Keith Yandle

Connor Hellebuyck is the best goalie in the world

Connor Hellebuyck just saying, 'Hey boys, hop on my back. I got this for you. Just jump on in and ride me to this fucking gold medal.' It's incredible. We had the best goalie in the world and our defense is way better than Canada... I don't care if he gave up 50 goals before that game, the way he played that game, he should have won MVP.

The US won the gold because they chose to stay in the Olympic Village while Canada stayed at a Four Seasons

Those guys went over to Milan on their PJs and absolutely lit it up... They didn't go stay at a Four Seasons like the Canadians did. They stayed in the village because we're village people. We go in there and we muck it up. You might not get the best food, but you're gonna have the best plane ride home smashing beers over your head.

The 2026 Gold Medal will grow US hockey by bringing in kids from non-traditional states

The 1980 Olympic gold medal meant so much for guys like me... This game right now, what it can mean for a sport. You're going to get kids from different cultures, different backgrounds playing hockey that never did. It was 12 states represented [on this team]. The 1980 teams was probably strictly Michigan, Minnesota and Massachusetts. This effect is going to take us even further.

Connor McDavid will win a Stanley Cup, but it will not be in Edmonton

Can [Connor McDavid] win the big one? Yes. Not in Edmonton. Oh, okay. I like that. That's a good take.

Dak Prescott would be just as successful as Jalen Hurts if he played for the Eagles

I'm more thinking the defense was nasty... I think it's kind of hard to definitively say that Dak Prescott couldn't do what Jalen Hurts [does] if he had that much.

The 2026 Stanley Cup Finals will be a matchup between the Dallas Stars and the Florida Panthers

I'll take Dallas, Florida [for the Stanley Cup Finals next year].

The Florida Panthers are a better and deeper team than they were during their 2024 championship run.

In my opinion, I would say Florida got, you know, obviously they were really good last year and won it all, but I think they got even better and even deeper.

Coaches should always be involved in the post-series handshake line.

I just think that, you know, maybe [Paul Maurice] is downplaying how much that the coaches mean to a team... I think they deserve to be in there and, you know, whether you're winning a series or losing a series, going through that handshake line, you know, just what it means to shake every guy's hand... I think it's one of the best traditions in hockey and it shouldn't be taken away.

The Florida Panthers will win the Stanley Cup in six games.

I think it's gonna go six. I think they steal one on the road early and take care of business at home and then win it at home. I think winning at home game six would be huge.

Tom Wilson is a bonafide star who should be on the Olympic team

I gotta give a shout out to and put some respect on his name is Tom Wilson. Like he's obviously, you know, he's been around a long time. He's an unbelievable player, but I think he is a bonafide star right now. Like he should be on that Olympic team. No one wants to play against him.

The Stanley Cup Final will be the Florida Panthers vs the Dallas Stars

I've said it from the beginning that it, it's gonna be Panther Stars. So I'm sticking with that... I'll still stick with Dallas coming out of the west and Florida coming out of the east and you know, just another, no, no Tax City Stanley Cup finals.

Ovechkin's days of being a physical force are limited

I think the days of where he's running guys through the boards, you know, a force to be reckoned with out there, those might be limited. But, you know, I think when it comes to goal scoring, he's, I think he could do it till he is 45 years old.

The Oilers aren't good enough to win the West because they lack the depth and defense of other top contenders

I don't think it's [the Oilers'] year... I just think those other teams are a little bit more deep, better goal tending, better defensively... I think the west is too stacked and at the end of the day, I think the east is gonna win it this year.

The Florida Panthers will win the Stanley Cup

I got Florida and Colorado [in the finals]... I think it's the Panthers year. I just, they, they're a fun team to watch they, they play so hard. Their big guys are playing great.

Florida and the Rangers are the favorites to win the Stanley Cup in the East

I'm gonna do Florida. I think that especially what they did last year... hard team to play against. And the Rangers coming out of the East. Goal tending has been... I think Shesterkin could be a little better, but it's one of those things when you get into playoffs.

The Dallas Stars are the favorite to win the Western Conference because Jake Oettinger is one of the best goalies in the NHL

And then out west, I really like Dallas. I liked them a lot last year too, you know, with Ottinger. I think he's one of the best goalies in the league... I think he's just gonna continue to get more confident in the playoffs.

Canada will not win a Stanley Cup anytime soon

Also Vancouver too, Vancouver what they've done this year, but I don't think Canada's gonna win a Stanley Cup anytime soon.

The Maple Leafs won't win a Cup because their fans are mean to them

I think it would strictly be because their fan base is too hard on them... They have one bad period or one bad game, they're sell the farm, get rid of everyone. I think their fans just need to be a little bit nicer than the players.

Brady Tkachuk is a top 15 player in the NHL and he needs to stop fighting

Brady Tkachuk... I'm like, Brady, you gotta stop fighting, man. Like, I know you're tough. He's a top 10, 15 player in the league. I'm like, you gotta stop fighting, man.

Goalies should never ask defensemen to block shots because it is the goalie's job to stop the puck

I always said like I, I never asked the goalie to go play the power play for me. You know, he should never ask me to block the puck... it's the goalies. It's more the coaches.

To survive in the NHL when you aren't a superstar, you must focus on being an elite teammate

I knew for me, sticking around, obviously when you're not the best player in the world, you gotta have some other intangibles. And I knew for me as being a good teammate, being a guy that people can trust, you know, just being there for guys no matter what.

The Florida Panthers' upset over the Bruins wasn't as shocking as people think

I don't think it was a choke as much as people are saying... You look at Florida's team, they're loaded, they got superstar players... They had been playing playoff hockey for the last month trying to get into the playoffs.

The Florida Panthers will beat the Toronto Maple Leafs in their playoff series

I would love to see Toronto move on, but just not against my Cats. I think Florida's gonna beat them in that series.

Connor McDavid is so fast he doesn't even get tired on the ice

I honestly don't think he even gets tired... He's just so fast... And the dual threat of being one of the best passers in the league and now having the ability to score kind of whenever you want, is just taking his game through the roof.

A team of 20 Connor McDavids would easily win the Stanley Cup

If there were let's say 20 Connor McDavids on a team... Do they win a Stanley Cup? Yeah. Not even close. [Ooh, now Whit disagrees with you] 20 of them.

The Dallas Stars and Florida Panthers will meet in the Stanley Cup Finals

In the beginning before playoffs, I had Dallas and Boston in the finals... Now I want to go Dallas, Florida in the finals.

Jake Oettinger is the best goalie in the NHL

I think Dallas now... I think Dallas has the best goalie with Jake Oettinger. He's a stud young kid. He, he was unbelievable in the playoffs last year.

NHL starting goalies are the weirdest people on the planet

Starting goalie is just outta control. Like, you don't talk to 'em, don't go near 'em on game day... I think it's from a young age on where you're in the crease, you got no one to talk to.