(upbeat music) We're back in on Kidock Central, Dan Rachow and Bick Mizzare in for the one and only Satyar Shah, who remains on injured reserve for the time being. - We had some salary cap issues where we're putting them on L-T-I-R. We'll be back when saving them for the playoffs. We're saving Satyar for the playoffs. That's exactly the company line we're taking. Kidock Central is friends on Pacific Vancouver's premier Chrysler, Dodd Ram and Jeep Superstore on 2nd Avenue between Canby and Maine, or at end on Pacific Chrysler, dot C-A. And we welcome in our next guest, Don Taylor. He joins us every Monday. Donnie and Dolly tend to noon on check TV. And Don Taylor is a presentation of Bassant Motors here on Sportsnet 650. Donnie, the playoffs within reach tonight. - Yeah, isn't that something we were talking about today on our show, just how there hasn't been a home playoff date. They made the playoffs in 2023. You guys talked about it all day. I didn't listen because I was at the dentist today. That's another story. But we all remember the 2020 bubble, okay, great, fine, but no home playoff date since 2015. And really, the last, I think I've got this right, the last four playoff series that have included games at Rogers Arena have ended in disappointment. And that includes 2015 with Calgary. They were favored in that. I would expect they were a higher seat in that series. They had a nice advantage. And then, of course, 2011 with the Boston Bruins and that series, although it was preceded by some success to get to this kind of like a final. 2012 against the LA Kings, I guess that's kind of understandable, given that the LA Kings were a lot better than an eighth place team and they ended up winning the Stanley Cup. And then the one series everybody forgets about, which was just horrible, was 2013 against the shark. They got swept. And so there hasn't been a whole lot of success playoff wise at Rogers Arena. Not only have there hasn't been many games, but no success for a long, long, long time. And that's so good for connect fans. - So the thing we were talking about and people who have been texting in and are, their response to it, do you care that they clinched tonight? 'Cause it hasn't even occurred to me until I saw a lot of people mentioning it, friends in group chats are talking about clinging tonight. It's nice, I guess, to have the X next to the name, but it's gonna happen. They're going to the playoffs. - Yeah, well, we've known that for a long time, but I guess forever. - Yeah, the people who would say that they care might be people in my age category, which is up there, where you just figure something is gonna go wrong. - Right, come on though. - No, I know, it is ridiculous. I'm not saying I'm one of those people, but I do get where they may be coming from, right? Like, you just expect things to go wrong. Look, room in reality, it hasn't been that much bad of a franchise, but you just expect if something can go wrong, it will, and maybe you could argue that the Lindholm-Demko situation, maybe that points to that, but. - Yeah, I could kind of see where those people are coming from, but I don't know, guys, I mean, how do you feel that? They're gonna claim to the next few days. This week, you would think, it's just a real strange situation because there's a buzz in the town, everybody's looking forward to April, but we're in a strange situation in that there hasn't been a lot of success, but we kind of knew they were gonna claim to play off spot for a while now. This isn't near as exciting as them fighting for a wild card spot and possibly getting into the playoffs and what that would mean in the month of March. These are still important games, but nothing like that drive to claim to play off spot, and maybe that's where some people are coming from when they say, okay, it's gonna happen, it's still a big deal, but I get both sides of it. - But then this is meant to be the reward of the work already put in, that you put your feet up and relax, but it's all right, we are going to the playoffs, and then we can focus on game one, not light knuckling it down the stretch. - Yeah, yeah, I guess so, but it's just that you know the ending, okay? You go to a movie and you know the ending, and in this case, they're gonna make a playoffs, whereas you're fighting for a final playoff spot, a wild card spot in the case of this particular NHL, a playoff format, that's a great story. You don't know what the ending is gonna be. Sometimes it works out for the product, so that's where I'm going with that. I think that's why there's a little bit, and I'm not saying in difference, it's just that you know the ending. They're gonna get to the playoffs, and then after that, it's like, who do they match up again to the first round, so always interesting, but I always, you know, 91, when Cardinals scored a game winner to get them into the playoffs, Harold Druckett all those years ago, scored a goal against the LA Kings to get them into the playoffs. There was some, there was a lot of drama there that maybe isn't there this year. I, you know, bick, you're right. People will take this year over that sort of thing, but that's just a little, there's a little bit of a better story when it happens like that. - They will be, if they clinched tonight though, will be the first team in the league to get the X next to their name. Maybe that's the feather in the cap. I'm not sure it means a ton realistically, but given where this team was last year, what, just over 500 team last season, thanks to the way they finished under, under Rick Tockett to now being the first team that that clinches a playoff spot. And at least, maybe hints that what we thought they were going to be, maybe fighting tooth and nail coming into the season, they're actually more of a true cup contender than just a team fighting to get its way into the playoffs. - Yeah, yeah, that's the best part of it. But the only thing is, I don't want to be negative here, although I get accused of that a lot. - Donnie doesn't think they're a true cup contender. - No, no, I didn't say that. The problem is guys is that there's about eight or nine other teams that are, right? Take a look at the overall standings and how many teams are within one point of the Canucks. How many teams are within three to five points of the Canucks, and if I'm not mistaken, that doesn't even include the Oilers or God help us the Leafs. You know, there's just so much there. And I think the other thing too, I honestly think in this city, this might be another layer to the story. I think people are worried about, if they clinched tonight, become the first team to clench a playoff spot, and then you think to yourself, oh, it's great, they're gonna finish on top of the overall standings when the president's trophy. I think there's a lot of people who don't want that. You know, given the curse of the president's trophy and the fact that Canucks have won it a couple of times and didn't want the Stanley Cup in the same years, I think people, there's a strangeness there that people don't want that. I mean, Rick Talkett says it all the time. He's a moment to moment guy. They just go shift by shift, moment to moment. You win a game, and if you happen with the president's trophy, I guess that's fine. But I think a lot of the people in this city know the history, what is it, guys? Like eight times to 37 years, the president's trophy winner has won the Stanley Cup. And we all know what's happened lately. Well, most recently, the Boston Bruins that winning their president's trophy and getting knocked up by Florida. I think people, maybe these are the negative and coover rights that I've talked about. They're worried about this president's trophy curse. No, we see it in the text box all the time. There's the Dunbar Lumber text box. There's always people that don't want to have anything to do with the president's trophy. But, you know, it does, you know, playing to the maybe pessimistic Canuck fan a little bit. You mentioned Lindholm and Demko. And the focus on Lindholm is not going to play tonight against the LA Kings mystery, surrounds his injury right now and how they're going to play it out. But it does feel, I'm going to steal a word from IMac here. It does feel very Canucky how this is all played out. The guy they targeted to be their big deadline acquisition ends up hurt and having to play at less than 100% and isn't having the desired effect on the roster. It's, I mean, it's super unfortunate because we're not seeing the Eliza Lindholm we expected to see. - No, no, although now maybe you realize there could be a very well and good reason for it. - Yeah. - And, you know, I guess the question might be, well, why they should sit them early or if he's missing practices before this. So there's that question, but at least now maybe he gets healthy and they feel that you'll be fine for the playoffs. So there's that. - I think it's a really tough spot, Donnie. Like for the player, he wants to hit a home run in free agency this summer, right? I think he wants to be in the lineup as much as coach wants him in the lineup because he thinks, you know, him getting the $50 million contract depends on him being in the lineup and scoring goals. - Yeah, yeah. The other thing that's going on too, the other element to this story and you're right, you know, like it had, you know, just given his history, I don't know if it was ever the greatest offensive season, but you just had this feeling there was something wrong because of what you just said. Yeah, like it's not just about the few, it's about him personally and what's at stake for him. And you see social media today, it's, you know, the $40 million man is now a $12 million man. So, you know, a couple of layers. Yeah, the other things that's happening in Calgary, they're signing Yana Yermo to an entry-level contract under Bruce David's to an entry-level contract. And, I know, 'cause Mako has been much like he was in Vancouver in and out in terms of his performance, but, you know, it seems Calgary is pretty happy with the deal and we'll see what happens with the draft picks. But that's another layer of Kanakwoe. But at least now, at least now you know, okay, there's something there that maybe it can be taken care of in the next week or two or three. So, in the meantime, while he's out of the lineup, who gets presented with the best chance to audition for, I don't know, a permanent role, but who are you most excited for with him out? You know, I like Blueger, but I mean, he's been good all year. And of course, we're talking to somebody who could play center or play wing. There's a Mon, obviously, who I don't notice as much as Blueger, Lafferty's a winger, of course. I guess I'd have to say maybe we'll notice, we'll get the notice, Blueger a little bit more. And you saw that great defensive play he noticed, the department that he came up with on the weekend against Calgary. So, he would be the guy and he's a guy who's got himself, you know, Stanley Cup's success as well. So, I know that's the easy answer, but I'm gonna go with it, that's what I often did. - How impressed are you with Nils Hoaglander season? - Man, I was looking at the stats yesterday. And he is 24th on the list of Canucks players in terms of average ice time. And that includes, you know, that includes people like Akita Horosi, it includes people like Andre Cruz-Meko, who's no longer in the organization. There's anybody who suited up for the Canucks, 24th and ice time, average ice time per game, between 11 and 12 minutes. And here he is with 22 goals. And that leads to the question, what would happen if he was given more responsibility in a top six role where he's getting power play time as well, even power play two time guys, right? So, like, you just wonder like as well as he's played as productive as he's been, and as spectacular as he's been, that was a beret at school on Saturday. What could he do with more ice time? And then, you know, even at the end, that was with the empty net, he didn't get it, he didn't get out there to get his hat trick. And we drew the penalty at the end and was on the power play, but I just wondered, like, given more opportunity, what can he do? And I think one of the only real negative about this is that Hoaglander is outperforming the guy who was picked in the first round that year, 2019, the facility put goals. And so he'd like to see more from them. Maybe it comes the way it has for Hoaglander. I'm not sure. But Hoaglander has been really impressive guys, and it's not just about scoring goals. He's working the four check, which Rick Talkett has talked about pretty much since day one. He might not have trusted him 200 feet long, but he's talked about his four checking. And you really noticed it on that line, which has just been great. - Sorry, was that Beret or Barrows like goal? - You know what, it was okay. You're right with the leg kick. - Well, you got out of there, yeah. - I just want to confirm that you've now said Beret-like and that they're not a Stanley Cup contender, right? So I just want to confirm we're accurate on this hit here. - Yeah, yeah, okay. Yeah, if Hamilton wouldn't Stanley Cup here, I get that. - Actually, I want to-- - Sorry, go ahead. - You make a good point about Burrows though. I forgot about the Burrows leg kick. - Yeah. - Right? - Yeah, the hands were, the hands were burray. The leg kick was Burrows. How about that? - There we go. - With the difference. - I wanted to ask you about Pavel, because we don't see a lot of 50 goal seasons here, right? He and Elmo are the ones who have done it. And Reech and I were talking, you know what, Ryan Hart scores 50 over the weekend. Zach Hyman scores 50, where in an age when guys can get to 50, and we were just trying to project like, who are the next 50 goal scorer could be for Vancouver? - Whoa, okay. Well, you know, you want to say Brock Besser, give it 36, we'll see what happens with him, and it's his contract. I would say my guess would be J.T. Miller. Again, I'm doing the easy answers here, man. What kind of a guess am I? Yeah, I'm really giving you absolutely nothing here. He's been pretty consistent. And yeah, I'll go with J.T. Miller. He's such a good player. And I'm just so proud. I know everybody's ripped of where his body lying into the past, including me. But I think he got taken care of itself, and he just, he's just been great. - That scene on Saturday was pretty awesome. I know the video's going viral and everything like that. That was pretty amazing. - Well, you mean with his daughter, you mean? - Yeah. - Yeah, that was, that was just a man of just so cute. It's just incredible. Like, just a sit-out standing moment. I can't imagine being her. Being everybody involved in that family. What a fabulous moment. - I just, I can't think of a player who's had a bigger like turnaround with the fan base. And maybe it was mostly Twitter that was, was ragging on, and us guys in the media that was ragging on Miller last year, Donnie. But, you know, like that was as loud a chance as I've heard here at Roger Serena since, since I've been here in 2017. You know, it's, it was, it's incredible to turn around that this fan base has had around JT Miller. - Well, it's so different now. Before you, you go to a game and you watch your guy, they'd be slacks off a bit. And, but, you know, ultimately you look at the numbers and you go, okay, well, you know, he's actually a pretty good player. But now with social media, you know, somebody comes up with an example or two or three of bad body language. You know, that's what gets focused on and you forget the numbers because, you know, numbers hit you one way, visuals hit you in another way line. And I think they're much stronger way. And a lot of people had a hard time letting go of, you know, those times, you know, when he was clearly coming up with the body, bad body language. To me, it looked like he was blaming teammates. And I could be wrong there, but that was the opinion of a lot of people, you know, slamming the stick. That's, that, that's sort of, can we just saw that over and over again? Even though he's putting up good numbers, it was hard, it's hard to get images like that out of your mind. But just as time has gone by and he keeps putting up those good numbers, speaks very well on behalf of the team, has really got his body language under control. People have really begun to love the sky. And I think what helps us play it into it, guys, despite, you know, everybody complaining about, not everybody, but a lot of people wonder, did they make the right choice? Or that, or probably Miller over or that. Did, was that contract too much? You know, seven years, 8 million per, that just sounds ridiculous at the time. It's really worked out. And that deal seems pretty good right now, no matter how old he is. - Donnie, you're the best. We'll talk again soon. Thanks for this. - Guys, can I see one more thing if you don't mind? You mentioned your Dunbar lumber text line. - Yeah. - I can priestly, if I'm not mistaken, XnHL or Stanley Cup Chappie with Pittsburgh Penguins. - Still pretty good defender. - He's in charge of Dunbar lumber. I've got that right, I think. - Yeah. - Anyway, Ken, I just wanted to say congratulations to him. He coaches South Delta's U18A1 team. - Three feet. - Well, three feet. It's, and I don't want to look to listen. They are three time provincial champions. Port Moody, we were the last team to beat them. And then they went on a big run. They're just a fabulous team, a fabulous organization. And he's a really nice man. And just congratulations to him. That, you know, when you're talking, winning three years, the department's three years in a row, that's a lot of turnover there. That has a lot to do with coaching. So congrats to Ken, that's a big deal. - Shout to our guy, Ken Priestly. Thanks for this, Donnie. - You bet. - Well, there is Don Taylor. Donnie and Dolly Tenonun on Check TV. And he on Sports at 650 brought to you by Bassant Motors, powering the playoff drive, home of over 400 pre-owned vehicles, and where the players go. It's Dan Reicho and Bick Nizar here on Canucks Center. We go back to the Dunbar Lumber text message inbox. This one from Sam, just think everyone hated the Miller trade and completely roasted Jim Benning. Yet everyone loves the Linholm trade. And it's one of the worst trades in Canucks history. Are we already putting it there? One of the worst trades in Canucks history? - No, I'm not putting it there just yet. - Sam is. - But-- - You know, the other thing. - Especially with the great moment on Saturday. You know, because of the trade and the price and everything that went into it and timeline, you didn't really come into the JT Miller transaction with this, oh, fired up about this trade. And there was a lot of trepidation over it. I think it took away the initial appeal and the chance to have a love in with the player. Whereas someone like, you know, that gets drafted comes through your system. You get years to warm up to the idea of like, this guy's gonna be a star for the team. And if they do or don't, you still get that warm initial fuzzy feeling to it. And JT's had to work for that in this city. Now, I think in the past year, it's really started to manifest in moments like Saturday, man, that's what sports is all about. - Yeah, people couldn't under like, the big thing was people couldn't understand choosing JT over Bo, the captain of the team and the guy who had been one of the big faces of the team. Bo ends up getting more money. And right now, JT has been the more impactful player, even though Bo has been pretty good with the New York Islanders. All right, coming up, Canucks and LA Kings will get full on into the pregame show. Well, you'll hear from Rick Tockett. We'll have our pregame round table as well. That's next on the Sportsnet Radio Network. Discussing the biggest stories that matter to Vancouver Sports fans, Halford and Bruff in the morning, subscribe and download the show on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. (upbeat music)
