What was your path to get there? Was the Bantam draft on the go at a time? And I think you were a huge prospect back

then, right? Yeah, believe it or not, I was a good player once upon a time.

I think I was one of the top-rated players in all of Canada when I was 13.

Yeah, I heard about you over here.

When I was 13.

So, you know, we didn't have the draft.

That's how old I am.

has a podcast that he's

And, and helps us deal with all that stuff but you you had an amazing team um you get to the nhl can we talk a little bit about like getting to the nhl on your first nhl game do you remember you're with st louis originally uh

no i was drafted by vancouver so everyone's excited about the draft right and i was no different i was but i was scheduled by central scouting we had back in the day that i I am pissed.

And I'm taking notice of every name that's going ahead of me in my league, right? And in our division in particular.

And I'm like, this is an absolute joke.

I sat around my father-in-law's kitchen and I waited until the 10th round.

They don't even have 10th rounds anymore.

I was going to say that.

which one impressed you the most?

Do you remember the first time you put on skates and how that went?

You know what? I don't remember the first time I put on skates.

I remember the first pair of skates that I got, which every year we got a...

That was Santa's gift to us.

It was always a brand new pair of Bowers.

And we always had the top of the line.

First, I had the Microns.

For the casual hockey fan, what does the role of pest mean? What are you doing out there?

Not a very big organization, but playing in Japan, what's that like compared to playing? I mean, obviously playing in Canada and the United States is different.

Well, first of all, it was ideal for a player that, and I recommend this to every hockey player that's played the NHL lifestyle, made the NHL money, and then to wind down your career just to get you ready for life after hockey.

Because it's what I needed.

I needed to go through all the steps, right? Like calling every team, calling every GM, doors not opening, you know, windows closing.

And you're like, oh my God, I guess my career, like nobody wants me.

Nobody wants to give me a tryout.

Are you kidding me? Like, this is awful.

Yeah,

So what does that look like when there's kind of this rearranging of personalities and voices within, within a room every year?

year?Well, I think there will be an adjustment period, but I mean, the respect, the instant respect that these guys...

Like, it's not like they were just fringe type players, right? These are significant pieces and talent in the National Hockey League, the entire National Hockey League.

I mean, these guys have been through wars, right? The, the battle of the Islanders, the Rangers, um, you know, just what these guys have been through, the playoff experience, all of it.

Like, you look at Lee, too.

He's been part of a rebuild, right? He, he's been rebuild after rebuild on Long Island.

Um, so this guy has experience, and they're gonna walk into that locker room, and guys like Barrett Hayton and, you know, like youngish type players are just gonna instantly be just mesmerized by these guys because they played against them.

Don't have to play against him in front of the net," you know, in that crease area, getting a big goal late.

What about you?

Well, I have a quick George McPhee story, who was the biggest reason for me that I ended up being in the National Hockey League.

He was a part of the Vancouver Canucks.

He was the assistant general manager.

Pat Quinn was the general manager, God rest his soul, and I can't believe both of them actually kept their jobs after drafting me.

Mind you, it was 224th overall, [chuckles] so I think it was a safe pick at that point.

They were just pulling names out of the hat, I swear to God.

But my, my last one for you, Nasher, is was there a favorite moment you had with, uh, with Pierre?

Oh, we were so good.

You know what was crazy for me was just, like, it was like, I didn't...

Again, like, my dad tells me, "Don't say 'woulda, coulda, shoulda' when it's all over," right? Get to training camp and, and I knew nobody, and that was probably a blessing 'cause sometimes you walk into those locker rooms and you're in awe, right? Like Kelly Chase, Tony Twist, Al MacInnis, Chris Pronger, like, all these, Pavel Demitra, uh, Turgeon.

I'm, I'm, like, literally in awe.

So after I made the team, I was just like, "Look at this locker room.

I'm a part of this?"

You had, you know, a tough ending too.

Right.

How did it all come about? Where is your studio? Is it at the Delta Center? Or just let our listeners know because you've got some great guests and it's a cool thing you're doing.

I appreciate it, buddy.

Yeah, I honestly, I think every team, especially teams with history, should get into it, right? Yeah, I mean, you're streaming the game, you're sitting down like we're doing right now, and you're talking shop, you're telling stories, you're hot stoving, and it was actually Ryan Smith, the owner's idea.

They initially...

They didn't want to bring any of us over to Utah, which I totally get.

I totally understand.

They want to start fresh.

For a guy who's been around Clayton Keller, Nicky Smoltz, Lawson Kraus, the guys that go on and on, like, how happy are you that they were in that position? How much credit do you got to give the whole organization story that they are a contender now?

the Buffalo Sabres now are this juggernaut team that's everything's fit right uh Josh Doan has been absolutely fabulous for them Kesseling is now healthy and playing very well how's Paterka been I mean he looks like he's got his numbers is he he's been a good fit hasn't he

he has I I mean you know I think it was one of those things it was a good trade for for both sides um know i i know that the doan family extremely well shane's uh one of my best friends we played together we lived together in kamloops and the apple does not fall far from that tree uh josh doan is literally a carbon cut out of shane doan um and could be a better player i mean you look at his numbers right now and they're better than shane's were um at this time in his career so I'm so happy for Josh.

He's having a ton of success.

You know, would he have played in our top six in Utah? I think that was the biggest question mark.

And I think Bill really thought that Paterka was going to be a top six forward.

And he is.

He's been great.

What's that going to be like for this fan base?

But you knowing Ryan Smyth have kinda connected and- and you have a Nash Cast going on where you're doing that, um, s- in some cases during the game, but you've also now spiraled over to a podcast form as well, correct?

Yeah, so you know what? It's...

I'm just another idiot with a podcast now, right? It seems like if you don't have a podcast, there's something wrong with you.

Um, but, uh, it was actually fascinating because, um, I didn't get the job that I wanted to.

And first of all, yeah, it is very sad, right? That Arizona.

Yanz, you were there.

Byss, you were there.

It's developed players, where it's, it's beyond what it is in junior.