Drake Batherson | Coming in Hot LIVE – April 23rd

Coming off a career high in goals and points, Drake Batherson, joins the boys. Lots to discuss, including his season and what lies ahead for the soon to be 26 year old.
Does Drake have any fears? Batherson promises to have the “old dogs barking for this episode.”

🚨 Please LIKE 👍🏼 & SUBSCRIBE! 🚨

Thanks to our Partners:
🚨 BEI: https://bonnechereexcavating.com
🚨 BEI Homes: https://www.bonnecherehomes.com
🚨 Wendy’s: https://www.wendys.com/en-ca
🚨 Douglas Mattress: https://www.douglas.ca/CIH
🚨 AG1: https://www.drinkAG1.com/CIH
______________________________________________________________________

Watch Coming In Hot with Brent Wallace & Jason York
📺 Subscribe on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@CIHwithWallaceandYork

🐦 Follow on Twitter & Instagram:
@ComingInHotSens @localpodcaster @jasonyork33

n time now for coming in hot with Brent Wallace and former Ottawa Senator Jason [Music] [Applause] [Music] York good morning everybody Welcome to coming in hot Brent Wallace alongside Jason York uh just waiting for our guest Drake B to join us it’ll be fun as always Yorkie uh one of the best personalities on the hockey team mhm love the Drake one of my uh favorite players in the league right now love uh love the second half it’ be great to have a quick chat with Drake and uh check in see what’s going on and well I gotta say sounding much better today yeah you’re all cleaned up back from your little road trip I shaved I got in sleep last night oh feel like a new man today a new man new how was the right home how was the right home just long is uh is five and a half hours is I mean it’s okay but it’s just did you like it was 3,100 kilometers or something we drove in six days I think did you pay the piper and save yourself the aggravation and use the 407 to you didn’t go through Toronto did you you cheap bastard so I I we get to the point where it’s the turnoff for the 407 I 44 whatever it’s called and I just ah I couldn’t do it couldn’t do it I think it’s like 50 to it’s pretty expensive using the 407 it’s crazy expensive that’s why I’m like okay if it was five bucks I’m on it it’s like 15 to I think the last time I was on it was $23 it’s more I I I do the full meal deal with the 407 I get on right at the outlets and I go all the way around and I basically sometimes just don’t even go on the 401 I and take that little back exit around ashaa the to Highway 7 you just the the the 401 you just never know it could it could ruin your day I know I know and I agree with you completely I just I’m not as rich as you and so I can’t afford the extra 20 stop it um okay let’s let’s by the way the playoffs are fantastic we’ll get to that in a sec yeah and I I love the fact that Mark Stone continues to be a heel because I I just love so love uh all right so this show uh before we get to Drake is uh proudly presented by Bei bisher Excavating Inc helping to shape the Ottawa Valley uh equipment rentals aggate top sell sales custom crushing and screening Hol floating hot mix Paving custom formwork basically they have everything you need to get the job done give them a call 613 432 11120 go AB bonsure Excavating dcom and one other note their son Aaron enr just signed with North Bay uh so he’s going to be part of the Battalion next season in the O so congrats to them wow fantastic that is a large hoot playing Family while I’m losing count of the amount of n rates but uh anyways got to put the glasses on for this one Douglas mattress if you want a great night’s sleep you got to use a Douglas mattress named Canada’s best mattress on Canadian Living it’s got that unrivaled Comfort because of the sleep motion isolation it sleeps cool relieves pressure points and it’s a great value loved by more than 200,000 Canadians and over 10,000 festar reviews you can order easily online free shipping usually in one to four business days every mattress comes with that Comfort sleep bundle pillow sheets and a mattress protector don’t wait start your 365 night sleep trial by visiting douglas. and of course by Wendy’s uh Wendy’s has the new Cinnabon pul parts available uh they are fantastic who doesn’t like the smell of cinnamon early in the morning uh Wendy’s and the uh I think it’s five bucks get a c cinnamon Cinnabon pul par and a small coffee at Wendy’s for five bucks uh go see them today at Wendy’s all right so without further Ado it’s a guy coming off a career year Drake bson who’s still in Ottawa not on a beach yet why not hey guys what’s going on Drake how are I’m doing good guys how you doing ah you still in town Drake yeah I’m still in town I usually stay for about uh three weeks or so and just kind of relax and still a few guys around so couple couple games of golfing too so it’s been good sweet sweet are you a dog guy you do you have a dog yeah I got two actually hopefully uh they keep the Barking down while we’re on here what dog friendly show oh yeah my dog I got I got a golden doodle Charlie she sometimes comes in for me uh sits on the lap during the show what do you have for dogs yeah so like growing up I always wanted a dog but like it was just too busy so as soon as I moved out I had one of my buddies living with me uh two years ago we we got one so he worked from home so when I went on the road he was able to take care of it and then uh I got a French Bulldog and then a doberman too oh nice doberman’s new yeah the Doberman we got at the start of last season so yeah she’s Bo two and the French bull logs coming up on three so no I love dogs like they’re they’re the best obviously what are names uh Bobby is the French Bulldog name and then Ivy is the the Doberman yeah nice okay so uh will they travel back with you when you go home yeah no we usually just take them in the car and drive about halfway it’s only about 13 hours so we’ll go like seven hours first day stay overnight and then uh drive the rest of the way home so it’s not not too bad we used to stop I think I was driving home to frederickton so it was 10 hours and de but we would do uh around St Louis deaja or Rivier Deo we would stop somewhere in there yeah I usually go to like Edmonton and then do the rest of the way the next day yeah well are you are you are you really a maritimer though because you’re you’re wound a little tight for being a maritimer I still don’t believe it how long have how long have you been away from the marit times probably a while eh me I moved uh 1997 I moved to Montreal yeah okay yeah quite quite a long time then yeah I I’m not made for the Mari is too laidback you think it’s the best uh okay so I want to get into some hockey but how long will you stay off skates uh before you start to even think about hockey again yeah I always been probably like three weeks to to a month depending well the one year I went to World Championships and then came back that wasn’t as long cuz that was right into June but I usually start training towards like the last week of May probably but yeah before that try to get the the golf game dialed in so you a m in Ottawa what’s that are you a member anywhere in Ottawa at a golf no a few of the boys and couple guys I’ve met uh in town that have memberships around but I’ll I’ll play Anywhere play like the Hun or the Royal but I also played like the marshes a lot and Eagle Creek and G likes playing Eagle Creek so he always drags me up there that’s like I think he plays the best there so he wants to be there does he take your money yeah he he does sometimes I got him on the last road trip though so but he’s always in he always gets in my head he’s always all over me it’s uh it’s opening day today at the Royal Drake uh I got an 11 I got 1120 if you want to slide out I was going to say you’re looking sharp you got the golf clothes on oh yeah yeah no frost delay though so we’re we’re backed up half an hour so it’s good fit the show and then over to the course yeah no that’s perfect what a morning all right so a career year for Drake bson uh in goals and in points six years now in the league which is crazy to think about uh how do you assess your season by the way yeah I think it was uh I would say I mean similar season the last year I think at the start it was kind of a slow start for me and then um I think after maybe Christmas uh when Jo came in I kind of found my game and kind of felt like I was playing uh the style I was playing a few years ago when I before my ankle injury and just played uh I think with a lot more confidence um was playing a lot obviously with some big guys that that were out there at the end the season with Timmy and and Norris not playing so no felt felt comfortable um you know I think I got I got more to go even uh my ceiling’s even higher so um no I’m excited to just keep building um having a good summer and uh you know coming back even stronger and uh just building off the season ah Hadad yeah Drake that with your ankle because I remember I I I had a high ankle spring and it literally took me I would say almost the whole year like you just it was you know you’re taping it it always feels a little unstable how long how long did it actually take you till you felt 100% after you did that yeah it was crazy like I talked to a few guys and they said linger up to like a year or so and then like a year went by and like my dorsy flexion on my bad ankle is nowhere near the the flexion I can get with my good one even now so I took a shot this year off my ankle and like it blew up for like two weeks and like trainers like just couldn’t believe it so anything anytime like like hits it it just kind of swells up like I was on one of those bird scooters last summer uhuh it just like nicked my ankle and it was like swollen for a week so I don’t know like really yeah it’s weird but you know it started to feel really good towards the end of the year and I get treated on it a lot but yeah it would it probably took me at least at least over a year and then like they said now if something hits it it just swells right up which is I’m not sure why but yeah it it lingered on for a while for sure this year when I watched you you you seem to have your jump like you just seem just a little bit quicker and you could tell you were you know is anybody really ever 100% healthy not really but you just seem like you were finally as close as one can be to feeling 100% right yeah no for sure I felt like um I had a lot more pop uh definitely probably in the last 50 games too it was weird like I went on bye actually put on like uh five lounds came back and felt way better which was which was was different so obviously you can tell I enjoyed that by week but uh no I came came back like first day hopped on the scale I was like oh no I told my trainer and then like a week went by I was at the same weight and I was feeling great out there so we just kind of see that so um right there’s something to be there’s something to be said every every guy that I played with that’s like super ripped with a six-pack always gets hurt but the guy that carries a couple extra you need that little cushion right yeah no for sure I mean like I started like it says right there I 200 pounds but by Christmas I was probably like 196 197 and then finished the year at like 204 so and fly I don’t know yeah it’s something something we talked about I might try to even you know get up to 210 and see how feel but uh all depending on how I feel on the ice I think at at that weight but no I felt good at at 205 and just more energy I thought I had uh just dayto day so that number 28 that sits there in goals does that bug you yeah I mean I mean obviously as a player uh you want to hit those those milestones and obviously 30 is a big one and uh yeah know I was just trying to obviously you know help team win but just throw everything at on the net there the last few games and uh is what it is didn’t get the bounces but um yeah it would have been nice for sure but uh that’s how it goes sometimes yeah yeah you were firing pucks like crazy um yeah yeah no what sorry while I wanted to ask Drake one thing like the power play was kind of up and down a little bit but I I found there’s that spot when you’re over on your offside on that power play you just seem really comfortable over like some of the passes some of those nol look passes you made cross crease couple plays late in the season where you’re just able to buy yourself a little more time it just seemed you know that spot I’m talking about on the power play over on that Far Side you just seemed really really comfortable over there yeah no it was uh it it was weird at the start I think like my first probably four years pro I was always on like I was a half Fall Guy and then obviously with the guys we do I kind of had to move around and just kind of found myself on that goal line um and I find down there the whole plays in front of you it’s kind of like as a Dia as a break out all the plays in front of you so I can kind of see the back door guy I can see the guy in the middle I can see the D up top and he kind of pick your spots and uh yeah sometimes the plays work sometimes they don’t but by the end of the year they were kind of catching on to to what we were doing so I had to mix it up and uh yeah throw some throw some saucer passes yeah I think it was the one Sauer I think it was tricker then end up finishing off that sauce had about four feet elevation on it just landed yeah yeah yeah that was that was good that was a lucky one for sure so you you bring up the power play uh and you brought up jacqu marttin so I I’m gonna ask if there’s a correlation under jacqu Martin you were second in points uh first in Power Play points and second in goals if I’m not mistaken or the last I think it’s 58 games did jacqu change 56 games I should say did jacqu change your game at all did you did you fall under his system any better or was it just a simple fact that as the year went on you got better I’m just curious of how the coaching change may have affected your game or maybe it didn’t yeah no he was great for me honestly I think uh when he first came in um even the first couple games like he’d come like right up to my year on the bench I remember in Colorado it was like a two onone and I’m always kind of looking to pass first and uh I kind of hesitated didn’t make a great play and I came back to the bench and he’s like Drake like I think you should just trust your shot and sure enough like two plays later another two-on one and shot and scored so just like little things like that uh he would give me tips on and defensive play a lot um tried to tried to get a lot better in that area and yeah he was just great uh Communicator uh with me I think and it just kind of just kind of you know hit well and I understood what wanted from me and just tried to execute that to you know the best I could and um yeah it it worked out great did he ever snap at you yeah I mean I think every coach is gonna obviously obviously give it give it to his players at times and you know as it should be um I think and uh no it’s good it’s good I think uh he doesn’t come off in a mean way he just wants you to be better and uh that’s what you want to hear as a player you a better defensive player then because that’s what he’s known for so I’m curious if he changed your game at all perhaps in the neutral zone or whatever yeah no i’ like to think I I got better this year um that was an area I wanted to get better obviously last year uh with the plus minus and that wasn’t wasn’t good at all so uh I wasn’t bringing it up yeah no it was it was a thing I focused on for sure and uh he helped me a lot and uh you know by by the sounds but he’ll be around around next year in in a roll so that would be good for me who was he like every coach kind of has their thing Drake like every guy I played for has their thing that they’re always knowing for like what’s their style like what do you think with jacqu was the biggest thing he tried to get through to you guys as a group that he wanted you guys like was there any one or two things that that you go okay this is what this guy if as long as we do this this is what he’s looking for us to do yeah I think one of his biggest things was probably just game management um end of the periods late in games if you’re if you’re out by a goal um not necessarily making the Q play just making the play to to get it out and and get a line change and you know if you get like a three on two at the end of a period and it’s kind of a risky play maybe just you know chip it in or or throw it on that instead of trying to make a cross ice play so uh you know I got I got stung a few times by trying to make the play at the end of the period and he’s waiting for you yeah no for sure so definitely definitely learned uh learned a few things in that aspect and uh yeah it was great he would have me out there late in games and as a player that’s what you want yeah makes it it makes a difference E when you know the coach trusts you in all situations for sure yeah and you want to you want to if he gives you a chance late in the game you want to prove that you can do the job and and get those pucks out or win a wall battle so uh you know every every player wants to play in those situations so try to try to do your best when you get put in those for sure uh did Alfie teach you anything did there anything you took from Alfie this year I went now that’ll help me yeah unreal like just his mind for the game like I remember probably two weeks before the season ended he called me into his office and I wasn’t really sure why and we just went over shootouts I was like I think I was over for three or old for two at that point and then uh he was showing me these clips and the last home game there against Montreal I did exactly what we went over and it worked so he’s just got a mind where like he thinks outside the box uh just on any like little play and stuff and he’s always out there late with us press and whatever it is one-timers and stuff like that so yeah pretty cool to to pick his brain on stuff like that and he get so many great stories from when he played and it’s just fun have coffee and just just talk about those times have you golfed have you golfed with Tim Drake Yeah we actually we played um in Florida a couple weeks ago he’s a he’s a great player Onre oh yeah he shot at the Royal he was five under and I’m talking you know you hit your ball in the Fairway you’re in a divot I’ll move it out of the divot I don’t care he’s playing it out of divits like it’s by the book Golf five five under like crazy yeah yeah oh man yeah he was great like every iron he hit was like a two-yard draw like right at it 15 ft maxed it was it was pretty cool I heard he was like a A plus one last summer so I was excited wasited and uh he’s a gamer like anything he’s good at like soccer one day at the rink him and Timmy were doing like the two touch play like a four out of seven series which was the craziest thing I ever watched pingpong he’ll smoke anyone he took us to paddle ball and Sweden he was the best player by an absolute vile so by the sounds of it he’s just good at everything yeah uh have you tried to play keep away with him on the ice yeah no he does it all the time like we did it like three or four times and like I’d be like gas after two minutes and he wants to keep going I’m like buddy I I can’t do this right now but but you just have to go hey my ankle my ankle’s bad yeah but apparently like when he was playing he used to do it like every day have practice but yeah he’s he’s still got it he’s still got it I think he could still play a game well who’s the who’s oh was uh who’s the guy that played in the east coast like the maritime guy that Terry Ryan yeah Terry Ryan did you watch that Drake oh yeah it was it was so big back home like my social media was just all Terry Ryan it was it was hilarious yeah it was great Dr Drake I played in I played in a charity game with him and Brock Phil Winter Classic Terry shows up his gear didn’t get there so he had to borrow stuff from everybody he had these terrible skates on and he already skates straight up like he it’s so funny the way he skates yeah um he might have had a few too before the game so oh absolutely he was pretty funny to watch what a beauty yeah it’s hilarious I love listening to him on podcast he’s just got so many stories and yeah he’s he’s hilarious he’s a legend back there everyone knows that guy I think I I think his dad even have better stories yeah senior yeah he’s got he’s got some good ones for sure yeah uh we have found a photo on the interwebs Drake I’d like to ask you uh about this particular picture is that where you put the five pounds on no that was actually that was last year but yeah no that was a good day on the boat with we’re with Brady and uh Robert Thomas on St Louis they’re they’re really good buddies I think robertt lived with Brady’s family for like two or three years so that was a fun day that was that was like my first vacation so I was I I was living it up for sure ah yeah uh do you have plans to go on a particular one this year like uh I’m this is what I’m anxious to go do yeah not really I mean I’ve only been on vacation I think like twice in my life uh the last two by weeks so no I keep it I keep it pretty chill I just kind of like going home and and hanging out and seeing my buddies and just kind of relaxing but uh yeah no big plans as of now just few weddings this summer that’s that’s about it yeah oh okay Dr we we’re trying to where exactly where is your home in this you have your place here in Ottawa and which like which part of the mar times are you in the summer where’s your place uh I’m like uh kind of between my hometown and hellofax yeah it’s but probably 20 20 minutes from downtown okay okay yeah just on a lak so it’s it’s pretty quiet yeah it’s it’s nice I love it there it’s it’s perfect it’s like 40 minutes to home and 20 minutes to downtown but so it’s perfect do you got to go into downtown to work out or you got the you got up is your cottage set up um we’re kind of we work out just on the outskirts of the city so it’s about the rink’s like maybe 10 minutes gym same thing so it’s it’s pretty ideal I guess are you still doing those crazy skates with Crosby and McKinnon and all those guys oh yeah yeah no for sure we got a we got a good gr good group there now there’s probably like 10 of us and nice we usually start early July and go right to the end of August so no it’s it’s so fun man yeah it’s it’s the best nice nice you told me years ago about how competitive Sid was at these skates that’s when he was in the playoffs I’m just curious now is he a lot more intense having not made the playoffs last year and this year yeah know I think with Sid like his mindset just just doesn’t change at all he’s been the same way since he was he was 14 and uh you know obviously this year he had an unbelievable year and doesn’t surprise me one bit just seeing him day in and day out either whether it’s in the gym or on the ice he’s he’s going 110% and then uh yeah same with all those guys like Nate had a crazy year and you know Brad’s been doing this thing forever too so just seeing uh you know firsthand of what they put in and the work they put in they’re they’re so dialed and all they all they care about is winning which is which I think is the coolest part yeah so Nate McKinnon and Brad marander in the Stanley Cup Final who is Drake bson cheering for it that’s tough one because I mean Mary’s my next door neighbor back home and then and then I train when they every day so I mean I’d be happy they they both already got one so if have one I’d probably cheer for the guy who didn’t but either or would work okay I got a question about your exit interview before we move on to some fun stuff I don’t want to keep you too long uh Steve stos was said to have given straight up honest assessments to each player or at least some of them have said that what was your chat with Steve like yeah it was pretty good honestly um pretty good back and forth combo um just kind of what he expects from me and you know I kind of expect the same thing of myself and uh yeah he liked he liked how I played I think the last uh you know 50 games or so and it was pretty good exem meting for the most part I think um obviously we’re both pretty disappointed uh that we were packing up that day we would have both loved to be be playing but um yeah no more so just what I got to do this summer to be ready to go next year and um yeah I know all the guys are excited to to get it going even though I mean we’re two weeks done but yeah I know but you never really stop thinking about the next season kind of and that’s what last year I remember guys were showing up I think Jake Sanderson was in Ottawa in June skating at one point and then some guys in July is there a is there any chat about you guys being early again this year seems to get earlier and earlier every year anyway but um is there any kind of concerted chat to get together soon yeah I think I think it depends um what guys setups are in the summer like I think Jake Mont so uh the one guy he used to skate with Braden cobber and he’s he’s retired now so I don’t know who was Senator yeah that’s right so I don’t know I know he spent some time in in Michigan with uh the Hughes brothers and and Norris and them so he kind of bounces around I think but uh yeah he’s here pretty early um but we usually are all in here by I’d say I’m probably one of the last guys to come just because we skied all the way to the end of August where I feel like most most guys are already leave at that point but uh yeah we’re usually here like two weeks before or so but uh other guys are probably here like a month month and a half uh what are your thoughts on the Vegas golden knights seemingly uh getting around the cap issue to start game one in the playoffs I know it’s kind of what did you think when Mark Stone scored the goal I mean I was happy for him um you know that in that injury he had like I think like you can’t even get out of bed for like a month or something they saying yeah so no I love Stony I mean I got to play with him he’s unbelievable guy and the best thing about him he’s celebrates every goal like it’s his last I think he gets so fired up even if a teammate scores like he’s more fired up than the guy that scores so I to that was good good to see him back and score last night I told Wally I don’t know if you saw it Drake and I don’t know if you’re did you watch any of the games this weekend yeah I watched pretty much all of them yeah Alo you’re H you’re a hockey junk you’ll watch it eh yeah well I woke up there what was it Sunday and the game was on at noon I was like oh perfect they had gam day yeah they had they had the funniest Mark Stone it was online it was I don’t know you remember the wrestler The Undertaker yeah yeah they had they had the Undertaker coming out of the coffin from the dead with stoner’s face on it yeah and he comes out and he grabs the Dallas guy by the neck oh my god oh yeah I was dying he’s ready um okay I got a couple of questions before you go one you have there’s only one team in the league you have yet to register a point against do you know which team that is one team um jeez that’s a good question um shocked me wow is it in our division or the other one no it’s in the Metro uh does it filled felia yeah really wow yeah shocks me nine games wow I got to figure it out I guess well there’s there’s only three teams there’s only three teams you haven’t scored a goal against including Philadelphia that’s Carolina and Chicago okay so cool I didn’t know that keep an eye on that now here’s a question for you uh if you are in a three-legged race with a teammate which teammate are you you picking you’re bringing it Wally you’re bringing it with the questions today um oh man maybe Drew like he’ll just he’ll just will his way out of anything to win probably him I I knew it yeah he’ll just drag you if he has to yeah like anything we’re doing he wants to win so like and he’ll do anything to win so probably do you have any fears probably uh snakes I’m not a big fan of snakes yeah I hate yeah hate snakes probably my fear it could be a little garter snake I am that might as well be a boa constrictor to me yeah I don’t mind them I don’t mind them but like I still don’t like seeing them around that’s for sure I had a huge I had a huge snake problem at my old place in Canada in the backyard I I they were I found one snake took the hockey stick took him out later it was like wacka eight snakes in a row show up in a two we period eight no way yeah yeah I moved I moved shortly after get out of there get out of there sorry I even brought this question up actually um if you had to pick a destination that you would like to get to someday where would it be as in a vacation um that’s a good question maybe like uh like grease looks pretty cool somewhere over there maybe Italy what about like would you go s is St Andrews on your list being the golfer you are yeah for sure I I mean I did Ireland last year so I’d love to I’d love to do that swing in the course is for sure and uh we just got a coxy equipment guy a trip there for his thousandth game oh wow yeah so him and three buddies are going over there I think it’s like seven or eight rounds they’re there for like a week so uh no I’m sure I’ll hear all about that and make want to go is is brahmer on that trip I don’t know if he’s going to get cut I haven’t seen I don’t know if that guy’s ever SW the golf club he’s just there for the pure entertainment value speaking of your Trainers for sure yeah um Johnny forget and Ian Cox are two phenomenal equipment guys I’m just they never get enough attention and I so I might as well give them the platform now of how good they are to you guys they I’ve been around for a long time and and those two are argu two of the best I’ve seen work yeah I mean our whole staff um is is awesome I mean the amount of hours they put in is crazy like we’ll fly into a city it be like 3:00 a.m. and they got to go to the rink for like an hour hour and a half and unpack everything and then they the first ones up in the morning and first ones there so no they deserve all the credit um you know Alex too Alex has been there I think for for a while since like 09 or 10 I think so yeah they’re they’re so good and um me and coxy hit it off right away just cuz he’s from from back home and uh yeah they’ve been so good to me like any little thing you need they’re they’re there and I just love going in and talking to them too just just shooting the [ __ ] with them they’re the best um one of the guys in our chat uh pammer basically wants to call you Drake the snake as your new nickname that’s funny capuano used to call me that uh my first couple years and then Jake came in and he calls Sanderson the snake now so yeah he just quick he just moved you right past you hey no we’re done with you it’s on to Jake Sanderson yeah exactly got bumped aside um what do you so I’m gonna be careful with this question I don’t want to what do you want in a coach for you next year what would be the ideal coach you don’t have to name names just what gets the best out of Drake bson yeah I don’t that’s a good question um it’ll be interesting to see I think who they they bring in but um yeah hard to say I mean just a coach I think that that rewards you with u if you’re playing well I think you know every player wants to be put in situations but it’s not given most times you got to earn it so I think just you know earn earning his respect uh R from day one to Camp show showing him you know what I’m all about and uh yeah I haven’t really had a new I guess when DJ came in um you know uh ghe got fired the halfway through that first year so it was a fresh start and kind of had the I I wasn’t a full-timer so right from that training camp had to to show them what I could do and um yeah it’s all about I think just earning their their respect and uh yeah just showing them the work ethic you put in and you know what you can do on the ice and then just getting put in situations where you can succeed Drake what do you I’m sure at the end of the year I know you guys got together you had your year end stuff what’s what’s the mood with the guys right now because everyone’s obviously disappointed you guys thought you were going to make the playoffs this year but full summer you’re going to have a new coach you’re not going to have the distractions of the ownership and the P the pinto situation and the the F losing the first round we could go on and on and on but what’s what’s what’s the sentiment with the guys now moving into the summer and coming back next year yeah know like you said there was there was so much there at the start of the Year going on uh obviously with pins having him out the first four W games um you know was a dagger and then yeah with the first round pick and all that so there’s a lot of distractions a lot of moving Parts this year but I think next year um now that the ownership and you know Steve and those guys have been here for a full year and yeah it’ll just be just be a clean slate I think coming in and just focusing on hockey will be will be nice no outside outside noise and uh I think just excitement um you know we wna you know I’ve been watching playoffs for six years now and just dying to be out there obviously it’s the best time of the year best hockey to watch so um obviously there’s a lot of work you got to do to even make the playoffs at first so just come in excited ready to go and uh you know I think guys will be be ready for it uh do you remember switching or trading a stick for gummy bears with a young girl so Steve from Ottawa says ask him how many gummy bears uh were traded with my daughter uh when he gave her his stick do you remember yeah yeah I have like I think I had like 10 10 things of candy in my stall after the year so like uh me and the trainers I always like throw a stick or a Pock or something trade it for a candy and then I I haven’t cracked it open yet but I I should probably get to them and enjoy a few of those team must love the $300 stick for the $5 bag of candy yeah I was going to say it’s expensive bag of candy so also it’s uh Steve’s birthday today so happy birthday Steve yeah happy birthday um so is the warmup like does anything ever happen in warm-up anymore it all seems like everybody’s at the glass waving talking to fans giveing bucks yeah I think like each guy just kind of has the routine like I do the same thing every single time and you know if you see a sign or something just go make make someone’s day I like doing that so I know if I was the kid on the other side of the glass how much I would enjoy it so try to do it as much as I can uh try not to toss away too many sticks obviously how expensive they are but uh know here’s what it is especially if I see a Nova scotian flag or something um definitely go over them yeah everybody at the next game this gonna be full of Maritime there you go there’ll be 20 Nova scotian people there uh all right um so here’s the I’m gonna say last question question but what um we all talked this season about an identity for this team it never seemed there was one how do you guys build your identity in that group yeah know I think it just starts with um obviously the guys who’ve been here for a while and then just some you know maybe some older guys um I I’m not sure what they’re going to do this summer but uh I seen a stat the other day I think it was like um three teams with Captain under than under 29 made the playoffs or something like that so it just goes to show um you know you need some older guys in the room obviously Brady leads the way does Unbelievable job for us in that department but I think uh you know older guys help and G does a great job of that too so um yeah I think just some leadership obviously we’ve kind of just had been the young guys um here for a while so maybe some older guys it’d be it’d be good uh to help help out but um I think it starts with with us young guys leading the way um you know in that department and uh maybe some help yeah uh you turned 26 years old I think uh in four days from now do you have big birthday plants nothing crazy really uh probably just game of golf and then go go out for dinner or something yeah nothing nothing crazy 26 stake you’re not going to be a young guy for that much longer it’s crazy I can’t believe I just finished six years pro uh to be honest yeah turned in 26 but still still about 17 at her I think right you’re 10 goals from a hundred does that ever do you think about that at all like I don’t know whether it’s 500 game like you played 309 games so I don’t know this 500 games 100 goals anything is anything a milestone for you that you’ve thought I will never get to this point yeah I think hitting 300 games this year was was pretty crazy I mean uh yeah and plus 10 and something in the minor so I can’t believe I’ve played that many games pro already and uh I remember my first year playing 20 games going home for the summer and thought it was the best thing in the world thought I made it I was I was happy with that to be honest with you and then uh yeah next thing you know you’re at you’re at 300 so it’s always cool I think when you hit a milestone in the games play department and obviously the points Department too but uh yeah it’s just it’s just fun man coming in work every day and uh just just having a blast with everyone and then when you hit those Milestones it’s obviously uh you know pretty cool awesome um we appreciate your time Drake as always you’ve always been very good to our show and so uh with that we thank you very much and hope you have a fantastic birthday by the way everybody in the chat would like you to golf with them so if you ever need a for some you have lots of people interview uh lots of people asking it won’t be any short your golf then no so that’s good all right Drake uh take care enjoy your offseason uh we look forward to seeing you back in the lineup and going for 30 next season yeah book it hopefully we’ll see see you pal all right thanks guys have a great summer Drake there goes Drake Bon H yeah good good uh good fell good fella he’s got the right attitude you know what though too like it’s people talk about players coming back early getting back the we’ve talked about this before on the show the training Drake does in the summer with with Crosby and mckin and marshan there’s no better than what he’s doing so he he’s got the right idea stay there as long as you possibly can before coming back because when you come back it’s you’re scrimmaging you’re doing some stuff but it’s it’s it’s not even close to the level he’s going to be doing there so he’s I think that’s a big reason too Wally when he seemed to take a step I think it was in correlation to when he started training with those guys because it it does it it makes a difference who you run with in the summer and he’s running with the right guys and we’ve said that all along right and I’ll go back to minor hockey when we brought this up yesterday of what you do training wise in the summer is huge as opposed to just scrimmaging and whatever and how do you like that’s three Hall of Fame players that you’re gonna play with and and arguably like I don’t know whether I put where you put Brad marshan but Nathan McKinnon and Crosby are two of the best players to ever play the game yeah I I think I watching Nate the other night I think he well I don’t know Conor McDavid was pretty good last night too I was gonna say mckennon’s the best player in the game it’s so hard it’s so hard to pick um man the hockey geez we haven’t even talked much about the playoffs how good was that weekend but um no it’s I I’ve said this we’ve been talking about Drake for a long time on this show I I really think he took it to another level when jacqu took when jacqu took over this team he just seemed to play at a higher level than where he was before confidence-wise um I think a lot of that has to do with you know he he mentioned it when you know the coach has uh trust in you and faith in you you don’t want to let him down I remember when I played for coaches like that it’s like this guy is trusting to put me out there I’m going to you always play for your teammates for the fans but you do play for your coach too especially when you know your coach has your back and that’s when Ottawa does go when they get that coach I think that’s something that’s really important in in a coach a coach that has the play and obviously you have to it’s a two-way street you can’t just have a player’s back and he’s screwing the pooch like he’s you got to earn that but when you know the coach you know like a Mike Babcock for example you know he’s not going to have your back as a coach and that’s why he doesn’t last long um especially with the new players were were were guys I’ve always said this with Barry trotz the reason Barry trotz was successful as a coach is because players wanted to play for him because they knew when crap hit the fan try would have your back so all right so here then I’m gonna play Devil’s Advocate everybody would tell you on the team they love playing for DJ Smith yeah but he didn’t get the results yeah no it’s it’s not it’s not everything in a coach like there’s got to be some other things too and and I truly believe this like I didn’t like the staff as a whole when DJ was here and I was on the record of saying that you had he didn’t I didn’t think he was properly insulated with the right guys around him and there was some obviously some some ways some structure things and and and how he was doing the game every coach is different like TR is more of a defensive guy uh you get your you get your offense from your defense uh jacqu Martin the same thing um so that’s that’s one thing w a coach you can’t just have a coach yeah this guy has my back but he’s got a I’m just saying when you get to the when you get to the playoffs and to the really meaningful games when you need that little bit of extra that’s when a coach that has that attribute will really pay off so then K Yori so we know about I’m G to just put out a couple names I’m not listing everybody obviously but you Craig buuy obviously is known a type of player type coach that right he would have your back yeah there’s a name that doesn’t get mentioned and I I think of him all the time and because he’s part maritimer now uh or because he is a maritimer and and that made me think of it with Drake is Gerard Gant yeah oh boy I love I played with Jared what a but he has a very short window it seems like with with his teams so I everybody seems to say they love him he has success but then it doesn’t pan out it seems yeah you go he was in Vegas for a bit he was in Florida that remember Carolina Carolina yeah or sorry he was firing Carolina with the c was the there there’s so many different reasons when you get to the playoffs like obviously health and your goal tending there’s so many different things and Co the coaching fraternity is a funny thing like geez L look at Lindy Ruff not good enough to not not good enough to coach New Jersey um and now he’s back with Buffalo but to my point with who your coach is surrounded with I don’t know if you remember this when we were talking about New Jersey Devils I don’t want to pop myself on the back but I kind of Will I said when Andrew I said when Andrew Bernett leaves that team they’re in trouble you did two two things happened New Jersey missed the playoffs Nashville made them it’s you’re you’re the head coach is important but it’s the staff of who he’s surrounded with that are even more important the assistant coaches do so much heavy lifting especially the relationships with the players especially the guy that’s running your defense the guy that’s running your defense he can win that guy has got such a big say in the game because he’s changing the D he’s talking to the D he’s and if listen you look at good teams all the good teams are built from the back end out and your defense coach he is vital in your success to winning and I just look at uh and Andrew brunette they could have won that first game too like it was that close with Vancouver I just you know they had to let him go but I I had a feeling as soon as he left there was going to be some issues in New Jersey it’s interesting they brought him like I I kind of like it because I’m old school and remember the Buffalo Ottawa playoff series and Lindy Ruff and uh he was a captain for the Sabers and then he coached them and the last time they made the playoffs he was the coach is it the right move I have no idea who knows it’s it’s it’s interesting it’s it’s but I just I I just the the role of Defense coach is very important and your and your and your special teams all those things come into play um but uh yeah we’ll see I the people in Buffalo at least when you when you look and you know you got to take it with the grain of salt we see online and everything but everybody in in Buffalo seems to be fairly happy because they’re you know people talk about yeah people talk Auto are not making for the playoffs look at the Sabers like that team is uh that team is in search mode right now uh I was just trying to run the Sim Lottery uh oh he gonna run the lottery again Buffalo just got the first pick they moved up 10 spots oh that could happen he like what’s the what’s the most you could move up 11 you can move up 11 or sorry 10 spots so anybody in the top 11 can get the first overall pick I really got to change that board because it’s still wrong uh who’s in our Graphics Department oh you are that’s me I completely forgot to fix it uh so anyway um that’s it for now like I was I want to get you to the golf course but the the the playoff stuff we got to get into at some point yeah I got some yeah there is a like the oh yes the the Boston series why would you do this to yourself by switching the goalie so now they lose and you switch toar Yeah uh and I’m not blaming the loss on lus olar but it just changes your game a little bit and I know they’ve done it all season I get it I don’t I don’t like the move whatsoever I didn’t like it either I thought that Swan was in their heads I just like it’s not like you’re tired and and and sure Swan and and uh all Mark they do their little thing and their buddies but deep down inside you can’t tell me that the goalie does want to go back again and play it’s to me the playoffs are different and yeah I man I I would have had if if that was me I would have had a hard time going away from him because that’s what they did last year with the Goon they did the switch all year and man that’s because you open yourself up right it’s you you make the change and I I just love I just loved how Swan was reading the play in that first game like he was he was anticipating what Toronto could do Matthews was frustrated he had a little bit of luck on his side as well but yeah I I I had a feeling Toronto was going to win that game as as soon as they made the switch before um now now we’ll see like like like just think of all the coaches you’ve played for if you win one game you don’t change anything yeah to the next game unless you’re forced to with an injury but I I just anyway it’s that one just doesn’t make sense to me series isn’t over because of it it just doesn’t make sense to me the thing is if you go back to Swan again and let’s say he loses then you can switch then it’s it’s a lot easier to do that but doing that is like why’ you switch them you won you won one game and Swan was oh we’ve been doing this all year but who cares it’s the playoffs it’s not the regular season you don’t uh yeah it’s well that’s I guess that’s the thing when you got two goalies that are that good you’ve got to make a tough decision and uh we shall see well I’ll guarantee you Swan’s playing next game that much I know could you imagine H oh boy so the Edmonton was no real they looked really good eh just oh my goodness thr you see that Dr cdal goal he’s ridiculous I uh by the way I’m in a I’m in a hockey pool we did a snake draft 15 guys 10 players I have eight Oilers I have a feeling I’ve got cuz here’s how anybody that’s listening or watching that’s in a hockey pool the only way you can win usually is you got to bet on a couple teams and just stack your team and hopefully that team goes to the finals so fingers crossed that I’m hoping Edmonton goes a long way um I’d like to see a canadi I’d like to see a Canadian team go all the way sure I guess yeah yeah and my old buddy Paul coffeee running the running the on the bench it’d be nice to see him uh win another cup well if if he wins you got to get them on the show see how good how good buddies you actually are hey you want to come on my he I know you’re on a beach and you guys are celebrating your cup you can like get your computer out and get on our show for an hour Wally’s only going to say one more question 20 times yeah so just it loosens them up it just makes them think like oh I just got to answer this and we’re good to go you’re probably gonna be on we’re gonna tell you 20 minutes but it’s going to be an hour sure I’ll come on so people who have come on the show since they’re like is it 20 minutes or is it an hour I just want to and I’m like oh it’s it’ll be an hour hey hey I’ll say this the Drake was a was was a great guest just so uh so loose and so fourth rate I so he answer he reminds me of Jason speta in his a little bit of his hockey knowledge in the way he sees the gameart I’m curious if if he’s got a like a management future in him somewhere um that’s something I I’m curious about I think he could do that it’s well he’s still pretty young but it you know it seems like he’s he’s got a pretty good grasp on things watches a lot of hockey it’s usually guys that watch a lot of hockey pay attention love the game um have fun with the game believe it or not there’s a lot of guys that play the game I’ve said this many times that don’t really love it they’re just really good at it yep and get you see that at all levels yeah yeah usually guys that get involved after they love it and they have a passion for it and that’s why they keep doing it I was just thinking this the other day before we go is that all the guys from the 2000s if you will that have are in management from the S like Mark bitki Jason spea Daniel Albertson well even Chris Neil Chris Phillips are in front offices um uh Chris Kelly’s on the bench there is a the heater a scout the heater is a scout now for Philadelphia is scouting right uh Craig Anderson is a goalie coach consultant with Buffalo the number of people in Ottawa that are working uh in front offices is huge it’s it’s a big number anyway that just I for me it just showed how good the group was and how smart they were as a an organization even Smith is no coaching yeah there’s been a big turnover in the league the last uh the last little bit of of newer guys that have come in into roles of management coaching jeez it seems like everywhere I look I got one of my ex teammates or buddies coaching a team now are involved it’s uh yeah it goes in Cycles it’s it seems there’s a lot of guys in their in their 40s and 50s now involved well we’ll see who’s next perhaps uh Daniel alfredson will stay on the bench with you waiting to find out how this is gonna go uh Eric just said that Yorkie is the next coach of the S so maybe the maybe the D coach uh you know it’s coaching is fun coaching is is the closest thing to playing it’s a massive commitment I’d have to go back and Coach Junior for a while though and you got to most guys unless you’re a superstar you have to you have to pay your dues here’s the thing when I first retired Wally I got an opportunity I got a call right away phone Peter pets uh my one of my buddies was coaching there and I drove down to peterb and I was going to be their D coach and that was in 2008 and also got a opportunity with Boston Peter Shelli wanted me the year after I was done to be the decoach in Providence but I made the decision to go into uh to media and uh now I’m doing a podcast with you wait a sec look how good things turned out you clearly you made the right choice it was good see but you’re also a part owner of the SS you don’t bring that up enough so yeah I’ll tell you the most the most fun I have though post career was was coaching uh junior a when I was coaching kful it’s it’s so much fun coaching that age group of of of young men kids because they’re still kids they’re like 16 to 20 because that that age just is so anxious to move on and try and get better they’ll they’ll uh they listen and they buy in so yeah no too old to get probably get uh to jump back into coaching wall oh no no no I disagree remember um assistant GM went to Florida Randy ston was out of the league yeah for 10 years and then end up going back so no no and look Adam Henrik 11 years in between scoring playoff goals how good was he last night Henry he’s very good yeah so listen it’s doesn’t matter there’s always time the right time you what’s uh what’s what’s seon doing now is he still uh who’s he with he’s still somewhere is but I I lost track of him did he go to Buffalo maybe no maybe I’m not sure uh senior advisor of the [Music] wild so there you go there you go good guy a really I really like Randy seon of course his son of those who don’t know Ben sexon on the bench with the Ottawa centers as an assistant coach good great family yeah all right York uh tentatively scheduled for Thursday uh at 3 all righty I we’ll see if we can still see you by then I’m going to I’m going away for um good buddy of mine Brian is turning 50 so a group of us are going away on a on a little uh golfing uh pickle ball Excursion we’re combining this it’s a couple’s trip it’s a couple’s trip we’re all going down to to Naples front of mine has a place down there and uh we’re we’re golfing and there’s also going to be a pickle ball tournament this now I now I see how old you are I get it there you go it’s Naples I’ll be young in Naples because I think average age there is like 80 see you’re already dressed for it yeah um yeah by the way it’s a 50th to my friend Mike today by the way happy birthday to Mike if I happy birthday Mike uh all right see you on uh see you on Thursday safe my friend thanks for tuning in everybody and thanks to Drake Bon for joining us on thanks Drake see you everybody thanks for tuning in to coming in hot if you enjoyed the show hit that like button and be sure to subscribe to never miss an episode [Music] he e