Clearing The Crease Podcast
Hockey’s best podcast featuring Mike Commodore Andrew Raycroft and hosted by James Cybulski.
Clearing The Crease Podcast
Commie Reacts to the NHL clearing Mike Babcock... CTC 86
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On this week's episode of Clearing the Crease, the boys catch up after a bit of a Post Stanley Cup break, while talking Rod Brind'Amour, the NHL clearing Mike Babcock, the state of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and more!
Do you think this gets Rod Brindemore now into the Hall of Fame? If he doesn't get into the Hall of Fame now, I think I might go torch it to the ground.
SPEAKER_00The one in Kingston or the one in Toronto? I might no, I'll leave Kingston alone.
SPEAKER_03I heard nice things about Kingston. Kingston rocks. If Rod Brindamore does not get into the Hall of Fame now, I am going to learn how to burn buildings and I am going to go torch the Hall of Fame to the ground.
SPEAKER_02Clearing the Craig.
unknownClearing the Creeks.
SPEAKER_00Powered by Ozun. Well played. He is the Calder Trophy winner, Andrew Raycroft, the Razor, hanging out in Ontario. Is that where we're at right now?
SPEAKER_01Yes, sir. Kingston, Ontario. Original hockey hall of fame is just to my left. So yeah, I'm in the ranks. Is that where the original? Original hockey. I don't know if it is. It says it is, but God knows what that actually means. But yeah, K-town, you know, it could be true. K Town.
SPEAKER_00Yes. Good enough for me. Go visit Shea Piggy. There you go, buddy.
SPEAKER_01That's right. Oh, yeah, of course. Wooden heads.
SPEAKER_00Good memories. Kings to pet. Old Ford Henry. All the great memories there. And let's not forget, celebrating the 20th anniversary, just in the last couple of days of his Stanley Cup win. Call me!
SPEAKER_03What's going on?
SPEAKER_00What's happening, buddy? How are you?
SPEAKER_03You know what? I I this has been up until a couple days ago. This has been the big when you bring my phone into it. First off, it's good to see you guys. I had to go dark for a couple of days. From last Monday until I went to basically from Monday to Monday, I think was the bit the busiest week I've been cell phone-wise and like social media wise ever. It was exhausting. Babs. I got Babs. So that starts blowing it up Monday morning. Blow up, blow up, blow up. Then I'm off to Carolina. I'm cranking that siren looking like a real clown with my afro on. My phone is exploding. People are like, oh my God, this and the people I don't hear from her. You know, and don't get me wrong, I'm very grateful. But I had to put my phone away. And then I didn't sleep that night. And then I fire back here, and then I had some golf. I'm golfing in 110. My phone babs again. Because he's like, this guy's not getting cleared. We got more information. I like open up Twitter. I'm like, I can't even look at these mentions right now. And then I was off to uh Gamble Sands on the Sunday. I was at Gamble Sands. For anybody that doesn't know, I was it's in eastern Washington, like an hour and a half south of Penticton. I flew into Seattle and then drove three and a half hours. It's a golf resort. Same guys that did like Bandon Dunes and sh and there's some of the guys, uh Sand Valley. Anyways, middle of nowhere. There's nothing going on. Like, if you don't like golf, you're not ever gonna go here because there's nothing else to do, like, period. And so I was there with some high school buddies. Uh, so, anyways, I like tried to catch up a little bit, like on some text messages, and but then I'm like, and the fairways are wide in this place, anyways. I'm like, I can't do this right now. I'm start hooking the ball in the bush. I mean, I do that one easy enough on my own. So I had to take a couple days where I laid low. So it's good to see you guys. Great to see you too.
SPEAKER_00Okay, we're gonna get to this uh because there is a lot. I mean, huge week for the Leafs. Uh, Babs continues to unfold. Uh, a lot's going on. You know, we're we are free agency. Now moves are starting to happen. Interesting coaching carousel. Uh, by the way, I'm Sabalsky, everyone. And a quick reminder: if you're enjoying the show, the content that we bring you between the podcast, all the add-ons through social, make sure that you are liking and mashing that subscribe button. Leave us a five-star review on Apple, Spotify, and make sure you're following along or subscribe to YouTube or on Instagram, X, TikTok, or wherever else, you are finding us in your algorithms because the Clearing the Crease podcast is powered by Ozoun.com. The Stanley Cup is in the books, but it doesn't mean you can't keep playing. I mean, there is a giant footy tournament going on right now. You can get down on that. Ozun's got you covered for all the props, game lines, futures, free agency, beyond next season. Make your power play and score big with Ozun. Well played. Okay, Razor, what do you say that because as we just talked to Commie, he just kind of alluded, he's gone dark for the last week, catching up with friends after going viral, bringing the hair back, making Crank and the siren. Come on, take us back. I want to put a bow onto the Stanley Cup. Congratulations to the Carolina Hurricanes who hoisted the Stanley Cup for the first time in 20 years. But take us back to game five, walk us through the experience, the hair, everything, the robe was back. My God, it looked glorious.
SPEAKER_01Call me changed the momentum of everything, by the way. He's taking full credit. Full credit for that thing. Kaniacs, you guys are welcome.
SPEAKER_03You're what was welcome.
SPEAKER_01That's right. The crank turned everything.
SPEAKER_03They never look back after that crank. Uh, full, you know, full really quick. I flew in Wednesday night on my own dime. You're welcome, Kaniacs. Uh, you know, when I met James. I'd like to just let them know that you know what? I came in on my own dime because the Delta didn't work for me. So, anyways, happy to do it, sort of. Uh, anyways, came in, had a bunch of drinks at dinner with Jesse Booleris, Eric Cole, and a couple buddies. Fast forward, we I gotta crank this thing. Games on Thursday. So Jesse's Boulerese's wife, I'm like, hey, like, what are we gonna do? My girlfriend bought a $40 like hair afro thing off Amazon, afro uh curling iron. I've never used a curling iron before. So she I went over to Jesse's house. Uh, wait, wait, wait, wait.
SPEAKER_00Sorry, hold on. You've never used a curling iron before with all that glorious flow over the lads that we have seen for the last 25 years.
SPEAKER_03I swear to God. I I understand how this is hard to believe now. Like I get it. I have never, ever done anything with my hair until that Thursday. I swear to God, ever. So, anyways, you know, that we talked about it the night before. Came mix, make, you know, put a little thing for the Keynes alumni in. We're trying to get that going. I'm like, let's do it, whatever. So I sat at uh had a few drinks, sat at Jesse's kitchen table. Uh Kalen, his wife, her friend came over, Brie. Thank you very much. And she just started curling with this curl. Well, it was hers, but it was the same thing. Started curling away, and it was I'm like, when it got done, I looked in the mirror. It did not like it was like tight curls, kind of. I'm like, oh my God. I'm like, I look like an idiot. I'm like, this is not what I looked like 20 years ago. But then we started like taking the brush to it a little bit, and it got a little bit better. And they were trying to make, I'm like, look, this is we have put the time in. This is not like we can't do anymore. This is enough. Let's get to the game. So, anyways, off to the game. Uh, crank the siren. Um, little miscommunication. I thought I was gonna have to, you know, kind of wave a towel around or, you know, because I saw Eric Stahl. He had like a few minutes to go bananas. Not that I was gonna go bananas, but you know, I was gonna pump my fist or something like that. And then all of a sudden the lady's like, hey, go. I'm like, go. Right now, she's like, right now. I'm like, oh. So I start cranking that thing and I'm trying to catch up and looking at her a little bit. So it was kind of winging it then, but uh, yeah, a lot of fun at the game. Uh, game five, you know, Vegas didn't really have much to put a bowl on the whole thing for me. You know, congratulations to the Carolina Hurricanes. I did not see game six, obviously, because I was in Gamble Sands, but I was just keeping up. Sounded like they were all over them. Um, congratulations to the Carolina Hurricanes. They they really turned it around. I thought, you know, I would say that's kind of a tough one. I mean, I think Carolina was the better team, obviously, overall. Um, but in a way, you know, and a full congrats. I'm so happy for Rod Brindemore. And, you know, I could, you know, there's some text messages he sent to the group. He's been very, you know, thank you for us for coming in. And you know, this isn't about us at all. This 20, obviously not. The 2026 group was unbelievable. But anyways, it doesn't matter about that. But, you know, congrats to Rod and the rest of those guys there. And I would say the big moment that I think I'll remember from this series, and I don't want to, you know, there's a lot of stuff that goes into it. But if I'm if I'm a Vegas Knights guy, or if I'm sitting there watching, with nine minutes left in game two, you looked really, really good. Really good. And you know, you never know, there was lots of time left, but you know, I don't want to point the player out. But the to try to reverse the puck to himself when they all he had to do was, and it's not about one play, don't get me wrong, but that ended up being a major moment in the series because if they could have run through those last nine minutes like they did the previous 51, they're going to Vegas 2-0, and that makes it a lot tougher. So that's to me was the turning point. And then the Canes just took it from there.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and from that point, uh it is one play in the Stanley Cup Finals. That that's what can turn it. And and really, you know, that play, that game, they needed that game in hindsight. There's no question. They had them it dead in the water, second period, midway through the third. Carolina was done, so they couldn't keep up. And then after that, you could see the rest that Carolina got through the first three rounds. The last two games, that came into their favor. Vegas now looked in the last two games like they couldn't keep up pace. They couldn't get it. And the energy that that game gave Carolina, the game four gave Carolina, but Brandon Bussey gave Carolina as well. It didn't, it didn't really have to be, he didn't have to do anything, but I think that change just gave them a bit of jolt, a bit of energy that allowed them to take Vegas over. Because there's no question Vegas had them on the ropes. Um, the overtime game 2-1, you feel like, okay, here it is. But Busy changed the energy a little bit. Carolina found that energy from the rest and from him. And from that point on, Vegas just had no chance to keep up to the game that Carolina designed their whole team around. That's a good way to put it.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, that's like you look at how things played out. And by the way, if you want to go to the archives, if you missed last week's episode, um we touched on that play. Yeah, yeah. We did, yeah. We talked about that being potentially a a turning point in the series. Now, Vegas did go on to win another game in the series, but all things considered, it it brought it brought the canes back to life in a big way. But just to watch them down the stretch, just the waves, right? Like this was a team that through the better part of the first three rounds, their big offensive guns were underwhelming, to put it mildly. Oh my god, you know, the healers, aho, right? Like they weren't really, you know, Smash Nikov, like they weren't those guys were point of game players during the regular season, and they basically halved their offensive production. But it was boy, the kids getting out there, Stankoven, Blake, you know, just coming in waves, watching them like the goal they generated, that second goal of the game in game six, they were just like little shutter bugs going out there, moving around, and that just typified what the way the Canes played from the opening series where we got all shocked with what they did with Ottawa, and then they did it again to Philadelphia, and it was like, okay, maybe this is for real. And then they did it again against the Haves, who had nothing against them, and then it took them a game or two to figure it out against the Golden Knights. But Carolina was the team from front, right to back.
SPEAKER_01Nah, no question. The other thing, Torts piped up about the penalty kill, killing all those power plays, and then Carolina. A little bit of karma there for Torts, which is why he never says anything in the media because the power play torched them after that. Yeah, yeah, good point.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, it's an interesting, like you said, that that top line was basically invisible. Jackson Blake, Stankoven, and Taylor Hall were running the show there. And then the last couple of years. Really good. Like you, I kind of and I got to look at it a little more, but like you look at you know, you look at the rosters, you can look at both two and be like, you know, on the other side. Now the other side has a lot, you know, quite a few guys that have won before and stuff. And obviously, I'm I'm thinking there's has to be a lot of uh uh new Carolina Hurricanes fans uh up into up in the Toronto area, at least they must have been cheering for the Canes, I'm sure. Marner doesn't get to come back and just parade around downtown Toronto. So the yeah, I'll tell you what, least. Razor had everybody scared with those visions.
SPEAKER_01They almost had a parade for Carolina in Toronto, the fact that Mitch didn't win.
SPEAKER_03The Canes are doing their parade right now, like literally as we speak in Carolina. The leaks should be sending a chat. Hey, can you guys come up here quick? We'll pay for everything. Thank you guys. But yeah, you know, you go through the roster there, and you know, guys, you know, Taylor Hall is one of them. You know, and obviously Jackson Blake's really young. I know his dad. I saw his dad before game five. I play with his dad in college, you know. Obviously, good for him, and you know, Stanko. But it there's and the guys that have been around forever, more than those young guys. Like, those young guys are gonna get more opportunities, but you know, just guys you see like that Jenkowski, for instance. Like, yeah, that guy's a first rounder to Calgary. When I was there, I'm like, this guy's a first rounder, and you know what I mean? This guy doesn't do anything, you but he sticks around, sticks around, finds a place to go. Rod likes him, the guy works, he's way, you know, fourth line or whatever, who cares? And and look at him now. I mean, he's the captain.
SPEAKER_01Jordan, the concept winner, Jordan Stahl, 100%.
SPEAKER_03That's a perfect example. Like, there's a guy still playing.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, no, exactly. Like, what the hell is that? So, yeah, it's that that team identities, you're you're right on there.
SPEAKER_03I think it would be hard to replicate that without Rod Bringamore, though. Like, how do you with no real like, you know, they don't get me wrong, there's good, really good players there, but that's gonna be hard to like replicate.
SPEAKER_01There's no copycatting this one. The GMs aren't aren't looking at this saying, oh, we have to do what Carolina does now. That's the the first team in a really long time that they're gonna change that that's not changing their mentality because they know they can't replicate it. No way.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, no, that's that's a that's a hard footprint. And and you touched on Rod Brendan Morakami, you played with Rod. Um, look, everything comes back to wrestling with me as I talk about in the wrestling business, guys. You can you'll appreciate this, but they talk about certain guys who were body guys, the ultimate warrior. Remember the ultimate warrior guys, right? Remember the way he was jacked up ravishing Rick Rude, and then we were all reminded Rod the Bond, body guy, tarps off and the celebration. My God, for a guy in his mid-50s, shredded body guy, commie. Yeah, does that not typify who he is, though, not just as a player, just off the ice from a fitness standpoint, but who he is as a coach and the commitment and the dedication?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, he hasn't stopped working out once once he retired, that's for sure. I mean, he's living in the gym, he's at the rank all the time. Uh, and you can tell, like, you know, I'd wear a parka if I was around him, man.
SPEAKER_00I wouldn't embarrass for myself sitting on the couch watching that guy.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, he's he, I mean, when we took had to take when I had to take my shirt off in Campbell River five days after we won, standing in the river next to Rod. I'm like, Rod, no, no, no, it's your day, man. It's your day. We have the Stanley Cup. We just won it on a Monday. This is like Saturday. It's like, no, no, he wants to include me. Like, no, no, no, Rod. I'm good. I'm good, man. Like, no, get in here. I'm like, God damn it. Oh. So we get in there. And so I had to like grab my uh anyways. Basically, I hid behind the cup and then flex my right arm as hard as I could. And actually, the picture turned out okay because of the angles and stuff.
SPEAKER_01But it was already hurting you from that crank, too.
SPEAKER_03But yeah, anyways, good for Rod. That's awesome. And I like I genuinely he he, you know, he's you know, and we could segue this into this douchebag babcock with leagues hiring guys like this where all they do is care about himself. Like Rod Brindemore, literally, like, don't get me wrong, he's happy to win. You know, it's a good look for him, and hey, obviously he wants to win as a head, he wants to win, period. But like, if you were to ask him, like, hey, what makes you the happiest about this? And no cameras around and nobody, his honest answer would be I'm really happy for the players in that room because they're never gonna forget this. This they've created a little family that they will remember, they'll be in touch for the rest of their lives, and that's what's important to me. And he like actually means it, if that makes sense.
SPEAKER_00No, I think that's uh it makes sense. And tell me this in your opinions. I mean, I call me, I'm sure there is a bias already, but I think rightly so. But do you think this gets Rod Brindamore now into the Hall of Fame?
SPEAKER_03If he doesn't get into the Hall of Fame now, I think I might go torch it to the ground.
SPEAKER_00The one in Kingston or the one in Toronto? I might no, I'll leave Kingston alone.
SPEAKER_03I heard nice things about Kingston. Kingston rocks. If Rod Brindamore does not get into the Hall of Fame now, I am going to learn how to burn buildings and I am gonna go torch the Hall of Fame to the ground. I mean, there's he has to get in. I don't care what put him in as a player build. I don't I don't give a shit what you name it. It doesn't matter. He has got to get into the Hall of Fame now. There's no question. I like it.
SPEAKER_00Okay. Uh let's state it as congratulations to the Canes. Uh, remarkable, right from front to front to back. I think surprised a few people in the first couple of rounds, and then it was just like, okay, this is inevitable, just like Thanos. Okay, uh, you touched on it. Why don't we go with this before we'll get into all the lease talk coming up in a moment here? But uh Mike Babcock, commie, uh still continues. And uh it feels like speaking of inevitable, uh, any day now, the Oilers should make it official. But Mike Babcock, cleared by the NHL's investigation, uh, a quote saying, our investigation has concluded that even in a light least favorable to Mr. Babcock, there is no current basis to restrict his employment in the league. End quote. Essentially, commie, we can't prevent a guy from being an asshole from being employed.
SPEAKER_03Well, they prevented it three years ago, however they want to word it. Mike Babcock resigns, whatever. They found stuff there where he had to resign three years ago, and now all of a sudden he's fine. So word it however you want. Resign instead of get canned, whatever. I don't give a shit. At the end of the day, I don't want to hear another word. If this happens, I don't want to hear another word from the NHL, or especially, I'm gonna give the PA the benefit of the doubt. I think maybe they tried, I don't know, but I don't want to hear another word from the NHL and especially the Edmonton Oilers about them giving a shit about mental health or bullying or any of that because you just went out of your way, tripped over your own feet to employ a guy who has a record of being a bully. It's plain and simple. It's completely uncalled for, I think. You're falling in love with his resume. Oh, he's a great, like, this guy hasn't coached in a long time. And like for people who say, like, well, he people deserve second chances. Mike Babcock got his second chance three years ago and he didn't make it to training camp. So here's another chance. You're giving this guy, this narcissist, another chance to come in and bully. I don't want to hear he's changed. He hasn't changed, he has no reason to change because he's in his life he never thinks he's done anything wrong. Like, go listen to any of his interviews where, oh, he never he's never apologized for anything. He's not going to change. He thinks he's the smartest guy in the room. He thinks everybody else is stupid, and he thinks everybody's there to see him. He thinks fans are showing up to see him. So it's disappointing. I mean, I'm not gonna let it you know wreck my life, but it is disappointing that guys like this are getting a chance. I did get a little bit more info on this if you guys want to hear it. Um please. Yeah, I didn't ask for this, and I obviously I don't know if it's true, but coming from a source that should should have a pretty good idea. He's uh he or she said Connor, Leon, Leon, and Hyman asked for Babs. Bowman talked to them about a few guys, so I'm assuming maybe a Baruby and a Cassidy or something along those lines. They demanded Babs. So at the end of the day, to me, if that's true, like those guys, your Hyman's Leons. I'm assuming Zach Hyman had a lot to do with this since they just hired his kid in Brantford, which he owns apparently. So I'm assuming there's a good relationship there. So I'm assuming he had a big, big input on this. Um, but like I said, we touched on it before. Babs is gonna be great to those guys. It's not those guys that that have to worry, it's gonna be everybody else. And it's gonna be the arena staff, and it's gonna be the equipment managers, and it's gonna be the medical staff, it's gonna be the people with little to no power with no power and very little voice, like those kinds of people that are gonna get abused. So, congratulations to the NHL and the Edmonton Oilers for letting a scumbag like this who hey he's had his chances, he's made his money. Like this guy hasn't coached in six years, and he's made like it's not like this guy has no cash. He like if he's out on the street, like, okay, maybe give him some money or something. This guy has made tens of millions of dollars since the last time he coached. Columbus played him four million bucks, and he was there for two months. So, like, it's not he he doesn't need he doesn't need the money, and he, in my opinion, he he doesn't deserve the opportunity. He's a bad human being, and I think it's a black mark against the league and the Edmonton Oilers uh that he's let back in and that they're tripping over themselves to get him back in. I think it's embarrassing personally.
SPEAKER_01I got nothing to add to that. No, that's what it is.
SPEAKER_00Lease time. Okay, I will say this quickly. When the Oilers get in front of this news conference coming up, whenever they do it, you know, in the next few days, what I'm fascinated about seeing is how Babcock handles this. Right? Are you truly remorseful? Are you willing to accept that there are going to be, it's not just going to be the sports guys that are going to be showing up for this news conference, right? It's going to be the news outlets that are going to ask questions and probably pointed questions about his behavior and what happened. You know, get in front of it and own it? Or is this going to be, well, the NHL's done their investigation and I'm moving on and we're moving forward, right? That's where I want to see. Like, you know, does it does it does he still have the same spots? Does he still have the same stripes? Or is this guy going to actually own it in the moment with the spotlight on for the first time in years and actually be accountable? Because I I think uh commie, this is one of the things that you've talked about over the years, right? A lack of accountability for Mike Babcott. So let's see what he gets, sits down at being named the Oilers head coach, and everybody's got questions. Does he sit there and actually take accountability and actually answer these questions in a humanistic way, or do you just sidestep the NHL's done their investigation, we're moving on.
SPEAKER_03Uh C Ball, I hear where you're coming from. A part of me wants to say, I don't give a shit what he has to say at that press conference, because at the end of the day, he's not changing. That's fair. And he so he could he can play it however he wants. My guess would be he's gonna put his good guy face on and his good guy act, and he might say, Oh, yeah, I've learned, I've learned, I've learned, this and that. And he's gonna tell those reporters if they if they nut up and ask them some actual questions, he's gonna tell them what they want to hear and oh no, I've changed, I've learned, I've learned, and blah, blah, blah. And then the moment the cameras are away, and let's say maybe he even hides it. You know, the Oilers are gonna hire a long-tenured head coach to keep an eye on this guy. Are you shitting me? You gotta hide you're hiring a coach to keep an eye on your head coach. A, I don't think it matters. B, that's embarrassing you have to do that. But let's say he even, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. He'll hide it for a little bit and he'll be, oh, he's what a good guy. What happens when there's some adversity? When there's some adversity, he's going right back to who he is. There's no question. He's not hiding it forever. He's going back to who he is, and who he is has not changed. He is an abuser, and that is never going to change. He's a bully at the end of the day. He might be able to hide it for a little bit, but it's coming sooner or later. There's no question in my mind.
SPEAKER_00Comment two things real quick. Uh, I still will never forget uh a former player who played under Babs and during um Bell Let's Talk promotion uh several years ago. Yeah, Mike Babcock did a interview talking about mental health spoke person.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yeah. Made me sick in my stomach.
SPEAKER_00I well, you're that was exactly the comment that I got. I got a text from a player who just said, that makes me sick. Like, what a hypocrite. That guy is an awful human being. And that guy's talking about mental health, like good grief. The other thing is, my phone was blowing up over the last two weeks. Razor, I'm sure yours was probably as well. And like, so I can't even imagine. Like, these are just people reacting to what you've talked about and how many people appreciate that you have kind of been the guy to bang the drum to raise awareness to this. And you know, I think after the first few years of you being done, maybe you sounded like a disgruntled player. I think the fact that you were really the first voice. No, no, but like in Australia. I did. I don't know. I'm a good one. Like, I want to give you your flowers, right? I think people like who was who was this, who was this guy? And I think a lot of people eventually started to listen up because other voices started coming in and not just like guys who played, you know, two or three games. We're talking about guys like Chris Chelios, like Mike Medano, uh, Johann Franson, right? Like guys who had strong, illustrious careers in the National Hockey League to say, no, no, no, this guy's a piece of shit.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. And there's so much more. Like, there's so much more, and there's so many more guys. And it's not just like the NHL level, it's right through Red Dear College, right through junior. I've had people reach out to me from that had him way back in the day and then move it into like into the NHL. There's so many guys that have so many stories about that dude that they're just never going to say anything because they work in hockey or they might want to work in hockey. And if you come out, let me be the first to tell you if you go on Twitter and roast an NHL coach, you're not getting a job in the NHL. Let me tell you that right now. I am crank a siren, though. You might get to crank the siren and you will get media interest. You do to get that. But if you are looking for a job in the NHL or anywhere in professional hockey, don't rip any coaches online on social media. That is not a good way to get started.
SPEAKER_00Fair. All right, moving on to more positive news, especially in Leaf's Nation. What a week for Leaf's Nation. And I guess the most recent one, uh, they've got a new coach now as well, but the big one I think people are buzzing about. Razor, let's get back to you. Former Leaf, great here. Um, Derek Radish lining up with Toronto, uh sign and trade, eight years, 8.5 million, a massive breakout season for Radish, 22 snipes last year. Your thoughts on this one within the division here. I mean, this sounds seems a lot like a guy who was a Toronto guy who just wanted to go home.
SPEAKER_01That that's exactly what it sounded like. And and my computer was like starting to burn up. So I had to move away from the Hall of Fame here from all the bad pockets. So if anyone's watching in my change, then this is why, and we're we're editing that out because my computer, maybe someone was getting to it and trying to figure out. Fiery takes here. Fiery takes. Yeah, exactly. Someone's listening for sure. Um the Leafs, yeah. They had a big week. Um, uh the Radish thing, you know, everyone's going crazy about how much he's getting. I saw the Illuminati going on, you know, like eight years is gonna not look good in eight years, but they need to do something. They they need to they need a power play guy, they need to make Austin Matthews happy, they need to make William D. Lander happy, they need to get back into the respectability here. And and the radish was the best free agent on the market. So I'm never gonna begrudge a team going after the best free agent and going to get that guy. I think Tampa knew they couldn't sign him. They had no choice, and and they probably were told by the camp that he wasn't going anywhere else. So the only way they could get a fifth-round pick was by that to trade him to Toronto. That that's the indivision. Um that's the reason why, because he wasn't going anywhere else, like you just said seatball. He's an Ontario guy, his mom's here, like the whole thing. It just worked out for the Leafs. So that's that aspect of it. Um the the coaching decision's interesting to me. Um, I know Jim was here in Toronto, so that makes me think that him and Matthews and Neilander have an unbelievable relationship, and and there was a big reason for that. Um, he never turned things loose in Tampa or in LA. I mean, the one-three-one, we went on about the calls, the way they played. It wasn't enough to beat Edmonton at any point. They couldn't, they couldn't score. So, how are the Leafs gonna score? How is he gonna change his mentality on how he thinks the game and get rid of the one-three-one? I do not see Austin Matthews and and Kneelander playing in a 1-3-1 setup. I just don't see how you're going to get Nielander to play that kind of neutral zone.
SPEAKER_00Maybe not Nielander, but but Matthews, who who can play a strong two-way game, maybe that's a little more of a buy-in.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and and and again, that's how you have to win with defense. So, like, but there's no Joe, there's no, there's no kidding ourselves with that, but but the reality is it was it was interesting. They went through 55 guys. We talked about Joe Powalski, we talked about Patrick Waugh on the show the last couple of weeks, and then they go Jim Hiller, right? It just And they talked to Cassidy too. They got permission to talk to Cassidy too, Razor. But again, I think it comes down to relationship at the end of the day. That's the only thing that stands out that none of the other people had was that Jim has been in Toronto, he had those guys when they were younger, and and they must have really, really liked them as an assistant coach.
SPEAKER_00Come on, let me throw this to you for a second here. Um, you've got a you've got a back end right now, you've got Radish now at 8.5, you've got Tanneh at 4.5, McCabe at 4.5, Riley at 7.5, Carlo at 3.5, OEL at 3.5. I mean, maybe there's a moving piece here, depending on the talk of Morgan Riley, but $31 million committed to that blue line. Pretty old blue line, too, ain't it?
SPEAKER_03Oh, Jesus.
SPEAKER_00Radish just turned 30, and really that was just his third year, really, being an everyday NHL, like a total late blue line.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, good for him, too. I like seeing stories like that. Like, that was a guy that like I had to look up this year when I kept hearing his name. I'm who who the hell is Radish? I've never heard of this guy. Figuring he'd he was like 21-year-old or something like that, especially with today's game. Guys 29 turning 30. That's your age. Yeah, I'm like, oh my god. This guy. So I look, you know, good for guys like that. I love seeing stories, especially, you know, in today in today's game where everybody goes, you know, seemingly goes young super quick. You get off to a good start. You're signing a seven, eight-year deal because they're trying to guess right and keep the beat the cap or whatever. So good for a guy like that. That's awesome. Um, I have a couple things to tie in with the Leafs in Toronto Land. I'm gonna save it for don't puck it up. But I would say, hey, at least at least they're making some moves. That blue line is uh, I would say my complaint here for with you just bringing up a little old. We might want to get a little younger in a couple of those spots, but you know, if they keep moving things around, it good for them. But I do have a couple things to add and don't puck it up to tie a couple things. Okay, we'll get we'll okay, we'll get to that in a moment.
SPEAKER_00Uh Razor the wool trade. Uh, it looks like they're going with a tandem of you know, Stolars and uh and Hildeby, I guess, for the short term now. I mean, do you make any sense of that one?
SPEAKER_01Um, I think they they had a crowd increase, and wall was probably the most um the the biggest asset in that around the league, maybe not for them. So he was expendable for them, but wanted elsewhere. They seem to have got that young defenseman that they're high on in that deal to Kami's point, and then um they they get out from underneath walls three and a half, four million, which really isn't a lot in the league, but it will go down with Hildeby making only a million, million and a half. So um it's a little interesting, but I think they just had a crowded crease and and needed to move on. And and realistically, the only thing they were gonna get value for around the league was wall. Stole ours is an older guy, they're not getting any Hildeby's unproven. So um they they they had to move on from one guy, give up a good guy to get some assets, and and they use wall to do that.
SPEAKER_00Should also congratulate the Toronto Marlies on winning this year's Calder Cup. I mean, there you go. You know, the Marlies win it this year. Last year it was the Canucks farm team, the Abbotsford Canucks who win it. So look, Canada may not be able to win a Stanley Cup in over 30 years, but man, we dominate when it comes to the Calder boys.
SPEAKER_02Oh no, sorry, sir. Okay.
SPEAKER_01No, no, you can find something in this.
SPEAKER_03Oh no, you can you can run that back. You can run that back. I thought I was gonna slip that one in through you guys, and you guys got me.
SPEAKER_00Uh okay. Jonathan Taines calling it a career after 16 years. Uh, look, world junior hockey. God, two years there at the world juniors, the shootout, who could forget that? I was there in Lexa in Sweden for that one. But over 1,100 games, 900 points, three Stanley Cups, a Selke listed as the NHL's top 100 all-time players back about eight years ago when they came out with that list. Uh, remarkably, though, from an offensive standpoint, only one 80-point season and only two 30 goal seasons. So, but a guy who leveled up when it mattered in the playoffs. His points per game actually got higher in the postseason. So I'll throw you this to both of you. I don't know if you have a thought or a story on Taves, but first off, Hall of Famer.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yeah, yeah. For sure. Yeah, not even close. Yeah, no, no question. First ballot, for sure. Uh, I'll start on Taves. Um, yeah, yeah. I mean, first off, what an incredible career. Congratulations. I've known him for a long time, a little bit. Obviously, we've gone over, you know, your welcome, Chicago. Paint slap. Right. Yeah. Welcome. Saved your boy in 07 before he even got started when that little Russian gangster wanted to take him out. You guys are welcome, Chicago. Uh no problem. Thank me for your three cups. Um, but you know, obviously, junior career, international career. You know, I was two couple years at North Dakota. Chicago is incredible. I don't even need to talk about that. I'd like to, you know, I was fortunate enough. I played golf. He spent some time here in Arizona. I'm thinking figuring out where he's gonna be or whatever, but he spends quite a bit of time here. You know, two December's ago, so before last season, we went golfing and I asked him, you know, after the golf, I'm like, yeah, well, you know, what's your plan now, Johnny? And he's like, uh, you know, I think I might, I, I might play. And I was like, looked, I go, play what? He's like, hockey. I'm like, oh, and like I could tell he was serious. At this time, he'd been out for two and a half years or something like that. And I'm like, oh, oh, okay. I'm like, well, good for you. Yeah, you if you still think, yeah, that's awesome. You know, in my in the back of my head, I'm like, this guy's out of his mind. Like this guy hasn't skated, you know, he's 30. What are you doing on that retreat? Right. I'm like, but you know what? He goes through the year and signs a deal with Winnipeg, and you know what? Look, I know Winnipeg had a tough year. Um, and he was, you know, not up to expectations or whatever. And I know, you know, his start was slower, but and but he got better as the year went on. And I and I will say, good for him. The fact that he could even remotely keep up, and the fact that he, you know, he he got better as the year went on. And you know, I was fortunate enough to golf with them like right after their season with him, uh, Shifley and Lowry, they came down here and they played golf. And so I went, hung out, and then and then hung out with the guys after. You could tell that those guys really looked up to him, but like really, really like enjoyed his company and you know, would make fun of him and he would make fun of him back. It was a kind of a fun dynamic to watch. And you know, it may, and I don't think they were joking, but like they were like, hey, like, you know, because I'm like, Taylor, you know what, we go back for another year, and you know, he's like, ah, and you know, they were saying they're like, hey, you should come back. We'd love to have you back. I do think the year, though, for him was a hard one in Winnipeg. I I do think that was tough. Things weren't going that smooth. Um, you know, sitting there and he wanted things, you know, he's in his hometown and stuff like that. So, anyways, I wasn't really sure what he was gonna do. This was gonna be my guest just from what a yeah, I didn't ask him, but I was just paying attention. Anyways, good for Jonathan Taves, hell of a career. Like we just both we all just said, the first ballot Hall of Famer. There's no question. He should be very, very proud of himself.
SPEAKER_00Razor, did he score on you?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, he did. I remember I played the home opener in Chicago in Dallas, and the rat went five-hole on me in the second period on a breakaway, and they opened it up in the second. Like I had a really good first. We played back to back, so it was like a tough start for me. Got in late in Chicago, and I was going good, and then he went five-hole on me on the breakaway. They scored two more after we lose four to one. I look like a bozo because he went five-hole on me. No reason to do that at all. At all. So, I mean, everybody scored on me, but for whatever reason, I remember that goal from John and Tays, and it still bothers me as you can tell from this moment. So annoying. Such a great player.
SPEAKER_00Congrats on a great career. Um, one of my favorite players to watch over the last 20 years. Uh what he did at the World Juniors as well. You know, Olympic gold medal on top of that. Just uh, just a national treasure from a Canadian standpoint. Uh, wonderful player, wonderful character and personality off the ice as well. Captain Sirius. That's uh uh like the modern day Brian Trotsier, uh one of the best two-way players we've seen of the last generation here. So, okay, fan question of the week. This is where you serve us up with a question. Uh, just use the hashtag askCTC on any of our social channels this week. Here we go. Fellas, love the show. Studio episode amazing. By the way, if you haven't seen it yet, Daryl Sittler and Tiger Williams just dropped over the last week. I highly recommend it. Special interview, and there's a lot more of these to come over the course of the summer. Nevertheless, my question is for the guys what was the best game you ever played? Either you had a monster game or your team rallied back to win or something. Thanks. That coming from Strauss from Sarnia, Ontario. Thank you, Strauss. I love it. What was the best game you ever played, boys? Commie, you can tee this one up.
SPEAKER_03I was thinking about this all night because I'm like, man. And look, I'm not trying to say I know I played some really good games, and I there's a game there that I'm like at the end of the game, I'm like, man, I played great. But for the life of me, I cannot remember. And it wasn't a game. Obviously, if there was a game that I scored three goals, that wouldn't be hard to look up because there'd be one of them. So it's not like that would be tough, but I did see a highlight the other day, just and Ryan reminded me a little bit. I will say, just because it's easiest, but it kept going on. I had a really good game, game one against the Edmonton Oilers of the Stanley Cup finals. And I was reminded of it because it was a big comeback for us, and that's the one where there was the turnover behind the net, and Rod tucked it in. So that's been like a clip. That's a wild game. Yeah, wild game. We were way down, and then everything, you know, goalies out, all kinds of stuff happened. But the roley got hurt that one, right? Rollson got hurt. Yeah, yeah, their D-Man blew Andrew Ladd into him, and that was the end for Role. Um, yeah. Tough break. Uh what a break for you. Yeah, but I did uh anyways, and there was a couple of clips, and I the first clip was that goal from Rod, and I had a nice, nice kind of dump in there for no icing with this with the cameras. I I'm not even really sure how it was an icing. It must have Chris Pronger actually turned the wrong way. I think he was trying to get an icing. Anyways, uh, and then I made a I do remember in another clip came up. I made a really good play on a three-on-one. Uh, I broke up a three-on-one. We went the other way to score, I think, to make it like four or three or something like that. So I'll go with that game. Uh just because I saw a couple of clips. But um, yeah, the playoffs for me, I I I usually played all right. Regular season one game one. So game one, two thousand six Stanley Cup. Yeah, I'll go with that.
SPEAKER_01Okay, Razor. No, it's gotta go. It's always got to be a playoff game. So for me, it's winning in Montreal, double overtime, game four, round one, two thousand four, one four to three, 43, 45 shots. Um, Glenn Murray, the infamous slash on Alexei Kovalev, runs into Sheldon Stering, Glenn Murray breakaway. Uh, that was me down at the other end. So that's that's the most memorable best game that I maybe not personally had, but as a team, as a group. I mean, you double overtime like we just saw in Montreal. It's pretty it's a pretty fun way to skate off the ice, giving it to those fans.
SPEAKER_00Razor, I will never forget that game because I was watching that in the Brook Street Hotel lobby bar in Otto or in Canada, uh, covering the Leafs and Senators series. Bob Cole was sitting at the bar by himself. And every time that Michael Ryder touched the puck, because he was also a Newfoundlander, much like much like Bob Cole, and Bob Cole just sitting by himself, just Michael, Michael, Michael. Anyway, he's just losing his mind every time Michael Ryder touches the puck. Pat Quinn comes in from dinner with Leafs management, and he's standing there watching some of this kind of go down. There's a few other media types we're sitting in the in the restaurant watching, and he's watching Bob Cole kind of lose his mind when Michael Ryder touches the puck another on another shift, and Quinn just kind of bellows out, boy, anybody who says you're washed up is way off and kind of wants and Bob Cole without missing a who said that. But I will never forget that for that moment because that was Bob Cole just losing his mind, fanboying about Michael Ryder. It was, and as just a fan of Bob Cole, it was amazing. And the fact he got chirped from the the iconic Pat Quid. So never forget about that one. Um okay, don't puck it up. Come on, you want to tee this one up? I'm sorry if I stole your thunder. I pucked it up, apparently.
SPEAKER_03No, no, no. You didn't puck it up. And this isn't really a don't puck it up. I'm just trying to tie a couple Toronto things together. I will go with things aren't that pucked up right now. Leafs fans and Toronto people. You know, the Leafs are making some moves. The Marleys just won the Calder Cup. Marnard fell a little bit short in his Stanley Cup parade. So things aren't too pucked up right now. Let's keep that momentum going into the draft. Hopefully that keeps going. And then into free agency. That's my trying to play.
SPEAKER_01Keep the good vibes going for all. You got first overall pick. Don't puck that one up. Everything's going. Everything's looking up. You talked about footy, C ball. Do not puck this up, Team Canada. You're getting through to the next round. Get into the quarterfinals. Get into the round of 16. There's a lot of teams. The group play doesn't matter as much. You gotta win this round of 32 to get through to the next one. Keep winning Team Canada World Cup. Don't puck it up.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, this is the one time, you know, you always always like the old expression. Hey, I'm just Switzerland here. Nobody wants to be Switzerland right now, at least on this side of the border. Okay, my Don't Puck It Up. Hollywood. Hollywood, make a movie about Brandon Bussey. Come on. This is the stuff that movies are made of, right? Minor leaguer paid his dues becoming a hero out of nowhere, right? Saving the cup run for the Kaniax. It is a story about family, about perseverance for all the Americans out there. This is the great American dream. From zero to hero. This is a Hollywood hit. Brandon Bussey making a motion picture. Hollywood, don't puck it up.
SPEAKER_03That's a great call, C-ball. And you're not wrong. Hey, that guy did in a lot of ways. I think he saved the canes ass. I don't think Freddie Anderson was coming back.
SPEAKER_00Razor, quick thought on that. Like just as a goalie, what he did.
SPEAKER_01You guys said it. And we just talked about we talked about Darren Radish, too, right? Like this guy's gone through the miners. He's here in Boston. I used to skate with Busy and when he went to Western Michigan. And he's just an unbelievable kid who just kept his head down all the way through, couldn't get a spot in Boston, went to Florida, waivers. We all know the story, but the perseverance and and to be able to come in not playing for two straight months and Freddie doing his thing. It wasn't like he had to be Patrick Wa, but he had to be solid and he couldn't screw up and he couldn't give up bad goals. And he did all of that, and now he's got a ring and gonna have the cup at his house and the whole thing. So it's a it's an incredible story. And and uh these guys who do that always deserve it. They're always great people, they're always great teammates, and and Busy fits them all perfect.
SPEAKER_00And a shutout in a clinching.
SPEAKER_03Good point, too. Yeah, yeah, that's awesome for him. Incredible. Every year there's good stuff. Every year there's always good stories, and there's on every team or whatever, but that is a really, really good one. There's no question about it.
SPEAKER_00Outstanding. Okay, we're gonna bring this episode to an end. Just a reminder, everybody, to like and subscribe on YouTube for more Clearing the Crease content powered by Ozoon. Follow along on Apple, Spotify, X, and Instagram, TikTok because hey, sports does not stop. Everything's happened. We got footy going on right now, all the big games, free agency, prompts, game lines getting ready for next season. Midsummer Classic is just around the corner. Ozoon has you covered beyond here, there, and into the next stratosphere. So make your power play and score big with Ozoon. Well played. He's Commie, he's Razor. I'm Sabolski. Talk to you next week, right here, on the Clearing the Crease podcast, powered by Ozoon. Well played.