NHL Esports has no World Championship. NHL 27 is getting roasted by NHL teams. And one Edmonton broadcaster has lived both sides of it. Ben Thomson, producer and co-host at Edmonton Sports Talk, returns to Good Game Edmonton for Episode 29. He first joined us on Episode 2 in February 2024, as a NAIT Radio and Television student and the Oilers' rep in NHL esports.
Who is Benny from Edmonton Sports Talk?
Ben “Benny” Thomson is a producer and on-air personality at Edmonton Sports Talk (EST), the Edmonton sports radio station. He co-hosts the Oil Stream pre and post game show, appears on The EST Hangout and produces the Reed Wilkins Show. Before radio, he was ranked top five in the world in NHL Esports and repped both the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers.
He got there without leaving town, which was the whole plan. One email to EST turned into a producer job on a Saturday hockey show while he was still at NAIT. His practicum became part-time work making social clips. This past July (2026), it became a full-time job.
How did a NAIT practicum turn into a full-time job at Edmonton Sports Talk?
Staying in Edmonton was the plan from his first semester. An instructor's presentation on how many grads have to move away for work scared him into action. Edmonton Sports Talk was the first station he emailed. The owner wrote back and told him to come swing by. A Saturday producer job on Hello Hockey, with Tom Gazzola and Shawn Belle, followed in his second and third semesters.
During his practicum, Benny noticed the station's social pages looked, in his words, like "a bunch of old dudes doing social media." He knew how to cut TikToks and reels from his Twitch days, so he started turning podcast clips into reels. In the final two weeks he still had no offer, so he asked the COO, Matt Iwanyk, if he'd be hired. Days later he was called into the office. Owner Dustin Nielsen had landed a couple more sponsorships to bring him on part-time for clips, plus a spot producing and co-hosting the Oil Stream pre and post game show with Reed Wilkins and Hernan Salas. That started last August. A full-time job followed in July. His takeaway: "When someone takes a bet on you, you don't wanna let [them] down. You wanna make sure that you prove [them] right."
The job also brought a funny Edmonton twist. Benny's dad was a huge fan of TSN 1260, which became Edmonton Sports Talk, and he's still working on managing his "fanboyness" around his son's coworkers. Benny just calls them his friends. Cory shared his own NAIT path along the way, including a practicum at Shaw TV Edmonton and a handheld corner cam at a Red Deer Rebels game.
What happened to NHL esports?
Benny calls the NHL World Championship "the heart of everything." Every team-run tournament was a warm-up for it. In his last big year, he flew himself to Toronto on his own dime to play bracket games on a better connection. He lost. "That's definitely the most hurt I've been after a loss."
Then a Discord notice landed. The championship was suspended, with no word on a return. Since then, players have run most of the competitive scene themselves. Benny thinks NHL may now be the biggest sports video game without an esports scene, while Madden and EA's soccer series keep going.
Is NHL 27 worth buying?
Not according to Benny, and he got his copy free. "I still wouldn't recommend 27."
The face scans became a punchline, with NHL teams posting their own players' reactions. Daily Faceoff's Mike Gould called the faces "wildly inconsistent" in his review. The new team playbooks are preset strategies a competitive player would customize anyway. Connected Franchise feels half built. The one exception is the die-hard franchise mode fan, and even then, Benny says wait for a Christmas sale. He also credits longtime NHL creator 2BC Productions, whose video breaking down the NHL 27 trailer he called "hilarious."
His fix is bold. Ship NHL 28 as an honest roster update with a new cover athlete, then spend the year getting NHL 29 right.
Cory and Benny also dig into AI commentary. Play-by-play voice John Buccigross confirmed AI fills some of his lines. "If it means less work and the same check, I'll take it," he said on the Chirping Zebras podcast. Their counter-pitch: let every team's broadcast voice contribute, so an Oilers fan hears Jack Michaels call the overtime winner.
How did a 499-game win streak end up on sports radio?
This is the story that finally tied Benny's esports past to his radio job. A coworker kept asking about his NHL 26 online versus record. It was 150-0. Then 230-0, which got announced on the Oil Stream. When his parents renovated the basement, Benny slept at the EST office for over a week and streamed Benny at Night.
He reached 499-0, then played the top-ranked player for 500. He lost. The office now calls him a choker. The streak still got the whole station talking about esports.
What is Benny's Blind Rankings?
Benny's Blind Rankings is a game where Benny names five items one at a time and the other person ranks each one, 1 to 5, without knowing what comes next. It started on a Saturday hockey show and followed him to EST. On Good Game Edmonton, Benny ran a CHEL edition using NHL 27 player overalls. Cory ranked Taylor Hall (85 overall) fourth, Jordan Eberle (85) fifth, Zach Hyman (87) second, Stuart Skinner (83) third and Connor McDavid (99) first. McDavid is the only 99 in the game. Only Skinner was out of place, and Benny called it a win for Cory.
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Sellarcast (00:15)
Welcome back to a new edition of Good Game Edmonton. I'm Sellarcast, your host. Today's guest is a familiar face from episode two of the show. He was two months, I believe, into NAIT's radio and television program and repping in the Oilers in EA NHL Esports. Now he's part of the crew at Edmonton Sports Talk, both behind the camera and on the mic. Welcome back to the show, Ben. It's great to have you on.
Benny (00:41)
thank you so much for having me. This is it's so cool. The reunion, man. I s
Sellarcast (00:44)
Right.
Benny (00:44)
sec second episode on here. It was awesome. much different time in my life. playing a lot of esports
Sellarcast (00:50)
Yes.
Benny (00:51)
and and and just and getting into school and all that. And yeah, a lot has changed, but a lot a lot of good things I I think for myself and and for and for you as well. So it's been it's been a good couple of years, but I'm excited to to kind of recap it all and talk about what's going on. It's
Sellarcast (01:03)
Yeah.
Benny (01:04)
it'll be a lot of fun.
Sellarcast (01:05)
Th this is mind blowing 'cause yeah, like so much has changed, but obviously you were at NAIT's d at the time when we when we last spoke, you know, dreaming up of being on a Oilers talk show. I think you had just made the switch over to the Florida Panthers. Curious how that feels now looking back af with time that has gone by. right. Yeah, yeah.
Benny (01:22)
Yeah. Yep. They won the cup that year, so that against the Oilers. Yeah, yeah. So that
that stung. A little. Yeah. Yeah.
Sellarcast (01:31)
Still hurts. Yeah, still hurts.
but yeah, 'cause like obviously you had just came off the EA Sports NHL World Championship as well. So I I'm I'm curious, just kinda kinda hear a bit of that recap like you alluded to. Now you're obviously at Edmonton Sports Talk. How did we get to this point from the last time we spoke? And obviously being taking b taking the media program, both of us. There's no such thing as a straight line to where you end up.
Benny (01:57)
Yeah. No, absolutely
Sellarcast (02:00)
By any means. So I'm I'm curious
Benny (02:00)
not. No.
Sellarcast (02:02)
like what was how did we get here in terms of, you know, side
quests along the way and all that. So yeah.
Benny (02:07)
Yeah.
I I mean I I I'm happy that you brought up the straight line 'cause that's to me, like, that's what was my motivation. was like I'm gonna try to make this as straight a line as possible. graduate in the program. yeah, so I think we talked two months into my into my first semester there and obviously like you're kinda there and don't really know what to expect. and and I think after that talk, I think it was that week, honestly, I think I ha we had some type of presentation where
I think it was I can't remember which instructor was in was telling us, but it was something about a percentage of people that have to move away. And that was it was a very high percentage. And for me, I have my my my friends that I love very dearly here, my family, of course, and all that. And like for me, like that scared the living bleep out of me. I
I couldn't like I did not want to move away. it
Sellarcast (02:48)
Yep. Yeah.
Benny (02:51)
was like my biggest goal, my K like I want to stay here as quickly as I can. If I if I if I don't have to move, that'd be perfect.
And so I I reached out to Edmonton Sports Talk was the first was the first station I emailed. mainly just
Sellarcast (03:01)
Mm. Nice.
Benny (03:03)
'cause I thought like they fit the type of style that I wanted to do. They they they cover the Oilers very well. They cover a lot of teams. It's not just Oilers, Elks, you know, obviously all sports, but they also mix in pop culture and they have a lot of fun on their shows. And so for me, like that's what I feel like I wanted to be a part of. And so they're the first station I reached out to and
Dustin Nielsen, who obviously owns the station and everything, he he hit me back and was like, Come come swing by and talk with us. And so met with them and met some of the guys that are obviously fantastic. And I remember come away from it going, like, yeah, that's the place. I wanna be there. and then a job opportunity came up on a Saturday show they used to have on the station called Hell Hockey, with Tom Gazzola and Shawn Belle, who are now with fourteen forty. But they they they need a producer
And I and I they you know, obviously were willing to to bring me on. So I did that show while I was in school for semesters two and three and then eventually
Sellarcast (03:57)
wow.
Benny (03:58)
when practicum came around, I was in the office once a week anyway, so they were like, Yeah, may as well come on. So did my practicum, the s did not have to move. It was like the best
Sellarcast (04:04)
Nice. Didn't have to move. Didn't have to move away.
Benny (04:09)
well, it's funny actually, like I I have a little of a story about how I how I got hired and how nerve wracking it was, but
Sellarcast (04:15)
Yeah, please.
Benny (04:16)
so like I I I don't know your full path of like what happened when when you were going through your practicum and everything, but for myself, like, you know, those that the practicum's awesome and and you're in my head at least I'm thinking, okay, how can I
find a way to stick here. Like how what what's what's the path here for me? And I and it started with social media clips. Like like if you had looked at their social media before I I was there on Practice, it looked like a bunch of old dudes doing social media. Okay? Like that's that's the best way I can describe it. And so from a guy that like did Twitch stuff and and and and
Sellarcast (04:47)
Right.
Benny (04:48)
and posted on TikTok, my gaming stuff. Like I knew how to make TikToks. I knew how to make reels.
Sellarcast (04:53)
Right.
Benny (04:53)
and so I knew how to kind of convert those podcast clips into r you know r reels and all that. So I
I started doing that and that was kind of like my gateway into like, okay, maybe this is what they'll hire me for. and then so I go through my practicum and we're in the final two weeks and I'm so nervous because like I haven't heard anything. And it's like that two weeks is so important. You're sitting there going, like Like if if I don't get hired here, I got my I got my piece of paper that says I graduated, but
I don't have a job. Like I'm going back like
Sellarcast (05:20)
Yeah. Yeah.
Benny (05:22)
like I don't know what's up for me. So
So I I I reached out to Matt Iwanyk who who who is our COO, he's our operations officer, and and and he I just asked him like like is there any chance like I'm gonna get hired here? He goes, it's if it's up to me, I would hire you, but honestly I have no clue. I don't manage that. And then so it's the final week of practicum and I get pulled into his office and he goes, Okay, well, I have an answer for you. he goes, Dustin Nielsen, owner of the station
Hustled the phones a little bit, landed a couple more sponsorships, and he wants to bring you on part-time for now just to get some social media clips in. And then an opportunity came up as well to produce and co-host the Oil Stream pre- and post-game show. Which was like, I was blown away. couldn't believe it. So yeah, that was and so
Sellarcast (06:07)
Yeah.
Benny (06:10)
for me, like, just like hearing Dusty go out of his way and a and and land a couple more deals to to be able to bring me in, like just the
Like, I mean, he could have taken his family on a family vacation somewhere. Could've used that like like he could have spent that money anywhere. But instead he gave it gave
Sellarcast (06:25)
Mm.
Benny (06:25)
a kid like me that was that was just trying to make into the business an opportunity. So I was so so thankful. Dusty gave me that opportunity. That was last August. I did
Sellarcast (06:33)
Cheers.
Benny (06:34)
a full year of of pre-postgame shows. and they were awesome. Did clips around that. And then in July we had some opportunities open up and and I got f a full time gig.
And still doing the pre post game shows this year with Reed Wilkins and Hernan Salas, but
Sellarcast (06:50)
Nice.
Benny (06:50)
still doing clips on the side, but also just in on more shows and doing all that. So
Sellarcast (06:53)
Yeah.
Benny (06:54)
and then I guess esports wise, esports died like literally like four months later. So like it was like I was like, Okay, well that was my conversion to to to everything. I and Yeah, yeah, exactly.
Sellarcast (06:59)
Jeez. Yeah. Yeah. I guess we'll go over here now.
Benny (07:07)
But okay, I think the I think it's call name over here. Well if the esports comes up back up later, sure. But I
Sellarcast (07:10)
Yeah. Sure.
Benny (07:13)
It it's funny, like I there there'll be a story I think I'll I'll tell a little bit later about about how esports is tied into everything. It's pretty
Sellarcast (07:17)
Yeah yeah. Yeah.
Benny (07:19)
f it's pretty funny, but yeah, that's kinda the whole what's happened for me in the past two months. It's been a lot, but it's been so much fun.
Sellarcast (07:24)
Jeez. Yeah.
Yeah, no, you you kind of alluded to in terms of like what my story was in terms of after NAIT funny enough, like same boat, like I didn't want to move, didn't want to move anywhere just yet. You know, in terms of getting that first job out of college, sure, might need to move. But in terms of the practicum, unpaid practicum, because realistically, yeah, there
Benny (07:46)
he like that's horrible out of town. Yeah, yeah.
Sellarcast (07:49)
was like I think there was.
talk of like potential paid practicums, but
Benny (07:54)
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Sellarcast (07:55)
like they weren't clearly visible if they if they were out there, they weren't being advertised
Benny (07:57)
Yes. Yeah.
Sellarcast (08:01)
and you didn't really know where to look. So for me, you know, Shaw TV Edmonton back when it was around, I feel like I'm dating myself already. I get to now say
Benny (08:09)
No.
Sellarcast (08:09)
that because saying Shaw T V Edmonton seems like li a lifetime ago. But
Benny (08:13)
No, I yeah, yeah.
Sellarcast (08:15)
so funny enough, I was able to get my practicum with them
I managed to stay in the city, still living at home at the time, and you know, got a lot of experience, a lot of hands-on stuff of a variety of things, lots of different shoots, in studio, off site. We I think it was the second day into my practicum. I'm being told we're going to Red Deer, we're shooting the Rebels hockey
games back to
Benny (08:39)
Wow.
Sellarcast (08:39)
back, we're doing the mobile. And how do you feel about corner cam? I'm like, that's handheld, right? Yes, okay.
Benny (08:47)
wow, okay.
Sellarcast (08:47)
why me? Well, no one else really wants to do it, so
no one wants to sit there or stand there and have the camera on their shoulder for an entire sixty plus minute game. So
Benny (08:55)
Yeah yeah. Yeah.
Sellarcast (08:58)
I'm like, okay, and it was the best experience possible. And I
Benny (09:01)
Yeah yeah yeah. That's awesome.
Sellarcast (09:03)
it live shooting live events, especially sports, I will say hockey number one. Never shot a football game, did hockey, done there was a basketball tournament at NAIT.
really fun stuff. but yeah, that one that one was a real highlight. That was that was cool. But yeah, so definitely glad we both were able to stay in the city. But then
Benny (09:24)
Yes.
Sellarcast (09:25)
obviously for me for first job, ended up going out to Prince George and
Benny (09:29)
Wow.
Sellarcast (09:30)
was there for a year and a half, came back to Edmonton, kind of left media altogether and just started to go into nonprofit sector for video production.
on the charity side and then on the economic development side of
Benny (09:45)
Nice.
Sellarcast (09:46)
rat broader innovation ecosystem, working with startups and hearing
Benny (09:49)
Cool.
Sellarcast (09:49)
their stories. That was really fun. And then now I'm working for a tech company that focuses on like online training and stuff like that in regulated spaces. So videos on the on the docket. I feel like I'm using more AI to create video and animation videos and stuff, which is great because I never knew motion graphics.
Benny (10:08)
Yeah okay, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Can't go where you don't know. Yeah, yeah.
Sellarcast (10:09)
So I feel like this is my redemption being able to use AI to build those 'cause I'm like, I ain't ta touching after effects. I don't know. I don't want to do it. So yeah, yeah. So
it's it's it's been it's been a ride, like you said. It's been a wild ride for sure. but yeah, no, really, really stoked to to hear how far you come here and like I can tell by the energy, Ben, you're you you're doing what you love.
And I think that was clear when we first met, that that was the goal. And so yeah, like in in in terms of I guess that that really is a fond memory of just getting getting the gig with the station and I think just seeing the tight knit community that is the media space, that you know, if they find good people, they want to keep around.
Benny (11:03)
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Sellarcast (11:04)
And they'll do what they can to make it happen.
so like would you say like up until this point from college, is that the f most fondest memory you have really? Or is there anything else that kinda compares?
Benny (11:17)
yeah, I'd say that's like that's definitely the most motivating. You know, like like for me, like when when you when someone takes a bet on you, you don't wanna let down.
Sellarcast (11:21)
Yeah, yeah. Motivating. Yeah. Yeah.
Benny (11:26)
you wanna make sure that you you prove right. so I I'd say that's probably my fondness. I mean in the media space, like I it's it's funny. I've gotten this do so much cool stuff. I went back to my my old junior high school last week, or maybe
Sellarcast (11:38)
Nice.
Benny (11:39)
two weeks ago or whatever, and just getting to talk about like
what I do to to kids and I'm like I'm doing it in front of like my one of my favorite teachers ever, like like and stuff. Like it's like so funny. Like like like yeah, like just g getting
Sellarcast (11:48)
That's cool. That's so cool.
Benny (11:51)
to do that type of stuff has has definitely been cool.
Sellarcast (11:53)
Yeah.
Benny (11:54)
you know, like just the contacts that I've been able to make as well. Like a lot of these people in the media business were celebrities to me. You know what I mean? And it's so funny.
Sellarcast (12:01)
Yeah.
Benny (12:01)
Like like people like like still like when they look at like the people I work with, they're like so like, my God, you work with this guy.
And for me I look at them as just like my coworker. I'm just like, I'm like, that's my buddy. Like like it's
Sellarcast (12:12)
Exactly. Yeah.
Benny (12:13)
so funny. Like my so my dad was like the biggest fan of TSN twelve sixty back in the day
and and now
Sellarcast (12:19)
Right.
Benny (12:19)
what's turned into Edmonton Sports Talk and he's just such a big fan. And he's still having a hard time to like manage his fanboyness when like talking to me. Like he's still having to manage it. even his like his friends and stuff, like they're all like huge fans of Dusty and and Gager and Reed and
And it's just so funny and it's like, yeah, we're we're we shoot the breeze, like the ch
Sellarcast (12:38)
Yeah. Ugh.
Benny (12:40)
we just chill in the office all the time. It's whatever. These are my friends now. So it's pretty funny. But yeah, like there's definitely been a lot of moments that I've been very, very grateful for and and cherish a lot. but I'd definitely say probably w the one I got hired when I got when I got hired, that was probably my my fondest. Yeah.
Sellarcast (12:54)
Yeah. I love that. No, I
love that. Well, you know, obviously we we kinda touched on the the esports piece, you know, obviously you came in with that with that really different kind of experience that kinda helped leverage your value to be hired by the station and stuff. but I'm I'm curious, there's been a massive shift. it goes without saying, but in terms of I wouldn't say just, you know, esports in Edmonton, but
s more specifically in your case with NHL, EA sports, NHL, esports, what what's the biggest thing you've kind of seen in terms of the biggest shift in the last, you know, two, three years or so?
Benny (13:35)
well watching it die has been fantastic. like it like just Yeah, yeah we totally. we we we we did that
Sellarcast (13:37)
Yeah, that that's gotta be a real motivational thing, right? Ho just takes the wind out of the sails.
Benny (13:44)
yeah, we we we did that we did that last podcast right before world championships. I just won a club championship where I didn't get to choose a team. I just won one and it was for the Panthers, unfortunately.
Sellarcast (13:56)
Yeah.
Benny (13:57)
but
Sellarcast (13:57)
Still hurts. Yeah.
Benny (13:58)
Yeah, yes, still
does. Yeah, PTSD. but I think for you know for yeah, I think for myself, you know, I that year was a year where you could kind of see it dying a little bit. Like this you
Sellarcast (14:10)
Mm.
Benny (14:11)
the the tournament people that the people that ran the tournament, it just felt like every year the communication got worse, the the venues got worse. Like I mean like they were playing
Top eight North America, they were playing on a cardboard box in an NHL store in New York. Like I it's to me like it was once in it was once in that I'm blanking on the on the arena, but in in Vegas, that big pyramid. I'm I'm blanking on the name. I think so. It's it's right on the strip. And and like they were playing on in that huge venue
Sellarcast (14:39)
the Luxor? Yeah. Right, yeah, yeah, yeah. I think it's the Luxor. Yeah.
Benny (14:47)
And they're going from
Sellarcast (14:47)
And then
Benny (14:48)
that to playing on a cardboard box and in in an NHL store in New York. It was brutal. like so but but at the same time, like there are people who were really pissed off about it and and and and I I understand, of course, but at the same time, like you know, that tournament was like the the heart of esports. Like you you you needed that in order for esports to continue. And so for myself, like I was more kind of just like
Okay, well, like that's kind of just that's what it is. You go we you still you're still gonna play in it. you
Sellarcast (15:17)
Yeah.
Benny (15:17)
you got still gotta be thankful the tournament's there. it's funny so that year was my in my opinion the best I'd ever been. I was so confident that year. For whatever reason, like I to me, like that year it felt like that game clicked with my style and everything. I was like, I was so ready. and they added crossplay to that game. Problem with
Sellarcast (15:34)
Right.
Benny (15:34)
crossplay for my nerds out there that
understand the difference here of between peer-to-peer and on server gameplay. Peer-to-peer is when you compare when you would combine the Wi-Fi's of of each other's opponents, you play on the same connection. Server, you're connected, it's about how close you are to the server and that will depend on you know on your ping and all that. And when you would play so I was on Xbox if you played on someone on PlayStation, no matter where they lived or whatever, like you were on server. They would try to they
Sellarcast (16:01)
Mm.
Benny (16:01)
would locate you to the closest server between you two.
And I'm playing majority of East Guys. And so they're and so it'll pull me to the E server. I'm on 50 ping and they're on five. And that to me, that in my opinion, it lost me two tournaments. And like that drove me nuts. So for the world championships that year, just for like the bracket play, I flew myself out to Toronto and played at a at the Toronto Raptors 2K
Sellarcast (16:24)
wow.
Benny (16:24)
teams venue. I played my games there, still lost,
but
yeah, it was it was bad. Paint my on my own dime. I was that confident that year. It it was i like I I felt like I had to. To me, it was an exactly like
Sellarcast (16:29)
Shit. Shit. I mean You gotta take a chance, right? Like
Benny (16:39)
to me I I looked at it as I was betting on myself.
Sellarcast (16:43)
Yeah.
Benny (16:43)
I was so confident that year and and just felt like if I gave myself an opportunity to win, like I was gonna do it. and so I and so I
On my own dying flow out there, I'm lucky enough to have like my grandpa's brother lives there. So I stayed with him. Hadn't seen him like 15 years. Like, hey, how you doing?
Sellarcast (16:55)
there we go. Yeah, there you go. Yeah.
Benny (16:58)
yeah. So I stayed with him and and and and kind of got to experience that. And then like flying out there, losing, and like just like I had another day in Toronto left, and I'm sitting there and I'm just like, I like I can't believe I just did that. Like I I I just spent my own money lost. And I that's definitely the most hurt I've been after a loss. and
And then GWC goes on. My one of my best friends wins it this that year. I was very happy for him. And and then it shuts down. And we just get it we get a random di Discord notification. I remember where exactly where I was. I it was just like, hey, the the world championships is being suspended for next year and it and does not know when it'll return. And that was it. And so I was like, wow, didn't really know that was happening. and so
Yeah, it kinda that's where it it was done there. There's been a couple of NHL teams that have done stuff outside of that, but for I think for the most
Sellarcast (17:45)
Yeah.
Benny (17:45)
part, man, the Esports or at least like the competitive scene has been mainly ran by the players themselves the past couple of years, which is unfortunate to see.
Sellarcast (17:53)
Yeah. No I remember seeing the article that they were suspending the championship and I thought, wait, what? Like you
Benny (18:01)
Yeah.
Sellarcast (18:02)
talk about growing the game and this is a clear I mean, maybe, you know, restructure it a little bit, maybe go at it so that it's maybe not sucking up a bunch of resources, but in fairness, it doesn't seem like a ton was getting poured into it.
Benny (18:16)
No, y yeah y exactly.
Sellarcast (18:19)
if anything, it was propping up these
players from around North America and and the world really and across Europe and Asia and just the experiences that you were all having. I remember when you got when you said you were when you were flown down to to Florida for for that championship. Like just
Benny (18:36)
Yeah. Yeah.
Sellarcast (18:39)
whole experiences that once in a lifetime. So it's like
Benny (18:42)
like so cool.
Sellarcast (18:44)
we talk about wanting to grow the game and yet you pull stuff like this where it's like it's it's a fun interactive thing. Especially if, you
Benny (18:51)
Mm-hmm.
Sellarcast (18:51)
know
you know, I didn't grow up playing hockey on the ice and stuff.
Benny (18:56)
No ja.
Sellarcast (18:57)
Many of us didn't. So it's like this is another way
Benny (19:00)
Mm-hmm.
Sellarcast (19:01)
of being able to access that kind of vibe and stuff. And obviously it gets into that whole it's video games good and you know, don't you know, but
Benny (19:09)
No yeah, of course. Yeah, yeah.
Sellarcast (19:11)
I I'm so interested to know like from your standpoint now, like
Like it there really doesn't seem it it it
Benny (19:22)
It's a tire fire. It's a tire fire. I tell yeah.
Sellarcast (19:24)
it's it I'm at a loss for words 'cause it it seems like there just doesn't seem to be a future for it because I even looked up before this recording, you know, checking out some of the teams I knew had an esports or gaming brand and I got back a four four page not found
Benny (19:45)
Yep.
Sellarcast (19:45)
and I'm like, wow, so you you guys just killed it.
And did not and that was it. Like you just you pulled the plug quite literally on on all of it. And looking up like dedicated social channels, nothing posted since like 2023, maybe 2024. like I was just baffled and I'm like, like
Benny (20:08)
Yeah.
Sellarcast (20:10)
so are we just gonna go back to just doing grassroots or like what I don't know.
Benny (20:13)
Yeah. Yeah, no, like that's
that's that's that's what it's at. I I I'd imagine this has gotta be the biggest sports video game to not have an esports scene. I I I'd I'd imagine this has gotta be the biggest one. Cause
Sellarcast (20:24)
Yeah. Cause like
Benny (20:26)
Madden's is still going. like Fe FIFA is is is huge.
Sellarcast (20:28)
Madden's still g yeah, I was gonna say, like Madden's still going. FIFA's growing.
Benny (20:33)
MLB actually they do have they do have like they don't have a world championship from my understanding, but they have
a lot of teams
Sellarcast (20:38)
Yeah.
Benny (20:38)
that do a lot of tournaments.
Sellarcast (20:40)
Okay.
Benny (20:40)
So
theirs is still definitely more lively than than the NHL's. It's been sad. Like the the world championship was the heart of everything. And and
Sellarcast (20:44)
Yeah. Yeah.
Benny (20:47)
and everything kind of branched around it, right? Like that's that's kind of what it was and and unfortunately it's done. No, yeah. Yeah.
Sellarcast (20:51)
Do you think that was the problem? Like, obviously I don't wanna we don't have to talk about it all day, but like
I'm curious, like, do you think that having it evolve around the championship and really not see much of a, you know, pipeline of like, you know, being able to establish, you know, chapters in like different t cities and like you
Benny (21:09)
Yeah, yeah. Yeah.
Sellarcast (21:12)
be the lead of your hometown chapter and kind of grow it in your different in the different communities, kind of like
Similar how they do, you know, little pop up, you know, games or, you know, kind of all star type games and stuff,
Benny (21:25)
Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Sellarcast (21:27)
of like the re the traditional sport. But then, you know, for esports, try to make it feel a little more sustainable rather than just, you know, you're still kind of at home, you know, hauling your butt trying to trying to practice and compete
Benny (21:40)
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Sellarcast (21:42)
and do tournaments online, but then you kind of come together for that championship.
It didn't seem like it was maybe sustainable enough that if they decided, you know what, we're gonna kill this, and then literally
Benny (21:53)
Mm-hmm.
Sellarcast (21:54)
it's like chopping the head off the whole thing, the
Benny (21:56)
Yeah.
Sellarcast (21:57)
whole operation, and now everyone's wondering, well, now what?
Benny (22:01)
Well now what? Yeah, yeah. Yeah. No
totally. It like the I mean the world championships brought the majority of the eyes on esports, right? Like I I think I think
Sellarcast (22:08)
Right. Fair. Yeah.
Benny (22:10)
they you know there was always talk about like, you know, what if the world championships extended it throughout the entire year and had it like every weekend it doesn't even have to be for money. Just a leaderboard. Like just have
Sellarcast (22:20)
Right. Yeah, yeah. Yeah.
Benny (22:23)
a leaderboard every weekend there's this tournament that's played on Saturday mornings or whatever and and you get a leaderboard at the end and and and and maybe that
buys you gets you in a buy for the bracket later on, like stuff like that, just to keep the name of the Yeah, sure. Yeah, something like that. Exactly. And and
Sellarcast (22:33)
Yeah. Maybe some prizing once in a while from like local sponsors or something. Like doesn't have to be huge.
Benny (22:42)
and I think, you know, they didn't do that, push which I think allowed teams that were willing to buy into esports to kind of run their own thing, which was nice. Like the Leafs tournament was always really good. Islanders ran a pretty good tournament. Columbus, but all these, you know, like
To me, all those tournaments were just warm ups. You know, like ever
Sellarcast (23:02)
Right.
Benny (23:03)
everyone wants to win the world championship at the end of the day. You could blow it on every tournament all year. If you win the world championship, everyone remembers as you were the you were the winner of that year. and and so I think for for the world championships, like when when that ended, man, I think a couple teams ran a tournament the next year after, but I think they quickly realized it's like once the world championship's gone, like everyone's gone. Like that's like like you lost you lost so many people. 'cause
'Cause like the world championship is like that's like as much as like teams can can do their their best of like promoting it, like that's the NHLs. Like that like those those broadcasts are getting put on Sportsnet after and and they're and and you know, they're they're on TV, they're getting marketed at like all star game events. Like they're like you know, like like that that was the type of stuff that like brought the eyes and I think as much as a team can can buy into it
you're not gonna have as much push as the league. And so I think for from when as soon as that that tournament was gone, I I I don't know, as a player, I kinda saw saw the ending coming and going like, Okay, yeah, this is probably gonna be done here. I'm not gonna have my hopes up to to be getting flown out anywhere or have any cool experiences and kinda just kinda knew that this was kinda the the ending of it all.
Sellarcast (24:11)
And I guess, you know, in terms of teams that that have bought in or did buy in, rather, and the teams that still had yet to really make a move on it at this point in time, do you see any of these teams actually like even like Edmonton, for example, not never had bought in initially, even just from a community engagement standpoint to leverage next gen fans?
Do you see a world where any of this comes back, just from maybe even from a team standpoint? Because at this point, yeah, like the league's probably not going to do anything again, but from a team standpoint, just to boost fan engagement, is there not do you see a world where that can happen where some of the teams can at least try and band together? So then like teams are kind of communicating with each other where it's like, hey, we got the Sharks against the Oilers coming off of a win.
Benny (25:07)
Yeah. Yeah.
Sellarcast (25:09)
Don't stop now, but we're keeping it going with you know, this West Coast tournament, blah blah
Benny (25:13)
The esports version. Yeah.
Sellarcast (25:16)
blah. And you got Edmonton team versus San Jose.
Benny (25:20)
Mm-hmm.
Sellarcast (25:20)
you know, you got, you know, tie ins from the PWHL
Benny (25:24)
Yeah.
Sellarcast (25:25)
and you know, just it's just this this web of just being able to connect the dots and just kinda pull the things in, try and see like what what works and like really it's just like it's another activation.
At on their schedule at the end of the day.
Benny (25:38)
Right. Yeah. No, totally.
Sellarcast (25:42)
obviously, resources are a little different. So, again, that's probably something that would have to be worked out. But I've seen it. Like, I think I left
Benny (25:44)
Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Sellarcast (25:49)
an Oilers game where we got tickets from friends of ours, and we walked past, and there was like literally a CHEL station where there was a couch and
Benny (25:58)
Yeah. Yeah.
Sellarcast (26:00)
there was CHEL being played, and I'm like,
Benny (26:02)
Mm-hmm.
Sellarcast (26:02)
okay, it is possible,
Benny (26:05)
Yep.
Sellarcast (26:06)
but
Come on Like just a little more.
Benny (26:07)
Yeah, I know. Just go a little bit more. Just g give a little bit more.
Yeah. You're right you're so close.
Sellarcast (26:13)
You're so close.
Benny (26:14)
yeah, you know, I I think that was I think that was a pa No, I no, trust
Sellarcast (26:17)
I'm getting frustrated now,
Benny (26:19)
me. Like you're like you're like you're seeing how I have felt for the past couple of years. yeah, you know, I I think that's definitely that would have been the goal with world championships.
Sellarcast (26:29)
Yeah.
Benny (26:30)
It's more like, okay, let's see the teams buying a little bit more. I think
Maybe what plays into it the most is the fact that like I think there's just so much there's just so much negativity around this game right now. To me, like just like and and and we can dive into this a in a little bit, but the the the actual NHL game itself isn't one that the people that play it are overly proud of. I a and that comes from a competitive player but also people that
play casually. And to me there they're both I think both ends of the spectrum right now are are ticked off with with this game. And it sucks because like this is like it's the only real hockey video game, you know, and and people that are
Sellarcast (27:10)
Yeah.
Benny (27:11)
hockey fans just want to be able to to to sit sit there and and play a video game they enjoyed. And I think both ends of the of the spectrum are are ticked off right now. And and so I think when teams are maybe looking into it, they see this negativity from it online. You know, like the
Sellarcast (27:26)
Doesn't take
long to find it.
Benny (27:28)
Exactly. Like
you'll one Google search and you get a whole list of it. Like like here's like the best example I can give. Like, they released a new game this year, NHL 27. Okay, whatever. And and every team is posting about the face scans from the game.
Sellarcast (27:45)
I know.
Benny (27:46)
Like, that's the marketing point, is about how bad their face scans got this year. And it's like that's that's what you're proud of there, like that's the product you put out.
Anu a product where NHL teams are f are fact they're clowning on you for
Sellarcast (28:01)
Yeah.
Benny (28:02)
what you did and and and that's the marketing for the game. Like it's that to me is the perfect yes
Sellarcast (28:05)
I was shocked, actually. I was
shocked. I was I thought, okay, one team did it. I was like, okay, fair. We'll we'll let that one slide. But then
Benny (28:11)
Yep, yep, yep, yep.
Sellarcast (28:15)
more teams were popping on and then
Benny (28:17)
Hehehehe
Sellarcast (28:19)
and then getting more creative. This one was my favorite. They were showing it to players and filming their reactions. And I'm like, no. And like
Benny (28:25)
Yes, yes, yes Yup, yep.
Sellarcast (28:30)
everyone like hates it. And
Benny (28:32)
I know they're all like, that does not look
like me. What is that? Like like it's Yes. Yes.
Sellarcast (28:35)
Like what is that? And j you just see the reactions of the players
and everything. I'm like, and these are going up on the team's social accounts and I'm like, What? What? But then, you know, yeah.
Benny (28:42)
No. Like it's the perfect example
of like what the product is. Like like that to me, like like an and and first of all, like the this year for whatever reason they changed their face scans. I don't know why. Like like the the previously they weren't fantastic, but they weren't
Sellarcast (28:58)
No.
Benny (28:58)
bad. Like you you could make out like hey, that's that's that player, like whatever. This year I if I had to guess, they used AI.
Like they they talked about using Yeah, exactly. Yes,
Sellarcast (29:06)
We'll we'll get to that too.
Benny (29:08)
yeah. So I if I had a guess they used AI for their face scans and like some of the guys just look absolutely nothing like like the real life versions of themselves. So I like to me like that was the most perfect example of what the NHL series is right now. It is a laughing stock for for the for the for not even just casual fans, but the leagues and the the league the teams themselves to laugh at. like that's the product right now. So I think from a from a
From a perspective of okay, if if if you're wanting to make an esports, you know, tournament or or wh whatever the case may be,
Sellarcast (29:39)
Yeah. Yeah.
Benny (29:41)
you search up and you're seeing like everyone's just laughing at the game, you're like, Okay, why would I do that? you know?
Sellarcast (29:45)
Yeah.
No, and that's fair. And like even if they do have any kind of activation, it's really on the down low where it's like here's a gaming zone. Like it's it's very easy
Benny (29:54)
Yeah yeah Yes Yes
Sellarcast (29:58)
to say and put up, but like we're
Benny (30:01)
Mm.
Sellarcast (30:01)
not really putting a lot of promotion yeah. Well make sure no one runs away with the console or the controllers, but like otherwise it's just kind of a nice nice to have over to the side.
Benny (30:03)
We'll throw an Usher there and make sure it runs and that's it. Like that's that's yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's yeah. It's a little like daycare
spot for the kids. Like yeah parents are grabbing beer and the kids can go play N HL game while they wait in line. Yeah. Yeah.
Sellarcast (30:16)
Exactly. Yeah. We're just gonna wait till the crowd clears out. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
And like I still only have NHL 25.
Benny (30:27)
Mm-hmm.
Sellarcast (30:28)
Because well, I boycotted NHL 26 because I'm like, I'm not buying that thing because of the athlete cover. primarily. That was really my own reason because I'm petty that way. it was still very fresh, and I'm like, there's no way in hell I'm doing this. But
Benny (30:32)
Totally fair. Yep. Yep. Yeah yeah. No. Yeah yeah yeah yep. Totally fair.
Sellarcast (30:45)
I mean, even still by that even by that point of NHL twenty five, then, like, we all knew that you know, it just felt like copy and paste and here's the latest rosters and and and called it a day. NHL twenty five, mind you, I love the fact that we finally brought in real life coaches
in real life, the head coaches. Loved it.
Benny (31:07)
Yes, very nice. Mm-hmm.
Sellarcast (31:11)
Again, the face
Benny (31:13)
Y no not great, not great, but Yeah. Yeah Yep. Yep. Yeah, yep.
Sellarcast (31:13)
Nah it's not even at the time I'm like, I feel bad for Knoblauch at the time because that was that was a lot. That was interesting. Some coaches,
so but I mean I tried to look at it with fresh eyes, even with NHL twenty seven. I'm looking at the trailer, and people right away before I could really like create an opinion, I'd see the reactions of, the graphics. Everyone was comparing it, like, here's
Here's NHL 27,
Benny (31:39)
Ha ha.
Sellarcast (31:40)
and here's a previous game. I'm like, okay, it was like NHL 14 and NHL 27, and they're like, spot the difference. And I'm like, that one looks looks old. This one is definitely NHL 14. No, it's it was 27. I'm like, no. What?
Benny (31:52)
No, no, no, no, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yep. Yep.
Sellarcast (31:58)
And just I'm like, obviously, you've you've you have 27, I'm assuming. You've played it.
Benny (32:02)
Yes. Yes.
Sellarcast (32:05)
From your experience as a
competitive player and everything. What's been your take on it in terms of just being able to get through, you know, a 60 minute game with depending on your settings and everything, if
Benny (32:18)
Mm-hmm. Yeah, yeah.
Sellarcast (32:20)
it's just like, you know, 30 minute ends
Benny (32:22)
Yeah.
Sellarcast (32:22)
up being like a full 30 minutes of all three periods and stuff. what's been your take? Because obviously I think they they definitely overwhelmed us with like flash of like we got
you know, realistic arena presentation feels, we got the playbooks and stuff. I'm curious, like ev
Benny (32:35)
Mm, mm. Mm hmm. Yeah.
Sellarcast (32:40)
just just the playbook alone, did that from a competitive player standpoint, did that make a big difference of actually having the team playbooks versus from when, you know, you were utilizing a team in in a com
Benny (32:52)
Mm. Mm.
Sellarcast (32:54)
in a tournament? Like did that make do you see that making a difference?
Benny (32:59)
it's funny. I so I've from watching these trailers and now understanding it from a different perspective and kind of knowing how it all works. when I saw the playbooks, I knew that was straight BS. I just I I I s as soon as I saw that, I I I
Sellarcast (33:11)
Ha ha ha ha ha ha.
Benny (33:13)
I saw that and went I'm like, you gotta be kidding me. Cause here's the thing these strategies that I'll give it, I'll give it to them. They added a couple more like four checks and and and defensive zone setups. So I'll give them credit there. But like the
The playbooks are just preset strategies. When like as a competitive player, I already know what strategies I like using. Like I'm not gonna switch to a p a preset. Like I like I'm gonna cut
Sellarcast (33:38)
Right.
Benny (33:39)
and you can just customize them yourself. So it's just a marketing tool to go like you we can play like the Montreal Canadians and like
Sellarcast (33:44)
Yeah.
Benny (33:45)
in it's like it's just a preset of strategies you get to use. When it's like that's like that's what they'll tell ya. And and I'm just like I
Sellarcast (33:48)
They play differently, Ben. They play differently. Maybe if you're
simming it.
Benny (33:55)
Ex exactly.
And and I'll give credit to there's a legend in in in NHL you know ki content space. His name is 2B C Productions. And well he's all also well he's he's voiced his opinion too, which I've been very appreciative.
Sellarcast (34:08)
That's fair.
Benny (34:10)
to Tube B C is has been in NHL as long as Nasher. 2BC released the video breaking down the trailer, and it's so funny. Like
Every little spot like he he breaks it down perfectly of like they are maneuvering it this way to like make it seem like they're playing different. But here's the actual case. They have four guys in the game right now and they're dragging each person manually to make it seem like they're playing different. Like it's hilarious. Like I like I couldn't believe it. so he did a really good job of kind of of recapping. Here's the thing the game they released this year was a
They wanted to market it as okay, they wanted to add GM Connected. That was their thing. They wanted to add GM Connected, but they don't have the resources or the time to be able to add the full game mode in the full way, which we'll get what we get into in a second. So they spent this entire time focusing on GM Connected. They can't just release a trailer going, okay, this is the exact same game except a half-assed GM connected mode. So they had to come up with some other stuff. So they
come up with like presets for strategies as playbooks. they
Sellarcast (35:18)
Yeah.
Benny (35:19)
they they do the the in in arena presentation. They add more like glow sticks for fans. Like I like like I don't like like like yeah yeah like like yeah like cool.
Sellarcast (35:25)
Yeah. Jumbotron content apparently too. Sure.
Benny (35:32)
like everyone's pressing A and skipping it like by like by by their fifth game of playing the game. Like like no one cares. Like it's it's
Sellarcast (35:36)
It's true.
Benny (35:38)
it's like to me it's just like I as soon as I saw all that, I'm like, okay, they're just clearly trying to fill time. right now like from
My from knowing some people that know the developers and know kind of how it works a little bit, like their system is flawed. And that's the biggest thing I think for me is they they have so they have a full year obviously to make a game, right? But but they spend six months trying to fix the bugs and glitches and the and the stuff that's wrong in their previous game. So that takes away time from the next game. And eventually and even and even
Sellarcast (36:11)
Yeah, actually creating.
Benny (36:13)
In even those over those six months, they won't fix everything. Like there's still
Sellarcast (36:16)
No.
Benny (36:17)
glitches that have been this game for three years that tick me off. And they like and and they still like
Sellarcast (36:19)
Yeah. Like interviewing
the what in franchise mode there's interviewing interviewing coaches when you wanna hire them and I just get a blank screen and then I have to shut off my PlayStation.
Benny (36:25)
yes, yes, yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.
There's yes, yes. There's a line change glitch with like as a competitive guy, like, like, like when you're switching lines, the last thing you want is like have your lines jumbled because it's like it you set them up perfectly to how you want them. And then like all of a sudden you switch your third line and a guy from the first line comes on and a fourth liner comes on and you're like
Okay, now I have three righties out there. One of them has has a red bar for energy. The other one's got green. nice cat. Nice.
Sellarcast (36:59)
No don't
sit, don't sit Jesus. Cat Cam Thanks, Moira. my god.
Benny (37:03)
Cat cam. Cat cam. Yeah, that's funny. yeah.
and so I think like
Like they have these glitches, they still can't even attend to them. So they spend six months trying to fix their the game they just produced. So then they're only giving themselves six months to release the next game. And so th and then once they release that next game, th
Sellarcast (37:20)
Not a lot of time.
Benny (37:22)
that's not a lot of time. So then there's these more glitches and more stuff they gotta fix and when that game gets dropped. So for me, like the best thing I can say for them is just like to me, like here's what I would do. I and I understand this is will never happen and and like they will never do this. They need to take a year off. They need to.
They need a reset. Like, to me, like what I would do if I were them, I would when NHL 28 time comes around, release a roster update on NHL 27, change the cover art to to like a new cover athlete for NHL 28, and just be flat on honest and be like, hey, this is gonna be a roster update. We're gonna give a new cover athlete. If you bought NHL 27, it's just gonna be an update. And all this is this is NHL 28, we're focused on NHL 29. We're gonna make sure this is the best experience we can give you guys. That's to me, it's like the best thing they can do.
because right now like the system they're in is just that it's unsustainable for for a good product to to be able to be produced right now. And I think both again, like I mentioned earlier, like the competitive side and the casual side, they're both pissed off right now. Like no one's happy. So
Sellarcast (38:21)
Yeah. No.
Benny (38:22)
I I think like even if from a from a competitive guy's perspective, if the casual players were enjoying this game, you won't see me complain. Okay, you market it to the probably the biggest base do you have in the game. Awesome. Like like if they enjoy it, that's really who matters.
but for for me, like both sides are unhappy right now and it's because of the system they have. So to me I think they need to hit a reset button here, but you know, everyone's gotta get paid yearly and it probably won't it probably won't happen. So
Sellarcast (38:50)
It sucks because like I even look at you know GTA 6 coming.
Benny (38:57)
Yeah, yeah.
Sellarcast (38:58)
I'm a big Assassin's Creed fan, so Black Flag Resynced came out this year as well. It
Benny (39:00)
Nice. Yeah. Yeah.
Sellarcast (39:04)
was a 2014 game when it came out.
Benny (39:07)
Right. Yep.
Sellarcast (39:10)
Just the graphics alone in in Black Flag Resynced was like a full upgrade of a game.
Benny (39:18)
Yeah. Right.
Sellarcast (39:18)
That's like over 10 years old.
And like from apparently they they had to build it from scratch in the new engine that they have.
Benny (39:28)
yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah.
Sellarcast (39:29)
there was one story that I thought I caught where they actually didn't have all of the original code from the original game. So they had no choice but to build it from scratch again. But even then, between that and you look at the evolution of GTA graphics, it's like really.
We still can't get a more realistic looking version of Connor McDavid and all these other players for NHL. It's 2026, guys.
Benny (39:50)
Yeah. Yeah. Yep. Mm-hmm.
Sellarcast (39:57)
Like, just seeing the evolution of graphics for GTA. Now, mind you, we haven't played the game yet for GTA. And we're seeing a lot of trailers, but even with some of the gameplay, it's like you know, I'm just like we we've come this far.
Benny (40:11)
Yeah
Sellarcast (40:12)
far to see the realism and the improvements of realism
Benny (40:12)
far yes yes yes.
Sellarcast (40:17)
of games like Assassin's Creed and all these other games. And yet you're telling me you can't figure out a facial generative thing for it for players
Benny (40:23)
Yeah yeah yeah. Yes. Yep.
Sellarcast (40:28)
and and the coaches. Like, I didn't even know who to feel bad for in twenty five and twenty six. Was the players or the head coaches? Like
Benny (40:35)
Yeah, the c yeah yeah yeah.
Sellarcast (40:38)
It was a mess. And then you look at this year and you just see those weird glitches. And it's like we're we're going backwards. Why are we going backwards?
Benny (40:41)
And they somehow get worse. Yeah. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Sellarcast (40:48)
But I will say, I will say, 'cause I'm a big music guy when it
comes to, you know, records, collecting vinyl,
Benny (40:53)
Mm-hmm, mm-hmm, mm-hmm.
Sellarcast (40:55)
you know, when it comes to film, TV, video games. I love the scores. I love the soundtracks. I've hated the soundtracks for like the last five years.
I would say. I think NHL 20 was probably the last decent one. And then 14 was great. Yeah. Yeah.
Benny (41:12)
De decent one. I remember fourteen was fantastic. Like the the the like those those are iconic. Those those that was my childhood.
Sellarcast (41:19)
But like the last couple years, I'm like, what is this? Who are you marketing for? Because it I don't understand the music. There's no hype.
Benny (41:29)
Yeah.
Sellarcast (41:29)
There's no energy. I keep listening to Madden soundtracks, and I'm like,
I want to play games. I want to play video games. I want to win. I'm psyched to play.
Benny (41:34)
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Sellarcast (41:40)
But for NHL, I'm like, I feel like I'm just meant to just lay on the couch and be the stereotype person that plays video games in the basement. That's literally how I feel when I hear that music. I
Benny (41:46)
Yes, yes, yes, yep, totally.
Sellarcast (41:53)
don't understand. But then this year, and I'm sure this is probably another critique that you're it's probably like another one of those eye rollers
Benny (41:59)
Yeah, yeah.
Sellarcast (42:00)
where they changed it.
But it's a lot of goal songs from the teams. And I'm like, you really innovative guys, innovative
Benny (42:05)
Yeah, okay. Okay. You yeah cheap cheap
Yeah yeah like like it's funny, like so like my
Sellarcast (42:14)
I didn't catch the
Oilers song on there. I don't think there is one. There's thirty three tracks.
Benny (42:18)
No, well 'cause they just 'cause
they 'cause they just made a new one. The others just did. So they they have a new goal song. So yeah, don't know how Yes, yeah. Yes,
Sellarcast (42:23)
Right. Even just that one. Even just the previous one.
Benny (42:27)
like use that. yeah, it's funny. Like I I was at work when they released the soundtrack and like and my buddy Trev who works with me is he's like he's like, This soundtrack's sick. Like my god, I know all these songs. And I'm like like look a little harder, man. Like like like like like like like he goes, my Yeah
They're just the they're just the goal songs. Yeah, yeah, they're just the goal songs,
Sellarcast (42:44)
I love that. Look a little harder. Yeah. They're just goal songs.
Benny (42:48)
man. That's all that are there are. Yes, yes.
Sellarcast (42:49)
That's how we curated the playlist this year.
Benny (42:53)
Like all that was was they got permission from the teams and the artists of of those of those songs and said, Okay, yeah, you can use our goal song in the game. I'm surprised you haven't done that already. and then and then they're like, Okay, well that's weird soundtrack too. So we'll we'll just we'll do two and one. Two birds,
Sellarcast (43:06)
Yeah. That
Benny (43:08)
one stone.
Sellarcast (43:09)
literally I it it felt like it was the eleventh hour and they're like, shit, we don't have a soundtrack What do we do? Yeah. Yeah, let's just run those Won't people get mad? No, it's fine. Just throw it on the soundtrack. It's new, it's it it sounds different. Great songs.
Benny (43:13)
Yeah Okay, these goal songs we just brought in. run that's that's our soundtrack. Yeah, yeah. No no no some great songs on there, but it's just like it's it's the it's the
yes, it's just the it's the intent, you know? Yeah.
Sellarcast (43:31)
It's the intent, yeah, exactly.
And like even just some of the songs that are real bangers from previous soundtracks further back, really good, really decent.
Benny (43:40)
Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Sellarcast (43:42)
I would act I think there was I forget the track. I'm forgetting it, but I thought it was the walkout song for the Oilers. At least at the
preseason game that I was at.
Benny (43:55)
Okay, was it this year
or or 'cause their walkout
Sellarcast (43:59)
I'm gonna
Benny (44:00)
song has been Metallica. okay,
Sellarcast (44:02)
It has. And it wasn't Metallica, I will say that.
Benny (44:06)
Reed was going on a rant about us on a show the other day. Journey? I think it Journey I think it was something
Sellarcast (44:14)
I literally listening to this last night 'cause I'm like I'm I knew I was gonna do this in the recording tonight.
Benny (44:17)
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah.
I'm blanking. I Reed was just talking about
Sellarcast (44:24)
I think it's this
one. Is it this one?
Benny (44:27)
yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. That's classic. Classic.
Sellarcast (44:28)
Yeah. It's this one. Yeah. This is classic.
yeah, like th good music, good good tracks.
Benny (44:35)
Yes.
Sellarcast (44:36)
But yeah, like a little more intent. But again,
Benny (44:38)
Holy.
Sellarcast (44:39)
at this point we can we can spew all we want and you know, the community managers are gonna take s only so much and the patch notes
Benny (44:47)
Exactly.
Sellarcast (44:48)
come out and it's like, you took two things from the
Benny (44:52)
Yeah, yeah.
Sellarcast (44:53)
request it it's like the IT requests of like we'd
Benny (44:56)
Yeah.
Sellarcast (44:57)
like these improvements at work for access on the on this platform
Benny (44:59)
Yeah. Yeah, I get to it.
Sellarcast (45:03)
and it's like you know there's a laundry list and it's like hey we'll we'll figure this out it next quarter
Benny (45:05)
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Sellarcast (45:09)
the for for NHL EA Sports
Benny (45:11)
Yeah.
Sellarcast (45:12)
NHL this is like 10 years of improvements that we were hoping for last year.
Benny (45:15)
Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.
Yes. Yeah. No, that's that's the that's been the thing. It's like it's just like a bunch of stuff that's just like, why was this not in the game before? Like and and it's funny, like the I love when on the trailers they'll like go to a black and white scene of like the old game and and like be like, see, this sucked so much in our previous games and this is why our game now is so much
better.
When it's funny, like two years ago, that thing you had on the black and right white screen, you were marketing it as like the next best thing. Like you like like like that's like like there's just so much flaws to like what they're producing right now. Like they're they're going back and like clowning themselves for what they once did, but like what you once did was what you were marketing that and saying it was the best new thing and that's what you need to buy the game for. Like two years from now, you're gonna be doing the exact same thing you were marketing about today. Like it's just like it's so funny.
Sellarcast (46:11)
But see, what's gonna happen two years from
now is it it's funny, yet it's gonna become so sad
Benny (46:18)
Yes.
Sellarcast (46:18)
because now and we've heard it from the new commentators themselves
Benny (46:24)
Yep, yep.
Sellarcast (46:25)
of utilizing AI to fill in some gaps. They've probably already done it with the graphics and the play and the faces. That seems evident, because why would we be going backwards? But now we're you're
It it doesn't sound like it's a it sounds taxing 'cause I remember the previous commentators, they would be in a booth and they'd have to say numerous amounts of lines and try to build
Benny (46:50)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Sellarcast (46:51)
the enthusiasm, but they couldn't necessarily be specific on team or player or, you know, that kind of thing. So they kinda had to add lib a little bit.
Benny (46:56)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Right. Mm hmm.
Sellarcast (47:01)
This year, like, I don't know if you caught you obviously caught those clips where, you know, they were you know, yeah, Bucci gross,
Benny (47:04)
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. John Buccigross was was saying it, yeah.
Sellarcast (47:09)
I think it was
was the one that was saying like, you know, they they he did some, but then they were like, we're just gonna fill in a few gaps with
Benny (47:16)
There's some AI stuff. Yeah.
Sellarcast (47:17)
with AI, but take your voice. And he was like, I don't have a problem with that as long as I have a paycheck. It's like, okay, great, but
Benny (47:22)
Yeah. Yeah.
The fan the fan that's going like, okay, this is is this even man made anymore? Like like
Sellarcast (47:30)
And like, and I'll be honest, like, because I've had this conversation with multiple people in the game development space here in Alberta. I am not against AI. I have to use it as a tool in my job. That
Benny (47:38)
Totally agree. Mm-hmm. No.
Sellarcast (47:42)
is like it is a mandatory fact. That is my that is my new reality. It's weird. I
Benny (47:47)
Yeah. Yeah.
Sellarcast (47:48)
look back at school and I'm like, holy hell. But but
Benny (47:51)
Yep.
Sellarcast (47:53)
like it's it's a new tool. And I'm okay if you use it as a tool, but if you're
If you're getting lazy to
Benny (48:02)
Yes.
Sellarcast (48:02)
make your deadline to complete a game and use AI to do it, and it and you know, if people are catching those moments where AI is being used, it's like this guy doesn't sound real, or that enthusiasm of the play sounded
Benny (48:19)
Yeah.
Sellarcast (48:20)
off. It it but mind you, like even
Benny (48:21)
It was mailed in. Yes.
Sellarcast (48:23)
I play NHL 25.
There are scenes where, you know, the commentator says something and I'm like, that had nothing to do with the play. That had nothing to do with the play. Why are you talking about that? And it's the
Benny (48:31)
Yep. Yep. Yep. Yep. Yep. Yep.
Sellarcast (48:36)
same bloody line over and over again. I'm like, guys, it's no, that that didn't actually happen. Like, do we want to use AI
Benny (48:40)
No, no, no, yeah, no totally. Like it like it and it and it it sucks.
Sellarcast (48:46)
to fix that? Yes. Let's be a little more adaptive. Let's do a little
Benny (48:48)
Yes, yes, totally. Totally.
Sellarcast (48:51)
bit of, you know, that, you know, that learning where it's like,
Benny (48:53)
Yes.
Sellarcast (48:53)
You know, plays are happening and using the voice, it's like, this was a unique situation for this
Benny (48:59)
Mm-hmm.
Sellarcast (49:01)
user. It's now learning that, this situation happened. The the announcer is gonna say something completely different that wasn't actually originally scripted, but it's learning as the game is being played. That's the kind of innovation we expect.
Benny (49:18)
Mm-hmm.
Sellarcast (49:18)
to
see if we're gonna see AI being used as a tool for this development, but it's like, no, it's it's filling the blanks of an already not so exciting script that the commentators are having to read,
Benny (49:32)
Yep. Yep.
Sellarcast (49:34)
not even read, but like actually ad lib more and more. And it's like, what are we doing?
Benny (49:41)
It it doesn't feel authentic. Like that like yes. Yeah. Yes. And then then you know what?
Sellarcast (49:42)
At that point I wanted Jack Michaels 'cause I'm like, I want a power play goal being said by Jack Michaels on NHL.
Benny (49:49)
Then like just don't have John Buccigross do it all. Just get everyone, just like have one person from every announcer booth, for all the NHL teams d put put their voice in, and then if you're gonna use AI, okay, go. Like then you then every team has their own then then then their own play by play. Yeah. Yep. Yes.
Sellarcast (49:56)
Why don't they do that? That would be great. Use AI, fine. Yeah. But get get each team's play by play to contribute so then it doesn't feel as taxing
and it makes the game feel more authentic. So that if I'm a
Benny (50:12)
Totally.
Sellarcast (50:14)
I'm just gonna say Oilers fan because I I don't have the heart to to say anything else.
Benny (50:15)
Yeah. Yeah.
Sellarcast (50:18)
if I'm a Habs fan or an Oilers fan, I wanna have it would be so unique to truly have that different authentic feel, knowing that
There is a play-by-play announcer that sounds completely different. It's not the same guy for every team. It's actually Jack Michaels for Oilers. Like that would be so cool. And
Benny (50:30)
Yep. Yep. Yes. Yes. be awesome.
Sellarcast (50:38)
I just want to be able to go to overtime and then score the game-winning goal and it's like overtime.
Benny (50:40)
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. yeah. Like
Leone does such a great job at that too. Yeah, like that to me like like like no no
Sellarcast (50:47)
that hurt my voice.
Benny (50:49)
yeah, I I don't know how he does it. like it it is insane how he keeps his voice good for for as long as he does. yeah, that to me like the the play by play guys, like they are a they are a piece of the puzzle when it comes to the production of of of the game and when like when I hear
The Habs goal horn, I hear their play-by-play guy in my head talking, like here like s him screaming scores. Obviously, like we watch him here and like like Jack Mu Jack Michaels.
Sellarcast (51:14)
Yeah. hundred percent. Yeah.
Benny (51:18)
Like yeah, like I you know, I may be biased, but the guy like is one of my favorites, if not my favorite, in the NHL. Like he's awesome. He he does he covers the game so well. Yeah, just he
Sellarcast (51:24)
By far. It was a whole new energy and and just
Benny (51:29)
he he finds he knows when to let the play breathe, but also like he he has the voice to really bring you into it.
Sellarcast (51:36)
Especially when he's with Louie. When when he him and Louie, I
Benny (51:36)
Yeah and yeah yes.
Sellarcast (51:39)
I never truly appreciated commentary, play by play commentary, I think, until after broadcasting school. And just really listening in and watching the games and listening to Louie and and Michaels because like I don't know,
Benny (51:54)
Yes. Yes.
Sellarcast (51:56)
just the chemistry, the the
Benny (51:58)
It needs to be there.
Sellarcast (51:59)
play that just the way what they talk about, the chemistry and all that, it it just
It's so enjoyable.
Benny (52:08)
yeah.
Sellarcast (52:08)
And it's hard to replicate that, yes, but if only you brought that in. Yeah. In the channel games it's very it's very uncomfortable. It's very uncomfortable. It doesn't ju like there's some there's some lines that they
Benny (52:12)
Like when you when you have it, you have it. Like it it's it it's it's it's awesome to see and even Yes yes script Alright, next person does their script. Okay, alright, yeah. Yes, yes. Yeah. It'd be so nice. It'd be so nice if they had that.
Sellarcast (52:28)
say where it's like, I love the way you said that. Yeah, it's awesome. And I'm like,
Benny (52:32)
Ha ha
Sellarcast (52:34)
This feels forced.
Benny (52:35)
Yeah yeah. No yeah. They're put in a corner. Yep. Totally.
Sellarcast (52:36)
I feel bad for them. I truly do. I feel bad for the commentators that have to do it for the for the game because it
doesn't feel natural. They don't have a crowd. They they're not looking at a game. They're looking at a at a script in a booth. At least I think that's what it is. But
Benny (52:50)
Yeah. Yep. No, yeah.
Sellarcast (52:53)
you know, it it's hard and they're already, you know, they're already at the disadvantage already going into it. So I give kudos. Like you did you did your best.
But where is this gonna go with AI implementation? It's so curious if it's gonna improve things, because that's the other thing to help with the development is obviously potential generative AI. We won't get into that. But you know, for the for the code of the game
Benny (53:21)
Yeah.
Sellarcast (53:24)
and you know, all the these other things to improve it, I'm nerding out on that side, so I I won't I won't dwell on it. But it
Benny (53:28)
No. Yeah.
Sellarcast (53:31)
I'm it's so curious.
Where they're gonna take those.
Benny (53:35)
Yes.
Sellarcast (53:37)
Are we gonna keep buying the game? I mean, truth be told, I miss 2K. Like, what? I had
Benny (53:41)
Yo, yo, yeah, yeah. I I know.
Sellarcast (53:46)
NHL 2K seven and nine,
Benny (53:48)
Yeah.
Sellarcast (53:50)
maybe ten or eleven. I can't remember. But that's actually how I got into hockey
Benny (53:55)
Yeah yeah yeah yeah.
Sellarcast (53:56)
video games was actually and it was 2K. And
Benny (53:58)
Yeah.
Sellarcast (53:59)
then I think it was maybe probably NHL 11.
Or 14 by that point. Because I remember getting Brodeur on on the cover. I 14
Benny (54:08)
Made the switch. Yeah. Yeah.
Sellarcast (54:11)
was probably one of the first NHL, EA sports NHL games I had.
Benny (54:15)
Mm-hmm.
Sellarcast (54:17)
I've been PlayStation to the since the get go, but
Benny (54:19)
Yeah yeah yeah.
Sellarcast (54:22)
it was a d there's definitely a difference. You
Benny (54:24)
Mm-hmm.
Sellarcast (54:24)
know, they've tried at the time I thought, EA is way better than than 2K. It's like, this is great. I'm gonna switch over. And then two
Benny (54:28)
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Sellarcast (54:32)
K stopped, and then it was just EA, and now I'm like
I wanna go back. I wanna go back. God. But I mean
Benny (54:39)
No, totally. Yeah,
like when they had competition, man, like I I I think it it provided, you know, like the a better product. Totally, totally.
Sellarcast (54:45)
It kept them on their toes, like, what are they gonna what are they gonna put out?
Benny (54:49)
when two K went to the Wii, man, that's what that's I was playing 2 K eleven on my Wii. Like, I was a cruising round looking. But like that was that's the heart of it. It's like it's you had two K, you had EA and they were competing against each other. I think that's what like that's like it's like the scene thing
In hockey, when we're talking about the goaltending tandem, it's like
Sellarcast (55:06)
Yeah. Yeah.
Benny (55:08)
okay, like Devin Levi just played great for three games. Tristan Jarry, you better play well. Jarry plays well. It's like, okay, now we have two good goalies here. That's awesome. Like it exactly. And that's and that's the same. Yeah. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.
Sellarcast (55:13)
Yeah. They're feeding off each other's energy. And Anderson's in the back telling giving Levi tips and it's like, Okay, we have a good tandem. We're gonna work
off of each other, we're gonna get better, we're not going to get worse. Knock on wood. Like
Benny (55:28)
Yes. Yes. And and that's and that yes,
and that's what the and that's what the NHL games used to have. And and ever since two K shut down, like that's EA's ran with it and and they produced a couple good games in that time, but it's it it's definitely tailed off here near the end.
Sellarcast (55:44)
In terms of the new features to kind of wow us to to get us back on back on the train.
Connected franchise, I believe that's that's the new that's the new one that
Benny (55:55)
Yep. Yep.
Sellarcast (55:57)
that was trying to get everyone in. I'm not so much familiar with it because I'm j I stick to the regular offline franchise mode and be a pro mode. I have to say I haven't fully experienced be a pro mode and all of its, you know, features and and you know, off ice stuff. I've based off of the little bit that I have done after I think season and a half, it's like it's not the most exciting, it's cool.
There's a lot of money to have to get piled up in order to actually get some of those perks that actually last a while. but even with franchise mode, I've I know I've shifted my strategy approach to like really like, okay, like let's let's actually handle the full pipeline. You know, I'll manage the the the arena upgrades and the budgets. I will I will clear
Benny (56:42)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Full owner mode, everything. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah.
Sellarcast (56:46)
house of my entire coaching staff for my
Benny (56:48)
Yep.
Sellarcast (56:49)
Team for both teams. I will clear out my scouts so I can get better rated scouts. I'm doing all of that now. And I
Benny (56:51)
Yep. Yep. Yep. Yeah, yeah, sweet.
Sellarcast (56:57)
you know, few years ago, I didn't even give a shit about that stuff. But now I'm like, well, wait, like if I
Benny (57:01)
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Sellarcast (57:04)
actually get better ratings on players that I want to maybe draft, assuming I don't trade all my draft picks, you know, there
Benny (57:10)
All of a sudden you have some good prospects and now
you have trade chips and yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah.
Sellarcast (57:13)
Exactly. There's there's more trade value. So if I end up getting stuck
with NHL ready players that are low trade value, but I got draft, I got prospects, okay, maybe I can make some moves. So like, you know, approaching franchise mode completely different now, and I've gotten in to the hang of it where I was the Montreal Canadiens, I got fired after one season because we didn't make the playoffs. So I ended up in Boston and I'm doing okay in Boston, but I'm like, this feels weird just not doing this.
Then I was the Columbus Blue Jackets, relocated, became the Quebec City Nordiques. and then I think I ended up getting fired from that too, or something. I can't I can't even remember. Or maybe it was a different one, but I
Benny (57:47)
Yeah.
Sellarcast (57:55)
ended up going back to Edmonton, obviously.
Benny (57:57)
Yes.
Sellarcast (57:58)
but that that's just my new thing now where it's like I
Benny (58:01)
Mm-hmm.
Sellarcast (58:02)
try and go after the the big fish head coaches, even though again a big flaw when they introduced the new the real head coaches was that they were all too expensive. And once they were all getting
Benny (58:11)
Yeah.
Sellarcast (58:12)
fired
Benny (58:12)
Yeah. Yeah. Yep. Yep.
Sellarcast (58:13)
They're just sitting there. So that's fun. But I'm curious,
like on the connected franchise mode, you know, what what's been your take on it? And, you know, will this kind of thing last or should they just be sticking to the offline franchise mode and stuff? I could go on on this one because like
Benny (58:33)
No, yeah.
Sellarcast (58:34)
I think they need to just have the entire coaching staff of real life on the teams.
Benny (58:38)
Yes,
totally.
Sellarcast (58:39)
So that
you can not only especially in franchise mode, because again, you're
Benny (58:43)
Yes.
Sellarcast (58:44)
you're empowering the user, the player, to run a team.
Benny (58:47)
Mm-hmm. Yep.
Sellarcast (58:50)
The the not so cool stuff and the cool stuff.
Benny (58:54)
Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.
Sellarcast (58:55)
Why not have the real you did the real head coaches, do the real assistant coaches top to bottom, and then now you can develop the coaches. So when
Benny (59:04)
Yes, yes. That's another side
to it you can have.
Sellarcast (59:07)
You know, you can
develop the coaches, you can om you can also develop the players that retire and purposely, like, depending on their personality, really think like, are they a coach or are they a scout? If they're a coach, really develop them. So then it's like you start them off in the AHL, you s you sign them to the AHL team, and then they get the experience, and then you promote them to the NHL team. Now, capability wise, you can do that, but
You can you can't it feels limited still. It feels like there's still potential to kinda open this up and have a little more off ice stuff, you know.
Benny (59:40)
Yeah. Yes, totally. Yes. And they haven't gotten there yet. Well, 'cause like
think about the coaches the Oilers hired before Babcock. Chris Knoblauch and a and Jay Woodcroft. both AHL head coaches before they they came here to Edmonton like stuff like that. Like that's so cool. that you could Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yes, yes.
Sellarcast (59:55)
Yeah. Yeah. It's a cool story and like, you know, they're they're right in the thick of it too with the players. They're just not on the ice.
Benny (1:00:06)
Yes, totally. I would like
The that that's me, it just adds more storyline. I I'm gonna bring him up again. 2BC 2BC Productions.
Sellarcast (1:00:12)
Yeah. Yeah.
Benny (1:00:14)
He does these franchise modes every year, and he like is the best he does full-on hands-on just like you do. but he provides these like storylines, and even he like uses like AI to like to like do like short scenes and stuff of like players meeting and stuff, and like and like like it's hilarious. Like it is a full-blown
Sellarcast (1:00:34)
That's great.
Benny (1:00:36)
It's a full-blown like TV show. And I love it.
Sellarcast (1:00:39)
that's cool.
Benny (1:00:40)
Every year. Last year he did the Calgary Flames and the amount of drama that happened. Like I'm like, I'm like, this is like this sh I shouldn't be watching this for free. Like this is like it is hilarious.
Sellarcast (1:00:48)
No
Benny (1:00:49)
It is so good. It is so funny. And he's just hilarious.
Sellarcast (1:00:51)
Charge a subscription.
Benny (1:00:53)
Yes, yes. It's funny. Like it like I I as a competitive guy, like I think a lot of us competitive guys, they don't care about franchise modes. Like it's whatever. You don't play esports, it's not esports, whatever.
Sellarcast (1:01:01)
There. No.
Benny (1:01:03)
For myself.
huge franchise mode guy. That's where I started my NHL roots was just playing franchise mode as little
Sellarcast (1:01:07)
Okay. Yeah.
Benny (1:01:08)
kid. I'm actually in one right now. I I like to do teams that are currently right now going through it and getting them out of it. So the Detroit that is exactly where I'm at right now. I traded
Sellarcast (1:01:17)
So Detroit? Yeah.
Benny (1:01:21)
Dylan Larkin and s Simon Evanson. I'm like
Sellarcast (1:01:24)
Yes.
Benny (1:01:24)
full full blown like I like I'm in it. I actually I I think we just won the Stanley Cup and
Sellarcast (1:01:30)
beautiful.
Benny (1:01:30)
Hey, I turned around three years. Pretty good. Signed Matthews in the free agency. So, you're out. But
Sellarcast (1:01:33)
That's not bad. I wanted to turn around Montreal, but they were like, after one season, nope, you're out. Strict. Strict.
Benny (1:01:41)
but yeah, like like they they they do have a I will say, like, like out of all the things I can crap on about the game, like yes, the assistant coaching and all that stuff, like that, there's still stuff they can add. But that's probably their most well polished mode they have. It i i is franchise mode. I I I will
Sellarcast (1:01:54)
Yeah, that's fair. Yeah.
Benny (1:01:57)
I will give them that. It is a it is a solid
Sellarcast (1:01:59)
It's come a long way.
I I will say, like, going back to like NHL 14 and stuff like it's come a long way to be able to manage salary cap.
Benny (1:02:00)
It's c it has definitely come a long way. Yes. Yes. Yes. That's the mode I would say
is improved since in NHL 14. I'm on. I I like
Sellarcast (1:02:09)
Do you keep cap on or off? Yeah.
Benny (1:02:13)
like off off is like if I'm just trying to build a super team. And I and then I and then I just build the modern day like all star team.
Sellarcast (1:02:16)
Yeah, that's that's fair. It's like so unrealistic.
Benny (1:02:20)
Yeah, yeah. Like I so like I'll turn off owner mode majority of the time. Like I'll
Sellarcast (1:02:24)
Mm.
Benny (1:02:24)
usually go, okay, I'll I'll handle the GM stuff. Owner, you can be the owner. I'll
Sellarcast (1:02:28)
Yeah.
Benny (1:02:28)
I I I'll be GM.
I have to go cap on like trade difficulty on medium and stuff. no no injuries. I'm not changing my lines after every game. I'm not doing that. Like I I can't do injuries. Can't do it. Yes. Yeah. It's more realistic.
Sellarcast (1:02:36)
Hmm. I might have to try that because I I keep injuries on and I've gotten to the point where I
sim through the season just to see where I end up.
Benny (1:02:47)
Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
Sellarcast (1:02:49)
and then but like man, just there was the one year the one round where it felt like I was constantly having to like reactivate players because it's like they keep getting injured
Benny (1:02:55)
Yeah. Yes, yep.
Sellarcast (1:03:01)
and injured, and I'm like, wait a minute, I should just turn on the head coach setting, because like
Benny (1:03:05)
Yeah, the headcoach best lines. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's it it's so annoying.
Sellarcast (1:03:05)
I'm tired of changing it manually. but
Benny (1:03:10)
Yeah. That's why I I have them off. but I I think the root we we got on tangent. I think the root of that was connected franchise. yeah, yes, yes. rails rails back on. That's that's what we that's what we say in
Sellarcast (1:03:15)
Yeah. Yes, connected franchise. Thank you. Reeling me back in. Yeah.
Benny (1:03:22)
at EST. It's you we go on tangents all the time and we'll and just someone in the chat will always go rails off. Like
Sellarcast (1:03:28)
Rails.
Benny (1:03:29)
like like like we're off and then it's okay. Let's get back together here.
Sellarcast (1:03:32)
It's a new custom
emoji we're gonna build.
Benny (1:03:34)
Yeah
exactly. Yes. so yeah, okay, so so connected franchise, I mean, everyone's been hootin' and hollering for this for years. I and and and I totally get it. Like every other sports game's got it. Like you yeah and and it's a huge, huge component to their game. And and like we were just talking about, franchise mode is probably their most well polished mode they have. and so
They've been saying, like, and from again, knowing some guys that are in that kind of development team and and and guys that are close with them, like like the the the messaging we've been getting back has been like we're holding off to where to we c to a point where we can get it right. We don't want to screw this up. Which I appreciated. I'm like, okay, like I don't want some like half game mode in the game until this year, where they just bring a half game mode into the game. Like I it didn't make any sense to me. You can't the players don't
Age, it's just the same year repeating after year after year. you like your you can't like I think I think you can only control there's always human players, you can control teams, and then if there isn't a team controlled by the human, they're like removed from the league or something. I haven't played around too much with it.
Sellarcast (1:04:38)
Yeah.
Benny (1:04:39)
it is it is mainly I'll tell you this if competitive esports was at its peak right now.
This mode would have been the most perfect mode they could have dropped. Because it is flat out a money leak mode. That's all it is. It is so I people who are still playing competitives are are currently doing these now. Where they'll host a fantasy draft, you draft your team, whatever, and then you can since you can make custom rosters, someone will just make the custom roster, everyone downloads it, they start a franchise mode, a connected franchise, everyone has their own team, and then they'll
Everyone throws in fifty bucks and they they sim a league and or they play against each other and it's a money league fran mode, basically.
Sellarcast (1:05:20)
Yeah.
Benny (1:05:21)
That's cool for competitive side. But from a casual fan perspective
Sellarcast (1:05:22)
Right. It
Benny (1:05:24)
that is just like wants to play franchise mode with their buddies, it is horribly made again. to
Sellarcast (1:05:30)
Mm.
Benny (1:05:31)
me like like like you're it you're in this half in between zone. I understand it's like, okay, but probably by next year you'll have it all figured out. But like again, this this all comes back to what I was saying earlier of like
If you just take the year off, during that year, you probably
Sellarcast (1:05:44)
Yeah. Yeah.
Benny (1:05:46)
work out everything and you make this mode the mode that everyone's been asking for. And then
Sellarcast (1:05:51)
Yeah.
Benny (1:05:51)
you fix some of those stuff that you haven't been able to get to the past couple years. And all of a sudden, like it's like, okay, we took this year off, but we have connected franchise and like
Sellarcast (1:05:59)
Yeah.
Benny (1:06:00)
a good connected franchise. And I imagine like the like the f from the fans perspective, they'd be going like, okay, we're like, yeah, probably ticked off. You took a year off, but at least we have this mode. We've been just like
begging for for years. it's yeah, again, it just it's just that's what they made this entire game about was we're gonna add this mode and then it's not even like the full capabilities that like you're it's supposed to have. It's very disappointing. Yeah, yeah, exactly. Yeah.
Sellarcast (1:06:23)
Yeah. So we're just gonna forget about it in the meantime, essentially. But I mean,
hopefully, you know, with their plans and everything, maybe this resurrects the competitive side. 'Cause 'cause
Benny (1:06:37)
Totally.
Sellarcast (1:06:37)
from what I'm hearing and and you did a great job explaining it, 'cause I was kind of a little lost too, where I'm like,
Benny (1:06:39)
Mm. Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Sellarcast (1:06:43)
Okay, like I'm familiar with the competitive side and I'm just naturally a casual player. So like I'm trying to understand the value of this feature and understand the hype.
Of it because I didn't quite get it at first. So as a casual player, I'm like, this doesn't really interest me. I don't really know anyone
Benny (1:06:59)
It du it doesn't, yeah.
Sellarcast (1:07:01)
else that plays Chel the way I do. No one really else I know has Chel. So it's just me. So I'm fine with offline franchise mode.
Benny (1:07:03)
Yeah. Yeah yeah yeah. Yeah yeah yeah. Right. Right.
Sellarcast (1:07:08)
But competitively, it's like, okay, this could be something that resurrects everything and maybe creates communities of groups.
Where you're actually showing up somewhere, whether it's, you know, a brew house or, you know, a local
Benny (1:07:25)
Nope. Nope.
Sellarcast (1:07:27)
land place, you know, in Edmonton you got overclocked. so hopefully that's that's my hope. I think at this point, I know I know there's there's a lot of PTSD on it, mind you, I totally get that. But at the same time, maybe
Benny (1:07:34)
Yes, yeah. Totally. Totally. Totally. No, yeah.
Sellarcast (1:07:41)
this is a hopeful moment.
Benny (1:07:44)
If it ever returns, this mo will be used. Like I like that's that's my prediction. Like to me
Sellarcast (1:07:48)
Do you see this sort of
being s the thing that spearheads it in order to really
Benny (1:07:51)
Yes
Sellarcast (1:07:52)
get people back into it?
Benny (1:07:53)
I totally agree. I I I I think the the the so the world championship has used HUT as as
Sellarcast (1:07:59)
Right. Yes.
Benny (1:08:00)
their moan and I don't think they'll ever stop like EA partners with NHL they want the moneymaker to be used for the world championships. So I get that. But
Sellarcast (1:08:05)
Fair. Yeah. Yeah.
Benny (1:08:07)
the team tournaments, if if if the world championship comes back and teams start to come back with it
Teams will use this mode. I can almost guarantee it. Like they will absolutely they'll they'll probably have a tournament that breaks into okay, now we're in the final thirty-two of North America. We're gonna do a fantasy draft, run everyone, like like pick your teams, and then from there that's where you would you would you use the mode. That to me I think is is is what we'll get used for, and that's nice. Like it's nice to have that. Problem is just the competitive scene isn't there, so I I mean if it ever comes back, I'd imagine that mode absolutely gets used hundred percent. Yeah, yeah.
Sellarcast (1:08:41)
Well,
not not to not to shit on the game all day long, I guess.
Benny (1:08:45)
No, yeah.
Sellarcast (1:08:45)
Any like we kinda talked about some some wins, some positives.
Benny (1:08:49)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Sellarcast (1:08:50)
is there anything else that kinda stands out as like, you know, I can tolerate this or I like this that that stands out for you that we that we haven't
Benny (1:08:56)
Yeah.
Sellarcast (1:08:58)
touched on?
Benny (1:09:00)
they like I I mean just some like Yeah, just like some some nerdy stuff.
Sellarcast (1:09:02)
Even just the little things, like I know I'm still waiting to be
able to poke check without getting a penalty right away, like
Benny (1:09:08)
Well well that's like like
I I'll give them that. Like they act I th I thought the poke checks so I played pretty hard for the first three weeks of this year. and like the poke checks I noticed were a little better, which was nice to see. one timers worked more. I and so this this could set me down a whole different tangent. so no it's okay. So like yeah,
Sellarcast (1:09:26)
Sorry. I'll wheel you back. I'll wheel you back.
Benny (1:09:30)
so basically like in my opinion so here's okay.
Casual players, competitive players, I think they both they want a good product, right? But I think here's where I I would say th where the lines are blurred a little bit. I think the casual player wants to have fun playing a hockey video game, and I totally get it.
Sellarcast (1:09:49)
Yes. Yeah.
Benny (1:09:50)
But I think the hockey sport itself is very hard to translate to a video game that is fun.
in hockey there is a lot of bounces and weird things that happen in games where in the video game no one wants that. You want like you want to be able to like pass the puck and like not have it bobble off your stick randomly. It's like no, like, no, I made a pass. Like, I wanna be able
Sellarcast (1:10:11)
Yeah. Yeah.
Benny (1:10:13)
to receive it normally. you know, and and so I think from a casuals perspective, they think they want real hockey when
Sellarcast (1:10:20)
Right.
Benny (1:10:20)
there's n there's things that need to be tweaked in the game.
Just slightly to be a little bit arcadey, so that the game feels like real hockey, but it's fun at the same time.
Sellarcast (1:10:31)
Right.
Benny (1:10:31)
and one of those things is passing and and that type of stuff. so because of that, casual players are ticked off because it's like, this game isn't fun, this game isn't good, but in reality, it's like it's kind of close to real hockey. It's just it's just not that fun in a video game form. The competitive player is pissed off right now because
Because it's becoming closer to real hockey, that means more bounces. That means more unpredictability. That means all this stuff that like is like now the skill gap was once here. Now it's here. And and and and the players now more losses are happening for top end guys. And that's and ultimately it's because it the game is less predictable. in in in the esports days when I was playing NHL 21 and 20, in my opinion, were some of the best at esports games because
As bad as it sounds, there were glitch goals and there and there was stuff, but you knew what was going in. And so, from a player that's playing defense, you know if you give up this one chance, you're gonna get punished. In the game right now, if you give up this one chance that was once a 90% chance going in, it's more like 60 now. You're like, okay, I shouldn't give this up, but
Sellarcast (1:11:42)
Yeah.
Benny (1:11:43)
I do like I I will get bailed out, you know, a decent amount of the time.
so right now we're kind of in this weird space right now of like competitive player, the game is getting more unpredictable, but I think the casual players are still pissed off with it with how the game is being played.
Sellarcast (1:11:57)
That's fair.
Benny (1:11:58)
and so that that to be all leads to one-timers. One-timers in in NHL 21, they were they were like the the cross-crease, everyone everyone's like, cross-crease cheese or whatever. In real life, man, if you if if if you allow the guy to go cross-crease on you, chance of going are pretty high. and and and so in the game, that's what they had.
And so esports initial esports was more like chess. It's like if I move
Sellarcast (1:12:20)
Right.
Benny (1:12:21)
my guy here, this opens up that, but if I open up that, th it that's not a high grade A chance. Okay, maybe I could bait him into going here so that I could cut him off here. Whatever. It to me it was more east initial esports was more chess than than anything. and and and so I think
Sellarcast (1:12:34)
Interesting. Yeah. Makes sense.
Benny (1:12:37)
for NHL Esports to for now of it to go more to unpredictable things, like
We're just seeing the skill gap l get less and less and less and we're seeing all these top players like losing more games than they should and it's just going like now we don't even have esports and there's like this on top of this as well. So it's pi it's ticked off. Well actually, okay. There's a skill gap shrinkage, but to a certain extent. it'll be my story a little in a little bit. But
Sellarcast (1:13:03)
Yeah.
Benny (1:13:03)
I I have a very funny story. But yeah, it it's there's one timers are going in a little bit more, which is nice. Poke checks are are are
are are looking a little bit better to reel things in but still like nothing nothing I I came away with with this game going like yeah like this was awesome. actually and in HUT it used to be very pay to win. used to be you have to buy you had to buy a lot of packs, get your team good and all this stuff. this year if you simply play the game a g a decent amount, your team will be just as good as everyone else's. Which I which I will give him credit for.
Sellarcast (1:13:32)
Interesting. Yeah.
Benny (1:13:33)
as a guy that like has been scre like screaming for that like
Reward the top players for being good. Give them better packs that get some better cards that get that makes their teams good so they don't have to spend all that money. This year they do have that down. Exactly. Yes. Yes.
Sellarcast (1:13:45)
I think that's why I don't use HUT. I think that's why I've never played HUT because I I
I've already bought the game and like I don't know if
Benny (1:13:51)
Yep. Yep.
Sellarcast (1:13:52)
this is something I'm gonna play all the time. So it's like I just wanna
Benny (1:13:55)
Yeah.
Sellarcast (1:13:55)
get better and try new things in franchise mode. Or, you know, I actually wanna take the time and invest my time in be a pro mode and really like build myself up. as I think I ended up being a center. I got drafted by Vegas. It was weird.
Benny (1:14:10)
Nice. Yeah,
yeah.
Sellarcast (1:14:12)
And then named captain
after one season. So I'm like, this is this does not feel real. You want to talk about arcade,
Benny (1:14:16)
Real leader.
Sellarcast (1:14:18)
like hmm, this this feels weird. I'm like, you demoted stone, like, come on. This is this is a bit much, but you know, I digress. But yeah, still
Benny (1:14:23)
Yeah, yeah, come on. Yeah yeah yeah. Yeah. Yeah yeah.
Sellarcast (1:14:29)
see garbage goals even in 25 where I'm like, that that probably should not have gone in because it it literally went through somebody. Like,
Benny (1:14:38)
Yeah we still have those man. Yep,
yep. Yep, yep.
Sellarcast (1:14:41)
I'll I'll I'll take but yeah. Yeah, no. So
I I guess lo and behold, 'cause I could I could talk to you about this all day
Benny (1:14:49)
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Sellarcast (1:14:50)
for like we could probably do a a a whole day long
Benny (1:14:53)
Yes.
Sellarcast (1:14:54)
show on this. maybe one day. Who knows? but I I guess,
Benny (1:14:57)
huh, yeah, yeah.
Sellarcast (1:14:58)
you know, in terms of the v the verdict at the end of the day, what's what's the bottom line when it comes to NHL twenty seven and I don't know if that
throws into the other story you want to bring up as well. but yeah I'm I'm curious. At the bottom line, what is the verdict for NHL 27? I guess for someone who hasn't upgraded, hasn't gotten the light hasn't gotten 26, but also maybe has gotten every single NHL game. So like kind of coming from those two sides
Benny (1:15:28)
Mm Mm Yes,
yeah.
Sellarcast (1:15:32)
And now
this could mean 'cause I I really appreciate your your point of view from the competitive side and casual user side, but
Benny (1:15:37)
Yeah. Right.
Sellarcast (1:15:40)
really just coming down to knowing that either they've gotten every single game to play either casually or competitively, or they they skip twenty six, they maybe have twenty-four or they have twenty-five,
Benny (1:15:52)
Mm-hmm.
Sellarcast (1:15:52)
like myself.
Benny (1:15:54)
Yes. I still wouldn't recommend 27. Like that that that to me is i i is is still the bottom line here. the the game i it it's again like like we've talked about for the past hour here. It's just it's it's there's so many flaws and there's so many things that I think this game has has struggled with. I I will say like if you're I think the only thing I'd say is actually c basically in like your case if
The only thing I would say is is if you are a like die hard franchise mode fan, I can't recall the exact improvements they've made over the past couple years off the top of my head. But it I I feel like every year it has gotten better. and so I guess if you're a die hard franchise mode fan, yeah, sure, I'd probably wait until like it's on sale or something. And I'll be flat honest with you, like like I so
This was the most disconnected I've ever been for N NHL. I was a diehard, like, buy the game every single year. when I was streaming on Twitch and stuff, I was I was able to get myself into the EA program, which like which is like, you know, you you get every EA game for free, basically. And and so I forgot that NHL 27 was released on this one Friday. Like I completely forgot. Like I like I I just woke up and like my friends were playing. I was like,
Sellarcast (1:17:06)
Cool.
Benny (1:17:05)
Forgot, like, I forgot that dropped
and I and and I was just like, Okay, whatever and I was at work, I was like, Yeah, whatever.
Sellarcast (1:17:10)
Yeah.
Benny (1:17:10)
And I come I come home at a couple hours and I like, I wonder if a free code. I looked, I'm like, yeah, I do. Okay, whatever, I'll I'll I'll download it, I'll play. And so and so I literally have not spent a a cent on on the game. Not even HUT or anything, like I didn't do anything. I am full blown, like I haven't spent a dime on this game, and I still wouldn't recommend people do it. I I've had friends that
That are that were waiting for my opinion on it and it's the same thing. It's just like if you are a diehard franchise mode fan, okay, yeah, you what maybe. it might be worth it. I'd wait until like a Christmas sale or something. but for the most part, man, like I if you are trying to if you are trying to buy this game expecting a series improvement, you will be let down. And that's and that's the honest truth for me. Like i it sucks. I I don't love crapping on the game, even though I've done it for an hour.
Sellarcast (1:17:53)
No. Me neither. Yeah.
Benny (1:17:55)
like it's it's we're we're doing it out of love. You know, like we just
Sellarcast (1:17:57)
We're we're doing out of love.
Yeah.
Benny (1:17:59)
Yeah,
we we just we want it we want to see it succeed and I and I think i exactly, exactly.
Sellarcast (1:18:02)
We're passionate fans. We're passionate fans.
Benny (1:18:05)
It's tough love for for for the game, but I I I think it's just right now, man, like with the way it is, it it it's not a it's not an appropriate game to be marketed in my opinion. yeah, so I'd say if you're a die hard franchise mode fan, there's like maybe I would consider it, but outside of that, man, there's not a whole lot to it. Yeah. Yeah.
Sellarcast (1:18:25)
Nope. Nope. Fair enough.
Yeah. th there was another story you said you wanted to share. Did do you want to share that? You're down? Yeah, yeah.
Benny (1:18:31)
Okay. Yeah. Sure, sure, yeah. I I guess
so so it's funny. So so this ties back to when you were asking me about how did esports and my work kinda cross over.
Sellarcast (1:18:40)
Right. Yeah.
Benny (1:18:41)
And and so i if you were to have asked me that question six months ago, I would have like it didn't really tie in at all, actually. so I so when I first met with Dusty and the crew there, Trev is another guy, he's around my age, he's a producer of the Nielson show.
He had seen my stuff from my competitive days and all that. And so he he was telling me he's like, like I love your stuff, whatever, and he's like and he saw like a ranking of mine where I was like top five in the world at that point or whatever. And he's like he's like, like, like that's so cool, like I'm so impressed, whatever. I like,
Sellarcast (1:19:12)
Yeah.
Benny (1:19:13)
cool, whatever. I didn't think too much of it. And then so when I get bro brought in for my practicum, Trev is like running around the office going like he's like
This guy's like top five in the world at NHL and I'm like and I'm just like and I'm like, okay, like Thanks, but like whatever. Like that was also like two years ago, but whatever. Like didn't like a and like and everyone around the office, like everyone's older than I am, by a decent margin,
Sellarcast (1:19:35)
Right. Yeah.
Benny (1:19:37)
and and and they're all like the kinda the notion I got was kinda just like, cool, okay. and moved along. So like I like so for me
Sellarcast (1:19:43)
Shit.
Benny (1:19:44)
like it's when sports radio I'm like, whatever, I don't care. Like it's like it's like cool
Sellarcast (1:19:47)
Yeah. Video games are not to be talked
about.
Benny (1:19:50)
Ye yeah, exactly. It's like, okay, cool, whatever. Like like
no, but they would start talking to me about like other video games and I'm like, I'm actually just a diehard NHL video game guy. Like I never did really play too much other stuff, but so yeah, so that was kind of the notion and kind of the thing for for my first like year and a bit there. Like it was kind of just like, yeah, whatever. And then I'm playing online versus in the summer, this this past summer, in in NHL twenty six. I was just playing it casually, I just wanted to catch my NHL itch. You know, I just scratched a little bit.
Sellarcast (1:20:15)
Yeah. Fair.
Benny (1:20:17)
And so I
And so started playing online versus and again like I'll say like the skill gap so this is where I was tied in the skill gap. The skill gap at the top end level has shrunk. But I would if I'm still playing someone that's like thousandth in the world, I will have my way. Like that's just that's just like how it goes. I and so I'm playing online versus and Trev's a big online versus guy, and and and he's like, I've been playing it again and stuff. It's like like I'm kinda having fun with it. And I like, yeah, I've been playing too. And and he's like, what's your record?
And I think at the time I was like I think I was a hundred and fifty no or something and and I was and I was like hundred and fifty no he goes What? I was like a hundred and fifty no He goes like he like I can't even win ten games straight. Like what how how do you how do you you're a hundred and fifty no I'm Yeah And he goes like you go What? And then like so that so so then like so that move so we moved along from there. A week later he checks in again and he goes like what's your record? I'm like, I think I'm two hundred and thirty no and he goes, I'm talking about this on there, I'm talking about this on there.
He goes on the oil stream and he goes like and he asks the chat and and Dusty was on the show with him. He's like, Benny's been playing NHL again. What's it how many games do you think he's won in a row? And they're like, sixty, eighty, and and and Trev's like two hundred and thirty. And they're and
Sellarcast (1:21:28)
AHHHH
Benny (1:21:28)
the chat chat goes nuts. Dusty goes nuts. He's like, What? Like all this stuff. And then and then so like it's funny, like, so like I come on, I'm like, yeah, like
I don't know. Like, guys, when I said like when Travis ran in the office saying I was top five in the world, do you think he was lying? Like I like like this was like like I d I expected to go a thousand and no. Like I'm playing against guys that aren't like competitive guys. Like like and so so that happens and it's like funny. And so then it becomes like the talk of the station over the summer. Was like was like it was like Benny's streak. Like we need to watch him do his streak. So I I get to 350, you know. And my it's funny.
My parents did renovations in the basement here that I'm
Sellarcast (1:22:05)
Mm.
Benny (1:22:05)
I still live with my parents for now and and they removed the carpet and they were and they did did Yes, yes, exactly.
Sellarcast (1:22:08)
Respect, it's super expensive.
Benny (1:22:12)
Trying to save my money when I can and and they redid the walls and everything and so they tell me, they're like, We need you to find a spot to stay for a week and and I you know, I have friends, I have family around here I could stay with and I was kinda like, you know what, like it'd be pretty funny if I lived at work for a week.
So I proposed it to Dusty and Maddie and we were joking about it literally the week before that of like what happened if I were to live there. Like they have everything but a shower at the office. Like so I and my friend lives two minutes away. So I I saw I was like, So like, yeah, remember that joke that we were talking about? Like, what happens if we actually like like I actually need a p a place to stay? Dusty's like, go ahead, man, like sleep here. So I so I I I took a I brought in a mattress and I lived at the office for over a week.
fantastic commute to work just while we walk down the hallway.
Sellarcast (1:23:00)
Yeah.
Benny (1:23:01)
it was awesome. but during that time I was like, Well, I brought my Xbox stuff, I brought my streaming stuff.
Sellarcast (1:23:07)
no.
Benny (1:23:08)
Like, why why don't I just like stream my stuff? And so it got marketed on the radio. I did three episodes, they were called Benny at Night. and I would stream me playing online versus, and everyone was just like, my god, like they were like watching me play like
They like they like they they finally understood what I was doing, like this entire time. And it's all like Yeah, they were saying
Sellarcast (1:23:25)
Right. They they need to see it. Right.
Benny (1:23:28)
everything and it like becomes the talk of the station aga like it's like complete every show is like what's Benny's record at? Like all this stuff. And so so I did three different episodes and I got myself up to I think to four hundred and seventy five and And I was I think I was ranked five on the leaderboard or something like that, and and like and everyone's talking about it and everyone's like, Hey
You need to get to 499 and and then challenge the rank one guy for 500. And I was like, I was like, I like that idea. That's good, that's good content. So so I so I I get the 499 and I messaged the actually the guy at first reached out to me. and we talked and I'm like, okay, well, it's funny, my work's doing this whole thing, whatever, and like like they want to see it. He's like, Yeah, man, like let's do it. So I this time I did from home, I did from here, but I streamed a Benny at Night, the fourth episode from here.
One game for five hundred and and I lost.
Sellarcast (1:24:19)
No.
Benny (1:24:20)
so so four hundred and ninety-nine and one. it was my final record in online versus in HL26. but now that's how esports crossed over. Is like like and and now like
Sellarcast (1:24:29)
I love that.
Benny (1:24:30)
the the talk in the station now or like for for those couple weeks was like we need to be talking about this more. Like, why aren't you in more tournaments? Why aren't you doing this? Like, we should be running tournaments at the brew house and like having you there. and I'm like, like, guys, like
I got hired here and Trevor's running around the office. I was l saying I was top five in the world. Like like what did you expect? Like this was like I like it's like almost like I it's I've this has been I've always been this guy. Like I and
Sellarcast (1:24:53)
Mm.
Benny (1:24:54)
like I'm like casually playing now and like now do you guys care? Like it's like it it like it's funny, like it I think it's just cause they convert like I converted to something they can understand. It's like you win
Sellarcast (1:25:03)
Yeah.
Benny (1:25:05)
you can win four hundred and ninety nine straight games in a row. Okay, now that's something, right? So yeah. Exactly, exactly.
Sellarcast (1:25:08)
Yeah. It's newsworthy, right? Like up until that point it wasn't
quite newsworthy, but now it's like, you're four hundred and ninety nine and That's amazing.
Benny (1:25:13)
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. So that's
it was it was so cool. It was going all over the place. It was a ton of fun. And so that that's took up our air airways for like six weeks at the station. And so yeah, so I was kinda waiting for like I wonder when that esports connection would would tie into
Sellarcast (1:25:28)
That's insane. S Yeah.
Benny (1:25:34)
my radio side.
And that's when it finally kind of crossed over.
Sellarcast (1:25:37)
Yeah.
Benny (1:25:38)
And so it probably won't get resumed until next summer,
Sellarcast (1:25:40)
Fair.
Benny (1:25:41)
when when things die down a little bit with the Oilers and everything. But yeah, now I'm yeah,
Sellarcast (1:25:44)
More of an off season thing. Just
Benny (1:25:46)
now I'm known as the biggest choker and just a l loser from the five hundred of the game. So it was it's pretty funny. Yeah. Y yeah, exactly. I know I'm like you you guys forget about the four hundred ninety nine of them? Like yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. It was pretty funny. Yeah.
Sellarcast (1:25:51)
Wow. Yeah, we're we're just gonna forget about the four hundred and ninety nine games. But he's a choker. Okay, sure. That makes sense. Yeah. Okay. So that's what we
call rub rubbing it in on the new guy.
Benny (1:26:06)
Yeah,
exactly, exactly. Yeah, that's the that's the joke. It's it's just like can't get it done when the lights are wrong, so yeah.
Sellarcast (1:26:13)
I was going to ask this question, but I took it off. But since you brought up this story, I am
Benny (1:26:18)
Mm-hmm.
Sellarcast (1:26:19)
curious then, like, obviously, in order to report on something, you need stuff to report on, talk about, whether it's a game, a tournament, a championship, whatever.
Benny (1:26:27)
Yes, of course. Of course. No, no.
Sellarcast (1:26:32)
Do you do you see, like, obviously, aside from yourself streaming something and kind of using that as the core piece of the content that could, you know, channel through.
you know, EST. Do you see any other aspects of bringing in that crossover more? Or is it just obviously because there's no championship, there's no tournaments, there's really nothing to report on. You can't you're kinda handcuffed at this point because it's died off.
Benny (1:26:56)
Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. I I think that's the toughest part. Exactly. Yeah.
It like I think if it was still alive,
Sellarcast (1:27:06)
Yeah.
Benny (1:27:06)
like like it's funny, like like I was talking to Matt about it and he was like, if you were still like tournaments are still going, you were still playing, we would have like sponsored you and like had you do shows on our station all the time and I'm like, Why couldn't this cross over like two years ago? Like they're like, perfect, like like
Sellarcast (1:27:18)
Shit. man, no kidding.
Benny (1:27:23)
Like I like how much
like I who needs the Oilers? I have a whole sports station dedicated to like me playing esports. so like yeah, like I I think d like I Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No yeah. Sports r yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, totally
Sellarcast (1:27:30)
Funny, that didn't even dawn on me when I asked you, like when we talked last time where it was like, We need the Oilers to be backing you. That's that's a no brainer. What about just a sport local sports station, like sports radio? Like
Benny (1:27:44)
Totally. Yeah, like they're like Matt was just like like for a couple weeks he's going like I can't believe we have someone in this office that is fifth best in the world at anything. Like let alone like a video game. Like anything. my god, I guess that's the point. Like I never really thought of that way. But like that that's that's what it was, right? And so I think you know yeah, yeah. No, no, exactly.
Sellarcast (1:28:03)
We're very humble in Edmonton. We don't brag too much. That's something to
brag about for sure.
Benny (1:28:11)
Yeah,
I know, I know. And I and I've been very trying to like Kate, yeah, I know this was a couple years ago. I'm like probably not fifth world I'm not fifth in the world anymore. Like come on. But like but but like but whatever. Yeah, I was I once was when I cared and and was trying all the time. Nah, yeah, exactly.
Sellarcast (1:28:17)
Yeah, let's move on. I'm not fifth in the world anymore. I was, but it's not I don't have a plaque.
Benny (1:28:27)
It's like yeah, and a couple cool experiences. But yeah, like the I I I think if if esports is still there, I definitely want to tie it in. But even just from doing that little streak, like the
The the talk around the station was like, why aren't we doing anything? You know? I I I think Matt actually reached out. We we were sponsored by the Canadian Brew House. and and I reached out. I think they're gonna try to set up a tournament next next summer. was some something like for our listeners, you show up, you play,
Sellarcast (1:28:52)
Yeah, yeah.
Benny (1:28:54)
and then like the winner of the tournament plays me or something. Like something like that. Like that's like s like
Sellarcast (1:28:57)
There we go.
Benny (1:28:59)
just something like that, right? And you and and you broadcast at the brew house and everything's you know, like all that stuff.
Sellarcast (1:29:03)
such.
Benny (1:29:04)
They're they're definitely in it. Like Matt was talking about like how do we run the world championships? Like, can we get enough money to like where we can run it? Like, like, like I'm like, man, like the NHL can't even do it. So I don't know. Like, it's it's tough. But yeah, it's had its crossover. Yeah, yeah, sure. No, no, yeah, yeah. Like,
Sellarcast (1:29:18)
You could do a west coast. Sorry, I I've c I I have ideas coming in my brain now.
Benny (1:29:23)
yeah, yeah. But like that to me is like it's it's that that streak sparked a lot of talk around the station, and I was really surprised, like
It's an like it's an older crowd that listens to us and so I
Sellarcast (1:29:33)
Yeah. Yeah.
Benny (1:29:34)
was kinda waiting for like the all right, like whatever, you're playing video games. But
Sellarcast (1:29:38)
Yeah.
Benny (1:29:38)
I was really surprised. A lot of people are like, Wow, that's so cool So, yeah, like I mean who knows, maybe it prospers to something one day, but as of right now, I think with NHL Esports being dead, it's kinda
Sellarcast (1:29:47)
Yeah.
Benny (1:29:48)
just in a stalemate right now.
Sellarcast (1:29:49)
I mean, to your point of them around the station asking, like, you know, what could we do? Like, if it's something in
Benny (1:29:55)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Sellarcast (1:29:56)
the off season, that's awesome because, you know, it's hot out, it's nice.
Benny (1:29:58)
Yeah. Right.
Sellarcast (1:30:00)
You know, yeah, we might want to still think about hockey, but at the same time,
Benny (1:30:04)
Mm-hmm.
Sellarcast (1:30:04)
this is an interactive thing, whether that we're, you know, we're not just doing talking, but we're also doing something fun, we're we're we're
Benny (1:30:12)
Right.
Sellarcast (1:30:12)
kind of doing something different.
I mean, Extra Life does their charity event in November every year. So
Benny (1:30:19)
Mm-hmm.
Sellarcast (1:30:20)
there could be something there. You're doing something for a good cause. You're able to talk
Benny (1:30:23)
Right.
Sellarcast (1:30:23)
about it. You guys can do, you know, commentary play by play of the tournament. Like there's you guys got the talent. Right. That was huge, by the way. I love that that news. That was great.
Benny (1:30:26)
Yeah. Yeah. Well we we I mean Dusty Dusty is doing play by play for the CFL and he and and and he just he Yeah, he's
well he's doing now yeah he's doing twenty games for the senators and and and he he was just with the Senators all week this week. He's back this we this
Sellarcast (1:30:43)
Right. Right.
Benny (1:30:44)
week now, but yeah, like he like that like he's he's doing that stuff. we have Reed's done play by play many times. Like yeah, we have we have the talent to broadcast it. We we yeah, yeah.
Sellarcast (1:30:50)
Right. You got the talent. You got the no
you got the know-how. I could see it working. You got the audience and
Benny (1:30:55)
Yeah. Yep. Yeah. We have the audience too. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Sellarcast (1:31:00)
arguably you can expand your audience easily enough.
Benny (1:31:02)
Yeah, totally. Totally.
Sellarcast (1:31:05)
I think the pieces are there. I'm looking forward to seeing what tw what the rest of this year, twenty twenty seven and beyond
Benny (1:31:10)
Yeah.
Sellarcast (1:31:10)
looks like, 'cause I could totally see an Edmonton Sports Talk run tournament where, you know,
Benny (1:31:16)
Yeah.
Sellarcast (1:31:17)
you guys are doing play by play and you got local
kids coming out playing all ages, you know. And,
Benny (1:31:24)
yeah, yeah.
Sellarcast (1:31:25)
you know, you got obviously there's no P PWHL team here yet, but like, you know, there's so many ways you could spin this to
Benny (1:31:34)
Mm-hmm.
Sellarcast (1:31:35)
and I say spin in a positive sense. You know, there there's so many
Benny (1:31:37)
No, yeah, totally. Tot no totally. Totally. Yeah, yeah.
Sellarcast (1:31:39)
angles you could go about this to have some really fun tournaments to get all kinds of kids and and teenagers, y young adults
Benny (1:31:48)
Mm-hmm.
Sellarcast (1:31:49)
you
know, all ages. Like really, n there's there's no limit on it 'cause like obviously there's ball hockey tournaments in the summer. You can do the same with in with a video game tournament. So and
Benny (1:31:56)
Yep. Yeah. Totally, totally.
Sellarcast (1:32:01)
you know, if Edmonton Sports Talk is it is down for it, they're running the show on that one and it
Benny (1:32:05)
Yeah. Yeah.
Sellarcast (1:32:07)
becomes a very interactive, easily marketable activation. So I really hope
Benny (1:32:11)
Totally. Totally. No totally. Totally.
Sellarcast (1:32:15)
something like that materializes for you for you.
Benny (1:32:17)
It sounds
like it's in the works, so we'll see. Yeah,
Sellarcast (1:32:18)
And your s and for your sake, too.
Benny (1:32:20)
it'd be f it'd be pretty cool. It'd be pretty cool. I I you know, I definitely don't think I'd be winning any money from it or anything. Like like we can keep that in the past. But just to be able to put this kind of like area of of sport on display would be really cool. Just just for for like the esports side of me, you know, that would th we'd love to see it. Yeah. Yeah.
Sellarcast (1:32:36)
Hundred percent. Yeah. And just
to just to close on it and then we can move on. But I will say like don't even think too big from a net from a league standpoint or,
Benny (1:32:48)
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Sellarcast (1:32:49)
you know, country standpoint. If you can
Benny (1:32:51)
Mm-hmm.
Sellarcast (1:32:52)
activate Edmonton and the region
Benny (1:32:54)
Yeah.
Sellarcast (1:32:55)
and northern Alberta, hell. You got it.
Benny (1:32:57)
Yeah. Yep. That's
huge. Yeah, totally. Yep.
Sellarcast (1:33:00)
Like that's huge in itself and then
that's something fun and new to report on. You got next gen listeners, watchers tuning in. That's huge.
Benny (1:33:08)
Yep. Yep, totally.
Sellarcast (1:33:11)
and like sports, music, they bring people together. Like it'd be s I just wanna see this materialize. God damn. If you need a consultant, That would be so cool. And I'd I'd
Benny (1:33:17)
Yeah. Well I I I guess I I will I will hit you up. twenty twenty seven summer. We will see we'll see what happens. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Sellarcast (1:33:29)
Wanna definitely report on report on that. If you need
Benny (1:33:30)
Yes. That'd be awesome.
Sellarcast (1:33:32)
a you know, host or co-host or something like for something different, that'd be cool.
Benny (1:33:35)
Yeah, totally. Totally. I I I'll I'll put your name in. Yeah, that'd be awesome. Yeah.
Sellarcast (1:33:40)
no, I love that. That that is so cool. That's probably that's that's going in the soundbite clip for the episode. But
Benny (1:33:47)
Nice nice nice.
Sellarcast (1:33:49)
before we go, I just wanted to maybe pick your brain on something that I that I really enjoyed you that you've done on the
on Edmonton Sports Talk and that's Benny's Blind Rankings. I was curious if if if you can humor
Benny (1:34:03)
Yeah, yeah.
Sellarcast (1:34:04)
me and maybe if there's like a Chell edition here that we could do. Obviously we gave away a lot already, but you know, I'm
Benny (1:34:11)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Sellarcast (1:34:12)
curious if there's like a CHEL edition. I'm putting you on the spot. I feel like you've probably you've probably done a little more prep, but yeah. Okay.
Benny (1:34:16)
Okay. I I've done them on the spot before. No, I I've I've done them on the spot before.
yeah, so I I would say so that started when I was doing a show called Hello Hockey, the one I I mentioned I was doing while I in school.
Sellarcast (1:34:28)
Right. Yeah. Yeah.
Benny (1:34:31)
you know, I was I I've always been a a a guy that wants to talk and w wants to be a guy that wants to get on the air.
Sellarcast (1:34:36)
Yeah. Yeah.
Benny (1:34:38)
I you know
I think we see in this, especially in this business, pump some people get nervous when it when it comes to that stuff and maybe a little bit shy about that. For me, I've always been. Get me on air. I don't care. Like I I feel like I can talk. And so for me, when I was doing Hello Hockey, you at the time we we had Tom Gazzola and Shawn Belle and and they're they're fantastic hosts, but at the time I didn't know them overly well and
Sellarcast (1:34:59)
Mm.
Benny (1:34:59)
I didn't know when to jump in and like I don't even think they knew that I like knew hockey really well. Like they were kind of just like
Sellarcast (1:35:04)
Fair.
Benny (1:35:05)
We have this young producer that's doing
Sellarcast (1:35:06)
Yeah.
Benny (1:35:07)
our show, like whatever. And so for me, like I was sitting there, I'm like, hey, I feel like this show needs and just a little fun, a little bit more humor to it,
Sellarcast (1:35:14)
Yeah. Yeah.
Benny (1:35:15)
and selfishly, maybe some some on air time for me as well. And so
Sellarcast (1:35:18)
There hey.
Benny (1:35:19)
I I and so I and so I proposed to them. I like, hey, like, there's this game that I've been seeing on on social media. It's called Blind Rankings and and you know, like like all these podcasts do it, like, you know, like I think we should bring it to the show.
Sellarcast (1:35:30)
Yeah. Yeah.
Benny (1:35:32)
And they and they were instantly like
yeah, that sounds great. Like like this, like just tell us how it works when we get on the air and that'll be it. So I I brought Tim on that next episode and like didn't really understand it, but eventually I I taught them how to play and all that stuff and we did it and they had a ton of fun. And then it kind of just like prospered into like my thing. Like when when when I w joined my practicum at Edmonton Sports Talk
Reed Wilkins brought me on every Friday to play Blind Rankings. Just just because like that was like he wanted to give me more on air time and
Sellarcast (1:36:02)
Yeah.
Benny (1:36:03)
and and find a went and so I just kind became the blind ranking guy. and so so like for me it was funny, it was just bringing like that new gen game that I see from scrolling reels
Sellarcast (1:36:13)
Yeah.
Benny (1:36:13)
to like that old listener base that kind of like what like what is this? and now
Sellarcast (1:36:17)
Yeah. I mean why not?
Benny (1:36:18)
it
It's altered now to now like we do like keep three cut fives now. We do like
Sellarcast (1:36:22)
Mm. Okay.
Benny (1:36:24)
we do a bunch of different stuff. We do we've recently been playing this like NHL bidding game where like both people have twenty five bucks and you
Sellarcast (1:36:27)
Hmm. Yeah.
Benny (1:36:30)
bid for certain stuff. So like so we've turned it into like kind of these fun game shows and and and Matt like I remember him talking to me like after my practicum he goes like, you know, like I see this stuff online and for some reason it never clicked for me for like why don't we just bring this to the station? I'm like so high he's like, I'm so happy you did this. Like that's like
It's a really good segment. I'm like, yeah, like that's the it's yeah, it totally. Yeah. Yes.
Sellarcast (1:36:50)
It's simple and it I I think the biggest thing, like you talk about it being fun, and just their reactions
were like, why are you doing this to me? Especially when they know it's like, I bet it's so and so that's coming after this one, and I'm like, Yes, it's it's so good.
Benny (1:36:59)
Yeah yeah yeah it's like it's fun yep. Coming next. Yep. Yup. Yes, yes, yeah. And they call they call me the rat king 'cause I I I I I play I play rough. Yeah, I I I I give some stinkers usually.
but it's also like you know, like the listeners get to play as well. Like that's the biggest thing. It's like I think it like yes, it's for the hosts to do their thing, but also like as a listener
You're also playing in your own head too. Like like you know, like when I'm scrolling on reels, I'm sitting there, I'm playing the game with them as well. so for me, I just felt like it was the perfect mix of just like let's have some fun, we keep it on topic for what we do, and then we it's in great engagement with our listeners and and and ultimately it got me some more on airtime, which I think then prospered into like okay, this guy knows how to talk and he knows what he's doing, like okay, and eventually near the end of when Hello Hockey was on our station, like I I I was basically a third co-host at
point. Like I was like I it was it was it was a three man show at that point. So it was really cool.
Sellarcast (1:37:55)
That's awesome. That's awesome.
Benny (1:37:56)
and yeah that's that's kind of where I'll started. So blind rankings will always have a special place in my heart. so it's funny I I have a a designated Google Doc labeled as BBR and so this is I Benny's blind rankings I just do it. So do you want me to like shoot you one right now? Like I'll like I
Sellarcast (1:38:11)
Yeah, let's
Benny (1:38:12)
I get let's do let's do you know what I have NHL twenty seven to my right. I'm gonna pull it up
Sellarcast (1:38:18)
That's fair. Mm mm.
Benny (1:38:18)
Let's do
NHL players. You have to blind rank them correctly by their overall. Okay? So I I'm gonna throw you
Sellarcast (1:38:24)
Ooh, okay.
Benny (1:38:27)
five players and you have to correctly because you are you're gonna have to guess here like
Sellarcast (1:38:31)
Yeah.
Benny (1:38:32)
what overall they are and like where where I think you'll put them. Okay, so hold let me come up with a couple five guys here. okay, yeah, this that's the chell chel emission blind rankings. okay.
Sellarcast (1:38:38)
I love this. This is why I wanted to bring this up. You know, Chel edition blind rankings. I'm I'm I may regret
this, but it's okay. It's gonna be fun. It's gonna be fun.
Benny (1:38:46)
No, no, it's okay. It'll
be good. okay, so I I have I'm
Sellarcast (1:38:50)
Never would have guessed this.
Benny (1:38:52)
I'm gonna tie in some Edmonton roots here too. That's that that's what I'll say. I'll I'll
Sellarcast (1:38:55)
thank you. Bless your heart.
Benny (1:38:56)
I'll I'll I'll tie I'll tie in some Edmonton roots and then let's go let's go here Okay. Alright, I have my five.
I I there have been plenty of times where I've accidentally been unprepared for Hello Hockey and like and then and then they're like and then the next segment Benny's blind rankings is going. I'm like, okay, let me come up with something. jeez yeah. Yeah. Yes. Yeah, yeah.
Sellarcast (1:39:18)
Well, I appreciate you humoring me. And I guess just just to take a quick step back before we dive in, for anyone
who doesn't know how does the format work? Just just to walk people through it. Yeah.
Benny (1:39:28)
So s so there's a topic that I choose,
and there are five things that fit under this topic. you will have to rank them properly from one to five and you don't know what's coming you don't know what's coming next. so that the whole game is you're guessing who I'm gonna give you next and you have to properly rank them. you know, so one obviously the best, five being the worst, and that's and that's kinda go. So for today's topic it'll be
It'll be player overalls in NHL twenty seven. So whoever
Sellarcast (1:39:54)
Clear over.
Benny (1:39:54)
I throw at him will be, you know, he's gotta properly think, Okay, if there's this guy, there he'll rank higher, all that stuff. So, okay. You ready to do this?
Sellarcast (1:40:02)
Cool. Yep.
Benny (1:40:05)
Your first player is Taylor Hall.
Sellarcast (1:40:13)
I'm ranking him based off of where he'll based off of his overall.
Benny (1:40:15)
Based off his overall. His
overall in N HL twenty seven. I'll reveal you the overall once you select his position.
Sellarcast (1:40:20)
He's cut.
He's I'm gonna talk out loud just to work my thinking process.
Benny (1:40:27)
Yep, yep. Go ahead.
Sellarcast (1:40:43)
I wanna say eighty four.
Eighty five, that might be a bit higher, that but I th
Benny (1:40:52)
Okay. So so th so then where would you put one through five?
Sellarcast (1:41:00)
He's probably more of an eighty-three. I'm gonna drop him at four.
Benny (1:41:03)
Okay, so you're gonna put Hall at four.
Sellarcast (1:41:05)
Yeah.
Benny (1:41:05)
I'll tell you right now, Hall is an eighty five. So you were ba you you you you were bang on. You
Sellarcast (1:41:08)
Shit
Benny (1:41:12)
you were bang on, but that's okay. You have him at four. It's okay, it's okay. Next
Sellarcast (1:41:15)
hesitated. I don't know why. Okay. Four. Eighty five.
Benny (1:41:20)
is Jordan Eberle.
Sellarcast (1:41:25)
he's the one I'm thinking of that's lower. Think
Benny (1:41:28)
Ha ha ha ha ha.
Sellarcast (1:41:33)
I'm gonna put Ebbs at five.
Benny (1:41:36)
Okay. Okay. well I could tell ya, he is also 85. So they're tied, so that's so so that's fine. If if you if you if you nail the next three, like that that means you you you got it right.
Sellarcast (1:41:45)
Yeah. Yeah. Probably won't. Yeah. Damn.
Benny (1:41:51)
Next is Zach Hyman.
Sellarcast (1:41:57)
he's deaf he is like I think he's like eighty six, eighty eight. So I'm gonna put him
The other the other two you're gonna throw at me.
Benny (1:42:11)
Just it's tough. Yeah. Yep.
Sellarcast (1:42:16)
I think I'm gonna Hyman at two 'cause I don't wanna block myself in here.
Benny (1:42:19)
Okay. Yep. Okay.
Well, Zach Hyman is an eighty seven. So so you're doing really well. You have
Sellarcast (1:42:25)
There you go. Yeah.
Benny (1:42:27)
one and three available, two guys remaining. Next is Stuart Skinner.
Sellarcast (1:42:35)
why'd you do that?
Benny (1:42:36)
Ha ha ha!
Sellarcast (1:42:41)
He is
I'm gonna my slots are one and three, right? One and three.
Benny (1:42:48)
One and three available.
Sellarcast (1:42:52)
Well he's obviously he's he's
Benny (1:42:52)
Is he higher th is he higher than eighty seven?
Sellarcast (1:42:54)
lower than eighty seven. I know that for a fact. He's gotta be. so I'm gonna slot him at three.
Benny (1:43:01)
Okay. So Stuart Skinner is 83 overall. So so he should be below Hall and Eberle, but that's fine. That's
Sellarcast (1:43:08)
Yeah. Yeah.
Benny (1:43:09)
fine. that's not a horrible mistake. You have one available, and the guy you're putting number one.
Is the only man in the 99 club, Connor McDavid is going number one. You won! You won! Well done. Well done. Well done. I I I did. I did. I I I
Sellarcast (1:43:28)
you threw me a doozy on Ebs and Hallsy there.
Benny (1:43:32)
I thought maybe you would think I'd throw you stinkers, then like yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Sellarcast (1:43:35)
That's what I was thinking 'cause I'm like, you you literally just told me that you threw in stinkers at times, so I'm like, pho
Benny (1:43:40)
I I I would do that a lot with the old guys. but some you gotta be unpredictable, right? Sometimes you gotta give the good player at the end
Sellarcast (1:43:42)
Yeah. That's fair. Yeah.
Benny (1:43:46)
and when they you know, so it was pretty funny when they would leave w five open and it's like the best guy. It it was funny. But yeah, so you so
Sellarcast (1:43:53)
That was fun.
Benny (1:43:54)
the only change you would have to make is you'd have to slide Skinner from three to five and then move Hall and Eberle up, but
Sellarcast (1:43:59)
Yeah.
Benny (1:44:00)
I usually like like we on the show we would like you know, we would we would kind of be meet in the middle, like, okay, who won there? You definitely win this one.
Sellarcast (1:44:09)
Fair. That was fun. That was fun. Sweet. Well, that was a a
Benny (1:44:08)
That was that wa that was good. You y you won. That was awesome. Well done. Well done. Yes
Sellarcast (1:44:14)
ch Good Game Edmonton edition of Benny's Blind Rankings. Chel edition. That was awesome. Nice
Benny (1:44:17)
There you go. Yeah. Yeah, sweet.
Sellarcast (1:44:22)
nice Oilers edition on on that one as well. Of former players and current players.
Benny (1:44:24)
Yeah. Yeah. Yes, yes.
Sellarcast (1:44:29)
yeah, good mix. Wow. I okay, so Ebbs and Hulls were eighty-five.
Benny (1:44:35)
Both eighty fives.
Sellarcast (1:44:37)
And Skinner eighty-three. That makes sense. Skinner had always kind of went up and down between I think eighty-three, eighty-five, I wanna say.
Benny (1:44:37)
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yes. Yep. Yeah. Yep. I th
I think he was at eighty five and twenty five, twenty six, something like that. Yeah, yeah. Yeah.
Sellarcast (1:44:47)
Yeah. Yeah. So that's where I think I'm
maybe just behind 'cause I'm not having twenty six or even twenty seven. But no, that was good. That was good. That was good. I that was fun. That was fun.
Benny (1:44:52)
Right. Right. Haven't haven't gotten the new game. Right. Right. Right. Yeah. Yeah, that was good. That was a lot fun. Yeah.
Sellarcast (1:45:00)
yeah. Well, honestly, I think we'll we'll cap it there. I think that's a good way to to end things off. yeah, great, great stories. Really appreciate that. Really appreciate the time, Ben.
Benny (1:45:11)
Yeah, of course.
Sellarcast (1:45:11)
Yeah, what
what should people be looking out for from you on air, online this season and obviously going into off season next year. We don't want to get into that because obviously we're recording this literally on the literal cusp of the start of the season.
Benny (1:45:23)
Yeah. No yeah. Yes, yes.
Sellarcast (1:45:29)
so positive vibes all around so far with yeah, yeah.
Benny (1:45:31)
Yes. Well four on one start will do that. That's
that's for sure. yeah, the so I'd say I I so I cover the Oilers on a game by game basis on the oilers or the stream pre-postgame show. So
Sellarcast (1:45:42)
Nice.
Benny (1:45:43)
if you want to follow me, I I talk oilers every every after every game. So Edmonton Sports Talk, on the pre and post game shows. my schedule's a little bit all over the place. Like they have me doing a bunch of different stuff. So on sometimes
Sellarcast (1:45:54)
Fair.
Benny (1:45:56)
I'm on a show called the EST Hangout. I'll do that for a week.
Sellarcast (1:45:59)
Right.
Benny (1:45:59)
So I'll be there from nine to eleven on some weeks, and then on other weeks I'd be producing the Reed Wilkins show. that's from three to six PM. And then I am also on not to get confused with the oil stream pre and post game show. This one's just called Oil Stream. it is from twelve to one.
Sellarcast (1:46:12)
Hm. Nice.
Benny (1:46:14)
and I'm on that three times a week as well. So that's where you can catch
Sellarcast (1:46:16)
Awesome.
Benny (1:46:17)
me. I've I'll be doing that all year, obviously, and may mix in some esports stuff throughout the year. We'll see. But yeah, it's been a ton of fun and thank you so much for having me. This is
Sellarcast (1:46:24)
Yeah.
Benny (1:46:25)
it's been a it's always a blast.
Sellarcast (1:46:26)
I this was an absolute blast. I I think this probably the most fun I've had on on the show.
Benny (1:46:32)
Sweet, sweet, sweet. Awesome.
Sellarcast (1:46:35)
you know, three years in February coming up, so it's
Benny (1:46:38)
Nice.
Sellarcast (1:46:38)
real blast. So yeah, I just wanna say thank you so much. Huge shout out to you, Benny. honestly.
Benny (1:46:42)
Yeah. No, of course.
Sellarcast (1:46:45)
so great to catch up and glad to see how far you've come being on the Edmonton Sports Talk. yeah, obviously like like Benny said.
C catch him on Edmonton Sports Talk, U YouTube, Instagram, Edmonton SportsTalk.com. yeah, no, that was awesome. Thank you. Thank you so much. I can't I can't emphasize that enough. That was that was an absolute blast. Yeah, a lot
Benny (1:47:01)
Yeah. No, no, no. Thanks so much for having me. It was a blast. Yeah.
Sellarcast (1:47:06)
of back and forth. yeah, no, and of course, if can catch more episodes of this show, Good Game Edmonton, covering game dev and esports across the city of champions and Alberta, head on over to good game y-e-g.
Until next time, the pleasure was all ours. Sellarcast out.
Benny (1:47:24 - 1:47:26)
That was awesome.
