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Tuesday, July 2: The Sports Lunatics - 24 Stanley Cup And HHOF Selections
This is the Sports Lunatics Show. Welcome to another edition of the Sports Lunatics. Who are the Sports Lunatics? Well, we're just two regular guys who love sports history. Hi, I'm Sean Levine, Halifax, Nova Scotia, and I'm Howie Moody and Barry Ontario. If you are watching or listening to the Sports Lunatics, whether on our YouTube channel, the Sports Lunatics or on your favorite audio platform, don't forget to check us out at the Sports Lunatics.com. Howie, we're going to get right into it. This is our first chance to talk about a lot of events that have happened in the past week or so. Of course, the Stanley Cup finally was decided, game seven, and I'm not going to lie, found it a bit of a snoozer until about the last, oh, I don't know, five minutes of the second period and the third period was just insane. Well it was detention. You didn't know how it was going to end, and I think that's what did it, and it was like that for a lot of the games in that series. I got home a lot of times in time to watch the second and third periods of a lot of the games, and I just found it so compelling and so riveting the whole thing, especially after Edmonton started coming back in the series, down 3-0 and then tying it up 3-3, and I think the whole country of Canada, well I'm hoping the whole country of Canada, but a lot of people were thrilled to see Edmonton doing well. I was thrilled to see Edmonton doing well. I wanted to see somebody beat Florida. I haven't liked Florida since last year, but I mean maybe that's just me, I'm encountering a lot of pushback on my position, but I don't like Florida, I don't like the Panthers, I wanted them to lose. Okay, so why are you a hater? I actually was cheering for the Panthers to win this cup. Okay, why were you cheering for the Panthers to win the cup? Why was I cheering for the Panthers? I'll be honest, I was getting sick of this, you have to cheer for Edmonton because you're Canadian. No, that wasn't why I was cheering for Edmonton. You know, as the team itself, I'm always, I was always a big fan of Paul Maurice, the head coach, who we'll talk about a little bit later. I was always a fan, and I, and I really enjoyed, they didn't have a lot of superstars. They had stars, but they didn't have superstars in my, in my estimation. I just felt their game, when they were on, they played a really good two-way game. That's the way I found it. And even in that third period of game seven, every guy was laying his body on the line to win that hockey game. They get that two, one lead. They were playing the type of game that put them up three, nothing in the series where they were opportunistic. Look, I thought Edmonton actually outplayed Florida throughout the series, even in the three games that they lost. I thought they outplayed Florida two out of the three games. It was just once Florida got that lead, they were able to suffocate, you know, the Euler's offense. Obviously the Euler's superstars, a lot of them were dealing with very debilitating injuries in some cases. And Bobrofsky, when he was on his game, there's a reason why he was a world-class goalie, but also a future Hall of Famer, because when he's on his game, it was very difficult for Edmonton to get anything by him. If Florida had won the game or won the series in four or five games, Bobrofsky would have won the cons Mike agreed, but in games four, five and six, where was Bobrofsky? I agree. But that, but I would say that that's what I meant about the team. I really think as a team, when they're on their team game, they are the best team in the National Hockey League. They got away from it. They are the best team in the in the National Hockey League. No doubt. They got away from it in those three losses terribly. I think anybody though, anybody that's ever played a sport, doesn't matter if it's hockey, baseball, football, whatever, there's always a team that you play against that when you play against them, you want to take your stick and shove it right into their faces. And that's how I felt about the Florida Panthers. Anytime a guy can make Brad Marshand into a sympathetic character the way Sam Bennett did, that's a team that's worthy of hate. Bennett did it last year when he took Matthew Nye's face and smashed it into the glass and can custom and knock them out of the series. He did the same thing with the sucker punch on Brad Marshand, knocked him out of the series and then watching them play Boston, watching them play New York and watching them play Edmonton in the first three games with that in-your-face stuff after every whistle, you know, glove punching in the face and then shock, throwing their heads back when anything came near them to sell penalties. They were to me as unlikable as the 2011 Vancouver Canucks were. And I mean, any time, any time you can get any time you can get me cheering for the Boston Bruins, I mean, geez, no, what do you mean stop? That's how the Florida Panthers played. They got into everybody's faces and Matthew could chuck with that mouthpiece hanging out of his mouth. When, was it Kriter that took it and threw it into the stands? I would have taken it and thrown it into a urinal. Go get it. Go go back and get it, Matthew. They were the Broad Street bullies of this current generation. Well, this is 2024. This is not 1974. That stuff played back in '74, but the Florida Panthers this year, there was a line and they crossed it. They didn't just cross it. They danced on it with their skates and they shoved that and they laughed at you while you were watching them do it. And they won. And they won. And that's why you're upset. No, I know. But with that style. Yeah. But I mean, if I was playing against them, like I said, I would want to take my stick and shove it right in their faces. Wow. That commentary by Howie Mooney. There you go. Don't at me. I'm not at you. No, I'm not. I'm not talking to you. That's OK. All right. We'll get back on the rails here. Yes. Connor McDavid, I will say I was very sorry to see Connor McDavid and I did not understand all the ridiculous backlash because he wasn't on the ice to accept the cons. Smythe trophy. I totally understood why he was not on the ice and in that situation, I would not have put that. It's funny because I did a piece on the sports lunatics.com where I listed all the past cons Smythe trophy winners and I found pictures or video. And the majority of the players did accept the trophy on the ice. But there were a few that accepted it in the dressing room. And that's what I thought the National Hockey League should have done. They would have known far in advance the Connor McDavid was the cons Smythe winner. That vote is done during the game and it's done, you know, by the start of the third period, they knew who the cons my trophy winner was. And I would have handed the trophy to him in the dressing room of the Oilers. Yeah. And in a way, I really kind of missed the old days when all the celebrating was done in the rooms as opposed to on the ice. I get why they do it on the ice, but I kind of missed the old days when everything was done under the stands in the dressing rooms and I realized that it's better for the fans this way. It's better television. That's why they do it. Yes. And it's also better for the fans that are in the building and but I kind of missed the old days when here I am, old man, yelling at cloud, but I think there could be a combination but baseball to to a degree still does the dressing room. Yeah. I know they've been doing more on field stuff, but you still have that. You still feel that at times, but yes, most sports now, that's all they do. It's always on the field and the ice, you know, for in terms of journalists who cover the event. It's a lot easier when it's on the ice, sure, they were they're able to go around and talk to guys who have won and pull them aside quickly, which makes it a lot easier. And it is. It does look good on the ice. I do instead of a cramped dressing room, I just feel in that situation in light of them just losing game seven by one goal. I think they should have tried to make an effort and put it in the Oilers dressing room. No, I totally get that and I totally, I agree with you on that point to vote the cons Mike trophy, but at the same time, I totally understand Connor McDavid, not wanting to go out and upstage the panthers and allow them to have the entire ice surface for their celebration. And I mean, I totally get that. So he becomes the sixth player and I'm just going to go down the list. Roger Crozier, goaltender for the Red Wings, 1966, Glenn Hall for the blues in 1968. Reggie Leach, the Philadelphia Flyers in 1976, Ronnie Heckstall, losing that heartbreaking game seven to the Oilers in 1987, Jean Sebastian Jaguerre again, losing a game seven 2003 of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and of course, Connor McDavid losing game seven in 2024. So there's your six cons Mike trophy winners who came from the losing side. McDavid was the second non goalie to win the cons Mike on a losing team. And that's to me is probably a greater accomplishment than not than just winning it. I mean, to be and it's always been goalies on the, you know, almost always been goalies except for Leach and McDavid when a team loses. And it's easier, I guess, to give a performance like that if you're a goalie because basically you're standing on your head in a losing cause that I don't know what point I'm trying to make here except that it is notable that McDavid won it as a forward. He had a tremendous performance throughout the entire playoffs, tremendous, especially given the fact that they were down 3-0 in that series at one point. But the thing too is I think it underlines again the fact that the Oilers need to build around their top line. They need to get more from their, from everybody else, you know, secondary scoring, tertiary scoring, however you want to term it. But the Oilers still need to build around McDavid, Drycidal and Zack Hyman. And they got some big question marks coming up, Drycidal's contract is he's got one more year and then his contracts up. So that'll be pretty interesting how they handle the cap there. One individual I was happy for, don't know if you were happy, but I was ecstatic that Paul Maurice finally wins a Stanley Cup. You want to talk about, you know, head coach for 30 years, off and on obviously been fired in multiple places, but finally reaches the top of the mountain as head coach and just some of the quotes post game of game seven, just who he dedicated the game to his dad and just how he felt about Winnipeg, where is the all time winning his coach there and just, it was a really feel good moment for Paul Maurice. I know there were some people that were sort of nauseated by some of his comments throughout the playoffs, he's always a great quote. And he always has been all through his coaching career. So this was nothing new and, but let's be honest, they got blown out and two of the, and people thought, wow, this snowball is going to end and they're going to get reversed. But they got it all together in game seven when the Stanley Cup, Paul Maurice finally wins his first cup Hall of Famer, Howie. Yes, absolutely, absolutely a Hall of Famer. He is a very intelligent guy, he's a very likeable guy. And I mean, I think it all started for the Panthers that night in Toronto last season, when during the TV timeout, he let out a profanity lace tirade at his team. And that, and then they started picking it up and their victory or their path to victory became like an avalanche, going down a hill and it all fell into place with that one moment. And I mean, how can you not appreciate that? I think as anybody who's ever played hockey, anybody who's ever felt, you know, the ups and downs of a season, when you get into that funk, it's hard to get out of it. But then it all it takes is one specific moment like that. And it sets them all on the right path. Yeah, absolutely. I just, I just felt that everybody was starting to pull for him. You know, we usually talk about players. We've done shows on that players that you would love to see win a Stanley Cup or players that never won a Stanley Cup and you were shocked that they had not won. Paul Maurice was one of those guys that you were pulling for that you wanted to see hoist the Stanley Cup. There's this iconic photo of him holding the cup. The whole team is around him. Like that's he was a players coach. Guys absolutely, as much as you didn't like the style of play, they were, they played like their coach. He can be feisty. He can be, he will kick your ass, but he will also pat you on the back and that that is one thing I think the players really respect about Paul Maurice. And now he can say he's a Stanley Cup champion. Well, as the playoffs were unfolding, it was interesting because there was an opportunity almost to see Paul Maurice coaching against Peter DeBore in a Stanley Cup final. And what a final bat would have been. Absolutely. You know, best friends and, and, you know, they make them tough in Soussaint Marie. You know what I'm saying? They make them tough. And that's where his parents still live and they're in their 80s and, and such a wonderful tribute to his dad. One of the great quotes and that you'll ever hear when you were showing pictures. There were pictures going around of Paul Maurice when he started coaching and he looks like he was six. Well, his first coaching job was 28 actually, I know I've got a list of his accomplishments. So took over in Hartford at 28 youngest coach in NHL history reached 1000 games. He did that at the age of 43 youngest coach in NHL history to reach 1500 games. He's the second youngest coach to earn 500 wins in a career. As I said, he's got the Jets franchise record for games coached and wins. He's had 300 wins with two different franchises and he's only one of three coaches to do that. And of course, Stanley Cup champion. He was also the OHL champion twice in the 80s and 90s winning a championship there. You name it. He's done it and accomplished it. And I agree with you, Howie, he will be inducted into the hockey Hall of Fame for sure. Yep. Speaking of the hockey Hall of Fame, I'm going to be honest. You know, what time of year they always do induct players and builders. This one sort of snuck up on me because it was the day after game seven where they announced the inductees for 2024 and I'm like, you got to be kidding me completely forgot about it. Well, the fact that the series went so late into June, I think it's, it's pushed a lot of things condensed the schedule for a lot of things and the announcement for the hockey Hall of Fame was, was, was kind of stuck in there as well. And I mean, normally back in the, back in the good old days, the Stanley Cup was done at the end of May at the latest and then it got into June. And I mean, I can remember as, as I've told you and told the people many, many times. I was, I was in Montreal the night, the Habs won in, you know, June, I think it was June 9th or June 10th of 1993. And that old forum loved that building, but it didn't have air conditioning and we were up at the top in standing room and we were, we were sweating our faces off. It's a good thing that, that the beer man with this 215 badge on his 215 for a beer back in 1993 and the hot dog guys were right over there too. So we were, we were taken care of in the hydration category and the food category. But yeah, I mean, June, what is it, 27th this year? Just it seems kind of ridiculous to me that, that they're pulling the Stanley Cup at the end of June. And, and it's, it's funny, I'm wondering, is this because of television? Is this because obviously the ESPN, you know, because they, them and ABC carried both the NBA and the NHL championship series, you know, that's a big part of it because there was a break that could have started earlier. And I just felt, although the series was tremendous, again, it's always building off momentum. And I just felt like there was a lull again. I hate that. It's like, just get back into it, man. And I know it's part of its building availability as well. They have concerts and like these, these buildings are now being used 300 days a year. So I do understand that. But I didn't mind the break between the third round and the final round this year. I, I kind of understand that from a player standpoint. I mean, a lot of guys are banged up. A lot of guys are, when you go through this, for as long as they do, the way the playoffs are set up, by the end of the third round, guys are broken, guys are, guys are turning terribly. So I didn't mind that week off so that we could have as many guys as healthy as possible for the final series. And I looked at it that way as opposed to selfishly, which I often look at things selfishly. And I, I mean, I wanted, I wanted to see hockey as soon as possible. But I understood it from the player standpoint as well. Yep. Very good point. Let's get into the hockey all the fame class of 2024. No, no real surprises in terms of when you heard the names, you're like, yep, I could see that for sure. I think a lot of people were surprised at Colin Campbell. Well, we'll get into that because I have my own thoughts on that as you do. Yeah. But let's start in the player category. Pavel Datsuk, of course, played with the Red Wings, 953 career games, 918 points and people will go, well, that's, it's not like everybody considered him one of the greatest two-way players to ever play the game. Yeah. I mean, at one point, he was considered the best player in hockey. And I think anytime you get that, you know, Peter Forsberg was like that at one point. Anytime you get to that point where people are considering you or unanimously considering you as the greatest player in hockey at the moment, you, that's, that's a ticket to the Hall of Fame. I agree. In 2002, that's when you said the greatest player in the NHL, he was that. Yeah. At that time, member of the esteemed triple goal club, which is Stanley Cup, Olympic gold medal and double IHF World Championship gold to his credit as well. Shea Weber. Now this was funny because a lot of people are wondering how can he be elected into the hockey Hall of Fame when his contract is actually still engaged currently in the National Hockey League. But I guess there's a loophole he hasn't played in three years. So he was eligible for the Hall of Fame, you know, played over a thousand games, had almost 600 points, winning two Olympic gold medals and a gold medal at the World Cup of Hockey. Considered by many as one of the great two-way defenseman with one of the hardest slapshots in hockey history, Shea Weber is now a member of the hockey Hall of Fame. Yeah, I was, I was concerned about that contract thing too. I mean, I, I found that kind of odd, but it's, it's, it's, as Shakespeare said, ours is not to reason why. So I guess we're good. I don't know if you saw the call with Jeremy Ronik. He's waited 15, I believe it's 15 years to get into the Hall of Fame might be longer. Very emotional. At first, you thought he was laughing, but then it, you could tell that it, he was overcome with emotion, Plato in 13 over 1300 regular season NHL games had over 1200 points. I was shocked that he was never in the hockey Hall of Fame before this. Of course, he never won a cup, but he was regarded as one of the best American born players in league history. For one, are you shocked that he got like it took so long for him to get in? But now that he is in, you know, I know there's been stuff off the ice that may have played a role in this delay, but I was happy to see Jr finally get in to the Hall of Fame. I think anybody that watches hockey, they're happy to see a guy like Jeremy Ronik get in. Although I'm sure he was a polarizing guy for a lot of fans. And I'm sure there are some that are not happy to see. In fact, I saw on social media people were looking and saying Jeremy Ronik's in the Hall of Fame, but I remember him as a junior when he played in Hall. And it was interesting to see that guy that played in Hall, you know, get to Chicago almost right away out of Jr. and then have such a career that he did. But I still think of him in the late 80s and early 90s, I was 89, 88, 89 when he played for Hall, and I mean, that's across the river from where I was living and, you know, having a chance to go and see Hall of Olympics games whenever we wanted, basically, it was pretty cool to see that. And so as a fan of the 67s in Jr. hockey and as a fan of the Hall of Olympics in Jr. hockey and having gone to many, many games to see both of those teams, I mean, I was happy to see Ronik get in. There was a lot of history with this class. It was the first time that two female hockey players, women's hockey players were inducted into a Hall of Fame class, Natalie Darwitz earned two Olympic silver medals and a bronze for Team USA in addition to three world championship gold medals and two four nations cup gold medal. She was also inducted into the double IHF Hall of Fame this year as well. She was also the general manager of the Minnesota team that recently won the PWHL, their first championship. So very decorated, very deserving. And Natalie Darwitz is joining this esteemed Hall of Fame class. I wish I knew more about Natalie Darwitz. There are women's names that I know better than hers. And so it would be wrong of me to speak negatively about her. And so I'll just leave it at that. Brissy Wendell Poll was an Olympic silver medal and Olympic bronze medal to her credit as well as a world championship gold medal. She was also a two time NCAA champion, Patty Casmeyer award winner as the top collegiate player in 2004, 2005. On the call, she was stunned that she received a call to the Hall, but again, very decorated and very deserving of this honor in the builders category. The most winningest general manager in NHL history, David Boyle joins this esteemed class. And dealing with David over the years as a producer, gracious, very gracious, very kind, would always join us, especially when we started out, nobody else knew what NHL radio was on XM radio when we launched. But David was always gracious with his time and very happy to see David Boyle, a great hockey man inducted into the Hall of Fame. I always loved listening to him be interviewed and get a question that he didn't like. And he would always find a nice way to answer the question. You know, he'd say, well, at this point, I'm not going to answer that question. I'm not, you know, I hope you understand. But I always found him to be an interesting interview to listen to. Absolutely. He was, let's be honest, he was with Nashville since their inception for years and years and years. And you know, really put hockey and Nashville on the map. Yeah, he made it a destination, actually. He absolutely did. And he was the face of the franchise as great as players that they had, you know, Shea Weber, obviously, part of that. But David Boyle, you knew he was Mr. Predator hockey, him and Barry Trotts, you know, really put that organization in the forefront. And it was one of the great organizations in hockey, for sure. But he also helped turn Nashville into a minor hockey hotbed. And they have a huge tournament there now every year. And you know, I'm getting any parents that have kids playing hockey. They know that. Absolutely. I want to correct one thing. This was actually the first time since 2010 that two women were inducted in the same year. Now we're going to the polarizing pick. There was a lot of comments about this one, NHL executive Colin Campbell. Again, I've dealt with Colin many times as a producer of various hockey shows and, again, would always give us time. But I could understand the backlash that this pick received. He was the head of disciplinary. He was always known as a very tough man. He has had controversial comments in the past, you know, and you'll, you'll talk about some other things as well, how he, I know. But yeah, I was surprised too when I saw that Colin Campbell wasn't inducted into the Hall of Fame. Well, my question isn't necessarily about Colin Campbell, the person. It is what are his accomplishments that got him into the Hall of Fame? That's my question. Right. Because as a player, he was, he was a good NHL player, but he was never a superstar. Right. He was not a great NHL coach. He wasn't. Let's be honest. No, it's true. It's true. And then he joined the NHL front office and he has been with them many, many years. Now I will say this, he is one of Gary Beckman's right hand men, right? Yes. Like he is one of Gary's confidants. He is, he has always defended the shield and, and what Gary Beckman has said. Now I did read and, and it was funny because I'm going, I don't remember it that way. But maybe when they did a slew of rule changes over the years, Colin Campbell was a big part of that for the NHL. Now of course they do have a committee now made up of players and executives and what have you rules committee. But a lot of credit in these articles were given to Colin Campbell for some of the changes. Now I don't, maybe this is revisionist history. I don't know because I thought it was more the Brendan Shana hands of the world and that remember when they did, but they were saying in these articles that Colin Campbell was a big part of that as well. I know he was there, you know, for the NHL, but I did not realize that again, what I read, that he was instrumental in making all of this happen. Now does that define him as a hockey hall of famer? I don't know. If Gil Stein can be in, then, yeah, I looked at that a little differently though. Let's be honest. Colin Campbell's been with the NHL a long, long time. Yes. Yes. Like, you know, in terms of the front office, Gil Stein was he just put himself in. Yeah. It was a lot different back then, right? A lot different in terms of how the hockey hall of fame elected people and what have you. Again, I think in any situation, there's always this old boys club that still happens. But you know, you look at the members of the executive board that make the biggest problem with the national hockey league and the hockey hall of fame's business is that it's always closed doors and they refuse to talk about who gets in, why they got in, who didn't get in and why they didn't get in. We're running out of time, unfortunately, because I really did want to get into Alexander McGillney because again, he is not in the hockey hall of fame. And I know I've already received people who I know, uh, hockey people, good people who, who say there's a big Russian bias about that. I don't necessarily agree with that. And, uh, other thing that have happened with him and his, his non hockey play as a hockey player, Alexander McGillney to me should be in the hockey hall of fame while social Steve Larmor. Right. And there's still guys that, yes, they're, they're forgotten. Yes. The problem is Alexander McGillney is not really forgotten because every year people are screaming. Yes. Why is this guy not in the hockey hall of fame? There's not that with Steve Larmor. Well, it took a while for Pavel Burrey as well. Right. Right. And let's be honest, Jeremy got in this year, Ronik, you know, the argument was, and this is what you hear every, every post, uh, or on the broadcast, well, uh, it was just his turn. And if he's not, and that's, that's what I was laughing. If he doesn't get in this year, he still has next year or, as you say, like Steve Larmor, there's no, there's no outcry that Steve Larmor should be in. Yes, there is on social media. There was, yeah. Was there on social media? There was. They were, there were people posting lists of like seven, eight guys that aren't in the hall of fame that should be in the hall of fame and Steve Larmor is on all those lists. Right. Right. So, realistically, when you look at the accomplishments and everybody goes white in one major, look at the players in the league that he was playing. Yeah. That's the other, uh, BS, uh, argument I find at this time of year with the hall of fame. Well, he doesn't have the hardware. Well, when the league had Gretzky, Lemieux, you know, and you look at some of the, the other guys, it's about, you know, goal tending to when you had wah and Brodoar, there's not a, and Hashek, there's not a lot of room to squeeze in, right? So 1991 Steve Larmor, didn't Steve Larmor score the winning goal in the Canada Cup in 1991. Sure. And I mean, he was on that team. He was one of the best hockey players in the world. Well, we just said Pavel Datsuk is part of the triple goal club. Yes. So is Alexander McGillney. Yeah. And he didn't get in. He's got much better stats stats. Yes. I'm talking stats. Yes. But he had some amazing accomplishments in terms of scoring over 70 goals in a year. Like he's done things that no, a lot of players have not done in his career and how that is not being recognized. It baffles me. So anyways, that I don't, I didn't mean to get off on a rant there, Howie, but that was a big, that was a big conversation this week, as it is every year when a guy that you think should be in doesn't get in. So yeah. And that's we go through this in baseball. We go through this in football every year as well. Yeah. But for whatever reason and hockey, it seems to be a bigger argument. I don't know why it just, it just seems to be. I know baseball has its own arguments, but this McGillney one, there's something to it. I don't, I don't get it. Like I don't understand how he's not in. And to think of his story, and we just don't have time yet, we got to get going, but just his story in the backstory of how he even got to be an NHL player is one of the greatest in history. And you can find it in my book more crazy days and wild nights. Get it on Amazon. Well, there you go. You got to get the book. Absolutely. It's right here. It's right there. And if you're on listening on an audio platform, how he's got it in his background, that's why he points to his background. And that is the perfect way to end this edition of the sports lunatics. I'm Sean Levine, Halifax, Nova Scotia. I'm Howie Mooney in Barry, Ontario. Thank you for watching and listening to the sports lunatics. How we work, can they find us in Ottawa? GKTJ 107.9 FM Sunday afternoon at noon. Absolutely. Thanks for listening. Thanks for watching. Have a great sports day, everybody. [BLANK_AUDIO]