>> [MUSIC] >> Fan, Morning Show Sports 759, the fan, Ben, and his friend Gunning. That opportunity presents itself tonight, eight o'clock on Sportsnet. As the Toronto Maple Leafs trying to force a game seven against the Boston Bruins, also trying to snap a six game postseason home losing streak. And yeah, they have the Bruins' attention. I suppose you can make the argument that the Bruins were sitting on their laurels in the opening 20 minutes of game five at home. I doubt it. But yeah, I do wonder if you can reignite some of those demons with a hot start and an early goal in tonight's game as the Bruins attempt to not become the first team in North American pro sports history to blow three one leads in consecutive postseason. >> We should say that more. I've heard that one, but every time I say it, I say, ooh, that'd be bad. Don't do that, Boston certainly wouldn't want to do that. I think the thing the Leafs have to protect against, you know, I've been talking about this so much from their perspective of come out and have that start. I imagine Boston is going to be shot out of a cannon exactly the same way the Leafs were to start that game five. It'll be the exact, well, not exactly the same because they still have a game to play with here. They're back starting against the wall, but I think they're kind of treating that game seven at home in a similar vein, not exactly the same because the ghosts aren't the same. But in a similar vein to the Leafs were treating game seven last year against Tampa. No, no, no, no. Do not come back here. Do not have a B ultimate do or die. And the Leafs came out. They were shot out of a cannon to start that game six. I mean, we all know how it ended, and Tavares had to go to overtime. I think it's going to be a blowout one way or another tonight, but I think that whatever the Leafs were able to, you know, bottle and take with them to start that game five, Boston is going to have it in spades tonight. Like it, that is again, I keep coming, I keep coming back to it, but this game could be won't go as far as to say decided you can't, it's very much a, you can't win the game in the first 10 minutes, but you can lose it tonight. It's going to be important that Joe wall just follows up that incredible performance in game five and the two season saving saves with seven 30 to go against Trent Frederick in the opening minute of overtime that he carries that over into game six. They're going to need him. I do think they need the guy that scored six and nine goals during the regular season and has scored once in this postseason single handedly won them a game in the series and Austin Matthews. I also, while I already went on record to saying I think he plays in tonight's game based on nothing. No, no, no, he's skated more. Yeah, he's skated more. Yeah, based on very little. I'm open to the possibility that he not only doesn't play in tonight's game and that, you know, obviously, if you're open to the possibility of him not playing tonight, like two days hence like not playing in game seven, like that the possibility very much exists. I think we've all thought about this of Austin Matthews not appearing in a postseason game again for the Leafs, even if they win tonight, if they win tonight and then they went on Saturday without Austin Matthews, if you thought about like with the narrative or the headlines or the fan base, the perception of what that might mean, he's the only guy that could handle it. And I don't mean that from personality standpoint, but I mean in terms of what he's accomplished in his place in the pecking order is so clear. And by that, I mean, clearly atop it and with a big, big gap between him and everyone else on this team in terms of what he is as a player, what he means, how much he makes. I think that because he is so teflon in all those regards, man, I mean, like we'll have this conversation with Kipper in a bit, but could you imagine it was the other way and it was Marner who hadn't played and the team finds a way without him and somebody looks unlocked without him and everything that that would turn into. And I say that is like, hey, hand up, I'm as good. I would, I am pre guilty of that is anybody else. But we also know how that player would probably handle that and it wouldn't be the same way that Austin Matthews is, you know, kneelander slightly different. But Matthews is the one guy who I think that I shouldn't say the one guy because Morgan Riley would do this with all the time. But Matthews is the one guy that if you win with him, without him, whatever, it doesn't change the way you view him at all. And I think I'll big part of it as well. And if this happens, it would mean they've won at least another series again, as you can start to harken back to like the Sun Dean teams where go look at a lot of those big games. It's like, especially in O2, Sun Dean missed his fair share of games and playoff runs. And it kind of harkens back to some of that leaf lore of, you know, hey, look, I'm squinting. Is that, is that Gary Roberts or is that Max Domi? I'm squinting. Is that crazy as Tucker, crazy hair, Burt? And you can start to kind of see it. So I think that because of who he is, it's almost a moot point. But I don't think I don't think that's nothing that he has removed himself so much from the equation that it kind of doesn't matter. It's who he is. It's also the game he had in game two that we saw it, right? And it's also the five goals he scored in the six games against the lightning last season. Now Mitch Marner also had 11 points in those six games, two goals. A lot of that is assisting awesome Matthews, but whatever. Yeah, I think if if Mitch Marner had a similar game to Austin Matthews, game two, well, one, we'd be talking about the Leafs having a lead in this series and it may be being over. But yeah, we'd be able to point to a point. It's like, okay, he had a goal in a third period of a game that felt already lost going into the final 20. And he was part of a very dominant top line in game five. He doesn't have that and he's Mitch Marner. But yeah, I think the conversation people should be having at the Maple Leafs win tonight and win on Saturday in game seven without Austin Matthews is unbelievable in decimal fortitude. And now like, oh, what's possible that they're able to get through not a juggernaut Bruins team, it must be said, but without their best player without question. Now they got a goalie. Now they got the best goal score on planet earth returning to the fold. Then you can start, oh, and then like Bobby McMahon might be walking through those doors. Not that like Bobby McMahon, you should be pinning your postseason hopes on him, but like, I know, yeah, more hat tricks than a lot of players in the NHL this year. And you, you, you kind of look at the point at which the season, the regular season pivoted at the point that Bobby McMahon emerged as a mainstay in this lineup, right? Yeah, it was that that blues game or is the hat reckoned? Yeah, he's a big part of this seven game winning streak. Yeah, I think what people, I mean, they'll always be the mouthbreathers that are like, ah, you know, like there's a you wing effect happening here where the Maple Leafs lose their best player and are actually better. That's clearly not the case. I think the logical case you should be making. I guess it depends on how it plays out here is that, oh my God, you accomplish the thing, not just against your play bugaboo, the Boston Bruins, not just down three one, but without the best goal score, maybe in hockey history. And now he's coming back. What an incredible boost that will be. Yeah, it would be incredible. They only, they only have to win two games and must win situations against the Boston Bruins to get there, but it'll be three without him. Right. At the point you make about it with Matthews, it's, it's a little bit twofold though, because you're right. They'd feel all that to be shot in the arm. I also think, and you know, we all saw this down the stretch. We can quibble of how much of a problem it was. And hey, it'll certainly be a talking point one way or another if they don't, if they, if they're not able to overcome Boston here. But this team had tunnel vision down the stretch in terms of getting the puck tossed in Matthews. And that's part of playing with a great player. You know, who has tunnel vision? Everybody who's ever played with Conor McDavid, they want him to have the puck. The difference is, is that McDavid typically just kind of takes in his own end. It does his own thing. Matthews, it's a lot of force feeding him in the offensive zone. And I don't say that to say that Matthews can't go get the puck himself, but you and we all watch those games down the stretch, really trying to get 70. And then even when it's not, you know, playoffs, everything resets, they're not looking at him to so that Cuthbert and Bowen can do their 70th goal calls. That's not why they're looking for him. They're looking at for him because he's the best option on the team. But when you remove that, you just have to go play. And guess what? Guess who's a pretty talented offensive player? Max Domie Tyler Bertuzzi. Okay. He ain't Max Domie, but he has a lot of utility in that regard, as well. Mitch Marner, he can look to find a lot of people and they don't have to be Austin Matthews for it to be successful. So I think there is something to be gleaned from learning to play without him and then playing that same way. Yeah. When he comes back, obviously, he's Austin Matthews. Obviously, whoever is playing with him is going to look to feed it to him as you should. But it shouldn't be, okay, step on the ice, get the puck to 34. It should be, you know, read the place. See what happens. Sometimes it's a chip that makes sense. So did you want to hold on to it? If you're Max Domie, maybe heaven forbid you want to shoot the puck yourself on a two on one. I know tough ask. I know. But that's the thing that I think they should hopefully be able to take from this is that almost a reset because Austin Matthews didn't get to 69 goals because they were force feeding them all year. He got 69 goals. He just played hockey and he's very good at scoring them. Go back, go back to that way. And I think that that's the thing they can hopefully glean from this with whether he returns tonight in game seven next year, next series, who knows. Yeah, it's a great point because that was, that was some ugly looking hockey, the final games of the regular season. Yeah, because they wanted one thing to happen and they were relying on one guy to score goals. They haven't had that guy for the last game in a period and they haven't scored a ton of goals, but they've scored enough to win, at least in one game. But yeah, they obviously need Joe Wall to be at his best to win anything in this series. All right, is it Cupboard Boss was Sheldon Keefe? Like, I think he understands the parameters that like they lose in game five, they lose in game six, they lose even in game seven. It's pretty clear that the die is cast. There's going to be a change at the head coaching position. I think I could be a, I mean, shocking, shocking situation to see Sheldon Keefe. Yeah, but everyone's been hurt. No, I'm joking. There's none of that. I mean, okay, say they do win tonight, say they do win on Saturday and they slay the Boston Bruins, who are not the Boston Bruins of old, but boy, up until the final day of their regular season, they were the leaders of the Atlantic Division put up a great regular season schedule and beat the Leafs four times during the regular season. Does that, is that a stave as execution for Sheldon Keefe? Like, where is the bar for him as far as maintaining his job security with the obvious answer of like him winning Stanley Cup and he gets, he gets to be the coach emeritus forever. And he's like everybody's on legends row. Yeah. And as Nick Nurse famously knows, you get to stay with that team forever. Yeah. Once you win the title, although feels like he's working out, well, maybe not okay, but that was Maxie. Pretty nice. I think I have to answer your question with the question, because as soon as you started answering that, I say in this hypothetical, how safe is the guy to cheers up? I think Brad your living is very safe. They just hired him as general manager. There has been a lot of talk about if it's first round exit, that is not going to be enough. There's going to be pressure on not, not Sheldon Keefe, not Brad your living, but potentially Brendan Shanahan. I think the two are essentially tied. I don't think it means that if Shanahan goes, well, I mean, I think if Shanahan goes, Keith goes, but I don't think it means that Keith can't come back under Shanahan or anything on that. But I think that if you're going to keep the president in place after two rounds, I think the head coach would certainly have a like to stand on and say, Hey, I was missing the 69 goal man. Hey, I missed William Neilander for the first three games of that series. Hey, my goaltender, and this is playoffs, this happens, but it's also part of coaching. I was able to find the right goalie eventually in the series. I think there's a lot he would have to stand on, especially if it isn't seen as the need for organizational upheaval. Now, there's a couple of other things that kind of color this, the John Cooper of it all. Like we talked about yesterday, like that has to enter the equation. You and I were talking about Brindomor. We thought he had an extension, but Kevin Weeks is talking about maybe Carolina pulled that off or so he is potentially still in the mix as a guy that could be could be poached weeks was talking about this yesterday. So I think that has to color it as well. The idea of potentially, I mean, we're talking on 32 thoughts, the idea of a Mike Sullivan, you know, who knows what's going on with him in Pittsburgh. If it's Cooper, if it's Sullivan, you know, Brindomor, a question mark. I think that has to color the equation as well for for somebody like Shelton Keith. Yeah, I think anything short of a conference final appearance means not everyone's hard because I agree, Bradford, living just got the keys to the car like and you're not making that move right away tough. But yeah, I think it seems pretty clear that Keith Pelly didn't get this job to just sit idly by and mind, you know, just look at the bank account as it continues to rise. Like he's actually going to be more hands-on sports executive. Yeah. And that means looking hard at the president who did it in these trying times, it must be reminded of people that he did restore some honor, pride and courage, the three things on the back of the jersey to this franchise and did the thing that so many Leaf fans wanted him to do, strip it down tank and end up in a favorable lottery position. It was like the most favorable at the most favorable time to land the greatest goalscore. Second most sure. But yeah, they landed a pretty good player. Very good. Not as good as Conor McDavid. We could all understand that. But yeah, like it worked out pretty well. But yeah, it's been a long time and there's been one postseason victory. And even if it's two postseason victories and boy, who would favor the Leafs in a matchup against the Panthers again, like obviously not considering what they just put forth against the lightning and considering what we saw in five games. But I'm sorry, like any short of beating that team as well. And I mean, if it was me making the decisions, hard to imagine. I mean, I'll tell you explicitly, I'd be firing the head coach and I'd be firing the president. I'd be like, okay, I had to start from scratch here in those two regards. And there's major questions about the roster. Yeah, I don't think you're wrong to think that way. I think that the Matthews of it all would color it. If I not that you're wrong to fire, Sheldon Keith, if they lose a series, if nobody's healthy, you know, like they get through Boston and they lose to Florida. But if Austin Matthews isn't a part of the equation, and again, like we all don't know, maybe he plays tonight. That's your opinion way way. Okay. Yeah, no, I'm like, I'm asking you, I don't think you're wrong to think that like that enough kicks at the can. I'm not disagreeing a major way. For me, it is less about. And, you know, and I was pretty critical of tri living the hiring at the time. And the biggest reason why I was critical of the hiring at the time was, and we don't need to reliligate all this, but that they were forced into hiring somebody at maybe not their most optimal time because of when they made the change with Doofus. I mean, that'd be part of my reason. If I was what Kelly, like in firing Brendan Shanahan, like, okay, if that was your decision and you were forced to know it because like you didn't like a press conference, then I go, I go, I'm sorry, I wasn't, I wasn't tying those together, although you'd be totally right to what I would do is say, you're not going to do that again. And if Cooper, like, forget all of them available, if one of them is available, I think that completely changes the equation there as well. So, yeah. Speaking of Conor McDavid, which we did earlier, yeah, his Edmonton Oilers are off to the second round after a five game series victory over the Los Angeles Kings, yet again, in a predictable result, do you know what five on five goals were in this series? No, it's not going to surprise it because like I just set it up this way. It's like, oh, the Oilers just pounded the Kings into sand, right? Like those guys were just overmatched from puck drop in game one. Five on five goals were 12-12. The Edmonton Oilers went nine for 40 on the power play, and they killed off every single one of the Kings 22 power plays. Okay. So, yeah, I do, were the Oilers probably unbalanced better than the Kings at five on five, and as part of that, maybe even score effects, right? Because they were leading a lot of games, not the one that won one nothing. But yeah, there's a lot of, like the Oilers are a better team. But they're also a better team because they have a specialty team's unit that works. And man, if this is a sea change in this era of make beliefs in the, like the Austin Matthews era, because like there's the macro era of Austin Matthews, and there's the micro era of everybody else. If there's a change in the micro era, and we look back at this macro era of Austin Matthews, and what the hell went wrong, and try to parse each individual postseason series, and so many of them coming down to do or die games, sevens or game fives. And we look at the specialty teams, and the one series that they won in six games against the lightning, because the power play was not just like overwhelming, didn't click at 50%, like the Oilers is doing, but was like just sort of resembling what they did during the regular season. It's the number one reason they can't figure it out on five on four, and killing off four on five is the number one reason. It's been infuriating forever. The penalty kill has had moments in this, in this, you know, larger scale era, like there's been the power kill. There's been Makayev and Hyman doing yeoman's work. There's been times that this group's been able to do it, but it has been a consistent question. The penalty kill stuff, I'm going to park just over here for a second. It matters. You have to be able to kill penalties, but that is one conversation. When you have $40 million of forwards, the power play can't struggle. It just can't. And I'm not saying that they're absolved of that conversation, but how many different coaches have had their kicks at the can of trying this thing out? I refuse to believe that the power play with Mitch Marner and Austin Matthews and William Newlander and John Tavares on it, or I don't know if you want to go two units and just have two of those guys is struggling because Morgan Riley's not the perfect point man. That's the other part. We keep going to, yeah, maybe it's, oh, it's that it's that dastardly gee-boo-shay. They're elite players. They should be able to score on the power play. Now, I know we're making this about the Leafs. They do have to go back to something. If the Leafs went over on the power play in a series against Boston, when we sit here and talk about how good Boston's penalty kill is, or when we say that the Leafs just have to be better and there's no, like, I'm not, I'm going to give the Oilers credit for that, of course. But I am also going to hold up a big mirror to the LA Kings and say, how dare you 20 chances and not one goal? So I guess give the Oilers credit for sure. And the power play, you can't take a lick away from it. But when I see a team go over, as much as you want to give the Oilers credit, and hey, they're in the second round, you should give them credit, the idea that that's not at least equally as much about the Kings struggling in that regard to me. This is a team that fired their head coach partway through the season. What do we talk about them? We don't talk about the offensive juggernaut that they are. Talk about them for the great stalwart defensive centers they have. And that adds another log onto the fire. The Oilers power play being great. But when I look at the Kings, I have to, I have to make that at least as much about them being dreadful on the power play as it is the Oilers penalty kill being great. Yeah, okay. What about the Kings penalty kill, which in the regular season was the second pass. Well, that's why I said that that when you have it, when you're doing that to a unit with Dowdy and Dino and Coppitar and, you know, Bifield's taking a lot of strides in those parts of his games and now there's not a particularly good goalie on the other side. And then the penalty kill go hand in hand. Yeah. Yeah. They haven't had it all season long though. No. And they still killed off almost 85% of opposing power plays to me. I do wonder what this isn't me like trying to poke holes in your argument. I think this all makes sense. I do wonder what it would be if you like, because Talbot kind of fell off a cliff at the, at the tail end of the season. It's like how much of that 85% is buoyed by best versions of Talbot. I don't know. Do you agree with this though that like, okay, in baseball, the expression is, hey, good pitching beats, good hitting day and day out. Yep. If you're good power play and you're moving it around and you're generating the opportunity, it's like good power play beats good penalty kill, I think, every day of the week. It doesn't matter what penalty kill you got. Like eventually that Oilers power play is going to score against you given enough opportunities. Like, let's just, okay, you just swap out the Oilers units for the Leafs units in the whatever 17 power plays they've gotten against the Boston Bruins. I'm telling you, they're scoring more than one goal. I'm sorry. I guess as good as the Bruins penalty killers are and as good as Jeremy Swamin is at four on five, you have enough skill players and a guy that scored 69 goals and 200 near 100 point players. And yeah, John Tavares, who boy, the five on five numbers were this season were pretty similar. But yeah, the power play numbers had usually been pretty good. And Morgan, you're like, you have enough talent to beat whatever penalty kill you put forth. I don't disagree with that. I'd also highlight that the Leafs power play throughout like, and you know, the games, the bulk of games we had, the 82 games of the regular season, it was 2.3% worse than the Oilers. So it's there for the Leafs. I mean, that's, that's, I mean, that's the adding fuel to the fire. It's like, during the regular season, even with the drop off the second half, they were like, occasionally scoring. They cannot score. They can't. And I mean, when it's so frustrating when you talk about the Oilers, because it's almost like talking about like prime Shaq and the NBA. Okay, but he's different. And he is different when you talk about, but except there's two he's there, dry sideless power play merchant, okay? It's what he does. And in most times, I use it as an knockout. And I can't in this conversation. Connor McDavid, it is arguable that he is the greatest power play player. And I was about to say, since Wayne Gretzky, but actually, I don't have it in front of you, but I remember looking it up and it's like, man, did less damage on the power play than you would have thought for a guy who scored 200 points a season. Connor McDavid, it's entirely possible is the greatest power play player of all time. So yeah, I would think that that would happen. But to your point, Mitch Marner, maybe he's not supposed to be the greatest of all time. He certainly should be dangerous on a power play. Austin Matthews gets his fair share of goals there, but not, not when you think of him as a pure goal scorer who nearly scored 70. I do think there is something, and I think it's, I'm not saying you can't go away from this now, but I do think there's just the something about the competition. Now, the Oilers don't have that. They load it up. So it's hard to make this point about them. But when it hasn't worked for the Leafs, I really think you should have just given Marner a unit and given Matthews a unit and said mono Imano, but that's not the way this culture is. And if you were going to do that, you should have maybe done that, you know, in the final couple of months of the regular season when it was ice looking, not quite as bad as a one for 17, but pretty close. It's, yeah, it's pretty tough to do that in the middle of a postseason series where your seasons on the line in a home game in game six tonight. Anywho, yeah, it's just like jarring to see, yeah, Oilers killed the inferior canes, goals were 12, 12, 5.5 in that series. All right, when we come back, Nick Caprio, so real kipper and born as the fan morning show continues Ben and his Brent Gunning Sportsnet 5.9 of the fan. Unrivaled insight, analysis and opinions on all things Blue Jays, Blair and Barker, be sure to subscribe and download the show on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Good news, Maple Leafs are coming home for a postseason game where they've lost this sixth consecutive last win coming in game two of the lightning series last season. They extend that losing straight to seven games. They will be going home tonight eight o'clock on Sportsnet. Time now for our insider brought to you by Don Valley, North Lexus, where you can expect excellence online and in the showroom. Visit Don Valley North Lexus dot com. Today's insider, the great Nick Kiprios, real kipper and born. How's it going, Kipper? Are we ready? Sure. Eight o'clock tonight. I don't know. What's up with why they're making us wait so long. It's tonight's the only show in town for the NHL. That's it. The stage is set. Who's not excited? Come on. I'm excited. Let's go. Well, whatever team doctor may or may not hold Austin Matthews out of the game, like maybe he's like a 1% less excited, depending on what his answer is. But yeah, I think you've got to be jacked up, Kipper. And Leafs, Leafs fans should not expect anything less. So they have to be used to this by now. Just let it roll and just drop the puck. Let's let's go. How did the Joe wall performance in game five change things? Do you think for this team? Like, I just know in watching this team, it changes my level of confidence. Obviously, it's the most important position in the sport, but to get what you got and specifically those two saves, both in the third period and then in the first minute of overtime, to know that Joe Wall is capable of that, that you may have even the scales in the goal tending department. What do you think that does in that in that dressing room? Changes everything. No doubt about that. I've been on so many teams at so many levels where no matter what you do upfront, it doesn't matter if you don't believe that a guy like that can be back there and save your bacon every once in a while. And what it's done above anything that Samsonov's been able to do is make you believe that if you score two goals, it can still be enough. And that is a gift from the hockey gods to skaters, that if you have a goalie that needs sometimes one or two to win, it's a different ball game. And we know the challenges for the Leafs to score more than two goals. So again, something else to believe in tonight is that if Joseph walk and string a few of these together, now you've now you've got a series going down to the wire. Yeah, no, obviously, you'd never hear, you know, a Leaf player admit this, but I can only imagine there's got to be a level of good. They're dealing with this too. I've been frustrated trying to get one pass way been all series long. And now, you know, we've got a brick wall of our own in our end, like it does have to have to kind of lead you there. We all know the home ice problems for this team. I mean, it can go back to Saturday when they're getting booed, but it goes back further than that. They have won a home game since the second game of the series of gates, Tampa last year. What do you make the struggles at home? Do you have a theory on it? I mean, you've played in big games in buildings that are raucous. And you know, it seems like you can kind of go one way or another. Do you have any kind of read on this kipper? I don't other than the fact that, you know, for whatever reason there is, there is a different mindset at home. And it may come down to the fact that you feel like you have to play a certain way at home and different on the road. There is a mentality on the road that you have nobody to impress but yourselves. Again, us against the world mentality worked beautifully for the Toronto Maple Leafs in game five. And I just hope that they can do the same here. You need a voice a reason in that dressing room for us in 94. It was of course Mark Messier and Kevin Lowe five times Stanley Cup champions to sit there in the dressing room when things don't look great to say, guys, don't force it. Don't push it. We'll be here all night if we have to, but we're not losing this game, meaning that have the patience to not force plays that aren't there. Play the percentages, make the easy pass up the wall. Don't don't don't take a 100% pass to the middle of the ice in your own zone unless you're 100% sure 70 or 80% is no good. So you avoid the the bounce off the skate of the room on the first goal. You avoid redirect off of the shaft of a stick on a hard four check again. And don't limit those times where you take a chance. And it just seems like the Leafs do that early in in Scotia Bank Arena, they put themselves behind the eight ball and and then you know the crowd starts rolling their eyes and it kind of snowballs from there. So it's imperative that they get off to a good start. First goal would go a long way for the psyche of Joseph Wall also can work against Swamin as well. So plenty of factors coming back home to think about once the game gets underway. Listen, I imagine if you had an answer to this, you would have tweeted it out or you would have said it on your show yesterday, but you are insider. So I got to ask you anyways, like, do you have any sense about Austin Matthews is availability for tonight's game? Reaching your pocket, pull out a coin, and flip it. Okay. That's it. That's that's all you need to know. But I think that if I was a betting man, I wouldn't put a lot of money on seeing him tonight. And I only base that on the fact that, you know, it's it's gone from an illness to a lot of talk about, you know, what what's what's hurt, what's injured. How do you go from a guy that perhaps is dealing with some sort of illness where he disappears in game four, yet flies to Boston, feels comfortable enough to get on a plane, feels comfortable enough to get up in the morning, go to the rink, put his equipment on, spend all but eight minutes on the ice. To me, that is lending towards something that's hurt or injured than just an illness. So what's changed in 48 hours. Yeah, I can't imagine. I can't imagine much. I have the same kind of read on it as you do. I wouldn't expect to see him, but I also really like your first thing you said about it of grab a coin and flip it. We talked to you at the start of this about what it means to the team to have Joe wall go in the way he was in that game. And then, you know, he's between the pipes tonight. Let's say Austin Matthews, like pulls a Willis Reed and okay, I find a way I can go, but he's nodded his best self. What would that do to the other 17 guys in the lineup? I mean, somebody's not going to be happy because they're all of a sudden not playing tonight. But for the rest of the guys in the lineup, what type of boost would it be if by some miracle it's, you know, tonight or heaven forbid a game seven, just having them there, even if he's not his full Austin Matthews self. Well, there are special players, you know, historically in the game, when you have special players, you'll you'll take whatever you can get from them this time of year. And I've said this all along that a an Austin Matthews at 50 or 60% is better than 100% of a Nick Kip reels are probably 90% of your lineup. So what does that mean? From anything between 22 24 minutes and seven or eight, can he still go out on a power play? Can he still find a way in and these type of guys, then I'll include John Tavares in this, where over the course of 60 minutes, or over over time, which we saw again last game, like sometimes he just need one one play, one one spot to just shine or be a difference maker. When you factor in, you know, over the course of two and a half hours that the game started to the time that it's finished, you just need one moment is Austin capable. If he's not capable of playing 20 plus minutes, is he capable coming off the bench and giving you one play to maybe make a difference? And that's what we're talking about. That's that emotional lift that most teammates, most coaches, Brendan Shanahan, Brad tree living, have to contemplate right now, is can he give you one moment? Is he strong enough physically, mentally, emotionally to come in tonight and do that? And that's that's probably what the discussions are going on right now. You got an article out on the Toronto Star right now, which talks about the hypothetical, all the hypotheticals and all the questions that arise for the scene in the off season, man, there's more than a few. I'm let's start with Mitch Marner, though, like how much does this postseason run impact his standing within this organization, this off season with an extension pending eligible after July 1st? Yeah, well, right now it's still inconclusive because you just have to see where this storyline goes. But I can tell you earlier this week, it didn't look good at all. And ultimately, it might still come down to the fact that he's eligible for a contract extension. And where you go on that and where you slot them and what you're willing to pay if you're the Toronto Maple Leafs to keep them, what are you willing to wear? Are you willing to let him go? Is it as early as this summer, the draft, the fall, next trade deadline if you're not willing to pay him? But those questions are coming, whether or not the Leafs beat the Boston Bruins or not in this best of seven in the first round. So the gist of my article today in the Toronto Star is basically where the Leafs fall in this playoff run is almost irrelevant, changes are coming. But how significant are the changes and how quickly will they come is still up in the air? Yeah, man, God, you want to talk about one or potentially two games having a big say in a lot. And like you said, depending on how they go, it can go many, many different ways. Without Matthews, I mean, let's say he doesn't play tonight and they win, he doesn't play in game seven. And Nieland are missing parts of this series. Do you think it's ratcheted? I mean, it obviously has ratcheted up the pressure on Mitch. But how do you think that's that's affected kind of public perception of him? Because I think for a player who is going to have a decision this offseason potentially of do I want to wave a no move? Do I want to sign an extension? Do I want to do the Nieland or thing like there's going to be a lot of the ball being in Marner's court? How much do we think public perception changes? I won't say his desire to be here because I think we all know he loves and cherishes being a leaf. But if the worm really turns, do you think that could affect his appreciation for for being a leaf and maybe looking at having eyes elsewhere? Oh, listen, if I'm Mitch Marner and I, you know, it's it's hard to avoid. And I know he does not have social media anymore. But in this town, it's not hard for things to get back to you real quick, either through family or friends. And you know, I cannot believe, you know, how he's single handedly been such a whipping boy here in the city. And there's a plenty of blame to go around here, you know, to start this series. And, you know, he's he's been singled out by the by the fan base. And for whatever reason, that's just the way it is. But, you know, at the end of the day, I don't think Brendan Shanahan or Brad Tree living are sitting there going, okay, what's the public perception? He's not well liked, you know, the fact, no, no, sorry, Kipper, I don't mean, I don't mean how that would affect Shanahan or tree. I mean, how would that affect Marner saying, am I well like, do I still want to be here? That's that was my question. Sorry. Yeah. And and greatly, greatly, absolutely. It has to come into play on his decision on whether or not he wants to remain a Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Maple Leafs or not. But again, you know, I'm not in his shoes. I don't know what he goes through on a daily basis here. But like I said, it's not hard for stuff to get back to you. And at a certain point, you got to say enough's enough. I can't, can't just year after year, you know, deal with a lot of this. And you do deal with it directly or indirectly. It comes back to you. But if you ask me, has it affected affected him, his family, dealing with the stuff that is out there, including an unfair cover at the Toronto Sun where, you know, you make him a faceless player. You know, I don't see anybody else going through that. I don't see, I don't see Morgan Riley going through it. You don't see Tavares going through it. You don't see Austin Matthews going through it for whatever reason, it's Mitch. And I think at times it's certainly caught up to him. Yeah, it wouldn't be human if it didn't. I think Sheldon Keef understands the parameters of these games and the loss tonight or even on Saturday, it feels like his tenure in Toronto is over. There's potentially some big names out there. John Cooper is still under contract for one more year. And tap, I'm imagining he's not going into the final year of that deal without an extension. And then this Rod Brindomore extension that I thought was completed, apparently not. Like what's going on with those potential candidates? Until we hear Ben that, you know, through either a general manager or president or an owner that these guys aren't going anywhere, you know, take it for face value that they might be available. And I think what we're seeing now is a bit of a domino effect here. There's teams that need head coaches. Some may think that they want to get ahead of it and name one earlier. But until these guys are locked in for next season, I think teams like Seattle and New Jersey are in a sit and wait scenario. Well, let's just see what happens with Rod Brindomore. Yeah, it doesn't appear like he wants to go anywhere. It doesn't appear like the owner doesn't want some back, but no deal, no contract. And let me tell you something. Timing couldn't be worse for a team like Carolina. You need this like you need a hole in the head right now talking about your head coach being there or not being there. And I lived it in 1994 with Mike Keenan and all this talk about him ending up in Detroit next season. And stuff like that can easily derail you. And I wouldn't take the chance. Yeah, we found a way to win, but we also found a way to win with Mark Messier. He's done it five times. I don't see a Mark Messier in Carolina's lineup lately. So I don't know how it's going to affect Carolina. But again, I couldn't think of worst timing right now for this to be brought up when you're trying to win a Stanley Cup. Yeah, I certainly liked the Jake Gensil ad, but it, it ain't, it ain't, it ain't moose via being the leader. Like you guys had had in New York, you, which I was going to, I was going to ask you about Domi, but now talking about Tampa, do you ever read on Stamco's? I mean, of course, we make everything about the leaves here. And he once had a dalliance, a meeting, do you have any read on if he's back? My kind of read on it has been that there's probably not going to be a better situation that can kind of meld his ability to win, be comfortable and get paid. In a way, the Tampa would, but I, I also could see him saying, all right, I've done this. I've, I've won time for something new, especially if it's not going to be the money I want. No, no, no. The time of something that was new was when he interviewed for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The last time he was a free agent and, and chose not to. That was the time for something new. This isn't it. Not at his stage of his life, not where his family is. To me, this might be one of the easiest contracts to do if you're Tampa Bay, because the guy's made a hundred million dollars. It won't be about another million or two on a contract. It'll just be a sweet spot where he's not embarrassed and you're not grossly overpaying. This guy wants to retire a Tampa Bay Lightning. Everybody wants to see him retire a Tampa Bay Lightning. If he ends up somewhere else, it will be because they never wanted him to begin with. And I don't sense that at all. And he still very much a great player. It's a 40 goal score, best player for Tampa Bay in their first round loss. A team that can still compete, a team where many of the players are, are, are still in their prime, or some of them are starting to really come on like Nick Paul and Haggle, Ysimont, like these are good players that can help you compete for a Stanley Cup for the next few years. Find the sweet spot, get them signed on a, on a three year deal and everything's hunky Dory. If this thing blows up, it'll be because you never wanted them to begin with. And if you're, you know, if you're the Tampa Bay Lightning and you're willing to let him go, then, you know, you're going to have to answer a lot of questions to a lot of true fans there. Yeah. That, uh, that have paid the freight over the last few years. So, you know, Breeze Baw is going to have to look people in the eye and say, you know, give me a reason why this deal didn't get done. Yeah. Well, apparently he already looked Stephen Stamko's in the eye at the beginning of the season said, we're not getting a deal done. So, yeah, I don't know. You know, it's within his rights. And when you're dealing with a salary cap that is so tight and you don't want to make any mistakes, I have no problem with that. I don't, you know, I have no problem. I wouldn't have had any problem with the Leafs to tell Sheldon Keith last year. Listen, we got you under contract for one more year. We're not giving you an extension. Let's see what happens, you know, instead of throwing two million away next year or three million. Like, that's the way it is. You got a contract. Take it to the very end. I'm sorry. But yeah, in a perfect world, you like more security. So would I. Yeah. Go wait a couple rounds. You want some security. And then we could have had the Sheldon Keith press conference where he's like, you know, I got to talk to my family. I'm not sure if I want to be here. All right, Chinese, I might have started twitching. Good stuff. Kipper, always a pleasure, man. Thanks. All right, guys. Have a great day. And hey, enjoy tonight. Pressure is a privilege, as they say. Yeah. Yeah. All right. See you, Kipper. Okay, guys. Nick Kipperos, real Kipper and Born, our insider brought to you by Don Valley, North Lexus, where you can expect excellence online and in the showroom, visit Don Valley, North Lexus dot com. Yeah. Okay. We had a conversation in the break quickly. Like, yeah, given your brothers. Listen, nobody's bearing Sheldon Keith. Yeah. They could go on this incredible run. And we've already praised him. And during the regular season, his record is undeniable. But he knows he's canned. They lose tonight or Saturday. Okay. Take a pick. One guy is under contract for one more year. One guy is apparently a free agent. Yeah. Rod Brindemore, John Cooper, who are you picking? If I had to pick between those two, I would take Brindemore because I think that there's a chance for it to go sideways with Cooper, like waxing poetic and us five days into them winning one game in their first four. We're going, what are we doing here? What? What? But if I had my actual druthers, the guy Cassidy, that's the one that's easy to say because he's won the cup. And he's like coached in a bigish market. That's the other part about Brindemore and Cooper. It's a different animal doing in Carolina and Tampa versus here. So I'd love a guy that had some big market bonafide. I feel like we've done the John Cooper thing in Paul Maurice. I could feel like we did that. Yeah. Yeah. I think so. Yeah. I mean, it got one. Yeah. But yeah, I'd be Brindemore as well. Yeah. Maybe get some workout tips. Anyways, time now for the waking right presented by Sports Interaction, your homegrown sports book 19 plus bet responsibly. Leafs, Bruins, both minus money on the money line tonight in game six, eight o'clock on sports net CBC, sports net 360, Leafs minus one 15, the Bruins minus one oh five, the total, as it's been, I think all series five and a half, Brent under, I think it's another nail biter tonight. Swamin's going to be great. I think and hope Joel is going to be great. Give me the under five and a half get a plus a hundred feels like the most obvious thing on the board. Yeah. If you if you really believe in the Maple Leafs, switching the narrative up, Leafs in action parlay plus eight 70, William kneelander and Mitch Marner both the score goal and the game total over five and a half, which is easy to believe if those guys are not scoring for sure in the hockey game. And maybe it's on the power by God forbid. Don't get greedy. Plus eight 70. All right. That was the waking rake presented by Sports Interaction, your home grown sports book 19 plus bet responsibly. When we come back, right now, La Bois of TVA sports covering tonight's game six as the fan morning show continues, Ben and his Brent gunning sports net five 90 the fan.
