Demko playing through pain? Still no clarity for Canucks. Lions vs the best and 'Caps get a new DP

[Music] [Music] hello everyone welcome to Saras and price from the nation Network Studios built by Arbor Lee right here at the historic wall Center in beautiful downtown Vancouver if you're looking to plan your upcoming company holiday party yeah believe it or not that's what that's what time of year we're at here folks give the wall Center sales team a call 604 331 1000 to accommodate holiday parties of any size we are Live on YouTube and Twitter and all our socials as usual here at 11:30 and from here on in folks we are back to a show every weekday that is right five days a week is officially back glad to have you with us Jeff Patterson sitting in for the vacation Matt Saras who is back on Tuesday uh welcome Jeff thank you you've rattled me now like I feel like we should be singing Christmas carols or or something I mean you got to plan it now for later right and this place we've been here here for enough years now in those weeks leading up to Christmas people book their holiday parties here super fancy very nice we're getting down to it here Jeff hockey must be close because you will not be here on Monday raun gaar will be in that seat because you are on assignment at the Jake Milford golf tournament we're gonna hear from some players finally hopefully and you will join us after that though so we're looking forward to some uh some context for this upcoming season our poll question today though dealing with whether or not folks you are ready for all of that with us sniffing out the hockey season here young Stars around the corner next weekend one week from today people in Canucks jerseys will be playing with referees on the ice our poll question today are you ready for the Canucks season to start yes bring it on or no give me three more weeks of summer uh you can log on to Twitter it's on YouTube as well if you're watching live there and cast your vote let us know what you think I think you're in the yes category you're ready always look there's a part of my life that the hockey season never ends right right yeah so am I ready for it to start again yeah I am I I think there are a number of different camps though there are people that you know Labor Day get the kids back to school and you're ready to get back into your routine and for many that includ includes you know just consuming the latest on kxs and K news there are some for whom you know they need young stars like that is sort of all right can's in uniform on the ice some would say hey training camp is the start others would say you know no I'm gonna take these three months or three weeks of of Summer I'll be there on October 9th when they start playing for keeps against the Calgary flam so you know not everybody is ready for the hockey season but no absolutely I voted yes the poll question and yeah I'll be out at the Jake on Monday it's a little earlier this year normally the Jake Milford has been on the final day of young stars and a lot of times kak's management and some key personnel they bolt from Penticton to get back for the Jake Milford which is the unofficial start of training camp it's also an opportunity for them to shake hands with some of their biggest and well healed supporters uh but this year it's ahead of young stars and train Camp because both of those are happening in pent tikton and I just think the shuttling back and forth logistically it just didn't work for everybody so conu are starting with Jake Milford and then launching into both young stars and beyond that main training camp yeah and there's got GNA be any shortage of things to talk about throughout the course of all that and that leads us to our top story presented by yellow dog and neighborhood breu uh this after uh well we should as a little aside say BC boys now at the helm of uh 32 thoughts Sports it's Elliot fredman is a new co-host in kukosa so uh good luck to them in the new iteration of 32 thoughts but there Elliot Freeman reporting that Thatcher deml will likely just have to play through the injury that he's currently recovering from uh sounds like they've deemed that surgery is just not a fix here and Jeff that's a kind of a vague and scary place both if you are the team and a fan here like where's the Finish line for we'll see there's just so much uncertainty around that Demco but beyond that the goal tending position now it was good to see and hear that Arthur silos was among the guys that was on the ice out at UBC yesterday so he's in town and know he didn't play for lvia in the Olympic qualifier last weekend uh talk about tendonitis and but the reports out of laf where that it's all right he's going to be ready for Canucks training camp this is all precautionary did the team that the conu lean on silov or latva to back off uh the player especially given the news of Demco and the uncertainty there so you know and then on top of that the Ian Clark situation and what exactly went down and where does Ian Clark fall in all of this now and you know how much influence its way does he have after being the guy running the go tending department so look I I I understand it to it agree like if you're the Vancouver Canucks you don't want to tip your hand if you are out there negotiating with other teams if you were looking at exploring the trade route if you are in fact negotiating with Kevin lanolin as reports have suggested anti ranta as a PTO I'd be all right like PTO there is no risk to the hockey club none now anti rant played for Rick toet in Arizona had a couple of really good Seasons that was then this is now uh he was a spare part in Carolina last year at n 72 save percentage at the National Hockey League level played a handful of games in the American Hockey League as well uh save percentage wasn't great there you know do I see Ane rant as any sort of a long-term fit here no but you know on to proove it show me what you still got kind of thing on a PTO it wouldn't be the the worst option I suppose if they bring a warm body to camp in that regard but yeah I mean it's it's a little bit crazy and I can understand the angst in the market here basically 10 days out for main training camp and still having no idea about that mco's ability to participate in Camp his Readiness for the start of the season and beyond that it's just like we watched him push hard to get back to play those final two games of the regular season so that he was going to be ready for the playoffs got one playoff game in and then he was gone and that's the last anybody has seen or heard from him and there was even uncertainty in the off season about whether he required some sort of procedure remember Patrick Alvine was speaking in code on July 1st when he met the media after free agent signings and he was asked Point Blank about Demco and he said well I saw him in Vegas last week at the awards he was in good mood um but then he was asked did he need or has he had any kind of surgery and Alvine said well not yet which made it sound like one was pending but anyways just uh yeah way too many questions for I liking around such a pivotal position for the van we know when that MCO is healthy what he can do and what he means for this Hockey Club but there's just zero certainty right now of where he is how close to full health and can he get to and more importantly stay there for any length of time because that is now part of the that Demco discussion is injuries whether he likes it or not three straight years now that he has suffered some sort of significant setback and you just wonder with the wear and tear the position that he plays you know is his body cut out to hold up to the requirements necessary to be a top level National Hockey League go tender and and just playing through like if you if you need surgery you need surgery in a lot of cases not all but in a lot of cases you undergo said surgery and you are like new after Rehabilitation and all that um when you don't even have that to go on I mean with most non-surgical injuries the best cure for those things not doing what caused the injury which is go tending right I think what adds to the confusion here is that this guy worked so hard and I watched him I was there in Edmonton late in that playoff series when he was out there after morning skates and taking shots and looking like he was that close to the point that we all thought that if they got past the Oilers that he might be a possibility to play against the D of stars that's the company line he was ready apparently and now 10 days from training camp and he's not ready it doesn't make any sense there was a suggestion too from La that the conu really wanted the proof in putting before the playoffs and that they're basically I don't know if it's ultimatum that's that's maybe too strong but need to see that you can play before we play you in game one and so he gets those two games in and you're just left to extrapolate did he rush back and not everything needs to have a finger of blame pointed at it um and it's also very human nature to want to get back you know so like you wouldn't blame him if it was thater Demco you might raise an eyebrow if it was somebody else though that was pushing Thatcher Demco to rush back um that ultimately just could be hindsight I mean you're you feel good in that moment so you continue to push forward and ultimately you remain injured um maybe that's as simple as it is but you know the fact that he does come back and then so quickly is removed again it it doesn't look great well one of the things that stuck with me was and I remember him saying it in the moment I thought wow uh our first opportunity to talk to him ahead of that return against Calgary and then he played the Winnipeg game game 82 and he talked about you know he thanked the training staff for working as hard as he did he talked about you know two a days and essentially Around the Clock therapy to get him back to this position now we've also heard from Jim Rutherford here in the offseason where he said one of the things that the guy gonna have to work hard at is to get Demco himself to dial it back that this guy just works as hard is anybody that Jim Rutherford has been around he's been around he's I mean he was a gold huner himself uh different era probably didn't have the same training routines that the guys today do but um you know whether it's 50 games whether it's turns out to be 40 games who knows how many he's going to be available to the banker conect for but you know they're going to have to manage his minutes and I don't just mean his starts you know if he needs days off uh if they need to use the practice golender like completely get Demco away from the rink because it really isn't about him being ready on October 9th against Calgary they don't eat him in November December with where this team is competitively as long as they can get credible goal tending you know they should be a playoff team and that's when they need that tremco I mean that's what's missing from his his resume I know he had the bubble the bubble but really he hasn't been there as the guy the starter available to the Vancouver kxs for any sort of playoff run and you know got one game last year and and that was it arur SOS has more playoff experience at the NHL level in that and you mentioned shilov now also ding to some degree although as you mentioned is at least on Ice why was he injured according to laia and the laia national team worked too hard in the offseason so you were talking about the work ethic of Thatcher Demco um and you wonder if this comes from the top and and you know it's not all going to be Ian Clark now um with tanus in the fold as the goal tending coach but Ian Clark's pretty intense and demanding and it sounds like he might have had two very good students here that have taken on you know that demanding rigorous attitude I wonder if it's almost to their detriment here that both of these guys are injured here yeah it's a fair question and and Marco TZ who gets promoted to go tending coach is a protoe and Clarks and so you'd have to think that there's a lot of similarities in their approach and just the way that they go about their business so it'll be interesting to see uh but yeah I mean like to me that is the story of the offseason is just the uncertainty around the most important position on the ice for a hockey club that wants to take that next step that got to game seven and pushed the Oilers to to game seven on the second round and they did it with essentially the third string the ball and ran with it but you know who's healthy who's going to be available for opening night uh what kind of workload are we looking at here and just the the timing of you know I was away for two weeks we planned a family vacation late in summer foolishly thought that we'd be able to just go and it would be quiet on the K front like the wheels weren't up on our flight out of Vancouver I hadn't put my phone in honestly I had not put my phone in airplane mode when I saw a notification that they had traded Vil pod klon and I thought oh man like here we go I'm heading out on two weeks of vacation overseas and it starts with vasil pod koulen being jettison to Edmonton and from there there was the Ian Clark news there was Sammy blle on a PTO like there turned out to be a fair bit of conu news as I I made my my way around um but yeah I mean look it's been a busy offseason lots of movement on free agency day on July the 1st but here we sit now the first week of September and there's just so much uncertainty around the goal tending position and it's not really the way that you want to launch into a a new National Hockey League season well uh reminder of young Stars next weekend if you're going up or for training camp for that matter yellow dog in neighborhood and right in the center of town in pen tikton you can't miss them um but also if you're in the vicinity grab your tickets for cask and keg in Oliver just south of penon during wine Capital weekend Saturday September the 21st get your yd bevco fix with samples from yellow dog neighborhood yellow dog spirits and lots of other great breweries should be a lot of fun so the Okanagan is the place to be uh along all these lines first show that we've had since he and McIntyre sit down with Jim Rutherford to talk on all these goal tending matters I mean didn't reveal much he kept his cars close to his vest year but said that the team was going to wait till training camp like like training camp physicals to get a true sense of where both Demco and shavs are at all because they really don't want to sign somebody ideally and get into ltir unless they absolutely have to it's valuable cap space so you know there are there are CBA rules that prevent you know team staff from really going too in-depth with players in the off season now they might be able to get around that a little bit because these players are quote qu injured but it sounds like they they really want the full diagnostic setup from their health staff at training camp before they make their next sort of decision yeah and they've got a little bit of time on their side but not a lot now I mean we're into the home stretch in terms of the runup to training camp so um you know every day is another day for thatr Demco to get a little bit closer a little bit healthier and again I I was bued by the fact that arur silov was on the ice as part of I think there were three goenda how at UBC I mean it's almost two full weeks here before Camp so it's just it comes back to the uncertainty though like if I had a sense that I knew exactly what the issue was with that tremco then maybe it' be easier to put a timeline on it but nobody seems to know and I'm not even sure the van conects do when I hear Jim Rutherford talking about like leaving in the hands of the the doctors and the physicals and that's why these stories about Kevin Lanken and antie RAM to won go away right like I I do think that the Canucks have certainly kicked tires and probably continue to and it won't surprise me if there is a guy with NHL experience that isn't currently on the roster that's a training camp whether it's ass signing but if you're signing Kevin lanin in then you're probably GNA have to use every dollar available to you and and dip into the the ltir savings that's where anti ranted training camp could come in be an extra body that can stop some Puck might get in a preseason game or two just to to help you spell off the the workload of the other guys with no commitment financially whatsoever but it sounds like lanolin thinks that there's a contract out there for him in the National Hockey League I think rant is prepared to come to Camp as a PTO guy which is the more Savvy hockey move though to you know to borrow the L Lamar phrase if you've got time you use it which is sort of where they're going versus having all your your holes covered and and and you know your deficiencies taken care of before you get into Camp I mean I think K fans might get a little excited about the fact that this is a team that that is it's minding the the pocketbook The Ledger here and wanting to save that ltir space for later in the season knowing that it sort of works like compound interest in some regards and gets bigger and bigger as the season goes on I mean when's the last time you heard that from a KCK Management Group yeah I mean look they've spent to the cap people can say what they want about the aqualin one thing that that ownership group has done has allowed management to spend to the cap even through the bad years when they shouldn't have been spending anywhere close to the cap but they spent to the cap and now that they're you know a competitive team um they've got the green light from ownership to spend to the cap but there's also this idea of you know saving for a rainy day as you said it compounds and I I do think that management was kicking itself last year it wanted to do more with the trade deadline and it just it simply could not its hands were tied uh because it just didn't have the wriggle room and really since like Jim Rutherford's introductory press conference when he took over from Jim Benning and he talked about creating a cap cushion and it's one thing that they really haven't done they have continued to bump right up against the cap it's allowed them to be competitive it's allowed them to sign big tickets but it hasn't given them the freedom ultimately to do some of the things that they wanted to do like the trade deadline last year they made their moves early they would have liked to have added one more piece and when you look at them going to game seven against the Oilers and coming up a goal short you one more scoring piece somewhere along the line like how much of a difference could that have made in a series that was boiled down to one game winner take all and and the other thing you know you don't want to get too ahead of ourselves and write off some of these players but there's there's ufas that are tradeable that do open up more cap space for you um in the second half of the season I think everyone's hoping that peor is a part of the solution but there's 1.6 million he's a UFA uh to be uh forber comes in at 1.5 million is the UFA to be you know you you send that over somewhere else and open up space I mean they' they've got some UFA pieces to trade away and you know there's still the pressure on your hoglander of course going into the final year before RFA status kicks in again so they've got some decisions they've got a chance to some of the the guys on The Fringe whether it's Neil Zaman or Phil G jappy yeah try to bury them you know they'd have to get through waivers if they get claimed that's a contract that comes off the books if you get it down to abbottford you can bury uh those types of contracts to free up a little bit of money so I I think there are some Avenues still available to the Vancouver conuts here and we've seen that this group can be aggressive I think they can be creative uh when it comes to working in and around the cap so you know let's see what happens the other part too is that you know if you bring in a goalie on a PTO uh you know maybe you get a few days and maybe a preseason game or two out of him but there's nothing that says that when the roster squeeze comes and teams have to get down to 23 that there isn't going to be an NHL goal tender or two that shakes free that could be attractive to the Vancouver can so again there are different Avenues to explore here but one thing is certain and that is that uh their goal tending position is murky at best to start this National Hockey League training camp also putting this together getting back to the golf tournament connect golf tournament on Monday that Jake Milford is thater Demco going to play now we've heard from fans that have seen him golfing and others it is ironcloud he's golfing right now but I wonder if they would think that official golf on company time might not be a great look or do they just say hey it's different thing and he's very close to being National Hockey League reading that's a that's a I mean that's that's the actual I think intellectual answer is that just because he can golf doesn't mean he can play NHL go uh NHL hockey but I can also see the other side of it that it's just it's bad Optics if he's injured do everything you can to not remain injured yeah like look people will freak out about the the smallest things life in this market I get that I I guess I'd be curious to see you know is the knee wrapped is he wearing a brace is like you know what can we detect if he just shows up and he looks completely healthy I'll trust that he has it on Authority that he can't do more damage to the knee Yeah by playing golf he plays a lot of golf he I know you know he's a golfer so uh I'm sure he'd like to be able to to play and look people are paying big bucks to take part in the Jake Milford like it's not a small amount like big charitable armor of the ks yeah but paying that M like they want to play with the Stars right so if you're a season ticket holder or you're somebody that's decided to Pony up the the money required to get a forsome in this group like you'd love F Demco to be the kadak representative in your forsome right yeah so there is that sort of element of giving the people what they want um but yeah you know until we hear from Demco and I don't expect him to get into great detail about all that he's gone through here over the last six months he seems low to discuss his injury history and his injury situation but at some point I would assume we're going to hear from that MCO whether it's Monday or whether it's uh later camp or the start of the Season at some point I do hope that we can just get a few answers about all that has gone on with this guy uh over the last bunch of months again he means so much to the vaner connection we saw last year the start of last season hands down like the first six weeks of the Season he was the best golender in the National Hockey League finishes run her up to Conor helbach for the vasna when he's on he can absolutely be a Difference Maker for the Vancouver canox and that was one of the disappointments not that AR silov didn't hold up his own end of the bargain in the playoffs but what might a that a healthy Thatcher Demco have meant to the Vancouver kanaks in a seven game series like you know they lost four times to the Oilers in those seven games if that rempco is dialed in and on his game you're telling me that he alone couldn't have swung one of the results in the conu favor I mean I think emphatically he would have yeah absolutely that's that's how big the goal tending position is um again doubling back to the fredman reporting he doesn't think it's we're talking months it's not the first half of the Season that he's gonna miss it seems like he is close but is he close enough isn't part of it for you though like it is for me like great whenever he gets the green light to return good I want to see that rmco in there but my question then is for how long like I I guess I just don't trust that he's going to you know just getting back means that he's G to be there for the rest of the season like this it's a demanding position we know that his body has shown that you know it just and through no fall of his own again this guy works as hard at his craft as anybody but there is wear and tear that comes with that position and his body just hasn't been able to handle the grind and so I just kind of expect that injuries are going to be a part of the thatr tempal story moving forward now yeah and and and you know what you know fans want to see him at the start but if you knew that the con you know the deal was you can either have him at the start and roll the dice that he's ready for the playoffs or you can wait an extra five weeks and be sure he's ready for the playoffs and there's nothing there's no guarantee but you know what I mean I think you'd probably say no keep him out the extra five weeks and raise my odds exponentially that he's going to be there come playoff time you we should mention five days a week starting on Monday again and Jeff will be there at the Milford and we'll talk with him at some point on the show as well uh pivoting here big night in the CFL tonight the BC Lions are in Montreal to take on the league leading 10 and one Montreal aletes it'll be a decent crowd over 22,000 tickets already sold as of yesterday so uh it should be a fun TV show here for us in BC to watch yes Nathan roor is rounding into form starting to look like Nathan roor but he is about to be tested UT was a good team too and and he did very well versus Auto but it's not 10 and one good yeah look I was on the other side of the world for Touchdown Pacific I will say I saw social video it looked spectacular like it looked like it went about as well as the CFL and the Lions could have hoped people of Victoria uh and Nathan work held up his end of the bargain like you know that's the Nathan work we remember so let's hope that he has shaken off whatever rust he had uh from being a full-time starting quarterback you know the numbers were undeniable gave farand the gears at halftime I was happy to see that I'm happy anytime that's right yeah uh but let's hope he can pick up where he left off uh because it's just it's kind of been one step forward one step back for the lions with and without Nathan RoR at some point here you hope I mean they're 12 games into this thing you'd like to see them get on some kind of run get a little bit of traction uh but this is a difficult jumping on point facing a team that's 10 and one and clearly on paper the best team in the Canadian Football League so they're gonna be tested no doubt about it yeah and uh it's a short week for the Lions and it's a by week coming off a bye-week for the alow now usually you you like that because you get healthy as the bi-week team but momentum might be there for the Lions Nathan work might be feeling it finally and and you know coming out of an emotional win of sorts at touchdown Pacific that you mentioned we'll see the alows have already qualified for the playoffs believe it or not and that is not the case in the West Jeff no it's a log gem now and you know even a team like Edmonton that was giving up for dead early on like they're back in the mix here they're tied with the stamps for wins right and it's the back half of the Labor Day weekend so esim or the Elks old habits die hard but put me down um they play and so do the bombers and the Riders again here so uh it kind of feels like it's must-win territory for those teams that are down at the bottom can't afford many more losses if any more losses and somebody is likely I mean I guess a tie as possible but somebody's likely to win in that Riders bombers game so the Lions if they're gonna you know keep up with the teams at the top uh they're goingon to have to find a way and uh we'll see what they again they've just been inconsistent that's why I hope that Nathan roor now has kind of hit his Groove here and can lead them to what would be a massive upset uh because anybody beating Montreal right now I think that qualifies upset they' won five in a row and as you said well rested coming off a buy it's going to be difficult for the BC Lions and again Vernon Adams expected to be the backup so they have insurance if things don't go right for Nathan RoR I think Lions fans are hoping that again more of the Ottawa game carries over but Veron Adams on the comeback Trail and uh it was taking second team reps so looks good for the BC Lions to have uh unabashedly the best quarterbacking duo in the Canadian Football League uh 24 hours ago it finally happened um probably a decade too late but congratulations to Vancouver White Cab Ryan G who is officially and finally capped for the Scottish national team a lot it comes in a in a last minute uh defeat at the hands of PA they had come back to draw level at two after being down 2-nil at the half um but by all accounts he played very well he came on in the 71st minute in courtesy of our friend at afn Canada um says he not only LED Scotland and chances created but he tied for the match lead in that stat um in terms of chances created so Ryan G did Ryan G things a last just not enough for Scotland in a 3-2 defeat to Poland they are off to Lisbon now to take on Portugal so it's not getting any easier uh but you know he shook off some Rust and and maybe that performance in just 20 minutes of of play maybe that earns him a start in Lisbon we'll have to see but congratulations for him yep absolutely well earned and dashes any he hopes that uh maybe he was going to play for Canada someday yes yes um meanwhile his team his club team White Caps hosting FC the only game at BC plays this weekend with the Lions away a 7:30 kickoff for on your MLS season pass on Apple five absences for the white caps on International Duty four for FC Dallas so it's pretty fair in that regard um Stuart Armstrong the new Scott two Scots uh that are DPS for the White Caps he maybe 20 minutes we'll see if I had to guess but uh they do theoretically have Eddie okomo the new u22 signing and D kaiso is back he's available for selection as well so all those absences yes but they've got three guys that are ready for some minutes so I would say the starting 11 could get a little interesting but a strong bench at the very least with some veteran options available to them Dallas has only one road win this year uh but that was two weeks ago so they at least got that out of the way recently Whitecaps need to start getting some home dominance because they've got a middling home record and the whole idea of them playing well here this year is to get them at the top four of the Western Conference so that they can host a playoff series here in the first round and that's sort of pointless if you're not very good at home feels like they're in a stretch of opportunity though here Dallas as you said struggled on the road yeah they're out of the plat picture right now San Jose and Houston the next three matches for the White Caps here they can only play them one at a time and certainly can't look past Dallas here but it feels like an opportunity to find some of that traction that you were mentioning those are all three teams that uh are behind the caps in the western standings yeah yeah Houston's decent but there but there's no top four team on the horizon you're right this if you can't beat Houston at home you if you can't beat Dallas at home then my goodness um as good as they've been on the road they've got to figure that all out so we'll see what that looks like and uh the more minutes the better for the new guys I think fans are curious as to what a compo and Stuart Armstrong can can bring to the table uh time for the menu presented by Greta bar YVR 50 West Cordova food and drink specials every day your place to get set for the game or if you don't have tickets watch the game with the best screens and atmosphere in the city and don't forget about the now famous Greta arcade games as well check it out at Greta bar at 50 West corova uh Flames voice John Abbott uh our good friend from TSN 1040 has moved on to now his second team since he was the voice of the Canucks here on radio for some time moved on to call bunch of Ottawa Senators games mostly for TSN on the TV side and now has just been announced as the Sports Net voice of the Calgary Flames so uh really exciting stuff it is and and he replaces Rick ball who's moved on to a great opportunity in Chicago and it just again drives home this notion a decade ago how fortunate kanuck fans were to have shorty Rick ball and John Abbott who are all now holding down you know television jobs of prominence in the National Hockey League there aren't many of them yeah and those three guys any combination of them on a given night were delivering topn broadcast here in Vancouver three of the 32 voices uh former Vancouver kect TSN 1040 uh alumni so congratulations to all of them uh Greg B to the Tacoma News Tribune's going to stop by if you haven't really been taking note of Seahawks training camp and sort of what's Happening we'll give you a bit of a primer going into week number one uh and new White Cap steuart Armstrong is going to tell us uh where he's at before his expected debut tomorrow and what brought him to our fine city of Vancouver and before I forget as we talk about team broadcasters and John Abbott um still no side of a new kuu reporter inbedded Canuck reporter right no PJ reported in August that Kate peton wasn't coming back after year on the job and we'll see if they even replace that gig I suppose yeah they've got uh people in house that are providing content but in terms of being that sort of face on social uh yeah not sure haven't heard what their plan is and uh they also saw VP atoms Lauren finny leave this summer and that's only two years after his prede predecessor Chris brumwell was dismissed Chief Revenue Officer Terry cola's gone as well and we know personally of sales managers leaving just months after arriving at the Vancouver Canucks as well as things are going on the ice or so it seems at least what it is like in that office what is it about that office that is causing so many to do the Grandpa Simpson and take one step in and immediately spin around and depart yeah you know they they look like a organization that has alignment top to bottom on the hockey op side yes yes but you do Wonder with that many moving parts and replacing people and onboarding and getting them up to speed like how do you get that continuity and sort of the the structure top to bottom that they've gotten other parts of the operation but you know some people leave for other opportunities some people leave I guess they're asked to leave some people believe for their own sanity yeah Mika o Doyle named president of business operations for the connects in August 2021 since then oh boy uh time for our Best Bets brought to you by bet 365 proud partner of Saras and price want to get us started what do you got I'm looking at the Sunday nighter this week it might be the best game in week one of the National Football League schedule a great start last night obviously Tow on the line at the the final whistle looked like a tying touchdown and ultimately it wasn't but uh the Rams at the Detroit Lions uh a lot of people bullish on the Lions a lot of people think the Rams are going to be a playoff team at the very least so nice looking matchup Sunday nighter in Detroit Lions are four and a half Point favorites if you take the Lions you can get them at 190 um that was Detroit the Detroit Lions yes I'll take well I'll address the BC Lions at the very I'm gonna hedge my cheering here a little bit I like the Lions chances overall in general schemes of things I like the Lions chances but I want a little love and it just four points against the 10 and one team on the road short week long week we talked about that gonna take the owl minus four gonna gonna hedge just a little bit open an account with bet 365 today bet on a huge range of markets whatever the sport whatever the moment never ordinary bet 365 use code van bonis coming up the dude I used to throw to for the opening face off on conu broadcast John Abit is next you know normally when we talk about Greta bar YVR we're telling you to make it a game night at Greta we're talking about hockey of course we're not quite yet at hockey season but game night can mean whatever it means and that could mean soccer football game to watch on the screen or your own games because the arcade is half the fun at Greta bar YVR make it your game night at 50 West Cordova and of course great food and drink specials and you can also make it a late game night as they're open late every single night so make it a late game night your game night at gabar YVR 50 West cord Carrison price from the historic wall Center and our next guest is a presentation of Mr Lube Mr Lube and tires Chang your oil Chang your wipers event is on now visit Mr lube.com to download your coupon for a free pair of Goodyear hybrid wiper blades with any oil change only for a limit of time at Mr Lube with with 18 locations in the Lower Mainland the wonderfully welcoming face that you see if you're watching on YouTube is of course your former voice of the Vancouver Canucks and now voice of the Calgary Flames congratulations and welcome back to Mr John Abbott how are you sir guys I'm great it's really nice to connect with you and I'm really looking forward to uh you know a new rivalry with Calgary and Vancouver but being able to get into to BC and see a little bit more often so this is just an early preview and I appreciate you putting up with my my North Bay connection here I'm just making the all the stops before getting to Alberta visiting all of your Ontario family before you have to depart and for those that have lost track of you uh keep us up to date on what the last couple years you left with the with us in the minase deconstruction of of TSN 1040 uh what have you been doing the last couple years you know I was fortunate enough that um the gour Miller can't call every game at TSN so they needed somebody else to uh to step in and do some Ottawa Senators broadcasts and and uh was very very fortunate to to be part of that broadcast it's a a Super Crew um so I'll dearly miss them but that opportunity uh really helped pave the way for the one in front of me which I'm super excited about so from s back out west to Calgary and uh can't wait for training camp on the 19th and then officially get going uh in in October so it's it's almost time to officially become an Alberton and uh we're really excited to be able to do that obviously the season's going to have a different feel to it in Calgary given the news here the last couple of weeks and and Johnny Goodrow and we saw the outpouring and um you know I know he had left Calgary but obviously opening night I'm sure there'll be some sort of memory and Memorial and when Columbus comes to town uh not that that should impact you in the way that you broadcast but what about uh just your outlook for the Flames I'm sure as you went through the process you know put your thinking cap on try to figure out uh what kind of season it's going to be in calg what do you expect from the Flames who seem like they're sort of in a a phase of transition right now I'll try not to answer too long which I know is difficult for a play byplay guy especially me jpat but uh just just the first part you know certainly continue think of a a drove family and their extended family and and almost 10 years in Calgary got a start to his career there so a lot of the people that I had known previously uh within the Flames organization uh and some of those I had just had the pleasure of meeting uh you know were really close to that family and so you think of everybody that this is affected um and one of the things that we we heard my family heard about Calgary is just how a greater Community it is and I think that's been on full display um in the most tragic of circumstances but really uplifting the gdo family uh I wasn't able to make it to the candlelight vigil um but watched it online and just the outpouring of emotions and support from everybody you know that once uh you know adopted the gadr really for the beginning of his his career was amazing to see so it kind of speaks to the Calgary Community which we're excited to be a part of real soon and I think it's going to be an emotional year that way I don't think it's going to um you know doing the first that was the first of 13 days honoring Johnny gdo um in Calgary so uh the funeral will be coming up next week and I don't know that there's going to be closure anytime soon but I think it's through things like hockey Through the flames family that uh you know people are able to be supported so I think right from night one Jeff uh and Blake and then of course the head-to-head against Columbus those moments will will continue through the season and I I think the Flames um you know those were the Glory Days a little bit when Johnny hockey was doing his thing and and he's certainly one of the the bigger Superstars the Calgary's had in their history uh and now they're trying to harness some new Superstars uh so it's a little bit of an in between year I think I think they're going to surprise some teams around the NHL I think they're going to be really hardworking they're going to be a tough out uh but they're going to rely on some of those experienced names like a cadri like a Coleman um like a lomberg who just got brought in after winning the Stanley Cup to to support the group and and then they're going to transition a lot of uh names that are on the cusp I think or are are starting to figure out how to play in the NHL on a nightly basis so I'm expecting a real fun to watch competitive team um in a real tough Division and Conference I know that you spent the last couple years in Ottawa you're an Ontario guy you've seen the Battle of Ontario firsthand over the years how much fun do you think the Battle of Alberta will be to be a part of I can't wait oo 13th is the first version of that and it'll be in Edmonton so I'm sure there will be uh some red sweaters uh ready to to show their support in in the crowd against the Oilers and that's pretty much the first question I get asked um whenever I'm uh talking to somebody or Flames fans or or have this type of opportunity and I I can't wait uh you're right the Battle of Ontario is one that I've experienced but I I think it cuts deeper most with the Battle of Alberta just especially the recent playoff history and and given where you know these teams are going for Calgary I can't imagine that there's many games bigger on their schedule this year and they're looking to kind of slow down the Oilers a little bit give it to them and remind them that uh they're not just going to cruise through anybody this season let alone the Calgary Flames so yeah I if we get a Mike Smith and cam talbat dropping the gloves at Center Ice that would be great uh I don't know that it's going to get quite that feisty this time around at least with the goalies but I think there's enough players there's enough chippiness in the Flames that they'll be they'll be under the skin of some of those Oilers and and I'm expecting a really really great battle of Alberta all season long and yeah I can't wait to get started with that one on the 13th of October pretty early end of the season for the Oilers it's the curse of being the Stanley Cup finalist now and that you're the Rival of everybody right and you know probably for too long for Flames fans they've mostly been the little brother in that relationship uh in the Battle of Alberta but I mean we've loved certain chapters of the Flames Canucks rivalry but now of course because of the playoff series it looks like Oilers conu has probably taken over but it would be nice to see the Flames maybe get off to a good start and remind people that they are something to be reckoned with because you know right now I think more Canuck fans are looking forward to Oilers games than they are to Canuck flames games yeah and I I I've been part of the other side of flames Canucks uh rivalry and we're going to see it in game one I'm excited for that too uh but I think maybe secretly it's the Canucks not minding if the Flames somehow take one uh or a bunch of games away from the Edmonton others in the regular season and I I I do think you're right Blake I think you know it's everybody against Edmonton at this point uh it feels like um and so the Flames are more than happy I'm sure to to lend a helping hand through the course of the regular season and uh you know the Oilers are going to be tough to stop no matter what but again you get that little you get that little extra jump um from the the flames and especially when it gets into the Saddle Dome two years left there if everything goes on time and schedule and they're you know over a month already into the construction of the new rank in Calgary so they they want to send the saddle do outright and I think there's nothing sweeter than beating the Oilers on a regular basis and uh I do expect it to be I I don't expect it to be lopsided the Flames have the regular season record guys you know I have to point that out the postseason is a little different but uh alltime Battle of Alberta goes the Flames way in the regular season so I think they'll be tucking that in their back pocket I don't want you to suck up to the audience here ABS you want to give it to a straight what's the what's the division look like is is it a is it a done deal is Edmonton The Division champion and then how does it go from there because I think there's probably some cynic maybe not so much in Vancouver but in other parts of the NHL Market that would say no that was a that was everything coming together for a fully healthy canu team that maybe they go down a couple of pegs maybe Vegas rises again uh maybe there's a surprise flame season so how do you how do you suspect the sort of the top four and La is not to be forgotten either here what do you think this division looks like yeah I agree with you I do think you know Anaheim and San Jose probably still trying to put that together um La will be interesting to follow I think there's pressure there on the Kings to get a little bit more traction um I think the Flames are going to push I think they're going to be a tough out I I don't mind um when you consider the conu and Oilers like I think it comes down to goal tending and maybe that's unfair to put it solely on that position but you know what's the what's the game count for Thatcher Demco um you know if he's completely healthy I think that's a big big storyline that could change things in the Canuck's favor uh and you know how are the Oilers able to um to continue you know what steuart Skinner are they going to get are they going to get the guy you know had a Renaissance in the playoffs after sitting and taking a look or is this a guy that you know has experienced a lot of uh postseason success now but has all the pressure of a team that's expected to get back there and then win it so I I do look at the goal tiing position maybe deciding a lot and yeah Vegas is I don't think you can ever count them out we've learned that from day one when we're were talking about you know saris being so irked with the fact that they haven't had any kind of pain or misery and uh you know for the most part let's run true through their existence here on go Tenny by the way what Calgary what's what's that goal tending like uh lar is supposed to be ready to go um so we expect to see him in Camp and I think they're going to give Dustin wolf a healthy healthy look so I don't know as far as game one I'm sure we'll continue to bat that story line around through training camp when it starts on the 19th but um I do expect it's going to be a two-headed monster in Calgary and I think they really really like what they have in Dustin wolf and want to see him get even a bigger sample size he finished the season for him last year had a had a good record um amidst you know players exiting Calgary uh fairly quickly so the team that he started with looking through the the glass of a real American Hockey League Premier goenda was not the Flames team that he finished with so uh I'm sure they'll try to shter him a little bit not put too much pressure on him and and Vadar has every reason to you know to have a a calendar year that's a big one for him as well so I I do expect that both guys will will get a a good luck this year John sticking with the goal tending but just moving it back to you and and I know that you were a goalie of some note in your day pretty good he's pretty good um but I saw all the things you said online about having the chance to work with Jamie mlon the last bunch of years uh in the broadcast booth what about the opportunity to partner with Kelly Rudy who is generally regarded as one of the the good guys in this business I'm really excited yeah I mean not too many more people uh more fortunate than me to go from Class Act to Jamie mclennen who I just as you said can't say enough good things about he's a dear friend now and uh We've enjoyed lots of time working together to Kelly Rudy who I haven't had the pleasure of working with before but uh we've already had a few phone calls and you know we're getting set to to catch up as training Camp begins it's it's kind of you know I feel like I'm the rookie at Camp trying to get used to the veterans around me and uh in some ways that is a good parallel because uh you know I'm refamiliarizing myself with with Kelly and and I don't think it'll take long hopefully not to to just get a good um you know a good playoff of one another and Greg Mullen I've worked with in the past very excited to reconnect with him and Ryan lesie on the host side is just fantastic as well so yeah I knew that it was a special group and Calgary and and I hope just to to be able to to fit in quickly and have lots of fun along the way this year um and I think Kelly how can you get any better as a as a play-by-play guy to come in with that type of a security blanket I mean not only has he played the game he set the bar for that position in so many different ways including a guy like Dustin wolf who's a California Kid coming up to play uh in the National Hockey League not too many of those and and [ __ ] who they signed is another one so they actually have a direct line to the broadcast booth and Kelly Rudy with two of the three Flames go tenders uh that they they may use this year and and just a great a guy as well as Kelly so yeah really looking forward to it it's it's good we have some time before we get going on the broadcast but at the same time can't wait until we actually get in the booth and and get to call uh regular season game and and and uh you know get to enjoy each other playing off one another a little bit more in that type of environment as we see here with Shorty on the regional broadcasts uh you know he doesn't get the hockey net and Canada games uh that of although I guess he's pick in frequency but uh what's the ballpark just in terms of number of broadcasts that you'll do as the as the regional package there I think somewhat the same um when it comes to you know those National games are Saturday nights I don't have my set schedule um as far as the breakdown yet I think I was actually part of the problem um having that deal uh come along very close to the end of August just like it was for me to follow Rick to the first time ironically enough so uh you know thank you Rick for another opening there yeah that's right everybody believing in me a second time as well um but you know when you think of splitting a season uh with gour Miller it really helped me as a broadcaster and going back to the Ottawa Senators days that is uh you know being able to take from him and share the booth with him and and uh you know be able to to see what works so well for him I'm excited to have a few more games it should uh should be in the 60 to 70 count I think uh but nothing uh clearly set out yet um as they they try to get everybody in the right places for the season to begin so I'll know a little bit more in the next couple of weeks but uh yeah very very grateful and very excited that it's uh that it's Sports Net in the flames and and there should be lots of fun moments to capture this year and I I know everybody's excited about the new um Stadium coming in new Arena and coming in Calgary and I know you guys would be too because you've spent enough time in in the Saddle Dome over the years but yes from the broadcast perch for me yeah you're right you know I love the old building I love the Saddle Dome you're right on top of it you can feel the energy of the crowd it's the old steel girs that you know Bend and flex with every um you know loud moment or or base coming through they got a new Jumbotron so I'm actually very much looking forward to calling games in the Saddle Dome before we get to the The New Rink in a couple of years two of the best views in the league probably Vancouver and Calgary right on top of the action uh be remiss if I if I didn't ask you about what you thought of uh of the Canucks offseason moves of you have 109 Point Season make as many changes as the Canucks ultimately did anybody of the newcomers that the Canucks have brought in that sort of tickles your fancy and you see is a good addition well I I kind of lost you there Blake sorry but um yeah terms of the new editions for anybody you you really like oh pardon me um yeah you know what it just I would say overall it's it seems like Vancouver um has insulated themselves well and and as we look at today's game I think that's where a lot of the the teams that have had success I mean you know it's beyond a a three-line team um really you can have your fourth line be a competitive fourth line that's going to make such a big difference for you in the postseason so I I would say just overall the fact that they're kind of plugging in some holes and and uh you know not just relying on on the top two lines is probably where I would go with that one it's maybe a bit of a cop out but I just think and you guys see it on a nightly basis it's a it's a slog to compete in the division let alone uh get to the playoffs and have the type of uh conference battles you have and then somehow have enough in the tank to to go uh Coast to Coast if you're lucky enough to to do that in Stanley Cup finals so can you imagine on can you imagine on opening night if the Flames face somebody not named Thatcher Demco not named arur shiloff like right now that's a real possibility for the flames on night one yeah that again that probably was the biggest circle when you're looking at teams Calgary is gonna play and you know not knowing where that position is going to be at and and you kind of got shavs out of nowhere didn't you I mean I know he had the funky shirts that caught on and he became a bit of a folklore in Vancouver but um even injuries are a thing yeah yeah it's uh that that'll be interesting to see and you know what as far as the Flames go like I think that's where their heads at it's steela come in and surprise some teams that uh you know may look past you because some of the roster moves but don't don't discredit the type of GM that Craig Conroy is don't discredit Ryan Huska as a coach you know they're going to demand a lot out of their team on a nightly basis they're going to demand um you know a lot of hard work as well so I I don't think they're going to I don't think anyone can sleep on Calgary to put it lightly from the shores of Lake nipping in North Bay Ontario uh we appreciate you taking time away from the family uh and your goodbyes to them as you become a Westerner again we appreciate your time today abs and it's his farewell tour it is the ABS farewell tour you and Oasis very similar uh thanks so much man and and best of luck yeah we'll touch base I'm sure but best of luck get anything started there in Calvary thanks fellas I really appreciate it hopefully the connection wasn't too bad I will be much more clean shaven I was uh I'm teaching the youngest guy to fish today so I guess I look like I'm I'm fitting the part but uh yeah we're sneaking some quick family time in I'm driving the van out next week full of stuff so the journey continues and uh uh can't wait to get to Calgary and then also you know game one's going to be pretty special as well be able to hopefully get in there and uh catch up with you guys a lot season so thanks for bearing with the look and the law answers and really really uh appreciating the fact we get this catch up a little bit more thanks guys have fun ABS it's happy hour on saris and price today's beer of the day from yellow dog is the play dead [Music] IPA our next guest joins us from the Tacoma News Tribune longtime listeners SLV viwers will of course know the name and face Greg Bell the West Point grad former Army Captain joins us once again here on S Carrison price how are you sir I'm very well good to see you again Blake how's it going Jeff yeah good we're uh we're looking for a primer here as the Seahawks begin this season uh nine and eight last year and some betting odds at the very least that sort of suggest that they they could do better than that and and I know that Mike McDonald's been talked about as a Darkhorse coach of the year but I mean that that's a uh that's presuming he he wins more than last year which I I don't know is that a Fed of compete in your mind can is it a guaranteed nine- win season here for the Seahawks no not not at all guaranteed Blake but it is true they aren't starting over most times a regime change it's a three four- win team they have the quarterback in place they have the skill position DK medf Tyra roet Jackson Smith and jig book Kenneth Walker at the running back position but everything's new I mean all three systems are new offense defense special teams Mike McDonald's going to call the defense but it's going to take a long time I think well into the season before the Seahawks are playing the full Baltimore Ravens Mike McDonald defense of disguising and shifting at the snap they're not there yet the offense with Ryan greub from the University of Washington we all saw Michael penck Jr thrive in his Deep Field deep downfield passing game it's predicated on the offensive line and he had the best one in college football at Washington he is inheriting one of has been one of the worst ones in the NFL the last half dozen years that's the key to this entire season on offense for Gino Smith and Ryan grub what can the offensive line do McDonald and the defense they've got Personnel Devon Witherspoon Leonard Williams there's questions at linebacker but the secondaries the strength of the team they've got Personnel to do what Mike McDonald wants to do attacking offenses in confus using them again it's just going to take time they're in a division guys as you know that San Francisco has just absolutely dominated them along the line of scrimmage and I not sure that they're especially in the offensive line they're still very thin on the interior the defensive line of defensive tackle only three true tackles on the roster only one true nose tackle San Francisco's going to run right at him and challenge him physically and I just don't see them in one off season with a regime change and all that's new getting that much better on the scrimmage to challenge San Francisco for the division so if they're not going to win a division they're where they've really been the last 10 years right on the fringes of playoff contention maybe a wild card 910 wins Max and then maybe a win in the playoffs and then second round get boat race at of Green Bay Philadelphia Dallas or San Francisco so I'm not sure this is the year to say well Mike McDonald's going to take him to the Quantum Leap but they absolutely decided this not just for this year but they wanted Mike McDonald to come in and change the culture regime and systems for the future Beyond 2024 so long answer to your question Blake I think nine wins is an optimistic look at this season you know but at least it's not uh it won't be boring right we've always se you know 500 NFL teams like they're fun to watch because you got to watch every game uh you know that's the thing the Russell Wilson Heyday you could skip a game you knew they were going to beat Team X you could skip the game I had to cover them all I get your point yeah exactly tune into every single game uh Gino Smith has not really shined so far um and that's always been the question since he's risen to prominence with Seattle is you know was that just it was was that the Pinnacle a brief Pinnacle of his career is HE capable of more and he's not exactly getting young uh so what do you expect that of Gino Smith to start the year I expect him to thrive and Ryan Grub's offense if these are ifs two big ones if he can get Kenneth Walker in the running game going people think Ryan G grub just wants to throw it 50 yards down the field every play they forget Dylan Johnson was a 12200 yard rusher for the husk Washington Huskies last year in grubs offense he's an offensive line coach first and foremost that's how he grew up and he really wants to run the ball first I think people are sleeping on Kenneth Walker's impact on this season and on Gino Smith and the offense as a whole I think eventually Smith's going to be you're going to see more of Smith doing what he's best at which is accurately throw the ball down the field he throws a very accurate deep ball that is easy to catch and is and is often placed away from Defenders even in coverage and last year Shane walr had him doing a lot of short quick timing throws getting the ball out he spent the first month and a half of the season with the quickest throws in the in his shortest air yard targets Jackson Smith and jiga spent much of the Season at less than three yards a Target among the league fewest among wide receivers Smith and jiggles is going to be going down the field this year you're going to see DK metf in the slot which makes Gino Smith gives him more options than he's had in the past and and defense is more to think about Gino Smith to me guys is part of the solution not the problem in Seattle the problem to me has been a Supporting Cast around them primarily the offensive line and now they're trying a new center in Conor Williams who's eight months out from an ACL repair and has only gotten two weeks to learn the offense in practice that the rest of the team has had five months to practice before the opener so he's got a steep learning curve they've got a new full-time Right Guard and Anthony Bradford the seconde guy from LSU they got a new right tackle because AB Lucas they don't know when he might come back to play after the offseason knee surgery so George Fant the journey now fourth NFL team started his career of course with Seattle as a college basketball player from Western Kentucky he's the starting right tackle now a new starting left guard in L and Tomlinson in a one-year deal at age 32 the only sure thing on the offensive line is left tackle Charles cross in year three of his rookie deal that's 80% of the offensive line it's either new or have questions on to me Gino Smith Ryan grub all Smith and jig met CF locket Walker all of it's predicated on that offensive line and that's how I think they're going to get judged on this year Greg you've mentioned Kenneth Walker a couple of times had a fine rookie season and backed it up with a solid second season how much growth potential is there and the shelf life of featured backs to the NFL is so short I mean he may be in his statistical Prime in in year number three but uh what do you expect from him and how much more growth is there in Kenneth Walker's game a lot and a lot Jeff I expect a lot and I think there's gonna be a lot of growth in this game and I think Ryan Grub's going to get and feature all of it I Walker has had some of the best two-yard runs in Seahawk history the last couple years there are Five Guys in the back field waiting on him like he's a bus and he breaks through five to get a gain of two those gain of twos have caused third and eights and third and nines and third and sevens and that's what's made the problems on offense and third downs and pass protection and all of it their Red Zone and their third down numbers were atrocious last year I think Ryan Grub's going to have the offense more predicated on running the ball more consistently not giving up on it as quickly as Shane Walden enough and did in games not just with Kenneth Walker but with Zack shanet but they really love getting Kenneth Walker the ball in space Ryan grub cites a lot of Statistics that say that Walker is among the best in the NFL at making guys miss and yards after contact so they're going to get him the ball outside they'll even line him up at wide receiver at times to get him the ball quickly they want to get him the ball in space one-on-one with Defenders this is a long way of saying Jeff that Kenneth Walker is a huge piece of this that no one's talking about and I think you're going to see the most use of Kenneth walk in the most varied ways and the most touches per game of his career so far what about the opportunity to open at home on Sunday against a team like Denver I know there are no easy games if you don't show up and play at or near your best but this seems like an opportunity for the Seahawks to get out of the gates in a hurry yeah Jeff when you got into the SK of course the opponents were decided at the the regular season ended last year the Home and Away opponents and when you looked at those opponents before they even decided where they would fall on the schedule may you said okay the the on paper weakest opponent for a home game is Denver and the weakest opponent on a road game Seattle had is New England and they get those one and two to begin the season in that order it's not they could Mike McDonald could not have ask the NFL for a better start for his defense to learn and get to grow because they're going to play a rookie quarterback in his first NFL start I've know a story for the News Tribune I'm going publish it probably today or tomorrow about Hall of Fame quarterbacks not just B Knicks but but Hall of Fame first round quarterbacks in their first NFL starts and it's bad I mean 53% 65 capacity rating one touchdown three intercept I'm talking about Dan Marino Joe Montana BR John Elway it's it's not good so that's an optimal start for Seattle and you would think they could win a game with a rookie quarterback in its first NFL week and and on the road and then you got Jobe brassett looks like over Drake May and two they couldn't have scripted it any better which is not to say that they win both games but that they can afford to have perhaps more missed assignments o c for did not have to use all of Mike McDonald's tricks and defense and disguises in week two so that by the time San Francisco comes here in week six maybe they're more full of the defense that they're going to be eventually is Devon weather GNA get more varied looks what are how are they going to use him do you think well Blake I think he's the best play on the team and wow his Swagger his his the way he wants to support and Tackle against the Run he wants to make dive play tackles that first game last year of his career in Detroit he was making tackles on dive plays over the guard so the Lions saw that and and ran a Flea Flicker dive pitch back to the quarterback and Witherspoon was beaten for a touchdown 40 years down the field Witherspoon is going to play like he did last year primarily nickel and then outside at times at outside corner the Seahawks are going to play a lot more three safeties they were one in thinking of doing it with Jamal Adams but they were going to use Adams last year as a more of a linebacker this year with cavon Wallace along with rayan Jenkins and Julian love back there at safety they're going to need a lot of three safeties which will push wither spoon outside to Corner what McDonald's thinking there is on one down mcdonal or wither spoon is an inside nickel covering a slot guy and then the next play 24 cavon Wallace is in what looks like a nickel but he's actually a third safety play more like a linebacker again confusing and disguising so you're going to do you are going to see Witherspoon move around a lot I think you're going to see Witherspoon traveling and trailing top receivers at times which you didn't often the Seahawks often rarely did even with Richard Sherman under Pete Carroll I think Mike McDonald knows he's got a special player and Devon Witherspoon he's going to feature him under Bright Lights the entire season before we let you go I know you were tracking Roger Goodell's comments down in Brazil which um them in Brazil okay whatever how about how about the wives of the writers to basically be the surrogate tweeters from the writers down the Eagles writers have their wives tweeted because Brazil doesn't allow Twitter down there oh my God that's right it just it just started that band that's right it's hilarious and sad in some ways sad but it's pretty funny how what the links they're going to but yeah Brazil NFL uh but Goodell saying seven International games next season are we is is he going to go north of the border is is the CFL going to try to block that again what do you think what do you think my honest opinion and I don't want to disparage my Great Canadian friends and you know how much I love that country and I spend a lot of my money up in you do we like it yeah but I don't think Canada is where they're looking they want they want business opportunities right exactly they've already got a Canadian market and they've already got a fan following and and contracts with media rights up there they don't need go there they've already there yeah they're they're thinking China they're thinking the Far East Japan there are a lot of untapped markets they're still going to go to but they love Germany the revenue they get from Germany and Licensing and television advertising and and merchandise is is when I went over there from from Munich it was like an NFL City how much they knew the game and all the jerseys you saw all of Europe came comes to those European games they come from Sweden and all over the place they're going to go to Spain for the first time next year I'm sure hoping the Seahawks get that game yeah I I I really believe we're not there yet but maybe a CBA or two from now we're gonna have an NFL team based in Europe they got once they figure out the 18 game schedule perhaps add a buy to it then perhaps if you have two buy weeks you can work a schedule where everyone would get a buy by playing that team at B I thought it was going to be in London that eventually that it'll be an NFC far east team or an AFC far east team in London but man did they love Germany but now they've kicking the tires on Brazil because of their population base in Spain and you can bet China's the next Frontier but yeah wherever there's more money to be made they're NFL owners are going to find it that world league of American football remember London was the big London and the German teams right those were those were the big teams Amsterdam was okay I think too for for a moment but Scottish clim Wars are not quite as at you uh thank you Greg we're looking forward to it it should be a fun team to watch and we'll hear from you not too far down the road I'm sure yeah anytime anytime there's a wall in Canuck free agency talk give me a call thank you sir all right thanks guys the Vancouver Canadians are back at the night catch fireworks giveaways and Friday newers all Spring and Summer Long get your tickets at Canadians baseball.com on Saras and price featuring Jeff Patterson the newest Vancouver White Cap via dunde United Celtics Southampton as well and he comes uh late in the season and not a moment too soon steuart Armstrong joining us here on saris and price welcome Stuart how are you very good thanks very good very happy to be here thanks for having me on H it sounds like it we've been reading some of your welcome pieces from uh various Publications and such and uh it seems like the first week has gone okay for you yeah it's gone uh it's gone really well it's been a bit of a worldwind so the time's gone fast there's a lot of stuff to sort out and and organize but everyone at the club has been helping me and holding my hand along the journey so it's been good and yet your your your best Welcome Wagon has has left you he's you've graciously given up your uh your International spot there on on on Scotland for uh your old mate Ryan G so he's not here unfortunately but everybody else has uh been welcoming enough and and got you acclimated yeah I know the one guy I knows just left me but yeah everyone else at the club has been so nice um so helpful uh I'm a grown man I'm 32 but like uh I've been acting like I'm you know 15 straight out school and everyone's been showing me where to go what to do um which has been great because obviously I'm I'm far away from home so to have that integration from the club is is being really special we'll talk about football in a sec but I I'm just curious how much did you know about the city itself and how much did Vancouver play in the decision when you were looking to sort of spread your wings and and find your next uh football home yeah I think the the city itself uh was very important to me um and also my young family to come to and everyone I spoke to about Vancouver always said how nice it was um people who play against Vancouver and come to the city tell me it's a great city um and I can vouch for that now having been here for a week so yeah it's uh the destination um was very important um and I'm very happy we we've landed here in Vancouver are you adjusted uh I I spent the last couple of weeks in Europe and I'm still fighting jet leg here and uh you know not getting the sleep that I want like where where are you on your body clock yeah just just about there nearly um the first week was was was tough um but I think the last couple of nights have been a bit more normal for me so I'm hoping a few more days and I'll be fine well they're missing five players as you well know uh and and Sam's a little dinged so would you mind playing 90 this weekend is what have you got in you because this is uh this you're you're arriving at quite a time here how many minutes do you think you can go yeah it's strange because obviously I've just come off the back of a season and then not H had a pre-season not played football in a couple of months um but I come here and the guys are sort of in the business end um everyone's way an international week so um I hope I can play some minutes um and I hope I can coincide that with building the fitness and um getting the match sharpness back so uh I love to play um so hopefully I can do that as soon as possible before we leave uh your your Welcome Wagon stories we just had rexim here are you buddies with any of the Scots on on on rexim no I can't say but I James Jones or no yeah okay um let's get into some of uh what you can bring to the to this club because uh we know where Ryan plays and and of course Brian up top uh you're going to be the third prong of that offensive uh Juggernaut we suspect you know your preference and we know coach ultimately has final see on that sort of thing but where do you think you're most effective in the middle or or on the flank I would say definitely in the middle um and hopefully bring some creativity um that's what I like to do I'm definitely more offensive than defensive um but also kind of be that boxto boox player that can do a bit of both but I would say primarily um to connect um defense to attack um and also join in and hopefully contributes with some goals and assists go ahead I was just GNA say how much of a learning curve is a new league like MLS like do you worry about uh the opponents and and sort of figuring out League itself or are you just more focused on on trying to find your fit here with white caps yeah a bit of both um I'm excited to see firsthand what the league is like and get the Rhythm I think when you go somewhere new certainly for me in the past it always takes a bit of time to adjust um hopefully not too long because we've got some important games coming up um but yeah I'm more excited to see um what the league is like and how we play as as a team and trying to fit in into that the best way I can there's a there's a a different way of playing for Van he's zonal defens defensively uh little little bit of a of a uh a different manager have you have you caught wind of that yet have you sort of eyebrow raised at anything he's mentioned about how he plays no not particularly um I think he is quite aggressive I noticed that from his style when he was explaining the tactics yeah um but I like his fundamentals and I like the way he plays I like being on that side of it rather than being on the defensive side of it so I quite like his aggressive style um obviously it's going to take me hopefully not too long to learn but a a few idiosyncrasies to get get on board with um but it's an exciting way to play I watched the previous game and it's fast flowing and direct and exciting so yeah I'm looking forward to being part of it it can be it can be loose at times right there there's you'll you'll find uh it's a little bit more wide open do you still feel like you've got your legs at your at your decrepit age year of 32 that you brought up well soon find out I think that'll just get H hopefully stronger and stronger as the weeks go by um but yeah sometimes that can be quite exciting football and hopefully entertaining as well for the fans well uh we're looking forward to it and uh you see this team the good news is you know with a lot of these MLS transfers they often come into teams that need them like that desperately need them and you're asked to to wear a cape and be a hero uh it seems more like they're asking you to be the the cherry on top here is that sort of a fun role for you to take on here that you know that you know this isn't a last place team looking for a hero this is looking a team looking for that one last piece here uh yeah well having seen the boys and training and the quality is good um and obviously we've got a few players to come back uh who are going to add the quality so um I don't see myself wearing the cape I think uh hopefully I can come in and and complement what's already here and and um yeah just uh continue to improve the team and and climb up the table well good luck in doing that uh good luck in your last little bits of uh of training here before uh what we hope is a debut again 90 push for 90 here Stuart we we need you uh we will uh have the call for you myself and Paul Dolan on MLS season pass looking forward to it thanks for this steart amazing thanks for having me on guys great to