The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
The Hockey Show: I Don't Know Hockey, I Just Know Barky
Fri, 21 Feb 2025
Roy, Rose, and Ethan are in the studio, and David joins the gang as he travels back from Boston, after covering the final three games of the Four Nations Face-Off. The guys break down last night's epic final that saw Canada emerge victorious yet again over the United States in a best-on-best competition, and Rose has a hot take about where the NHL should go from here with international competition. Then Sara Civian of The Civ Report and the Too Many Men podcast joins the show to recap the game and why this may have been the most little brother moment ever for USA Hockey. Plus, the crew touches on the upcoming second half of the NHL season, including Mikko Rantanen's contract situation with the Carolina Hurricanes and the wild race in the East for the last two playoff spots. Finally, the crew analyzes how the eight Florida Panthers who participated in the Four Nations fared for their countries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Chapter 1: Who are the hosts and what is the main topic of this episode?
Hello, welcome to the Hockey Show. I'm Roy. Rose is in David's seat because David is in Boston. Ethan is in the EP chair. He's giving a wave. A small bit of news just happened just now. David, you have details on a signing.
Chapter 2: What is the latest NHL signing news?
I do. Just coming across the news wires as we are doing the hockey show, Kevin Lankanen, perhaps some may call him the goaltending savior in Vancouver this year, has signed a five-year extension worth a pretty reasonable $4.5 million per year.
Granted, this is his first, you know, you want to call it breakout year or whatever, but a pretty steady move by Vancouver to get him long-term for that price. I mean, Thatcher Demko, Been a little hurt this year. He came back, then he went back out again. So obviously they want to shore up a little bit of insurance there. I know they got Shelobbs, who was amazing during the playoffs last year.
But I don't know, Roy. I'm pretty pleased with this move for Vancouver. I think it's smart on their end.
So is Demko and Lackanen going to be sort of a Bob and Spencer Knight type of deal here if Vancouver was better than what they are this year?
Well, I think it's probably a little bit more long-term considering Demko's got, you know, quite a few less miles than Sergey Bobrovsky does. Bob's done. His contract is done after next season. Well, both of them are, Bob and Knight. But, no, I think Vancouver, if Lankanen is...
long-term, what he's appeared to be this season and in bits and pieces of the last couple of years on some lesser teams, then their goaltending situation, assuming Demko gets healthy and once he's healthy, he's good to go, their goaltending situation would be pretty solid moving forward for a while.
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Chapter 3: Why does Rose want to change international hockey competitions?
Okay, obviously we're going to get into the four nations in a second, but apparently Rose has some sort of hot take that we actually have to get into. So go ahead.
So my hot take is more than four nations, it should be a two nation. Canada versus United States. Just get Finland and Sweden out. They didn't do anything. I'm so sorry. I love Marky.
I love this take. I'm going to tell you why. Not because I think Sweden and Finland should be thrown out, but because I think in the years that it's not the Olympics or the World Cup of Hockey, the All-Star break should be a three-game showcase, best two out of three between the United States and Canada. Could you imagine? It's 1-1 right now.
Could you imagine the anticipation for a third game three days from now? What that would be like after what we saw in game one? A great game in game two, which we'll get into. Obviously, we don't love the result here, but that was a fantastic hockey game. Super well played on both sides.
Yeah, you are absolutely right. And you are absolutely right. I like Ethan's idea of a best of three.
That was not Ethan's idea.
I know, you were the catalyst. You were the catalyst.
with my hot take.
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Chapter 4: How did the Four Nations final play out?
I've kind of been saying this all week, Rosie, but it's okay.
I'm just agreeing with your hot take. There you go. He's kind of been saying this all week. They're fighting over the hot take. Come on, guys. You don't have to fight. You can share the hot take.
Sam Bennett versus Brady. Let's go. Right here.
Four Nations final was last night. It was a spectacle. It was an epic. And, of course, it went into overtime. It was like a script was written. I was right, saying everybody take Canada as the underdog at plus one and a half. And, obviously, they went into overtime. So if you pick that one, you won money. So you're welcome. But let's start with the national anthems. Okay, O Canada was booed.
It was booed from the beginning. And I'm sure it got booed louder because that rendition sucked. Absolutely was horrendous. Do you guys agree with that?
David was there. David, what were your thoughts on the anthem last night?
On O Canada, it felt like the overhit. Like it was drawn out. I would... I honestly, like, I felt like, based off of what happened in Canada for the first game, like, I was expecting more. And to hear the way that fans have reacted to it, like, it was some great situation. I don't know. Maybe I just set the bar too high in my own head. But the anthems were, I mean, it was so politicized.
A lot of this felt very politicized throughout it because of what's going on, nothing to do with hockey, with America and Canada. But... I don't know. Like we you know, you know, Alex Baumgart, who covers the Panthers, you know, down and down south with us. He's up here. He got almost attacked by a bartender at my hotel because he's like, yeah, I'm Canadian. And the guy just freaked out.
He's like, oh, you can't boo the like seriously, like F-bombs. The guy had to like leave work. So this is like gone way beyond hockey. And it's just considering hockey very much as a stay in your own lane kind of thing. It's been a little weird.
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Chapter 5: What were the standout performances in the Four Nations final?
No. See the Canadians able to capitalize in ways that other teams had not throughout four nations had me as somebody that was watching from the American perspective a little concerned for the U.S. just because there were areas that they had done so well for so long. And it seemed like early on Canada was finding ways to exploit that.
Yeah, I think the story of the game last night was, and kind of the story of this tournament, right, was everybody said coming into this, this is finally the year. The U.S. finally has the better roster. And that's probably true, right? The U.S. has the better goaltending. I thought their blue line was better, and they're probably deeper up front. The problem is...
Those guys have McKinnon, McCarr, McDavid, Crosby, Reinhardt. Power play. That's their entire power play. They have the two best players in the world, the best defenseman in the world, the best player of his generation, and I'm not going to get you started, Roy.
Thank you.
The best player of his generation who is still playing at a very high level. And I just think you saw McKinnon. Look, you can do the whole, oh, playoff hellebuck thing. He got scored. The three goals were that shot by McKinnon that we just saw, which basically impossible to stop. He's getting screened. He's coming back the other way. McKinnon, perfect shot in the upper 90.
Then Bennett gets in, point blank, goes top shelf where Mrs. Muller keeps the peanut butter. Wide open on that. Wide open, right in front of the net. I mean, this is a point blank chance that Sam Bennett has right here that you're going to see. And then the third goal is, again, another perfect shot by McDavid.
So, you know, you can do the Connor Hellebuck thing, but really it was just Canada's top-end talent, namely McKinnon, and then McDavid here on the winner, beat the United States last night. And, you know, the U.S. has some great, great players, and they were certainly missing Quinn Hughes because Quinn Hughes all of a sudden makes it pretty even on the blue line.
He's basically the American version of Makar. But their guys came through when they needed them most last night, and especially McDavid. And it was very poetic that back in 2010, nobody wants to revisit it, but Sidney Crosby scored the game-winning goal in the Olympics. I thought you were saying he wasn't going to give you a ride up. Exactly.
Remember, the United States beat Canada in the preliminary rounds in those 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Canada comes back and wins the gold. U.S. beats... Canada, here in Montreal, in the preliminary rounds, and then in the final, Canada comes out. And this time, it's McDavid.
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Chapter 6: What are the implications of injuries from the Four Nations for the NHL?
Yeah, I think so David because I was there right and having experienced that like people I saw people that were home tweeting about you know Barkov limped off in one of the games and it's like I Oh my God, Panther fans, this is the worst possible case scenario. And then Chucky gets hurt. This is the worst case scenario.
For me, it's not going to take away any of what happened over the last week and a half in terms of how awesome this tournament was. Guys know what they signed up for. They know what they're getting into. They asked for this. We have to remember the players asked for this in the last CBA discussions. They want this.
And yes, it sucks that the Panthers probably aren't going to have Matthew Kachuk for at least seemingly the next couple of weeks or so. But let's be honest. First of all, here's your chance, Panthers. This could be your LTIR season.
If you think this could be something really long-term, you could put Matthew Kachuk on LTIR, kind of take advantage of that loophole, go out and do something at the trade deadline to bring in some big-time salary and really reinforce your team. Or... Matthew Kachuk is out for the next few weeks, and he just kind of rests up.
And look, the Panthers, they want to win the division, obviously, because they want home ice. But the regular season is not what matters to the Panthers. What matters to the Panthers is the playoffs. And so as long as Matthew Kachuk is good to go for the playoffs, nobody's going to remember that maybe he got a little bit hurt in the Four Nations faceoff.
All right, we'll talk about how the Panthers did in the entire tournament. And we are going to talk to Sarah Sivian of the Civ Report and Too Many Men about the Four Nations tournament coming up next.
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Chapter 7: How did the Florida Panthers players perform in the Four Nations?
Like, there was a lot of Canadians in the lower bowl, and... Obviously, when the momentum shifted to Canada, like they showed up and they showed out. But at the same time, everything was extremely loud. Like I talk about I was at Game 7 of Maple Leafs versus Bruins years ago. Like it got as loud as that, maybe a little bit louder.
That was the goal that Reimer gave up on that one.
Yeah. Oh, isn't it always? Yeah.
Sarah, I wanted to get your take, and you kind of just alluded to it a little bit, but just as somebody that's been in that building so many times, I wasn't sure how that would compare. And so if that's comparing to Game 7 Bruins Leafs, that would be a big thing.
But I was a little bit surprised, just based off of how pro-Canada the crowd was in Montreal last Saturday, that there were so many Canadians that I don't know if infiltrated is the right word. I mean, there's talk about guys that drove like 30 hours to get there. But were you... I was a little surprised that it wasn't more of a home ice advantage feel, were you?
No. This is Canadian. Like, this game, them winning was just kind of emblematic of, like, you know what? Team USA can improve and improve and improve, but hockey is still Canada's game. And I think... Like obviously Montreal is just hours away from Boston. So that was a good geographical rivalry type thing. And I know a lot of people from America that went to Canada for the other games.
So I just think at the end of the day, hockey is very Canadian. And you kind of saw that with the representation there.
Hey, Sarah, was this maybe the most little brother moment USA Hockey has had with Canada, where you win the game on Saturday in Montreal and everybody's really fired up about it? You have the three fights in nine seconds, all the drama with the group chats and the political stuff. And then you come out, you go to Boston.
It feels like you talk a whole lot just to lose the game that actually matters again. Could this have been more of a little brother moment for USA Hockey?
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Chapter 8: What was the atmosphere like at the Four Nations final?
But the McDavid point, I don't know. I was thinking about this. Like, I know there were tons of new USA hockey fans watching this game. And I... I was thinking, oh, my God, maybe they're disappointed that USA couldn't pull it off. But they got to see the absolute best hockey player in the world do what he has not been able to do thus far on the biggest stage.
So that's just the best hockey you're going to get. So USA hockey fans that just started watching during this tournament, you got to see something great.
I wanted to ask about the big stage before the airport guy talked over me. But speaking of a big stage, just generally, how do they leave a guy that open? He had an entire dance floor of space to score that goal. Come on, America. You can't leave such an amazing tournament and leave that with a taste in our mouths. But that's it. I'm stepping back as the American after that.
We were talking to McKinnon after the game, and he's like, yeah, I mean, you can't leave Connor wide open. He just said that. Like, he's not even trying to flex. He's just like, he was wide open. What's he going to do? Score. And it was a tough tournament and kind of a tough season for Matthews right now. He's fighting something. I don't know what. They tried to fix it in Germany.
I don't know if they did. I don't know if he's sick. He seemed sick when we were talking to him. Like, everybody here is sick. I sound sick. I'm a little sick, clearly. But... I think something's going on with Matthews, and you just can't leave Connor McDavid that open.
Sarah, I want to look ahead now. The second half of the season starts tomorrow, right? So let's look ahead to it. One of the big storylines going into the second half of the season is going to be what the Carolina Hurricanes do with Miko Rantanen. After they just traded for him, it feels like two weeks ago, there were some rumors flying around yesterday that
He doesn't seem all that excited about being in Carolina, about extending with Carolina, and that could lead to them trading him here within the next couple weeks when the deadline is on March 7th. So I want to ask you, because the only reason I've heard for why he would stay in Carolina is people really like Rod Brindamore and the power of friendship with Sebastian Ajo.
So why should I believe that after he was going to test free agency with the team he's been with for 10 years, he's not going to just test free agency with Carolina, a team he was just traded to?
I don't believe that at all. I think his agent is really good at negotiating in the public, too. And I think it depends. I know Tom Dundon and the Carolina Hurricanes are very much negotiators themselves in the way a lot of NHL agents are. So it's going to be hardball for a minute here. And I think we're in such a no man's land when it comes to the salary cap rising and renting in
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