Mike Rupp breaks it all down: First-round previews, Logan Couture says goodbye and Magazine Dreams.

Following a huge announcement about the pod, Adnan Virk and Jason Demers break down some first-round matchups. Then former player and NHL Network colleague Mike Rupp engages JD in a spirited, mostly non-violent debate about Gabriel Landeskog and shares memories of Alex Ovechkin and the Danbury Trashers. Finally, Jason discusses his former teammate Logan Couture and Adnan reviews Jonathan Majors in Magazine Dreams.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:04):
NHL Unscripted is a production of the NHL and iHeart
podcasts Massive News. Here in NHL Unscripted, that's right Milestone
day as this is episode number twenty. But more importantly, JD.

(00:26):
Much like an NHL player double shifting come playoff time
short shifts, we're also double shifted. We're going to twice
a week or at NHL Unscripted. Give it to me.
What do you got, come out to be a better
name me a better James Hetfield. I'll hang up and listen.
We are ready to rock. Come on Mondays and Thursdays. Buddy.

(00:48):
This is gonna be awesome. And obviously we're gonna be
locked in. Maybe not as many guests, that's fine. You know,
players are actually busy in the NHL playoffs, but we'll
have retired players and of course we'll have strong opinions,
will be all over the hockey. This is gonna be great, man,
We're gonna be locked in the next couple of months.
Can't wait.

Speaker 2 (01:01):
Oh yeah, it's gonna be so. I feel like it's
such an exciting playoff this year because you know, a
lot of the normal names that we typically see, you know,
the Bruins, the Penguins they're all out. The Rangers they're gone,
they out, So we're gonna have some new blood.

Speaker 1 (01:13):
Exactly, we're gonna talk with the playoff matchups that we
do know on today's episode. Plus, the great Mike Rupple
joined us. Rubbers one of our favorites obviously at NHL.
Neverk He's a great guy, great storyteller. He'll tell us
why he once told Jody Shelley he was irrelevant, Plus
his thoughts on this NHL season. Rubber is always a
good time. I gotta tell you Jady Edmonton's well, as
you know having played there. It's an awesome arena. Rogers

(01:34):
Place is awesome. It's a great place to watching him.
The fans are awesome. But a snooze fest. I endured
on the finale of the inaugural season of Pome Late
at Hockey and just an awful game. Let's be honest,
nine regulars missing it of Edmonton's line, including David Dryslottle,
the Kings lock up home ice and as you look
at this series specifically, I'm gonna be honest me, I
kind of I'm kind of leaning Kings to win this series.

(01:54):
Fourth time. Perhaps is a charm. What do you got?

Speaker 2 (01:56):
Oh man, this is tough. And you know, somebody just
asked me and they're like, what do you guys think
of you know, ask me, what did I think of
the oilers and games ago? I said, probably they're going
to be the Kings. Ever since then, it just just
not felt right. Something feels off with not only the injuries,
and you know, McDavid just came out and said, you know,
we're not a walking you know, medical unit or whatever

(02:18):
he said, whatever the the phraseers. He says, we're gonna
be ready to go. But it just doesn't The vibes
are off. I've been saying it's been a couple of
weeks now, the vibes do not feel right. The Kings
look like they're primed to go better goaltending this year.
This is the best defensive team in the league. If
there's a team that can shut down Connor McDavid, Leon
Drey said, you know, it's definitely the Kings. And now

(02:39):
they got whole ice, the best home ice team in
the league, and I just feel like they have so
many things going for them to finally get over that hump.

Speaker 3 (02:46):
Now.

Speaker 2 (02:46):
I don't know what the Kings are gonna do after
round one, but I think my pick is probably in.
I think the Kings in seven, maybe six. You know,
even if they get healthy the Oilers, and I think
they will. This is a team that battles hard, and
you know, they played through so many injuries last year.
It just doesn't feel like there's enough going for them.
Even in NATS too. They don't even know what their

(03:08):
goaltending situation is going to be. Stuart Skinner was hurt
for eight games, comes back, you know, kind of thrown
to the Wolves their last game against the Kings, and
you know.

Speaker 1 (03:16):
They Calvin Pickard played last night. Didn't take Piclary, Well.

Speaker 2 (03:19):
It was Pickard, Yeah, okay, it was Pickered last night. Okay,
it wasn't Skinner. I thought Skinner was in for the
Kings game. My bad there, that's me watching too much hockey.
But yeah, uh, Stuart Skinner versus Calvin Pickard, who do
you start? Chris Nablock came out and said, you know,
whoever's going is going to get the start, and don't.
I just don't know. It's just I think the King's
got too much going for him, and maybe I'm gonna

(03:40):
look like an asshole here and you know Edmonton's gonna
sweep him again. But I just don't think it. I
don't think it's the case this year. I just think
it's too many changes in the offseason. It's just they
haven't found their groove for a long period of time
and they don't have that magic that they had last year.
So I'm gonna say, yeah, Kings, and it's the King's time.

Speaker 1 (03:59):
I think it makes me think of the four NBA
Finals the Pistons beat the Lakers. One of the best
signs there. It said a full house beats a pair
of vases. You know, back that it was Shaq and
Kobe and the Pistons, which collectively Chauncy Bubbs for Pamplet
et cetera, which is to say, the Kings have the
collective better team. And I'm glad you mentioned Kemper. He's
neck and neck right now at Hellibuck for goals against average.
He's not gonna win the VESDA, but I think he's
gonna be a VESNA finalist. You mentioned the home I

(04:21):
switch we've talked about, which I was talking to some
of the Kings guys. They actually don't draw as well
as you might think. Talnos is being in LA, they're
actually like nineteenth or twentieth. Then tendants, I thought, oh,
they've got this rock as home crowd, like now there's
a twelve thousand Diarges. But they but they yeah, but
it's not like a crazy home crowd. But they played
exceptional on home, greater depth than Edmonton and particularly down
the middle. Now, we did talk to Jason Strudwick, former Oiler,

(04:42):
as you would appreciate an excellent defenseman six in our
games we played seven hundred. He got a beat. But
I asked Strutti, I said, what's the difference between this
year's Oilers team In the last he goes that the
previous Oilers teams were faster because they had more speed.
This team's got a theoretically a little bit more toughness grit,
he said, But we don't know if Frederick's gonna play.
That comes out, which is massive because that coming up
with the person one is massive, enormous. So he said,

(05:03):
you're really you're really relying so have always topic, but
it's even more so it's more pronounced. Expecting Drysal McDavid
to carry them. Now, the guy which has had been
injuries obviously the season Dujuen Hopkins. You know, six twenty
goal season. He hasn't been a stud. So I'm with you.
On paper, it feels like the Kings.

Speaker 2 (05:19):
Yeah, and you said it. I forgot to mention at
come being hurt for the first round is such a
huge blow. Now you really got to rely on a
Darnell Nurse who listen. I saw the video of that
from they had the camera inside the net. Yeah, and
it was not good. It wasn't good. But this just
adds fuel to the fire. I tell you what. The
one thing that this series is gonna be is gonna

(05:41):
be dirty. It's gonna be tough.

Speaker 4 (05:43):
You know.

Speaker 2 (05:43):
I love what Denno said about you know, they dressed
their B squad and then Corey Perry came out and
was like, what fuck do you expect? She's like, what
do you think? What do you think we can do?
He's like, look at our injury list. He's like, we
have to this is what we have to dress. And
I think something like that's going to piss off that team.
And so it's there's gonna be a lot on the line,
a lot of a lot of hard a lot of uh,
you know, a lot of pride in this series, and

(06:05):
you know, Edmonton can't go out in the first round.
It'll be devastating if they do. And the Kings can't
go out in the first round or they blow this
whole thing up.

Speaker 1 (06:13):
And it's interesting, you know with regards to this King's team,
like I don't think Jack Adams talks to say what
you're looking for today. But Jim Hiller is done a
great job coaching the team. They might be in the
mixing star has been a flows lots of great choices,
obviously Huskepteen Evanson, Marty Saint Louis, the Habs, get In Carbery,
obviously the Capitals. But I do think to your point
with the Kings and Oilers, that sense of nastiness like that,

(06:33):
that is something that is fun to think about because
Oilers have had their numbers so many times, as you said,
and when we ask Chris Knablock in the morning, what's
the series, and that come down to you because probably
special teams. This sounds like a made up statue d
but Jack Jack Michael, who calls the Oilers game set
it with authority. The Oiler's power play the last three
years against the Kings is forty eight percent. That is unbelievable.
So if the Kings just have some semblance of a

(06:56):
penalty kill, they should win this series.

Speaker 2 (06:58):
I remember, I think it was two years ago, their
power play was clipping at like sixty over six percent,
and you're like, and the games are all tight. I mean,
you could fucking keep one out. You're gonna they're gonna
sweep them. So, you know, if I think they've known,
you know, we've been saying it for like a month.
They've known now that they're playing the Oilers, So they
should be doing everything they can watching power play clips

(07:22):
and figuring out to design some new sort of penalty
kill that they can implement, because they just gotta. You know,
they get through Edmonton and listen, it's they this is
a big one for him. It's you know, it's funny
you equate this. I'm not saying. I'm not saying that
the Kings are anything close to the Chicago Bulls, but
it was like Chicago Bulls Detroit Piston's era, but they
just couldn't get past this one team. And I think

(07:44):
that is the big reason why they're gonna get by him,
is this means a lot more to them than it
does the Oilers. Not to say that the oilers doesn't
mean something to win a Cup, but this series, a
lot of these guys that have went through these losses
in these series are gonna be this is like, we
cannot lose this boys, Like the belief that we finally
got their number is going to be there. And I
think there's just been too much always in Edmonton and

(08:05):
it's just been a little too it's been too choppy.
You know, the water's been choppy all year. You hear it.
The the group just doesn't seem as tight as it
was last year, Like it seems like a little bit
of a distant group when you you you look at
the underlying you know, guys talk, all the guys they
brought and I just don't think it's geled. And and
you know, my biggest thing is you need chemistry if
you want to if you want to go far in

(08:26):
the playoffs, you get to have a team that loves
each other. And I just don't know if there's a
lot of love there.

Speaker 1 (08:30):
I'm with you. One last loot on Chris. Noblock tells
buddy Elliott Freeman last year called him Comato's Chris, which
he meant as a compliment because he's still calm, but
when he's talking, that's all him envisional. I'm like this guy,
his heartbeats at fifty five the entire time.

Speaker 2 (08:43):
He has zero. Now block does not have he doesn't
have a pulse. He must just go in the room.
He must just go in the room and like close
the door and just be like you start screaming into
a pill.

Speaker 1 (08:56):
Like he's that guy, like because he has no emotion,
just like where where do you bear the body?

Speaker 2 (09:01):
Just where do you bear? You see him in a
car in the parking lot after they get just shaking
the wheel.

Speaker 1 (09:07):
His demeanor's hilarious. We're gonna go through these other stories.
I'll be honest, I don't really care about the stories,
So I'm giving you a one minute.

Speaker 2 (09:13):
To talk about it.

Speaker 1 (09:13):
Devils and Hurricanes, two teams, haven't met since a back
to back December twenty seventh and twenty eighth. They've split
their four meetings this season. Now the team looks impressive.
Devils are missing Jack Hughes. I really couldn't care less.
What do you got? Knes and six?

Speaker 2 (09:26):
Here's the thing I was looking I was just looking
at that before. Don't we went on New Jersey Devils
have one of the better power plays in the NHL.
With or without Jack Hughes. They're also top five in
the league in goals against. Markstrom can steal a couple
of games. This is gonna get super interesting. And I
think there's a lot more pressure on the Carolina Hurricanes

(09:48):
in the New Jersey Devils. I think everybody's been talking
this is a hard matchup. This is a hard matchup.
The Hurricanes have been known to dry up offensively. And
I'm not just saying that. I listen. I root for
Jordan Martinook. He's a fan of Unscripted. I want to win. Yeah,
I want him to and I want that you know
that team. I think there's some guys that are deserving

(10:08):
to get past this, this Devil's team. But man, Devils
are gonna take this game. This series is like Bolted.
This whole series and the lead up is like ouh,
they're done. It's gonna be over, I know, afterthought, afterthought,
they go on to Carolina and they steal a game.
It is gonna get super interesting. And if Jacob Markstrom
can be the guy that they paid for, he can

(10:28):
steal some games. I don't know him against Freddie Anderson.
I listen at times that the Devils, Yeah, I do,
and and honestly, I just think it's something interesting with
that power play. Again, a lot of these playoffs, these
first rounds come down to special teams because there's a
lot of power plays early, because guys are excited, they're
hitting the running round. I just feel like this is
kind of one of those sneaky ones. I'm still gonna

(10:51):
take Carolina to win, but I think it's gonna be
a lot tighter than people think.

Speaker 1 (10:55):
Can I call an advantage for the Hurricanes the fact
that Sheldon Keith is coaching the Devils for Carolina?

Speaker 2 (11:03):
Wow, Spike, see for Sheldon. Keep you going after the
coaches that I love it. No Block Star thinking of
now is now Block in the car, shaking the wheel,
punching a pillow. Use your words, Chris.

Speaker 1 (11:17):
Stars, Avalanche, I cannot wait. This is musty TV. If
you're a hockey fan of any measure, this is unbelievable.
And I want to go against you because you called
the Avalanche like a month ago, and the Stars are
limping towards the playoffs. I've lost five straight, don't look great,
but I think I hope they can flip a switch
and this will be a great series. Dallas Prickley defensively,
JD's been issued, looked at their numbers, gave no pick
thirty two shots a game that's not going to cut
it against Colorado, but it is the Ransom and Bowl.

(11:39):
What kind of reception is you're gonna get in Colorado
in this series? And it feels like in some ways
the winner this series could be the favorite to when
the Stanley Cup. That's how good a first round this is.

Speaker 2 (11:48):
Yeah, Landiskog's coming back to on top of that, just
announced his.

Speaker 1 (11:52):
Ropper's not crazy about that pick. More than that lie,
I know it.

Speaker 2 (11:54):
Yeah, but if you if he watched he doesn't watch
HL games, but if you saw any of those games,
he looked very good. He looked fantastic. I've another inside
the Kremlin. Jason de Murz.

Speaker 1 (12:07):
By the way, the Devildovs Scottie report was unbelievable.

Speaker 2 (12:09):
How great was that I hit it? Are even we're
not gonna touch on that. We'll touch on that after,
but I fucking hit that one out of the park.
But no that I talked to some people within Colorado
Avalanche and again within the organization, and they just said
the same thing. He is gonna play if he wants
to play. Bet Nurse came out and said as much.
He doesn't. He's not playing twenty minutes a night. He's

(12:30):
gonna play ten, eleven, twelve. He might end up getting
some power play time in that net front position, which
he does so good, and again he stirs shit up.
There's videos of him in those games with the Colorado Eagles.
He's grabbing guys, He's literally has him in a choke hold.
He's just ready to go, and I think you're seeing
all the emotion come out of him of how long

(12:51):
he battled. This is just gonna be something that's gonna
be very, very fun to watch. And I just think
Colorado has much too much around him to not be
the team to come out ahead. And I just feel
like I don't think the Dallas Stars can pull this off.
I don't think Pete Debora unless it goes to Game seven,
which he is a magician in GAVE seven. I just

(13:12):
think this is kind of the time for the Colorado Avalanche.
There's so much, so many good storylines. Nathan McKinnon's gonna
be healthy, Cale mccarr is gonna be healthy. The resurgence, Yeah,
we'll call it the resurgence of Marty Nachiz. Then you
got Valon the Shushkin's gonna be here for a full
playoff front. Look the fuck out Dallas Stars, and I
think they getting I just don't know they're not healthy enough.

(13:34):
Mira Heiskin's got to come back and be herculean.

Speaker 1 (13:36):
Yeah, And now you're right. It went from like a
month gonna be like, oh my god, heavyweight matchup it
could see stars and seven abs and seven five star
stars to this thing around here like the ad Lite's
look like a runaway freight tran and Dallas is not
running into form can playoff time. So I think I
go six or seven I do. I agree with that
the Avalanche is gonna win this series. Now, Lightning Panthers Florida,

(13:58):
when two of the three matchups this season entering the
game twos and Tampa Bay has to be the favorite,
though in some ways against the defending champions, they look
like a jugging out. The past few weeks, the Panthers
haven't been healthy, as you and I have talked about,
maybe play a little bit of ropodope, haven't used their
full lineup, Aaron Akbla still serving his suspension, Matthew could
Chuck hasn't played since February eighth. It's so tough Jad
to make the Stanley Cup final three straight years, and

(14:19):
I love Palm reest On pulling for them. I'm gonna
call the Panthers to win this series, but on paper,
I feel like I should go lightning you.

Speaker 2 (14:27):
I just think that decor and Vassilevsky on Tampa Bay
is going to be too much. I think they're really
going to do a good job. You know, they made
a lot of solid pickups, springing guys in Ryan McDonough
leading the league and plus minus and rightfully so, he
is just the eliminator of all things, you know, defensive plays, breakouts.
He's been so good for this team. JJ mosers but

(14:49):
was hurt a little bit this year, but he's underrated.
Pick up Victor Headman. Then you have Andre Vasilevski in
the back, and you know we're not talking about I
think I think this team is healthy. Finally, I think
they have some depth. Obviously, I think they're fourth nine
is a little bit light, but those top nine forwards
are just fantastical, and I think They're gonna really give

(15:09):
some problems to the Florida Panthers. Now the Florida Panthers
with Brad Marsha, Seth Jones, Aaron Eckbod's coming back. I
think after game one, correct he's missing the first game
of the first game of the playoffs, that's gonna be
interesting game one. If they can hold on Florida, they
can make it an interesting series. I think Aaron Neckbid
is a way bigger piece than people think. I know
people are hard on him as a player, but I

(15:30):
think he just bounces out that decoor. So if he
can come in and be healthy, if Kachuk's fully healthy,
I mean, yeah, they've I think they have a chance,
but it's it's gonna be tough, and I think they're
gonna have to rely on a lot of their depth
pieces in Florida. But I just feel like Tampa Bay,
they got something going on right now, and and kut
ROV's pissed off. He's gonna get robbed of the heart again,
and I think he's gonna go and just shove it

(15:50):
up everybody's tushy.

Speaker 1 (15:53):
Oh Chase, Now the revenge to revenge too, I love it.
Jason newars is all over. After game two, you'll see
x plaed back. I don't like the passing reference of
plus minus in today's era of analytics. A lot of
guys discount plus minus like it's kind of an overrat
It doesn't mean much. McDonald leading a plus minus. That's
a good nugget by you. Yeah forty four, says Battle
of Ontario, first time since so forth. This is gonna

(16:15):
be unbelievable. Ottawa swept the season series three games to none.
They're looking to play upstart first playoff appearance for the
Sins in eight years. Leaves have looked formidable, looking to
get out of the second round for the first time
since two thousand and two. Of course they did win
around the stretch was they had won around since two
thousand and four, but they said they won a round
over that stretch. But I feel like oster GEDI kind
of your point with the Kings, like, if they don't

(16:36):
beat the others this year, dude, Fourth Street ear must
just pack up shop like Luke Robertie. It's been fun.
Similarly for the Leafs. If you can't beat the Sentators
and you can't get of the first round. Brendan Shanahan
lates like it's if ever there's a time you got
Burubi here. I love Chief. The defense feels beefed up.
Still not timered percent soul in still Art's wool, but hey,
Martyr's in a great year, Tavera is reborn, Matthews has

(16:57):
done Oh if you don't beat the Senators, Buddy say, y.

Speaker 2 (17:02):
Yeah, this is this is it of them. But man,
this is not an easy draw. Like correct, listen, everybody's like,
you know, Toronto, you gotta get away from the Florida's.
I mean the Ottawa Senators are a team that are
on a mission. And Brady Kuchuk who has just been
resting so we could run around trying to kill people.
I just I don't know. That was probably my toughest

(17:24):
series to gauge. It's gonna go seven. I don't know
where I'm leaning yet because there's a few things I
look at. I think, goaltending. If Olmark is.

Speaker 1 (17:34):
On and seven say it now cents and seven omar.

Speaker 2 (17:36):
Mark, I Paul Mark is on, They're in trouble, I think.
But you look on the other side, Wall and Stolars
has been a really good one two touch on the
back end. Then I look who's got the back end advantage.
You got Jake Sanderson, You've got Thomas Schabbad who's playing
some good hockey. I think the leaves are a little
bit deeper and a little bit bigger on the back end.
But then you look up front, man, they got some

(17:57):
depth pieces that are playing really good. It's gonna come
down to the third and fourth lines. I think for
the Ottawa centers, can they be a effective and can
they disrupt enough and score some goals. So it's going
to be kind of that battle in the trenches is
where it's going to be fought. But I think it's
this is going to be a great series. I mean
the Mausoleum, that is, the Canadian Entire Center is going
to be rocking. The people going to say the lower bowl,

(18:21):
oh no, yeah, well no, it's the battle of the
museums right now.

Speaker 1 (18:26):
Is the is the that's the headline night of the museum.
Ben Stillertia Bank, Scotia Scotia Bank.

Speaker 2 (18:35):
I see, I don't even I hate them. They always
change these core team was better. Well the Scotia Bank
and Canadian Tire Center just two museums out there battling
it out for who could be the quietest dur in
the playoff series. So at least we The good thing
is you'll get all the Ottawa fans buying the Toronto
tickets and all the Toronto fans buying the Autawa tickets.
It will be home and home. But I think it's

(18:57):
gonna be It's great to see the Ottawa centers back
in the playoffs. Big fan of this team. You know,
we all were kind of rooting for him this season.
We wanted to see some new blood and you know
it's see Brady could chuck in the playoffs. Oh, I mean,
it would have been nice to see him against Matthew
in the first round, see how that played out. But
this is gonna be fully full. Brady could chuck unleash.

Speaker 1 (19:18):
I agree, man, He's one of the breakout stars this year,
the way he played for four nations, especially here in
the USA.

Speaker 5 (19:22):
Tell give me something, sens and seven let's go. I mean,
I think Leaves take this series. But I think it's
gonna be fun. It's gonna be fun. These teams are
gonna they're gonna.

Speaker 2 (19:31):
Grind it out.

Speaker 5 (19:33):
You know, we're gonna have Chris Neil and Darcy Tucker
touching each other in the face as an underg good reference.
I mean, but that's what everyone's gonna be talking about
about some of these awesome playoff series they had in
the past. Now, granted, the Leafs have the upper hand
and all those series eighty years ago whenever it was,
But I think it'll be fun. I think Kannada will

(19:55):
feel a bit like a Leaf's home game. That's my
only concern. I mean, that's how many how many Leafs
fans are gonna be coming out to those Sens home games,
not a series, so they're not going to really have
much of an advantage at home, and I think that's
gonna really play into the you know, the advantage.

Speaker 2 (20:13):
For the Leafs.

Speaker 5 (20:13):
On top of the fact that who on the Senators
has won a playoff series in their career? Anyone or
even played in the playoffs for the who the center
the center? How many guys at playff experience Who's played for?
Who's played in the playoffs or at least won a series.

Speaker 2 (20:27):
David Pan has a coup Nick else Nick Cousins as.

Speaker 1 (20:34):
A cup kissing Cousins.

Speaker 2 (20:35):
This is what it comes to, kissing Nick Cousins. They
got some depth guys that have have some juice and
and no I I but I mean if you look
towards Toronto, it's much of the same couple guys. It's
two teams battling for playoff dominance. But you know that
brings him a point. I wish teams, especially like Ottawa.
I don't know what they're gonna do, but if they
would limit ticket sales to you have to live within

(20:59):
the city, because I don't love obviously, I like fans
that can't otherwise afford playoff tickets because Toronto just absolutely
gouges people to be able to go watch it somewhere.
Like I wish they would just keep it within the city.
I know people are re selling their tickets making a
quick buck. I mean, good for you, get your paper booboo.
But I just think they should team should limit you
have to live in the city or you at least

(21:22):
can't be a Leafs fan and go, because it just
takes away from it a little bit. I feel like, but.

Speaker 1 (21:27):
Oh yeah, I mean if that crowd in Ottawa starts
chanting go, leaves go, and then the first one to go,
this sucks, Like what are we doing in Canada?

Speaker 2 (21:34):
Yeah, burn the stadium near the ground. That happens all.

Speaker 1 (21:38):
Right, coming up next year an NHL and script, We'll
talk to our friend Mike Rupp, that's right, Stanley Cup
champion back of the New Jersey Devils. He'll tell us
about chirping Jody Shelley, also the Yager salut in front
of Flyers fans, and what he's enjoyed most for this
NHL season. That's coming up after this break. Our next guest.

(22:04):
Drafted in the third round of the two thousand NHL
Draft by the New Jersey Devils, with whom he scored
the Cup clinching goal in two thousand and three. Before
hoisting the Stanley Cup, you would go on to also
play for the Fittest Coyotes, Columbus Bluejackets, Pittsburgh Penguins, New
York Rangers, and Minnesota Wild and now can be seen
him breaking down the game on NHL Network and Sports
at Pittsburgh. He's one of our favorites, a teammate, a friend,

(22:25):
a colleague. Mike Rupp, Ropper, how do we do a
big man?

Speaker 4 (22:28):
Hey, I love you guys, I'm glad to get on
here with you guys. But Adnan, dude, I was drafted
in the first round. I know I went back in
the draft and got drafted the third round, but you
gonna strip that for me, so I was never drafted
in the first round. I don't even get that acknowledgement anymore.

Speaker 1 (22:42):
Remember one time I gave you extra props on air.
I said to you, like, didn't you score two goals?
And hopefully you go, No, you go. You know you're
not the only one that thinks that. I it was
so rare.

Speaker 4 (22:53):
That's fair. I know you, I know you're I know
you're a good teammates. So I'll let that one go.

Speaker 2 (22:56):
He doesn't do his research, Adnan, No, exactly.

Speaker 1 (23:00):
You're grinding right now, Ruppers. We're getting towards the end
of the season. But I think this is an amazing
final stretch of the playoffs right around the corner. Is
there something that you're most excited about we were talking earlier.
I mean that the fact that Habs are going to
make the playoffs is unbelievable. There's been some great races.
What is it for you?

Speaker 4 (23:14):
Oh man, there's so many. I think the Ottawa Senators
I've been I've been kind of on that train for
a couple of years. Now and I've gotten burnt every
single time. So I love the fact that we're getting
getting to the point now where this team. Man, they
they they kept it going. They didn't have that big
drop off. They found ways to push back when they

(23:36):
when they would lose some games. And I'm excited because
I think, I think this is a better league when
you're gonna have a guy like Brady could Chuck in
the playoffs, and I can't wait to see what he brings.
But Oddoy is probably the one storyline that I'm It
probably intrigues me the most. But you mentioned Montreal, man,
I mean, are you kidding me? I never ever, ever,
ever would have thought that they were gonna make it
this year.

Speaker 1 (23:55):
Alexandro Vetchkin. Obviously, it's been an incredible story Ruppery has
been able to do with a great chase. You had
some spirited matchups one on one against him, right, What
was it like facing ov?

Speaker 4 (24:03):
Oh man? Oh Ovi? Was? I remember one time and
it only was one time that I got out there
on the PK against him, and all I was thinking
to myself is we all know and that's what makes
Ovi great? And I think of I'm a big Michael
Jordan guy. That's what made MJ great. Everybody in the building,
everybody in the world knew who's getting the last shot,
and he would still He's still bury it right. That

(24:24):
to me, that's greatness. Ovi's on the ice, you know
in situations, who they're looking for, what they're going to do.
I mean, he's getting that shot from that era of
the ice and he could stare down in the whites
of the eyes of a goaltender and blow the puck
past him. That is greatness anyway. So I'm out there
on the penalty kill and I'm thinking to myself, Man,
all I know is Ovi's not scoring on this one,
all right. I cheated so much over to Ovi to

(24:47):
take away that one tiber that I left the guy
right open in the slot, just wired one bar down.
Never saw the PK again out there. But I like, hey,
Obi didn't score. That was the starter report watching out
for a Betchkin over there. He didn't get it.

Speaker 1 (25:01):
I love the fact you were not gonna let a
Betsan scored that goal. Specific memories for your upper twenty
twelve Winter class. You're playing for the Rangers against the Flyers.
You score a goal and then give a little yarmier
yoger styles salute, which leaves plenty of fans from the
Flyers being upset with you do Flyers fans still give
you a heart time about them. Does that get brought up?

Speaker 4 (25:18):
Yeah, that the yog salute? Yeah, Philly was not happy
about that. Yeah. I don't know. I mean I still
hear things from time to time, but you know, I
think it was more like I grew up in I
pretty much played for every team and what is today's
Metro Division except the Flyers, and so it was like

(25:39):
embedded in me to hate the Flyers, And so I
always look at in some of my greatest memories. I
loved playing in Philly. It was a tough place to play,
it was an intimidating place to play, but I thought
that those environments were always something for a guy like
my size and the way I had to play would
would help me. And so that was one just kind
of throw some fuel on the fire, and that's kind

(26:02):
of my job, so I try to do it that day.

Speaker 2 (26:04):
What do you attribute the habs run to to this,
you know, kind of Cinderella story a little bit, and
you look at their team and is it one thing
or is it kind of you know, what have you
kind of attributed the whole run to.

Speaker 4 (26:18):
It's funny because I don't know, like there's not it's
it's it's tough because I don't know if there is
one thing JD. They they have the it factor and
whatever that means, Like you look at some of the
games down the stretcher, they find ways to win. Yeah,
and I don't know if you can quantify that saying oh, well,
they're a good for checking team. They do X, Y
and Z, like they find ways to win and you know,

(26:41):
is as good as anybody in the NHL. Like that's
something and then that's value. And they're finding ways to
close out games. I'll say a couple of things. They
got some guys who can put the puck in the net.
We know this, but I also think not just not
even not even just Laane Hudson, like they Marty Saint
Louis and this this coaching staff, they all these guys
got the green light. I was breaking down some clip

(27:03):
a couple of weeks ago, and it's like, dude, I'm
seeing some guys like I'm seeing Arba Jai, I'm seeing
David Tavard, like these guys. These guys got the green
light to go all the time and they're allowed to
hang in there. So I think this is a team
that they can put the puck in the net at times.
And I think it's because the defenseman that they're allowed
to go, and you don't have to be just an
offensive minded guy if it's the right opportunity, the right

(27:24):
time of the game, go And as a forward, I
love that. So now I can get some help in
the offensive zone from a defenseman jumping in. I mean
that that's been something I thought that they do pretty well.

Speaker 2 (27:34):
A team that needs all the help in the world,
and you put a glorious tweet out about the New
York Rangers and a team that's finding ways to lose.
I mean, what can you attribute this season too, especially
how they've let down Ego Schusterkin mainly.

Speaker 4 (27:52):
Yeah, man, it goes back. Oh my gosh, this is
so much unpack here. I feel like because this story
was back in the summer, and I hate to always
go back there, whether it was you go back to
the bar, the good Row that Jacob Truba. I mean,
the season kind of started off not in the best way.
I mean, you're coming off of President's Trophy season, you

(28:12):
would expect there to be a little more excitement. It
seemed like the cloud was kind of over this franchise
before the season started. You got this Just Shirkin contract
that was something there too, and then you get into
the season and I just find that this is a
team that they even when they won the President's Trophy
last year, they they didn't There's a lot of details

(28:33):
in their game that they weren't great, and most of
them are defensively and they don't have a lot of pushback.
They don't have a lot of lightning Rod type guys,
alpha guys, alpha dogs they should say, in their roster.
And I think all those things were evident this year.
And I think the biggest thing for me, it's like,
I don't know at what point I don't think there's

(28:54):
accountability there. There's just so many things, man Like. I
just find that this is a team that kind of
goes out there. They know they have a great goaltender
and they hope that they get score more goals than
the opponent. As dumb as that sounds like, that, that's
the way I see their games. And I kind of
made this analogy yesterday and I want to go back
to it because growing up in the Devil's organization, like

(29:16):
we had Marty and I think Marty Berdoor is the
best goalie to ever play the game. And some people
might have others, and that's fine, but you know a
lot of people say, well, Marty wasn't that great because
he had Scotti Stevens, Scott Neiedermayer, you had all these
guys playing in front of him. Like I mean, I'd
pump the brakes on that a little bit. Both things
worked hand in hand. But I do know for being
in that franchise and talking to Scotty Stevens on the

(29:39):
NHL Network side of things, the details talk to Ken
Danigo about it, that the details in that franchise, Larry
Robinson instilled it. You can go back to, you know,
the other Jacques Lamaire, I mean, the details. So your
strongest attribute was your goaltender. Man, We had a million
insurance policies on our goaltender because we defended in front

(30:00):
of them. You weren't getting a second chance opportunity against
the Devils. If here's a shot on net, we have
the best goal in the world, he's going to make
that safe. Guess what there's no shot too, because Scottie
Stevens is putting you on your rear end, Ken Dannago
is getting you under your hands, getting your stick up
in the air. You know it's Scott Edermeyers doing the same.
So that that's where that was at. And on the
flip side, you got the New York Rangers where it's

(30:21):
like Igor's got to make save one, save two, save three.
There's nobody getting putting on the rear put on the
rear end in front of the net. There's no sticks
getting lifted in the air. I mean, JD, you'd have
a field day breaking down some of that stuff with
the Rangers. Yeah, that's towards that to me. And so
you can say whatever you want. At the end of
the day, we're players. I'll stick out for players. Players

(30:44):
wear a lot of this. But there's also accountability. If
the players aren't getting it done, sit there s that
hasn't happened this year. You keep rolling it out there
and expect a different different I guess results and that
it just simply hasn't happened.

Speaker 2 (30:59):
So another hot button topic issue between me and yourself
was today. And you know it's great when you get material.
That's just you know, you a lot of times in
this podcast world, and you know this rapper, you got
to like come up with stuff and but sometimes things
fall in your lap. And our battle between me you
and talking about Gabriel Landeskog, you know my my point

(31:22):
of view is I think, no matter what, a good
player will find a way. You know, two years, three years,
they'll find a way to be good. But you know
you kind of a little bit more skeptical and you
want them to be there. But you you have some
different thoughts than me, and I might have I might
have picked a little too much and poked the bear
too much. Day I was scared for my life for
a second.

Speaker 4 (31:39):
Hey, I I will say, man, just to let you
in on the full transparency of the conversation, I did say, JD,
I'm going to kill you is what I said.

Speaker 1 (31:49):
Even left the voice text. It won't put his voice,
not a text voice.

Speaker 4 (31:53):
But j D, j D, you knew how to push ones.
But I love you, JD. I'm just messing. I might
check into the wall at the network, but so no,
I think here's the thing here, and I want to
make this very very very clear, So please don't chop
this up when you're putting things out there later on
and lead this out. I want to see one of
the greatest comeback stories ever. And I don't mean to

(32:15):
blow that up. I mean it's just for no one's
gone through what Gabe Landeskog is going through. I want
nothing more than seeing this guy hoist the cup. He's
one of my favorites because he's a throwback. He's old school,
and I think that's a dying breed and I love him.
I just think that with the time he's missed and
just from my experiences with seeing players that have certain injuries,

(32:36):
like I'm very curious how it's going to take. And yes,
having him in there, I mean I just to have
him on the bench is a huge boost for this
team and I think that's enormous and having them around.
But I also I'm skeptical because I've been in a
similar situation in some regards at the end of my career,

(32:58):
where you fight and you're out so long and you
battle to get back, and that's that's the biggest hurdle
at the time you get back, but it's how you
feel the next day. And then for me, it took
me two weeks after my one day of being back
to get back to where I was before my first
game back, you know what I mean. So that's where

(33:19):
it becomes a slippery slope. Like my biggest concern is
after missing this much time to get ready for this moment,
is he gonna be able to play in forty eight
hours in the Stanley Cup playoffs again? You know what
I mean?

Speaker 2 (33:30):
So every time, but yeah, but you got to imagine
he's going to be in a bottom six role and
then in that well.

Speaker 4 (33:36):
You're still but JD, you're still leaving everything out there. Man.
Like I was a career I could barely walk in
the playoffs out.

Speaker 2 (33:43):
There, but that bottom six role has kind of been
like a merry go around a little bit for Colorado.
So they might pull him in for game one, sit
him out for game two.

Speaker 4 (33:52):
Yeah, you know what I mean.

Speaker 2 (33:53):
I think I feel like the coaching staff to your point,
I agree with you on a lot of points, like
how effective is he going to be? Like can he recover?
But can the coaching staff, which I think is very
underrated in terms of their level, their aptitude and how
smart they are. Jared Bedner and this coaching staff to
not recognize that and kind of plug and play a bit.
I don't know if that's more.

Speaker 4 (34:13):
Of a possibility, but yeah, and I mean, man, I
hope I'm dead wrong. I just think that what the
demanding part of the NHL Playoffs and the way the
game plays like, if Gabe's even in that bottom six,
so what are some of the attributes you're gonna have
to bring. You're gonna have to get on your horse
in the fore check. You have to get in there,
get hit, be hit. Can he handle that? I hope
to god he can. I want to see this happen.

(34:35):
I just think I just think anything. I don't have
any expectations in it, and I don't want anybody to
have expectations. I think that puts pressure on Gabe, and
I think we've seen it. It's been documented. I think
Gabe puts enough pressure on himself. So just let him
see how this works out. If he gets back in
there and he's able to be a part of it, man,
it's a huge boost for Colorado. But I'm not really

(34:55):
banking on that happen.

Speaker 2 (34:56):
I don't know if I can bet against you. I've
lost two bottles of camist to already oh for.

Speaker 4 (35:00):
Twothing wrong on this one, though, I hope I'm wrong
on this one.

Speaker 1 (35:05):
Well, one thing you were definitely right about is fighting
back of the day, Rupper. You were a heavyweight during
a great era of Jay rose Hill, Sean Thornton, George
Parrows is a very smart guy. And our buddy Jody Shelley, who,
as you know, I work with on Amazon of course
NHL network as well. There's a clip it says on
YouTube Mike Rupp calls Jody Shelley irrelevant. Talk to me
twenty ten you and Jody going ahead to head.

Speaker 4 (35:25):
I hate did that clip made it out there?

Speaker 1 (35:27):
Man? I do? I do?

Speaker 4 (35:29):
You know I too, because I was coaching my son
when I got done playing all these all these little
punk teenagers are playing in the locker room too. I'm like,
would you shut your phone off like it was your phone?
You know what I mean? They're playing this clip. So
let me give you a little backstory because I played
with Jody and Columbus, and you guys know Jody, well Jody.
I was on line with Jody. He's one of the
greatest teammates I played with in the NHL. I love Jody.

(35:52):
It was the battle of the Rangers and the Flyers,
and in the heat of the moment, you do what
you things come out right, and I now did I
know so the full train experiency get of that. I
knew I was Might, I was Mike. Okay that Mike
was on me, and so I Mike. During this HBO
is covering the Road to the Winter Classic, this scrumb happens.

(36:15):
I'm going after I'm going after Tom Cistido and I'm
trying to fight him and Jody comes over and shoves me.
He's like, why are you going after the twenty two
year old? I'm basically because he's act like an idiot.
Jody's like, you know, asking me to fight, and so
I'm not thinking about being miked in that moment. I
say that. Postgame, I go up to our PR department
and I say, hey, I need to talk to we

(36:38):
need to talk to the HBO guys. I want that cut.
And so they go, all right, we'll talk to him,
we'll see and the HBO guys were like, well, let's
see what you're talking about. And they came back and
they said, we can't cut that, and I'm like, come on,
and they're go, we we need to leave that in.
So they left it in and so it's kind of
gotten this thing. And I feel bad because, like, you know,

(36:58):
Joey's a great dude. I've worked with them and whatever.
But I mean, I think Jody understands in the heat
of the moment. But yeah, man, that thing made its rounds.
And I hear that all the time.

Speaker 1 (37:08):
As you said, it's so frustrated too, like your kid
and his tea. Weik's looking up, like, but put your
phone away, okay. Like I love Jon, He's a great dude.
It just came out. We've talked before with the Netflix
dock on the Danbury Trashers. I'm unbelievable. I mean that
people on Netflix love that. Your favorite story reminiscing about that?

Speaker 4 (37:25):
Oh man, there's so many. My favorite story about the
Danbury Trashers was, I guess the best way of I
know some people explained it this way. It was basically
slap shot marrying the sopranos. I remember. I remember, so
I had to play ten regular season games to qualify
for the playoff roster. So I tried to. I played

(37:46):
every other weekend I played in. My former junior team
was Erie of the Ontario Hockey League. So I was
playing an Aria, living in an Aria, practice with the
Otters during the week. Every other weekend i'd go play
a couple of games. So I got till ten i'd
be able to play in the playoffs. So anyways, I'm
starting I'm there for a little bit. I'm starting to
see how things are kind of happening here. This is
a really tough team and to kind of seeing, oh, yeah,

(38:08):
this is this is a unique situation. And I remember
being on the bus and I was I was doing
a three and three in Michigan to bang out like
three games, and I was falling asleep on the bus
and I had my head against the window and right
behind me to see behind me is you guys know
John John Morasti so nasty. Marasti is a tough guy
on our team. And so what ends up happening is

(38:33):
Barry Melrose and Steve Levy they owned that or on
that team, and that's in the league. And Barry made
a comment to the media about Tony Soprano running the
Danburry trash as well. Our owner Jimmy Galante didn't like that,
and he said, we're gonna send a message next time
we play them that we were playing on the next weekend.
I was not scheduled to play that weekend. So I'm

(38:55):
sleeping against the window. Marasty's on the phone. He's making
a phone call to I think it was Chad Wagner
was his name, and he was I put this together later,
but this is the conversation. I'm here on one side too,
Hey buddy, it's me Nasty. What are you doing next weekend? Hey,
you want to come play some hockey make some money.

(39:17):
And I'm like, I'm like, I'm like sleeping. I'm like listen.
And he's like he's like, yeah, man, no, no, no,
I know you have no no, no, I know you haven't
played hockey in a few years. No, I know you're
not in shape. It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter. No. Literally,
he wants you to come run around like a dumb
dumb and he's going to pay you two grand to
come out and play in the game. And it's like,
all right, well do you think about it? Let me know,

(39:38):
blah blah blah. Hangs up and I'm like, what just happened.
So when I left that road trip, I said to
some of the boys like, go hey, boys, keep me
posted what happens, because I think something's going down. Sure enough,
this Chad Wagner. He's been expelled from multiple leagues and
the like like proons, dude, yeah go look them up. Yes,

(39:59):
like five and forty one penalty minutes. He's been expelled
from all these places. He came in play. Yeah, he played.

Speaker 3 (40:07):
Uh.

Speaker 4 (40:07):
He played one game he uh he ended up climbing
into at around X bench and pulled the coach by
his uh by his blazer and punched the coach got
expelled from the UHL. I'm like, wow, this is unbelievable.
But and there was also times where we'd just be
driving back or between games and you stop at a
truck stop and you hear the bus breaks, you know,

(40:29):
the doors would open. You're like waking up. You're like
what are we doing? And the lights would come on
and there'd just be some dude walk on the bus
and it'd be like Frank the Animal by A Lois.
We're just picking him up off the turn pike and
like what are we doing? I'm like, is that is
that Frank? Like is that by Frank BYO Lois? And
then like he goes playing a game and just beat
the wheels off people and then you'd stop and drop

(40:51):
them off at the truck stop on your way home.

Speaker 2 (40:52):
Literally, Sure, I started watching Shorty. It's literally sures. Fill
him in. Fill him in right there, Rutberg. Kind of lastly,
I wanted to ask you and and you know, if
you had any interactions with Ray Schera. We just found,
you know, sad day of hockey, and you know, he
was a great man. For everything I've heard is just
incredible stuff. And some of the stories I've heard about

(41:14):
him taking care of guys and really looking out for players.
I don't know how close you were with him or
any good ray Shaw stories because we kind of doing
that with Johnny goodrou a little bit of you know,
gone but not forgotten.

Speaker 4 (41:27):
Yeah. So I mean, obviously a legendary family in this
in the game of hockey. Ray I had him in
the GM in Pittsburgh. He brought me to Pittsburgh for
two years. You know, I had I had my best
two years of my career in Pittsburgh there, and it
was a lot of things. Is the culture that they
had there, things that they built. But I want to

(41:50):
say this though, and I don't want to I always
find this sometimes when you give an endorsement of someone else,
people take it as an indictment of other people. I'm
just saying, is a GM He was the most. He
was a great human. He was a family guy. The
way he went about things was different than I ever

(42:10):
saw at that time. It was refreshing. He was hard
and he was hard. I mean, he's a Stanley Cup
champ for a reason, the way he went about his business.
But he just he like a story of it is.
That was one of the first teams that I ever
heard of pregame skate. We'd bring our kids to the rink,
ray encourage it. He wanted them there. You know. There
was times like when we had our pregame meeting that

(42:32):
were watching before pregame skate. Of course the kids kind
of went in the in the weight room, we're kind
of running around, and but you brought him in there.
He wanted the kids in there. He wanted it to
be He understood what it was to be in the NHL,
and this is this is the greatest, this is all
of our dreams. Let's have fun doing it and make
your families be a part of it. I just find

(42:52):
that he was just an absolute class act one of
the good guys in our sport that that that ran
a tight ship, but also let you know that he
loved you and he cared about you. And that's the
biggest thing that sticks out to me. So man, I
all that today, like most people, just absolutely shocked and
very saddened.

Speaker 1 (43:09):
My crop noted first round pick and a great guy
and obviously a big part.

Speaker 4 (43:14):
That I didn't find I didn't. We have we have one.

Speaker 2 (43:16):
We have one more for him because we said we
have to comment on the Canada flag behind him, and
we talked about it a little bit today.

Speaker 1 (43:23):
Do you're such a nice guy? By the way, people
actually think he's Canadian. I have to correct them sometimes.

Speaker 2 (43:27):
Yeah, well he's he's he's a sweetheart till he says
he wants to kill you. But do you think this
is the year for a Canadian team to win the Cup?

Speaker 1 (43:35):
Yes?

Speaker 4 (43:36):
JD. That's why I put in an audio message when
I say I want to kill you, because it's not
on paper. It's those things saved after you read it, it goes.

Speaker 2 (43:44):
That's how that's how a nepture in technology. If you
click on it, you see the transcript and I screenshoted
it's a life insurance policy.

Speaker 4 (43:54):
So what Canadian team?

Speaker 2 (43:56):
You know, do you think a Canadian team is this
the best chance they've had in you know, the past
five ten years?

Speaker 4 (44:02):
Oh yeah, yeah, I say the best chance, probably just
because you got five more teams more teams in. But
I would not be shocked if for some reason, I
just have this thing the Leafs. There's something about them.
I could totally see the Leafs going on a run
this year. But I will also say this, I think

(44:23):
Ottawa has the Cinderella story stamps right on their forehead.

Speaker 1 (44:26):
Let's go set, Yeah, come on, Yeah, I mean.

Speaker 4 (44:27):
I don't know Winnipeg. Winnipeg scares the hell out of
me because I think they're awesome, but I don't know
what I'm gonna get. So yeah, I mean I would
say this is the best chance, probably more so in
the Eastern Conference than the West. But man, this is uh,
it's exciting for Canada. You know, I'm an American, but
I'd love to I'd love to see a Canadian market

(44:50):
win the Stanley Cup. You know, it hasn't happened since
I was thirteen years old, and I'd like to see
it from this vantage point of like we were in
Edmonton last year, date JD incredible. I was like, this
place is like nothing I've seen before. I'd love to
see a Canadian market.

Speaker 1 (45:06):
Win Robert, you can catch them all the time NHL
now five to seven o'clock east An, NHL Nework and
of course working with the Pegs as well. Buddy, you're
the best. Keep trolling and sirping JD and we'll stock
to you soon. All right, man, all right, demodoff, DEMI good,

(45:26):
let's go. Ken Daniels had the call with Jody Shelley
on Amazon Prime. He becomes the third rookie ever in
the history the National Hockey League and his first period
he had a goal and an assist the other two
by the way of celebrating at Hubert Dough So it
was Awestome Mutch. I've be't demodov for that Montal crowd.
And again, if you're new to Unscripted, perhaps you missed
the previous episode. Jason Nimmers has played in Russia. He's
got Russian spots who told him this guy's gonna better

(45:48):
than meach Coop Flyers fans were appalled, like, what a
terrible take. So for a demodof the demo, God, what
do you got?

Speaker 2 (45:54):
Tough fact check on the third goal Chicago, he just had.

Speaker 1 (45:58):
A how do you lose? The Blackhawks fourth three to
shoot out winning Come on, Hal, Let's go town, let's.

Speaker 2 (46:04):
Go ja they needed. He had a KHL like back
check on the third goal. He just stopped skating from
the red line. I was like, oh no, but he
was offensively in the offensive zone holely, shit, is he good?
And the way he's on it, He's so good on
his edges, He's got that wide base, the way he
protects the puck. I mean, he could have had probably
three goals early in the first and second, and then

(46:26):
he could have assisted on three of them. They were
just missing the open net. First first NHL game. I
was right again, it's just, you know, catching all these
wis is tough. But he was good. He was as advertised,
and I thought, he's he's going to have a bright
future and man. To play under those bright lights and
the fans cheering your name every time you jump over

(46:48):
the bench gave me chills. I was borderline in tears
at home because I was just like, it's such a
cool atmosphere and the way they support their players is
is like nothing else you'll see in the NHL and
most sports man. Honestly, like they're cheering his name and
he's like on the bench. I think he's mouthed. At
one point, you look, he was like holy holy f

(47:09):
And I know he was just like, whoa, my god.
When they announced his assists, they're cheering his name. People
are gonna standing. Oh so yeah, as advertised, good job,
a little bit better defensively. But you know, hey, Demi God,
Demerse Stradamus.

Speaker 1 (47:24):
I'm with you. It's good to have the Habs back
of the playoffs, and honestly, it's a different look first
time in hockey history the Rangers, Bruins, and Penguins all
missing the playoffs. Killer for original six American teams. But yeah,
if you want press blood away, we go speaking it,
beat it. You wouldn't be so crass towards this guy,
one of your buddies. San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture
announcing he will not continue his playing career due to injury.
Techley won't retire, He'll be on long term ir, but

(47:45):
not expected to play again. Three hundred and twenty three goals,
three hundred and seventy assists seven hundred and one career
points in nine hundred and three to three games, all
with the Sharks. At his peak a number one center,
understated Jimmy Fallon called the Croatian Tom cruise on The
Tonight Show.

Speaker 2 (48:00):
Yeah, it was. It was like some weird you know
phuwbitis where essentially, like anytime you're the socket of your
hip moves and you're skating, it's like full on pain
and fluid. There's fluid build up. It's just it's it
sucks because it's something that as athletes like you always
think you can come back from an injury, a tear,

(48:21):
a knee tear, you know, a concussion, or a shoulder
surgery or back surgery. You're like, I have an opportunity
to come back, but this where you don't, and you're
just always waiting and waiting and waiting. And you know,
I saw him a little bit here and there. I
saw him at the Joe Thornton Jersey retirement, and you know,
I just felt for him. You know, it just didn't

(48:42):
look good mentally to be going through that, and he
just wanted to get to a point where he could,
you know, hang out with his family and hang out
with his kids and make sure they're taken care of.
And that's just such a tough thing as an athlete
to digest because you want to keep competing. And you know,
I've been lucky enough. I've told my story of getting
seven hundred games and after a back surgery and being
able to go out on your own accord. And you

(49:02):
look at the Gabriel Landeskog and the motion he's had
trying to get back and from something that's never happened before,
and you know, to not be able to close that
chapter your life sometimes it's very tough. So you know,
my heart goes out to him. You know, the memories
I have with him, was coming to the league together,
and you know, we kind of both came in a
little bit like you know, I came in as the
seventh rounder. He was a pretty pretty highly touted draft pick,

(49:24):
and we both had immediate success. We were in great teams,
We went to the playoffs. I remember his four goals
in that first playoff series we had. He was just
so clutch early on. He's a consummate pro. He leads
by example. You saw it early on. He battles every shift,
always took the most heat in terms of blocking shots,

(49:45):
taking hits to make plays, playing the hard minutes. And
you know, my memories I have, like I said, was
living in a rinky dink hotel room off the side
of I think it was Stevens Creek Boulevard in San
Jose and we were living next to the Garden City
Casino and we were just like two kids living in
a hotel with Jamie McGinn, just having fun playing hockey

(50:05):
and just being like, how look at the rocket ship
we're on right now. We're playing on this team that
it was just a contender every year, and you know,
we just felt so fortunate, but just had so much
fun with it. And you know, you kind of wish
those moments you recognize where you're in and the happy
times you're having, and you know, I just thought those
are the memories they take with Logan, And you know,

(50:27):
he went through some struggles in that organization, never never
wavered as a leader, and you know, got so close
so many times, and wish he got that cup and
had an opportunity to win. Obviously the year they had
that comeback against Vegas and then they go on to
win and go to the finals. I just think was
something so, you know, kind of led by him a
little bit, just because he's that kind of player. And yeah,

(50:50):
I wish him all the best, honestly, and I wish
he can find I hope he can find some happiness
and closure around his career and make sure him and
his family's good because he's from his NHL career. He's
got this beautiful family and beautiful wife, and I just
hope he takes it with him and is not too
too bummed at what happened, because it's it was out
of his control and there's nothing he could really do.

Speaker 1 (51:11):
All time great Shark Jumbo Joe obviously, Patrick Marlow, Joe
Pavelski betting to backop Logan Coutur in that top five
absolute as far as the Great Sharks are concerned. Jason
Nuver's Ohill, I just off that list. Centophil and sixty
Magazine Dreams came out sunday As two years ago. Jonathan
Major's Talent to watch He's building in the Last Black
Man in San Francisco. Joe Talbot interviewed the director in Cinephile.
He's in Captain of Marvel Movies. He's he's in Lovecraft

(51:34):
County on HBO absolved actor. Yeah, and then the Creed
three is unbelievable. And then it's like, oh my god,
magazine dreams like clearly shades of taxi driver. Bodybuilder bulked
up like crazy. He put on I don't know how
much bust he put on, but it took him like
six months to get into Creed three shape. Then it
took Memo their eighteen months to get into bodybuilder shape.
And you know, this is an athlete bodybuilders, like he said,

(51:55):
for eighteen months, six thousand calories a day and just
lifted weights. It's all I did, six thousand colls. This
guy is so jacked in this movie. I'm like, there's
no CJI. This is Jonathan made looking like a bodybuilder.
This is not an act of doing it. And then
what happens, Oh my god. Arrested a lleged domestic assault.
He said she said his girlfriend said he strangled her.
He said, nothing happened. Eventually he goes to court, He's

(52:16):
convicted on a misdemeanor. One year of probation, no jail time.
Now it's two years. Jonathan Major's has been excommunicated, and
finally Briar Cliffe Entertainment's like, hey, that magazine dreams movie
will release it in theaters March twenty. First, I just
watched it on DIRECTORV He paid twenty bucks. It was
so powerful. I watched it twice and now major Sassima
advocates JD Form. Matthew McConaughey came out support of Michael B. Jordan.

(52:36):
Of course from Crete three, Woo Pee Goldbergs said, hey, listen,
whatever happened. He's served his punishment one year probation. Is
he not allowed to have a career. He can't ever
act again. This guy's a major, major talent. He's, you know,
graduated Yel Drama school. A quick thought on the movie
because I want tal to watch it. He's as hyped
as I am. Phenomenal film and an incredible performance. He's
a bodybuilder who's lonely and battling alienation. And one of
the great quotes that I read on the review said,

(52:58):
he drives a fine line between being pitiable and terrifying.
Because this guy is massive and yet he's so awkward,
so you feel sorry for him. There's moments that anger
comes you go, oh my god, I will have a
friend of my watching because God they should just call
the tax driver too. But this, this director's clearly owing
a lot to Scorsese what he was doing a taxi drivering.
Clearly there's some parallels there the wrestler as well, Mickey
work playing a bulked up guy as well. But I

(53:20):
thought his performance was astonishing. He was a great actor. JD.
Your thoughts just on this whole concept of being canceled.
When can a guy come back? Is he allowed to
come back? Now? Am I allowed to say this is
a great performance? Is that okay? He's canceled, he's back.

Speaker 2 (53:32):
Now never you're done? Never allowed back? Now. I listen,
he's a great actor.

Speaker 4 (53:39):
He is.

Speaker 2 (53:40):
But I don't wade into that kind of shit. I listen,
I stay on the fence. I make some outlandish takes,
but I listen. He paid the if, he paid his time,
and you know, he did the crime, paid his time,
and you know things are okay. I guess yeah. I mean,
I watched it. I'm just taking it from a movie perspective.
I watched the trailer and I'm I'm gonna probably go

(54:01):
watch it because it's a trailer.

Speaker 1 (54:03):
Yeah, great trailer.

Speaker 2 (54:04):
Yeah it's a crazy you gotta be back in.

Speaker 1 (54:06):
The trailers you mentioned, like, you know, I'm gonna watch
the way to watch the trailer. This is a trailer, right.

Speaker 2 (54:11):
What I find crazy is is I watched him in
that trailer and and you know, he's in bodybuilding shape,
but just like a shout out to bodybuilders because he's
still like on the tiny, tiny version of a bodybuilder.
Like those guys, it's like their life is dedicated to
getting fat pig in that Jack. Then I know a
couple guys, the Chris Bumsteads of the world, and I

(54:31):
know his trainer that trains him, and he's you know,
a little jacked human, and it's crazy the workouts they do.
It is so hard and the way they have to
be regimented is I mean, you can't you can't find
discipline like that anywhere else unless you're a goddamn Navy seal.
So it's it's crazy crazy.

Speaker 1 (54:50):
Your point. Major's character idolizes a bodybuilder. He's always writing
letters to him. Brad's a character's name in real life.
It's a four time mister universe. And again Matrix is
killing Maddox as Jack. You see this guy, go oh
my god, like he's like the terminator. It's guy Is Magazine.
Jew's premiered January of twenty twenty three at sun Dance.
And again, a friend of mine said, when he have
gotten an Oscar Macapps, are you kidding? The Academy loves

(55:12):
and actors transform themselves. DeNiro Raging Bull, Christian Bailed the Fighter,
Mickey Rourke the Wrestler Like. There's countless examples of when
guys bulk up, get bigger, or lose weight when they're rewarded.
And again, it's a remarkable performance if you can separate
art from the artists. Check out the film. It's a doozy.
More importantly, we've got two episodes coming every week. An
NHLNG script. My thanks for Jason Demurz to talpinchef's here,

(55:32):
by the way, I was fit to say our producer.
He's also a director, he said. A movie coming out
in The Whalers. Go check it out. Hell plug the movie,
come on plug it.

Speaker 2 (55:39):
It's called The Whalers.

Speaker 5 (55:40):
It premiered on NBC Sports Boston over the weekend. It'll
also be on s n Y in New York, as
well as a few other regional sports networks across the country.
Anyone who who enjoys the little Whaler's nostalgia. I think
you'll enjoy it.

Speaker 2 (55:56):
I know I do.

Speaker 1 (55:58):
Save the whale, Old Samuelson. Let's go.

Speaker 3 (56:01):
We'll see another scripted Yeah.

Speaker 1 (56:21):
NHL Unscripted is a production of the NHL and iHeart Podcasts.
For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts,
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