Uh I know that some in our audience know the finer points of hockey the Chris Johnston show we are your friends the biggest stories bringing you inside the game what did you hear the Chris Johnston show powered by Sports interaction want to bet what is going on here’s Chris with your host Julian
McKenzie part of the game Big Money Siege uh we are fully underway for the 2023 2024 NHL season all the Canadian teams played including an absolute bar and burner of a game between the tronto Maple Leafs and the mudro Canadians that ends in a shootout the Leafs win Austin
Matthews gets a hattrick uh the folks at the STP are very happy I’m sure Siege what did you think of that game I’m sure you were in the building for that take us through it man let’s let’s talk about this game to start off the show yeah
It’s one of those games right the game was drunk it felt like almost because it was it was going in so many different directions uh you know one of the Lea’s players mentioned after after the game it was a roller coaster I think that’s a
Pretty good way to sum up the night and and look I think you look around these these first s two nights of regular season play there’s some lopsided scores out there I think that there’s a lot of work for the the coaches or a lot of
Material for the video coaches to um you know dissect for their teams in practice because uh you know I think let’s face it systems play isn’t down to normal at this time of year and so I would take a six5 game some of the most famous games
In NHL or sorry in hockey history because it’s international hockey mostly have finished 65 I think that’s a a great score line in general because usually there’s some back and forth in those times of games and you know for for the Leafs uh you know I think it it
Says a lot they scored two goals with the goalie out um you know saves the whole evening because had they lost that six you know if there’s an empty neck goal and they lose 6’4 or something like that I mean it’s a totally different feeling but they managed to somehow
Steal the two points and you know just a nice opening night I think a lot of players had some good moments obviously Matthew’s with the hattrick I thought your I slavkovsky for Montreal actually showed really well in that game and obviously a lot of attention on him the
2022 first overall pick who I know is under a pretty intense microscope in Montreal with his development still a very young player but know thought it was a strong start to the season uh for him and his line for the Canadians and uh well you know let’s face it that that
Game will be fun because most of the rest of the season won’t look like that so I think that that’s that’s part of it’s just great to have real games back to have the energy in in a building like that and and especially a third period
Where you know one team comes back and ties it in a pretty entertaining overtime and an ultimately ends in a shootout we even had an offside review don’t you just love offside reviews yeah going way back I’ve not been a fan of these um you know the
Tricky thing I will say for the league if you’re you you don’t want obvious obvious offsides missed especially in big games like a playoff game and the problem when you have review is then you also have to have sort of of some of the the the more small details called I mean
In this case it’s a it takes a goal off the board for Montreal would have been three- nothing at that point in time you know five minutes into the second period it could be that might have been the night who knows that might have been enough that the lease would go away and
And the momentum really turned after that goal came back there was no controversy about the call that the the league got it right but you know I think it’s still a tough one in the moment because you know I think the the goal that Cole Coffield scored you know might
Have come 10 15 seconds after the the missed play at the Blue Line and you know obviously didn’t directly impact the goal itself um you know but Montreal still got back in the game and got another two- goal lead and didn’t manage to keep it so yes I I don’t love those
Reviews and I and I I think in general look we want more scoring in the sport and so some of them are just so fractional um like it’s it’s so minute that the human eye can’t even detect it and plague just goes on and everything’s fine um but you know this
Is is a skill now and and it’s funny the least video coach oh they actually have two Jordan bean I believe is in charge though of of the uh of those calls I believe he’s now 10 for 10 on reviews in the last season and a bit so he’s gotten
A lot of shout outs from Sheldon Keefe because those are obviously valuable calls for the team I mean at that point if that call is wrong and and the goal stands and Toronto’s killing it you know penalty down three nothing you know that game might be lost at that point in time
And so the the video coaches shout out them because it it it they get a lot of time in a high press environment to make those calls and you know some some are very good at it including uh the young man working for the Leafs coaching staff
Uh the goal tending I’m sure both goalies uh ilas samsonov and Jake Allen uh would probably not like to think about uh that game considering the goals that they allowed I saw some of ilas Sams off’s comments about how he wants to forget that game uh I can imagine for
The for the Canadians having that 5-3 lead as well uh not ideal for them to to to lose that but but still just just nice to have seen an entertaining game but also on the leaf side with ilas hsov I would like to know more insight on how
You think he played and how you think he took that game well here’s the problem right he he didn’t have a strong finish to the preseason and you say well it’s just preseason you know how much does that matter and then you know opening night you know look he was the victim of
Some terrible giveaways in front of him a couple bounces on the goals that that you almost don’t fault the go away for but he didn’t look very comfortable in the net and and he certainly didn’t a few times you know caught sliding way out of position and you know he he’s
Very uh I don’t know if you know him Julian but he’s actually a pretty funny guy and he said something to the effect after the game he’s like tough night for the goalies especially the Toronto goalie so he he called his own number on that one I mean I don’t think that you
Need to have a high level of understanding of how that position should be played to know that that it was a difficult stretch for him and you know I think this will be a storyline that let’s let it marinate I’m not gonna I’m not making any hot takes out of one
Game or even a couple tough preseason games but you know I think the Leafs like a few other teams around the league that that have high expectations for the season you know still have kind of question marks and net um you know how things turn out samsonov had a really
Strong regular season for Toronto last year played well in their their victory over Tampa in the first round and was ultimately injured you know come the end of the season um you know but he’s had I think that the question with him is can
He play 50 games or so can he be sort of what we would call a number one in today’s NHL where that’s you know roughly the the number of starts he’s never played that many in the past can he stay healthy can he perform to that level can he handle the expectations you
Know it was a year ago hard to believe when the Canadians El Lees open the season was Matt Murray and net for Toronto in that game uh you know some might forget that samsonov started essentially as Toronto second option last season pretty quickly took over you
Know at once he got healthy as as the the starter for the team but I think he still got something to prove there that the backup is Joseph wall who had a a great year last year but you know hasn’t proven himself at at the NHL level and
Of course they’ve got Martin Jones as their third option in in you know with the Toronto Marley’s but you I think it’s fair to say that this will be a hotly uh debated and scrutinized position for the Leafs and um you know you don’t want to let up five on the
First night but I guess if you get a win at least that that uh it’s something to build on if you’re in in Samson off’s gree and and Austin Matthews who uh may or may not be a topic of discussion in sports interaction coming up him getting a hat-trick over the Montreal Canadians
He’s he’s starting that attack for a rocky Rashard trophy obviously a good start for him for the season absolutely and look the the first goal was his 300th in the NHL and you know he’s the fastest ever Leaf by a long shot to get to 300 200 games quicker uh give or take
Than Daryl sitler did it fastest ever American Born player in the NHL history to to score 300 goals and and fastest since Alex oetkin you know he’s actually scoring to start his career at not too far off an oetkin level Pace now none of us can PR predict if he’s got six or
Seven or eight more sort of 40 to 50 goal seasons in him like oetkin managed to keep producing into his 30s but but you know he’s his his scoring rate is pretty impressive and and you know Jonas seagull your call you get the athletic there Julian tweeted after the game I
Didn’t realize this but Matthews has 26 goals in 32 games career versus Montreal so you know he’s he’s enjoyed that that traditional rivalry some big nights you know obviously when these teams usually play it’s a Saturday game and lots of energy in the building whether it’s the
Bell Center or sco rank Arena and you I think for the Leafs no no secret or no mystery here that that Austin’s performance will be you know a big indicator of what the team can do I mean that the way that you look at McKinnon and Colorado and McDavid and Edmonton
You know p and Boston I mean these these guys are the engines of their teams and um you know Austin by no means had a bad year last year he had 40 goals and 85 points but for him you know that that that’s a bit of a Down performance
Especially given the prior season he’d won the hard trophy in the rocket Rashard had 106 points and 60 goals so you know I think he’s more likely to chase 60 this year than to be near 40 not saying he’ll get there but I think somewhere north of 50 is is likely for
Matthews and so to to have that kind of start I think just builds confidence he played 10 games last season before he scored his third goal and he didn’t get through three periods before putting up three to start this season and good at least that you know those goals came at
A point when I mean when the Leafs needed to come back in that game against a Canadians team that showed a lot of fight I mean they might still finish last place in that Atlantic division but getting goals from Alex new hook you mentioned your I cofsky playing well too
Co Coffield eventually got goals later in the game like I still like what the team is able to do I still like for the Canadians anyway that even if they’re up against a team like the leaf they at least trying to to show that fight so
Even if they did blow a 53 lead even I’ll mention yes ul and two who got a really nice goal in that as well even though they did blow a 5-3 lead I saw a lot of Canadians fans actually be pretty pleased with the effort well they should
Be I mean look Toronto’s highlevel Talent probably ultimately won the game when when you look at it on balance and and so that’s sort of what you expect to happen that’s where the the Canadians are going to look to get to but you know
This is not a re this is not a a tank kind of team right I think the Canadians are very realistic about where they’re at I I think that even internally I know that there might be some debate as saw Marty s Louise talking about how he thinks the expectations should be a
Little higher than than Maybe what some people are saying externally but I think realistically the Canadians front office knows that that it’s going to be another long year in some respects that it’s probably not going to be a year that has a playoff Chase deep into March or early
April but you know they’re they are going to be competitive and look they’ve added some veteran players uh they’ve got sha Monahan back healthy um you know this is not I don’t think this is an attempt to to race to the bottom and try
To to to you know win the right to draft Max celebrini or whoever ends up being the the number one pick in the 2024 NHL draft so you know I I’m with you I think from a process standpoint if you’re the Canadians you like that game a lot of
Things went well um you know they still had the ice pretty heavily tilted against them and you know couldn’t hold a lead but you know when when you see the players that were on the ice when they scored I mean that’s maybe on some some level to be expected so I think
That that it’s a year of growth for especially the the younger Canadians and you know no no one likes being way down at the bottom of the standing so you know I I would expect that they will exceed last year’s point total and even while doing so you’re right they might
Still finish somewhere near the bottom of the East you know them in Philadelphia probably the most likely teams at the bottom of the conference um you know mixing San Jose see what Anaheim does this year if if we’re looking League wide you know Columbus is trying to take a step forward but I
Think you’ll see a lot of the same teams near the bottom of the standings I I just don’t think it’ll be as as bad a year in some of those places as it was last season just because of Connor Bard and some of the things that went on
League wide yeah we’ll get to Connor Bard too later on in our show I should mention uh congratulations uh to some new teammates for us at the sdpn Arin Basu and Maran Gad the Basu and Gan notebook the newest podcast at the sdpn uh a m Canadian show if you remember
Those two had the athletic support together at the athletic uh and now it has basically come to us here at the sdpn so uh congratulations to those two I’m looking forward to hearing more uh mtal Canadians content on the network it’s cool to hear those two guys love
Those guys yeah I mean if you want to know what’s going on with the Canadians you couldn’t find better than those two to be talking about the team it’s awesome they’ve joined the network you’ll never guess when I first met Arpin Basu I I can’t even put a year on it but
You were both well you were both teammates at at the Canadian press right so in a matter of terms yeah he was actually a Stringer we called him like a freelance writer covering Montreal Expos games when the Expos were still in town and I was a young Sports desker taking
Calls from Arpin in Montreal you know filing on the Expos or he might have done some Alouettes back in the day but I remember more being a baseball writer and so we we go back at least 20 years so I’ve got tons of respect for Aron’s
Work and um I think it’s what him and Mark antoan will bring to the network is gonna be fabulous I’ve done both of your jobs like I’ve I’ve been in arin’s role as a Stringer and I’ve been on the desk at CP I I know what that I bet you
Worked like were your shifts like 7 P.M 2 am do you get those do you get those hours back in those days there was one shift that was six till one and then there was an 8 till three was the final so I was I was either the the latest
Shift I was you most often either six to one or8 till three but honestly lots of great learning for me in those days I was young you know at CP you got to do you wear a lot of hats you’re obviously editing stories like the ones Zarin
Would have been filing but you know maybe someone puts out a press release announcing some news you got to you know write a really quick three or four or five paragraph story um all kinds of different skills that that still serve me well today so I I really treasure my
Time at CP and and I look at the people I worked with there you know Julie Scott who’s you know now one of the senior editors at the athletic Shai deidi who’s the great baseball writer at sportset Pierre LeBron my colleague at TSN and and yours at the athletic I mean I I
Those were my colleagues Arpin you know like it it it it really was a great place to learn and I was obviously surrounded by people that have gone on to have a long career and um yeah anyway I didn’t mean to turn this into story time that’s fine that’s totally fine
Story times are always welcome on the CJ show REM I’m just reminiscing of of meeting Arpin all those years ago and it’s just funny how how the media World goes and and you end up seeing the same faces over and over and over again okay one more thing before we go to sports
Interaction give me your thoughts on the new Tri May beliefs goal song so we talked about it on a previous episode and they’ve changed it Hollow notes uh no longer the goal song for the Leafs uh at least one uh that are I saw on the interwebs being spread as the goal song
A Pursuit of Happiness by kit C I would love your review of that song I gotta say I really liked it I thought I thought it was a a good vibe um you know I was not banging the table saying we got to change this goal song like this
Was not as I said to you like I was very ambivalent but I don’t think it’s the worst thing to freshen it up it’s been a lot of years of of Hulen notes um kind of the one thing I’ll say about the holl notes song it kind of reminds me of
Those pandemic days like just being in an empty building when they’d score like and I don’t want to remember anything from that that time really gez um it’s just like I just I think it’s nice to have something fresh and and I I found
That to be a a pretty catchy song um and and finally this issue can be put to bed because this this sucked up a lot of oxygen around Leaf’s Nation here the last few weeks I thought Justin Bieber would have ended up having a Go Song it
Seemed like that Instagram post he put up saying he was looking forward to hearing Hollow notes it felt like that was enough of a clue that something was going to happen but I don’t know maybe there is a possibility the Leafs I don’t I don’t know the full extent of it the
Leafs are going to have a few other goal songs like on certain nights and it’s it’s going to be switched up and so maybe there’s still some room to get the beibs in there we’ll see we’ll see anyway uh let’s get to uh Sports interaction with David bastel we still
Have a lot of other topics to get to uh Conor Bard will come up we’ll do another Roundup but we’ll do a Roundup of some of the other Canadian teams as well on power sign and extension and we have to talk about uh Pride tape and the story with
That welcome to you can bet that with David bastor remember to hit up sportsinteraction.com sdp for all of your gaming needs DB One race we have not talked about yet uh who’s going to score the most goals in the NHL this year Austin Matthews and Brock besser
Looking like the early favorites out the gate uh tell us who is the betting favorite to win the Rocky rard this year I I was going to say despite that effort against the Oilers yesterday uh Brock besser is not number one it’s Conor McDavid right now he’s paying a 325 at
Sports interaction interesting enough Austin Matthews coming in at number two and he had that hat-trick against the Montreal Canadians on opening night he’s right behind McDavid a lot of our odds makers are saying this is a two horsse race uh I kind of wanted to get your
Take because this this is one of the more interesting battles it’s not really one of those that you well you obviously you don’t vote on it you you see who’s number one and if it’s number one it’s number one kind of thing it’s we’ve seen
Ties as well so uh our top five list McDavid Matthews dry Sidle Pastor neck and uh m ranton in who’s also off to a pretty decent start CJ yeah I was gonna say don’t sleep on Pastor neck he’s got his name etched on that rocker rard
Trophy from a couple years ago he had a couple goals on opening night for the Bruins I I think that that he is someone to to watch and and obviously Matthews right I mean he had a 40-goal season last year for him that’s a down year and
You know I would think that well he hasn’t come out and said anything publicly that he’s pretty motivated to to you know show that that was a one-off and you know all indications are he’s healthy and when he’s got three in the first game of the season it might
Suggest he’s got a big year ahead and DB it’s a an AFC West showdown in Thursday Night Football uh Kansas City taking on Denver who you got well you know what I I’m going to throw something else out you because it’s been very very popular at sports interaction and and and I’m
Guessing most people that you know have TVs like the three of us um know about the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelsey relationship in in some form or another so uh once again at sports interaction we have Taylor Swift sighting Travis Kelce first touchdown oh now now the the
Broncos are pretty susceptible to giving away touchdowns to just about anybody but I’ll I’ll throw this at you it’s paying 750 s decimal 5 Z that’s seven and a half times your money I’m not sure if Taylor Swifts is going to be there CJ but Travis Kelce scoring a touchdown
Perhaps the first touchdown that might be even a better bet yeah I like that one I I I don’t have a radar on Taylor Swift so I don’t I don’t know what city she’s in I don’t know where her tour’s at if she’s got time off but you know it
Seems like she’s been making the effort to be to those games and I’m with you I mean if if you’re going to have anyone on on Kansas City scoring the first touchdown I don’t think you can go wrong with Kelsey in a game don’t forget to check out sportsinteraction.com sdpn for
All the best odds before game ingame and the best props sportsinteraction.com sdpn thank you DB thanks guys Siege uh when we look back at uh everyone’s cup picks a lot of people said Edmonton Carolina and one game does not ruin a cup prediction uh but I’m pretty sure a lot
Of people who picked the Emon Oilers to win would have much rather they had a better start than what they had against the Vancouver Canucks an 8-1 loss uh at the hands of the Vancouver kcks what the hell was that it was shitty that’s what Bret that’s what Bret
Kulak said that’s a very good that’s a very good term shitty it I mean come on you I’m not even sure what you could do to like how can you explain that that kind of start I mean the Oilers played well in preseason obviously I think
They’ve earned a lot of the hype around them this podcast we were among those saying that we think that they could be the team that ultimately lifs lifts the cup and that of course can still be the case I mean this might end up being a
Footnote uh to a a fantastic season just you know getting their lunch handed to them and I think it’s kind of interesting Vancouver is actually in Edmonton now on Saturday night so you don’t even have to wait to get another look at the team that just humbled you
Uh in your season opener and and you know it’s it’s just amazing how you go through three weeks you know I think the Oilers largely it’s it’s good stories in their training camp obviously Jack Campbell had a strong Camp ends up earning the start in game one it’s all
Harmony lots of talk about how dialed in McDavid and dry CID all are you know excitement around you know some of their additions like Connor Brown in the offseason and the things that he can bring to the team and then you lose 8 to one it’s just like
Whoa um so yeah I’m not sure that I have an explanation I did manage to catch a lot of that game after attending the leaf and Canadians game on on Wednesday night but I I can’t explain what happened other than they got thoroughly beat um Vancouver was was full marks you
Know Campbell gets pulled in the game steuart Skinner comes in afterwards and he gets hung out to dry to and lets in four goals so um you know only one way to go for the Oilers from from that performance and uh you know I’ll be interested to see how they respond right
Away especially getting the Canucks in their next game let me ask you a question all this show is really me asking you questions but let me just ask you this one yeah let’s imagine you are in the media room after that game and Rick tett comes up to the podium and he
Tells you uh that he had to pull his goalie because he was dehydrated had the flu and threw up in his mask is that too much information for you no because at the time I mean it sounds awful and I’m sorry that that Demco had to go through
That but at the time you’re wondering why he got pulled right I mean it was kind of unclear in that circumstance you’re wondering about an injury or something else was going on and so um pretty honest uh explanation of what was going on in that moment um I would say
From Rick toet but I I don’t think it’s too much info because again I think you’re on high alert as a as a Canucks um media person covering that that post game because you’re wondering what the hell like why would a goalie get pulled on the way to an 8-1 Victory but um
That’s a pretty good explanation as to why I think it’s understandable why he didn’t continue on and um you know nothing to see here let’s just hope Thatcher gets some gets healthy soon and uh can put that behind him yeah I was watching the flames and jets at the same
Time as that Canuck Oilers game was happening and uh one reporter who normally is around the Oilers uh Derek van uh we were just talking throughout the game and he kept mentioning that I believe the Oilers have like a like a fan autograph signing today at West Edmonton Mall could you imagine being
Like C exactly could you imagine you have like you get your ask handed to you the night before you got to wake up you got to sign these autographs all day I just hope they’re nice yeah you got you got to feel like your your Tails between
Your legs a little bit when you’re when you’re doing that I mean look at I think some losses are so bad though like it’s almost just like all right let’s just call it what it is right I mean there there’s there’s no there’s no finding a
Silver lining in a game like that I don’t think that there’s any one or two individual performers we can identify and say well at least this person you know played well I mean it it just was a total stinker from top to bottom and so in a strange way I sometimes think it’s
Easier to throw those games out and and you know start fresh than some than you know maybe a game like the Leafs game right like the Leafs can feel good winning 65 but there I mean there was so much bad in that game for what’s supposed to be a good team like
Sometimes maybe winning that game doesn’t get your attention the same way on some of the details and we’ll see how the Leafs progress out of that with with Minnesota coming to town on Saturday but you know I think it with in Edmonton’s case like they’re they’re going to get
Back to practice and I mean they’ll go through that interview or that that autograph session I’m sure the fans will still be happy to meet them maybe some laughs about the game maybe a day later you can almost laugh at how bad it was and then they’ll be right back at work
On Friday and I don’t think there’s any mystery that they need to find a lot more deta urgency and and compete they just lost way too many battles all over the ice can you imagine being a little kid wanting an autograph from Conor McDavid and the next thing you ask is
What happened you try to get to explain what happened did you see on you guys suck did did you you might not have caught this clip but Joffrey lupal recently was on the missing curfew podcast and he was okay he was saying that when he was a
Leaf you know he was a leaf for number of years there that sometimes you go out to like a bar or whatever after a game and the odd fan would be like you guys stink or what’s going on with the power play and and he said he never used to
Understand why fans did that he’s like I never understood why fans cared that much like why it bother and then he said he watched that Jay’s loss and he was like now I understand he’s like those fans he’s like because I he’s like if I
Saw he’s like if I saw vlat or any of these guys I would be like what the hell was that and so I thought that was a funny uh kind of reveal from a former player there but um yeah I mean I I think most fans let’s face it are are
Really nice I mean look I got people yelling at me on my Twitter feed sometimes or making cracks about whatever my height pick it all this gray in my beard do make jokes about your height oh over the years yeah like whatever it’s low hanging fruit I’m not
Uh I mean this is a short Kings podcast we’ve we we own that with pride but like I’m not I’m very bar I’m bar like 5’9 I’m like barely a short King I don’t even think I am really oh you’re a short King 59 is not that small yeah under
Anything under 510 is a short King okay all right okay what are you trying to wait a minute so no if that’s the rule if that’s the rule I’m not trying to fight it if that’s what it is I will take I’ll accept it I’ll accept it are you trying
To distance yourself from the whole short Kings thing like you we used to wear this as a badge of honor around here yo someone in the chat right now is saying that I’m not 5’9 I am 59 I don’t think you’re 59 either I I didn’t even
Want to go there producer producer Nick stop this I’m 5’9 I’m taller than CJ bring Nick in here I want I want Nick’s voice on this one like what can we bring Nick are you willing to bring your voice into this just even if you do sound like
We need some to adjudicate this madness oh my God okay 58 something stop okay stop this stop this stop speaking bad on my name please anyway I thought you might be like 5′ seven honestly but I’m not five if you’re if I’m 5’7 you’re 5’5 dude I don’t think you’re that much
Taller than me I’m not even sure if you are taller than me I am taller than you we’ve been through this I don’t know let’s we’re going to need a camera some proof when you get to Toronto next okay well that’s going to happen sooner
Rather than later anyway um uh yeah as I mentioned before I was not watching the oers and the Canucks play each other because I was watching the flames and the Jets and what I just what were you gonna say what were you gonna say well I
Just anyway I was going to say say say something say something after all we got we got down the short King’s rabbit hole but I was going to say though whenever I do like I you know routinely see people and they say hi on the street or like at
The game last night I was doing a hit in the in the bowl with for TSN with Mark Masters and a few fans came over and stuff everybody is always so nice in person so like I would imagine even if you’re an Oiler the day after an 8-1
Season opening loss 99.9% of the people going through that autograph line are probably just happy to meet you looking for a selfie um I I doubt that they’re taking much heat there now they might be taking a little heat in the coach’s room though the next time they’re in there with Jay
Wood C and his staff yeah sorry I didn’t mean to no I generally didn’t mean to not let you finish your your story that’s actually I’m not surprised you’re a very likable human being CJ so I’m not surprised that people would come up to you and be like hey man like you know
Can I get a photo with you you know everyone’s nice it’s funny like I had two people yesterday two fans was like Hey I met you in this other place this time um it’s funny how that is I don’t know small world man did I tell you
About and then we’ll get back to hockey did I tell tell you about the time uh I went to uh uh Bluesfest in Ottawa and I was watching uh it was Foo Fighters this year and these two women behind me they recognized me like we know you from the
CJ show like in the middle of this crowded ass Festival wow two fans that’s insane did they like did they tell you more was it my sister she lives in Ottawa no they were just it just they were just like two cool people uh I was
Just hanging out with uh you know Joshua clipperton uh Sarah Gene May or to one of my colleagues at the I like we were just watching the show and uh these two nice people were just came up to me they’re just like oh we we see you on
The the CJ show they’re just they’re just fans of the show I love that I love that yeah I hear a lot of that actually like honestly I’m not just making it up because of the medium we’re at like a lot of people when they walk by me
They’re like hey CJ I love your podcast like I I hear like the I used to get it like you know go back five years and be like hey you know I love seeing you on hockey night can or whatever like people say TV but I’m not hearing the TV as
Much these days I don’t know maybe people aren’t watching I don’t but yeah I’m just glad to know the fans are yeah we appreciate you all uh whoever who listens whoever who watches uh we we really appreciate we also understand if you’re if you’re rattled by Julian trying to claim he’s 5’9 and
That he’s not a short King but yeah I also understand that there are probably people who are still rattled at the fact that you only put pepper in your food but you know what that’s a whole other discussion for another day that’s your talk about the flaves
Ofets yeah yeah my dad was not my dad was like look when you come to Montreal we going set you up okay I didn’t say only pepper I just was citing like one spice that I would put into food while prep okay what other spices that’s an opportunity that was an opportunity for
You to say everything that you put in you don’t just say pepper and let that hang okay the show’s getting off the rail CJ I like pepper okay uh the K GRE Flames they beat the winipeg Jets um kind of similar to the Toronto map Leafs in that uh
Maybe they didn’t play their best uh the the Flames were not at their best they got caved in at five on five they lost the high danger chance battle uh Jacob barkstrom allowed a really bad goal in the first period but they still won that game they battled back after the Jets
Tied it and multi-point games for Andrew M Pon Elias linol J Jonathan huberto at the end too uh I don’t know if you saw this CJ uh I’m not I’m not trying to make light or anything but like Jonathan huberto had like a wide open net and
Tried to put it in went off the post and Andrew Maan put it back in on the rebound and that’s that might be the funniest assist I’ve ever seen but all that to say uh that Top Line came through what it really mattered for the galary flames right and and look it
Anyone paying attention I’m high on the Flames this year I’m not I’m expecting a big year from them um I think last year’s the outlier not the start of a trend or telling us where the organization’s headed um and you’re right good win I mean what was it like
In the building what was the vibe like obviously pretty touching tribute with with Chris Snow’s you know Widow and his his children there to start the game I mean what what was the arena atmosphere like on opening night in Calgary yeah I I we have to talk about that tribute
First uh because uh not many dry eyes uh for that tribute to um kelse to Chris snow and and seeing Kelsey and and her two kids on the eyes dropping that uh Puck for the ceremonial face off that was a really good moment uh we’ve seen a few pregame tributes throughout
Preseason and obviously for this one to start off the year uh that was really touching and just to see all the fans get up and do a standing ovation for them really touching to see uh today is also uh the memorial service for uh Chris as well in Calgary so um really uh
Difficult time obviously for that family but I’m really happy that the Flames have been able to take time to celebrate Chris as much as they can and then as the game went on uh I thought they were in good voice I thought it was a was a
Good game there was some good energy I I think there’s some fans who are trying to be cautiously optimistic about the year they’re looking at the preseason they’re seeing that there are some changes there are some people who are wondering if they’ve connected enough in terms of chemistry there are people
Looking at Jacob barkstrom and saying hey well you know is he still going to allow bad goals is huberto still GNA be able to put up points there’s a lot of questions and ultimately even as much as the team can say that you know the Vibes are better than last year it’s still
Really on this team to prove that they’re better than last year it’s still going to take a lot for them to to to really kind of sway some people in that regard but they do look talented they do look a little better in some regards than last year but there’s a lot of
Games to go in order for them to really sway people’s minds well and Vibes don’t put points in the standings like I I appreciate it and I do understand that last year was a really difficult experience for that team and the players like like that that’s all real but but
Just because you feel good at work doesn’t mean you perform well all the time either right I mean it’s if it was that easy every team would have great Seasons right it’s it’s there’s a lot more that goes into it it’s a new coaching staff I mean I think it’s
Exciting and I can understand why there is some trepidation right like you feel like maybe you touched the stove last season if you’re a fan there in Calgary and you don’t want to you don’t want to burn your hand again so um yes Flames puns included for free with this podcast
Today but you go to but you you know you probably want to be a little careful about not getting too carried away but I I think there’s reason for optimism I I think it’s actually it’s a pretty good time in Canada right now like I I don’t
Know we’ll see if if you know Vancouver it’s hard to be critical to them when they just put up eight on Edmonton but we’ll see how things go there you know Ottawa is in a tough one out of the gate like not having Shane Pinto sign having
To dress a skater short to to start their season in Carolina on Wednesday I mean that like there should be considerable heat on on the way they’ve managed their salary cap and and the the the way they put themselves in this position where Shane Pinto’s now in Ottawa skating getting ready for the
Year and they can’t sign them because they don’t have the cap space and they didn’t have enough cap room to dress 18 skaters and they lose on opening night against the Hurricanes um but I still think Ottawa we should be pretty optimistic on them and then obviously you know Toronto and
Edmonton two teams trying to win a cup I think Montreal everyone’s on board with the plan and Winnipeg they got the they got the big horses signed live on Monday show of the CJ uh podcast here wild reaction the Jets looked good by the way
I I’ll I need to give them credit too because they looked really good even though they didn’t get that win uh but just the pace that they were able to play at the offensive chances they were able to get they actually looked really good uh yesterday against the calary
Flames I need to give them that credit so how many playoff teams do you got in Canada this year Toronto’s a playoff team for me Edmonton’s a playoff team for me Calgary is a playoff team for me I think I have just the those three
Teams cuz I’m not sure well H Ottawa I still don’t know Winnipeg I don’t think they’re a playoff team mreal is not a playoff team Vancouver is not a playoff team for me Ottawa is the only team W you’re going with three three Ottawa is
The one team I’m just I was all in on them making the playoffs last year and I’m not interested in getting burned again well Mar me down here CJ’s picks I’m going with five Canadian playoff teams so Montreal and and who else will miss Montreal and Vancouver I’ve got
Missing I think Winnipeg sneaks in Edmonton Calgary Toronto and Ottawa okay all right cool so I’m going to CJ down big five out of seven here in Canada okay I need to properly think about this I think I’m gonna say three go with your I’m sticking with
Three I’m sticking with the three I’m sticking with Toronto I’m sticking with Editon I like it because you’re not on the fence like four would have been kind of a fence sitting yeah that’s it it’s just but three and five time will tell I want to believe in the Senators man and
And I still think they’re going about things the right way it’s just that Atlantic division is still tough like Toronto’s good Tampa’s good Boston is might still be good enough uh even though they don’t have kichi and and Bron anymore I’m all in on the Sabers
Making the playoffs this year I’m all in on that team making it well if you’re in on the Sabers it’s hard to be in on the Senators like I it’s hard to imagine both getting in it’s obviously mathematically possible but I think it’s unlikely yeah speaking of the Sabres by
The way um or I don’t know do you have any other thoughts on on the Senators losing to to the Hurricanes we should probably spent some time on them too not really other than like honestly to me all the focus should be on the front office and the decision making and yeah
The way this is unfolded unfortunately Josh Norris is still not healthy enough to to play not getting Shane Pinto signed and and basically not figuring this out ahead of time I think is really a tough look it doesn’t get easier by the way like the season has started now
So the way it works when you sign a contract in season the the CIT gets pro-rated up and so it the point really being is that it’s it becomes tougher with each passing day to get it to a number that Chaine Pinto is willing to sign that the Senators can fit in their
Cap picture and so I think that there’s huge heat on on that front office right now to create room whether it’s you know we’ve talked a lot about trading Matthew Joseph potentially uh and he gets a point uh in in the the opening game maybe it’s Eric
Branstrom uh I think they have they have to do something I just think something has to give there they play a skater short because of some injuries they have too I mean they just have not managed their way into the season in a way that you would want for a team with the
Expectations they have and you know I don’t know if I bang this drum enough like Shane Pinto’s like a legit player for them like this is not yeah this is not someone that you can put yourself in this situation with and so whether it was the kubal you know getting him the
Trade for du Brink it you know the choice to sign tereno at 5 million like they just didn’t manage the the C picture well enough they didn’t project properly and now they put themselves in a really tough spot with a an important member of the team a young member of the team
And I mean they’re they’re already they’re already under the gun it’s crazy to say one game into the season but this is this is the NHL I mean someone is going to lose three in a row out of the gate I’m not predicting it’s Ottawa just saying in general and there will be
Legit heat in that market like that’s that’s how it’s how it goes so um I don’t have a lot of specific thoughts on the game against Carolina other than they didn’t bring their best team to that game in part because of how they’ve managed their their salary cap picture
And it doesn’t seem by the way that you’re talking that pinto and the send are any closer to getting a deal done well I think they are closer I mean the fact he’s traveled to Ottawa like he’s willing to sign the contract it it’s a matter now of them creating the rooms in
Order to allow him to sign the contract and so I I I do think they’re close in the sense that this isn’t this giant standoff at this point I I really do think it’s down to them having to manage the roster in a certain way and obviously teams aren’t lining up to do
Them a favor right I mean you’re not you’re not taking one of these players unless Ottawa is attaching a sweetener to it I mean would it take a first round pick maybe attach you know to trade Matthew Joseph to create the room that’s what it might take I mean he’s got
Multiple years left on his contract roughly $3 million player um you know no one is going to just take it for free is is kind of the point and so I think that that’s the The Rock and the hard place that the Senators are between I I can’t see this
Going on I’m surprised we got here I will say that I I figured something would have given that they got him in signed in time for the season to start I can’t see this going too deep in next week I think that they have to make this
Move now okay what about the Buffalo Sabers and uh their extension uh with own power 7 years uh 8.35 mil that’s the aav here to stay it says uh from the Buffalo Sabers uh on their Twitter they put up a little cool graphic of Owen
Power and it says here to stay but they they they they lock up Rasmus Dalene they lock up Owen power Matia Samson’s also locked up for the long term as well sabr continuing to lock up that core yeah Dylan cousins and Tage Thompson too I mean all these contracts signed in the
Last year or so and look all those players you just mentioned are under 25 they’re all signed now basically till the end of this decade and and in the case of delene and power into the early 2030s and the only one above 8.4 million is is dine and and look I know some
People apped on his number ending up at 11 million I think we have to be really clear here he only had one year of restricted free agency in that eight-year extension so this is basically a UFA contract and as a result of that he gets paid UFA money I mean
That’s the equivalent contract to like where Drew dowy signed his $11 million deal to where Eric Carlson got 11 and a half million that’s that’s where he was at and so I think that that explains why his number is so high I think with the rest of this group you’re like wow this
Is relatively cost controlled this is to me a smart bet I mean I I can’t tell you for sure that those players will become good enough to be the core around a Stanley Cup but I think it’s reasonable to think could happen like I I I don’t
Think it’s a lock and and if this is sports and these are human beings and things happen but I really like the the kind of cost certainty that Kevin Adams and his front office has set up here because now it’s very clear you know what what they have to do they they know
What their big expenses are now it’s just about you know obviously providing the right players around them they’re going to have to make trades they’re going to have to draft and develop other players all these things will happen over the course of this five six seven
Year window but it’s a long window where I think they they should be a team that has a chance to to win the the big mug so I mean I I like the deal I like the kind of the spirit where they get both players done before opening night um and
You know again removes questions removes any sort of doubt about this I think there should be a ton of optimism around that team so this has been a a pretty smart cap management strategy in my opinion we’ll see if it works out as I say these are all sort of bets and and
They they may not all pay off exactly as you’d project but you know having power and delene on on uh your blue line to build around you know Thompson had a massive year last year cousins looks like a great player samelson signed a reasonable number I mean this this
Should be the core of a team that that can do some special things together let’s move on from one young player to arguably the biggest young player in the moment right now Conor Bard uh in Chicago gets his first assist against the Pittsburgh Penguins earlier this week we scores his first NHL goal
Against the Boston Bruins I’m sure you’ve seen that photo of him holding that puck with the stone through face gr te yeah pretty much trying to hide whatever smile he has uh what have your thoughts been what are your thoughts on on Conor Bard’s uh first real week in
The NHL so this is legit this is what legit Buzz looks like right I mean I think it was the highest rated ESPN game um highest rated regular season game that wasn’t like the winter CL yeah yeah the the the Chicago Pittsburgh game 1.43 million people tuned in on ESPN so get
This is a story I heard so the opener in Pittsburgh that game was broadcast nationally by three different networks uh because you had T there as well uh in addition to ESPN and then and sportset Connor Bard did an interview at the first intermission at the second
Intermission and after the game on the bench like I’ve never heard of a player doing that he was also miked up in the game as was Sydney Crosby and apparently there’s some really good stuff to come out of that I know they they played a little bit on the the the ESPN broadcast
I saw you know they they had him miked up when they when he had the assist on the Ryan Donado goal his first NHL Point um I mean this guy is getting a level of attention really not seen probably McDavid but but certainly Crosby this is
Kind of what it reminds me of maybe because he’s in an American market so he’s getting I mean obviously all the special players this being Canada you know get a lot of Spotlight in Canada but in the states I I feel like this guy’s actually really
Making a dent and you know it’s going to be an absolute Zoo he plays here in Toronto on Monday I think it’s going to be crazy town just given the the number of requests he’s under and so part of I think his story as we watch him in the
Early stag of his career is just how does he handle all of that because that’s that’s unusual most teams Julian I will tell you will flat out not let you talk to the same play player at one intermission and the next intermission I mean it’s kind of understood if you know
If you’re doing a Flames game and you get Cadre at the first intermission you can’t ask for him the second admission no matter what’s happened um but but Bard has been extremely accommodating I know the league people that have been working with him really have nothing but
Great things to say about how he’s handled it all and um you know that’s an aspect of what he’s going through I mean on the ice I know there’s been a ton of attention you know he he has a tough night in the faceoff dot in the game in
Pittsburgh bounce back pretty well in in Boston um you know it’s going to be tough being a first line center right out of the gate a lot of players in his shoes or skates uh get get eased into the lineup a little bit better Chicago just doesn’t
Have that option with the roster that they have right now but um pretty strong debut I would say in the league did he have what five shots in the first period or two of the game in Pittsburgh he’s not not being shy and um you know I
Think that there’s I mean this this is a guy playing in a huge Market in the US who’s I think you know really important to the NHL right now I mean that we shouldn’t look past that I think he’s the rare player that might generate interest Beyond I mean we we kind of
Cater probably to the elite like the extreme fans right that we’re kind of in that group yeah but I think he can draw in casual fans a little bit and in places maybe where the game isn’t already popping and that’s that’s pretty exciting for the league yeah they need
Him to I mean obviously it’s on Conor badart to play well on the ice but it’s cool that the league is going out of its way to try to Market thisy that’s that’s what we that’s what the league needs they needs the they need these Superstars broadcasted and and and
Having them be the main story which with the next topic we’re going to get to I think might hurt that a little bit at least at the start but like for Conor Bard the fact that the number is as big as it was for ESPN on on the debut and
While I think it’s a bit tough for any rookie to go through a stretch where you’re starting off with road games in Chicago Boston Toronto Montreal and Colorado it’s good exposure off the bat for for this type of player that’s it’s technically it’s actually a it’s good
Scheduling wise if you’re looking at it from an exposure point of view for sure but it’s damn difficult too like keep in mind they’re opening every team season too right it’s the home opener in Pittsburgh the home opener in Boston home opener in Montreal right out of the
Gate now they’ll get to Toronto they’ve already played games at home and then I believe it’s a home opener in Colorado if I’m not mistaken too so you’re you’re there on like the amped up night for the other team too and it’s a long road trip
Out of the gate obviously it’s got to be exhausting to some degree to have the demands placed on him he can’t just focus on the game right like he’s he’s got a microphone in his face everywhere he looks and you know by all counts as I say like I heard nothing but rave
Reviews from the people that were in Pittsburgh for that opening game just how he kind of dealt with that Spotlight but it’s it’s shining pretty brightly on him probably more than any player we’ve seen since Crosby oetkin that’s that’s kind of just my opinion I think because McDavid you know who unquestionably is
The best player on earth and just outrageously talented but playing at Edmonton he doesn’t get the same kind of um you know exposure down the us the way Bard’s going to oh by the way uh the first home game for Conor Bard uh later this month against the Vegas golden
Knights so a big hype up night for Chicago and you get the reigning Cup champions right who just unfurled a Stanley Cup Banner out of a slot machine which was absolutely loved it awesome I mean I love how Vegas just leans into being Vegas and anyway I love it uh one
Other Conor McDavid thing I’ll mention uh just because I I just saw this coming across on Twitter we did mention the autograph uh event going on uh there are these photos from Conor Haley uh there’s like basically people lined up almost seven hours before this event even
Started and the entire mall is just there’s a whole section of fans in this one part of the mall who are just camped out waiting for Conor McDavid to sign autographs and and and I believe this photo was posted at like like 10:00 local time and 7 hours before then like
That is insane to me I just wanted that mention that just goes to show how much of of a God he is in the city of Edmonton that is insane I remember lining up in the middle of the night wants to get a radio head album being released really
Yeah it was released at like midnight and I was like lined up on Young Street at HMV damn there’s a generation of y’all who don’t know what HMV is yeah another one I once lined up for three hours in cerg to get John olerud’s autograph when
He was the blue jay’s first baseman and he came to sign autographs I can’t think of a guy I’ve I’ve stood in on a line of hours for that’s it’s definitely anep it’s definitely for another episode for sure but we should probably think of like celebrity autograph stories or or
Anything like that we’ll send them in or or bring up more of those because I’m sure uh we’ve got some good ones to talk about as well and good celebrity sightings uh we should uh get to our next topic IC which is argu has arguably been the biggest story of the week in
The NHL involving uh Pride nights specifically with the pride night tape the rainbow tape used uh by certain players uh on their sticks uh as part of uh the changes with specialty nights uh the tape has been banned and since that ban uh which was officially made clear
In June but after some follow-up reporting uh Ryan Clark has done so and and outports spefic specifically uh got the story about uh tape being banned uh we have seen a lot of reactions from players players like Scott lton have straight up said that they’ll they’re to
Hell with the band they’ll go against it anyway all this over hockey tape like for me this is just a good gesture just the whole idea of Pride Knights and and other specialty nights like Black History Month I’ll even him mention Anthony duclair expressing concern about Black History Month events going forward
For the n L but these are just good gestures for the league to show that they could be inclusive with everyone and now that we’ve seen the changes that are being put in place it’s not a good look for the league CJ I would love to know your thoughts on
This well it’s an overreach it’s an overreaction it you know it just doesn’t make sense to me why you even bother to be honest I mean on some level I will say I can understand how they got to where they got to with the sweaters it’s
Not the say that I like the decision necessarily but I can understand where they were thinking it was creating negative headlines out of something intended to be positive that you know the League’s contention would be it was seven players who didn’t wear one out of
Many hundreds who did and so I can I can understand where you’re not wanting to put players in a position where they feel like they’re forced to support any cause and keep in mind that could include military Knights or police Knights or or some other issues that maybe not all players are comfortable
Supporting the issue for me with the pride tape is that it was always individual to my recollection it was never like a team-wide required thing it was obviously certain players elected to show their support for the community by by using that Pride tape and I just
Don’t know why you’d get in the way of that it was you know I think almost always exclusively done pretty much in in warm-ups I think Jonathan huberto used it in a game but yes um you know primarily it’s been used in on practice days or in warm-ups as a way to show
Support show some individualism right I mean that’s what we’re this is being stomped out I I don’t understand it I still have to believe there’s a chance the rule is rescinded retracted what have you we’ve seen a number in addition to the players that have spoken out we’ve seen a number
Of you know pretty hard-hitting statements that the the biggest one that stood out to me Julian was the one from Brian Burke um you know Brian obviously has a long history in the league has been very um I’m trying to find the right adjective he’s been a very very strong Ally
He’s you know lived on and his son Brendan uh who many might remember but you might not know who who had come out as gay and tragically died in a car accident uh soon after while Brian was the GM of the Toronto M beliefs and since that time I mean Brian really has
Has done a lot to to be supportive of of the gay community and you know he’s also though very close with the NHL’s front office right he’s he worked in the head office as a disciplinarian as knowing Gary bman and Bill Dy going back 30 odd
Years and he put out a pretty pointed statement I actually bumped into Brian at the Leafs Canadians game on Wednesday night in the Press Box and you know he he basically told me look I waited 24 hours after this news came out to see if they were GNA backtrack or maybe say we
Overstepped here they didn’t he came out with a statement and he said look if they try to find anybody I’m gonna I’m gonna make sure we put up the money for for those fines like he’s he’s you know pretty um strongly against this and and
You know the p h l p wh LPA which he runs put out a statement I know alphabet put out a statement with Bane pater and and Brock um and so yeah it’s just hard for me to get my mind around I’m curious to see if when or if a player does
Challenge this by just going ahead and doing it and how the league responds if that does happen but yeah it’s a shame I’m I have no defense for it I I don’t really understand it and I Ur that on the first week of the regular season this is probably not something the
League would want everyone talking about but everyone was talking about it and with good reason you know like we mentioned all these other stories throughout and and Connor Bard in in a different world that’s that’s arguably the biggest thing we’re talking about on the show but the fact that to to enter
The week especially with all those matchups that they presented on the first night of the NHL like we should have just been talking about how Conor Bard versus Sydney Crosby that opening face off shot and seeing how that goes the number one overall picks playing against each other but the fact that
This story ended up being a thing I just it’s just another example of the NHL just not able to get out of its own way and essentially being Sideshow Bob from The Simpsons in that one scene where he just keeps stepping on all of these rakes that’s basically it anytime it
Feels it feels like this to me but it feels like anytime the league wants to take this step ahead and show why they’re the best hockey league in the world there’s a story like this that just pops up and brings them two steps back and this is just another example of
That to me it’s exasperating well I mean they are the best hockey league in the world but they’re not always the best that certainly not the best at managing these kind of situations of promoting some individuality in the players I mean I I just feel like this should be an
Individual choice for anyone who wants to show support in that way it’s a let’s face it it it’s a pretty small gesture we’re talking about I think it means a lot um to to the people that that see it so I’m not I’m not minimizing the gesture but we’re talking about putting
Tape on a stick for a warm-up like it really I just don’t see it as an issue I mean a lot of players have wore purple tape too during the hockey fights cancer month right I mean to to support cancer like are we gonna have it where you can’t support cancer like it
Just it yeah I mean I almost have nothing more to say Julian other than no I get you like because like I get so far down I’m just like I just don’t really see a need for this I can’t believe they’re actually going to enforce it um I would
Encourage any and all players that are inclined to use Pride tape to go ahead and do it I I think that I think that that would be a strong statement to the community I I recognize some players especially The Season’s just getting going they don’t want to become the
Story right which is kind of what would happen here um but I think it would be a strong statement if someone did it and I I really have a hard time believing the league would actually find a player or team um for for disregarding this as much as they’ve obviously come down with
This directive I just I don’t think it really should have any teeth I don’t know man I if I’m a player in the league uh whether it’s Pride night Black History Month uh any of the other specialty months I would do something like that I I would I would go against
The rule and whether I have to put up the money myself or if teammates are willing to to front it for me or the front office of my team feels that way I feel like I should do it because I think it’s absolutely ridiculous that the NHL’s has literally bent over backwards
For seven people seven people that’s really what it is at the end of the day seven people decided to be individuals for the first time uh with regards to the sport and yeah I’m saying that in justess a little bit but we all know how the league can be in terms of
Individuality and making sure everyone’s this unified front as opposed to just being these individual persons but this is really because of seven people who decided to do this and it’s resulted into a nightmare for this league I it it’s it’s it’s ridiculous it’s it’s a joke it’s an absolute joke unlike the
Jersey thing where everyone was supposed to wear it and then obviously if few didn’t and then that becomes a story this is totally optional this is literally it might be three players on one team decide to use a tape like does that really that big a deal like that
That’s kind of what I have been a big deal but I I do actually believe honestly in this Julian that that any of any of the causes whatever it is it should be optional like I don’t think anyone I’m not and I’m not defending look at I would wear the pride sweater
That’s not what I’m getting at I’m not hinting at that I should be clear but you know ultimately I think some of like what you choose to support should be your choice let let people again it’s such a small thing tape on a stick in a warm-up is just let that happen like
There’s no reason that shouldn’t happen it doesn’t hurt anybody it doesn’t harm anybody it doesn’t even single out the the seven people that you’re referencing here it’s I just think it’s silly to to tell the players they can’t do it and that’s why someone like Scott lton
Basically said yeah I mean they can’t really tell you like they can say what they want they can’t stop him from doing it I’m glad he said what he said and I know there are other players who stepped up and and and commented on how ridiculous this is but what I’ll say
Specifically with Scott and and I’m sure someone else will do this too we’re going to see push back on this we are going to see players step up against this rule it was wild for everyone to think that players would step out of line and go against this I no longer
Think it’s farfetch for players to step up and say to hell with this rule I’ll pay what find me I don’t give a damn like we’re going to see this I don’t know when but I’m sure on this podcast we will be in we will talk about this I
I get I get nervous with each passing day that we don’t see it I’ll be honest like I I know it’s hard because you are bringing a lot of attention on yourself like that’s the a necessary part of it um I’m surprised we haven’t seen it already honestly in the first two nights
Of the season but we’ll be watching tonight and tomorrow and see where this goes let’s see and with that uh we’re right at the end of the show uh so it’s time for stick tap since it is a Thursday Edition uh who would you like
To give your stick tap to well I mean I might even be speaking for you probably the easiest stick tap to give out is to Scott lton right I mean for at least among the players I’ve seen quoted obviously I might have missed something the last day or two it’s been busy start
To the the week um but you know he was the most forceful he very clearly intimated that he wouldn’t be adhering to this rule when when it came time for the the Flyers themselves to have a Pride night and uh I commend him for for doing that I think I think hopefully
More players follow suit and it’s not always comfortable putting yourself out there the way he has but I I think he’s been pretty consistent in that if if you know his track record at all and he’s been an excellent Ally to that community and I uh I applaud him for continuing to
Do that even as The Noose is getting a little tighter around everyone in the league in terms of what you can and can’t do I Echo your sentiments I will also extend a stick tap to Anthony duclair who uh one quote I’ll I’ll I’ll take from an article written by Shang
Pang uh who spoke out about this as well Anthony declair for me you’re also Banning Black History Month I think we’re taking a step back a a step backwards to be honest like and that needs to not be forgotten in all this too Pride night is a massive night and a
Massive Topic in all of this too but there’s genuine concern for so many other specialty nights and how players can express themselves including black history month so I’m happy that uh Anthony duclair brought a voice to that part of the debate as well it shouldn’t
Really be a debate we should be able to have everyone in the league Express how they feel uh with regards to these nights so the fact that it’s become a story is a bit ridiculous as you could tell from the way that Chris and I have
Been speaking on it but I’m glad that we’ve been able to uh you know show some stick Taps to players who have spoken out and used their platforms over the last few days here here buddy and it’s good to have the games back too and this
Is this is a fun this is a fun week even amid that heavy topic I have to say uh despite uh that news that despite that dark cloud this is the most excited I’ve ever been for an opening to a season I I don’t know how to explain it but I’ve
Like just at the rink yesterday I was just I was in such a great mood and I don’t know I I can’t really explain it Siege I’ve never been this excited uh to start a season not I was Montreal even last year when I when I got in Calgary
Like I I I did not feel that same amount of excitement that I feel this year and I can’t wait for the games for more games to get going more episodes to keep coming in we’ll get to Dead trade deadline uh allstar game in Toronto this
Year Heritage Classic at the end of the month in Edmonton like I’m I’m really excited yeah man you should be look you’re you’re finding your place I’m sure you’re a little more comfortable second season around you know being the Flames beat Rider and you know on top of
That I mean it’s good to be us we’re lucky to do what we do and I’m glad you’re you’re feeling that way just uh let that gratitude shine through my friend absolutely man uh if you have questions for CJ for our Monday Edition get them in now whether on Discord or on
Twitter uh just use the hashtag ask CJ whether you use it on Twitter I know I keep saying Twitter but you know what I mean yeah X or whatever you could still call it Twitter I think you can still call it Twitter it doesn’t matter uh but
Yeah get those questions there’s no one on earth if you say Twitter that won’t know what you’re talking about if you say x you might actually confuse people what don’t you mean yeah I’ve never heard anyone say don’t you mean X anyway uh we’ll be back on Monday with a
Brand new episode of the CJ show for CJ I’m juliia so long and peace the Chris Johnson show Power by Sports interaction bet inside the game twice a week Follow Chris on Twitter reporter Chris and follow Julian Mackenzie at JK Mackenzie the Chris Johnston show
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