buying as a legit contender.

Speaker 4 (17:14):
The Ottawa Senators, Oh, and.

Speaker 3 (17:19):
I tell you that because Ottawa took a huge jump
last year and they gave Toronto a run for their
money in the first round. And I'm looking at their
roster right now and you see these guys and they're
all a year older. You know, you have Brady Kitchuck
who's leading the charge. You got Tim Stutzla Bathurston, and
then on the on the back end, you have Jake
Sanderson too, Like this kid came jumped into Team USA

(17:41):
at four Nations. It was probably the best defenseman on
the team in that game, you know. And then you
have Thomas Shabbat, I mean, and then Lias Hallmark obviously.
Net So, I just think that the way they've progressed
over the years, Brady Kuchuk has shown how good of
a captain he is.

Speaker 4 (17:58):
I just think is a matter of time.

Speaker 3 (17:59):
And it's been a long time right since the Attawa
has been good, and I think it's time now. But
I do think that they're going to make a jump
and be a legit contending team this season, and especially
I mean it's gonna be tough. I mean, they're in
I think the best division in hockey. But I just
like the makeup of their team and how they kind
of keep getting better every year.

Speaker 2 (18:21):
They certainly do. You make a lot of great points there,
I have heard. The only other thing people I've heard
of said is just like maybe goaltending, even though Lena
Selmark is very good, They're maybe not necessarily completely on
board with that, but I do think that they will be.
I think they could make some noise, especially in that division,
and now with Barkov and Matthew could check out for

(18:43):
extended periods of time. I think that makes the regular
season a whole lot more interesting. And there, what's okay,
I'll say team quickly, I'm taking Minnesota Wilds.

Speaker 4 (18:53):
I like that.

Speaker 2 (18:54):
I do think they get the Kapritsoft deal done. I always,
you know, I'm team player, so I think that they
should do it every one. Okay, team you're selling, I
am selling.

Speaker 3 (19:07):
The Washington Capitals. I I think last year was a
bit of an anomaly. I think the you know, I'm
not even a stat guy, but like the advanced stats
and the team didn't even match up how well they
were doing. And this is no knock on some of
their top guys like Ovechkin is obviously Govechkin, but he's
not the same with Vechkin he was ten years ago.

(19:29):
But you know, you look at the other big contending
teams throughout the league and you look at their top
players and the capitols, and this is no like you know, Duboi,
Wilson and Strom would be you know, they're quote unquot
maybe top guys, but on them on another team, say
like Florida or the Lightning or Carolina, are those teams like,
I don't think they match up quite at the same

(19:52):
level as those other teams. And I just think you
saw in the playoffs right like, they they didn't really
make the noise that everyone thought they would. And I
think part of that is probably you know, you get
to the playoffs and your your big guys become your
big guys, and theirs aren't, you know, at the level
of other teams. And I just think that this year
I'm selling the Washington Capitals. I just don't think that

(20:14):
they are going to be as successful as they were
last season.

Speaker 2 (20:17):
Yeah, I think you're right, especially the fact they don't
have that sort of ov Chase going nuts seemed to
propel them in like a really and I mean they
were they were wild. It was wild that they were
as good as they were, considering they look like an
AHL team the year before, playing the Rangers in the
first round, and.

Speaker 4 (20:33):
Then they were outer worldly last year for sure.

Speaker 2 (20:36):
Yeah, Like it was like, oh, we decided we were
going to be a completely different person this year. They
went to a high school. They had a glow up.
It was like they took the summer cheese, all of that.
They came back and they were like, wow, we took
the glasses off and look at what happened. But now
going back down in reality. So I think that the
this is not anything crazy to say about Buffalo Sabers.

(20:58):
Probably a team I'm selling for sure.

Speaker 4 (21:02):
As I last.

Speaker 2 (21:04):
Sorry whatever. Tage Thompson's great, but I just don't think
the team is when I would I wouldn't buy them. Yeah,
you know, someone actually asked me if I would like
to buy the Buffalo Sabers, and I said no because
I just don't think that would be a smart investment
right now all things considered. Yeah, Also, I don't have

(21:26):
the money to buy NHL team right right now is
what I will say. Uh, okay, player, you're buying as
a legit boom Tyson.

Speaker 4 (21:35):
Forrester from the Philadelphia Flyers.

Speaker 3 (21:37):
And I say that because we've heard from his other teammates,
one being Travis Sandheim talking about him. And also I
don't know if you saw, but Sidney Crosby called and
talked to Rick talkt about Tyson Forrester and was said
how impressed he was by playing with the Metworld Championships.
And I remember this kid when I played in Philly

(21:58):
and he was younger at the time. You're still a
prospect coming up, but this kid can shoot the puck.
And you know, you've keep hearing his name over and
over and over again from other teams and other players
and guys talking about him. And you know, he was
playing with Nate McKinnon over there and didn't look out
of place at all, and he was actually you know,
and I've heard from other guys and Nate included that they.

Speaker 4 (22:19):
Loved him and they thought he was a legit player.

Speaker 3 (22:21):
So I think this kid is going to be a
future star in this league.

Speaker 4 (22:25):
And I think that the Flyers have a really good
one here.

Speaker 2 (22:29):
And I also think the Flyers have a couple of
guys that could really boom. And my guy is I'm
gonna say it wrong, but well, I'm just going to
say meachkov m Okay, so I'm going to think I
think that I think that he you know, he was
he had a great rookie season, and I think he's
gonna he's gonna continue to pop. And we've already seen

(22:51):
I mean, Segrest there. The team is way better than
it was a year ago. So if we put in
a bunch of those different guys there again, you mentioned
a bunch of them already. So I think that the
Flyers have a couple guys gonna are gonna boom it up. Okay,
who do you think is the player you're selling he's
gonna bust?

Speaker 3 (23:09):
I hate saying this, but I just think, you know,
sophomore slump. He's not a big guy Will Smith from
the San Jose Sharks. I just think there'll be a
little bit of a dip. You know, It's just way
it goes sometimes, you know. I just think that the
second year, you know, guys are not going to be

(23:31):
surprised by him. You know, d man, he's probably gonna
be playing against top pairings most majority of the time.
You know, he's I don't really know what else to say,
because I I hate predictions sometimes because I like this
kid a lot. But I'm just going off, you know,
pretty good, solid rookie season and he's gonna have a
sophomore slump.

Speaker 4 (23:48):
That's my prediction.

Speaker 2 (23:51):
Yeah, I mean I don't really know.

Speaker 4 (23:53):
You're like, I don't really want to add on that pass.

Speaker 2 (23:57):
I think maybe just speaking on kind of on the
Washing Capitals, Pierre luked bois, you might have a bit
of a bit of a he had a good season
last year sixty six points, But I don't. I don't
like that's gonna happen this That's an easy one. Okay,
let's go into bandwagon. Watch which team will people be

(24:18):
hopping on in October? So like let's just say like
a couple of weeks and who are people going to
be like, Oh, this is the best.

Speaker 4 (24:26):
Team Autawa Senators.

Speaker 3 (24:29):
I think that they're gonna keep this momentum going from
the playoffs that they you know, they gave, like I said,
played a real good series against the Leafs, and they're
gonna come out hot and that's gonna be you know,
you know how that goes.

Speaker 4 (24:41):
If the hot the team gets.

Speaker 3 (24:42):
Hot in Canada, you know, that's all they talk about,
and then it'll just go crazy and everyone's going crazy
for the Ottawa Senators, and one's why is there everyone's
on this bandwagon of the Ottawa Senators.

Speaker 4 (24:54):
That's what it's gonna be.

Speaker 2 (24:56):
I think it's not going to be that because the
Blue Jays are going to be going to the World
Series and nobody is going to be talking about the
Atutawa Senators, even if they were really, really good. I
think that it's going to be Tampa. I think Tampa
is going to come out to a great start and
everyone's gonna be like Florida. What like the Florida Panthers,
we thought we're gonna win the third Stanley Cup in

(25:17):
a row. No way it's going to go back to
Tampa because we know that the Cup stays in Florida,
So it's only one. It's either one of those two
teams that wins the Cup bus year and every year
going forward. So I think that Tampa's gonna is going
to be a team that pops. I mean, they've had
a great preseason so far, and I think that I
think a lot of their success obviously depends on the

(25:39):
health of their really big core guys. The Koutrov's point,
Veslevsky had been guys but then and uh, the Hagel
like everyone like that. But then I think some of
the newer guys too that are popping up in there
will be pivotal. But yeah, that's my I mean, that's
not that's not really revolutionary because Tampa is a very team,

(26:04):
as we just mentioned. Okay, let's see, Okay, I was
scarious about this one. For your opening nights superstitions, the
players have anything in particular that's different on that opening night.

Speaker 4 (26:15):
Yeah, I would say this is a little crazy.

Speaker 3 (26:19):
But every year of going into the season, like I
did the same thing before every game, whether it was
my warm up, everything was, like I said, routine.

Speaker 4 (26:27):
But I guess you could say it was superstition too.

Speaker 3 (26:29):
But before the season, I would change things up a
little bit in my routine or I would add something new.

Speaker 4 (26:35):
Every year.

Speaker 3 (26:37):
I think that was probably the extent of my superstition.
I guess before every season.

Speaker 2 (26:41):
Would give us an example.

Speaker 3 (26:43):
Yeah, like I'd be like, Okay, I'm gonna add five
more minutes to my warm up this time, or I'm
going to do five minutes less, or I'm just going
to do different I'm going to do different exercises before
maybe I eat a different snack instead of what I
ate the season before. I just changed things up just
a little bit, and then I kept it and I
would keep it the same usually most most of the season.

Speaker 2 (27:02):
But okay, so would you You're like, Okay, I'm just
gonna try instead of like a nature Valley bar, I'm
going to have like a fig Newton And then you'd
be like, is that? But what if then you had
a bad first game?

Speaker 3 (27:16):
Uh? Then yeah, maybe sometimes I would switch it up
to if it was But I don't know if. I mean,
I don't think I any bad first games.

Speaker 2 (27:24):
I feel like I'm not sure what that would be like.
Maybe you should ask someone else.

Speaker 3 (27:29):
Well, I mean, I think first games two guys are
pumped up and you're just run on and drilling.

Speaker 4 (27:33):
So but I think that the superstition part. Everyone's different.

Speaker 3 (27:36):
But I mean, some guys don't change anything the same
thing no matter what every year.

Speaker 2 (27:40):
So it seems like you're you're kind of just throwing
spaghetti at the wall. There. You're like, well, maybe I'll
do this warm up instead this year.

Speaker 4 (27:48):
That's exactly what I did.

Speaker 2 (27:51):
I saw this on TikTok. I need incorporated into my
twelve step skincare routine now and see if that helps
to score more goals this year. That's right now before
we move on. And oh, by the way, I didn't
tease it off the top, but we are going to
have Ryan Malone joining us, former nhller and silver medalist
for Team USA, also one of Nate's friends, and he's

(28:14):
on the Tampa Bay broadcast. Speaking of Tampa Bay, we've
got a lot of Tampa Bay love here on the show.
I got to ask, Okay, who do you think is
going to be winning the Cup? And how quickly is
it not going to be the Florida Panthers.

Speaker 3 (28:30):
Now, yeah, it's hard to say it's not going to
be Florida Panthers, but I'll say the Vegas Golden Knights.
I think with the addition of Mitch Marner obviously and
their d their goal I mean there, I mean on paper,
right up there with every other contending team. We know
every year they're you know, they're going to be the
Vegas Golden Knights and they're going to have a deep run.

(28:53):
I think this year is a year where they get
over the they get back over the up again, get
back to the finals and win a Cup with Mitch
Marner leading the way.

Speaker 2 (29:03):
I buy that, I buy Vegas. I buy that. I
buy that a lot. But I'm also now going to
just sort of fade myself where I think Florida does
win the Cup, and I think it's because everyone thinks,
oh well, bar cops out seven to nine months again,
sucks for him with the Olympics, we feel for him.
Matthew Kachuck is out until at least December. But the

(29:26):
team is the team. They won because they were able
to roll four lines. I think that Paul Maurice is
going to be able to keep them locked into that
identity in the fact that maybe they are a wild
card team, but boy, they're gonna just absolutely destroy They're
like a like a lion playing with like a some animal.

(29:48):
That's just you know, I'm going to I'm moving my hands, yes,
like a panther. Like like yes, like a panther, not
a lion. A lion would be the wrong animal in
this situation of panther there playing with its prey, and
they're gonna they're gonna be like, hey, you guys all
picked us lots to win it, and look, we're more
than just two players. Because as we saw they are,

(30:10):
although these are two really big players, especially Barkov. But yeah,
I'm actually gonna I should throw a cup some juice
on that. That's got to be a good, a good
play right now. The odds for the Panthers to win
the Cup right now would be real good to take,
So I think I might do that. Okay, We've got
a lot more to come. There's so many more questions
I want to ask Nate, but we are running a

(30:32):
little overtime right now, mostly because of me, and I
just won't shut up in the morning right now. But
and Nate is just trying to make it through this
early morning broadcast. But on the other side of this,
we have got Rhyme alone. You know him from the Penguins,
the Rangers, the Lightning and Timosa and doing so much

(30:53):
for the community and beyond. We will catch up with
him on Energy Line with Nate and jasp right after this.
Welcome back into Energy Line with Nate and Jay and
now we are very fortunate to be joined by former
NHLer for the Lightning, Penguins, Rangers and had a silver
medal with Timosa in twenty ten. That is another than

(31:16):
Ryan Malone was also a good friend of my co
host Nate Thompson. Ryan, thank you so much for joining
us here today.

Speaker 5 (31:22):
Oh yeah, thanks for having me.

Speaker 4 (31:24):
Yeah.

Speaker 5 (31:24):
I think we were the energy line back in the day, Tom,
We really were.

Speaker 4 (31:27):
Actually there was.

Speaker 3 (31:28):
There was actually a lot of playoffs that Bugsy and
I played together, played on the same line a lot
during the season too. Actually, there's there's a picture from
this weekend. We were just together this weekend. Obviously we
talked about the fantasy camp, but there's a picture of
us celebrating in like the Lightning alumni area.

Speaker 4 (31:45):
I was like, I remember that goal house. That was
a fun time, Bugsy, very fun.

Speaker 2 (31:49):
Yeah, okay, wait what goal? Tell me what the energy
line like? What were you guys like?

Speaker 5 (31:57):
We just tried to dumping the corner and go run.

Speaker 6 (31:58):
Some bodies stay on the d side of the puck,
you know, making hard to play against. I think that
goal was in the playoffs, and I think I was
even wearing number six the year and ended up like
coming out of the penalty box catching a breakaway on flurry.
At the time, I remember my injury was a little injury,
so I couldn't do much besides take a slap shot

(32:21):
and then luckily enough it went bar down on Flowers,
so I got to rub it in his face too.
But it was the playoff hockey, so any goal, you know,
to help the team. Everyone's just jacked up. Everyone's faces
and veins are screaming. So it was a fun time.
It was a fun run that year.

Speaker 3 (32:37):
Yeah, I'll have to show you the picture, Julie. It's
a it's a great picture. Like we're all like, it's me,
him and Adam Hall in the corner. We're just like
hugging each other and just huge smiles and laughing places
going crazy bugsy. Yeah, it's so good to have you here, buddy.
I want to go back. Is just for people that
don't know. You know, your dad played for the Pittsford Penguins.

(32:58):
You know you're from there. You know you got to
grow up in an NHL locker room and be on
that kind of Describe what that was like for you
growing up.

Speaker 6 (33:08):
Yeah, I mean very looking back, very just grateful for opportunity,
kind of see the behind the scenes. Look, my dad,
like you said, started there in Pittsburgh. So that's where
I met my mom and I got my life started.
And when he got done playing, I became kind of
the head scalp for the Penguins for close to maybe

(33:31):
just over twenty years. So he drafted to help draft
like Yoger all the way to Flurry and said, and
all these guys. So I was a young kid at
the rink. His office was next to Craig Patrick, and
Craig Patrick had a few boys my age. Eddie Johnston
had some boys my age, so we're always just little
rink rats. My brother and I playing even Hide and

(33:54):
go Seek in the Civic arena back in the day
with our roller blades because they used to have ramps,
you know, throughout the arena. So then we're like roller
blade crazy, which was pretty cool. And yeah, I just
kind of kind of grew up in that locker room,
very familiar with I guess, just the love for the

(34:15):
game and how the guys treat each other. That's even
where my dad and even Brian Chote was showing me
a few pranks back in the day. I'm not sure
if the guys use the hair dryers anymore, but I
remember playing baby powder and like these hair dryers and
then they turn it on it shirts out, so but
all that fun stuff, and then also got to see

(34:36):
them though in the gym, working out after their practices,
you know, working hard and having fun. So I think again,
I just fell in love with the game at an
early age. Had no idea and very grateful for the
opportunity to play in the National Hockey League. But I
fell in love with the game at the early age
because of that, it.

Speaker 3 (34:54):
Would all make sense with the pranks, now, Bucksley, this guy,
like he was the ultimate pranks here when we played
with them, like every day something was coming up, and
like your dad.

Speaker 4 (35:06):
Played with Mario and so did you as well.

Speaker 5 (35:09):
My dad got traded right before Mario got there.

Speaker 4 (35:12):
Okay, yeah right, which is crazy, that's so cool.

Speaker 6 (35:14):
Yeah yeah, But yeah, again, I think growing up there's
a picture when they won the first Cup and I'm
on the bus to go to like the parade at
the Pirates Stadium there with the cup, and there's a
picture of me and Mario and my brother when I'm
back when I'm like thirteen and then be able to
you know, get drafted there and make the team and

(35:36):
then get to play with Mario and it was like
you're pinching yourself, you know, it's like what's happening.

Speaker 5 (35:42):
But again, it was a great, great human.

Speaker 6 (35:45):
Again, I think the whole organization from you know, Bob
Johnson all the way down and you know, it's a
great day for hockey. It was all about the love
and passion for the game and then you know, for
your teammates as well, obviously, So I got to kind
of see the Rick Tackett in ninety two. I think
he came back and played with a broken jaw and
the more like a plastic thing around And seeing like

(36:05):
Darius Casparitus and Barnaby and that the grid also with
the skill was pretty cool to see how they made
those teams, you know. So again, very very lucky and
grateful for the opportunity.

Speaker 2 (36:16):
So was there any overlap between your dad being a
scout and then you perhaps being drafted.

Speaker 6 (36:23):
Oh yeah, yeah, he was there. So that's where we
her Brooks ended up making the call. Usually, you know,
the the NHL draft, the teams have their players lists
one through you know, one hundred and fifty of their
top players they rank and they kind of just put
guys in those slots and cross them mops as they

(36:44):
go down the list and usually try to pick the
best player, you know, if for whatever round they're in.
So yeah, I ended up being her Brooks ended up
making the call in the fourth round to draft me
to Pittsburgh. But yeah, at first, I was like, I
don't know if I want to get drafted by the
Penguins just because my dad was there to be like
a daddy pick, you know. But at the end of

(37:05):
the day, at the end of the day, you got
to earn it. I mean, there's no way fans or
busts about you're not so again, I think it was all,
you know, happening for a reason, and that was truly
an honored put on the sweater, even for training camp.
I remember, honestly, I was like, you know, kept doing
four years of Saint Cloud and then coming out and
having an opportunity to make the big club. I honestly

(37:27):
didn't care for me the big club or the miners.
I'm like, so I get to say, hockey is my job.

Speaker 5 (37:31):
Now you're.

Speaker 6 (37:33):
Paying money to play hockey, Like life is pretty good.
And definitely enjoyed the ride and process, you know, it
was great.

Speaker 3 (37:41):
Yeah, speaking of her Brooks and you know, uh, you know,
getting an honor, it being an honor put on a sweater.
You're going back to twenty ten Olympics at being in Vancouver,
and you know, just talk about that experience. I remember,
I think I was I just came to Tampa, I
think twenty ten and then yeah, it was Olympic breaks,
so you were off playing for the team USA.

Speaker 4 (37:59):
Describe that, buddy.

Speaker 5 (38:01):
That was unbelievable.

Speaker 6 (38:03):
Her Derby was a great influence on the early on
when my dad was a scout there in Pittsburgh. They
started a hockey camp up in Minnesota called Minnesota Hockey Camps.
It's really just about character developments, you know, lots of
good workouts from the middle of the woods in Minnesota,
kind of training with other hockey players kind of from
all over the world, which was cool. And he even

(38:27):
started the Saint Cloud program. I don't know if you
know that. I did not know them in eighty for
eighty five he started Saint Claus State University. Even the
logos kind of the sea around the chest with the
st in the middle, kind of mimicking the Montreal Canadians.
So putting on the American sweater and again never thought

(38:47):
I'd be able to represent my country at the Olympics
was the best honor that I've ever had. And then
definitely even a little emotional tie there from knowing Herbie
personally and stuff.

Speaker 5 (38:57):
Obviously trying to do your best. I really thought it
was our year.

Speaker 6 (39:02):
It was like thirty years from the gold medal and
we actually you know, he'd scored the last few seconds
a cent into overtime. Yeah, but you know, I guess
if someone's going to score and ruin my dreams, they'll
be Sid.

Speaker 5 (39:16):
Seriously, I mean, he deserves it. I got You're like, yeah,
I was very fortunate.

Speaker 6 (39:21):
Yet you know, kind of sit next to him there
and Pittspur in the locker room and really get to
know him as a person. You know, he works his
craft and people don't understand how much dedication discipline has
and I think that shows is two decades now of domination.

Speaker 5 (39:37):
So okay, yeah, I mean I'm okay with him to
scoring it.

Speaker 2 (39:40):
I guess what an interesting situation for you to have
been in, to have had him as your teammate than
him to you know, live in your nightmares. But also
not because you're like, okay, it's Sid. You like him
your friends obviously, but maybe just one question more on
on your Olympic experience, because we are entering on the
Olympics for NHL players going back to it, But like,

(40:01):
what's maybe because Nate and I have sadly both never
played in the Olympics before, But what's maybe something unique
about that experience that other people who haven't been in
the Olympics couldn't really understand what you went through.

Speaker 6 (40:17):
Well, I think it's just you know, you don't have
that many days to you know, practice and come together
as a team. But everyone kind of has their roles
and obviously everyone's thinking about the team first mentality and
just kind of put me where we need me. And
I think, you know, in Vancouver especially, I mean I
remember just unfortunately my family like walking down the street

(40:37):
in us A Jersey and obviously Canadians are just heckling.
Like for you it's like a little offside almost.

Speaker 4 (40:47):
Yeah.

Speaker 6 (40:47):
I just remember being so loud as probably the loudest
game I played in. And you know, at the end
of the day, you know, representing your country is the
ultimate ultimate opportunity. So I think, you know, at the
Olympics coming up this year again, the US team's got
a great shot to hopefully, you know, get to get

(41:09):
the job done. And that's what I think makes it
so exciting because you have you know, the best on
best players out there. I remember just how fast obviously
the pace was and you know, everything's just moving even
faster than the normal NHL level. So again, it was
just a great opportunity and I think with the USA

(41:30):
and the team they got, they definitely got a good
chance this year.

Speaker 3 (41:33):
Yeah, Julie and I were lucky enough to be at
Four Nations in Montreal and watch it and it was
like it was it was crazy what we were saying,
it's the best hockey that we'll ever watch probably, you know,
like it's it was just the speed, everything, no mistakes,
all of it. And the first game, you know, Canada Sweden, right,
we were talking about how Sidney Crosby like I thought

(41:54):
it was like a Michael Jordan moment, like he how
he just you know, he it's all the best of
the best. But then it was all of a sudden like, Okay,
guys know, I am still the guy. Yeah, and he
kind of showed everybody that. So when you were playing
with him, I mean, you know, you were with him
as a rookie, like was it right away you were like, oh, yeah,
this guy is he is the future of this League.

Speaker 5 (42:16):
Yeah, I mean he was.

Speaker 6 (42:18):
I just remember as everyone's talking about McDavid now with
that extra gear. Yeah, you know, that's how he was
when he came in here, Like that was the first
thing you noticed on the ice, and then you see
him in the shower. He's got pretty big legs. I
remember going to like, I think the buckle back in
the day and the berg get him custom pants to
fit around his ass.

Speaker 4 (42:39):
He's built like a fire hydriant.

Speaker 6 (42:41):
Yeah yeah, but I know, like again like he was
a pretty well oiled machine. I remember even you know,
training with him in Veil and they're talking about gut
health and all these things and they're spritting up the
mountain and me, mom, like just walking up with the
beers on my back with the backpack. I'm like not,

(43:01):
wasn't really getting all of it. But he was very
dedicated at a young age, and he has some great
people around him and team around him obviously to help
him stay healthy and on top of that, which actually
has brought me to now, you know, running a foundation
through mental health that just gut we talked about. Your
gut health is your second brain literally where that happy

(43:25):
chemical serotonin ninety starts in your gut. So if you're not,
you know, conscious of what you're eating and putting in
your stomach, you know, your brain doesn't have a chance.
So it does help your overall performance, you know, especially
as an athlete, but even as a normal person, it
would help to just to be aware a little bit
more of what maybe you're putting in your belly.

Speaker 2 (43:46):
Yeah, can you tell us a little bit more about
what you're doing in terms of the project, the Wounded
Warrior Project and everything that you just mentioned with obviously
the mental health and the gut health stuff that you're
talking about.

Speaker 6 (43:57):
Yeah, we started the moliwn Family Foundation just at the
end of twenty two and it was to support really
the Pittsburgh Warriors to see the jersey behind me here,
which was a program for honorably discharged veterans to play hockey,
even if you never played hockey before. They get you
to the gear and get you on the team. And

(44:20):
I know from you know, just transitioning from out of
the game or especially I know, out of service, sometimes
you get a little loss. So that locker room community
and accountability is kind of where the magic happens. And
you know, menal women can be themselves and you're welcomed
to be part of the team. So I think that
was the driving force, meeting them and hearing the stories

(44:43):
and really how it has saved some lives and then
very fortunate the last you know, three years to grow.
We're in a few different states now doing our Warrior
Hockey Academy, which is kind of like a full day
hockey camp based off of like a resilient program that

(45:03):
we put together, so it's all different tools that the
men and women can take home and use and apply
that day and evening. And we're actually happy to announce
in November, the Tampa Bay Lightning or open up their
rink for us to do celebrate our heroes here in Tampa.
So we'll have the four Warrior teams from the state

(45:25):
of Florida represented along with the local police and fire teams.
So ideally we're you know, celebrating our heroes in our community.

Speaker 5 (45:34):
You know, using the game of hockey.

Speaker 6 (45:36):
And as we know, our freedom is not free, and
to have an opportunity to get back using what we
all we all love and our passion is really just
a blessing and it's been just can't be more grateful
and thankful for the support and where it's at right now.
So that's been been awesome. Actually this event November as well,

(45:56):
the NHL has jumped on board to be our presenting sponsor,
so they see what we're doing, appreciate that, and I
think end goal is to have you know, a Warrior
Hockey Academy Day where every at least US city can
do a full day celebrating their heroes at local communities
and then using local alumni in the chapters there to

(46:19):
help out with on the ice and put things together,
and even some current members as well.

Speaker 5 (46:24):
So that is the end goal here.

Speaker 6 (46:26):
We're slowly building there, but I definitely think that's a
real thing that could happen for everybody to use the
game of hockey to celebrate our heroes.

Speaker 3 (46:32):
That's so cool, Buggsy. I'm so happy that you've got
this thing going away. I know we've talked about it
a ton. What are what are the camps like, what
do they look like like? What kind of activities are
you doing with these? You know, were like the Warriors
and the bets and stuff like that.

Speaker 6 (46:45):
Yeah, we start off usually last year, we are very
fortunate to partner with Operation Healing Forces here in Tampa
and Carrie Irwin, who wasn't Special Forces now she's running
this foundation. She got to speak on the power of
your mind, and we talk about that's the first tool

(47:07):
you should look at, how you're thinking, how you're talking
to yourself. It definitely plays a big part and how
you feel and kind of the energy you want to
put out or give. So that's how we kind of
start the day off, kind of with a little great
guest speaker. This year we'll have Ralph de Quebec, which
is part of the Paralympic US Olympic team. He has

(47:30):
an amazing story how he found hockey and how he's
using it to heal and move on and inspire others.

Speaker 5 (47:38):
And then we'll do some We got jiu.

Speaker 6 (47:40):
Jitsu Nate, we got some jiu jitsu and self defense
we got and then we got Riley Kote coming in
this year to do some yoga and breath work, and
then we hit him with a little nutrition. Uh, you know,
talk about that a little bit on the just the
just again, bring people aware of what you know, maybe

(48:02):
real food is or what the food could be doing
to you, especially if some of these mentor of women
are working double shifts and they're already the cortisols already spiked.
You really just need to be aware and in tune
with your own body because everyone's different. But just kind
of making people aware of some of these different modalities
to help help them heal and take home.

Speaker 5 (48:21):
I think.

Speaker 6 (48:23):
So that usually wraps it up, Usually end the night
with some awards and dinner and call it a day.
But we're excited to have obviously the alumni here in
town help out again and be.

Speaker 5 (48:36):
A part of it.

Speaker 4 (48:37):
Well.

Speaker 2 (48:37):
It's extremely powerful and definitely has an impact on a
greater community. And I'm curious listening to you talk about this.
You have a highly acute awareness to mental health, and
I think that that's so pivotal, so important. Nate and
I are both huge proponents of so many different aspects
of mindfulness and mental health, and especially within sport. And

(49:00):
from your perspective now being out of the game, looking
at it, maybe looking back, what do you think hockey
players could benefit from in terms of understanding their mental
health better to understand to have even just a better life.

Speaker 6 (49:18):
Yeah, I think the first thing is, I think to
learn how to breathe like sometimes I think that's the
first first step to regulate your nervous system and certain situations.
So the first thing is kind of take a breath,
get control of your mind.

Speaker 4 (49:33):
You know.

Speaker 6 (49:33):
I think the biggest thing that I found out, I
mean even back you know, by research and science, is
that grateful heart, especially in the morning. If you have
a gratitude journal, which we're very fortunate to even partner
with C troll and thirty three out of Pittsburgh. They
give us a little gratitude book where they talk about
no faith a little bit, and they have like of

(49:54):
all the old stealers and some local Pittsburgh people there
as well. So we are in the process of making
kind of a hockey one a gratitude journal. But then
meeting Carrie Irwin, who when she got done with Special Forces,
she went to you pen for positive Psychology and then
she's like, well, did you just like write it down
in your gratitude I'm like, well, yeah, how I was

(50:17):
like what She's like, actually, if you like close your eyes,
like put your hands on your heart and truly think
about what you're grateful for, your body does release chemicals.
He's happy chemicals similar to like almost a flu shot
you can say to start your day and then all
of a sudden, you're you're very grateful and looking around

(50:37):
the other day is not as bad as maybe you think.
And again you're just grateful for being above ground maybe right,
or just whatever whatever little things you have. I know
we all have friends and family to be grateful for
and all those little things. Again, I think that the
freedom part, you know, we have to that's that's not free. Again,

(50:58):
I think that's the biggest thing. So, you know, I
think that that part that mindset for players. You know,
sometimes it was like I remember back in the day.
I think my ego for sure got in a way
of my end of my career when I was in
Tampa not playing as much in certain situations, and I

(51:19):
was still very grateful. I got to see the big picture.
I'm like, hey, I'd rather be a healthy scratch in Tampa.
I'm still playing hockey Like life is good. But again,
it's I think an opportunity to realize like you're on
your own path and things happen for a reason. So
you know, if you're not you maybe scoring as many goals,
it's like, okay, am I getting chances? What else can
I do with the team?

Speaker 5 (51:39):
Right?

Speaker 6 (51:39):
Be hard to play against a certain things. So I
think it's still that growth mindset. Some of these young
guys coming in maybe want to be comfortable and not
maybe go to the dirty areas or not fight if
they're kind of borderline. But at the end of the day,
there's only so many jobs on an NHL roster, so
you got to be really willing to step out of
your comfort zone sometimes just to get a spot and

(52:01):
kind of earn your way into the league and then
hopefully have you know, a long career.

Speaker 3 (52:04):
I think that perspective, right, buddy, like it was it was,
you know, we're talking about the parallels between obviously veterans
and and us like retired you know, hockey players. And
I've talked to Julie about it, you know, like it's
been you know, a couple of years now, well over
two years from me now and I'm still transitioning and
it's still you know, we we've talked about it too,
bugs where sometimes you know, I do feel lost at

(52:25):
times right where it's like, Okay, where am I?

Speaker 4 (52:27):
What am I doing?

Speaker 3 (52:28):
Like, you know, And that's why it was so nice,
you know, being with the boys this last weekend obviously
in Tampa and being around that, and it was it
was it was awesome being able to talk to, you know,
a couple of people from you know, Operation Healing Forces
that were there, and you know, just talking to one
of the guys you know, and it was just like,
you know, what do you miss And we were both
talking about it, and he was like, yeah, man, I
just I missed the guys, you know, I miss I

(52:49):
missed doing that part of it, I must I miss
being around that.

Speaker 4 (52:52):
So it's just amazing. It gives me goosebumps right now.

Speaker 3 (52:55):
But like just talking about it because it's amazing that
you know how much you're helping.

Speaker 4 (53:00):
It's it's awesome. So I'm getting I'm getting emotional right now.

Speaker 5 (53:03):
Yeah, this is great.

Speaker 6 (53:05):
I think that's the magic because it is like I think,
I mean, ours is just a game, but all of
us are willing to go out there and sacrifice our
bodies for each other at the end of the day.

Speaker 4 (53:17):
Right where.

Speaker 6 (53:18):
And you hear some of the SOCOM community like when
Seals they have to get through training, like they're not
thinking about themselves. I'm freezing cold, I got blisters, I'm
in the worst situation ever possible, probably and they're thinking about, Oh,
I have my buttony next to me.

Speaker 5 (53:32):
I need to be there for them.

Speaker 6 (53:33):
And I know that transition of hey, it's not about me,
it's about them gets you pass those maybe personal mind
blockers that you might limit you almost you know, when
you do it for someone else. That's why I feel
very blessed to kind of use hockey in my platform now,
to have this opportunity to come back and serve our community,

(53:54):
and that's been the best thing I've ever done I
think in my life, honestly be able to do this
and really partner with so many other people, we believe
it can really help change the world in a positive,
positive way.

Speaker 5 (54:08):
So it's been very just grateful, it's been awesome.

Speaker 2 (54:14):
Well, I mean, like just hearing you talk about it
and your experience and being able to give back, and
you mentioned the gratefulness, like the gratitude of being in
service to others. I think, as you've pointed out, is
really something that can inspire you and kind of give
you that feeling inside that you know that your actions
are bigger than yourself. And I love hearing both of
you talk about it because not only are you, you know,

(54:38):
professional former professional athletes. You're also men opening up about
stuff that I don't think, like in professional sports was
always talked about. It always felt like is very tough love.
It was kind of like you don't really talk about
how you're feeling, how things are affecting you. And I
think that what you're doing is really important and raising

(54:59):
awareness for that because everyone is going through something, as
we know, especially for as Nate so well pointed out,
like just the transition from being a professional hockey player
to then finding a new life and a new identity.
And I remember you just had mentioned to us, like
you know, you got drafted and then you're like, okay,
so I'm I'm a hockey player now, right, and like
that's your identity for so many years and then one

(55:22):
day it's not, and then you kind of have to
figure out who you are. And I think that, I mean,
what you're doing and what the conversations you and we're
just having right now, I think are really important for
for anyone and everyone that listens to this going forward.
And I know, I mean I wasn't a professional hockey player,
but I have my gratitude journal, I have a you know,
I meditate every morning, do all this kind of stuff, Like,

(55:44):
I think it's I think it's relatable to people in general.
And I think that we're as a society really recognizing
how powerful our thoughts are, right because our thoughts can
just power us to have a different outlook on our
lives and on society. And I could just keep going,
going on and being Mel Robbins or Joe Despenzer right now,

(56:06):
but I'll save that for another podcast.

Speaker 5 (56:09):
Joe's Joe's great.

Speaker 6 (56:11):
Great, Yeah, it's great, right, Rob energy and the way
you're you're you're talking your vibration as everyone says, oh
you have good bad vibes. Your body is an electrical field,
your heart to electrical beings. And that's where like I'm
kind of laugh now because it's like you get out
there and you do the grounding or touch the tree
where a decade you're like, okay, that's a woo woo stuff.

Speaker 5 (56:32):
Yeah.

Speaker 6 (56:34):
And then even for you know, my two boys, uh
that are older in high school, so I'm trying to
get them, you know, going and like, well, Dad, like
come on, you really think I'm like, well, let's hold
up our phone. Okay, what is the powered by Wi Fi?
Do you see the wires where the Wi Fi were. No,
it's here, right, it's in front of us. You just
can't see it, and even understanding that depends how deep

(56:58):
you do want to go. We only can see, you know,
twenty percent around us. So I know a big part
of helping me get here as well just has been
my faith. Where I was after retirement kind of the
same patterns and decisions that weren't healthy for myself or
my family that I had to really kind of look
in the mirror and just kind of got down on

(57:19):
my knees and have a better relationship with God than
I ever had before. So that's definitely a key part
as you talk about your identity and what you are,
and if we're all part of one big family, which
you know for all children of God, it's pretty pretty cool.
Obviously that's my perspective on it. But again, you look
at everyone as a brother and sister, not as an enemy.

(57:41):
We should be pulling together. I kind of joke around
we got the Aliens and AI and Team Human. We're
probably in last place right now because they're like, oh,
look we're just fighting each other. No oneer their last place,
and yeah, everyone else working together. So I joke around
about you know, being on Team Human and trying to

(58:02):
make Team Human better.

Speaker 3 (58:04):
Man, this is a bugsy like. I did not I
did not anticipate that I would get emotional on this
podcast or this is but man, this is I mean
just hearing you talk about like and how passionate you are,
and you know, we talked about it so much this weekend.

Speaker 4 (58:19):
Really we were.

Speaker 3 (58:20):
We obviously had a real good time this weekend, so
it was, uh, you know, it was just it's amazing
to hear in how in depth and passionate you are
about it, because I think you really truly are changing,
Like you're changing people's lives, You're changing the league, I
mean changing mind too.

Speaker 4 (58:37):
Man.

Speaker 3 (58:37):
Like, just being around you this weekend and talking about
it with you, it's it's incredible.

Speaker 5 (58:42):
No, no, I appreciate you.

Speaker 4 (58:44):
I love you. I love you.

Speaker 2 (58:45):
Gosh. I just want to all have a group hug
right now. Oh yeah, virtual, yeah, yeah, there we go.

Speaker 5 (58:54):
I love this hockey hugs. We should bring back the
hockey hugs. I don't know. My dad I think was
in Hartford.

Speaker 6 (58:58):
They had like little bears like don't maybe it was
like don't do drugs, do hockey.

Speaker 2 (59:04):
Drugs do hockey hugs.

Speaker 4 (59:06):
I like that.

Speaker 5 (59:07):
I've never heard of Declaire day hockey huggins.

Speaker 2 (59:12):
We would read and I would both love to just
keep talking about mindfulness and mental health like that's that's
literally what we would want to be doing. However, producer
Matt just texted me saying that Carill Caprizov just signed
an eight by seventeen that we should probably react to.

Speaker 5 (59:33):
So holy ooh, I.

Speaker 4 (59:37):
Don't even know what to say.

Speaker 3 (59:39):
Eight seventeen hopefully as a heated drive. Right now, I'll
say he's got a really good fucking agent.

Speaker 5 (59:46):
Wow.

Speaker 2 (59:46):
By seventeen?

Speaker 6 (59:49):
Holy fuck, that's pretty crazy for not I mean, I
don't know what is that one hundred and thirty six million?

Speaker 2 (59:59):
Did you you didn't know? Did you just do that
math in your head?

Speaker 4 (01:00:02):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (01:00:03):
Wow, Nates, I had to look it up by Frank
Saravelli saying one hundred and thirty six million. It's a
record in both AAV and total dollars. Wow, AAV will
be seventeen million.

Speaker 4 (01:00:19):
I don't know what to say. What do you think
bugs me? Now? Now?

Speaker 6 (01:00:21):
That's now? That's uh yeah, I mean I think I
know the market hockey is. I mean, he is obviously
a game changer. But I know so like look at
Vegas the first year, right, they were just a balanced
team attack.

Speaker 5 (01:00:36):
You need everybody.

Speaker 6 (01:00:38):
On the rosters, So I don't know how much that
eats up of their cap and if that, right presents
maybe a death problem down the line, you know, it's
like it's you got to have a balanced attack. I mean,
I'm happy for him, right, all the boys, Hey, get
your bag and do your do your thing. So but
I know Minnesota hasn't had success, so obviously they know

(01:00:59):
him as a person and character wise, and Billy g
has done a great job building that team now with
a little more garet and tenacity, so they hopefully have
a bright future there with the crail of the trail.

Speaker 4 (01:01:13):
Wow, Okay, that's how I don't know what else to say.

Speaker 2 (01:01:16):
That's great, right, I mean totally.

Speaker 3 (01:01:19):
I'm kind of eating Kroll because I didn't think it
was going to be that high, and well that was wrong.

Speaker 2 (01:01:25):
Yeah, I think we were all a little off on
that number, but we did. We're going to have to
redoce some of our our open of this show. I
did say it was a game of chicken really at
this point, Ryan, before we let you go. We got
to ask you some hockey cues because I guess I
don't know. We probably have to on Socky podcast whatever. Okay,

(01:01:46):
So a little couple of rapid fire predictions. Who wins
the cup?

Speaker 6 (01:01:54):
Oh jeez, you know, honestly, the watching the lightning at
camp here and their depth let's go up the middle
got you know, we see, we'll see all vast years.
They do have some other goalies there in the pipeline
as well to helpfully maybe just get them through the
regular season.

Speaker 5 (01:02:10):
There, they got some depth and some grit.

Speaker 6 (01:02:15):
I mean, obviously you got Florida, but with Barkoff out,
that's a big one.

Speaker 5 (01:02:20):
Toronto I feel might be able to make the turn.
I think another full year. I trusted.

Speaker 6 (01:02:26):
I'm not a big Ruby in the way I think
he coaches and gets the guys really to buy in together.
It's about the boys doing it for each other, you know.
So I think that could roll over. I think the
team out of the West, I'm gonna go with the Jets,
like I think JT will have a huge impact on
that already great. I think team that has gotten to

(01:02:49):
the playoffs, you know, no problem. So I think they
He's going to help them sneak out of the West.
I would love to see that.

Speaker 2 (01:02:56):
One last one, wait one, we just have to have
a caveat that. Ryan Maloney is working with the Tampa
Bay Lightning broadcast.

Speaker 5 (01:03:03):
Just I would have to say that, just let o.

Speaker 2 (01:03:06):
If you our listeners understand where the perspective sometimes you know, yeah,
but we I also said, I think that Tampa is
going to be like I'm buying them for the long run.
So go ahead and Nate, Yeah.

Speaker 4 (01:03:17):
No, I agree Tampa is they look they look good? Uh.

Speaker 3 (01:03:21):
One last one is Will being a Pittsburgh native and
a Penguins fan at heart, Will Sid stay or.

Speaker 6 (01:03:29):
Go oh, I'm not I'm not gonna lie when I well,
I was commentating the games last few years up there
doing some games and if sometimes I made my stomach
sick because you know, Sid is dedication and drive, and
then I think some of these young guys don't understand
like what his presence even is. Almost so when they're

(01:03:51):
getting shellacked and it's Sid or Mulk and our tang
are running around to like change the energy in the game,
you know, they need some of these young guys to
step up and lay it on the line. A little
more m personally. I know, me and Talbot, We're sitting
there one night and we're watching the game, like, you know,
maybe one more beer. We're jumping over this glass. Who

(01:04:13):
cares we'll get arrested for the night, Like do something
for him. And that's where I think, just that from
just knowing him personally, I guess you want to go
out there and lay it on the line for him.
You know, he's the leader, and.

Speaker 5 (01:04:27):
So I hope he has and it gets to choose
his ending.

Speaker 6 (01:04:32):
He wants, you know, if they're not going to build
a team around him that you can have success. No
one's gonna, you know, shame him for continue. He earned
his right to go wherever he wants to finish his career.
It's so you know, again, I'm not sweet either way.
I just want him to do what he thinks his
best for himself and his family and have some fun

(01:04:53):
at the end of his career too. You don't want
to be I guess the road trips get long, you
don't the beer, The beers don't taste his goal, but
then is as good. It's not a good feeling you're losing,
you know. So I know his drive and personality.

Speaker 3 (01:05:08):
Is.

Speaker 6 (01:05:08):
You know, we'll push those young guys to be better.
But again, you want to see him make the playoffs
at least to get a chance. But if not, we'll
see what might happen. Should be good for hockey either way.

Speaker 2 (01:05:21):
Yeah, I think you make a great point there. If
this has put some pressure on Pittsburgh to maybe do
some make some moves, and for the guys also to
step up whatever that situation is, and if they don't, then,
as you said, he should have the right. I mean,
anyone has the right to do. You can do whatever
you want. You know, you can go, you can go
finish your career somewhere else if it's not working out

(01:05:42):
where you are.

Speaker 6 (01:05:42):
And he's a bargain at eight point seven, I means
getting seriously, you get two Crosbies for the place of guys.

Speaker 2 (01:05:50):
Do you think your agents right now like talking their agency,
like what is this? How do we Well?

Speaker 6 (01:05:58):
He just set up that whole all these big dogs
come up the free agency.

Speaker 5 (01:06:02):
Now you know that's with the David baby.

Speaker 6 (01:06:06):
So but it's like, great, McDavid make twenty in Edmonton,
but who who are you going to play with? Like
that's the whole thing. So that's where it's hard. And
I mean hockey players, I'd say most of us, don't,
you know. At the end, like said, like he's obviously
very content with his number and he wanted, you know,
to build a team around him, you know specifically, so
he you know, bought into that early on. But that's

(01:06:29):
what we're saying, Like it's it's great for the individual,
but as the fans and team, you know, is it
going to bring a championship to the city.

Speaker 5 (01:06:37):
We'll have to just you know, wait and see.

Speaker 2 (01:06:39):
We really appreciate you Ryan for staying on here with us,
for coming and joining us, for really just opening up
about so many incredible things that you're working on and
helping other people with. We appreciate everything that you're doing
for the greater community and for the hockey world and
continue to do that and bring that awesome energy to
the Tampa Bay broadcast that you're going to be working on.

(01:07:01):
And we thank you again for taking the time can
join us and to react to the record breaking capriz
outdal that we just heard.

Speaker 6 (01:07:08):
Yeah, no worries And if you want to check out
some more information, you go to Hockey Ishealing dot org,
a website there with some of our academies and we
do a big GALLA back in Pittsburgh there. So all
last Yearly brought in all different NHL alumni that are
kind of in the mental health space. Kevin Stevens, Paul Martin,

(01:07:30):
Tony Gernado, Raleykate, Stephen Johns. I mean he rollerbladed his
mental miles. I don't know if you know about that.
He rollerblade across the United States for mental health. So again,
lots of great alumni doing lots of great things. So
appreciate you guys having me on to share the love
of the game.

Speaker 4 (01:07:48):
Thanks folks, love you buddy.

Speaker 2 (01:07:53):
That was Ryan Malone and we are former NHL Ryan
Malone of course, and we're so grateful to have him
on the show with us here today. Nate, thanks for
setting that one up.

Speaker 4 (01:08:03):
Oh problem.

Speaker 3 (01:08:04):
I love Bugsy and I'm glad he got to come on.
It was It was a lot of fun talking to him.

Speaker 2 (01:08:08):
It's so great having Nate as a co host because
he has all of these wonderful former NHL are friends
and we can just say, hey, can you please come
on the podcast?

Speaker 4 (01:08:22):
And that's what it was.

Speaker 3 (01:08:22):
It was me texting me like hey, bugs a you're
gonna come on tomorrow and you said, yeah, of course,
just tell me the time. So very grateful for that guy.
We've been through a lot together.

Speaker 2 (01:08:30):
And hell love, oh gosh, that guys they're just like girls. Wonderful.
All right, well, everyone here, thank you so much for
listening to this episode of Energy Line with Nate jase B.
It is a production of the NHL and iHeart podcast
Please make sure to like, subscribe, and comment. It helps

(01:08:51):
for other people to find this podcast and listen to
all of this wonderful, wonderful content. We will see you
guys next week when.

Speaker 7 (01:09:00):
Guess we guess, well, guess what the NHL liz back
and we'll see them.

Speaker 1 (01:09:25):
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.