Hello, and welcome to the Drew and stew NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Preview Show. We're going to go through the entire bracket and give us your picks. We're going to give you our picks, not give us your picks. We're going to give you our picks for who we think is going to win the 2024 Stanley Cup. Cam, that was rough. Holy crap. I got through that. You went to New York last week, and you said you had a rough go. Explain why.

I didn't really have a rough go.

I just- Well, sorry, your wallet had a rough go. Yes, yes, yes.

My wallet, I had. And at that New Islander Stadium, I get off, and I'm Are we there yet? You have to walk from the train, and I'm walking and walking. I'm like, how does a senior citizen do this walk?

I would beat down-We were talking five minutes?

I'm talking 20 minutes at least.

Really? From the closest station?

Yeah. No, I got off the train. It's not like our arenas where you walk off the street and go in. You get off the train and then you walk and you walk and my girlfriend's like, Oh, my God. I'm hurting. And no one heard even more the double vodka soda with a beer, 57 US. I said, I pardon? I said, What? And then he's like... And the best is when you're like, Okay, it's cashless. Then you see the thing that you tap and it starts at 15 % tip. I'm like, What do we do? I hate that. I'm like, You're getting me a beer and whatever.

And it's US dollars, so it's probably 80, 85.

I got pummeled.

Oh, yeah.

And I told my girlfriend, I go, Lessons. More hotel drinks, more train drinks, more whatever before we go.

Train drinks. That's the drinks you bring yourself on the train?

Yes.

Okay. That's illegal.

No, it's not illegal. It's fine. They do it in the States all the time. There was guys in Islander jerseys crushing drinks. Anyway, I'm not going to tell people to live their lives. I'm never paying $67 for a double vodka and a beer again. But as I owe 3,000 on my visa, Drew, I bet golf, and everyone knows I do. And today, I just filled in. So I just finished the three-hour show. I'm a little bit beat down, but the only thing that's keeping me going, the Postman always delivers. Jt Posting, first round leader, 45 to one. So that's 1,250 right there. I could cut my visa bill. There you go. I got to keep on. I need more winners, more winners.

So let's get the two winners. What you're going to do is no more double vodka. It's just straight up club soda. That's it. I can't afford it. It's just straight water.

I'm sure that would go over very well.

I'll be like, Hey, none for you anymore. We have We had a team meeting when we got back to the hotel.

By the way, after the Islander game, there's millions of people because you don't drive because it's actually cool. A lot of young people there. Like, Drew, basically, it's like Tinder for hockey fans. Every chic that was there was younger, the whole row above us. It's amazing. They don't buy the drinks, but it's almost like a dating service for younger people. And I'm like, wow, there's a lot of young people at the Islander game. And I noticed they're not buying double vodka as me and my girlfriend, but they're having fun at the So that's what I noticed, more of a party atmosphere. The tickets are cheap, but the drinks are expensive. But hey, now we got to win every single bet for the next little while.

So right now, because you went to both, what game was more fun, the Islander's game or the Devils game?

That's a great question. The Devils game was more fun because Scottie Farrell took me. We got free food and stuff like that. We didn't get free drinks, but they had an open buffet with pizza slices, chicken fingers and stuff. The Islanders game, we paid for everything, so it was more expensive. The The Leifs beat the Devils, which was awesome. It was a great game. And I'll be honest with you, and you know this, Prudential, they got what sight lines? That's right. That's a great arena. People, let me tell you, that arena in New Jersey, I'm sitting there going, I felt like it was at a junior game. Everything was so close and fast. And the Islander fans were good, though, too. Rowdy's death metal band at the Jersey game. People are crowd surfing with their stuffed devil, and he's lifting people up. I'm sure you're getting that at a leaf game. Sir, can you pass my sushi and roast beef sandwich? And yeah, there's going to be 80-year-old guys crowd surfing.

That whole area, by the arena, the mall, the- Oh, it's awesome. It's awesome. People don't know.

New Jersey is nice. Manhattan is what killed me. If you ever go there, you want value, get out there, because it's Not that far away. But anyway, Drew, I regress. Good times. Just hit the wall, and maybe Gambler's giving me a taste because I hit a first-round leader, and I got a lot of guys in contention. Great start for the golf tournament.

There you go. Hopefully, you bet him outright because maybe he can go wire to wire. I do.

I do have him outright, 66 to one.

There you go. Let's go. Fingers crossed that he goes wire to wire. All right, Cam, let's get into our Stanley Cup playoff's preview. We're going to start in the Eastern Conference with the Florida Panthers taking on the Tampa Bay Lightning. Season series is 2-1 in favor of the Panthers. Cam, Tampa Bay is red hot, though, winning 12 games down the stretch in their last 16. There's probably no team hotter than them running to the playoffs. Are you going to get in front of the Panthers, though, in this series? I don't know. The serious price right now, Tampa Bay Lightning plus 145, Florida Panthers minus 170. You want to start this one or would you want me to?

I'd like you to start, but- Okay.

I'm taking Tampa Bay. I think Tampa Bay smokes the Florida Panthers. I don't think the Florida Panthers are for real. I think they're frauds. I'm sorry, Panthers fans. I think the Bobrowski magic from last year is Dunzo. Tampa in five games, Cam.

Is this click bait? Are you for real? I like Tampa Bay, too, but in seven. You really believe they can win this in five. I don't think it's going to be close. Okay. I will say this to agree to your point, Drew. They look tired. Their goal The contenders have overachieved. And I think the Lightning have been playing possum for a while. Kuchara looks great.

You always want the team that's riding high into the playoffs, and that's what Tampa Bay is.

I don't know necessarily if that's true. There's some teams that are living in the playoffs that I like, but I agree with you that Tampa Bay can beat Florida. And I think Florida... The thing about Florida is that I noticed late in the season, Drew, and I think you will agree, it looked like they ran out of gas. They're a very physical team, and they can't maintain that style the whole time. Maurice called them out. I think they actually He got mad about it for a while. He was really upset. You can only yell at young players for so long, even though you get a coaches respect. I'm with you. John Cooper, great coach. Hey, who's goal-tending edge? Tampa. Kucharoff, hot. Florida is one of those teams. They want to turn into a fight, but Tampa Bay is tough, too. This series is going to be a bloodbath. It's basically guys with Jackknives out there. It's going to get... And they're two of the dirtiest teams in the league. It's going to be a fun series.

Yes. And they met in the playouts before, Kam. Tampa Bay came on top. I don't know if... Yeah, I know. The magic was there for Florida last year. I just don't think the magic continues. Florida, they didn't even deserve to win the division. Boston, I feel like, through those last two games, I know people are like, people don't throw games. It's like, if you watch Boston play against Ottawa and Washington, you might think otherwise. But yeah, Cam, I swear, both on the Tampa Bay Lighting, both going with the Underdogs in the first series.

Yeah, I'm not done there, too, Drew. I got some crazy stuff for you, but we'll continue to talk about every series, and we'll have fun.

Moving on to the same division, the Toronto Maple Leaves, Boston Bruins. Bruins, the favorite in this series, Kam, minus 125, Leaves are plus 105. It's very, very tight when it comes to the odds makers. The Bruins, 4-0 in the season series, seven straight versus them all time. They also haven't lost a series against them since 1959. Kam, everything is saying Bruins, Bruins, Bruins. The Bruins, one in seven in 2019, seven in 2018, seven in 2013. What happens in this one? You're a Leefs fan. You go first. You tell me, do the blue guys have what it takes to take down the Bruins.

I'm going to tell you this, Drew. The Bruins have better goal tending, and they have a better coach. The Leaps, on the other hand- And defense. And defense, yes. The Leaps everywhere else. Deeper, way better. Boston's a one-line team. You shut down past their neck. Listen, the additions of Bertuzzi and Domi, I think, are important in series like this. They didn't have those type of guys before, and they show up when it matters. I'm a little bit worried. Taveras looks slow, but it's time. You know what, Marner and Matthews? This is enough. You want to be top of the food chain? You find a way to beat the boss of Bruins. I'm going to say this series is going to be tight. I'll take the least, but I'm going to take them in six because I think if it goes to seven- Too many nightmares in seven.

Yeah, I agree with you.

But the thing is, I really drew, and I've cut the leaves up a lot on the show. You know I'm a fan of the team, but I'm also realist. I'm not going to think they win every game. I bet against them this year sometimes when I know they're in bad spots. I think they're a complete hockey team. They just need their stars to show up, and we need the defense and goal tending to be reasonable. I think they can beat Boston. Don't let the 4-0 record fool you when they lost to the Bruins. I think the leaves actually win this series and get the monkey off their backing against Boston. I think they're a better hockey team. I think Boston is a one-line team, but you're right. They fight magic against the least. Give me the Leaps in six. My thing is, Cam- And their underdogs.

The Bruins have way better goal tending. We can confirm that. Coaching, for sure, it's not close. My thing with the Leaps, Cam, is they They just have the yips. If it was against Florida, I was going to pick the least to win in five or six games. Against Boston, there's just something that Boston has in the heads of the least, Maple East players. It's like the least don't think they can beat Boston, so they're not going to. Does that make sense? They just don't have the confidence. It's like a bad matchup. Matchups make fights, and this is just a bad matchup. I don't care what the on paper says. The least have all the talent in the world. Probably more talent than anybody in the league up front. It just doesn't matter in these times in the playoffs. Bruins have the experience. I'm taking the Bruins in seven. I think it goes I think the least take a couple.

Yeah, that's fair. It's actually called styles make fights, but this is it, Drew. You know what I meant. No, I do. We butcher sayings all the time. That's what the show should be called, Cam and Drew butchering everything. But here's the deal. The leaves, it's a different time now. And I will say this, the time of desperation, I know in the past and whatever, this is the end of the line, Drew. This is it. If you find a way to lose this series again, this whole thing, kaboom.

Yeah, but they said that last year. Everyone's got no trade calls.

No, no. Fans are negative. Fans are negative. A lot of lead fans are like, Oh, we're done. We're done. We're ready. Perfect. That's the way I like it. It's like a relationship when you first start, say you're going on Tinder, you meet each other, lower expectations, and then you end up having a good date. It's like, Hey, good, good. This actually worked out well. That's at least. They got to stop worrying. Don't take dumb penalties and be smart. And you know what? Your stars have to be stars. And one thing they got to do, just shoot the fucking fuck more. Get guys in front. You know what I mean? Everything doesn't have to be so pretty. That's the problem I have with this team. It's almost like they're an artist. We're painting the perfect picture. If you play gritty, that's why you bring in gritty players.

And Kim, what they need to do, which they haven't been able to do recently, they have the worst PK in the league when it comes to the playoff teams. They need their penalty kill to step up because those three power plays, Boston is going to get every game or the two, the least have to keep them out of the net because Pasterknack is a weapon on the power play. And the Bruins might just be like, Hey, we're just going to sit down and play Dump & Chase hockey until we get a power play. And we know your penalty kill sucks. So the At least need to step up in that regard. Special teams can be a key factor here.

Yeah, they are. The thing is, Drew, it's one of those things, the line makers, too. They could have made Boston a 140 favorite, and people are still like, whatever. It's a low line.

Well, because they know people are betting the leaves, though. The leaves are always going to have inflated lines.

No, no, no, no. I'm thinking, okay, yeah, you're right. If they don't give the leaves... If the leaves were plus 120, people would be smashing them. A Austin at 120 looks like a good deal for a team that swept them this year. But I'm telling you, this Series 2, I believe in this. This is the thing. Everyone's down on them, and that's the time to get on them. The leaves are like a stock that's very low. I'm buying in. Give me the leaves in six.

All right. So we would disagree for the first time on this show. Probably disagree later on as well. Moving on to the New York Rangers and Washington Capitals, the one seed in the East, taking on the eight seed. Capitals make it in Cam because of an empty net goal against the Flyers, where the Red Wings scored a minute before in real-time. People are saying Torterelle should have known beforehand that he had no chance in the playoffs and thus not pulled his goalie. Do you think Torts knew and did it to screw them? Or do you think he's honest when he's like, I had no idea. I didn't know.

I'm probably honest. Here's the thing. You got to do what you got to do. And you know what, Drew? You know what the crazy thing is? Don't be in that position. You know what I mean? It's sports.

It sucks the Red Wings, but you should have had an extra point earlier in the year then.

You know what I mean? Times the Red Wings down the stretch, blue games. They played like shit. And you know what? And I have a lot of friends that are Red Wing fans. And you know what, though? That's life. You know, You have to win the games that you should win, and they didn't. And they were very lucky against Montreal, too. They scored three seconds left or whatever. So I'm not going to make a case, Washington, Detroit, who gives a fuck? The bottom line is Washington's done, okay?

Okay.

Done.

You think so?

Yeah, I think Rangers win in six. Maybe five.

I think it's going to be the only sweep of the first round. Spoiler alert. I think Rangers win in four games. There's always one camp.

There's always one sweep. Why were you disagreeing I was just being a jerk.

I was just being a jerk.

Yeah, you were being weird.

I don't know what the hell you're doing. The Rangers are minus 4:50 to win the series. The Capitals are plus 3:50. Yeah, just on paper, the Rangers are better in every spot, Cam. The season series was 2:2, but I think that just comes out of division matchups and regular season stuff. I just don't see on paper where Washington can beat them unless Shisterkin absolutely shits the bed. I don't see how Washington puts them in a fight. Maybe they steal one, but I'm going to go Rangers in four if I have to pick right now.

Oh, All you do is have to know this. So take a look at the playoff series, Price's exact score. Rangers to sweep is 5 to 1. Rangers to win 4 to 1 is plus 280. Rangers to win 4-2, 3-60. So what is it going to be? I'm thinking it's going to be five or six games at max. And I would agree, if you like it, you think the sweep, it's five to one. It's basically 490 on my account. So you do what you got to do. I think the Rangers win in five. It's the lowest value bet, but the books aren't stupid.

Yeah, Yeah, it's not a sweep that... You don't really want to always bet on sweeps because they can end so quick. But I do like it in four. I'm going to be taking... You ever do those exact series parlays where you do every series in the exact score? It's like two bucks to win two million. I always do a bunch of those just for fun.

Of course you do.

Yeah, of course. I'm one of these times, one of these years, I'm going to hit one of those and it'll be amazing. All right, moving on, Cam. So we both on the Rangers. We're both on the Lightning, and we're separate on the.

Well, you got to fade the least because I do that show with you and Dangle's the leaf guy and everybody else's leaf. You You have to be heel. You can't bet the leaves.

We'll see. Huracanes Islanders, Cam. Yet again, another shitty series, I think in my mind, probably the most boring series. I disagree. This is the worst series of all them, in my opinion. If you like Under's Kam- I think Razor's Caps is worse. Kim, first period, Understam Under's in the same series last year, 6-0. So if you like Under's, you bet the first period Under in every Under Hurricanes game because it's going to be zero, zero or one, nothing after one every single game. I'm going to be taking the Under's in the game in the series. I think Carolina is a better team, Cam. Can Saro can steal a couple of games? Sure. But give me the Hurricanes.

I think they're going to start Barlamoff as- You think he starts game one? I watched them live and I could tell you something, who's playing better now? It's not even a debate. Barlamoff is way better. No, you start Barlamoff, you start Barlamoff, you start him. And I'm going to tell you another thing that the people don't know about the Islanders. Sure, they got no finishers, but Patrick Waa has got this team playing, and it's not going to be easy for Carolina. These games can go to overtime and stuff. Let me just say I think the Islanders could beat Carolina more than the Rangers could beat... Sorry, Washington could beat the Rangers. The Islanders are going to play a suffocating game and try to turn this into a real slow slug best. And you know what? Carolina is just a very better version of the Islanders. Very similar teams.

You know what they are, though, Cam? They're gagers in the playoffs, so it wouldn't be shocked. Carolina. Yes.

I like Carolina in seven. I think the Islanders give them fits.

I think the Islanders might even win the series.

I almost want to bet them. I think it's going to be close.

I like Hurricanes in six. I don't think the Islanders have the firepower up front to win the series outright. But like you said, this would be the least shocking big upset or big upset, I could say. All right, let's move on to round two, Cam. Right now, in round two, we got the So I have the lightning taking on the Boston Bruins. You have the lightning taking on the leaves. So let's go with yours first. Lightning, leaves, leaves have home ice advantage. Who do you got advancing in this series? Cam's It's in a tough spot.

I like the leaves, but I don't love it. I think the Leaps are going to get to the Eastern Conference final.

Oh, spicy. So you got the Leaps?

Well, look at their path. Their path is actually good. If they beat Boston, they're going to play the... Because Florida, you see, we disagree on one thing. Florida and Tampa Bay, I think, are going to kill each other, more so than Boston and Toronto are going to kill each other. I think if the Leaps stay healthy and have no key injuries to their guys, I think they can beat anybody. I think it will probably go seven, but I will take the Leifs over the Lightning. They beat them before, but the Lightning are a very scary hockey team. They look like they found their mojo.

All right. Well, Cam likes to at least make these comments final. We'll see if he likes to make the Stanley Cup. We'll see. I like the Lightning to beat the Bruins in my series, Bracket Prediction. I think the Lightning are rolling right now. Hottest team in the East, in my opinion. Best goal in the East, in my opinion. Probably the best defense. Sergachev could be back for round two, which is a big boost for the Lightning. He won't be back in round one. If he's back in round two, then I I love it even more. I just think the Lightning are the team to beat right now despite their record. They came on late. I think they would have been leading the division if they had this roster and Vasilevski healthy all year. Just give me the Lightning to beat the Bruins in advance of the Eastern Conference final. Yet again, I'm going to be saying, Oh, of course, it's the Lightning as usual. So, yeah, my Eastern Conference final of the Atlantic.

You know what? Your pick sound like fun. Bunch of fucking teams that have been there so many times. Mix it up, man. Not enough.

Let's wait till we get to the West, okay, Cam? So Rangers at Hurricanes, Hurricanes at Rangers. Rangers are the favorite in this series. I'll start here- You start.

I'm not in a problem.

I'm not in a problem. I like New York. Carolina is king of gagging in the playoffs. The Rangers gag, too. They lost the Devils last year in the series. They should not have lost. I just think this is the rangers' time to shine, make the Eastern Conference final. It's going to be the New York Rangers over the Carolina Hurricanes, which means my East final is Rangers Lightning.

Well, I like the Rangers as well. So I think that it's not going to be easy, but I think Shesh Dyrken will step up. You know what the thing about the Rangers is, too, their young guys, the depth. I think a lot of their young guys are going to really play great hockey, and they already have great players on their team. Yeah, I'll take the Rangers in six, maybe seven. It might go the distance. So I have a Rangers, Leifs, Eastern Conference final.

Does that spell the end of Rod Brindamore in Carolina? Yet another year of playoff disappointment?

No, I don't think it's Rod Brindamore's fault. I think they have to do more.

I mean, at a certain point, the coach has to take some blame, How many kicks of the can do you get? You'd agree that Sheldon Keef is fired if at least lose round one, right?

Well, Rod Brindamore is a better coach than Sheldon Keef. Can we not agree with that? Sheldon Keef is like, no offense to the guy. It seems I got a great guy to have beers with or whatever. But I don't-like, we're on the NHL food chain of coaches is Sheldon Keef?

Where's Brindamore? He's probably like, 15th.

Brindamore is like, he's good, but he's also... I don't know what to think.

I I think he'd be an amazing strength and condition, Coach, but I don't know about X's and O's. I don't know. Carolina hasn't really done it yet for me to be impressed by him.

Anyway, they've done a hell of a lot better than the least, Drew.

All right, Cam. Tell you that. You heard that. Well, that's not hard. You'd probably say 80 % of the league is then better than the Leifs in the playoff. It's not a very impressive bar to get over. All right, your Eastern Conference final, Toronto, Maple Leaps, New York, Rangers, Cam, the city of Toronto, the city of New York, this is the NHL's dream. This would be the highest rated series in probably the last In the last 30 years, the NHL is looking their jobs for this to happen. Toronto, New York. Do the Toronto police make the Stanley Cup Finals in your payoff bracket?

I'm going to be called the homer, but I think if they get and beat Boston in the first round, they're going all the way.

I think- Cam, Stuart, the least going to the finals. Place your bets.

I'm waiting for the hate mail. It's not even that much of a homer pick. I think they just got to get monkeys off their back. They're just a very cursed team. And I think all it takes is a little bit of momentum. Once they get that first, once they get into gear, win the first, and they win the second series, then it's there.

So you think Ilyas Samsonov has what it takes to carry a team to the Stanley Cup final?

Or Wall. I don't know who's playing.

Or Matt Murray. They just got a bunch of bums, but that's fine.

Their goal of attending is suspicious.

I don't know, Drew.

At the start of the year, I always liked the Rangers and Leaps. I thought they were teams. You get a little more value with the Leaps. I'm not really a homer for this team. They've cost me a lot of money over the years. It's true. It's tons of it. You're constantly bad. I just think this is the time to get on it. But the Rangers, the problem is, Drew, God, I'm like 50/50 on this. Their goal It's just so... Shesterka don't make huge saves. But the Leaves play the range. They play each other. They at least beat them up pretty good this year a couple of games, and they played well.

That's the other thing with styles make fights. The Rangers don't do well against speed teams. That's the thing.

Thank you, Drew. That's actually not a very astute comment by you. I think the Leaves playing the Rangers is probably the best matchup for them. If they find a way to get by Boston and Tampa Bay, that's why I think they're going.

This might be an easier series than the other two. You're right.

Leaves.

I'm going with the Rangers over the Lightning, Cam. I think this is the Rangers's year to finally make to the finals. Lundquist be damned. I think the Lightning have what it takes to win the Cup again. I think it's going to be a heartbreak on the Tampa side. Rangers with the Homewise win it in seven and make the Stanley Cup finals on the backs of a Panarin I am winner. I just think their defense is loaded, their offense is loaded, their coaching is good. I just think the Rangers are a team of destiny this year in the East Cam. I don't know.

It's weird. I like them a lot.

So give me the New York Rangers in my Stanley Cup finals out of the East.

Toronto over the Rangers for me, and you have Rangers over Lightning, correct?

Correct. Correct. Yeah. So we'll see. If the Lefs and Rangers make the conference final, you should make a bet right now on that happening.

What exact team is going to conference final? Yeah. I'll find it. Or I'll bet the Lefs and just hedge on the Rangers if I have to. I don't want to, but I can't lose all sorts of money that... Sorry, money... The Leaps haven't really... Actually, they probably cost me more my mortgage payments than any team in the league. So yeah.

Yeah. All right, Cam, let's move on to the Western Conference. First round, we got the Colorado Avalanche and Winnipeg Jets. The Winnipeg Jets are underdogs despite going three against the Aves in the regular season. Absolutely dog walking them, just smoking them in all three games. Cam, do you I believe in my Colorado Avalanche to win this series despite having shitty goal tending with Georgio and Net and probably one line because middle stat hasn't been that great since the deadline. Winnipeg's deeper. Winnipeg has the goal tending. The Aves have advantage on defense, but I think that's about it, and star power, obviously. And experience, is Winnipeg going to gag, or are they going to use this momentum for the regular season and beat them?

Winnipeg is a lot like the Leaps. You're waiting for them to take the next step. Drew, I got to talk to you Remember we talked about? I'm like, wow, that's a really weird line in the series, and you talk to me, and the more I thought about it, I'm like, Winnipeg has a lot of advantages in this series, and a significant edge in goal tending, significant between Hela Buck and Georgia.

It's like AHL against NHL.

I like Winnipeg in six. I think they're going to beat the Avalanche. I think the line tells you all you need to know. The Avalanche are a great team, and they're only laying like 35 cents.

Well, and Kim, it doesn't make sense. They're the only underdog in terms of not having home ice. That's the favorite. And I think it's because the public likes the Avalanche because of the star power and the speed. They're a popular team to bet on. It's like, who's a good comparison? Who's an offense in the NFL that's very good at scoring? Dallas Cowboys, I guess. Teams that score a lot of points but don't really play defensively. I don't know. I'm trying to think of a bad example. Buffalo? Yeah, Buffalo. You're not wrong.

No, I'm not wrong. I'm just going to say this. It's going to be real shocking. I think a lot of these teams that are historical gaggers are going to find ways this year. That's my that I'm taking to this stuff. I'll make a statement later on in the show and putting a parlay together and it has nothing to do... I want money, but I'm going to tell you something. I have something up my sleeve that says, North of the border is going to do quite well early.

It'll better not be the oilers because I'll be laughing at you. But yeah, all right. Winnipeg. I think they beat the Avalanche in six as well. I think the Jets win this series and they're the underdogs, so I will be betting on it. Listen, everyone's going to be like, You're such a bad Avalanche fan. No. Being a good fan is knowing when your team is going to lose.

I'm a shitty lead fan trying to give people propaganda like they're going to go to the Stanley Cup.

Fair, fair, fair. But yeah, I think the Avalanche, I just don't see... The US middle stat wakes up, and that second line wakes up, Cam, I don't see what it takes. Or they have what it takes. They need Lannis cog back, and it looks like his career may be over. It's a sad story. I think the Avalanche Stanley Cup was McKinnon winning the Hart Trophy, which you'll likely win. It's just I don't know how they get past Winnipeg unless something crazy happens.

You're realistic. You're realistic. I'm realistic, but the least you've been made it. They're a great hockey team, but they historically gag. And it's just one of those things. The Avalanche are not the same Avalanche. They used to just roll out lines and kill you. They're a totally different team.

Yeah, they don't have that. They don't have the third line to score a bunch of goals like they did in the Cup. All right. Moving on, Cam. The Vancouver Knucks hosting the Nashville Predators. This series is tough to me. I know everyone loves the Knucks, Cam. Everyone's saying how good the Knucks are. They're the one seating the division. It's just, I Nashville was 0-3 against him in the regular season. Uc Soros, though, he's been crap. Is Nashville really going to get swept?

The series is going seven.

You think so?

Vancouver will find a way to win the series. It's going to be hard. Nashville was playing good hockey, but Rick Taka will have them ready to go. I'm telling you, this is the one, Drew, you can almost flip a coin. But I just see Vancouver finding a way. I find their offense will do more. But the Predator has got good young players on their team. They're dangerous. You know what, though? I think Sarros is going to be a problem in the playoffs. I think he's going to let in a couple of leaky goals. He hasn't been good. I love Demko. Demko is the real deal, bro. I love him. I think he's great.

My worry with the Knux came is the Knux were so good before January first. In the beginning of the year, they were the best team by far. And then since then, they've been like, meh. They've been trying to give the owners a division for the last two months, Kam. It's been losing, losing, losing. The owners just haven't been able to catch them since that big winning streak, despite Vancouver doing their best efforts to give the division away. I think Knucks win this series. I think it's close, though. Give me- Seven. I want to take the Preds, but the goal tenings- Distance.

Vancouver in seven.

Yeah, I think you're right. Okay, give me Knux in seven. I don't like it. I want to take the Preds despite all the numbers saying to take them.

Then take the preds if you want to take the preds. I'm scared of the preds, too.

It's a tough And they have so much experience on the preds compared to Knux when it comes to playoff experience. Yeah, I don't know. I don't know. Is this a Knucks time?

We have to make a pick. Let's just say out of all the series, this is like, if a guy had a gun to your head and If you need to pick a winner, I'd be very scared. I think Vancouver wins in seven, but it is a damn hard series. It's going to be very difficult.

Okay, so the other two series aren't fully set, but we will pretend as if the Vegas Bull Nights win tonight because I think they do, which means it'd be Vegas against Edmonton in round one, Cam.

No, no, no, no, no, Yeah, you're right. Sorry, I was thinking about something else. Okay, no, you're right. I thought it was for some reason. I thought it was because Vancouver-Oh, my God. Okay. Yeah, sorry. I'm just thinking about the JT posting monies.

I had a-So the Golden Nights host the Ducks tonight. With a single point, they'll be matching them against the Oilers in the playoffs. I think the Vegas Golden Nights win tonight. I think that's pretty safe to say. If the Ducks win tonight, then we'll have to refilm a series tomorrow, but I don't think we're going to have to. So give me the Vegas Golden Nights.

And we're filming tomorrow. I'll give you my schedule after I finish work tonight. I got another show to do afterwards.

Vegas against everything oilers, Kam. Oilers is going to be a slight favorite in the playoffs in the series.

Was Was that a joke or was that... Or he's just coughing. Yeah. Does that sound like, don't get in.

Mark Stone going to be back for game one. Surprise, surprise, Kam.

Oh, we love Vegas. The new team in the league, they get to do any... Oh, this long-time injury. How come other teams are finding ways to cheat like these guys? They're doing better than anybody.

Oh, they're the smartest team of the league.

I know they are.

Why does anybody else do it? Oh, it takes six months of recovery? Oh, wait, it's only been seven weeks and you're back. Oh, how surprising.

Yeah, it's just- Why don't... No, Drew, why don't Underda... Why? Tampa Bay does it. Look at the two most successful teams that are doing this move. Tampa Bay and Vegas. Other teams. Are you there? Why don't you do it with your stars, you dummies? In the NHL playoff system, it doesn't matter anyway. It doesn't matter. Wild cards can beat top teams. President's trophies don't mean anything.

That's the best playoff in the world.

It means fuck all. Keep your guys healthy before the playoff.

I think my thing is that it That was a risk with Vegas this year because they were fighting for a playoff spot. They didn't have it secured when all this stuff went down.

They figured it out.

Yeah, fair. Mark Stone now three straight years. He's been on LTIR and come back before the playoff. It's pretty crazy. This guy just gets injured in February every year. It's weird. That's how it happens. But anyways, Vegas, oilers. Vegas beat them last year. I think Vegas beats them again, Kam. The oilers defense and goal thing just doesn't have it for me. I know they have firepower up front. I know they do. I'm sorry, oilers fans, but your defense is not good enough to win in this league. You Don't worry, oilers fans.

I got your back. You know what? How did Vegas win? Oh, my God. Aiden Hill, a guy that was let go by the sharks, had the fucking.

Yeah, because Darnell Ners can't play defense, Kam. He's their best defenseman.

Listen, I'm not going to I'm not going to tell you the Oiler's defense is great. I'm not going to tell you Skinner's an amazing goal tender. He's all right. But I will tell you this, Vegas' goal tending is nowhere near it was before. They got hot. A little bit hurt.

Yeah.

And that's different with Edmonton. Hyman's an animal, dryside, all these guys. I'm telling you, Edmonton in seven, I'm taking the damn oilers.

All right, Cam. He loves the oilers. I like it. I think they might get- I'm not even a Canadian apologian.

They call me the Prime Minister on the show. These teams have let me down year after year after year. So I guess I'm just a glut for punishment, just like the Bills. I don't know what my problem is. It's like a guy that gets beat up every day. I get my money stolen.

You believe in star power. That's what I'm realizing. You like the flashy name.

I do not like I like fourth-line grinders. I just think Vegas is... Listen, I'm scared of Vegas, but their goal tenning with Hill and Thompson- It's a lot better than Edmonton's, in my opinion.

We'll see. Yeah, I just don't think... The Vegas defense is so frigging stacked, Cam. I don't know how anyone beats them, to be honest, but we'll see. Moving on. The other series, Dallas Hosting the LA Kings.

Dallas and Five.

Yeah, I don't think it's going to be a long series either. I'm going to think of it like the King's defense hasn't been the greatest. Their fours have come on late, but their goaltending is shaky. Dallas, probably the deepest team in the West camp, like lines one through four in defense pairs, goaltending.

Under hasn't even played that great. Imagine he gets hot.

I know. Did you see him last night? He didn't give a shit. He was just like, I'm just sticking my stick out. He just didn't care. Yeah. Give me Dallas and five as well. I think Dallas will make light work of the Golden Knight, sorry, of the Kings. If it's Vegas playing them, Cam, then I think it'll be issues.

I will take Dallas Dallas against Vegas. I will take Dallas against the Kings. It doesn't matter. They win both of them. Whoever they play, they win their first round.

Do you think the Oilers win no matter what, too, then? Oilers, Kings, or Oilers, Goldeneights, do you think they beat either one?

The oilers will definitely beat the Kings. The Kings don't scare anybody anymore.

We don't even need to refilm tomorrow because we just said, either way, you like the oilers and Dallas stars and win the series. So no need. Shake your hands off with that one. That's easy. Okay, Drew.

Well, you think Dallas is going to win, too?

Yeah, I do. But I think Dallas beat Vegas, though.

I said Dallas would beat... So you think Vegas could beat Dallas, you're saying?

Yeah. Sorry. Yes. I think Vegas beats Dallas if they were to play.

What the hell is going on? Who's on first base with you, man? This is honest. People are like, Are these guys stoned? I'm not even smoking weed right now. What are you doing? You're changing diapers. You're changing diapers. There must be some vapor in the air that's just making you stupid.

Round two, Dallas, Winnipeg. Who you got?

Dallas. Sorry, Winnipeg. I love you. Murder capital of Canada. I'll defend your pieroguis. Great team and all. But the Dallas-Murder capital. It actually is. Winnipeg is very fabulous.

Isn't it the biggest crime per capita or something like that?

Yeah, well, there's a lot of A lot of grifters, but great pierogies, great food, great people, and casinos.

I didn't know pierogies were a Winnipeg thing. Is that true?

You know how many Polish people are in Winnipeg? Anyway, we're not doing a food show, Drew, but I'll tell you a lot about Winnipeg. My old tenant, Portuguese Joe, was from Winnipeg. I know everything I'm on Winnipeg now, and I've been there. Okay. Anyway, I was actually at the Jets game when they came back. Remember when they did the total relaunch versus Montreal and stuff? So I love Winnipeg. Anyway, here's the deal. Dallas is just too good. They're too deep. Great goal-tending battle. Probably be a lot of two to one games, but I got to go with the Dallas stars. I probably think it might go six. Dallas and six against Winnipeg might go seven, but I'll take Dallas.

Yeah, I'm going to go Dallas as well. I think it'll be Dallas in five. I don't think it's going to be close. I think the The only edge Winnipeg has in net, everything else is advantage Dallas. And I think they have a better coach, too. I know it's a revenge, but I don't care. Give me Dallas in five. Other side came, You have Vancouver versus Edmonton Canada. A sports that would love this series to happen. Who do you think wins this one and why?

God, this is... Hockey's tough. I'm going to tell you, Drew, this is one sport you think you can have confidence going into it, and everything can change.

I have a nail for a cup winner in the last two brackets before this play-out, sir. Good for you.

I had the Blues when they were... I just watched them play, and I'm like, They suffocated everybody. No one's going to win the Stanley Cup. The team that could basically wear you down over time, over time, over time, over time. Yeah, and just stay healthy. That's it. Hot tender, health, and a team that just, even when you lose, you make the other team pay a price. I will take Edmonton Oilers over in Vancouver in seven games. I can't believe I'm taking it. Listen, the Leaps are like Edmonton of the West. And Edmonton's the Leaps. You know what I mean? The Leaps are Edmonton, and Edmonton are the least. They're very similar teams, just different parts of the country. I'm taking Edmonton over Vancouver in a classic series. Give me the Oilers in seven.

So I got Vegas and Vancouver in my round two, and I'm going to take Vegas in five. I just think Vegas is better at every single position on the team. I think they're deeper. If everyone's healthy, they have the best defense in the NHL. So give me Vegas or Vancouver, which means my West final- It's not going to be personal to Vegas, but it bothers me.

And this is nothing new with Vegas. They got great fans. I got a lot of friends in Vegas. I got family. All these people are family. But it really pisses me off that some team comes in a league and has more success than other teams. A year after, you're Look at you and the Bills, me and the Lefs, all the stuff.

It's a credit to them, though. It's credit to them. They're taking advantage of the system.

They are amazing. Yeah, they take advantage of the system, and they hired smart people. Kudos to them.

These other teams are- It's probably the best home game in the league experience Oh, yeah.

The Vegas Golden Nights do it right. I'm just sick and tired of seeing them do it right.

It's crazy that their football team's so shit.

Who cares? Their hockey team is amazing.

I'm just saying, you think they'd be able to figure out the other side, too? Don't worry, Garner Minchie's got what it takes. All right, Cam, your West final, Edmonton versus Dallas. Do you have the oilers making it an all Canada final? No.

That's not happening. Bring, bring, Gary Line 2. No all Canadian final. Dallas will beat Edmundon. I was going to say, yes, In Six. All right.

Dallas and Six.

Dallas and Toronto is my Stanley Cup. How do you like them apples?

I think the Dallas pick is legit, but I just don't know what the Toronto pick, but I like it. We'll get your Stanley Cup winner in a second. I got Dallas against Vegas in the finals. I think Vegas is going back to the finals to defend their title camp. Crazy. Everyone's like, Oh, you can't do this again. They're not going to be able to do it again. They're the same freaking team as last year. They're so deep at every position. Give me Vegas back in the finals. It's boring, but that's why I have to pick Cam. So I got Vegas against New York. That's a NHL Gary Bettman's dream.

Yeah, it really is.

He would be like, Oh, the ratings are amazing. I wonder why. Espn and TNT would love it. Yeah, so I I got Vegas and New York. You got Toronto and Dallas. That's hilarious. So your Stanley Cup champion for the 2024 season is... Drum roll. Give it to us.

Dallas stars. The leaves go all the way just to disappoint the final.

Oh, man. And you're going to give them all this hope and everything, and then you just rip their hearts out in the biggest stage.

Wouldn't that be a leaf thing to do? Have the best run of their lives and lose? Remember when they lost to the Kings in '93? I was there. We went from basically having an orgy to people crying. It was the saddest day ever. We were all like, oh, no. We had parties going on. We're at my buddy's cottage. Just wicked. And then old Kerry Frazier with his perfect hair. Oh, Gretsky. Oh, okay. There's no problem. And that team, that Lees team was their best team that had a chance. They would have won the Stanley Cup that year.

I think they would have won. When was it '03, when they went to Carolina in the final? They had a really good team that year.

They had a good team that year, too. But that other team, man, they were absolutely stacked. They would have been like, remember Montreal won that year. They beat the Kings.

Fair. Yeah, Cam. Downtown Toronto would be an absolute insane house, insane asylum.

And they'll probably lose an overtime in game seven, like a Brett Hall put the priest type of thing. Oh my God. That's a Toronto Real thing.

Yes. All right. I got New York against Vegas in the finals. The NHL's dream, what the NHL doesn't like is repeat champs. So I'm not going to do it, Cam. Give me the New York Rangers of the 2024 Stanley Cup champs. Am I Crazy. New York Rangers, I think, how would it take? They're not going to gag this year. The devil's gag. Talked to my last year, Cam. That doesn't happen this year. Give me the New York Rangers.

Hosting the 2024 Stanley Cup. I love the Rangers at the start of the year, Drew. My prediction was, I think it was like Rangers in Dallas. I like the Rangers, too. I just think styles make fights. And the one team, if the Leaps can escape teams that have owned them, I think their speed is too much.

I agree that the Rangers don't want to go up against the Leaves in the play.

The problem is, though, Dallas has so many things That's the thing that they can do to the Lefs.

They're tough. The Lefs' kryptonite is deep teams where their fourth-line can score goals and stuff. And that's what Dallas is, which is why I don't think they beat the Bruins. But you have them making Stanley Cup final. So maybe I'm just a complete idiot.

All I told you, it could be Rangers, Dallas. That seems very legitimate, but I'm going with Toronto and Dallas. There it is. All right. I must be my head examined. I'm also going to be going on a guy's show today. He's from Boston. I'm willing to bet $1,000 on the series. I'm taking the lease, and I don't care.

Okay, so you said you had some crazy bet to tell us about at the end here about the all Canadian something, something.

Every Canadian team wins in the first round. At worst, three and one. I'm betting the Jets, Leaves, Knucks, Oilers. At worst, three and one. I think it's going to be parlayed, four and oh, and I'll take three and one. Individually, parlayed. What do you think?

Well, you like three out of the four, don't you? No, you don't. I like them all except the leaves. Oh, no, I like the leaves to lose, too. So, yeah, I don't.

Oh, so you're two and two. So this does not work. Okay. No.

That is nice.

But not Winnipeg's plus? And who is your other team? No, Vancouver lays juice, but we took them seven. Yeah.

So Well, if I like my finals, it'd be I had Vegas against New York, 31 to 1 plus 3,100 if that's your final. So I'm going to bet that.

Give me Leaps, Dallas.

Leaves, Dallas is 42 plus 4,200.

And give me Rangers, Dallas.

And Rangers, Dallas is 22 to one.

I'm satisfied with both. Both are very nice numbers. Yeah.

I mean, if Dallas makes the finals, you'll be a happy camper. If Vegas makes it back to the finals, Cam, the fact that their odds are so high They have the six longest odds to win their conference. That's a bad number, I think, by Vegas.

Vegas is scary. Here's the thing about the National Hockey League before we wrap it up. It's not like other sports where you know, oh, this team is definitely going to win. There's no locks in any type of situation. The NHL play-off, it's madness.

Oh, yeah. No one thought Seattle was going to beat Colorado last year, and it happened in round one.

Yeah. And that was when Colorado actually had a team. How do you win in hockey And in any other sport, we talk about me and Gabe talk about this. Me and you talk all the time, Drew, we talk about this. Over a football game, usually, usually, usually the better team will find a way to win. The same with basketball. You're wearing a hockey? You can run in, you can get out, play 80 % to 20. If your goal tender makes 52, you win.

Tampa Bay Lightning had the best record in history. President's trophy got swept by the Columbus Blue Jackets.

I was on Columbus that year. I was in Vegas. Oh, dude, what a- Swepped them. You have seen my- You have just seen My bag. Oh, I didn't bet them in the sweep, but I bet them in the series. It was a big bag.

You bet them to sweep, it was probably 50 to one.

More than that. It'll be like 100. They were the President's Trophy champions.

It was Columbus. I mean, last year, too, Florida was down three-one against the President's trophy, Bruins, and they came back and won the series. That probably would have been 30, 40 to win that series if you just bet them at that point. All right, so that does it. Cameron Stewart has, Toronto losing to Dallas in the finals to break all you least fans' hearts. And I have the Rangers beating Vegas to stop the repeat and give New York yet another championship because that city needs more rings camp.

But, Drew, I think it's very important, too. We talk about this, guys. When a team's down a game, there's a lot of ways we can attack this stuff with hockey, and the lines are way inflated. When you bet the sport live, say you like Boston over the least and the least win the first game. You're going to get a crazy number. That's the whole thing. You bet the series. Yes. All the time, you try to find that middle, Drew, where a team's down. If you got plus and plus, you sit back and go, Excellent. And it's going to happen a lot because a team you like can't lose the first game. Things happen, right?

And like the NBA cam, teams don't come back from 3-1 very often. It's very, very rare. In the NHL, teams come back from 3-1 all the time. So if you see a team down 3-1 and you like them, sprinkle on the series score.

I couldn't agree more, Drew.

Excellent. That does it. Please click like, please hit subscribe, please rate and review on all audio platforms and on the YouTube comments. Send us your comments, who you think is going to win the Stanley Cup.

We're going to get some comments that are going to be off the chain. More hatred for me or you, I'm not sure, but there'll be equal amount of venom.

And tell Cam what the best pierogi is in Winnipeg. My guess is cheese and bacon. That's my go-to, usually.

Cheese and bacon is always top of the food chain.

Yeah, I don't like the potatoes. They're too mushy. I get the potatoes out of my pierogis, okay?

But pierogis are made with potatoes.

Yeah, with the potato filling is gross.

Jesus Christ. Yes, cheese and bacon.

All right. We'll see you next time. I'll see you next week. This has been Drew and Steo. Follow Drew at producer Drew and at Cam Steward Live. May the winners be yours and all of the best bets yet.