The Kevin Karius Show - Mar. 23rd, 2026 - Hour 4

Howdy, howdy ho and welcome to fantasy fanfellas. I'm Hayden, producer of the fantasy

fangirls podcast and your resident lover of all things Sanderson.

And I'm Steven, your bookish internet goofball, but you can call me the smash daddy.

And we are currently deep diving Brandon Sanderson's fantasy epic Mistborn, but here's the catch.

Steven here has not read Mistborn before.

That's right. Hey, hey, so each week you'll get my unfiltered raw reactions to every single

chip. And along the way, we'll do character deep dives, magic explainers, and Steven will even

try to guess what's next. Spoiler alert, he'll be wrong.

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All right, welcome back to the big program. Just after 10 o'clock in Edmonton, Kevin

Carey is Duke of Delburn, Josh Fenwick with you here on Sports 1440, the final hour of the show

presented by SportsSelect. And again, we've got the QR codes to talk about, the possibilities

there, and then the paper selection slips. All you got to do is go to sportsselect.com. You got to be

18 plus, please play responsibly. It is the home stretch in the NHL for the Stanley Cup playoff run

and playoff positioning and can a team get in the playoffs. Just like we're talking with

Stefan Rosner of the hockey news, can the islanders get in? Well, they've got a good home stretch.

It's the same thing in the NBA. Little different though, is it with the playoff setup and how

you know they have the play in games, etc. You obviously want to be in the top six. That's what

you'd like. The Toronto Raptors are right now sitting in the five hole, but yeah, yeah, the

Hawks are coming. The Philadelphia 76ers are coming. The Orlando Magic are coming. The Miami

Heat are in the mix here too. Having said that, both Orlando and Miami have lost four straight

games. Duke's picked the Orlando Magic to be in the top four, I believe. Not working on so far

for you, Duke, but that's okay. They're fine. They're fine. I'm not worried at all. You're talking

about, I'm not worried about any of this. The one thing is that the teams that are around them.

Yeah, but the teams that are in the top 10 in the east, they're all in already. There's no one's

making a charge here. The gap between the 10 and 11 spots is pretty wide for a deep, pretty big.

So you know the Raptors are going to get it. It's just a matter of can they be in the five or

six hole? I mean, the five hole is going to play Cleveland six hole is going to play the next,

I would imagine having said that all of a sudden the mixer making a bit of a run here and pushing

the Boston Celtics just to have came back a Boston. So that would be a race to watch as well.

So we're going to talk a little NBA basketball now with Eric Smith. The Toronto Raptors play by

play man. Good morning, Eric. You're with Kevin Carrier. So thanks for jumping on sports 1440. This

morning really appreciate it. No problem. Thanks for having me. So hey, let's go back to last

night's game, Eric. What did you see against Phoenix? Is it one of those games where just

never had it? We're in it. Move on to the next one here. Yeah, I think that's kind of the case.

Jones and I called Jones and I'm a broadcast partner. We're showing our age here a little bit and

do respect you. I'm sure you can kind of agree in room. This as well. Remember the old long

distance plans 10 10 to 20? We kind of ripped off this sort of theory years ago on 10 10 to 20

with an NBA schedule. And you could probably do the same thing in the NHL and other sports. But we

call it 10 10 62 where there's there's 10 games that no matter what you do, no matter what happens,

nothing goes your way and you're losing period. There's 10 games where everything goes your way.

And it doesn't matter who the opponent is, even if it's a better opponent than you,

you're winning that game and everything's going your way. It's about the middle 62 that ultimately

determines your season and do you take care of business more often than not in those 62?

And I think last night or at least I hope last night is one of those 10 from the bad calm where you

chalk it up to the Raptors have been playing some solid ball of late. They went into the road trip

having one two in a row. They beat the bulls to kick off the road trip. They have a very good game

albeit a loss in a very difficult place against a very good opponent in Denver on Friday playing solid

basketball and they kind of got kicked back down to earth against the sun's last night. They had

Phoenix's numbers a couple of weeks ago into Toronto less than two weeks ago in Toronto.

But you know, the sun's kind of gave it back to the Raptors in a big time way last night.

To me, it's about the response from Toronto tonight. I'll be it on the second night of back to back.

What do you do and how do you come out against a Utah jazz team? And to me, that maybe determines or

says more about where this team is at. And again, I say, hopefully last night was just a blow.

Well, I can tell you, Eric, those phone plans you're talking about. They didn't exist for me

with the rotary phones that I was using years and goals. So that's the way it is.

Eric Smith with us on the Kevin Carishoyer on sports 1440. So I guess what kind of response are

you looking at? I mean, Utah's one, they got 21 wins this year. This is a game when you mark on

the calendar, you go, they should be able to win the Raptors, should be able to win this one. What

kind of response are you looking at for tonight? Yeah, I think it really comes down to the start

from this team and you know, not getting in a bit of a hole. And then when I say a bit, I'm not

talking about 10, 12, 15, 20 points. I'm talking about even, you know, five, six, seven points.

I think set the tone early, establish that you are the better team, the more dominant team.

And I understand, yeah, it's in their building. And it's always tough to win on the road against

any opponent, yada, yada, yada. But yes, I would agree with you. This is one where you would

circle it and say, this should be a Raptor victory. And you should be relatively rested considering

most of your starters or all of your starters at the fourth quarter last night. Nobody played

over 30 minutes because the game got so out of hand. So that almost to me in many senses wipes out

the back-to-back aside from the travel component. You know, it's not like you should have too many

weary or tired bodies based on what went down last night. So it's about setting the tone early on.

And I'll tell you the other thing. When I talk about how well the Raptors have been playing as

a team going into last night, I think two individuals specifically, if I can single out a couple of

guys, Brandon Hingram was playing lights out. And he was nowhere near himself in last night's game.

Ditto for Jakob Pertel, who almost had a 2020 game points and rebounds a couple of games

ago, then had another huge double-double in a solid outing. Again, I'll be in the loss on Friday

against Yokech and the Nuggets. Last night in 17 minutes, zero points and zero rebounds, which is

to me unheard of for a starting center for a seven-footer and a player of Pertel's caliber. So

I would anticipate those two guys specifically wanting and needing to help set that tone early on.

And again, I would expect a much different result or a much different effort from Toronto tonight.

I'm with Eric. I think that's just like a one-off on this trip. And you mentioned how it started

with Chicago. I think this is a one-off. I think we'll see a much better effort tonight. What's

the overall health of the team here? Is it just call it Murray Boyle? And is he close to returning

here, Eric? I wish I had a better answer for you than I don't know. I think you kind of know

as much as I do. I was hoping that he would have returned to the lineup about a week or so ago.

But this thumb injury kind of continues to nag and what not. I know when the team

was lost on the floor in Toronto, I saw him practicing a couple of times before the ball game for

a good 20, 30 minutes or so. But then word came down that he wasn't playing. And obviously I

have to see him on this trip. So I don't know. I would be surprised if we were to see him tonight.

And if I end up eating my words and I'm wrong, then I'll be the first to admit it. But I'd be

surprised again on the second night of a back to back and whatnot. If you were going to bring

him back, why not bring him back last night and then see how the body responds. And if he's able

to play tonight, you know what I mean? I don't know if you bring him back. Even on this trip,

perhaps the rappers try to get him a little more rest and maybe look to get him back in the lineup

when they're back at home. But that said, I don't know. Maybe he's even longer beyond that.

This thumb just continues to be an issue. He's trying to play through it a couple of times and it

seems like it kept getting hit again and re aggravated. And Coach Darko was asked about a

week or so ago about whether surgery was even needed or an option. And I think we're kind of past

that point where they've done the rehab and they've gone too far down the path. I think of

of even considering surgeries, more just kind of rest rehab and trying to get that thing right

or at least right enough to be able to play through it. Winnie's in. What have you thought of

his play? Or it could be sometimes I forget that he's just 20 years old. That's what I kind of

sometimes I just go, man, he's just a young, young guy just just just starting out in the league

years or rookie. Well, it's funny. I've got a kid that's turning 17 in about two and a half months

and I say this respectfully to my son. If columnary boils is only two and a half years older than my

kid, he makes my kid look like he's about 10 years older or younger. I mean, like my son looks like

you might be 12 compared to columnary boils. It looks like he's about 30. Like he's definitely got

a man's frame. Like when I stand next to that guy on the floor, it's similar to, and I don't know

if you ever saw him live in a person or wherever around him in any way, shape performance,

especially when the rep is maybe come out west to Calgary, Edmonton or Vancouver or whatnot.

But O'Jan and Obi. Now, I'm a relatively skinny guy myself and I don't say that arrogantly,

I'm just kind of a rail. But O'Jan and Obi's calves, I think, are bigger than my thighs.

And I look at a guy like columnary boils and that's what I see in him too, just the frame, the build.

He is mature beyond his ears in terms of the physicality that he brings.

And so then go back to your original question about what I thought of him.

I've been extremely impressed. I don't know if we're talking about a guy that's going to be a

future all NBA defensive player or anything like that, but he's definitely a guy who's

going to have a long career in this league, whether it be as a starter as a rotation guy,

no matter what it is, he has a place in this league. And what that to me is what stands out is

that I'm already saying that about a rookie who hasn't even been, unfortunately, able to play

a full season in his rookie year. The impact that he makes when he's on the floor and the fact that

he doesn't look out of place, he doesn't back down, he doesn't seem scared by certain opponents

or by the moment itself. He seems like he's ready to gravitate to the moment and mix it up

down low and he doesn't mind getting his nose dirty and going after rebounds. He's one of those

guys as well. I've used this line for years that, and again, I think this applies to all sports.

There's lots of people that know their roles, but I think there are only a hand to you that

accept their roles. There's one thing to know it, another thing to accept it. And I think right

now, at least, he accepts the role. You don't need me to score. You don't need me to do a whole

bunch of stuff. You just need me to go out and serve this purpose and do this. And I'm what this

is. Blocking shots, rebounding play, defense, setting screens. There are other guys around me that

can do the scoring and they can do the damage. I will perform this role, and I'll do it well.

Raptors play by play man, Eric Smith with us on the Kevin Kerri show here on sports 1440.

Well, you mentioned Brandon Ingram, Eric, in the sense that he's been so good this year,

and just a just a bad game like everyone else had against the suns. Just maybe give us your

assessment of how you thought he's played, you know, on the season as an entirety for this

ball club. Yeah, I think he's been fantastic. Obviously, the all-star appearance speaks for

itself. Second time in his career and in his first full season with the Raptors is well technically

only season with the Raptors and coming over last year and not obviously suiting up until this

season began. He's been everything you would want from, you know, from an all-star caliber player.

And again, putting last night behind you, the one thing if I got to point out a little bit of a

criticism or critique on him, I think at times, he might get caught with the ball's hands a little

bit too long. And I don't know if it's that he's feeling that he needs to do it himself or

if he's forcing the issue. But if he dribbles the ball a little bit too much, like, you know,

three, four dribbles, time to move the ball, time to give it up. He doesn't necessarily have to go

one-on-one or go iso against guys. But when he gets into that mid-range, when he's in his groove,

I think he's been fantastic. As a score, clearly, I think he's been a better rebounder than I

anticipated. And I think the fact that he's made able to stay healthy and play more games this year

with the Raptors than he ever did in his six years with the Pelicans, showing his durability,

in his health, and a shout out to the Raptors medical staff and training staff. Keep him ready

and to keep him healthy. I think he's been everything you would want from a player of his caliber.

And providing that sort of outlet and that one-two punch now alongside a Scotty Barnes,

let alone quickly and bear it. I think it brings a lot of balance to the Raptor team and

probably can't say enough good things about Brandon and Brooke. Eric Smith with us on Sports 14-40.

You know, we were talking about Chris Noblock coaching here and, you know, fans are on him and

everything else. You got things to worry about in your own neck of the woods, but I wanted to

draw the parallel here with Darko Ryakovich. And, you know, he's sort of called a team out after

lacks a daisicle performance last night. How does that? How do you walk the line? And how do you see

that? You know, because when you do that to a team, there's either two ways it can go. The team

pushes back or, you know, maybe you can possibly lose a couple of players. Maybe you're just your

thoughts on how Darko's handled things in that sense here, Eric, this year. Yeah, I know you

were hinting at the Leafs. I'm the wrong guy to talk to with the Leafs. So we'll leave that one

alone, but clearly, yes, they've got their own issues. This is the way I kind of approached this,

and listen, maybe I'm wrong or maybe I'm naive and saying this. I'm the kind of person that,

and listen, I never played at a significant level outside of high school, was never good enough

for college level on the pros or anything else. So this is just coming from a weekend warrior type

guy and a guy that's been around sports as a broadcaster. I think the better players and

the best players want to be coached. I think they want to be pushed and pressed and motivated

and praised and glorified. They want it all, but I think that the best players and the players

that you truly want on your team and the players that you want to cheer for as a fan, those are the

ones that can accept and appreciate and embrace constructive criticism. For sure. And I don't think

that a young athlete or a professional athlete wants somebody that's just screaming and yelling

all the time whether it be a coach or a parent. I think that they can respect you more when

you're giving a little bit of sugar and a little bit of salt, right? And I think that, again,

I say the best players want that. So I think over the course of a season, let alone over the course

of a few seasons that Darko's been here with with some of the guys. I think he has built that trust

and that connection and that synergy with enough players that it buys you the freedom to

call out either individuals or more so call out the team when things go sideways. And when you can

actually look in the mirror and say to yourself, man, the man like, yeah, he's right. Like like

quite honestly, I would find it very difficult to believe that any single Raptor after last night's

game wouldn't be able to in a private moment, say to themselves, yeah, we weren't very good tonight.

We just didn't have it. And coach is right. We've got to have more attention to detail. We've

got to have more effort. We've got to have more focus. We can't have lapses. There's only 10, 11

games left in the season. We've only got a one game lead, a half game lead, a game and a half lead

over XYZ teams. We need to be better and we need to play as cliches. It sounds we need to play

every game like it's a playoff game like we could be eliminated, et cetera. And we didn't do that

last night. I'd be shocked if every single guy didn't admit that. So I think that if you're honest

and here's another I don't feel like I'm waxing poetic here on my my life views, but I'm going to

bring up my kid again. I've said before, you can say just about anything to anyone in life. It's a

matter of how you say it and the tone in which you say and the relationship with that person. And

if you have that type of bond or connection to be able to say what you want to say, but yet still

in a, even if it's direct and respectful and a balanced way. And I think Darko's earned that.

G's Eric, I feel like a better person after this conversation.

Hey, thanks for coming on. I really appreciate it on a game day. Just one quick one like I

was being so immersed in the Raptors and everything. Do you get a chance to, you know,

double a little little NCAA watch some and maybe have a bracket or whatever?

Well, I'll say this. I have a bracket going and believe it or not, my final four is still alive,

but that's not to say that the rest of my bracket isn't completely, you know, completely botched.

I went 24 and eight in the first round. So that's that's that's decent. I suppose, but I will say

and you kind of hit the nail and head. I'm sure you agree in trying to. And listen, I kind of

live this life for a couple of years doing a talk show as well. It's extremely difficult. I mean,

listen, anybody listening, I'm not trying to pretend like sports broadcasters. You're like,

we're doctors or lawyers or whatever, or we're doing anything all that important, but trying to

watch hockey and watch basketball, watch football, watch baseball and watch, I don't know what else.

Curling golf soccer and then keep your eye on college football. It's like, man, at some point,

you also got to realize if you've got a family, if you've got kids, if you've got a spouse, if you've

got friends, if you've got a chance to breathe a couple of times. So I find it really difficult.

I started doing blue jays play by play as the sort of backup guy the last few years. So between

the NBA and Major League baseball and spring training, it's real hard to kind of stay completely

entrenched in more than two or three sports. So I am a casual NCAA fan at best. So even though I'm

a basketball guy, man, you could you could probably talk me into the table with your picks or your

bracket or somebody listening good. So I'm not going to try and pretend like I'm an expert on

college basketball by any means. Great stuff. Hey Eric, I really enjoyed this chat. I have a great

call tonight. Hopefully the Raptors can rebound against you. Thanks for coming on. All right. Thank

you. Take care. Yeah, that's Eric Smith, the Toronto Raptors play by play. Man,

he was like that from Saturday in and live, dude. You know, I am a better person looking in the

mirror. What was that guy's name? I can't remember enough. Yeah. Oh, man. Good stuff. That's, he's a great

interview here, Eric Smith. When we come back, we'll talk a little hockey with Scott Maxwell from

the daily face off on the Kevin Kerry show with the Duke of Dublin. Josh Fenwick on sports 1440 AM

radio presented by sports, select, we're streaming on YouTube X Facebook and Instagram and Twitch.

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unlimited plan. For full offer details, visit boostmobile.com. Howdy, howdy ho and welcome to fantasy

fanfellas. I'm Hayden, producer of the fantasy fangirls podcast and your resident lover of all

things Sanderson and I'm Stephen your bookish internet goofball, but you can call me the smash daddy.

And we are currently deep diving Brandon Sanderson's fantasy epic Mistborn, but here's the catch.

Stephen here has not read Mistborn before. That's right. Hey, hey, so each week you'll get my unfiltered

raw reactions to every single chip. And along the way, we'll do character deep dives,

magic explainers and Stephen will even try to guess what's next. Spoiler alert, he'll be wrong.

News flash, I'm never wrong. Episodes come out every Wednesday and you can find fantasy fanfellas

wherever you get your podcasts. All right, welcome back to the big program 1021 in Edmonton.

The rig texted and said it was Stuart Smalley. That was the guy's name from Saturday Night Live.

And I feel better after that conversation with Eric Smith. I really do. I really do.

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Scott Maxwell from the daily face off. Good morning. Scott, you're with Kevin Kerry. Thanks for

jumping on sports 1440 this morning. Really appreciate it. Yeah, thanks for having me on again, Kevin.

Hey, I see you had your power rankings out today. Yeah, the oilers at 18. I don't even know how

the hell they got in the top 20, Scott. Well, I think there's still a decent to like amount to

like about Edmonton. Like that's far from what we're used to seeing from them in the past couple

years, but there's still one of the better teams in the Western Conference albeit the West is

pretty weak this year, which is why we had a pretty East heavy top 60 in our list this week.

Yeah, you got as usual, I mean, Colorado's been at the top pretty well a year long, right, Scott?

Yeah, I think like a couple of weeks ago or for the last month, we've kind of seen a bit of

fluctuation between them and Tampa and Carolina have kind of rotated into the mix. Back when Colorado

was struggling a little bit more and Carolina and Tampa actually caught up with them in the

standings, but yeah, other than that, Colorado's been smooth sailing at the top all year. Yeah,

what team maybe moved up a little bit here as we got a dozen games or so to go? What teams dropped

you think from what you've seen? Well, our biggest risers this week were the flyers who got on a

little bit of a hot streak. They've won three in a row and seven of the last 10. So suddenly,

they're back in the playoff conversation. It might be a little bit too late for them with only

13 games remaining on the season, but if there's any time to get hot, it's now. We are also

had a little bit of we bumped up Utah a little bit as well because just they've fluctuated

all year for us, really just depending on how they've been doing. I've been a big fan of them

personally, especially with how well they've just played structurally and adding Mackenzie

Wieger to the fold there as well has been done nothing but improve that. So like for me personally,

I'd actually consider them to be like a sleeper cup contender, especially if they get that first

wild card spot and can make their way through the Pacific division to get to the Western conference

final. And I'd say our biggest fallers was actually forget who we had as our biggest fall. Oh,

is Vegas. Yeah, they can't score and they haven't been able to make a stable season. So

for a while, the scoring was balancing that out and keeping them in the playoff race,

but now that they're not getting either, yeah, it's been a tough sledding for the Golden Eggs.

What do you, what do you think of Columbus here, Scott? I mean, this, this could, well,

I mean, they were a team on Christmas Eve that were last in the Eastern Conference. Now,

they're in a playoff spot and they could probably, they could get the number two hole in the Met.

I am fully on board with Blue Jackets team. I think especially since they made the coaching change,

like I'm a big stats guy and a lot of the stats are highly in favor of the Blue Jackets and what

they're doing. They've been driving play, like one of the best teams in the league since,

since Rick bonus took over. And I think like we're, they're getting a little bit more stable goal

tending from both Mursleek and Zen Grieves, but Grieves particularly has really stepped up as a

starting quality this year. Their defense is just jelling a lot more than I would have even

expected from them. I certainly had some questions there beyond like what Zach Ransky can provide

offensively. And just they keep adding more forward depth over the year. Like I was already pretty

impressed by it going into the season and then to add Charlie Coil and Miles Wood to that,

what Coil has done defensively this season has been like a game changer for them. And then Mason

Marchman has just like a complimentary middle six winger and then Conor Garland to top things off.

Like I've always enjoyed Conor Garland's game. And I think it suits the Blue Jackets perfectly.

Yeah, no, it's been, it's been a really good mix of just like everything going well. And yeah,

they should hopefully make the playoffs. Yeah, Scott Maxwell with us from the daily face off.

He also had an article. I think it was last week just with breakout of the year players that are

sort of under like under the radar. If you want to call it underrated, maybe just touch on that

and throw some names out to our listeners who you've got in that article. Yeah, like I wouldn't say

all of these players have haven't been fully credited for the breakouts. Like they've certainly

gotten some attention, but I think maybe not as much as they should. Two sabers were on the list,

which shouldn't be a surprise with how quickly the team has turned around without really changing

anything, even from last season. One of the players that was a change was Josh Dohn. And he's

honestly one of my personal favorite players to watch this year. Like he just, he's, I said this

last week in our power rankings. I'd almost consider it to be like a Matthew Kitchuk light trade

for Buffalo where it's not like I wouldn't say don't is anywhere near the level of Matthew Kitchuk.

But like it's the same type of move where they traded a pure score in Paturka and in return got

don't who still provides that offense, but provides it in a different way in the game through

like his four checkings play. So I think that has just allowed Buffalo to diversify their skill set.

Samuel Mathias Samuelson's play on the back end for them as well has been spectacular.

Like I think go like in the summer he was a bio candidate for now he's

a top four defenseman on the team and playing like amazing defensive hockey alongside Rasmus Stolline.

They're one of the better pairings in the league as a result of that.

And I think like I mean J.J. Moser's another player who has gotten plenty of attention this

year because of how well Tampa Bay has done despite all the injuries. But even that just like

I don't think it can be understood that he's been one of the best defensive defenseman in the league

this season. And what unlocking that alongside Darren Radish and the offense that he provides for

the lightning on the back end is like a game changer for them with how like suddenly you have an

older McDonough and headman who are still really good but not in the prime of their careers and you

can almost like shelter them further down the lineup because Radish and Moser can play in a top

pair role just like provide the same thing that McDonough and headman did like five years ago during

their cup runs. Yeah. It's got Maxwell from the Daily Face Off with us in sports 1440.

Just sticking with Buffalo because you see him lots and stuff but how far? How much noise do you

think this team can make in the playoffs? And I'm going to pony this. Who do you think they're starting

goal tender to open up the playoffs? I think it really depends on their first round matchup.

I think well I don't see Buffalo getting past Tampa Bay. I just I feel like Tampa Bay is just too

strong this year. Especially like and like you know you bring up the goal tending I think like

the lightning have that X factor especially in an Eastern conference where

you know all of the top teams don't really have a solidified goal tending option

and Tampa Bay just has Vasilevsky so like that it's just the great equalizer there but like I feel

like like there are some teams that I could see being a bit scarier matchups for them like the

senators if they sneak in I like the structured play that the senators have and I could see that

being a foil to the Sabers more chaotic energy that they've provided since going on their hot

streak but if they get like a team that brings a similar chaotic style like the Canadians or the

Red Wings I could see them at the very least making the second round as for the goal tending your

guesses as good as mine I feel like there hasn't really they've done a very good job of balancing

that three men to end them all year and like it I wouldn't even say there's really been too many

well like between Lion and Lucan and specifically like there hasn't really been like a huge

deciding factor between the two of them that would stand out as one or the other you could maybe

lean in favor of starting Lion to start the playoffs just because he does have that experience

from when he did it with the Panthers a few years ago or if you really are fully believe that

like Lucan and is the goalie of your goalie of the future run with him see what he's got

yeah I really depends on how Buffalo wants to approach it I think so too and I think UPL's

playing better I think right now I think he's playing a little bit better but I think it's like

a coin toss it could be either one of them UPL or Lion Scott Maxwell from the Daily Face Off with

this when you look at the teams that are you know and we've touched on these races out east but

what about out west and you you mentioned the Pacific division how bad it is and we've talked about

a daily here Scott a team out of this division and tack in Utah it's going to get to the final four

here that's how that that it's crazy to think that and you can talk about the playoff system

the playoff format and everything like that but this is an opportunity like for the oilers I'm

thinking this is an opportunity that we've never seen before because they always had to get through

Vancouver or they had to get through Vegas we were juggernauts and they had tough series the

kings they've had tough series with but this is to say how easy this path is to get to the final

four they've never seen anything like this in the division I agree it's I don't think we've

ever really seen a division disparity like this I honestly can't even think of a time where like

leader in the Pacific division wouldn't even make the playoff in the western conference they'd be

10th they wouldn't even be 9th but yeah I definitely agree with the oilers where what this is allowed

them is almost like I guess a third chance at a cup final where like they certainly aren't playing

at the level that we've seen from them the past two years when like what got them to the Stanley

Cup final but I think just yeah this what this has provided them is like a easier path to get there

and I think if you look at a lot of the teams in this bubble like the ducks are a talented team but

inexperienced and not the best defensively which I think if the oilers end up against them that's

a pretty good matchup if you've got Connor McDavid and Leon Drysidle the Golden Knights just

aren't getting the gold tending at all this season and can't find an answer to that so again that's

a perfect answer for McDavid and Drysidle Utah like I've said before I do really like them as a team

but like I could still see the oilers with their experience and that star talent maybe flipping

the switch and finding that gear and overcoming that and yeah you look at any of the other teams

in contention like LA I mean we've seen the matchup before we always know how that one goes

even with Panarin in the fold this year it still doesn't really feel like

there it's that much for Difference Maker Seattle I haven't been a big fan of this year

I'm not surprised to see them slowly drifting out of the playoff picture but if they make it outside

of really good gold tending there's not a lot that I like with them more than the oilers and

the sharks are similarly inexperienced to the ducks and I think have more holes than the ducks

so yeah like it really is just a perfect picture set up for the oilers where you know if I mean

if they can make it it's technically not a given right now um exactly especially with Drysidle

out for the season but like if they can make it and get into the the Pacific division bracket

side of the bracket like I think they have just as much as much of a chance as any of you

get to the final and then from there maybe they're lucky enough that they're playing a beat up

team from the central division yeah they have the easiest path they've ever had the easiest path

they've ever had and uh it's up to them to take advantage of it uh one last one for you

Scott just with the Maple Leafs and how they play out the string here uh because of that top five

protected pick and the possibility of that uh um you know going too bossed and if it's not top five

protected um I think the next week or two will really depend on what direction they should go

because they either have to go one way or the other and they have to commit to it like either

they have to just like free fall and like because right now there are only six points out of thirty

first like that's not impossible to make up but you're also playing against other teams that are

losing in a similar rate to you so if you want to ensure that you get the top five pick then you

want to bond them out but if you're playing 500 hockey these next two weeks you may as well try

and win out and make that pick as invaluable as possible for the Bruins to take on because at the end

of the day it's really a tough decision as to whether you want to take this year's pick or take

the pick two years from now because um at the end of the day you're still going to be giving two of

your next three first round picks away uh to the Bruins and to the Flyers so it really is just a matter

if you think that this year's a one-off and you can turn the team around to be a playoff team again

next year then if that's the case go use the pick this year and then hopefully the next two years

you're in the playoffs the first round picks don't matter but if you think this is the start of a

longer retool or rebuilds um then at that point it's a matter of if you

care more about putting off the pick then uh or like kicking the can down the road as far as

a problem we're just getting it over with now um have a couple of painful years and then start

truly rebuilding in two years i feel like they're leaning more towards the latter especially if

Brad tree living is still at the helm i don't entirely trust uh his judgment to turn around this

team and to a playoff team considering his resume so far but uh we think both tree you think both

tree and and bruby are gone after the year i mean bruby has to be as good as scones at this point

if he's if he's blaming the goal tending uh after uh four to three lost uh the hurricanes when they

outplay the leaf significantly and the goal tennigs the only reason they're in the game then

that just feels like a coach who's saving face at this point and trying to uh look

as good as he can for the next job opportunity for him but tree living feels a little bit more

uncertain i i personally would but um you never know especially with the ownership changes

going on in Toronto there's a lot of uncertainty there and how that's going to play out and uh

yeah we just yeah that alone and just Rogers now taking full control of the Leafs organization

we don't know how they're going to operate and uh just yeah with the transition alone that might

make it up thing where they just look at tree living and like okay we don't want to worry about

this right now we're going to keep them around for next year quest for world we just want to

worry about the hiring process yeah that quest for world domination continue scott as always

thanks for coming on really appreciate uh enjoy the stretch run in the playoffs here thanks thanks

thanks a lot thanks thanks again scott maxwell from the daily faceoff and our game of the day

brought to you by scene Albert Dodge all new 2026 jeep gladiator sport packages are here under 50K

gets you behind the wheel check them out at scene Albert Dodge dot com when we come back we'll wrap

up the show uh it's the kevin kerry show with the duke dubber and Josh Fenwick on sports 1448

am radio streaming on youtube x facebook instagram and twitch brought to you by sports select

howdy howdy ho and welcome to fantasy fanfellas i'm Hayden producer of the fantasy fangirls podcast

and your resident lover of all things sanderson and i'm steven your bookish internet goofball but

you can call me the smash daddy and we are currently deep diving Brandon sanderson's fantasy epic

misborn but here's the catch steven here has not read misborn before that's right hey hey so each

week you'll get my unfiltered raw reactions to every single chip and along the way we'll do character

deep dives magic explainers and steven will even try to guess what's next spoiler alert he'll

be wrong news flash i'm never wrong episodes come out every Wednesday and you can find fantasy

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all right welcome back to the big program 1043 in Edmonton Kevin Curie Stucco Delburn Josh

Fenwick with you here on sports 1440 a.m. radio presented by sports select so glad you're with us

for the final segment on a Monday morning oilers will practice in about oh 20 minutes after a

day off yesterday you would think that most of the players would be on the ice today today we'll

see how the lines look heading to Utah tomorrow in the game against the mammoth they've changed a

lot here in the last little bit well they've had a lot of injuries too and that doesn't help

I mean that fourth line really when you think about it before Trent Frederick was injured that

fourth line was starting to create a little bit of an identity and it's something that

this team hasn't had in a long time that fourth line with an identity in Jones and Rick and

Trent Frederick who's out should mention we had a text earlier what did you think of Robi your

venti on Saturday night his first NHL game as an Euler I'm you know what it was one of those games

you kind of think it's it's like your sixth defenseman if you don't really notice him you go

that was all right I thought he got involved a couple times along the boards he's a bigger body I

think he's six two six three so you know he's kind of if he turns into what what Frederick was doing

on that fourth line that's something that can move forward again I still think I really think

the way that Matt Savoy was coming on here he's got to be playing with McDavid and Hyman leave

him there see what can happen on this road trip when you go into Vegas falling following the Utah

game leaves Savoy up with McDavid and Hyman give him a longer spin and Dickinson Roslavic and

Nugin Hopkins we're just doing fine what they were doing and the your third line is your two

bangers and put colds and captain with Samatsky in the middle so I mean go for a spin with these

guys see what happens that's what I'd like to see it practice today

spec even sent a post out a little earlier that he thinks that Tristan Jari will start in gold

tomorrow that wouldn't surprise me at all and that is fine at some point he's they got to find

something here with him he's got to find his game he's got to say you know what I got this one tonight

they need that man do they need that and the other thing I would like to see today at practice

would be I'm sure that Connor McDavid is going to be requested by the media he did speak obviously

after Saturday normally you don't go back to back on back to back days but with a day off in between

I would imagine he will be requested by the media after practice and I would imagine he would

be asked what did your how were your comments perceived because a lot of people are taking it the

other way a lot of people do get it in the inner out where would you say that can that concern

and where you took the comments three out of 10 that's where I say it is but a lot of people are

saying much more even our Frank Saravoli our Frank Saravoli who will be on tomorrow his line is

McDavid throws a log under the fire raging in Edmonton. What do you make of that Duke

old Frank trying to stir the party. Oh, Frank. No, I'm just kidding. Let's let like we discuss

an interaukev I'm I'm kind of in the camp where I don't think it's a total zero burger

for those maybe completely dismissing it. I mean, and specs said it when he was on with us

McDavid is a player that is very conscious about what he's saying right like he doesn't

spelled off and then walk back something every week or every other day right he's a little bit

more of a reserve guy is quite private on the the personal side of things and so when he says stuff

he's well aware of what he's saying now in this specific moment my interpretation is as I said

there are kind of frustration boiling over a little bit and you see a team that runs as well

oiled as the Tampa Bay Lightning do when they are at their best and I think Saturday night they

looked about as good as as they can be once again maybe minus the Oliver Bjorkstra and Snipe

past Andre Vasilevsky which is you know fluked that happens but yeah and so

all of that coming to a head here for a team that continues to just run into a wall as soon as

you think you're starting to get a little bit of momentum going and that has to that has to

wear on a guy especially when all of a sudden you're running mate and the other best player in your

team that helps shoulder that load for you is now over in Germany seeking medical advice so

that has to all eventually kind of come to a head no matter how calm cool collected you are which

I think is a fair thing to describe McDavid as I'm going to throw this one out there too so after

the Florida game where you know everyone went off the handle here about how like a response

well like you know the Florida game that night where again these guys ripped your heart out

then they rubbed your nose in it and you took you till the third period to get into the game

to invest into the game emotionally passionately and everything then after the game the comments

from coach nobloc weren't on the same level as pretty well everyone in town maybe players included

so did Connor McDavid's comments after the Tampa loss do they stem back to comments

following the Florida loss where for those that missed it Chris nobloc essentially said he liked

their game thought they played pretty well and for those was to watch the game you could say I

think that's a fair description of the third period but that's a third of the game so it does

it stem from it to your question kev I don't know I'd have a hard time connecting those two

rather than just consecutive losses to two teams one of which is at a far end of the spectrum

compared to the other right now in this season Panthers compared to the lightning I like your line

though the frustration level with this team I don't know if I've ever seen it at this stage where

and the team still in a playoff spot yeah like we've seen the team being frustrated as hell

going back you know you know the start of this season start of last season the woodcroft everything

oh 100% so but this opportunity for them is so has been so wide open because of the poor play of

their other divisional opponents and they have done absolutely nothing to seize it at any any

the it's been it was all over Twitter for the whole weekend the pathetic division oh now

they're not the entire Pacific division goes 0 for 6 essentially and they they disall or locked

in neutral spin in their tires while the rest of the league continues to win games and either further

pad the lead they have on them or even leapfrog them you know in some cases it's like a it's like a

horse race sometimes Duke you know and jockey's managers and the horse for that matter in a lot of

races they have a plan and they have you know sometimes a horse is known for going out quicker

harder faster at getting and sometimes a horse is more successful if he doesn't take the lead

and he sees the horse that's in front of him and goes okay I'll just keep you know I'll stick around

this guy stick around this guy and then at some point the jockey goes to the whip and says let's go

right so we haven't seen that all season long here yet yeah that's that's a very very good

description Kevin and and so I guess to take this back to where it started about possible discontent

with the coaching is that to the coach then to be the jockey that pulls the crop out and says

all right you know we we've tried to do it the way we wanted to but the plan is not working so

we need to try something else it's a little tough to say that with just 12 games left in the

regular season but when you have the talent that this team does possess and do not be mistaken

this is a very talented team when you talk about the collection of players they have that just it's

further fuels back into that frustrated narrative that we've been talking about too so I'm I'm I'm

right there with the vast majority people where I say I do think that the coaching can do better

can try and do more to help put this team in a better position to succeed but at the end of the

day players have to execute to use your own line Kevin like do you think Chris noblock told Evan

Bouchard to be eight feet above his guy in front of the net on the rebound goal I seriously doubt it

you got you have to execute yeah Scotty Bowman back there it doesn't matter if

uh if you if you're not listening or you're not putting it actually into execution on the ice

I love when all our listeners just hang on every word triple scene of trucks is Duke your tires

don't spin in neutral well they could happy all right sorry your tire spinning or your stuck in

neutral how's that separate your tires don't spin in neutral oh man hey it's been a it's been a

rough day for sure oh hey but you I thought oh I'll be on I thought you'd be in worse shape I thought

you'd be in worse condition last night after the tropics game which as mentioned earlier we lost

unfortunately and I will put a lot of the blame squarely on my shoulders I did not bring any beer

to the game oh dude because I I've been out and I simply didn't have it in me to stop somewhere

on my way to Kinsman arena to get a new case but we're in there and it's after the game and

well set three different guys said hey D1 one I just put my hand I was like no I'm I can't and then

naturally uh my boy Tom who had been curling down in Delburn over the weekend too he did he's

that's through it to me he didn't even he he gasped me cold times I said no so he just

lauded across the room what choice do I have to catch it and uh then he subsequently open it

and I ended up having a couple out of I do listen right back on the horse yeah let's get back on

the right back on the horse right uh hey before we close out here I know you and con men are going

to be talking lots about NCAA and things uh I've checked three or four sites out about and and

writers the top four teams that are remaining as far as power rankings the best four teams uh one

of them's got Arizona that Michigan Duke Houston the other one that I got has Michigan at one

then Arizona then Houston then Duke so you're feeling pretty confident as well as it was what you're

trying to just lean lean into with me here but hey I can't I can't believe you didn't even bring

this up what you're picked for the volunteers oh Tennessee yeah they they get through to the sweet

16 yeah I would say number six seed I think that that Virginia loss was the beginning of the end

for me and my bracket she's all over and then it just got worse yesterday with the gate is

oh I knew when that ball went I thought he was gonna text you know it dukes had a hard enough

thank thank you because Declan and Conor did not have the same courtesy

Oh they've passed the year in a day Declan text me and said oh no bread oh

uh coming up at the top of the hour it is fantasy frenzy with the former Rosheptieber

Conor Halley and the Duke of Dublin 12 o'clock till two it's the lowdown with Ellen Mitchell

two till six Jason Gregor drives us home will it got we got Fox Sports all night long till uh

seven in the morning when we will be back with you before all of that time now for sports 1440

update brought to you by Sean Cunningham of remax real estate get the home team advantage for your

next move in the Edmonton area if you are thinking about buying or selling a home call or text

Sean directly at seven eight zero two six five oh one six five hey thanks everyone for listening

thanks for all the great text thanks for the interaction we could not do it without you hope

you have a marvelous rest of your Monday we're back with you tomorrow morning at seven bells

until then here is the duke hi this is Pablo Tore from Pablo Tore finds out and today I want to talk

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howdy howdy ho and welcome to fantasy fanfellas i'm Hayden producer of the fantasy

fangirls podcast and your resident lover of all things sanderson and i'm steven your bookish

internet goofball but you can call me the smash daddy and we are currently deep diving

Brandon sander since fantasy epic missborn but here's the catch steven here has not read

missborn before that's right hey hey so each week you'll get my unfiltered raw reactions to

every single chip and along the way we'll do character deep dives magic explainers and steven

will even try to guess what's next spoiler alert he'll be wrong news flash i'm never wrong

episodes come out every Wednesday and you can find fantasy fanfellas wherever you get your podcasts