Chapter 1: What tribute is paid to Claude Lemieux in this episode?
Okay, before we get to this edition of the podcast, in earnest, Elliot, we're all still just in complete shock here on Thursday. We learned that Claude Lemieux has passed away at the age of 60, a man that won four Stanley Cups, fifth all-time in playoff games played. For those that would have grown up watching in that era, you saw how ferocious of a competitor he was.
Also a very smart man, got into the agency business after his playing days were done.
Chapter 2: How are the Carolina Hurricanes performing against the Montreal Canadiens?
This is someone who just a few days ago, Elliot, was carrying the torch inside the arena in Montreal before Game 3 between the Canadians and the Hurricanes. We're all just completely, utterly shocked with the news here on Thursday.
That was the most shocking thing about it, Kyle, was the fact that it came just a few days after he carried in the torch. And when he walked in, I actually took a picture. I'm looking at it right now of him holding the torch in one of the sections. And I sent it to him and I said, looking great, Claude. And he wrote back, thanks, Elliot, with a thumbs up.
And to hear the news just a few days later, it's terrible. And there are some things that are important to say, such as the best to his entire family, everybody who is suffering, his friends. There were a lot of people in hockey who he was very close to, and you wish them all the best and hope that they get the support they need. But as always,
Just if you need, there's no shame in ever asking for help. Nobody looks at you any differently. Nobody feels any less about you. Nobody will ever look at you and say that person is weak for asking for help. And I know that Glenn Healy and the NHL alumni, they're launching some new stuff for the group over the next few days and few weeks. I think it's going to be announced pretty soon.
But Glenn's another person I thought of on Thursday because he has worked so hard to help as many players as he possibly can who have retired. And just try to get them into a better place. So whether it's someone you trust or someone who has professional ability to help support you, or even someone like Glenn, who will always take your call, please reach out and get the help you need.
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Chapter 3: What is the NHL memo regarding trades leading up to free agency?
You know, one other story about Claude Lemieux I wanted to share, Kyle, was a few years ago, his old agent, Pierre Lacroix, passed away in June of 2021. And he had, Claude was asked to give one of the testimonials, one of the eulogies at the funeral. And he called me and he said, look, I'm really not much of a public speaker. Can you help me with this? And I just said, absolutely.
Just tell me what you want to say. And we spent about an hour on the phone and he kind of walked through what he wanted to say.
Chapter 4: What should we expect from the NHL Draft Combine in Buffalo?
And I said, give me a couple stories. And he gave me a few stories.
Chapter 5: What is the current status of Manny Malhotra and the Vancouver Canucks?
And I helped him write the speech.
Chapter 6: What are the updates on Jay Woodcroft and the Toronto Maple Leafs?
I don't know. I didn't go to the funeral, so I don't know how much he read. But I wrote something for him. And he really appreciated it.
Chapter 7: What is the latest on the Bruce Cassidy situation in Vegas?
And I always considered that a real honor in the sense that those are important things to write. People want to make sure they say the right things and hit all the right notes. And I always appreciated that. He asked me for help with that because I thought it was really meaningful. You know, just like everybody else, I'm in absolute shock.
And Kyle, as you said, the fact that we saw him carrying the torch into Montreal for game number three, it makes it even that much harder to believe.
Chapter 8: What questions do listeners have for the hosts in the Thought Line segment?
Well said, Elliot. Claude Lemieux had gone far too soon at the age of 60. Welcome to 32 Thoughts, the podcast presented by your Canadian Toyota dealers and the 2026 Tacoma. Get yours before red tag days are over. Dom, Elliot and Kyle back with you. Fridge, we are back in Raleigh for game five tonight of the Eastern Conference Final between Carolina and Montreal.
The two games back in La Belle Provence were some of the more thorough games And as Shane Gossespierre put it, who's becoming quite a wordsmith, by the way, as we are learning quickly, surgical type games from the Hurricanes. Overtime was not required in game number four, jumping out to an early lead. And now they have pushed the Canadians to the brink.
The Canes, one win away from their first trip to the Stanley Cup final since winning it all 20 years ago. And Montreal is up against the ropes in a big way. Not only are they getting outshot heavily in this series, not only are they struggling to come up with shots in this series, it's become a historical level of low shots through the Canadians and three straight losses in this conference final.
It's been incredible to watch, really, the absolute smothering of the Hurricanes. I was talking to some Montreal players after game number four, and one of the things that we were discussing was they beat two really good teams to get here, two 100-point teams to get here, Tampa Bay and Buffalo. Yeah.
And I said to the couple of these guys, you always, there were always moments of trouble, but generally they seem to be able to get the puck out of their zone. They could be patient. They could wait. They could delay. And eventually they would get the puck out of their zone. It's not happening here. And basically what these Montreal players said was you cannot compare the
the way the hurricanes pressure you to the way Tampa did or Buffalo did. It is on another level. It is light years ahead. They are constantly in your face, and they are constantly on top of them. And that's why I remember at the beginning of the series when I said beating Carolina would be like Everest. Every mountain is bigger, and this is the biggest one.
I had some Canadians fans, including some people in Montreal who I saw, Kyle, and they were like, we swept them in the regular season. We're nowhere near as far away as you're making it seem like it is. And I remind everybody that when you have a situation like this in the regular season, You're not always on your game. It's not to take away the fact that Montreal did so well against them.
It's just that you're not paying as much attention. You're not dialed in. You're not... focused, laser focused on one team like you are in the regular season. Maybe it's three out of four. Maybe there's something going on with your lineup. Whatever the case is, Playing a team four times spread out in the regular season is not in the least bit comparable to four out of seven in the playoffs.
Now it's just one opponent. You're traveling back and forth. There's not back-to-backs. You don't have to worry about someone else. You're dialed in on one team. And that's when you can really sit there and say, this is what we're going to stop, and this is how we're going to beat them. In game one, Montreal took advantage of Carolina. They weren't very good.
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