It's going to be a good one. >> Bad morning show. >> Frank Gunning, Daniele, Franceski, here with you until 9 o'clock. Actually, I lied. Here until 8.55. There we go. I'm high-tailing it out of here. Don't get too excited though, people. You know what I have ahead of me? A full day of -- this is like a throwback to when I was 12. A full day at chores. >> Oh. >> We're doing a little hosting tomorrow. I got some friends coming over for a little barbecue, bringing the kids over. God, you think the queen was coming to our house? My wife, the list of things that need to be scrubbed. I'm going to clean the barbecue. That's what these guys are going to care about. I don't know what else is on your list. God, a lot of chores is happening today. But like shopping, you know, going and get some stuff to barbecue. So I'll be fun. But yeah, it's like normally when I'm like, I'm getting out of here to go play golf or something. >> Yeah, that's what I was going to say. Do you know? I mean, the Italians are known for having some very, very lavish, interesting gatherings. The main thing that anybody cares about is just the food. >> Of course. >> It's so fun. >> It's very simple. >> It's actually hilarious that you say this because I'm like, oh, I might. All right, we're going to get this to barbecue. >> Yeah. >> And then, oh, I like these little flapper pizzas I could do on there and throw them out for an appetizer. And then we'll just have some hot dogs for the kids. I'm all over that. >> Yeah, nice. >> Don't you worry about me regarding that. And she's like, yeah, obviously, you got that taken care of. Now, the things I'm worried about and I'm like, worry about them. Go. >> How about worry? >> My tears. >> Worrying outside. >> Worrying outside. >> The barbecue. The food. >> But that's, yeah, for us, that's the main thing. >> Oh, I know. I know. >> That's a food. >> Good, good. That's it. We're sad. >> No, I'm just picturing. And it's funny that it's like you mentioned Italians eating and you're right. Like I think of like elaborate meals and great spreads. >> Oh, yeah. >> I think is Tony Sprounold grabbing a literal fist, a gobble pull out of the fridge. And I'm like, sometimes it's sometimes it's that. >> All this from a piece of gobble pull of it. >> Yeah. >> That's what you're telling me. >> Yeah. >> God. Yeah, I could talk about that for 25 minutes. >> Oh, I love it. >> But we won't. Hot, hot season in the NHL in terms of trades. We had some. >> Yes. >> In the cup final, which firstly on that, does that surprise you at all? We had two relatively speaking. I mean, I don't want to, I don't want to overstate the marquee nature of the trades. >> Oh, they're big. They're big trades, certainly. But this isn't Mitch Marner getting traded. I do think there's a pretty big chasm between the needle that would be moved by that and the chills that we saw with Mark Sherman, DuBlanc, Kemper. Are you surprised that the league was, I mean, in my opinion, they pretty clearly are okay with it or they wouldn't have come out on the same day at the same time, but are you, are you surprised that the league is so okay with there being this much news in a final and one that's been pretty compelling, quite frankly. >> It's been very compelling, obviously, given how the series unfolded. >> Okay. >> No, here's why. Here's why. Don't play this lane into June. Maybe if you stop doing that, then guess what? You're gonna have a little bit more leeway in between the end of the Cup final and when the draft and free agency rolls around. A week from today is round one of the NHL draft in Vegas. The series, obviously, depending on what happens tonight, could end on Monday. And that would leave. >> Just for the record, please end on Monday. >> Okay, you're not ready. >> You need the full gamut of such hockey as I possibly can. I'm like, can we do the Spangler Cup now? >> Okay, sorry. >> But that would leave, obviously for those two teams. The league is in its own different situation. But that's gonna put them with three days in between the end of their season and the draft. And then two days later, it's time for free agency. Like, okay, I think if you're the NHL, you need to. You are required to be okay with this because teams have business that they need to take care of. So live with it. And yeah, they were two pretty fairly big trades, which was nice piece of news on Wednesday for everybody in the hockey community, especially given, guess what? We had two days off in between games for game six of the Stanley Cup final tonight. So yeah, they should have no problems with it. >> Yeah, and we don't really usually do that, too. Like the extra day off in the Cup final, it is what happens when you have the farthest one you've ever had in the history there. Yeah, I am, I mean, you're speaking my language. But the biggest problem I have with the NHL schedule starting when it does is ending now. But the second biggest problem I have is that we then can't do my wonderful Canadian Thanksgiving quadruple header of games. So we need to start the season so that we can have that. I don't care. Start it on Canadian Thanksgiving for all. I can't just get it going earlier. You need to. >> Okay, but they still starting their early October. >> Yeah, this is the problem. They used to be. >> Like how much earlier do they need to be? >> I think they should. I am of the opinion. I think they should be. I don't know. Maybe the way blue jay seasons have kind of colored my pit. But it's like September is hockey season. It doesn't need to start puck drop of the regular season September 1st. And I also think you do want to be a little mindful, although you can't count out of this of you wouldn't want to start the same week of the NFL. You'd want to give yourself a little bit of leeway one way or another. Quite frankly, you're not going to beat the NFL by starting in August. So I would love a world where you're going to win very early September and by the 20th, 20 seconds, something like that, we're playing regular season games. I would love, love, love that. And then you do get things a little earlier. You're not playing hockey into July. And yeah, I just think it gives everybody a little breathing room. >> The easiest solution and this plays into your theory and your idea is to reduce the number of meaningless preseason games. >> Oh, hard to agree. >> But here's the problem with that. Like the NFL did this where they removed the one. >> Yeah, yeah. So you're saving and actually not just saving. You're adding more gate revenue, more revenue overall because it's a regular season game. >> I should be curious. >> Are they going to forfeit? >> Yeah. >> Go from nine meaningless preseason games where in Toronto, four of the four of all four of those home games are going to be packed regardless. Are they going to forfeit that extra money to say, you know what, timely and more, we can begin this regular season in a more timely fashion. >> So the thing that I wonder, I don't have enough insight on this. This feels like a great summer conversation for me to have with someone. >> Yeah, kind of. >> Is that, well, unlike NFL games and not to say that every NFL game is played in the NFL teams home stadium, they're obviously like, you know, the Hall of Fame game in Canton and the one off, but for the most part, for the most part, they're in your stadium where you play your games. The Leafs and maybe the Leafs color my perception of this, but it's like they often play games that are not just at Scotiabank Arena, they will play a game in John Tavares, first ever game for the Leafs was in Lukeon, Ontario because it was the hometown hockey and like, I don't begrudge that. I think there's a wonderful thing that we do, but I do wonder how much that affects the economics because you're obviously, it's not making the money out there and that's a one off game, but they'll do things like I know they in the past have played the Sens farm team in Binghamton to try our games and try to like, you know, give that market a little love and I think those are all good and important things, but it also just means factually it's less valuable to you. You're obviously making less money in those barns. So yeah, I think that's interesting. All right. I mentioned Linus Olmark. Obviously. Do we ever get on a different day? Yeah, I know. It's Friday. Well, that's probably around Friday. Okay. You fill in the blank with whatever word you'd like there. I think you know which one I'm getting at. Olmark has been, you know, with what he does is he ends up in Jersey there. All eyes kind of go to Olmark now, not say he's the only goalie in play, but he certainly is the one that I think is most likely to be moved. Sorrow's pretty different conversation. Scott Toronto one is not a trade list. This should shock absolutely no one. He is an NHL player after all. Why would he willingly come to Canada? That's what they tell us. Seemingly every turn, but I don't think this actually affects the Leafs that much. I think this was a completely unrealistic target for them. I think that you would have had to overpay in such a way that it wouldn't have been worth doing. The thing that's interesting, most interesting to me about this though, is that there seems to be no worry at all about trading have been division with the sentence. That's the team that has been kind of barking the most out of and that's the thing that I just think is so fascinating. And it really is very telling of how they feel about those two teams. That they're willing, they're potentially willing to trade them to Ottawa and Toronto. I mean, from all marks perspective, it's a non-starter, but I imagine from Boston's it would be as well. You would think. You'd have to think that's probably the case. Yeah, like they trade him for Mitch Marner. Sure. You're not doing that. Yeah, you're not doing that. No, you're not making it. Yeah, exactly. Not a good old hockey trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Oh, no, no, no. No chance of that happening. So, I actually, on just sort of orbiting around Bolton. Yeah. In general here. I was very curious to learn and to come to the realization that the Leafs were very much interested, maybe more than I thought they would be in trying to snag Jacob Markstrom from Calgary. Now, there's the obvious tie in their Brad tree living in the history with the player and the organization, but I think it maybe does signal, and this is where Linus Hallmark's name does come around and he fits in this category, of the Leafs saying, instead of going and we're going to try and pair somebody with Joseph Wall, that is passable at best or serviceable and can fulfill that role as a guy that's going to split games. Let's go get somebody that has actually got some bonafides on the resume and see if we can bolster that position rather than just try to get a replacement for Ilya Sampson. I'm like, find somebody that happens to be better and has real pedigree and as well established. That is what I think is most curious because there aren't a lot of those guys around. And if you're going to try and make a move like that, you got to do it via trade. It can't be through free agency. There aren't those options available on the open market. So clearly based on everything we've heard up until this point, it seems like there is a desire on the part of the Leafs, on the part of Ratchery Living, to at least entertain this possibility. And that is something I think that bears monitoring because now that we know they've sort of swung and missed a little bit on Mark Shrimp, to what extent, who knows, at least we can say if the sorrows thing comes up again or if there are other guys, and I can't think of the other established reminders whose name is brought up in a trade that the Leafs will probably have some interest in that because it feels like Ratchery Living is sort of admitting, okay, we're done with or we would prefer to be done with this inconsistency in between the pipes in terms of trying to hope you just got one guy that gets hot. Let's get somebody with a more established background and resume that you can feel confident in. Yeah, you should always look at somebody's past performance to see what they're going to do in the future, right? You look at the way that you're living as built as hockey clubs and I don't think you can go, well, this is a hundred percent the way that he's going to do it here because circumstances dictate things at the point and, you know, well, I was about to say not to make everything about the Leafs, but we're literally talking about the such. We're talking about you'll probably make this about them. Gunner, you can own it. You can own it. I can own it. We're talking about the Leafs, but I think that the point I've often made about, well, the Leafs they went all in on this core four forwards. They did. I'm not going to sit here and tell you they didn't. They also just went in on all the good players they had and then there was a hometown guy who said I'd like to play here for less than some other teams want to pay me. I think they would have loved nothing more than John Tavares to have been Alex Pietrangelo or fill in the blank of a defect or they would have loved Mitch Marner to have been Kale McCar or what, you know, fill in the blank of super high end tournament. So that's the thing I look at with true living is we keep going back to his Calgary teams and we say he wants to build a stealth blue line. He wants to build a team with a good goal. That has always been the way they have gone about their business and the time he was there. Now, I don't think that means he goes completely away from that, but it's clearly something he's going to lean into again in his time here. And it's like he has the opera, he has the good fortune of having the forward group built up. Now, it's not say it's a perfect forward group. There's just some very nice pieces up front there. But that's the thing I look at with true living is just go look at all the flames teams he had. Good goalie. Big defense group. Big defense. They were good occasionally, sometimes good, sometimes bad, always big and always ornery. Yes. And that's what you're going to see out of true living. And I know that and maybe that's as good a time as any to kind of transition to the Marner stuff here and more reports. Bissonette now coming out with it that it seems like the camp and or the Marner and the Leafs may be tracking towards an extension or at least discussing it. If they came out and signed Mitch Marner to an extension and like let's just live in a world where I'm not even going to put hard and fast numbers on it because I think it's better if people just do that for themselves. Mitch Marner signs a fair. It's not a hometown discount, but he doesn't ring the bell as hard as he possibly could. It's a very fair again. Whatever that means to you. I think that's a big question. No, no, but this is the thing. I think I think if I let people paint their own picture, we can have the actual discussion around the player without it. So Brad for living signs him to again. Some people are going to say fair is five bucks and some people are going to say fair is fourteen. So again, find your middle. I think it's twelve would be fair to me. So there I put my number. There we go. Okay. He signs him to that. And let's say it's not now. Let's say it's in the dead of August. We've all had time to calm down. The trade season talk is cool. That's cottage season. Yeah. I don't care what that does to Mitch Marner's perception because the only thing that's going to really alter it at this point in any way, shape or form is him performing in the playoffs. It does not matter. He can have his will. He can go score 70 goals. Absolutely. It's not going to matter. Honestly, until it happens in the playoffs. What does that do to Brad Trill Williams perception? Ooh. Because I think he has been a guy who threw out his very short tenure here has played it safe, taken the middle road. And I don't regret him that. You've got thrown into a fire your hand at the car keys of the leaf. You don't want to say, yeah, let's start taking hairpin turns. I think you want to get a handle for the transmission. See how she rides for a year. I think you all understand that. But this would be because even the Kneelander contract, he only got it when we all said, I mean, you kind of got to pay him now. It wasn't in August because we would have felt very differently if William Kneelander got that money in August, right? What does that do to prove or true living's perception in the fan base if Marner gets his again fair market value deal in the summer? It would make him terribly unpopular. But from my perspective, at least, call me crazy. Sure. I actually think it's very prudent to do it. I really do. And I know, and this actually, I remember I mentioned it last week when you and I were on last Friday, I said, I had a big leaf question for you. One that I thought would bust your brain and get Sammy going big time for trade. The question is quite simple, because this is the main topic of conversation surrounding the Leafs. It doesn't matter where we go from the draft, but there's nobody talking about who they're going to pick or what free agency looks like. It's all about this one guy. It's Marner. So, this is my question, Gunner. For the Leafs offseason to be deemed a success in any way, shape or form, does that mean it's mandatory for them to trade Mitch Marner? I think it's mandatory for them to come to a resolution, I think. Yeah. Okay. I think that that means you can trade them or you can extend them. But I think the idea of unless Brad your living has the biggest stones in the world, quite frankly, and says, but you won't be a Leafs so bad, I'm going to let you get to UFA, you're going to go take a meeting with the Kings and good luck. Honestly, have fun. Unless that is how it's going to play out, there needs to be a resolution one way or another. You do not feel comfortable about them even going, having the approach that they had. I think the approach would have to be, you're not going to leave. I know you're not. Yes. No, you're not. Or your preferences, you don't want to. Exactly. I think that is, I think that's the way. But for me, for it to be deemed a success or failure, I think you have to have a resolution on it one way or another. I just, I think you do. I think it is such a, it would create such a media storm and, you know, like, whether this is fair or not, I just believe that that stuff affects that player more than it does other guys. I think, I think every day, people could come up to William Newlander and be like, hey, you haven't scored him four games. You haven't scored. You go, I do not care. I do not care. I do not care. Get me to Sweden. Do not care. Do not care. You know what? He's like, you don't get your horses. Yes. No, I have to say this. I have to say this as well. I think the reason William Newlander doesn't care is because he knows he's going to perform soon. This isn't, I don't care about you. It's a buddy. You're getting upset about five games. I'm going to have ten tucks. So I don't know what we're talking about here. I think that's where it comes from. It's just very apparent that this player does not feel this. Now, who knows? Maybe this summer has been like some big come to Jesus moment and he has his, it's a complete 180 and everything's with the chip on his shoulder and it all motivates him. Okay. Maybe. I don't think that's the way it necessarily plays out. I think the best case scenario for all parties involved is resolution one way or another. But the thing I go to with the true living of it all is, I, you know, it's going to be a great thing. And I, man, one day we'll be able to have a conversation about the Leafs GM that doesn't go back to how people felt about Kyle Dubas. But so much of living was, he's the ante to this. He's not just going to give these guys whatever they want. He's not just going to roll over and say, have all the no move. It's kind of happened so far. Yeah. And if he is the guy doubling down on, because I don't think people would view that as a Shanahan move, despite him still being here, that is clearly Brad Shore living's decision. I think it's very safe to say that. And I just wonder what that would do to his perception is all that different. Because that was the other part of it is you got Kyle Dubas who wants to grab Dennis Malg and every time he's on the waiver wire, and Brad Shore living is like, is there a six, nine go. We could grab. I mean, he literally, he literally did at the deadline. He tried, he traded for this Cade, how Cade Western or the college free agent that they signed. He's like six, nine, skating around with him. He literally just, he's big, giving me, I want him. Okay. So they're completely different. But if they both lined up to the same place of, you know, we got to give these guys everything they've ever wanted. I do really wonder what that does to his perception. And like all things in this market, it changes in May if we're talking in a conference final. Everything changes. That's the, that's the big thing. I submit this to you. I think there was universally within Leafs Nation, a clear desire to pro, like, for the most part, two years, two years, like for the most part, to extend knee lander to keep him around. Like I think people sort of whether you were in favor of it or against it, you, everybody resigned themselves to the fact that one way or another, knee lander is going to be here. He's going to get a contract. It was just a matter of what is the length, the term and how much money is he going to make. When the number came out, he couldn't have signed that contract from a player standpoint at a better time, at a more opportune time. I say that, and I know this is tricky because Bradtree Living had bigger fish to fry with Matthews and his deal being the priority. So that happens, but once that deal occurs, I do wonder if the Leafs, like we don't know, we don't know what those discussions entailed, but I would venture to guess Gunner that if they had somehow really pushed and were aggressive in trying to secure a deal with knee lander before the season, the number would have been lower. At least I cannot imagine that it wouldn't have been as high as it is. So I say that because if you're going to sign Mitch or if you're going to entertain it, this is actually probably the best time to do it, right? Because you're going to get him at a number that might look incredibly good and favorable for you if he goes out and has another awesome season and it gives you some playoff juice and looks more like the young Mitch Marner that we saw when he first arrived and was playing post-season hockey for the Maple Leafs. If you get that version, people are going to feel great about the contract being 12 or 12-2. Because quite frankly, I'm still in the camp that he deserves to be paid more than William Meenlander. I'm in that camp and I have not budged from there. I think he is a better player overall and is deserving of that. So the number that's going to jump out there should start with a higher figure than what 88 is making and I think that's only fair to Mitch. And then if he happens to perform for you at a high level, the contract is going to look better because you're not going to be in a position. I guarantee you, if he goes out and has 100 points and plays well in the playoffs, next year you're going to be sitting right here and the number is going to start with a 14 or a 13. And you're going to say, how did that happen? Yeah, the playoff thing is maybe to me the most interesting because I actually kind of go, I won't say go the other way, but I will borderline go as far as to say the playoff performance only matters if he's signing a contract in Toronto. If he is a UFA when the playoffs are over, he'll get his money. There is no world where Ryan Smith or whoever owns the LA Kings. I want to say it's Stan Cronkey because I feel like he owns everything out there, but I feel like that's also wrong. Okay, I think you're right. I think it's the same guy that was a Dodgers. Yeah, whatever, whoever's cutting the checks out there, they're not going to care that Mitch Marner, by the way, has had 50 points and 57 playoff games. Like we should probably mention that as well that this is, yes, less than what you expect, but not a guy who has had no performance. That's actually really important contest because guess what? Yeah. Awesome Matthews and William Ryder in the same ballpark. Yeah, we literally are in the same ballpark. We can then do the, we can then do at least my favorite thing to do where we pull up the numbers for games. One, two, three, and then she five or seven and very different. But I'm with you. The point, the reason I bring that up though is that we'll all be sitting here after another flamethrower. Cause let's be honest, why would it ever go any other way? Come on. No, no, no, I do. I do actually. I've been, I've been alive long enough. Sure. I've seen enough. Maybe a series or two, though, would be nice. Two. Oh, okay. Not this year coming. Just like two more series wins before I die. He's all the master. I don't know. I have bad diets. Maybe that's not in one run, not in a pro or a long shot. It's not overly greedy. But the point I make by that is to say that we will all have the scar tissue of him not performing and going, Oh my God, you're going to give this guy 12 times eight and a full no move and a double secret protection that he doesn't even have now on trades. We will all be very upset by that. You will be very right to feel that way. You can be wrong to not sign to the deal still, but you'll be right to feel that way. These other teams aren't going to care. They're going to go. Yeah, obviously is like he's playing on the choker Leafs. What do you want? Do you get him out of here and he's a different player? How many times have you seen that movie before in this sport? So that's the other part of it that I think has to be noted is we sit here and talk about, well, playoffs are going to dictate it only here, only here would what teams think about that. Obviously, if he lays a complete egg, it is, you know, one point in a seven game loss or something. It gets talked about, but it doesn't actually change the number because a 28 year old 99 point guy, Selkie winger, all that stuff, still getting paid. You just don't, to the goaltending point of it. Those guys don't hit market. Okay. Johnny Gudrow was a special player, offensively gifted. Johnny Gudrow has put up more points in the season than Mitch Marner. I think we'd all rather have Mitch Marner on our off. Okay. Yeah. And he's still got paid a ton, a ton of times teams clamoring over him flames couldn't find a way. So I think that should all be very, very informative of it. Oh God. I love silly season. I love game six. We're getting it. We're getting it tonight. Please, please God give me a game seven on Monday. Last night's sporting calendar was bleak. I'm like, there's not even I need a flick back here. We don't even have any J's. No, I know. I know. I need a flick back. I do. I do. I need a flick back. I need a flick back. Somebody who does not when there's good footy on, he would be disgusted to be saying I needed a flick back last night. John Molinaro, TFC Republic contributor to sports net.ca. What should we take out of Canada's loss yesterday? And what should we take out of the rest of the tournament going forward? J Mo joins us next fan morning show with gutting and Francesca on sports net five, nine of the fan breaking down the top stories in hockey and Elliot Friedman every day. The Jeff Merrick Show. Subscribe and download the show on Apple's Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Are ma'am? Good for him. It's a it does feel very fitting. He is now named like permanent captain. I know like talking to all the soccer guys. We're going to talk to one in just one millisecond here in John Molinaro. They're all like settled down. Okay, it's not that big a deal. But to me, it's cool. I'm happy he's wearing the armband. It feels like the right guy for it, honestly. It feels well, you know, I mean, I do think it is I think it's a big deal. I feel like I feel like it's it's a symbol and a badge of honor to have that armband. And you know, T but a Tebow Hutcheson did it for an extended period of time and he did it very well in representing the country and leading that group. I also think symbol politically clear passing of the torch moments to say, Hey, Alfonso Davies, it's your team totally and and clearly in just in sort of assessing and evaluating even how he's conducting himself over the last week, two weeks in this process leading up to the Copa America, he just kind of looks like he's really like embracing more of that like full on vocal leadership role. And I think that's important. And that's part of what goes into putting your stamp on a team as the best player as the guy, the face of the program. You need to have that that role feels very, very captainish. I won't say this guy's our captain, but like we had to have a soccer meeting right now. I think I'd give him the armband job on our TFC Republic contributor to sportsnet.ca Jmo always good to talk to you. How you been men? I'm good. How are you guys doing doing well doing well. So first first blush. I won't lead the witness just your general takeaway from Canada's opener last night. Pretty impressive performance. I mean, I think I'd be lying if I said I saw that coming because I thought Argentina was really going to have their way with with Canada. But you know, they, you know, has to be said, they went sort of toe to toe with Argentina for for 90 minutes and made life really uncomfortable for the world champions for long stretches. And you know, but for lack of finishing, you know, Canada could have had a couple goals and maybe even gotten the results. And as we said, too, I think they rode their luck at times and Maxime Crippo kept the missing game with some fantastic saves. I mean, he made three stops on messy. And he stopped adding out even a re on that break away early in that in the ninth minute. So it wasn't perfect. But, you know, I think Jesse Marsh would have been really pleased with the way his team performed against, you know, a team that had only lost twice in their previous 58 games and you know, the reigning World Cup champions and number one ranked team in the world and the Copa America champion. So yeah, I think it was, you know, it's too bad they don't give points for moral victories because I think they would have collected three points. 100%. I mean, that was about as feel good of a result for the opener as I think anybody could have imagined because it really, you know, I think if you went in there with the expectation that they could potentially somehow steal three points, you're probably delusional. A draw was being very optimistic, but it just they looked like they they belonged and that they played a like a brand of soccer that can be successful at times when executed correctly. I guess, you know, just in listening to your observations, what are then the biggest takeaways, the lessons that are going to be applicable for them in their next fixture against Peru and as they kind of go throughout the rest of the tournament, what were the biggest takeaways and areas for adjustment and improvement that we can see from this group over the next few contests here throughout the tournament? Well, I think the biggest sort of takeaway would be just sort of, you know, the lack of ruthlessness that they showed yesterday in her own goal was probably the biggest concern. You know, they had opportunities to score. I mean, then there were some real chances that they absolutely should have buried. I mean, I'm thinking primarily of that Stephanie Stackio header, you know, late in the first half where, you know, he essentially had a free header off the edge of the six yard box and he just sort of drove it down and right at the Argentina goalkeeper, if he put it either way of the Argentina goalkeeper, we'd be talking about a one nothing lead going into the first half and then there were other opportunities as well, whether it was Davies or Tejan Buchanan or Kyle Laren, all had decent looks on goal, but they're just kind of couldn't put it away, fluff their lines, took an extra touch, whatever. And ultimately that, you know, helped that sort of helped cost them like a share of the points. So I think, you know, going forward, that's what probably Jesse Marsh should sort of address or focus on a little bit more is getting the players to be, you know, a little bit more decisive in the final third and taking the chances that they have because, you know, chances scoring chances are going to be feeling far between at this tournament when, you know, with the level of competition that they're playing. So they can't afford to spurn scoring chances and a special glorious ones, you know, again, like the one that Stackio had. So for me, I think that's probably the biggest lesson of the alert going forward. I'm sure I'm going to ask this question unintentionally, but in a way that's going to be offensive to somebody. But I think when a lot of people think of this national team, you kind of hit on the three guys that people think of there. It's Davy's, David, and then Steven Astacchio, who is maybe part of that kind of next wave? And obviously, I shouldn't talk about them that way. They're all part of the starting 11. But who else does Canada need to be great to have good results or to, you know, have a chance in some of these games? I would say Schmeltkone, you know, the sort of central midfield partner, Stephanie Stackio, you know, the Waterford player, he's a young player, but such a, such a poised and mature young man for, I think, 21, 22, you know, plays with a great deal of maturity. And, you know, I think he's under rising talent in this Canadian team. He can really be, you know, a fantastic sort of two-way player in the midfield for Canada. And, you know, he was someone who, you know, he was called up by Herman, John Herman, and, you know, the previous Canadian coach, but really wasn't used all that much. But just from the first three games, I get the sense that, you know, Jesse Marsh really sees value with him and sees him as an integral part of the starting 11 going forward. And he offers so much, which is him, he's obviously an athletic player, and he can get up and down the field. But he got, what I like about him is he's just, again, very mature, can slow things down when needed and hold on to the ball. And at the same time, you know, his distribution is very good, and he can sort of launch the team forward and just kind of connect, you know, the back line to the, to the front line. So I think, you know, I'm thinking of a next player to sort of, would like to break out, then he needs to break out a little bit more, become more of a essential figure for Canada than it would be, Ishmael Kony. I thought he had a particularly good game last night, and he was very active and before, obviously subnet towards the end of the 90, but he was excellent. And I mean, completely with you, feels like he's kind of got to be that part of that, or leading at least that next wave of younger guys that can help come into the main side here for Canada. You referenced Jesse Marsh, and as we know, his first go around here with with Canada at an international tournament. But I mean, I'm sure nobody, I would imagine, John, is probably happier to get through this three game slate than him, because he goes to Netherlands, France, Argentina to start off his tenure. And now, you know, you're going to get maybe more manageable competition here, at least in Peru coming up in particular, Chile is a very good side in and of itself. What have been your overall impressions of the job he's done? And what we've seen from this team, so far, have you seen stylistic, clear stylistic distinctions that he's tried to sort of put a stamp on this group in this small sample so far? Yeah, I mean, I think you can sort of see, you know, glimpses and what Jesse Marsh wants to do. I mean, he's a Red Bull sort of soccer devotee, right? So he wants his teams to play in a high intensity pressing style. And you know, we certainly saw that in the first half against the Dutch when they were all over them. It just didn't give them any sort of room to breathe. But then, you know, they obviously ran out of gas in the second half when they got four goals. I think what's impressed me about him is that, you know, he's sort of, again, he's labeled as this Red Bull football style guy. But I think with that, you know, there's this idea that he's just tactically, you know, in transgender then, does he just know, doesn't know any other way? But I don't think that's been the case because it wasn't, you know, he adjusted against France. I mean, it wasn't, it was a much slower pace came, and there were still pressing elements at times from Canada, but it wasn't all out, you know, full throttle football. And again, I think we saw that last night. Very systematic in terms of when they pressed and when they went after Argentina and tried to force, you know, turnovers. So I think it's just the tactical variation, you know, because I think, again, people just sort of see him as playing one way and not really having a plan B, but I think he's shown over these, over these three games that, you know, he can change up a bit and make adjustments when necessary. So for me, that's probably the biggest takeaway from, you know, the three games that Jesse Marsh has been in charge of. Yeah, how, how important is it for Canada soccer? And you certainly include these three games, but the rest of the rest of Copa in it as well is just getting used to the feeling of, you know, it says, I don't think advice my parents gave me when I was 20, but it's like, hey, you got to get used to feeling a little uncomfortable. You're out of your depth. And eventually these are going to be the waters. You kind of swim in, whether that be a new job or moving to a new city or whatever, it does kind of feel like that's the place Canada soccer is in. It's like, hey, you walk over there, you look Leo Messi in the eye, and you know you're not as good as him, but try to convince yourself of it and go out there. It does seem like that is just as much of what this group needs to take out of these games is learning to play with one another and learning the manager's style. It's that element of it is the learning that you belong. How important is that kind of part of this? Yeah, absolutely. I mean, it's a new coach, a new style, you sort of implementing with his players. This is really sort of new territory for Canada, because again, they've, you know, playing three top team, top 10 teams right out of the gate. I mean, that's going to be overwhelming for any nation. So this is a process, right? And it's all about building towards 2026. I mean, you talk to Jesse, and anytime you talk, we'll talk again, he'll reference over and over about, you know, this is about building momentum and preparing for 2026 and Canada co-hosts, the World Cup. So, yeah, it's a long process, but it's one that's going to take time, but the early signs are certainly positive. And, you know, part of it is feeling uncomfortable as you figure things out, and especially against top level teams. But, you know, I think so far, he's got to be happy with, maybe not necessarily the results, but certainly that the way that this team has performed and just kind of held its own in these three games. John, well, before we rush on Brent and I, we're just briefly touching on Alfonso Davies and him obviously now wearing the captain's armband. This being his first major international tournament, sort of leading the team in this capacity. Two part question for you, I wanted to ask and get your opinion and your insight on sort of how he's being deployed and the usage. I think the main difference that we're seeing in this small sample thus far is, obviously, he's gone back to his traditional starting position as part of the back line playing more in a defensive role. However, in the second half yesterday, when they bring in Richie Lorea, we see him push up the field as well. So, it seems like they are open to being very diverse and very open-minded in terms of his utilization. And then, secondarily, that leadership piece, like, how important is that for him now at this juncture of his career to really lean into that and take this, put a rubber stamp on this team and say, "Hey, I am going to be leaving this next generation of Canadian soccer. I will be the face. This is sort of our team. Let's mold it and push it forward in a positive direction for the future." Yeah, I mean, with regards to his sort of left full back position, I mean, that didn't really sort of catch me by surprise. They think, you know, it's a position that he plays normally for Bayern Munich. And look, there's certainly an argument to be made that he's better deployed, you know, further up the field as a wing back or a winger. But I think Jesse wanted sort of that continuity of having players play, you know, in their natural positions with their, where they're at club level, just to sort of have that sort of solidity. And, you know, I thought he did, I mean, defensively, maybe not so well yesterday in the first half. I mean, there was a couple of times where Argentina, I think their best moments came down his side. But overall, it was, you know, a pretty good performance for him. So yeah, I mean, that doesn't mean I think he's going to be there the entire time. I do think Jesse's going to find ways to sort of deploy him further up the field where I think he should play. But, you know, in terms of the left full back spot, I think that certainly makes sense now. As far as him being captain, I think it's something he's going to have to grow into. I mean, this probably isn't the most popular opinion, but I think there's some maturing there that's still off to go on with Alfonso Davies. And so I certainly kind of, I gotta be honest, I kind of question giving him the captain's armband because I just thought, you know, Stephanie Stack it with his experience and just the way he comports himself would probably be a better pick. But I appreciate that Alfonso is kind of the face of the program and, you know, come 20, 26, that's going to be even more so. So it probably makes sense to give him the captain's armband now so that he can kind of grow into the role. But, you know, I mean, it's, it's a big moment for him because he does have to show genuine leadership and put this team on his back in a little bit of sense and, you know, become that vocal guy, which is something that he's never really been all that comfortable with from my conversations with people around him. So that'll be interesting to see how he handled it. John, last one for you. We got to commiserate, at least, for the Italians here. I mean, you know, yesterday, that was, that was tough to watch. That was a tough 90 minutes to watch before having the opportunity to sit down. I thought, you know, okay, we're going to have to sort of, we're going to have to plow through this Canada game and endure whatever pain is going to happen here. And then maybe it's not going to be the best. I thought Canada might look better than the Italians yesterday with how they performed because that easily could have been a four or five nil game instead of the result ending up one nil in favor of the Spaniards. If not for John Louisi Donaruma, I mean, I don't know that that was, that was just as bad as it possibly could have been for Italy yesterday. To that, you say what my friend? You know, we're we're Italy bad. Yes. But I think people aren't giving enough credit to Spain. They're an incredible team. And I think, you know, a large part of why Italy had so much trouble it wasn't because they were playing bad. It was just because they could just couldn't get the ball off as pain. They're such a fantastic team the way they control, you know, matches with their possession. So, you know, not not an ideal performance. But keeping things in perspective, you know, they only lost one nil. We were probably right. They probably rode their lock and it could have been much worse. But the fact that they were only able to get out, you know, with a one nothing loss, you know, not the worst result in the world. And, you know, they still only need a draw against Croatia who, you know, have only taken one point in their final game. So I still, you know, it's one game. I don't read that much into it. I mean, certainly it's a bit of a warning signal to Italy to kind of get their act together and show a little bit more sort of attacking intent. But again, I think you have to give a great deal of credit to Spain because it was much more about what they did last yesterday as opposed to what the Italians didn't do. Hey, guys, could be worse. You could not be here. Remember the World Cup? How fun was that for you? Probably not, Barry. John, this was fun for me. I always love getting a chat with you. I always love seeing you around the place. Good. Good getting you on. Thanks for jumping on with us, John. Sure. No problem. There he goes. John Molinaro, TFC, Republic contributor to SportsNet.ca. You just have to throw that in. Well, I mean, you're sitting here. Cool. Let me tell you something. When I'm crying about the Leafs missing the playoffs one of these years, not any time without some Matthews on the roster. But one day it'll happen again. Someone's gonna go, oh, do you want to complain about first round series loss again? Yeah, but you know what the difference is? You got to do it. Yeah, I know you're going to tell me you got that. You got the trophy. Well, no, that's what I was going to say. That's an annual thing. This is every four years, technically every two, if we're going World Cup and then Euro. Yeah. They don't come around all the time like that. It takes time. I've been waiting my literal entire life for a good thing to happen to the Leafs. Yes, I understand that. I understand that. I understand. Don't you say you're lecturing me about the. I've seen a World Cup and a Euro in my lifetime and another Euro final in my lifetime. Oh my God. Right? Yeah. That's crazy. God. I just have memories of Mets and Dean and O2. Same. Bless you. God. Yeah. Yeah. Cup final could wrap up tonight. I've been on record. I'm not ready for it to happen. I want the Oilers to win. So obviously, you know, like math the way it works is I need them to win tonight for them to win the whole cup. That's that's how it works. But I'm also just not ready to be rid of the NHL. I know everyone else in the world seemingly is like as much as we're all enjoying this series, the amount of text I've had of it is 37 degrees outside. Why am I watching hockey? What is happening? I'm still not ready to rid myself of it. I needed to continue one more night. I would die to be a fly on the wall in in Edmonton there for for that game. I mean, it's the thing I've been most curious about is what must a tight, nervous crowd feel like when there has been success, right? Like, I know what a tight, nervous leaf crowd feels like they lose the opening face off. Everyone just like tucks their head between their legs and goes into full like nuclear fallout drill and go, that's over. Oh, well, it's over. We call that Tuesday. Right. Exactly. But the Oilers, they have actual proof of concept of doing well in the playoffs, winning rounds. So they're in theory, their fans believe in them. God, I wonder what it must be like. Yeah, it must be fun. It's just a Simpsons quote. Food's sticking to my brain. Just one moment. I forget what the bark goes. What's that feeling? And somebody got pride? He's like, Mm, that's too strong. Just unshame. Yeah, that's kind of one day I would like to feel that's a really good line. Yeah, one day. One day I would like to feel unshame regarding the Toronto Maple Leafs again, pride. Sure. But just unshame. Please, please, please. It is now time for the wake and rate presented by sports interaction, your homegrown sports book, 19 plus bet responsibly. Stanley Cup final game six Panthers, Oilers, eight p.m. Sports net catches on the CBC as well. The Oilers minus 120 favorites on the money line. Total is five and a half. Do you have a lean on this game? Yes, I do. What do you got? I have a firm one. Hit me. The Florida Panthers. Yeah. I think, you know what? This is, this is, I was, I've been thinking about it throughout the week. Ever since, I mean, since Tuesday night, they dropped game five. And I'm thinking, boy, what if Edmonton really does this? Like what if it's there? Like the history, rewriting history and doing something we haven't seen since the forties of coming back and winning a title at least. Hey, you know what? The Leafs find their way into the conversation somehow at very least, right? But then I'm, I harken back to 2008, 2009 with the Pittsburgh, sorry, was it 2009, 2010 with the Pittsburgh Penguins. And that, that, how the Penguins approached their first cup final and how they ended up winning the second cup final in a game seven on the road. Yep. And sort of the different key moments in both of those series that shaped them in being that championship team. Florida, I just can't picture a gunner. Florida blowing it twice. They were there last year, they performed poorly. It didn't go their way. But they've learned from it, they're heartened. And I do think now when people have started to sway the public court, the in the court of public opinion, people are saying, Oh boy, now this seat of doubt has been firmly planted. This is the moment where they capitalize and they finally win it. It does feel like if Palmer East has been saving his Craig buru Bay speech tonight's the night to give it. Yeah, I do like them plus 100 on the Moneyline. I will say, if you think it looks anything like game four in Edmonton, they have a prop of liquid goal. You can get that a plus 500 Oilers first team to score and Oilers by two and a half. If you think it's just going to be a route, not bad value there. That was the wake and break presented by sports interaction, your homegrown sports book, 19 plus bet responsibly. So we mentioned cup final tonight. And that basically marks the official start of like what's hockey's over. NBA's over official start of the sporting calendar. I dare say the highlight of our country's sporting calendar this summer will be Olympic basketball. Absolutely. And the man who's put that team together. Rowan Barrett, general manager of the Canadian men's national team. He joins us next one hour left the fan morning show with Gunning and Franceski sports net five nine in the fan.
