What do you expect from those two teams, both the Carolina Panthers and of- or Carolina Hurricanes and the Florida Panthers?

Well, listen, I don't think there's anything worse than being a Stanley Cup champion or Super Bowl champion and then losing, and then the next year you go in and you have to see your biggest rival raising the banner.

[laughs] I, I think that you're standing on the blue line gritting your teeth thinking and hoping, "Okay, I can't wait to get this game started and try to win back what we had two years ago." So you know, Florida, Bill Zito's done an incredible job putting together a really good young hockey club.

And last year was not really a reflection of their team.

They had a lot of key injuries for a lot of the year.

Matthew Tkachuk is such a big part of the success of that team.

You know, he's such an agitator, but it's one thing to be an agitator, but you gotta be able to play the game.

... knowing that this is a marathon and not a sprint?

Mm-hmm.

It's pretty unique, right? It's pretty cool about the, our sport.

Stankoven's line has been stellar.

They've been great the whole playoff.

If Carolina's gonna win, they need 20 and 37, Aho and Svechnikov, to play at the level they're capable of playing.

Now, I know when you get in the playoffs, it's tough.

They're gonna guard them and they're gonna check them.

Losers.

in your sport as well?

He wants to continue.

And listen, he's our Tom Brady, he's our LeBron James, a guy that can still bring it at an older age.

Now, let's face facts, he's not 18 anymore.

He's, he's getting older.

I'll tell you a funny Sidney's, uh, Crosby story.

They had this camp in California, in LA, uh, San Fernando Valley, and they had all these kids come in, and they were, uh, 18-year-olds that were gonna be drafted in the National Hockey League that June.

... four or five goals?

What, what are you doing as, as, like, the leader of the team, like Sidney is now, trying to, to show the team there is l- there is hope and there is life to come back?

Well, it's really difficult, especially when you get down 3-0 and the fourth game is on the road.

That's tough.

Um, it takes leadership and experience to understand, listen, uh, you gotta win four games.

And it's all cliches, and I know everybody says the right thing and says the right thing, but ultimately you gotta have that confidence to win one game.

So you win game four, and then you're saying on the plane ride home, "Listen, we're back in this.

We're going home.

What have you seen so far with that? Connor looked like himself last night.

up to practice?

Well, I think...

I think they were in shock because I actually made the team.

And I just thought I just think they thought I was a smaller player because when they asked my dad for my birth certificate, they kind of chuckled and said, you know, he can't play.

He's too young, which is pretty unique.

And we were I can remember like almost like it was yesterday.

My dad and I sitting there and saying, you can't play.

Speaking of that knowledge though, walking past the Islanders locker room after the team beats you to win the Stanley Cup finals, what did you take away from that?

(laughs)

... exactly where I wanted to 'cause the game's so fast.

And listen, uh, you know, I heard you guys talking at the beginning of the show.

The game is better today.

These players, these athletes, they're better athletes.

They're bigger.

The equipment's better.

Do you, have you looked back and wondered why you were so much better than everybody else? 'Cause I assume-

Tough guy, man.

Listen, you guys know how it is, when you win a championship, it's hard to knock off the champions.

It, I mean, they know how to win, they know what it takes, they focus, they know how to keep the distractions away.

Now, I will say this, Edmonton learned a great lesson last year losing in the finals.

They'll be a little bit different, a little bit more prepared at some of the things, there won't be surprises off the ice, but they still gotta get through Dallas because Dallas is so well coached.

Grotan and Drave, this kid is a tremendous hockey player, their goaltender Oettinger is really good, they're big, uh, they're well coached.

That series, I still think is gonna go seven games.

Oh, wow.

... than any other sport.

It really is, although I'm a basketball fan, and I think that basketball's been phenomenal this year in the playoffs, and you can tell.

Those guys have gone to another level.

Our, our game has just always been that way, and I think one of the things that happens is, it's so hard to referee our sport.

It's so fast.

And our referees do a great job.

And when we get in the playoffs, the referees tell both teams, "Look, you can play hard and you can play physical.

Give us a, a, a, a, like a tutorial on what do you think is gonna play out?

But y- that's what makes what, uh, Jaromir Jagr or Gordie Howe did...

did...And I- Well, listen.

It's amazing.

Gordie Howe got 20 goals in the NHL at the age of 50.

(laughs) Think about that.

Tomer Yager, I don't know, he's gotta be 58.

I don't even know how old he is- (laughs) ... and he's still playing games.

A, a, a, a tutorial on what do you think is gonna play out?

... than any other sport.

It really is.

Although, I'm a basketball fan, and I think that basketball's been phenomenal this year in the playoffs, and you can tell.

Those guys have gone to another level.

Our, our game has just always been that way.

And I think one of the things that happens is, it's so hard to referee our sport.

It's so fast.

Give us a, a, a, a, like, a, a tutorial on what do you think is gonna play out.