Latest / Chirping Zebras / RYAN McDONELL | Chirping Zebras Podcast | Ep #112
Transcript
- Ryan McDonell: Well, then it's just more fun. Mark Riley: Well, my camera's working, but I still have issues. Ryan McDonell: Yeah, yeah, you're good there in the middle. Mark Riley: That's not the new. Josh Dolan: Is Gino reporting live from Iraq? Mark Riley: Serious, where are you? Geno Binda: I'm in my backyard, I got an eye issue and I like I don't know what the fuck's wrong with my eye so I'm going sunglasses today I'm pulling a Scott Zolak and going sunglasses Mark Riley: fuck is the background? Ryan McDonell: What happened? You get it. Geno Binda: It's me. I don't know. I get something in my eyes. It's my fucking backyard. My wife puts the shit up. So and then the pool's open. It's already. And. And. Bring your dog over, take a dip. Keep it away from the filter. Mark Riley: No! Josh Dolan: Huh? Mark Riley: Looks like a tropical paradise. Ryan McDonell: Nice, it's pool time. Mark Riley: Well, I'm not going in the pool, but a little Chileo for me, a little Chilean sea bass. Geno Binda: Well, the kids, here we go. Josh Dolan: to make that the title of this episode, Bring Your Dog Over, Take a Dip. Ryan McDonell: Take a dip. It's pretty good. Geno Binda: There you go. Mark Riley: I usually hear that from women. Ryan McDonell: I'm Yeah, come on over, take a dog. Mark Riley: Take a dip. Geno Binda: Well, you got right into it. Mark Riley: Josh, you seem better. Maybe. Ryan McDonell: Did we ever? Josh Dolan: Was that right, Lee? Ryan McDonell: I'm holding here something too. got to ask some questions about this that you guys gave me when I was out there in Boston. So, ⁓ the challenge coins. Mark Riley: Right What is that? ⁓ is that, ⁓ yeah. Frank Simonetti gave those out. Yeah. Ryan McDonell: the alumni came in, yeah, yeah, yeah. That was something else. I keep that right there, so yeah. Mark Riley: I don't, I, we didn't even get one. Ryan McDonell: I'm sure you got one anyway, but Mark Riley: I'll tell you, you know, it's funny as if he got, I don't know why, but, ⁓ TR never got one. So frankly, I was trying to be generous, but, ⁓ Ryan McDonell: Yay, dude, he just lost it. Geno Binda: Speaking of speaking of TR like we put up with him for like, you know two nights How the hell do you guys babysit him for a whole month recording? Ryan McDonell: Well, St. Paddy's Day too, huh? No, I mean, good Lord. ⁓ He's the best, he's the best. him and I, truth be told, we room pretty close together in the hotels and stuff in Sudbury and we're having dinners every other night together. We're pretty close, so yeah, yeah. I love the guy. I love the guy. I was talking to him earlier actually today, so yeah. Geno Binda: ⁓ yeah, we had a shift. No, he's great. Mark Riley: Yeah. Josh Dolan: Yeah. Geno Binda: He's a ticket man. Mark Riley: Nah, he's the best. I had to give him his point. Ryan McDonell: Yeah, Those Newfoundlanders, they roll different. They roll different. So I was just a stone's throw away in Nova Scotia, but they're just different. Geno Binda: I love it up there, They are a different breed. used to go up there and referee. I rough the American League for you know, nine seasons. So I was up there all the time. Like I loved it up there. Ryan McDonell: My cousin Ken McCray, St. John's Maple Leafs. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. So I was a big fan of his growing up, for sure. Geno Binda: ⁓ yeah, Yeah, they had some really good players come through there. you know, it was they always had some good teams. So I love going up there. Ryan McDonell: Yeah, they took our Halifax Citadels away from Nova Scotia, because that's what I, we would, know, the moose heads are great and everything, but to have an AHL team there when I was like a little kid was really awesome. yeah, yeah, fun. Geno Binda: I mean the place it packs it every night they know they hockey and they just get boozed up and you can You know, you can barely understand what they're saying unless you you're Irish Ryan McDonell: Well, speaking about TR, I went to my first, I went to a Growlers game. I was working over there like two or three years ago. It was probably about season two of Schorzy. And yeah, we went over there and I got the full, I had been there before, but I'd never been there with Terry Ryan. So it was, he was like the mayor of, the unofficial mayor of St. John's. It was absolutely incredible. went. Geno Binda: Mmm. ⁓ that's a... St. John Street must have been open. Mark Riley: You Ryan McDonell: We go to the Growlers game. This is before he actually went out and played with them, which is actually crazy to think of. yeah, like kids, elderly people, teachers, cops, firefighters, they all knew him. was pretty eye-opening and awesome. Yeah, it was awesome. Him and his dad, man, they run that rock. Geno Binda: He is charismatic, that's for sure. Josh Dolan: ⁓ yeah. Geno Binda: Yeah. Josh Dolan: Have you ever had to hold them up while he took a leak? Because me and Riley both did that for about a full day. Mark Riley: tell you here. Yeah, on the parade, we had to make sure he didn't fall off or fall in. He had a blast, Yeah, it was a lot of fun. We're doing it. It's an annual thing now, so we want everyone to come down next year. It'll be, it's chaos. Ryan McDonell: Yeah, well, yeah, yeah, there you go. That parade must be just incredible there, huh? Yeah, I bet. Geno Binda: the shift that was awesome Ryan McDonell: ourselves. Josh Dolan: Ardolo was the mayor of Pepper. Ryan McDonell: You do not need to twist my arm to get to Boston, that's for sure. Mark Riley: ⁓ that's no, it's, ⁓ it's, it was insane. really was. Dolo, you know, rapping on the mic and getting everyone going crazy. was, it was. Ryan McDonell: Yeah, that's great. Yeah. We've got quite a cast, man. Yeah, you can bring a crew of us and who knows what you're going to get. So it's pretty awesome. We're pretty proud of what's happened, what we're being able to do. It's not lost on us on how fortunate we are. And even just this last tour, like TD Garden, like, come on. I mean, was seeing you guys being on the ice with you guys, it was just, it was... Mark Riley: Yeah. Right? Ryan McDonell: It was incredible. Char out there. Just pinch me moments. Lots of pinch me moments for sure. Geno Binda: Awesome. Josh Dolan: So what's it like being? Mark Riley: What was? Geno Binda: Who's the guy on the tour that you, sorry, go ahead. Josh Dolan: ⁓ no, I was just gonna say, what's it like being the first and only person to score a goal off their dick at TD Garden? Ryan McDonell: Yeah, you like that, huh? I had a bruise about the size of that, like right off, just a quarter. I'll take it, man. I'll take it anywhere they come. Anywhere they come. ⁓ Yeah, it was pretty cool, man. I was in Vancouver too. It's a town I used to live in and scored on any lack on a shootout goal. So that was, you those are like pretty monumental things for just a little actor who loves hockey that much. And so it's... Geno Binda: just a question. Ryan McDonell: It was, it's just incredible. The response that we get from our fans too, and like you guys were there, it's just, it's pretty crazy. Like it's a little bit ass backwards of like what the entertainment is. It's crazy to us that people come and they... are not necessarily cheering for one side or another. It's just like there to take it in and that's fucking cool. So yeah, it's really. Geno Binda: No, it's like the bananas are like the whole like, you know, the globe trotter type type deal where people come and just enjoy a good good event where it's not like toxic and it's just yeah, it's a great great time a good event. It's a good night out. It's you know, it's enjoyable for the kids and especially fans of the show to Ryan McDonell: Just a good event. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I mean like to be able to give back in that kind of way I know it's it's it's very out of the box and it's it's super Intimate and like interactive you're you're there you're signing stuff. You're doing you know, you're there with fans for a good Gosh, I mean four or five hours sometimes so it's it's it's incredible. It's ⁓ it's yeah, it's some it's unlike anything that I've ever done or thought could be possible and And yeah, here we are. mean, the world's changing like crazy. So TV and the way that you market it and the way that you, you know, it's just constantly evolving. So it's pretty cool to be part of something kind of new. Mark Riley: What's really cool is, and I saw it firsthand a couple of times, is how accessible you guys are. From Jared right on down, it's amazing because you're so connected to the fans and I think that's why it's such a great experience, those games. It's really, really cool to be a part of. Ryan McDonell: Yeah. No, thanks, man. We're really proud of it. The evolution of it, too, has been crazy, just even the smaller games that we started with. then we had almost 13,000 people in Edmonton. That was crazy. We were sitting there. Terry and I were standing next to each other in the... ⁓ in the ⁓ in the anthem and just looking up at that monster, you know, ⁓ arena and ⁓ just Stanley Cup was just here last year. Like here we are sitting here. The building's full. They're all here for us. was was it's not to inflate yourself, but it was just a really, really, really cool ⁓ experience. And it proves to what you can do like in the future, I think, with entertainment and shows and I think Jared, mean, my God, man, like, the guy's brilliant. Like he... you know, I don't know what I can say about certain things, but like the way that his brain works and the way that we're promoting our shows is everything that he does moving forward with other shows that are out there and maybe have been out there too. And ⁓ it's just such an enjoyable ride ⁓ with them to truth be told. And, ⁓ you know, the stuff that we get to do is so cool and it's so fun on set, like just getting back to the show in general. it's like, you know, we've said it out there. ⁓ The fact that we're so accessible, like you say, is a badge that we like to wear, I think. yeah, it's just been, yeah, man, yeah. I mean, yeah, that's what it is. It's the culture that kind of bleeds through it. And we're trying to instill it in a way that like, you know, even our crew members, like they all feel, you're all, this whole show is just one team, you know? And that's kind of the way that it feels. And I hope that other shows take that mentality too, moving forward, because. Geno Binda: hockey peep. Ryan McDonell: It creates such a great atmosphere and environment when you're working and like, a lot of shows could probably ⁓ take a few things away from Jared as they're doing, I'm sure, but yeah. Mark Riley: So you're an actor, right? mean, how did, but you also played hockey, right? So like some of- Ryan McDonell: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Not hockey, but I did. Yeah, I was just a typical Canadian kid. A lot of Canadian actors played hockey growing up. Were they good? I don't know, but I stopped in grade 12 and I was okay. I was fast, but that didn't serve anyone back when I graduated in 2001. I was small back then for, I'm not small I guess now, but who cares? It's long gone. Mark Riley: So how did you find like, how did you end up on the show? You know, because you're not like some of the other guys who are hockey players that kind of just stumbled into acting really. You're kind of like that combo of both kind of like Michael on keen, know, Ned Braden, he was an actor and a hockey player. Right. So how did you get on the show? Ryan McDonell: Right. Yeah. Man, I'm lucky. I mean, talking about where, look, yeah, here. I was just pulling these out the other day. Like, that was me in Slapshot 3. So, and I got very, very, very lucky. And both times, I'm playing a goalie. So clearly, I'm just a fucking weirdo. Or like, ⁓ yeah, well, there you go. Thank you. Mark Riley: That's right. Geno Binda: Now let's have. Mark Riley: You You Geno Binda: My daughter's a goalie, so we like you. And they are weirdos. And they are weirdos. Mark Riley: Yeah. Ryan McDonell: Apparently so, but most of them that I meet are just really cool. So I don't know. I don't know what the weirdo bit is, but ⁓ I know you got your own things. You want to be alone. You do your intricacies and all that stuff. ⁓ yeah, like I've done a lot of other things, but people don't see them. And just very lucky that this hit. ⁓ The truth is Jared and I have known each other a long time. respect him is an understatement, just like proud of him. ⁓ Really went and literally took the bull by his horns and by the horns and did it himself. And now, I mean, now it's just like, ⁓ I'm befuddled to his success. Like it's... It's something that a lot of people should look at and just be like, there's certain things that we say in our show about like your work ethic and your, you know, that's him. Like, I mean, you know, if you don't have the, not to he doesn't have it, but like, it's just, if you grind, if you grind, if you grind, he is that 100 % person that you look up to with that. So with that being said, I was always watching him, like he was doing Letter Kenny. I was at West in Vancouver. and the pandemic hit, all of a sudden you're not going to auditions anymore. You're literally in your, like, now you're in the ring, like, so you're in your apartment, like, throwing auditions together. And I guess the world shut down. I did a movie in, February. world, and we were, people were dropping, like, flies. They were sending them home then, and then March it happened. So boom, shut down. So it was... a bunch of months of just sitting around the apartment auditioning. I got one audition, it said Shorzy. ⁓ I knew the character. I knew that Jared was doing a hockey show eventually down the road, I, and we were chatting all the time and he never mentioned it, but ⁓ I got the audition and it was a very clear cut thing. Like you had to have played junior or college. There was like no, like just no ifs, ands or buts. ⁓ But the person I read for, Michael's, was there was only a few characters at the very, very beginning. And I was reading for what I thought was the coach, because the audition scene was actually the first season. That's a long answer, was that audition scene. So it's a special moment. So I read the audition. And I actually called him first. Mark Riley: I don't know. Is that right? Ryan McDonell: which is something I would never do. And I never wanted, I almost didn't even want him to know that I was going out for it. But it was like, something in this just felt different. And I, we talked weekly and I said, look, is there anything I should know about Michael's before I just tape it? I just want to know that. And he just said, use your gut. And I went, cool. That was it. And if he said that, it was like, that's good. So I went, I did the tape. thought I did an okay job. I was really trying to like, you know, take what I know he likes and whatever. we did the tape and literally it's just like months. I heard through the grapevine, so that was maybe like March, April, that waited like a few months. I had heard from your agent, which you hear kind of sometimes, ⁓ they really like you. And it's like, ⁓ okay, great. But it just goes out into the abyss. But they kept saying that they really liked it. And I was like, OK, what's going to happen here? I thought for sure a professional hockey player was going to come in and take it from me. But the network was the one that was really digging it, apparently. then months went by, and Jared is a huge advocate of always calling someone on their birthday. He called me on my birthday on July 13th ⁓ and gave me, was the greatest phone call of my life, pretty much, truth be told. And he explained to me that like what process was going on behind the closed doors and that he had really loved the tape from the beginning. And then he asked me if I wanted to go and do the greatest hockey show ever with him. go finish it, like start to finish. And I was just, you know, as a friend, we played music together too. Like, so the artistry and everything and being able to tie it in with hockey and just like, just die hard fucking fans of hockey. So to be able to go and try and apply that and here we are now, I mean, it's, yeah, it's pretty fucking cool. So, yeah, it's awesome. Yeah. Really awesome. Yeah. Yeah. Really awesome. Mark Riley: Very cool. It's very cool. it's like your characters, everyone's character is so unique, but it's it's almost like like we talked about TR, Dolo like. Yeah. Geno Binda: Unbelievable. Ryan McDonell: Yeah. Geno Binda: the team. Ryan McDonell: I thought I was gonna be a coach too. Throw that in there for two seconds. I was like, hockey show, okay? I'm not gonna be a goalie. Like, all right, a coach. Like, I was like, fuck, okay, here we go. Like lots of speeches. Boom, no, fuck you, Michael. I was like, no, you're gonna be a goalie. I was like, you're joking me, right? And he's like, no, I'm dead serious. And I was like, that's awesome. Because the way it swings like in the story in the first season, I guess for people who haven't seen it go watch, but. Mark Riley: You Josh Dolan: you Ryan McDonell: Yeah, like it takes a little swing. So it was cool. It was an awesome character like ⁓ Arc. So it was really cool. Mark Riley: Yeah, you didn't last long on the bench. But everyone's character is so unique to them. And ⁓ I think that's what makes it so authentic in the sense that no one's, it doesn't seem as if anyone's acting. They're just being themselves. And that brings that authenticity to it, but also makes every character unique. Ryan McDonell: No, no, no, they fucking hated me That's. Mark Riley: and every character has their own kind of thing. ⁓ That's one of things I enjoy most about it. Ryan McDonell: Yeah. You know, ⁓ quietly, I think, resonates whether people know it or not. ⁓ You know, there's not a lot of ⁓ familiar faces on the show. ⁓ There's not a lot of, ⁓ I guess, like, it's just the environment that he creates where everyone is that comfortable. We're rehearsing, too. Like, good lord, like, we shoot a lot of pages during the day, like a lot. And... And yeah, like to... We bring in guest stars and they can't even handle it. And then we have people who've never acted who just have that like hockey mentality, like, let's work it till we get it. Let's work it till we get it. So there's something to be said about that. Like, I mean, that's lost sometimes in a lot of sets. it's just that like feeling. I think that honestly, that Kiso like really brings to his shows and the sets. and it makes people who are coming on feel that much more comfortable to be funny, but the writing's funny anyway. it's kind of a win-win situation if you're a group of people like that. Geno Binda: We were just watching wedding crashes. The first thing came to mind is be funny clown. Ryan McDonell: Wedding crashes. What a good one. I love the breakfast scene when Vince Ma is just shoveling the breakfast scene. I'm gonna go sit over here. Just leave me alone, okay? I'm just gonna eat my food. So good. Geno Binda: That's the best. No, that's good that like it's unbelievable. He lets you guys kind of, you know, bring your little flair to each character too. Like in I think it gives you guys like that confidence and just. Ryan McDonell: They obviously, yeah, they evolve. They definitely do. think what he's so good at is casting that group to allow it to naturally go to. mean, like, morasty. He just says, yeah, and he is a character. And like, Goody, Goody's grown so much. Geno Binda: Mmm. Ryan McDonell: And it's such a fan favorite for just quick little like dry one-offs and, and, and dolo too, but it's exactly what. Geno Binda: That's like what the locker room is like though. Like that's what exactly the locker room is. Like you get that one guy that's always like, it's dead silent. It's like, let's really try to win this one guys. Ryan McDonell: Yeah, yeah, like just it's it's a peacock feather full of people like and that's just to cut back to what like I think and not the success but whatever like why people kind of watch it. I've even had like girls soccer teams and it doesn't even matter if you're a group I think is what it is like there's not a lot of stuff that we do like on the ice a lot of it is in the dressing room and I think that that's you know what resonates is just the banter. Mark Riley: Yeah. Geno Binda: Exactly. Ball busting. Ryan McDonell: much. Yeah, man. What do you guys do so in Boston with your with your case? So I was eating lobster rolls and it was going out crazy. Going on style. What do you go butter or mayo? Mark Riley: You Geno Binda: Legals? Mark Riley: Mayo all day, mayo all day. I don't know where the butter thing came from. I don't even know where the hot butter thing came from, to be honest with you. Ryan McDonell: That's where I'm at. Geno Binda: Yeah, you gotta go with the mayo. Yes. Like, I don't get any of like. Ryan McDonell: Holy fuck, I'm regulars and when we go there everyone's like, I think it's some fucking male. It's how we ate him in Nova Scotia, not too heavy. Yeah. Mark Riley: out. No, no. Geno Binda: Yeah, get the Mayo can't be too heavy on the Mayo. It's like very light Not too heavy very light, you know, and it's overflow. Yeah Mark Riley: Yep, maybe a little celery, maybe a little celery in there, but not overpowering. Like just a little bit so you get a crunch. Nope, don't just need, you may need a little mayo, a little celery, and a toasted hot dog bun. That's how you're supposed to eat them. That's it. Outsides, yep. Ryan McDonell: But may I? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I don't need Dill. I don't necessarily need Dill, like, you know, but. Geno Binda: Now. Ryan McDonell: I want some celery. Geno Binda: Yes. Ryan McDonell: grilled on the outsides and yeah, fucking money. You're making me hungry, okay. Geno Binda: The place down the Cape we go to, Sosuit Harbor, they're like 30, 35 bucks for a lobster roll. It's obnoxious. You get it once a year. It's unbelievable. Ryan McDonell: Yeah, bet. I bet. I know. They were all, I know, they were that price everywhere we were, but yeah, I know. You go to the other places. Mark Riley: ⁓ yeah, no, it's crazy. Josh Dolan: I all that stuff. Ryan McDonell: Really? Mark Riley: Yeah Josh Dolan: Yeah. Geno Binda: You gotta get the clams with the bellies in it. You can't get the script. You gotta get the bellies Josh Dolan: Rawr! Mark Riley: you Ryan McDonell: Okay, yeah, okay. Yeah, I wasn't until I was older, but yeah. He'd take me out to Nova Scotia and put me on the West Coast, like where I don't have, well, no, I don't, but I go away from it and then I start to like it. So growing up and having around you, yeah, I know. Mark Riley: I'm not a clam guy. I'm not, nah. Geno Binda: No. Hmm, go figure. Mark Riley: You're- no. Geno Binda: The best seafood I had was actually in Newfoundland. It was unbelievable, the fish and chips up there, phenomenal. Ryan McDonell: Oh man, cod cheeks and you know, yeah man. Yeah, that's good stuff. Geno Binda: ⁓ So good. Mark Riley: What the hell's a cod cheek? Josh Dolan: Yeah. Ryan McDonell: Well, a meteor piece of the cod. Yeah, it's literally like chewier. I don't know. It's hard to describe. Just listen to that bad boy off. It's good. Mark Riley: I'm thinking you eat, you're not eating its face, are you? God, gee. Geno Binda: I don't know the boys took care of you when you went up there shout out to Jimmy Vail and Joey and you know All those guys Sheldon Keough. They're the best like they they would take you to drive you around and you know, especially on your off day They made sure you you know like they're in playoff season like they take you to your house and you know Go watch the NHL game and have a glass of wine some yeah some some home-cooked dinner. It was nice You know in the bars all night either Ryan McDonell: That's awesome. kitchen party. Yeah. Yeah, man. Yeah. Yeah, I miss that stuff. I miss that stuff a lot. Yeah. Yeah. You're in the kitchen. That's hilarious. Geno Binda: Yeah Mark Riley: You are coming down for the T-Offer Heroes? June 1st. Yeah. Ryan McDonell: That's right. That's right. Yeah. I'm doing something like, I don't know if I should say what it is. ⁓ When does this come out? When do you plan on this coming out? Geno Binda: ⁓ nice. Mark Riley: This will drop next week. So whatever that day is. Ryan McDonell: Okay, I'm doing a little something for ⁓ someone who's having, it's pretty cool for me because I grew up loving this guy, you guys know him, but anyway, it'll come out later. ⁓ For the Canadian Screen Awards, it's like our ⁓ Canadian Television Awards, so ⁓ we're honoring someone who's Canadian, who is very big. It was actually fucking crazy how it happened. ⁓ And we'll have to reconnect and tell it so I don't. Geno Binda: Is that me? Ryan McDonell: giveaway shit I'm maybe not supposed to say or whatever. But yeah, I'm doing a little video for a tribute for him. And, and then I'm going to be part of it and then come down and wail some golf balls and eat some lobster rolls. Josh Dolan: . Mark Riley: We'll go out for a locker roll for sure. That's, well, yeah. Josh Dolan: Okay. Ryan McDonell: Love it. Love it. Geno Binda: The place you golf and got really good food too. Ryan McDonell: I've heard just the best things about it all. So yeah, I'm so excited. And thank you. Like, thank you, thank you. Yeah, thank you so much for the invite. Josh Dolan: off of it. Geno Binda: Yeah, it's an unbelievable golf course. Best view of the city. Mark Riley: No, it's going to be. Yeah, no, they're psyched to have you. ⁓ I think Goody's coming down too. And, you know, it's gonna be a great tournament. It's gonna be a lot of fun. Yeah, so we'll, I'll take it. Josh Dolan: Okay. Ryan McDonell: Yeah, yeah, I heard, yeah. That's great. Yeah. Yeah, I'm I'm stoked. Josh Dolan: Let's get dolo and TR back down here too Ryan McDonell: I know. I don't know where they are. don't. Yeah, like people are busy right now, but it's good. It's a good busy. So it's, you know, we're trying to make hay. So it's good. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Mark Riley: Yeah, ⁓ make it when you can, right? For sure. No, that's going to be ⁓ that Sunday before Kevin Mason is the guy who's putting it all together. And so they're doing a big brunch thing Sunday morning over at Granite. then, yeah. And then so Sunday night, we'll go out and we'll hit up some lobster rolls and some of the more inner Boston places. We'll just say that, you know. Ryan McDonell: Mm-hmm. I'll be there. Yeah. Ugh. Love it. Well, shout out inner Boston. Speaking of Boston, I got to give a big shout out to... I'm forgetting their name right now. Oh my God. I'm so sorry. The dot. The dot tavern. Those guys took care of us when we were in Boston. So I don't need to say much more than that. It went on for... I'm not trying to get anyone in trouble, but you guys are the absolute... Mark Riley: ⁓ yeah? Geno Binda: Nice. Mark Riley: you Ryan McDonell: best we will be back. Our bellies were full. Food, drink, anything. It was just absolutely amazing. So thank you, The Dot. Yeah, you guys made a memory for us, for sure. If anyone else wants to challenge them, we're down. Mark Riley: Bye. Josh Dolan: Ha ha ha. Geno Binda: We'll take you to a couple after hour joints. Ryan McDonell: Yeah, I bet there is. Yeah. ⁓ man. It's funny. Yeah. ⁓ yeah. Yeah. You guys just treat us so good. like, you know, the truth is, it reminds me so much of home, like in Halifax. It really, really does. so that was my second time being there. And I just I can't wait to go back. So, yeah, it's pretty cool. Josh Dolan: We closed the bell in hand with you. Geno Binda: That's a great spot. Josh Dolan: I was. Geno Binda: Boston people get it, especially with like famous people come into town. We kind of leave you alone and you know, they get it and they Ryan McDonell: Yeah. But it's just a good like, I don't even know, just the mentality of people there are really refreshing. It's nice. Yeah. Yeah. Geno Binda: Hmm. They're real. Mark Riley: I think we, yeah, we in Boston appreciate, you know, obviously hockey, right? We're definitely a hockey town, I think, huge, huge, greatest, greatest board city in the world, if you ask any of us, but. Ryan McDonell: Still, just a sports town in general, I was in Vancouver when they were playing Boston. I know all about you guys. Fucking that was nuts. Fuck. ⁓ I wasn't part of the riots. ⁓ I had a friend who worked in the arena actually. This is pretty funny. And we went to go watch. It's probably like a, it wasn't a week. It was probably like a month after game seven. ⁓ Mark Riley: Well, yeah, you were part of the you're part of the riots. Geno Binda: Let's go. Mashi. Were you sitting next to a lady? Ryan McDonell: And he was like, yo, you gotta come up to the raf... There's like these boxes up here. He had a key. was just like, here, go up and watch the bands from up here. We're watching Soundgarden and Queen of the Stone Age, Chris Cornell. But like, there was a bunch of them. And so we're up there watching. And then all of sudden we're, look, it's just papers everywhere. Like, so the staff and the writers and media or whatever. just literally dropped everything and fucking darted out of that building and they hadn't cleaned it. They hadn't even cleaned it yet. So was like, wow, like, okay. ⁓ Just like literally like game sheets of Boston like stuff like Boston Herald, all the media, we were there sitting in there. I'll never forget it. Hanging our legs off the end of it. But yeah, it was pretty fun. Good show. Geno Binda: They know it. I thought he was on fire. awesome. Mark Riley: That's wild. Geno Binda: Great couple to. That was awesome. That was a good series. They had some drama in it. Ryan McDonell: Yeah, What a series. Yeah, what a series. To go out there this year and be on the ice with Chara and then with the Sedines later on in Vancouver was like... Geno Binda: How cool was that? Right? Mark Riley: ⁓ yeah. Josh Dolan: . Ryan McDonell: And they don't do that stuff very often. So that was really, Geno Binda: So when that cup run was going on, that finals, like me, we went just in town for the movies and we saw them all. We saw the whole team. Like I recognize Ryan Kessler right away. The big end, the whole thing, like we both punching out ticket in and I just slapped my wife. I go Ryan Kessler and he's like staring right next to me. And then you just see the whole team. They're all going to the movies. Ryan McDonell: Yeah. ⁓ yeah, you would. As you would. Yeah, man. That was, man, they had like, lived in that city for forever. ⁓ Presidents trophy winners there, you know, like they were, they all thought that that was the time. But yeah, you guys, you guys did it, Roberto was amazing. Well, the flip in the Olympics like that, year. Yeah, fucking, Rafi Torres was back there taking heads off, like. Geno Binda: ⁓ yeah. Roberto was awesome. He was an unbelievable goalie. ⁓ Josh Dolan: They had Andrew Albertson defense. Mark Riley: Albie, yeah. Geno Binda: ⁓ yeah. Ryan McDonell: It was a great team. was such good hockey back then, was, yeah, because they lost to the Kings, guess, the prior, who just bulldozed everyone that year, and then thought, okay, okay, so they won, like, let's go to Boston. And clearly, Marchand had his way, as he does, ⁓ with ⁓ the Sedin, so. Yeah, man, yeah. Geno Binda: was. Mm-hmm. Yep. And Tim Tommy, Tim Thomas, I'm not a huge fan, but he stood on his head that that cup run man, even though he had a blooper in game one, he he stole it for him. He did it. Ryan McDonell: Whatever it took to stop it, he used it. Like he was fucking leaning on back of his head and just, yeah, crazy, crazy, crazy. And yeah, Roberto had a hell of a year because he took over the net from the Olympic win too, which was right in Vancouver that year. Like we were having a hell of a time of hockey watching in Vancouver that year. It was the best. You just watched the Olympics, had everyone there for the Olympics, Canada won. Mark Riley: I'm a huge Tim. Josh Dolan: Okay. Ryan McDonell: celebrate until a month and you know Roberto was that guy and then he was that guy again and it was so special we really thought we were gonna have a double whammy there but yeah never happened. I'm a Toronto fan though true and true or through and through but it's ⁓ yeah it's all good. Being living in Toronto it's tough with all the media but I love the media they're the best but yeah. Geno Binda: Mm-hmm. I'm going to his head. Mark Riley: Well. Josh Dolan: ⁓ Mark Riley: I'm about that. How do you get the first pitch? Geno Binda: ⁓ man, what's going on with Matthews? I mean, it's like Boston. Yeah, the same as Boston. Like if you like killing all the teams right now. Josh Dolan: Hmm. Ryan McDonell: This number one pick man really flips stuff. Mark Riley: How did you get- Yeah. How did you get the number one pick? That was like, you had no business. Ryan McDonell: You're asking the wrong guy, man. I'm sitting here looking at the TV going, was that 12? is that the number 12? There's no way it could be a fix though. Who the hell, like in this day and age in 2026, with all the AMRA people and a studio and Batman, there's no fucking way. It's just cause it's Toronto that everyone says it's a fix. If it was San Jose, everyone would be like, ⁓ cool. Geno Binda: It's is in! Fix is in! Mark Riley: I don't know. ⁓ I-I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. Geno Binda: No. Josh Dolan: Ha ha ha ha ha ha Geno Binda: You know what take hang on take the kid McKinnon take him take mckinnon. He's a minus 17 take him take him all you want He's an easy next Matthews Ryan McDonell: I don't know what the best play is. All I know is that Matthews is a hell of fucking hockey player. Led you guys to your Olympics wins too, doing two-way everything. Josh Dolan: Ha ha ha. Geno Binda: I was gonna say he would look good in a blue and juniform. Just saying. Mark Riley: Yeah? Josh Dolan: The earring bug. Ryan McDonell: Yeah, him and Passe, but they can wear whatever they want in Toronto. Geno Binda: I think I think McDavid he's looking for houses in Boston to I heard McDavid's looking for houses. Josh Dolan: No. Mark Riley: Yeah. Ryan McDonell: McDavid is from Toronto. I mean, I don't know, but you never know. Mark Riley: I don't think, could McDavid really leave Edmonton where he should have three Stanley Cups if he had a goalie and go to Toronto where they just can't win? Like they just can't win, right? I mean. Josh Dolan: Okay. Okay. Geno Binda: You should come to Boston where we have a goalie. Ryan McDonell: I think he could. Well, I just think change narrative then. I don't know. Like, look at fucking Montreal right now. Holy fuck. And they're your biggest thorn in your side. How's that? Like, yeah. So I mean, look, anything can happen any year. Toronto fucking lost to the Stanley Cup champions the last two playoffs in a row. That's a fact. So it's not really where you lose in the playoffs. It's who you lose to. Mark Riley: Yeah, no, no, I mean, I don't have anything. ⁓ I know. I know. Geno Binda: ⁓ my god. I hate him. Mark Riley: Hey. Josh Dolan: Hey. Mark Riley: done. Ryan McDonell: So that's how I think. Geno Binda: And how you lose too, like that 4 to 1 victory. ⁓ that was awesome. That was unreal, comeback. Mark Riley: Wait ⁓ a minute. That sounds like a Toronto Maple Leaf fan right there. It doesn't matter. It matters who you lose to. Ryan McDonell: All right. Yeah. Fair enough. ⁓ But, but I mean, but ask it. Okay. Okay. Flip it then ask if you're a Philly fan right now and you're watching Carolina. You got a lot to be proud of with Philly in that season. But if you were in the Toronto market, you're just going to get fucking hammered. And it's like, you're the worst team in the league. Well, guess what? They made, they made huge jumps and they lost to a monster of a team right now. Who's playing like a Josh Dolan: That sounds like a lot of first round exit. Geno Binda: ⁓ True. everything. Ryan McDonell: like a Colorado or something, but well, even they lost in Minnesota, but ⁓ yeah, they look like steam wagons out there, Mark Riley: Well, I said- I said with Buffalo and the Canadians series, I hate both of them, but I hate Buffalo more, which believe it or not, actually, no, I hate Buffalo more because we just played them and Benson is the biggest scumbag right now in the league. He's like, oh, I can't stand him. Ryan McDonell: Yeah. Geno Binda: No, I hate, I hate my triomphant. Ryan McDonell: Okay. ⁓ there you go, okay. Josh Dolan: But still even though they won at the end of the day, they're still in Buffalo, so I mean Mark Riley: Well, yeah, I they're still in Buffalo, but I guess I. Josh Dolan: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha Ryan McDonell: Yeah, it's another sports town though, man. Holy shit. Do they ever love their that's what they got. But but but it like, ⁓ man, like, how about though, because I don't like Canadians either. I do not. But you turn on that TV and you see that building going off. It's like, holy shit. Yeah, they got something special there. They got something special there. Yeah. Josh Dolan: It is. Mark Riley: Ugh. It's insane. Geno Binda: I worked in that. I worked in that building once during the lockout. I worked in that law during the lockout. I mean, it is special, like the ice, everything like immaculate. It was the best ice I ever skated on. Yep. Ryan McDonell: It's crazy. everyone is wearing red. Like there's not a like it's it's just a sea of red with white towels and they're pro they have to be the loudest like that that just with Dobic the other night there that was insane yeah so pretty cool. Josh Dolan: Yeah. Geno Binda: This is awesome. Mark Riley: 21,000 people just going nuts. It's impressive. Yeah, I think it was last night they said 21,000 plus in that building. It's nuts. So. Ryan McDonell: Is that what they get in there? Wow. ⁓ Holy rocking. Yeah rocking Wow. Well, respected respected there. They've been around Look, you know, I see the coaches like I understand like but even when I was watching like Marty St. Louis Against Tampa it was like You can't tell me that every single Montreal Canadian player who loves to play for him anyway wants to play for him even harder Mark Riley: I don't want him to win. Ryan McDonell: to beat his former team. And same with like Marco Sturm. Like, you know, I just think this new age of coach, the players want to play for that, you know, they make it undeniable, like that they want to go through a wall for them. it's, there's definitely a new age of coach. Amazing what he did. And all I hear is the best things about him. Yeah. Geno Binda: It's amazing what Marco did this year. It really is. It's like the team they had no business getting the playoffs, no business being in the playoffs. It goes to show you have a goalie, right? He can steal you a couple games and the team believes that they stopped playing and they got some young kids buying in and yeah, it was good. Ryan McDonell: Well. Yep. And you let them go. Let them go and play, you know? Like, I mean, God, we're watching Fraser Minton go down there and just be like ripping it up and like, ⁓ But, you know, it's a trade. It's a tough one, but ⁓ it's just, you know, I'm watching Borube, and there's nothing against Borube. He's Stanley Cup winning coach. But the way that those players are reacting to his system is clearly, there's something. Geno Binda: Yep. Don't make mistakes. Yeah. If Ryan McDonell: So it's, I don't know, you see them go freewheeling in Boston all of a sudden and they get, it's the creativity starts flowing again and they're not just latched onto one idea. And they, think, yeah, the proof was in the pudding there. So fucking great team. There's lots to look forward to in the NHL moving forward. Geno Binda: I agree like there's a lot of good like I mean the college game right now is phenomenal right like it's so good. I don't know if you I don't know if you caught any the frozen for but like I was fortunate enough to catch watch every game because I was a you know video replay judge which was awesome. Yeah I was in the control room for the regionals and then the frozen for I was a second replay judge so I was up in the booth it was awesome. Ryan McDonell: ⁓ that's a whole other conversation. Yeah. Nice. Didn't know. Okay, amazing, amazing. Geno Binda: In the hockey, the hockey was so good. mean, the kids just played that the penalties all stuck out and you know, the refereeing was really, really, really well done in this tournament. Ryan McDonell: I gotta go. Penalties all stuck out, that's a good point. You don't hear that very often, no, that's true. Yeah, yeah, that's what I mean, Yeah, yeah, yeah. Geno Binda: You know, like everything like the kids just play they don't put the referees in a tough position to make hard calls, right? You know, and it's just it can be done that way, right? It's not always the rest fault like we only get involved when we have to and you know, I just think I think where the cut like the speed and the skill these guys have it's it's going to translate to the National Hockey League because that's how the games played up there now and you know Josh Dolan: What the? Ryan McDonell: Yeah. Geno Binda: ⁓ They might have been one penalty shot called in the tournament, but there was no that we don't go to shootouts It goes continuous overtime. So But I did call one Ryan McDonell: Yeah. Yeah, no, no. Yeah, but but I was just curious because there was so many penalty shots at the beginning of the first round here in the NHL. was like, oh, it's a record of those. Geno Binda: Mmm. I called one in a regional up in Manchester and I lost the number because there was like two players there and they both kind of got their sticks in and I'm like, fuck, which one did it? And then the coach was pissed at me because I threw his kid out earlier and he wouldn't give me the fucking number and the assistant coach gave it to me. Ryan McDonell: Yeah. Geno Binda: He was like, he's like, just need the number. lost the number. That's all I care about. You can yell all you want. says the coach comes down and goes 14. I'm like, all right, thanks. Ryan McDonell: You're lucky. Yeah. Yeah, we'll just. That's good. Oh boy. Yeah, that's nerve wracking. That's cool. That's awesome. Geno Binda: Yeah, just you just react. I mean, at that at that moment, right? Like you just react. But yeah, it was well. The toughest calls, well, the toughest calls, I think, are goals, right? Especially with this contacting around the goalie, whether or not like look at that one they had loud the other night with the scape blade, right? ⁓ Even as a video replay judge, everything that came by the net, we went and reviewed it right away, like a shot off the post. Ryan McDonell: What's your toughest call ever? Like has there been a notable one where you were like that you can talk about or? Yeah. Yeah. Geno Binda: They go back, check that out. The tech would rewind it quick. Boom off the post because it could have went up underneath quick. Could have went in and out, you know, and those happened. Could have went underneath the net. Like there's all sorts of variables. And, know, I think those ones are the toughest ones goals in and around the cage when you can't really find the puck. We had one in the tournament where we couldn't find the puck and, you know, it was inconclusive. Like we looked at every angle. It was the longest review. Ryan McDonell: You do, Yeah. Totally. Yeah. Yeah. Geno Binda: and we couldn't find the park so I think I that would say that was the toughest one the penalties. long as you have an angle in you know you can see principal point of contact then those are pretty easy. ⁓ Yeah exactly that the rules are pretty straightforward for. Ryan McDonell: It just is what it is. Got it. Yeah. Mark Riley: Especially with four men now too, with four, you know, the four Mitchell's and two referees. Like when I came up and was doing the Coast League, it was just a one and two. So, you know, and we had no replay. We had fucking VHS tapes for, you know, game film. So we didn't have that luxury. So you made a call, whether it was right or wrong, and you had to live with it. And, you know, and if it was wrong, you know, you had to say, hey, I messed up, you know? Ryan McDonell: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Mark Riley: and listen to John Marks on the Charlotte bench light you up because you missed a high pick and it crossed the fucking goals. He's the best though, John Marks was the best. But yeah, it's definitely a different game. What was I gonna do? He was up on the Dasher, know, screaming at me, 8,000 people going nuts. And I'm like, John, I'll give you like 20, 30 seconds, but then you gotta get down, because I messed up, you know? like, oh, that was crazy that night. Geno Binda: been lit up by him too. He is the best. Ryan McDonell: Yeah. take it with a pride. Yeah. Yeah, no, no, Yeah, totally. Yeah. Yes. Yeah. Wow. Mark Riley: That was back when you couldn't, you know, there was nothing we could do, you know, it was, was it. Yeah. Yeah. Ryan McDonell: What were you to do? Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly. Like, yeah. Couldn't even go make an apology to her after. Yeah. Geno Binda: We... Yeah, we had a goal. One of the best officials in the tournament pointed off the crossbar for a goal because it went in like hit it hit it came out quick like real fast pointed for a goal was like off fuck that didn't go in and I've done that before because it happened so quick in those nets are so tight in your I see shit that you like whoa what just happened right and Like your catch like this the the angle and it's like weird and yeah, it happens. I would say gold ⁓ Ryan McDonell: Yeah, yeah, yeah. can't imagine, Easy. Mark Riley: Have you ever refereed anything? Ryan McDonell: No, no I haven't. Well actually, soccer when I was young, but that was just like a summer job. That was easy. It's like kids. But no, I love getting out there and helping out with kids, hockey and stuff like that. My little guy's just getting into it. I actually bought these. I gotta give a shout out to Bauer here too, because... You notice that they're making these skates now for kids with the toe caps that like push out and in so you're not buying them a new pair for the next three years. It's a minor little detail but hey parents out there don't be going they're literally the same price as a skate go get these ones like they're incredible yeah if you got a three or four. Do you write? We've been doing it with the the fucking you know the sizing ⁓ Geno Binda: did not know that I'm really jealous Mark Riley: Really? I'm surprised it took that long to do. Geno Binda: Wow. Josh Dolan: Yeah. Geno Binda: I did that for the rollerblades. didn't do that for the Josh Dolan: I also use... Geno Binda: Yeah, I did it for the roller blades. The roller blades lasted a while. Now I got her in like real ones, but like the skates. I wish I knew about the skates. Ryan McDonell: you put them on your sneaker like. Yeah. Yeah, man. They just came out with exactly what you said. Mark was like, it took till 2026 to think of that. was like. And so I got to give Corwin McCallum a big shout out because he sent me these. sent me so Bauer and Corwin, thank you very much. They give me little nice touch of a McD there. So we'll be we'll be ready to go for the. Classics when we go back out again. Yeah, buddy. Mark Riley: Right? Well, I suppose the- Josh Dolan: I didn't even notice my daughter's Geno Binda: Nice. Mark Riley: Love it. A lot of gold in that stick. A lot of apples. Ryan McDonell: There's a lot of apples in that sink right there. Whole lot of apples to fish. No. Geno Binda: If I was feeling generous, they could send the zebra or something. Mark Riley: I ⁓ gave you a few phantom apples. It the first time you were in Boston. Ryan McDonell: Yeah, I was taking them. was like, 19, that's from 19. I was tied to scoring. It was weird. Mark Riley: Yup. Geno Binda: I worked, I worked, I worked the USHL and like pro hockey and like pro hockey really can't do it because they take it, you know, a little bit serious, but like the juniors, anybody that was from Boston got phantom assist. So they would see me coming out. They were like, nice, bend is working point night. Ryan McDonell: Yeah. Yeah! Second apple. Just so you know, it's a one nine here. Mark Riley: Yeah. Josh Dolan: That's what I do for Bruce Shoebottom at the Bruins alumni. Geno Binda: Yeah, they'd be sitting on the bench and skate by I go hey nice pass Ryan McDonell: That's pretty funny. That's good. ⁓ yeah. ⁓ Mark Riley: Yeah, Bruce Shoebottom gets some phantom apples too in the alumni game for sure. I love the kids when kids scores and you don't know and you're like, hey, who had the apples? And the kids look at you. I'm like, dude, always call your own number. I'm asking because I don't know. Like, oh, I don't know. I don't know. Like, call your number, you moron. Ryan McDonell: Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Oh, we were the first one to see your number. I was. Yeah, I was. Oh, 19 for sure. Yeah. Josh Dolan: Hahaha Mark Riley: ⁓ yeah! All day! Geno Binda: ⁓ The scorekeeper in Hockey Night in Boston had my number in it with a circle on it in an X and no assists. I got every one. Mark Riley: You Josh Dolan: Okay. Okay. Ryan McDonell: just to get you back. Mark Riley: You always got him when I was out there. I gave one to you on every goal. So. Ryan McDonell: That's funny. Geno Binda: There was a high school game. We were down. We beat somebody like 70 to 1 I got every single assist and my coach came in after the game. He goes you should be ashamed of yourself I didn't do it. I was like I think that I'm fixing Ryan McDonell: Hahaha Patent stats. High school Hawkins is obviously still so big out there, right? Is it? Mark Riley: Ugh. Geno Binda: Cough High school hockey is big, ⁓ it's still big, it's not like it's not Minnesota, but it's still big, what it's worth. ⁓ But the junior hockey out here is taking it over. Mark Riley: Not like Minnesota. Josh Dolan: you Okay. Ryan McDonell: It's not like it used to be, yeah, okay. Yeah, okay. That's what I played and it was, yeah, it has, yeah. Mark Riley: No, no, it's not like it used to be. Geno Binda: But the way the NCAA is going now with the, you know, the requirements, who knows what's going to happen to junior hockey and everything else that's going to hurt hurt the customers. So who knows where this thing's going to go? Ryan McDonell: It's a really tough conversation. Like the product that we have here, if you go to a game, it's absolutely incredible. ⁓ Now you got to ask yourself like the age of the kids. ⁓ What are they going to get the most out of? ⁓ Obviously at a junior team, they don't all go pro. ⁓ Geno Binda: Mm-hmm. Josh Dolan: Okay. Okay. Geno Binda: Mm-hmm. Ryan McDonell: And if you're a parent, think this ride with the schools and stuff is very, very, very enticing. I mean, if you're a good player and they can't really quite do that in Canada yet with the university programs, it's just not there. But man, to go and play in the NCAA, play against men at different ages. Josh Dolan: Okay. Okay. Ryan McDonell: I mean, I think we're all kind of in agreeance that it's clearly been a great developing program for so many players. You're seeing like a Gavin McKenna who's jumping ship and going over there too to get that extra year in and just build up a little, becoming a man, you know? ⁓ And then you're seeing a ton of like, even Kale McCarr coming out of college, like jumping into playoffs, like where they come in late, you know? Geno Binda: He was awesome. Ryan McDonell: and they jump in late and have an immediate impact and you're, you know, Martone, there you go. It's a great example too. Like, so. Geno Binda: This there's one or two every year that come out but there's not a whole lot of them, right? ⁓ There's not a lot. I mean look at look at Haggins like he came out like for the Bruins like he struggled a little bit He didn't jump right in he went down the American League and you know, it's yep Ryan McDonell: Yeah, there's not a lot. No, it's true. Josh Dolan: Okay. Ryan McDonell: And there's arguments everywhere because then they're coming in the league at like 24 versus like another one coming in at like 18 or 19 and you can do what you want with them in the AHL or develop them the way that you want. So yeah, there's a lot of arguments. It's a weird time right now, but hey, US got good. This is fucking. Geno Binda: Right, exactly. It is, it's going to get shaped out some way or another. Like someone like, oh, it's going to get, well, I mean, the powers to be are going to really, really dictate it. Right. And, however that that goes and you know, the, culture of college hockey now, I mean, with them getting paid and everything else it's, and then just jumping ship left and right. It's, it's, it's hard. So. Josh Dolan: Okay. Ryan McDonell: Yeah, absolutely. That's another thing too, it's become its own like, league, they're all doing online classes, they're jumping teams in schools, so it's, it's ⁓ Geno Binda: Mm-hmm. Ryan McDonell: Like, do football players do that as much in the NCAA as well? Geno Binda: They're professionals, like, Josh Dolan: Okay. Okay. Geno Binda: Yeah, they'll jump. mean, look at look at Indiana, right? Like where the hell they come from. They got that quarterback from Cal and you know, it was like see you later. Right. And that's what you almost expect with Belichick. ⁓ we did all this recruiting. ⁓ look at what Indiana just did. You should be right there next year. Right. So it's just the way the way it is now. Right. It's in, you know, they're not even right. I mean, they're they're building their teams through the portals now, not necessarily recruiting. Mark Riley: now. Ryan McDonell: Right, and then it just changes everything. Mark Riley: Yeah. Ryan McDonell: Yeah. Josh Dolan: you Ryan McDonell: Yeah, there's no time for squandering, right? Geno Binda: right like it's it's a different it's a different environment like all these it's it's it's really different and it's going to be interesting how everything you know like I said shakes out but like these Academy programs now like you see like the masses Academy you got the level Academy you get all these academies now it's great for the women the women teams are doing doing excellent and I don't know the boys either yes. Ryan McDonell: Yeah. points. Josh Dolan: you Ryan McDonell: Yeah. The women's sport is growing like just in leaps and bounds. ⁓ It's great. It's great for them. ⁓ Toronto has that too. Like, I mean, we're out here. I go into this tournament the other day. was all these kids from North America. they were so good. They were so good. And their parents are flying them every weekend to different cities. And these academies that you speak of, I'm just like, ⁓ my. Josh Dolan: you Geno Binda: It's nuts. Yeah. See you. Josh Dolan: you Ryan McDonell: God, it's. Geno Binda: Dude, I'm in the dick of it. My daughter's my daughter's 11. She'll be 11 this summer, but we're going to Minnesota. We're going to she's a goalie. We'll go to Minnesota. She's played in the tournament. She's off for a few weeks, but we're going to Minnesota in June and then Vegas in July. ⁓ yeah. Yeah, she is. She's playing the boys and the girls, so it's good. She's ready for the boys this year, so. Ryan McDonell: Okay, yeah, you're in the Josh Dolan: you Ryan McDonell: Okay. a goalie too, so she's going to be trying out for all the teams. like, yeah, yeah, yeah. But that's a good thing. Good. Right on, right on. That's good, man. That's good. The future's bright. Mark Riley: So Ryan, you weren't a goalie when you played. Geno Binda: It's not, it's a scene. Ryan McDonell: No, not at all. Played. Yeah, yeah, exactly. I played a lot of like road hockey, not that that counts or anything. ⁓ Took a lot of pride in like learning. I grew, like sharpened skates for 15 years. I sold all the gear. I like to think that I knew what was going on at least a little bit. I was. Mark Riley: ⁓ so you're just like typecast. That's a call. Ryan McDonell: I am capable on my goalie skates and stuff like that. I can fake it pretty good, but as soon as you start getting like Jordan Nolan and Terry and all those boys coming in and bar down on you, you don't look like 24 and old Michael's anymore. you fake it for a shot, but yeah. Fucking right, his brother was too, man. He just got injured. Fuck, Brandon could score, Yeah. Is he? Geno Binda: Jordan was, he was a tough kid, man. Mark Riley: We'll never lose again! What the? Yeah. Well, Jordan, Jordan's coming on. Jordan's coming on. He's scheduled to be our next path. Yeah. yep. Ryan McDonell: Fantastic. Nice. Nice. my best. Jordan's great, And he loves his business. He's a cinephile. yeah, ask him a few questions. Some deep cuts on movies, he probably might surprise you. Yeah. Geno Binda: There were tape-men tomorrow with them. All right. Mark Riley: Gino, you flinched a little bit with Cinephile. I saw it. You weren't sure, anyway. Josh Dolan: Okay. Geno Binda: Yeah, it did. Now, I he was going to say something else. ⁓ Ryan McDonell: Goodbye. Josh Dolan: Thank Mark Riley: That's hilarious. I gotta say though, you fake it well though, being a goalie on like, cause you can't tell. I honestly thought like you were a goalie all along and just, know, skating out for the Shorzy Classic. I know that you gotta, you you're taking shots from XNHLers. I wouldn't be a net either, but yeah. Ryan McDonell: ⁓ man. Thanks. Yeah, well that's the point, but... yeah. Yeah, I mean, yeah. And it's a good opportunity for us to use some of the goalies that we've had and some of the team's goalies that they want to use and kind of allows them to, you know, get maximum ice time and stuff like that. We had Ben Scriven's out with us too, and he came and joined us for a few more games and he's great. And yeah, yeah. And ⁓ so it's been it's it's been. Geno Binda: I'm a panman. Ryan McDonell: It was just so fun. For me to be out there playing as a player is just outstanding. It's just for me. There's no one else because I'm not doing anything else for anyone else. The odd assist to fish, but that's it. Mark Riley: Ha ha! Josh Dolan: Bye. Mark Riley: ⁓ So when you said road hockey, so what's funny is we call it street hockey down here, right? Which is the same thing. It's the same thing, but it's just funny to hear it called road hockey. It's like, you know. Ryan McDonell: Yeah. Yeah, yeah, it's true. I remember. Yeah. I grew up in rural Nova Scotia so the cars would fly by us but yeah, yeah, exactly man. Yeah. Mark Riley: Yeah. Geno Binda: ⁓ yeah, game on! Mark Riley: Yeah. But we, yeah, we had, I know Gino, we play in the street and every five minutes you'd be like, car, and everyone has to fricking move the shit. They go by and then you go back out playing, you know? It's like, yeah. I don't even think they had called the sacks back then when I was growing up. Ryan McDonell: Yeah. It sucks. Gotta go to the cul-de-sac and find a cul-de-sac somewhere. Yeah. Geno Binda: and Ryan McDonell: Yeah, if there was one, it's hard to find. Geno Binda: we have a school yard We had a schoolyard but I always put the net in the middle of my street instead of walking down around the corner like a half a half a block Mark Riley: You Ryan McDonell: I had, we had a basement down in the, like my, it was a finished, not finished, but it had that like nice slick concrete. So my brother and I would rollerblade down there. It was small. I go down there now and I'm like, what? We'd be shooting pots from another room, like through the door to get more area. But it was, yeah, it's good memories. Good memories. Lots of rollerblading, tons of rollerblading out in Nova Scotia when I was growing up. Yeah, lots of it. Mark Riley: Thanks You Geno Binda: Yes. Mark Riley: Now I did want to talk a little bit about your acting career because you've been in a lot of stuff. ⁓ and, you know, and, and, ⁓ I know you were up for a Leo nomination, correct? Is that, did I read that correctly for the devout? Yeah. Yeah. I, did my, I did my homework. ⁓ but you've been in a lot. like give that, what was outside of Shorzy? Cause it's now and it's, know, Josh Dolan: Okay. Ryan McDonell: Sure. Yeah. I was. Yeah. Yeah. You read that? Yeah. The Devout. Yeah. Yeah. That's right, man. Yeah. You're digging in. Yeah. Mark Riley: What was kind of your favorite role to play? Because you had some recurring roles on some shows too. What was the one that you're like, was a lot of fun? Josh Dolan: you Ryan McDonell: Yeah, I mean. They're always fun because everything's so different. when you're working with different people every day. I'm a people person sometimes, most of the time. and I, you know, just to be able to collaborate with different people has been awesome. The truth is a lot of the jobs that I've had in the past have been like either, there's been a few where I've had recurring roles on shows where you're doing a few episodes, but they've been like one-offs or, you know, a bit part. ⁓ Like, was just, was, remember watch, was, ⁓ been watching The Boys lately and Jensen Echol was on there, he's awesome. And I worked with him ⁓ and his wife actually too, which was crazy. But I, this happened to me twice, like where I had done a show, I did it it was a very small part and then they basically forgot about me or they wrote it out and then I did the show again. So I did it on Battlestar Galactica, which ended up being pretty big and. ⁓ and the secondary version of the character was like way better. And I did that on Supernatural as well. So they just kept going and I guess ran out of actors in Vancouver so they decided to rehire me. like, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, it was crazy. Yeah. But only one of them's kind of memorable because it was only like a one line thing or something beforehand. But like, Mark Riley: Did you play different roles each time? That's wild. Ryan McDonell: It's not to always cut back to hockey, but the most fun. mean, it just proved so much. loved that game so much. Like Slapshot 3 was absolutely incredible when I was younger. was working with, fuck, like Doug Gilmore was there on set, Marc Messier, the late Leslie Nielsen, the late and great Leslie Nielsen was watching him. It was his last movie. So was pretty crazy to be in that with him. Geno Binda: Ack. Mark Riley: Yeah. Geno Binda: No kidding. He was the best. Ryan McDonell: And the Hanson brothers, you know, it was just so iconic. And just to be able to say that I was doing that was such a crazy thing. And I never thought in a million years I would ever do anything hockey ever again. That's the truth. ⁓ So for this to hit the way that it has with fans and stuff like that, mean, fuck, John Hamm was going off about it on Instagram the other day. was watching with Amy Poehler and I was like, God, that's... It's really cool. ⁓ really cool. Hi, John. Thanks. Bye. Mark Riley: is Geno Binda: Every time I was like a think of is is that scene and I would I forget the movie. How about a lapnap? What movie was that with? Ah, he will be that I always like I joke around with my wife because it was one of her movies she likes to watch like hey, I'm a lapnap. Oh, he's it was was in with a girl. What the hell is the movie? Ryan McDonell: What was that? Mark Riley: A lap nap? Josh, you got that? Are you on that? On the Google machine? Josh Dolan: Try and Ryan McDonell: He's searching Lapnap, Lapnap Jonaham. Mark Riley: Who said lock-knock? Ryan McDonell: That's good. ⁓ But yeah, it's just it's, I don't know, it's all been really cool. Like this, ⁓ I'm auditioning still, a lot. ⁓ I just finished, I did do another show with Jared, ⁓ but in what context, I don't know. You'll see, you know, a little bit later. Josh Dolan: Okay. you Mark Riley: What, what ⁓ Ryan McDonell: And I am on another Netflix show as well that I've been doing just recently for a new season of a show that comes out in 2027. and hopefully, yeah. So hopefully that's all good. It's just been, it's been really cool. The fact that people like as much as Michael's like the whole shut the fuck up Michael's, it's been like a blessing. Josh Dolan: Okay. Okay. Ryan McDonell: I'll even be like in a mall and someone will be like, shut the fuck up, Michael. And it's just like said with love. And you're like, okay. But like, it's special. It's pretty cool. And people love the show. And I think like work has improved because of that. So, and I'm very, very grateful for that. Mark Riley: You Josh Dolan: Right. Okay. Geno Binda: Bridesmaids was the movie bridesmaids but Kristen Wiig. Yep. That's who he says it to I They should that movie was awesome Ryan McDonell: Did they make a part two of that? They should, if they haven't yet. let's get a second one. They probably did and I missed it, but okay. Anyway. Mark Riley: Right, that when they're. Josh Dolan: Okay. Okay. Mark Riley: when she runs across the street in the wedding dress and just squats down, maybe one of the best scenes ever, because we've all been there. Maybe not in a wedding dress, but we've all been there. You know what I mean? Like, I love that. Geno Binda: So good. Ryan McDonell: Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Geno Binda: I don't know about that. I don't even make it to my house, I just piss on my lawn. Ryan McDonell: Golfing? You're coming home from golfing? Yeah. I just made it to the flower pot. ⁓ Mark Riley: Your neighbors love that. Your neighbors love that. Geno Binda: And my wife's like, hey, the ring can never get you pissing. I'm like, ah, I'm going to make it into the house. Mark Riley: Saw you on the ring doorbell again, Gino. Ryan McDonell: ⁓ that's good. Josh Dolan: Okay. Okay. Mark Riley: What's your best sports movie? ⁓ What's your all-time favorite movie? Outside of Slapshot 3, which I don't think anyone's ever said. ⁓ Geno Binda: went viral Outside of Slapshot 3. Ryan McDonell: Yeah. I know. It's okay. I'm all about the part three, if you've noticed. I never did the original movies. I just do like the way deep sequels. I know. What was the question again? Or what sports movie? Mark Riley: Very few plot threes are any good, let's be honest. But that's all right. Geno Binda: You Mark Riley: What's your favorite movie? ⁓ Sports wise and otherwise, like. Ryan McDonell: My favorite movie was, was, was and is Ghostbusters. Yeah. Like Wayne's World is up in there. There's all kinds of stuff. I love heat though. Like Wayne's World 3, is it happening though? Geno Binda: Right. Mark Riley: Okay. Josh Dolan: You're gonna be in Wayne's World 3? Geno Binda: Alright Josh Dolan: I don't think so, but we can get the ball rolling. Mark Riley: about human Ryan McDonell: Is it? ⁓ I don't know. We'll get the, yeah. Well, Mike Myers is someone I really enjoy and he's also Canadian. So might be someone I might be talking about in the future. What I was talking about earlier. Yeah. But he, like, yeah, those movies I like grew up loving and they just still stick with me. ⁓ Geno Binda: You gonna get it? Mark Riley: You got a shot at it. Josh Dolan: Toronto fans. Geno Binda: Nice. Ryan McDonell: There's so many great sports movies. well, you know, Miracle really resonates with me. Because it was just so like... Mark Riley: What's your favorite hockey movie? What about your hockey movie? Best hockey movie. Okay. Ryan McDonell: I guess with my age and I was coming up in it, I played as an extra in it too, actually as a Russian hockey player, but, cause I was in Vancouver reading for it, never got a part, but ⁓ yeah, like, Mark Riley: you Geno Binda: ⁓ that's funny. Ryan McDonell: Kurt Russell's just great in that movie. ⁓ know, Field of Dreams is just, it's just kind of just fantastic. So yeah, I don't know. Yeah, those two are, Field of Dreams is probably up there. like, Rudy is just great too. There's a lot of good ones if you start thinking about it now. I'm starting to, the Rolodex, yeah. Mark Riley: Yeah, that's a one. Yeah. But we always like to see who's, you know, especially someone who's acted what their favorite movie is, you know what mean? Ryan McDonell: Yeah, Well, see, Bill Murray, to me, like in Ghostbusters and part two, ⁓ was always this like guiding light for me in a sense of God, he's kind of being like he's acting on TV. It's kind of funny. It's almost like he's like winking at the at the audience or like he's like he's in on the joke with them. Josh Dolan: Thank Geno Binda: Mmm. Ryan McDonell: And at a very early age, like kind of identified with people like that. I still do, think. ⁓ Like a Larry, like Gary Shandling is a good example of that, like glint of like a, like you're in on the joke, but you're not, but you are, like, you know what I mean? Like, you're still performing and trying to be real, but you're, so it's, there's a, there's a balance of it. I was always a big fan of that. So like, I don't know for whatever reason is, Mark Riley: ⁓ yeah. Ryan McDonell: His dry, smart-aleck kind of bullshit like always resonated with me. Mark Riley: Did he ever make a bad movie? I'm sitting here running through Bill Murray movies like Cat and Shack and you know, what about Bob? Groundhog Day? what movie didn't do that? Ryan McDonell: Who's that? Bill Murray? Fuck, man. I don't know. I don't think so. Maybe some people didn't like his latest movie, Riff Raff, with Pete Davidson, but I still like it. don't know. Yeah, it's on Prime. Yeah, like, no, he hasn't. And that's just it. And the classic ones are the ones that make me, and I think what make a lot of audiences, Josh Dolan: Okay. Geno Binda: I haven't seen that yet. Mark Riley: Yeah, I haven't seen that one yet. Geno Binda: All right. Mark Riley: But you think of it like. Ryan McDonell: reminisce about having that 90s comedy movie back, which I think a lot of people are making now and and We'll see a good revisit back to that 90 minutes, you know even 120 or like hour and 20, you know movie that's just quick Satiate you get your laughs in that's that's all you really needed We don't need to sit and binge like eight more episodes of things to stretch it out like So it's just weird, like attention spans have definitely shifted. And I can't wait for more of those like stupid funny movies to come out. ⁓ We kind of boo-boos them in the 2000s and then we realize we want them back. It's kind of funny, so. Mark Riley: What is your thoughts on the redos of every movie? All they do now is remake Roadhouse. They remake everything. I mean, yeah, I don't like it. There's some movies that should never be redone. Geno Binda: Top Gun. Ryan McDonell: ⁓ Yeah, ⁓ revisit or like, yeah. It's weird, like it's... Josh Dolan: Okay. Ryan McDonell: I think it's two things, it's their IP where they wanna make more money out of it. And if they were to rewrite that story and put the same movie out and call it something else, they'd probably not make anywhere near as much money. Money. But yeah, I've never been a fan of it, truthfully. Mark Riley: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Ryan McDonell: and just talk about Ghostbusters and seeing all the new ones made. Now I bend a little bit because I'm like, okay, I see what you guys are doing. Like know there's a brand new audience of people who don't even know what that is. And I think that that's the thing that needs to stand out is that like, I'm 42, but I even though I feel old, like I'm like, I guess I'm not that old. And then there's people who are younger who don't even know what I'm talking about when I say Bill Murray. And that's kind of mind-boggling to me. So yeah, I know, but that's the world now. So it's crazy. yeah, yeah. And I'm not even on TikTok and like, I don't know. I feel like I've like lost out or like I'm behind, but hopefully it's for the right reasons. Geno Binda: Gary. Mark Riley: Yeah. Geno Binda: Right? He's not on the memes. Neither am I, I'm banned. Mark Riley: I think the world needs a really good new unique hockey movie. Maybe like a movie called Penalty Box. Just throwing it out there. I may have wrote said movie, but that's all right. I did, yeah. I'll actually, I'd love to, I wanna send it to you to see what you think, because it's, I think it's pretty good. you know, actually, you know who's gonna, Ryan McDonell: Okay, okay, okay. You may have written something called penalty boat. Josh Dolan: Okay. Geno Binda: I hope he didn't wrote it. Ryan McDonell: Bring it on. Bring it. Mark Riley: You know who's gonna be there June 1st at the Tea Offer Heroes is Bobby Farrelly. He'll be there. Yeah, so I will be there and I might bring my shin pads, you know. Ryan McDonell: I heard that. I saw that. Wow, what an honor. Let's go pro and we'll go make it with Bobby. There you go. Yeah, that would be pretty bad. There you go. The whole course can be on it. That's amazing. ⁓ man, I looking forward, looking forward big time. Mark Riley: I would love to. There's a role in it for everyone, I'll tell you that. Yes. ⁓ yeah. ⁓ ⁓ But it's been great, Ryan. We really appreciate you coming on, man. I'm sure we could keep going forever. ⁓ you know what's cool? I got to give you a shout out because back the first Shorzy Classic when they played at BU over at ⁓ the Aganis Arena, you were the first guy that I kind of talked to. And I mentioned the podcast, and right away you were like, ⁓ I'm on. Geno Binda: Yes, thank you for coming on, man. This has been awesome. Ryan McDonell: ⁓ thank you. Yeah, thank you. Like, thank you guys. ⁓ it's all good. Geno Binda: Again, it's. Ryan McDonell: Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Mark Riley: You know, definitely let's go. And so it was, it was cool. And, ⁓ you know, it took a little longer than we'd hoped, not just with you, but with all the boys, but we got it done. this time I got all, I got everyone's number directly. I didn't go through anyone. Let's just say that, you know? Yeah. You go through someone and they forget to email you back. But, but yeah, no, it, and, and what, what was really cool was right away. I realized like, Ryan McDonell: I'm down, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, don't go through anyone. You don't gotta go through anyone. Geno Binda: Mark's been waiting. Ryan McDonell: Okay. Mark Riley: you guys are just so down to earth and you're not like, ⁓ know, certain stars and certain, you know, actors or whatever kind of have that, you know, I'm above everyone because I'm whoever, right? ⁓ You got just not exact opposite, exact opposite. And I think that feeds into the fandom. I think that feeds into the popularity of the show. Yeah. Ryan McDonell: Yeah. Yeah. We're trying to teach a lesson, you know, I'm trying to It goes back even just like season five We had one of those episodes where we're going around the arena getting everyone on the team to remember everyone's name That's like there's something to that You know what I mean? Like in a deeper meaning of all of that and I think we kind of try to live that so with that being said I think it's ⁓ yeah good manners You know good good values and try to just keep that going Mark Riley: Yeah, season five was great. And I love the scene when you guys went in to watch the basketball game and y'all like, you know, didn't want to go whatever, but then all of a sudden the crowd just reacts and it's, it's, it's just a really, really cool scene, you know, Hey, yeah. And what you guys meant to the town. was, it was pretty good. It's kind of similar. mean, like, I know I had said this before in Boston this past year at the garden. Ryan McDonell: Yeah. Yeah. Shows you what the town meant to us. was cool. Yeah, yeah, for sure. Yeah, it was for sure. Mark Riley: They had almost, they had 13,000 something in there. And the only two players that got a bigger reaction than Jared was ⁓ Bergeron and Chara. Those are the only two that got a bigger reaction. So, you know, yeah. Ryan McDonell: Yeah. Yeah, so cool. So cool. Yeah, it's and if he scored two, was just like, whoa. Pretty cool. Yeah, pretty awesome. Mark Riley: Yeah. Yeah. No, was great stuff. Great stuff. Well, we appreciate it, man. you know, wish you continued success and everything that you do. And June 1st, that weekend, we'll hit up some lobster rolls and some, whatever you want to do that's Boston, we'll do it. I'll take care of it. I'll take you and Goody and make the list because we'll do it up right for sure. And that Monday. Ryan McDonell: Awesome, and well, thank you. Thank you. All right, I'll start making my laundry list. Sounds good, man. I don't doubt it. I don't doubt it. They they speak your praises. The boys had the best time when you guys looked after them in St. Patty's and everything like that. So, yeah. Thanks again, man. You guys are awesome. Mark Riley: Yeah. Very Very cool. Yeah, I know. Now we appreciate it, Ryan. Geno Binda: Awesome. Alright man. Ryan McDonell: Okay. You guys have a great day. Thank you for having me. Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Geno Binda: Thank you. Mark Riley: Hold on Ryan, just wait a second, because we gotta make sure everything uploads when we stop recording.