Takes

This is the best chance the Maple Leafs have ever had to win the Stanley Cup

So hockey this year, so many storylines. I think the number one for me is that this is the best chance the Leafs have ever had to win the cup. Yes... 1967, the first is that, well the most recent one I heard is the last time both the Detroit Red Wings and Boston Bruins didn't make the Stanley Cup was 1967.

The Stanley Cup winner will be one of these three teams: Florida, Tampa, or Toronto

Florida, Tampa, Toronto. I'm taking all three Atlantics. I think that the only thing that'll stop that is whoever of those three makes the conference finals might just be beat to shit outta gas.

Colorado is the best team in the West and will return to the Cup Finals

Colorado to me is, they're the best team in the West. And if they play Dallas, which I think they will in the first round, one of those kind of unfair, like either team could win the cup and somebody losing first round.

Ovechkin's record-breaking goal from his office was the perfect way to end the chase

It was awesome to see him score from his office against the Islanders... Ovie was like, fuck it, I know it's at home... he said, no, I don't wanna do it on empty netter. Instead he did it from his office. Perfectly. Perfect, perfect shot. That shot has been happening for 20 years.

Blackhawks owner Jerry Reinsdorf is a piece of shit

I've been watching all the games illegally this year. Good for you. I have a workaround that I'm, I will not tell, but I have a workaround that I've been watching the games illegally because [Jerry Reinsdorf] is such a piece of shit. Yeah. I don't wanna give him money. He sucks.

The Wisconsin Badgers women's hockey team is a true dynasty

The Wisconsin Badgers women's hockey team won another national title. Four outta six years, eight total dominant. Dynasty for sure. That's the Dynasty.

The Four Nations Face-Off final was equivalent to an All-Star exhibition game for Team USA

That term meant a lot... [Big Cat: You agree right, that was just the All-Star break?] I don't know if I answer that... Give's a shit about that. That's exhibition.

I can definitely beat up my brother Matthew Tkachuk in a fight

Oh yeah. Oh yeah. [Big Cat: You could beat the fuck out of him?] I'll say and he'll see it and be like, yeah, he can. Oh, he knows. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Winning a Stanley Cup in Canada would make me 'Captain Canada'

I think about it all the time... [PFT: It'd be Captain Canada at that point.] Yeah. It's made me think about it too much. But I feel like I have my whole day planned when we win.

Alex Ovechkin will break the NHL goal record this season against the Penguins

I think he's gonna do it this year. I think he's gonna do it against the [Penguins] at the end of the season... I think it's the game against the Penguins towards the end of the regular season... April 17th... Having him break it right in Sidney Crosby's face would be incredible.

The Washington Capitals will win the Stanley Cup this year

The caps are... legitimately a good team. They've got a bunch of great players... I think it is the caps year. I believe they have the best record in hockey.

Auston Matthews has become 'too Canadian' and that is why the US lost the Four Nations tournament

My takeaway from this game is that Austin Matthews has become too Canadian. And that's why we lost the game. Because he's a Maple Leaf and Maple Leafs never win anything. And we saw that.

Canada will beat the USA in the Four Nations final

Thursday night we're gonna put on a spanking to you Americans. ... You're gonna see McJesus, Makar, MacKinnon and Crosby put on a goddamn show in front of the Boston crowd. ... Thursday we're gonna find an answer and we're gonna bring it to you in your own house.

Alexander Ovechkin is not on the Mount Rushmore of hockey

I don't think that anybody would have him in the Mount Rushmore of hockey. ... Once he passes Gretzky for goals, I would say he's probably yes, gonna be coming in around like sixth or seventh all time. I think still a lot of people put Stevie Y ahead of him.

Connor Hellebuyck is unproven in elimination games

Hellebuyck has been on this incredible run... not so much in playoffs or in big money games. ... In an elimination situation when all the chips are on the table, he is unproven.

Canada will win the Four Nations final 6-2

Six to two. Six-two. McJesus will rise. They will light up Hellebuyck in an elimination situation. ... Jordan 'The Snowman' Binnington will have an incredible performance for the Canadians in net. Mark my words. An absolute spanking.

Connor Bedard has 'dog in him' and will become one of the greats

I believe that he does have dog in him and it will eventually be unleashed. He's too stubborn not to become one of the greats. ... This kid is very young, he's very determined and he is gonna figure it out with my help.

The United States is currently the best hockey country in the world

Guess what? We're the best fucking country in the world in hockey... until Canada, until Canada to be on Thursday. We right now as of the second we're still the best hockey country in the world. We got the cup. They're not getting it back.

Canada won't get the Stanley Cup back from the United States

We got the Stanley Cup. They're not getting it back.

The Maple Leafs current roster is the best they have had in 20 years

I would say this is the best lineup the [Maple Leafs] have had in the last 15, 20 years. Very solid backend. They're getting incredible goaltending... Their Core Four, all the guys making all the big dough [Matthews, Marner, Tavares, Nylander] are buzzing.

Spencer Carberry is the frontrunner for the Jack Adams Award

Probably the biggest surprise so far this year has been the Washington Capitals... I would have to say [Spencer] Carberry the coach. He, he, he's the front runner for the Jack Adams. He just is such a modern day coach.

Kirill Kaprizov is a top three MVP candidate

Minnesota, Kirill the Thrill [Kaprizov]... Probably a top three candidate for MVP right now. And just an unreal player to watch where every game, game in, game out, shift in, shift out, he has must-watch television.

The Bruins lowballed Jeremy Swayman with a four-year, $6.2 million offer

I find out that the offer is four years times 6.2 crazy low ball. And that they, that they haven't talked in like three weeks. It's August camps in 10 days... I had the contract offer. Right. He [Don Sweeney] didn't argue that. So whether it was two weeks, three weeks, or 10 days, right. There's been enough silence in August with your star goalie that it's seriously alarming.

Conor McDavid will win at least one Stanley Cup in the next four years

No doubt in my mind [McDavid can win the big one]. I'm very confident that this is the year... Life or death four years, like a four year span, gun your head. I would say they, yeah, I would say they would win one cup. That would be my guess. Life or death.

Alex Ovechkin being ranked 54th on ESPN's Top 100 Athletes list is disrespectful to hockey

That Ovy [Alex Ovechkin] is so far down. Like Hank said, it's disrespectful to hockey, it's disrespectful to the entire country of Russia. The man is about to surpass Wayne Gretzky for the top goal scorer of all time in the NHL.

NHL goalies should be pulled from the ice with at least four minutes remaining

I think the goalie should have been pulled with like six minutes left in the period... no, I think they just like four and a half... I think you pulled the goalie super early. Yeah. I I feel like, I don't know, it just, at the end of the game, they didn't get that guy outta there until like a minute, 45, 2 minutes left... it should definitely be more than one minute, 45 seconds. Yeah, it should be like three and a half, four minutes.

The Conn Smythe Trophy is the cruelest gift you can give a player who just lost the Stanley Cup

Fuck off on giving me that trophy after I just had my guts ripped out and was on the brink of a historical, historical comeback... why would you want to accept it? It's cool that he won it. He was the best player in these playoffs. He broke all these records, but fuck off on giving me that trophy... I would say it's probably the meanest gift you can give to somebody.

If the Oilers win Game 7, it will be the most iconic moment in Stanley Cup Finals history

This would be, I think, the most iconic moment in Stanley Cup finals history. If they're able to pull [off the comeback].

Connor McDavid is the greatest athlete in the world right now

Connor McDavid and him being the greatest athlete in the world right now, better at his sport than any other person is at their sport.

Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final will go to overtime

I think it's going overtime, which I didn't think it ever happened. Somebody told me it did. It might've been in the twenties or thirties for all I know. But game seven overtime for the Stanley Cup. I feel like this season's been so crazy that it might happen tonight.

The Oilers will win Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals at home

I feel like they are, the Oilers are going to win game three at home though. They need the tits. They need the tits.

Matt Cook was a dirty player

I remember either [Chris Higgins] in the intermission, he said, Hey, just make sure you keep your head about there 'cause you know these guys are coming after you... Matt Cook kind of asked me to go... ended up knocking him out... But he was a, he was a dirty, dirty player.

Atlanta deserves to have an NHL team again

I loved Atlanta. I loved my time there. I had an incredible two years. The fans in Atlanta I think we're awesome. I think it's a great city to live. Lots to do. I'm all for getting hockey back in Atlanta. I think just, you know, that's where I started my career at my first two years there. I had great experiences and, and I'd love to see hockey back in that market with the right ownership group.

The Florida Panthers will win the Stanley Cup in six games

Right now I have Florida and six. Right. I think that overall they have the better team... Florida is expected to be there. They have the goal tending, they have more depth on defense. They're overall better on defense.

Sasha Barkov is the best 200-foot center in the world

Sasha Barkov easily in the world right now, probably the new Anze Kopitar as the best 200 foot center... he back checks like a maniac. He's the most reliable center ice position player I believe on the planet. Even more so than McDavid from a defensive standpoint.

Connor McDavid still sucks because he hasn't won the big one

Not that he [McDavid] needs it again. He, he still hasn't won the big one, so we're gonna wait on that... Right now. He still sucks. In a way I'm kind of hoping that he loses so we can really focus this take on him. Like, losing in the Stanley Cup finals would be the ultimate point on that crown of cannot win the big one.

I want the Rangers to win Game 6 and then lose Game 7 in historic, embarrassing fashion

I would like the Rangers to win game six. And then lose in historic fashion [in game 7].

Edmonton losing in the Stanley Cup Finals would be the best storyline for hockey

I kind of just for our own sake, I hope that Edmonton loses in the finals. Just for the storyline. Canada... I hope they get to the finals and I hope that Edmonton loses.

Connor McDavid is the most talented player to ever play hockey

I will say this guy's the best player that maybe we've ever seen play the game skill wise. Stuff that he can do out there... there's no one even close that can do the things at top speed that he does night in and night out.

NHL players want the 'physicality and shots' in the game's gray areas

The best part about that series was watching Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand shake hands. I mean it's, it's an f you to all those fans out there that try to take that component out of the game... you're telling me that I've never been cheap shotted before... I love them for it. That's a part of the game. Some days you're the dog, some days you're the hydrant.

The Rangers will beat the Panthers in the Eastern Conference Finals

I'm gonna pick the Rangers... I think that the winner could be coming out of the east this year... if the Rangers can play their game, move pucks, break out clean attack... they will have a ton of success. And I hope they do. I 93, 30 years, I wanna see it happen.

Connor McDavid 'can't win the big one' until he proves otherwise

Has Conor McDavid [won a title]? I think we won. No, he has not. Okay. Alright. So there, the discussion... we have to, as our job say, he can't win the big one... He won the big one and now he's the guy that can win the big one.

The Dallas Stars are the best-built team in the NHL

How do you not pick Dallas? Like, what would be your reason for not picking Dallas? ... from the coaching Pete DeBoer to the stars up front. They have scoring depth up front. They have veteran presence, they have sandpaper, they have youth, they have speed, they have defense... Jim Nill deserves a lot of credit.

The NHL is rigging the playoffs for a Panthers-Rangers Eastern Conference Final

I something's fishy with the NHL and and this Panthers team... They didn't suspend [Bennett], which is crazy... I don't understand why... The NHL is trying to rig a Panthers, Rangers Eastern Conference Finals. They much rather have that than Bruins-Rangers.

The Dallas Stars will beat the Colorado Avalanche in 7 games

I got Dallas in seven again... I think that Dallas, who's a Stanley Cup team can get to the finals because they gotta go through the juggernaut, which was the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Edmonton Oilers will steamroll the Vancouver Canucks in 5 games

I think that Edmonton is gonna steamroll Vancouver where Vancouver's lost their starting goaltender Thatcher Demko... I think it's gonna be a five-game series and then it's gonna be McDavid against MacKinnon again.

The New York Rangers will beat the Carolina Hurricanes in 6 games

I think they're gonna beat Carolina in six games and they're, yeah... they have everything going for them. I think that they're a stronger team and they got bigger weapons.

The 2024 Stanley Cup Final will be Edmonton vs. Florida

So I think that it will be Edmonton, Florida. That would be my guess.

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 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.