We gotta make this quick jeff, because I I have to get to the end of succession. Oh, my goodness, okay will try to fly through all of this. Here we go coming down in my dog is barton. That means he wants to hear some bought. coming down very selfish, coming three to and on scale elliot of zero to robert wide low. No hurrah, but while low was the top sky in the world's history. That is the aim for guy you're, amazing, eight foot, eleven, look at you, ok out a scale of zero, two robber widely. That's me putting myself on the back, and you hear it on the microphone that just blew my mind. How big a week is is going to be. Give me a quick bit of contacts before I do

the opening to the podcast. Well, I don't want to say it's the biggest week because we've seen bigger weeks, but this could be Shaquille O'Neal, like pretty large size. Ever since we're going to be talking about the tnt paddle, I feel I should do something. That's relevance. Look at you Elliot Friedman, putting cheese and the trap. Here we go a thirty two thoughts supplied cast prince. Did by the gm, see canyon. Eighty four x, merrick, friedman, andella, along with you one here too, a few things will talk about latvia will talk about. Various watching hans and what I want You could check on the nba anti anti but man? Oh man, this is poised to be an absolutely enormous weak, both on and off the ice in the any child, because, later on, week, maybe as early as when your listing does podcast we'll know who's in the stanley cup final representing the western conference, but this one's huge, whether its depends, whether its descends, whether its the dubious Who's gonna be a big one elliot

there will be some movement this week. No might be an extra day because it's the memorial day week, the united states, but I do think we are getting close to some decisions being made. So let's take a look at which ones we're talking about. First of all, dubious pittsburgh. I think that is a decision that work is going to want to know the answer to their ownership is coming back from the f one in Monaco. There seems to be a feeling from what I understand through people who talk to those who work in pittsburgh, that they think there's a vow a good chance. The dubious is gonna, take this job. Now I think it's ok for them to feel that way, but I dont like making proclamations myself till I know, and as of sunday night succession, stern time. I guess we'll call it oh well. I do no know higher percent, but there certainly is a feeling in the organization from what I can tell that its heading in that direction and

obviously do business job. If he wants it now and they pay a kind of wondering if he does take it. You know why that mean. How will it the thing work. You know who's stay in the organization as you bringing anybody with them. But we know he was there. We that sidney crosbie came in to meet him and a story, We should credit taylor hawes, who was the rapporteur who broke that are really good story like, At the sense from talking around that organization or talking to people who know people in that organization that they are bracing, for that to come if it's not dubious, where are they going well? I've heard couple of different names, I've heard Mathieu darche some people, hold me not to count out steve greeley and on sunday someone saying that they heard it could be jason bottle of its not dubious The one thing I do know is that I think people were told

give us through the weekend and will have a better picture of where this is going. So the weekend is ending its an extra deviated states. We're gonna know by there certainly is a feeling Jeff that the organization is preparing as if this is very very interested in the job- or I want to get to the maple leafs here in a couple of moments, but one person I do wonder about- and I think we all do as well. If Kyle do viscose, does this person follow and that's jason spezza like. I also do wonder about brandon programme and I wonder about west clark and we'll get to leave sinner in a second but is it a foregone conclusion that where goes dubious, so goes jason's batter the one thing spencer is I dont know if he's gonna move like his family is pretty ensconced. That's a good word is constant in the toronto area. So I think so

so could move in terms of he goes with them from an organizational point of view, but I dont know that anyone certain that he's actually going to physically pick up and move your what the thing about spats a jeff, The timing of his resignation in toronto. Has, people wondering if initially he was the plan. The organizational plan take overs interim general manager after dubious, left I dont know: if will ever get confirmation on that but certainly that's one of the theories the other burning issue, and some would say it. I've talked about this before you have as well, maybe dubious, is waiting on a decision with the ottawa senators before he makes his decision on the pittsburgh. Penguins must be nice to have choices, my family, it must be nice to have. Choices but that is the latest on the ottawa sale. I heard that the weekend was like phones down

everyone just kind of talk the weekend off. Apparently it's been pretty crazy. The last few days and I dont know if the weekend extends into Monday there, because of course there are parties to this that are in the states, including the bank, and there are parties that are not, which includes the hockey team in the family someone just said to me, this is a book the senator sale is a book and be a good one. He said, it'll be a book that gets turned into a movie based the book and whoever rights the book is gonna make millions saw? I've. I've already started to write notes getting who plays ryan reynolds in the movie other than the obvious be accessed The actual results are very good, very nice. Try. decrease. The like good looks square jaw of eleven june at all works. Damn you be said, damn you, I think we're all. We, on this one with bated breath because, like as we ve been talking about the past few weeks,

It doesn't seem to be much by way of secrecy in a lot of yes, and you know when you consider that the show business aspect of it, which wasn't just ryan reynolds and the remington bed, but you know this was also you know the nico spark bed continues to add celebrities to the mix as well. Making this a a very intriguing and knew how to your friends point very watchful sale here elliot something and each is not very accustomed to. It was a tough weekend. First, large scale. He went on twitter and yeah. a great rob. You know here here, as I understand it, I get it. I understand it but the only thing that I look at it good. Normally, I have no problem with that. That's opinion that your perspective, you want to defend yourself. I got no problem with it. The only thing I think about is again. I go back to the

hl and I go back to the commissioner and right now. Everything is under the umbrella of this performance in front of some one. We're trying to get to work magic wand over your bid, in some sense, because, The board of governors has to approve it, yet look. I know disagree with you Jeff. I dont disagree with you at all about that. Everyone here that supposed to be in control of the process has lost control of it It's been this way for quite some time I don't know as ever been another sale process like this. That can remember now. It's been expansion and there's been things like that and I broke in covering the n b, a expansion when it came to toronto- and I remember there was there was one time and the beatles who initially got the team, told the, story, they were initially told when when the NBA comes the toronto, don't tell

what about it. It's supposed to be secret and no one is supposed to be there and I care which bank. It was but the beetle Paraded the nba executives through a bank were all their employees were yelling. We want the nba or something like that. I was there. I was a young reporter and I was there in the nba loved it they thought was fantastic. If I remember correctly exactly they told me the story, I think that's someone told them in the league another team. So The nba is gonna tell you they want this to be quiet. If you do something big for them, that makes you look big. They will love it and that's why did it and it turned out to be right, but this one think initially the the any gel really liked some of the rhine reynolds attention? Not, but now it's completely gone if the rails and

talked on friday that I know I think, there's a lot and asked his behind the scenes and spot It was basically accused us of chasing money at the last minute, and there were some reports that it was falling apart in his bed was a joke and there were other reports that this is anything unusual. Like did have one other group tell me that they her that there was a group not sparks that was still. To change its bids doktor. Now that might have been less more equity, as opposed to cash, but this to me it was nine com. Like look, I'm I who gets a lot of good things said about me on the internet and I'm a guy gets a lot of bad things said about me on the internet try to ignore it. I dont think fighting with people on twitter. Does anyone any good. specially myself. So I really try to avoid it if I sparks. I would have just ignored it to the end, but I and stand that now

everyone can do that and I that just shows you how the nerves are fraying around that ideal and there are people starting to say that they think whether at the bank, where the centres or it's the actions of some of the big groups, their peoples use, others of being unprofessional and unreasonable, and whoever doesn't get this. It could get really ugly. that is another chapter to all of this. Those that are not wanted on the voyage and what happens with them and by the way for all the criticism we receive on social media, taken, most of those are from my burner, exclude the other. All from you try to calm down the act, but I do get angry sometimes, actually they do get angry, ok to them. We believe then and add their hunt for a general manager. Now, right now the maple leafs do

Meetings are going on in kamloops, Brendan Shanahan is not there he's busy interviewing candidates for the general manager of the trauma. Maple leafs, you reported about brad, true living. You had her note with their withdrawn maclean as well on Saturday night. What is the very latest on beliefs, hunt, while think I should be the only one taken great for brad, true living, I think everybody pretty much is in oh, he was insured or last week and I think is as much you could name someone a favorite I'd just days in the process. I think that here, would be one now I'm getting mixed intel on this. Someone else told me that there was another person who came in, but I haven't been able to prove who would want I don't believe it was pure. Surely it certainly wasn't doug Armstrong was winning a gold medal on sunday machinations. You owe me

if the version was overseas too, I heard he got interviewed by zoom where they talked to him by Zoom I, as I mentioned, I heard they talked to Doug Wilson, but I don't think it was him. I don't think it was mark hunter. I, doubtingly. Think there's people there that the lease of talk to that we haven't figured out yet theirs There is no question about that. I dont believe it was jason bodily their sole This is one of these things where china lease have sickly reached out to a lot of people. Think this is one of those that, when it's over some other people, what kind of names will go through homework here, because I do that- they have made a lot of calls. I just think the question is who's actually getting interviewed and the the person I can find so far, who nor has been interviewed face to face is tree living, but might have been others. I just don't know: I'm curious about timeline here, the other Please said they want to do a thorough search. I think, on a level they do

I'm just not convinced they think they have a lot of time here so that My question is: how much runway do they really think they have this kind of Why framed it as they may, police draft meetings are going on right now in kamloops, like the drafters around the corner, free agency is around the corner. I know that in a normally in a situation like this will normally call dubious or whom over the general manager is, would be there as well. But you know in charge right now Brennan Shanahan has a lot of other business to take care of, but I think you're right. I don't think they have. I don't think you have. The luxury of a prolonged search rallied doesn't feel that way to me at all Having said that as well, I think you consider all the sensitivities around this team and this mark. It and the names involved and the contracts? That is to say nothing of you know how emotional everybody seems to be around the maple leafs right now. They can afford to make a mistake here. It's a tough spot.

you don't wanna be rushed by europe against the clock and it feels like around every corner is a ticking time bomb. I don't know if I would go that far, I think things are going to stabilize a bit. You know there's no way the way this happened was standing in surprising and that's why everything kind of has unfolded the way it did for about a week, but eventually think you have to turn and start to move ahead. you know the one thing I have heard from one of the people who I believe was talk to, although he didn't confirm it. a lot of the question is they ve been asking? I think the leaves were They really think about what's in matthews, head and martyrs, hadn t land or said apparently from wire stand, Shanahan told Sheldon Keith that while he likes him and his body of work here.

To leave it up to the new gm I believe sharon's told the cor for that. Prefers to have them all kept there by the new gm is going to have a voice in all of this. So I think that and where it is, and I think from what I've heard is a lot of the people who are interviewing and to me this is a very obvious question. Is there I figure of the leaves a watch, the honest opinion. Nobody knows where to virus heads. He doesn't want to go anywhere. Use. I think the least believe that he wants to stay by this problem. not going to be signed by July first. So what's your approach? yo, neil lander, he sounds like he wants to stay, but like matthews, there's a big contract negotiation, their martyr, these sounds like he wants to stay, but there's another big contract negotiation coming a year from now- and I think the other thing too is big. The contracts kind of our where they are different

a lot of room there? You have to figure out you have to try to get into these players- heads not in terms of where they want to be, but in terms of what want their next deals to look like, and I have heard that those have been kind of a lot of questions is: what are you think you'll tell honestly, what we're getting into like a guy like tree living, for example, is one of the most fascinating can't it's here, because calgary just went through this with good rowan. You heard what Conroy said his mother congress. I want people that want to be a part of the cavalry flames and that want to be not just coming here to get a contract get the money that that doesn't interests me at all. I want them come to be a part of this and do something special here you know As far as you know, johnny leaving, I think a little bit. I was, It was a learning thing for me. I I was hoping johnny was going to come back. I thought johnny was going to come back, but I don't think I would let that happen again. You know, and I told don in the meeting-

I truly thought John was going to come back and when he didn't it was, appointing in it was right down to the last minute, but then, when you think lawson asset when you're best players of all time, and you didn't getting form now There was a reliable for free. I set my office for a while. I shut the door and thought ok, That's you know, and then obviously, with Matthew was the next one kind of the false. You know what I want to make a place where people want to play. I do think having the newer see. What's happened with catch up to me in a lot of ways that could. tree living. One of the best can cause he's like this you can bring the lessons into it warehouse I think they have a right and calorie what mistakes do they think they mean calgary and if he gets the job I am really looking forward to hearing the answer to that question, but I think that's what someone's trying to figure out here Jeff is what is the intel from the maple leafs on where they think these players really are, and not.

China s coat someone's other prawn when I'm eighteen answer she said. Maybe so I might get to go with her? No! No! No! No! No. I want to know what she really thinks. Interesting analogy and with that will lot will bracket the maple leafs conversation. I ever mentioned what happened to me at my prom when I was in grade thirteen which no longer exists know who who's your who's, your prom date. Who is your prom date? What was her name? I'm not going to metro. It's not fair. It's not right, like that's the wrong thing to do. I saw I didn't go because We broke up right before the problem and she went with someone else as like lying, I'm not going we don't want to go by yourself. No, I I was pretty maturity, your old. I was not going that very well,

pretty immature fifty two year, first splitting hairs- I can say this- I don't know I read mature fifty two, but I'm a lot more mature and I was then okay, let's break that conversation. That was, that was tough. One gotta say that was a. It was a tough memory. Okay. So let's pause that conversation coming up with a couple of moments, we're going to talk about the w h, F world hockey championships, what a wonderful day for latvia specifically the hockey team, the hockey fans the country all of it we're gonna get to talk about latvia. I know I have some thoughts on I'd be in hock, yet I suspect you do as well. I will talk about congratulating team can and there's one player specifically elliot that I am really happy forum team will get to that in a second a little bit later. On david proper from the any will talk to us about the global series and heading down under for games in australia. Coaching situation around the initial, whether richer capitals, whether it she rangers whether it's your predators, whether it's your docks,

we're gonna get to that in a couple of moments, but I would like to spend a little bit of time. You're talking about what we saw on Saturday night, namely game five, word tidal indra winner takes the lead, all the gargantuan saves by Hell. This is evolving park. I think they're just get shot. Might caught some stick, the frustration of its path by we'll tender hill. I think protract

all made of what had passed his own, that my one minute money, seven seconds for the two girls were tied, the lands, rail and all of a sudden. The stars have a two dollar, seven, fifty eight to go the third internal market as well, and, let's not forget the the I was stars, have tidal andrea's chin to thank for their power play gold to send them into game five in the first place after getting high stick by braden mc nabbs europe it's on a really citing entertaining saturday. Night gave five thousand awesome game and specifically the first two periods were fantastic. shove scores, glendinning, stevenson, Robertson and then

the land reassuring, the third the stars stay alive. We will a game. Six lot thoughts number one, probably the basking I've ever seen, maxed only play. He was excellent right from the pregame interview when he blew off my question game three was it was a rough night for the entire team. How did you guys, as a group hold yourselves back together and I assume it was simply more than ric flair and MIKE tyson? The main worry about twenty twenty five minutes late game by itself very nice, but we're looking for to get one tonight. Obviously it wasn't build the plant great atmosphere which I like later on twitter- I just Dorothy was was excellent. I was I was really impressed with him, and I wasn't surprises line. Was that with him being as strong as he was your for that line scored the two goals in the third period. They also had a brilliant chance. Early cuvier rhonda

aden hill, just rob saw. That line was going. The other thing that really stood out to me Jeff was. Is that view scored? First, I was like Dallas his doom, their doomed and the him right back and score than vague escort to make it do one you, like, ok, this! Is it and they scored again We came back and they did it, so they had so many points in games four and five where they could have collapsed. They got scored on early in game four and they came back and found their way once a dallas has shown a lot of resiliency christian fox sports, las vegas mark mentioned. Maybe not with some desperation at times, given how game for went. Why would just nation not be something that the team played with on a night like with an opportune to close it out of here. It's a very good question and there were two- we did the second period. We got your game without were the better to first period pockets, each You were good, they were,

better than us over. Although we got through that part put to me desperation? Was we had twenty four giveaways, I'm not sure? beating beat the arizona coyotes january with twenty four giveaways, no disrespect arizona, but it's not the right way to play twenty four giveaways. I mean we're trying to go to the stanley cup final against a desperate team we gave, and so to me that the sole game right there so as I do that falls under urgency. Obviously right you're not making the right decision with the peculiar, not supporting it. Well, so it starts right there. as the first thing we'll go to correct, and I had someone who asked me a really interesting question. He asked me a couple of jamie benn questions. He says, first of all, do you think this the chance that they don't play banning game six. Now I got you gotta play. Is that a real question? after said. Well, you know hockey they don't like to change their line about, and I said that they'll change their line up this time. He's he's gonna play

but what he also said was: do you think there was a motivation of let's and so he can come back and play That was an interesting question. I dont know what was said between been in the team but gotta, think look. people were unhappy with him after game three, four, not talking and I comply. We agree that they should have put out some kind of statement. It could have been animal a lot better than he the press conference on the day off that didn't go very well as far as I'm concerned polish, though just waited to speak after the suspension got announced by I have no doubt at some point Jeff he appeared guys to his teammates? I would be shocked if he didn't at some point, go in there and just apologize to them not only for the suspension, but just everything, putting his team in a bad spot, and you ve been around teams before it would not.

Surprised me in the least. If there was some motivation there to say Let's win this to get him back in the series when you're down three, nothing, you grab onto everything you can in anything you can. I thought that was a good question. My friend asked I think that there's definitely something there that if we're going to lose this series, we're going to do it together as a team, and that means a jamie bands on the ice. I I I completely believe that, and This is like a really impressive got check moment for the dallas stars like listen. This may all end on monday this may all, and on Monday night, in its vegas in florida in the final away we go but good on Dallas amene. They lose. You know one of their top dogs in jamie ban their captain, and they went to games and Earl. And now Jamie Ben comes back, and you know what all I can think about is if your jamie Ben, how are you playing on Monday night? Are you not

I am like the game of your life. Your team does gave you life and got you back in the conference final. I mean Jimmy ban comes out and has a spectacular game on Monday Elliot You know I would tend to agree. The only thing that concerns me is he's going to be so wired to play. He's going to make a mistake. Like that's the one thing I completely agree with you, but in that situation is the biggest key for him is controlling his emotions. He law control of them in the first two minutes of game three. He has to keep that control and games. X. You someone asked me: do you think aden hills, gonna crack? I said no, no, I said were beyond that now injure is finding its way again that Another major reason the Dallas is back in the series. I don't think there's any chance aden, cracks, but the one thing the boar said is now the pressure kind of ships and- and I do agree with that

so this is where all a vigorous his experience all of vegas? His leadership has to make sure that they don't start. The all the weight of the moment. Glad you mentioned aden hill. What are my favorite shots on saturday was the shot of aden hill skating to the bench to grab some water as new cake is sitting there, and there is the obvious. Why did you do that issue between the two of them at that at that, moment- intelligence chose the doses with some water in and have a separate that there was a really nice piece of work and I want to point something out here elliot for everyone who tweeted me after the first vigour or scored and sad. Essentially, oh god, I mean we have to listen to merit gush about Ivan Barbie, shove now and the next broadcast. I see you and I see those tweets so Elliot instead of me gushing about barbershop. Why don't you do it for a little bit here

I just love the player. I either these these easy

there's not much more. That needs to be said there he's going to do. Do very well this off season very well, listen to the thirty two thousand podcast ad free on amazon, music included with prime, be than a guy, like diego declined, to comment. If they'd like take you to elliot or talking about how good your ballpark together the whole haven't already that big and that fat great ballpark. Yet at the point of the day at it

in what has become clear, is that in california and that our it is now with a player like trevor degrees, is crazy, going to duck game for the worst team in the league and still filling up arenas. Sometimes if it gets loud in there and that kid, the electric and the cabbage in there too and Jamie drysdale, not so much the theory that they have for this upcoming year. But it's all the boys that are coming up to or just duck excited, and it's so good for the organization that I think the game as a whole. We want this game to hit big rethought and then the smaller market, then

It shows with what happened in the last thirty years or more to the point of the day, thanks for nothing, mall Martin appreciated, let's go duck. Thank you for everything you guys do. Aryan let's go to some news off the ice and coaching hunts. We wonder about the blue jackets, the docks the prisoners, the rangers, the washington capitals, we wonder about spencer, carbon free wiess, wonder about Jeff Halprin We wonder about Patrick wa, whose curly in kamloops at the memorial cup, we wonder about andrew brunette. We wonder about Peter laviolette. We wonder about a lot of names I kind of had a dr seuss. I was government about it there a little bit, I dunno as freestyle

It's getting late on a sunday night here in a muddle punchy your thoughts what's happening amongst the coaching fraternity elliot's after listening. to the only thing I can really say is I do not like in our house? I do not like them with them. I do not like them here. There do not like them anywhere. I do not like the eggs and ham might do not like them. Sam, I am, I am a beautiful bless. Doctor who's in know aside the ones we already talked about with pittsburgh in toronto. I think the ones that are at the forefront are the rangers columbus ogled do them first. I think if Peter larvae is the rangers guy and, like I said, sir knight, I am leaning in that direction. I think we're gonna know this week. With Columbus. I was reading our imports line on sunday from the athletic and he's that. Catalan

coming home and then decide on tuesday. Now I have to say to you Jeff, I don't have agreed, read on this one, because I think They spoke to love you let, but towards latvia that, with the rangers ice, think they spoke to Babcock, but I dont think one's gonna happen. I just don't get the sense that's gonna be where they go if interviewed pascal vincent and I think he's got a shot they ve interviewed Kirk mahler, and Mahler, I think he's. Anna Anaheim's list and he's on calories list. So That's an interesting one to me. I think they ve Viewed Travis green, if they've interviewed andrew brunette and I think they ve talked patrick, I dont know how to describe that one, but I think they ve talked to him. I don't have a great handle.

On where this is going. I could be wrong. These could be open. My in my fee, like a great ten chemistry experiment, but I don't think it's good love you light. I don't think it's gonna be babcock island. That If there is any other names are missing, I'm missing them, but tat, I think, is the group they're kind of look at. If p. love! You let takes the new yorkers. Just job than I officially move the change. His name from Latvia led to metropolitan peter metropole because then he would have caused the capitals, the hurricanes, the islanders flyers and then the new york rangers he just going through the entire division. L he will no longer be peter. Latvia lad he'll, be peter metropolitan too. And by the way I wanted to mention- and I mention this news article on and we mentioned in on your show last week. I don't think so they felt was interviewed there. I still think he's undercut. now now there was a

port somewhere that federal was a candidate, I was told that that wasn't the case. Ok from the jacket quack. What are you hearing about? The anaheim ducks I still think they're the farthest away of the teams. Well, I shouldn't say that, because we'll see a work, Calgary goes here. I heard that they were still going to have some interviews at the combine. Next week saw, I would say, they're pretty far away. I think they ve talked carburetor. I think they ve talked to mahler. I think they ve talked green. I think they ve talked a brunette I'm sure they ve talked to other people I've already talk to a lot of people in starting to do more. I think right now them or I agree is right now the last ones you wanna talk about calgary, then I think, you ve got a long list. I think there's the three internals husk mahler who was mentions got some other. tension in much love, but I've heard There are some candidates here as well. Some externals, you know

I think they asked laviolette, I'm assuming the answer was no You know my feelings on time gave it. He might get a conversation in all of this, the more think about your guy marks of art, the more I think about it. I gotta think units in their midst to it just makes sense by have heard it's a long list, liquid before Burnett makes sense and a lot of different perspectives, most notably the other jonathan, Hubert, o perspective, NASH, Oh predators. Do we get some type of yea or nay out of very trots this week about John Heinz, I saw on Saturday night that people kind of why john- to get some clarity. That feelings growing in the coaching fraternity I don't think they're like what's going on in toronto with Keith, but they kind of understand it because there's been, upheaval in front of them by they feel that heinz deserves an answer, and I, We will get it this week. I deafened we think that nashville has talked other people answer

I figure were getting there, but somebody Coaches on teams are start to get kind of restless about this and say, be fair here unless led John I'm, no, what his futurists what's a future for the washington capitals, we ve mentioned carbon free. We mention halprin before what's the latest here, sir I mention that help and was going in this week. I think he's already been there. I had a couple of you. Reach out to me and say timeline might be a little off on that one I think help ones already, but in there now the only reason he might be going back if there is a second interview- but I dont know that that's the case, carbon think, spoke to three or four teams. Last week I think he spoke to the rangers. I think he spoke to the docks and I think he spoke to the capitals, obviously in there might have been another and what kind of things that Washington is the team to beat here that they're, the ones or the most eager to get em. I think we'll see, in answer to that. Pretty soon you or the other

people, they ve interviewed the winner interviewed power and they ve. Brad shaw, if they ve interviewed others, we don't know, I don't know about them, but David you'd Bradshaw for sure I would wonder of bread, Shaw's gonna get any hawk somewhere else. It would be. I mean, that's a guy, would love to see you at a real shot somewhere like on what is a lot of people out there who really like Bradshaw, really respect them? I would really like to see that some day todd nelson. You they're still in the play us right now, so I don't know what's going on with that, but definitely there is a feeling that carbon free is, is the favorites ted nelson. By the way you saw ballisters understand coaches hershey, the bears yes, oh yeah. How cool was it to see Matthew could chuck on set with the n b, a n t n t guys on the weekend

it was fantastic, and we welcome to the set matthew tkachuk thanks a lot for being here. We are looking forward to watching the stanley cup finals on tnt and we have enjoyed the show you have put on man as at the age of twenty five. This has just got to be storybook stuff, yet it really has been incredible for me, I think, back to like two or three months ago. Nobody in the whole world thought we'd be in this position right now, let alone make a class of fact, I'm sitting here with you guys and getting ready to play in a stanley cup final at my first ever heat game here. When memo having a chance to make the finals it's a story about for south florida the best studio, show, I think ever is the envy anti anti, and One of the major reasons. I feel that Jeff is that those guys can say anything and they never get into trouble. I look at them and I'm like

if we said twenty five percent of the stuff that they said not only will we be fired, but would be sent somewhere you where you would never see us again hold on us and though, is that because of the nature of that that sport like the sport of basketball as opposed to the sport and culture of art, I think to some degree. Yes, I think that is part of it. No question about that. I think it's also because barkley in particular, like he truly free here and care done so well financially, and he just doesn't care that the, need him more than he needs them, and that doesn't happen a lot in our business and I give a lot where are the gnp to they back their people, yours ok, this is our show- and I know has been sometimes where the nba gone after them and they said what This is our shaw, and this is what we do and they sell

please. I've heard that about them to like it, sir, it's a really good team and they deal with each other, and I think that's really important. I think that's the truest embodiment of a team is when you can self police know what we don't need you to handle this we're going to sort this out and it works. I I think that's it's a true team and I've. I've heard There are very much like that and I think that there in a nutshell, show, is really starting to develop that too. Could chalk goes on in the pre game like that? It's just add such a level and end the thing I really liked about. It is first of all partly obviously is a big hockey fan, but actually really liked the way that o neill uncanny smith were because Obviously there not huge hockey fans shack, it

it's he doesn't watch as review you're, a great athlete. I don't have any questions. I don't really watch hockey, I just let the guys pipe, so the water appears your jaw. I think I think my I don't watch hockey. I think my dad's more happy with you, though, that in shock, after a woman, the title of the family to me already, so are you and your your dad and kidneys has talked about how he liked you know the islanders when he was a kid he's from queens three steps ahead of shaq: I'm not much for three steps dug up islanders, rangers fan and then I kind of moved away from it. That was edo. Stop it. I was that was eilers of fame to the point. But my question is, you know, fought for it When I always watch the game of hockey, I go. What is the biggest skill? Is it the skating to get there or the stick to make it good? I think

they didn't know way that wasn't patronising or embarrassing. They did it in a way that was funny and interesting. Like shit. pretending he was going to get up and fight barkley. Our law just knocked the hell out of you and only get two minutes shack, because one time they might give me a five minute major, but I will learn to slap the hell out of you on a show one day and he says chuck you're not going to be on the air for two minutes. Would you do to make you doing? No? No, no! No! No! No! No! Not up to move the data. It was like my dad's years there there was, one time I remember working on a hockey broadcast and we someone on. They weren't from the hiv. Let's put it that way, We were really condescending. Blame myself for not speaking up or in the moment because You have a duty when someone comes on your show and their guest on your shawl.

it's a really sensitive, a controversial topic that demands that you go after them. I think you should treat them. Research fully and properly, and this was not a situation that that deserved anything like that. It always bothered me when it was over that I didn't say more about this was years ago, that didn't say more about how we handle it and was a thing about that. I really light. Is the shack was funny about and smith ass, a good question about even there. Clearly, not big fans like that speaks to me. professionalism of the tea anti group Jeff that they like you know what this is our property and one of the things that the anti guys were telling me is: they ve never had the nba final. This is the This time they have had a major league final, This is a huge deal to them. Their very excited to have the stamp cup final, and I thought that the shot, in kenya, smith in barkley, in

johnson of them surprise. They showed real respect to the gas. Didn't I thought could chuck delivered as he would cause. That's just the way. He's wired I came away with from that peace with could shock. What's up. This is a guy that has the potential to be bigger than the game, and I've never thought that about Matthew could check until that moment I've always thought you know what he's gonna be hockey big it. I was gonna norman love em in hockey. I think he's a personality that has the potential to be bigger than that it was seamless with him on that panel. Now to your point. A lot of it was about that pan and oh professional ungracious. They are, but I came away from that san disguise the potential our personality, that's bigger than the game itself, and go outside of hockey. Never thought about chocolate charcoal. Until I saw him in that moment, I There are guys who can do that at its a lot of guys in this lee. Who can do that magical because the right person at the right time.

Sometimes in life, it's all about timing, Jeff this the right person at the right time like this people are marking the stanley cup final. It's either vegas dallas in florida well matthew chuck is embracing the moment. It's fantastic like them, I've thought about this, I think this has achieved. to be in This could really blow up in my face in two weeks, so if you like to see things blob on my face, this could go in ice cold. Take or freezing cold old cold takes starring, Elliot Friedman, This all determines on the viewing numbers- the united states, if gets great numbers. This could be a changing series in the energy. We ve never had a stanley cup final like this. No, never, whether its vegas or dallas against florida

We ve never had a final like this before so this is either gonna go boom or it's gonna go bust and evict was boom. It's gonna be a great thing for hockey. it shock is seizing the moment Let's talk about someday, we probably put off long enough here. First of all, congratulations to team canada for winning gold, the double hf rural hockey championships. They be germany by a final score of five to do so. The jury grab. The silver I'll althea just really quickly before we get to latvia, and I want to pick some time a latvia, I'm really help For me, ludlow judge, I really p formula luge, because he's heard a lot about his game and a lot about himself in the last few years, Annie's heading into a summer of uncertainty. About his career, and I know a lot of people in a reason: eyebrow ismail, looted doing on on team. Can the world championships that power

I know we're going to make a lot about the Adam fan till the goal that we saw last week was a gorgeous goal as a great pass by milan Lujan. You know afterwards fan until he talked about how he no grew up. watching him and what a thriller was to get a pass from movies, pretty special. I grew up. art and lose my entire life, I would have gone and I, as a british, real feeling, you asked why you why did astronomy, and you said you love learning from older guys. What have you? in this parliament so far, but in the words I mean I learned so much off the ice and in the locker room and how to fit in with with guys of that age guys have that skill level and how they practice their their game habits. I think everything's, just elevated when you get to this kind of level and they're able to teach me a lot. In that sense. before team canada, I'm happy for the coaches in the managers and everything, but I'm elliot, really be from Milano judge in this one

That's a great point. I think. When you look up and down that line up in You see a lot of players on teams that had really tough here, As you mentioned, Lucy's scott, and philly tough year. Yes to fall we, although he always seems happy anyway Sammy play really tough here in new york trade, back saint louis, weaker, solve your tyler myers, like that, was the guy who really jumped out to me the most So all these guys, who had really hard seasons, you go away with a good feeling go into your summer bitter you go into your summer feeling really good about yourself and I like that I am happy for them as people. And then you may should eventually and one of the real great sub lots of the world's was

antillean, LEO carlsson, and I gotta tell you: I've got a real choice. There, big time, like those, Both players that really showed well fantasy. I thought got stronger as the tournament when I he looked more confident karlsson was their number one centre he's got a real, tough called me. There's no question about that. So Michael car coney was the leading scorer the age of the season with eighty five points in sixty five games get nine games and the nhl I heard he really wanted as great a year as he was having in the end last in the age our last year. He wanted more of an age l shot Well, someone's gonna. Look at that and they're gonna say I was happy for him quantum both golly. I think in particular, yet no here good year in montreal, but they were not even close to anything, so he had such the spring

out of her way and the season like, oh, I was just J J Peterka, germany, I thought rocco grimaldi a guy who's been trying to resuscitate his jaw career a bit. He had a big tournament. no. The biggest winners of all were probably latvia, and I know you're gonna talk about them and say second, but I just want to mention like some of those names, people, didn't have easy years. There are people out there complaining about the quality of this tournament. On some level, I like that so the guys who are the big winners. I, like the people, were of years. Now return home at the end of may and they feel really good about themselves. I like that, a law, yet that a lot too- and I know that some Usa went home without a metal, and I want to get too to a story that involves them here. In a couple of moments, and that's three involves latvia loud It goes home with the bronze and you

when we talk about latvia before what we ve had conversations of latvia before and hockey and latvian hockey and in one of my hockey dreams, to go either to our world hockey championship which have never been to or just to go see hockey in latvia gotta go to riga, to see hockey just because the food and experience to me seems like the best in the world. Those fans are happy. Just to be part of hockey and what a glorious thing that is like there, too can win their happy. Thirteen canoe there's still happy. It doesn't matter just so happy to be involved in hockey. At whatever level I was just and I think we all were- I mean just thrilled to see the law funds a get a metal.

in that overtime, winter and the joy sought out all the wage large out there I says, but has made it may be, as iran is not always as far as these gave cosmetic go get their data. God has made its arms. They please, god. And went berserk, the players went crazy. It was wonderful and like right away. My my head, wonder fewer from places elliot and I went to a lot of whenever a moment like this- you think of all the players that have gone before that happens. In all lay the foundation done glorious things. But ultimately, you know

I turned home empty handed and I thought Where's like sand is always a lunch. Was the only latvian to ever lift the stanley cup with the colorado avalanche figure players today, leg, teddy blogger or players lags m discouraging soon or elvis, mors lincoln's or delete my teeth. Give lennox people like this. And archers ervay, who I think we all fell in love with during his carolina hurricanes rendered the stanley cup final casper dog ovens the dog. They use the column, careless grass since, like so much players that I thought of, but one really stood out to me and that's I'm at bald heiress? Now while there is played for a lot of those soviet national teams he's from riga- glorious hockey player any child fans never got to see the best of helmut, bold heiress. He led the add the soviet league in scoring twice yes, maybe three times and play

on dynamic, riga and victor taken off. You know once famously threatened. while there is by saying, if you don't come play for the red army will never take you on any of our national teams. When we or two other world championships or the olympics, and most notably early placid in nineteen eighty, and so you, relented and and playing on the red army team, in maybe the most historic hockey game of all time, Usa beats the soviet union, but there is was, was on that team and He was the only player on the losing team to skate over to the american bench to shake brooks his hand and congratulate him on what was an historic victory, skated overt! american bench to sit congratulations from rigour to lake placid, maybe

classes gesture of the tire. Nineteen, eighty lake placid hockey experience never thought on how but there is one of the foundation makers of of latvian hockey. When you were mentioned to the store. I do remember a ball darras. Have these battles with the russians because of his heritage. Will you came over to the EL as a player in minnesota. I remember that story being told, and I agree I remember him as a great international player. Unfortunately, came over here he was dying, but so I looked up a book, boys of winter, by wing, coffee and in that wayne coffee rights. The ball darras was warned not do this in front of were taken off, could see. that's a handshake, the s. Ok, Voltaire said of his coach quote.

He can go shit in his pass up up up up up up up up there is by the way Part of some very unique trivia: nineteen, eighty nine- that's the met centre- draft mats undine goes first overall first european player to go first overall in the aid shall and helmut bold darras get drafted. the twelfth round by the minnesota, nor stars at the age of thirty six he's the oldest drafted a player of all time anyway. These are just some of the players that I think of, and congratulations to. Latvia. Congratulations. Latvian hockey vans one other thing as I was listening to their remind me in that archers ervay, am I think people forget the first olympics. Recovered was two thousand to salt. Lake city knew any view remember them. You're hockey nations went with their full players, but some of the

other players that went like slow. yeah and latvia they were not allowed to take their full crew of any jailers. As In fact, those nhl players, I think We're only allowed to play. I think one of the three preliminary games also, if I remember with ervay He got upset about it now, archers, There was a great interview and a very outspoken guy. He was a member of the nhl players, association bargaining committee during two thousand and four and five and people told me that he very staunch in his beliefs. If he took a position, they say it in a bad way. They said he was honest. He would say this is my position. I will defend it to the end, but in two thousand and two. He he wanted to play in some of those preliminary games for latvia.

and he wasn't allowed too is a matter of fact he was. The given permission by carolina to play in one of the games and The league overturned it. They said. No, We made a deal only one of these three games in the preliminary round. An earth I told the story at the alive it's about how he had a phone call with batman about it, and he told look like this is the deal we made. You can't any more than we agreed to, and if Do there could be assessed? engine involved an early was furious about it and he wasn't the only any cello from those countries. Like. I think the key policy had a situation where he wanted to play. slovakia but seem reason the kings wooden leg. play, but I remember interviewing ervay about it at the olympics in just how upset he was about that situation, that all the big hockey countries All their players could come and there would be

no problem, because their games started after the preliminary around, but all these nations who really needed there in a jealous they couldn't go, and it always were telling that story about our bay. I remembered that that's when he one years ago, Sorry, if I'm off on a little bit of the details, but you're right about her bay. Like I remember that two decades ago, I know how much this would mean in you. you I said this too about the last decade. Is yours, which fan of a team or a country for your lifetime at some in time. We should be rewarded and it's great to see these latvian hockey and rewarded in this way. That's probably a great segue elliott, to talk about our guest on today's podcast. Soon we had a conversation with about two weeks ago. He is the senior executive vp of media and international strategy at the national hockey league. He is david proper and and as we ve talked about a couple of times he may have

the coolest job. In the end I shall Elliot. Do you wanna? Do on a free hand, this one as you try to describe, would proper does and if you could, if you can sharpen the point more so then he try. a fine cool places. The hosts hockey games go for it, good job a stop. I could do that. I think flying around the world is trying to find great places, the how's hockey he say a leading force behind the global series, and he's one of the main people responsible for the nhl heading to australia for preseason games in september in the los angeles kings and the arizona, coyotes and sinclair conversation with david problem.

David proper. First of all, thank somewhat for joining us here on the pod cast. You are the any child, senior executive of media and international strategy, but as I've been told, you may have the coolest job in the hockey world and I'm gonna droll this down in a ham fisted way, and you can fill in the blanks and coloured and properly Essentially one of the main things a you do is flawed, two exotic locales to find a place to make the any child fit we're gonna get to australia here, and I can, but some it does sound like pretty much cool is job in the initial american allied David. Well, first Thanks for having me it's great to see you guys, every job has it says its challenges, but it is a really fun thing to do. It's fun to travel, but it's also fun. People really want to see the nature. We ve got a lot of great fan. internationally and it's a lot of fun to get to interact with them and really see how we can grow the sport are. Yours

two favoured words site survey. Two favorite words really probably focused more on the dinners than the site survey, but now I hear you look we're there. Are two places we ve been that we actually haven't played that just in a chance to see the arena stuffs come along, but it's fun. It's not gonna lie it's a lot of fun. Australia is really interesting to me, and I have to old. Our guys that I expect to be part of the traveling party for australia, but you can opened up a door there, and I'm wondering tell us in places where you ve, been to the jail hasn't been yet they could be on the right are somewhere down the road. I have hoped I'll, give you but first of all and some of them you probably would a guest anyway. But mexico is certainly one that we ve been taking a closer look at what we have been. At some of the other. key nations that aren't the the big ones like in terms of size like Latvia,

playing in riga, playing in bratislava, definitely look going back to london and then we ve looked in some places like in the Middle east, in asia just really a lot of people are interested in bringing an hiv hockey I am the first of all. As you know, it's a great sport and it's a lot of fun and but beyond that, you, Essen, canadian sports cell internationally. draw. Even it places you wouldn't expect David! I'm I'm curious. What does it take for a country, a city to get on the eggshells radar gray question? I made it does depend on each circumstanced, so the thing we're looking for is. Is there an opportunity here and whether that opportunities to grow hockey or grow the any jail and our brand? That's what we have to assess. So you look at a place like sweden. Obviously, that's kind of an obvious one right lots of saki outliers from sweden. We know we're gonna sell, its we're, really looking to grow the any and help to grow hockey there. But if you look,

australia, we've been looking at australia for almost a decade now I have conversations with a lot of different people from there that have wanted us to come out since, as as early as two thousand and fourteen, and really what's happened. Is it's taken a lot of time for us to get comfortable that that opportunity could work for us? We have to talk to a lot of potential answers in media partners, we had to talk to the people that randy infrastructure for her He and I saw you straight line and the new zealand saki federation. We really had to get ourselves comfortable it if we were going to commit the pudding games there, that there was a long term growth plan, and so that's it. Interesting one, where we really dug deep into that project and another one really doing that with right now is mexico were really digging in to see whether that opportunity exists in a real, meaningful way for us. your david, it's interesting! You bring that up, because one of the I dont know if it's a complaint, but I would say that one of the questions I get about how to make any job better internationally is we go in, for

aims, and then we leave. What we doing to make sure that there is infrastructure. Are we opening offices? Are we making sure, there's leagues, things like that? Will we see offices internationally? Is that the kind of thing you're talking about here? is really a salient point because The circus comes to town is a way to make money, but it's not a way to grow a business, and we see it allowed in all sports and me, you see a lot of sports to come here. It's the same way, you, game here, but if you don't follow it up with things that helped to grow the sport, it really does matter so you ve got a pretty large group of people here that focus on things that have nothing to do with the games in europe. or anywhere internationally so First thing we do is trying to establish relationship whatever the hockey infrastructure is, whether its essence indicated as in europe, with a double hf in the federations and in the swedish or finnish leagues and so forth, or even much less sophisticated, like we dealt with in a place like china

what we ve managed to do. Is we build from there and starting to build the grass roots piece of it than we bring in a lot of programmes that we ve created over the last twenty years? That have worked here in some of the markets that were nontraditional hockey markets We tailor them for each individual market and the ideas we get the game to introduce people to get them excited in addition to at the guy we follow it up with work, closely on creating all these events and grass roots price, jackson one of the things we started this year, for example, as a hockey day in an you know, hockey day in Canada. You know hockey day in the usa. We do hockey day now we did hockey day in Finland this year, where we got twenty thousand but a come out and watch a game on the video rogers game I believe the game and we had a whole bunch of activation surrounded, and it was just a really good chance for families to come out and engage with hockey the idea was then that the local team also got involved and tried to recruit, kids to play and so on and so forth. So there's a lie. Two things that go on

another really good example. Somewhat staff marked black put together a programme to introduce street hockey interferes ed programme in each of these countries, so trying to get them to put a too week program. You know they did two weeks of basketball. in soccer and dancing and wrestling, and now we ve tried to convince- and we ve got that two over I believe, the last number I had was over five hundred thousand students in china. Wow we're had that in their phys ed system. So these are all things that have to follow up games are really just what everybody seas, It's all the hard work that kind. It's all the duck paddling underneath the water that doesn't get seen as much it's probably as or more critical, So in Australia, what kinds of things had to happen before you said? Yes, the fur thing we had to know- was that if we went there, there was some demand for hockey in some demand to see our games and that we became very confident early on that australia. Just a phenomenal sports country.

they love all sports, but they do love north american sports that the baseline. We got past that pretty quickly, but what we, see was that most of the sports that went there are a lot of the sports that went there were unable to maintain a real business afterwards, with anything other than that you get the money they made it. The games- and that's we spent a lot of time working within as we got deeper. conversations with sponsors and media partners and and very activation, follow up in terms of people that would actually try to grow hockey we started to get more commitments and, as we got commitments that were sort of tied to us, showing our commitment by playing a game, when we started to feel comfortable that we could actually grow. Something here, if the things that I really like about the global series- and I I I think I said I'm- I'm not in the minority on this one. I think that everybody understands- and this goes back decades- that you know there's a wealth of opportunity internationally

for dna shall hear. But one of the reasons why I really like the global series and anytime me any child gets involved in europe or or this case elsewhere in australia, It shines a light on the local hockey culture to tell you this aki culture is different from country too, for you mention latvia a couple of seconds ago, those fans man, latvian fans are a different breed, a cat all together. You know when I first found out that the energy was going to Austria, pick up a book that I read years ago back and like two thousand fifteen, two thousand and sixteen is written by a a hockey player turned writer, I name of will brody and he wrote a book called reality check and it's a history of not just australian ice hockey, but it's also chronicles one year in the australian professionally two thousand and fourteen two thousand and fifteen. They talks a lot about how the

sure is different than is in the united states, or canada mentions how, and although the first organised game was played, nineteen o six in melbourne, which a bunch of a local skaters and also the men who were but who are serving on the? U s, s baltimore. I happened to pass hawk having ended in a one one tie, but it It really sort of shines a light on this idea that no hockey three different everywhere you go and we cannot get these horse blinders, sometimes at well. Ultra the uninstall- presents that's hockey, culture, capping see, but it's not how employ and is it for the any child, not just to bring the any, shall hockey culture to another country, but also shine a light on how they're doing it there I have Jeffrey articulated that really well in terms of how we have to look at this one. We when we go into a particular market. The fact is when we're playing a game. What the fuck, we want and what we ve been told repeatedly as they want to see in a nutshell game in their markets.

let's just say we're playing in Sweden. They don't want to see us create a game that looks like a swedish ocular game. They want to come and when it's the toronto against minnesota, they want to see what Randal game would be like if they went to scotia back and so the one of the things that we have to focus on what the games then, what have to do is embraced the culture, and we do that by I do involve the law the community in the games in the surrounding events that we have. When you to the australia games or the sweden games, and just tell me who I have to talk to. I will make sure that happens where get a chance and you'll see that really what happens is we build out a game that is a hybrid and following the game really about how much to some degree, the federation and the leagues wanna embrace what we do so we ve had instances where we were originally looked upon as all this is the end h come in trying to take our business. Try now you know

part of the pie and when we laugh they and we worked with him afterwards, we show them that no will. All we ve done is just try to in a brighter light on hockey noughts you I now have these fit people that, hopefully wanna watch hockey that we can play a game where every day, and they started targeting those fans, and lo and behold, we start to see, fan growth and though the kinds of things that you as you can well guess he grows anywhere. It's good for the unequal if Jeff is a big ball hockey guy huge, and he talks a lot about that and there's remember interviewing johnny Oduya and he talked about roller hockey and andrew ference. As a big ball hawk, I get a stick in everyone's hands. When you talk about the footprint you leave behind, does it have to be a an ice, hockey's footprint or A hockey footprint because building rings obviously would seem to me to be the biggest question about ice hockey,

yet depends on the market, obviously, but a place like australia. They don't have a ton of hockey ranks and you ve gotta, build it with with balky, would ST? Ah, he have to no other way to do it. Unless you want to really micro target and just get a small group of people you gotta get dixon the hands you gotta get them playing a game. All of our activation stood around our games. And if you ve ever been too rod labour arena facility in the EU open facility. There's gonna be a lot of spots for us to do a lot of ST hockey activation and that's the plans a lot of australian kids just to try it? We believe luckily seen seemed inaction. Kid start to play. They start to place treatment. They start to want to buy skates they'll start to want to learn all the other thing. Follow behind in terms of the people will build ice hockey ranks and if there's people that want to engage on themselves, look it's not a short process. It's a long process to grow from a very small based to a large base, but you have to start somewhere,

That's kind of australia, where an earlier place, but a place sweden. We can focus even more on ice simply because they have the facilities to do it, but we still focus a lot on street hockey. Have you demanded that than walker be temporarily loaned to other the king, the coyotes for five days or, however long there go if we have brokered a trade, not You know I think Jordan spence's on the the kings, and hopefully he gets to go on the trip, but what we found, is guys ethnic than walker. Talking about the game and being excited about the game is helpful. Do we ultimately hoped take and walked on one of these games? Absolutely le. We love to bring players back to their home countries. Just didn't work out for this one, but I would fully says in the future there will be something we look very carefully at the keys.

You're going to labour and I've never been there, but certainly I've seen it. I know what it looks like. How do you do how big the ceding is going to be. How do you go through you just gotta run a budget I mean is the simple answer is there's a certain amount that these games don't make us money for the most? These are investments, and so there's some size words just two small either, which is very difficult to justify and make it work we usually looking to run a budget. It's you, we can usually me, something work at around eleven thousand. But you places like the altar prague or arena cologne where you talkin eighteen ten thousand, but for the most part, european or even international arenas I was talking you're, not as big as they are and in north america, and so we have make it work with. You know, a lot of other activation surrounded, drank, generate value cures, we're picking the tea We heard for a while the bruins we're gonna be involved in.

think a lot of us when we heard that we were like boy. That's a big tough asked for them to go. We're on the world and then come back. First of all, we This gets out. Will teams call you and say you guys go the teams ordered team call you and so We want to be part of this. It's a little bit above most the time. It'll, be it a board of governors meeting. I have the honour of president come up to me and say: hey, you know what, if you, if you really are going here, we'd like be a part of that, but more often than not what we do is we try to run the analysis of where we're going in what teams make the most sense on a lot of different levels and will reach, to those teams. So if you look, for example at at this, If teams in the teams that are going there, you can probably put a reasonable link as to why we took each of those four teams based on their histories. Their alumni and their current players and ended all kind of its together in a logical sense. What makes australia so different. Is that really that?

of what we were focusing on. There was the travel component. how to make it any easier trip and first one out of the box in the first time, we're playing in australia to try and make it as easy as possible. For what is going to be a long flight anyway and then like like we were talking about before, if in the long run, were able to then switch that into now. We can see focusing on australia the way we do with sweden and bring back players and alumni and things like that, that's where will we will turn to eventually our place? it's generally very excited when they hear this, like, like I said when I heard for the first time for australia, I was like I want to go how to play. React to this stuff pretty over the mountain, we others two types of reactions right first, there's the players who are from a country and you I won't forget, for a long time, we called up the national predators about playing in switzerland to play. Learn where roman yossi played growin up We grew up

and I got back a call. That said, we spoke to roman and the answer you have from us as if you don't take us you're gonna have a big problem so So they are the players all want to go home, they wanna play in their home markets and that's a great thing, but then there's the flip side of it, which is what you're sick you're talking about with Australia, which is some of these exe France's are just unique: sir twice in a lifetime. Experiences that you get to go and take part in I think a lot of players look at it from that perspective and say this is something I'm getting to do that I might not otherwise get to do, but the other It's really figured in nicely for us we ve had a lot of gems and coaches afterwards come back and say these games these trips have turned out to be really good, bonding experiences. The players altogether they're kind of forced to be together in a unique environment and so we Actually I mean a great example. Was the

the lightning in their stanley cup ring actually have a little homage to their stockholm trip. and they sort of say that many of you Ask them they'll tell you that's trip. Them together, and they felt like that was the launching board to their run to the stanley cup championship that year. Yo David. The only thing I ever here as a complaint, I think it's a mild complaint- is simply that I know with the avalanche this year and a couple of times said going to finland in the middle of the year and then go all the way back it just, a long time for them to recover, I think they did. They love the trip. I think they had Awesome time I just wonder how much you guys look at wins the optimal placed time to send them. It's a great question because We struggle with not only when but then to send them. How do we set up a schedule, so we work. closely with Steve hot to paper. I am sure you know, and his group on putting together a schedule the up we look for

days. We look how to put the flights in inland white puts together the flights to train Get all work so that we have a circumstance where its the best travel experience at these guys can have, and hopefully the best rest ultimately try to engage with they have sleep experts in all that we try to put the best model we can together, but at the end of it. It is a trip to to europe, and you know you gotta kind of kind of deal with that component grin and bear it. It's really tough, I'm not going to phrase it that way, but I will tell you that you hope that if jim to three days off on the back and I'll, be ok, australia, litter from the recovery from an australia trip is a little different. That's why we do that. Even right at the beginning? The breeze isn't she but still, I think everybody would want to would want to go on that. So because city I've always wondered liquid. You play that like as tax, would it be out door like what are you thinking with that? So, let's put it, this way. We would never start by

the bite off something as big as an outdoor game in azteca care of a hundred thousand people at, and what is that two thousand feet ere the I see a lot of incredible international soccer there, so that would be an outstanding site that would be really cool. I will tell you candidly: we are looking at outdoor games in europe when we think we can pull that off, but they are we played so many games and done it pretty six fully so far that we feel like ok, the next step we could take and we ve been looking at that, but I would say, is mexico in the first offing? Is gonna, be a very lonely difference with mexico for us as its uneasy trip? we can do that is a february game and just get a road trip for two teams to play. A back to back in mexico Not nearly the same kind of travel issues is that getting close. Yes, I would say it's getting close. I would not say that we are prepared to tell you it's in the next year or anything like that. We ve had a lot of very good conversations. We have

couple more like I, as you can tell from my conversation about Australia, we have a cup more conversations. We have to get our heads around, but for the first time there feels like there's enough momentum there to taken too the conversation in a way that makes me optimistic, friction I love the lake tahoe game and there were some logistical challenges that happened, but I'm I have always felt that take the chance are any more like that that are gonna being talked about unique locate, hence the outdoor game in Europe. Your thing, yes, because of some of the places that have come to us and tell me more well, I mean we ve talked to the number of the major stadiums in london occur. Or in germany, and That would be an incredibly iconic than if we could. now pull something like that off I wouldn't say that- were necessarily close on those, but we could,

it work on me, one of the things that we spent a lot of time, investing in and Steve's done. This is well is putting together the ability to build our own ranks so there, We ve got companies that we work with now also in europe that we are able to put together ranks were building our own rincon, Australia, there's no! ice hockey infrastructure and rod labour, the whole things being. down there and being built and we pull that often networks is as well as we all think it will not opens up a whole of opportunities, including a place like mexico? The authors it seems to me all tat. Effort. I didn't say anything up while I mean I, just as it is just like a In being what I mean what's your dream, David when you're? comes were used where you walk away from this all and say:

it's my time to let someone else have this job or time to retire whatever. That is. Where do you want to say we put a game I mean I gotta play. Australia was on the list until we actually we ve accomplished. Let me we gotta, do it still, but were basically there, I'm a big soccer fan and then, for a long time, there's always been a part of me. The thought wembley would be just a really cool place to have again the new wembley as just stay at such an iconic place. All trafford is we in the conversation, I love the new tottenham marina. Those are all like just incredible. beyond that. I don't know I be interesting to see if we could actually put a game and in an really draw from a region that isn't normally a hockey region again? Middle EAST is one it's like that or africa where what, if we ever do a game there and really see what something could drive

that would be a credible incredible. Somewhat envious of what the nba is able to do in some of the games that they do and try and and the place they go in and they ve got I know they would never agree with us, but it's a little easier for them to put on a game that it is for us in terms of getting the arena set up but those two things to seem like they would be so much fun and such ay unbelievable opportunity to grow This might be a really dumb question, but I'm going to ask me anyway: have you thought of taking in each l teams were players to the middle east or africa and have them play ball hockey or roller hockey instead of ice hockey. Who know, we haven't an interesting idea. I don't know that. I don't know my team. would feel about us taking players to do something like that, but I could- hagen alumni and things are in, and people like that and doing things like there's an interesting thought final, one for you, dear reserving I haven't asked you that you would want to say or include first of all,

It's not gonna, surprise you that this is very much. like I said this is a lot of hard work to get to what is ultimately turns out to be, and that's true of any hockey game, even here in north america and other so much work goes into it to get it there, but once you at their it's really rewarding I'll. Tell you one things that I really enjoy first, you love seeing the fans in Sweden, for example, or in prague, go to a game. but there is also some really fawn about seeing a fan travels with the team all the way over to see a game there. I realise that a big thing to do But man is it or is it a fun thing for a fan to get to see their team play and foreign country get a tour? The country, sir, as we able to take over a city really just get me a part of that ends not trying to sell anything in that regard. But I am saying that's just the unique experience I've had the eye He was very underrated and one that I would encourage or listeners to try if they get a chance.

Whether it's our sport or anything else, it's just a great way to experience a foreign culture, have you kept any keepsake or souvenir anything like that is of particularly meaningful to you when we in China, in order to get any time in china is trying to work with. the cctv which is the big television. Yes on network there, and so we had been talking to them for a long long time and in it at all and when we fight We agree to play games there. We started to get some real traction with them and we came for a meeting and if you ve ever seen their building and if you haven't, go and look it up online, they call it the pants building because it looks like a giant para pants so they they gave me a glass model of that which I keep because I always feel like us. Getting on cctv was incredible amount of work and, frankly, who to thank hockey would be on the major chinese network.

but then it's also an incredible like keepsake in the sense that people walk in and have no idea what that is when they say the picture, and it leads to just the interesting stories of those meetings. That's a good one. That's good, that's great stuff. Fighting I keep all my press passes a things. I've just picked up, over the years at eames, and it's not the x did stuff that you always remember. It's the surprise, stuff that you always remember, and ex with you yeah end the ones that bring back that that sort of flood of memories, of something that you're just. I still don't believe. I got to experience that kind of thing David. We really appreciate your time. Thank you so much. This was excellent elliott. This was great, really good to see again, and I really had a good time. Gonna get to see australia, hopefully I hope so too. I'm I'm threatening to quit over its own, hoping that the only thing I'm worried about is that they accept my resignation and say: ok, you can leave now,

Will you just tell me you have to talk too much like a after all that the best way pike asked his by saying rigour is you win your first ever metal at the world championships you deserve. To have an unequal game from now on. That is the rule. I like that especially as long as we can go. The way you think. Thank you. Thank you. I I a day somehow need approve of that. I take it as our today. A six peace banned from lancing Michigan little bring their pulsating energy and a taste of motown to a state near you soon, Joe hurt learned the rainbow seekers. That is a great name, A group of multi instrumental assume began their journey eight years ago, since there is option? The ban is waste for albums plated several festivals, found a unique sounded caters for their lives, show

their single here's, Joe hitler and the rainbow seekers with

what I want. Some thirty two thoughts upon again congratulate here, I'll give a divided.