• last week
Former Boston Mayor, and current Executive Director of NHL PA, Marty Walsh joins! What can we expect from the new #NHL 4 Nations Face-Off?
Transcript
00:00Marty Walsh was going to join us in the studio this morning, but apparently the bike lanes were all backed up Curtis
00:07Yep, traffic's a B. I'm not gonna rip him. I miss him so much Marty. God. I love you. I'm sorry
00:12I ever said anything bad about you
00:15Hello, mr. Executive former. Mr. Mayor. Mr. Executive director. How are you?
00:21I'm good. It's it's nice to be missed. It's nice to be loved, you know
00:26Not too long ago
00:27I would have to call in you guys to kind me down for keep me up on different things and you know
00:32It's it's okay. I take the apologies now. I appreciate that
00:36Well, is it nice to be back in Boston? Oh
00:39It's awesome to be back in Boston. It is it is great. It's uh, you know, I never really left fully left
00:45I was home a lot, but it's I love the city plus it was great to be here
00:49I do have to try and stay with the Boylston Street though because the bike lanes there are a little ridiculous in Boylston Street
00:55I think we need more like they I don't we don't have enough bike. Oh, they're coming. Don't worry about
01:04Well, we've missed you around here a lot has changed since he left but that's the way it goes that's the way life goes
01:12Yeah, you know what one thing that really it's changed, but it hasn't there was a I don't know if Greg talked about this
01:18It was this prominent magazine in Boston
01:21That put out a list of the top hundred and I think I was like
01:2697 or something like that in the list. I think the list was upside down, but next to me was Greg Hill
01:31So I thought holy Jesus
01:33Not only have I fallen to 97 I've fallen next to him
01:38Actually, I think you were a hundred and forty third and I was a hundred and forty fifth, which means that we're both there
01:44It was like I said, yeah, I think the list is upside down
01:47I think they make big miscalculated from around there
01:50Well, I know you're in town to talk about the four nations tournament and wiki had a lead yesterday about all-star games in general
01:58in sports and
02:00What the genesis for this was it the was it the league or the players talking about?
02:05Hey, we want to do something different. How did it? How did it develop?
02:09Well, it really came from the players wanting to play in
02:13International competition best on best
02:15representing their country
02:17when I
02:18When I went to work for the Player Association
02:20The biggest one of the biggest things the players asked me to do was get them back in the Olympics
02:24They hadn't played in the Olympics in a couple years a couple Olympics
02:27So we started a negotiation with the league to get NHL players back in the Olympics
02:32Then we had a conversation about the World Cup of Hockey
02:35Which is a tournament that has been sporadic over time
02:38Kind of like the World Baseball Classic one of those or or fee for the World Cup and soccer, but it hasn't been consistent
02:44So we began those conversations and well, but we decided to we're able to get an agreement for the Olympics
02:50so we have NHL players playing in the
02:532026 in the 2030 Olympic Games
02:56We're working on right now having a consistent schedule every other year for a World Cup of Hockey
03:01And then the four nations came out of that because we didn't have enough time to do for a World Cup of Hockey
03:06so what fans can expect is
03:09Every hopefully every two years
03:11international hockey best on best best players in the world
03:15Playing for their country every two years for the next hopefully for the next almost decade
03:21And I understand that David Pasternak is among those who are upset that it's only four nations. Is that correct? Yeah
03:29Yeah, yeah pasta was upset. I talked to him a couple times
03:33And you know, he understood ultimately that that, you know, we couldn't get a full tournament this time
03:38But obviously possibly playing in the Olympics and then when then when we move forward if we get to an agreement with the World Cup
03:45Check will be in that conversation as well and that competition as well
03:49So so money when you open it up, will it be you know teams like, you know, Russia?
03:54I know the Czech Republic and there's got to be a lot of other
03:58You know countries out there that have talented hockey players. So is this something that is gonna open up for all those?
04:06Countries, you know all the country Germany. Obviously we watch Swiss potentially
04:11You know the Russian players we I'd love to see them
04:14Everybody wants to see them in the best on best competition
04:17But right now it's it's really it's a that's a difficult one because politics
04:21There are countries that might not play in an international tournament if Russia's playing so we're going to see what happens here with the Olympics
04:28Whether they're in and out of the Olympics in 2026, and then we have to make decisions based on that
04:33But that's basically what is we it's all that, you know, the top countries the best players
04:38It's it's really it's us and when you think about the NHL
04:42Hockey a third of our players come from Europe
04:45So we have a huge presence a footprint in Europe where we have NHL players from Europe and every every European
04:52most European cities countries have
04:55Federation Hockey Federation, so the hockey isn't one the biggest sport over there
05:00Marty I know that the CBA will expire a year from September and you've said that
05:05Negotiations are expected to start after the four nations and while things are respectful and chummy right now
05:10How do you make sure that it stays that way on both sides and that things stay respectful and happy? I?
05:18Mean the important the secret to that is just conversations
05:21I mean you see a lot of you know, you've report you guys have reported a lot of you know, labor disputes
05:27Generally what happens in those just one side shuts down one side stops talking to the other side
05:31So you just have to continue that conversation going forward
05:34So, you know myself and Commissioner Bettman are working work closely together on a lot of different things
05:40And it's just if there's a disagreement. We just have to continue to walk through that
05:44It's it's when the shutting down and the leaking to the press. That's that's the 12 eggs off of it
05:50You did get a significant increase when it comes to salary cap
05:55Am I right about that?
05:57Yeah, the biggest well, it's one of the biggest increases
06:00Yeah, it was a good one. And what we did was we basically seven and a half million dollars next year
06:05Which means that you know teams gloves and obviously sign players and pay more for players
06:10We did a three-year run kind of with it the following two seasons as well
06:15Those numbers could change they could go up maybe go down but more likely go up
06:19So the players players are I think I wouldn't say excited but players are pleased with the direction that we're going
06:26four nations begins on February 12th, and then the the
06:30In Montreal, I think and then the championship game is here at TD Garden, correct? Yeah, it's gonna be it's gonna be pretty awesome
06:38I mean when you think about
06:39Hockey fans that are listening. No, I mean if you're my age
06:43If you remember the Russian teams coming into the garden and you remember some of the some of the tournaments they had in 97 with
06:50You know
06:51World Cup of Hockey because called different name at that point the tournament, but it's exciting for fans
06:58I think you're gonna have people from all over the world coming to Boston
07:01I am Montreal quite honestly, and you know, it's going to be great hockey
07:05You have three Bruins playing on three of the four teams
07:09You know
07:19Probably one of the greatest hockey players ever is playing Austin Matthews for United States. So there's a lot of excitement here
07:25They're like talks because it seems like a pretty good idea
07:29But replacing the All-Star game usually, you know, you went one specific place people could go there
07:35They could visit they can enjoy the week other talks about when you move forward with this four nations tournament to have it in one
07:43location and
07:44Maybe even add like a skills challenge, you know
07:48Where the nation's competing against each other where people can enjoy like a weekend, you know
07:53Whatever specific city that you decide to have that four nations in
07:58There hasn't been any formal conversations with you in the NHL
08:01But you know yourself these these leagues are always changing that all-star slash competition weekend for the fans
08:08So this this will this is replacing the All-Star game this year out of four nations next year when we have the Olympics
08:16In Milan, they they're going to have the only they're going to have the All-Star game next year
08:22So I think that you know, if you do this, right and you schedule it correctly
08:26There's an opportunity here to do something creative
08:29I mean you have players that are going to play for their countries and four nations
08:32But you're gonna have other players in the league that that quite aren't going to play for their countries
08:36So you can do something with skills with those players. You can have these players playing in the game
08:40There's a lot if somebody who's creative can can think of a lot of ways to do stuff
08:44I mean, I watched the football one this weekend, you know did this
08:49It's interesting to trying to get people to watch it and some people will watch it
08:52Some people have no desire to watch other than a real football game Marty
08:56I'm curious in your time as mayor and obviously you're still pretty well connected here
09:02were there attempts by the Celtics and wick and the ownership group to build a standalone arena and
09:08How difficult is the task of whoever buys the Celtics?
09:12To begin that process of finding a location and a place to build their own building if that's what they want
09:19The yeah, they've never they never approached me when I was the mayor, but it's complicated
09:24I mean I was I was you know, I was talking to Bob craft to build a soccer stadium in Boston
09:30I
09:31Wanted to put it down by wide-eyed circle the city council ironically some some are different positions today
09:37Push back on me and now now that land that I was going to put a soccer stadium on is used for MBTA layover tracks
09:45down on frontage Road where before it was going to be developed economic development buildings, so
09:51You know, it's really hot
09:53It's really hard to build anything in Boston particularly around a stadium size not a building about the stadium
09:58Because there's traffic considerations and things like that
10:01so but I think that
10:04You know as you move forward, you'll see we'll see what happens with with
10:08What with this with the ownership of the Celtics?
10:10I think it's going to be talking to the community and finding the right place to put it to
10:15You brought up Bob craft
10:17Josh craft will announce today his candidacy for mayor. Will you be endorsing a candidate? I
10:25Knew this question was coming. I'm just I'm
10:28Looking forward to I want to see what happens today. I know Josh is announcing his candidacy today
10:33the mayor will announce her re-election at some point and
10:36I'm gonna sit back and watch what's going on here a little bit
10:40Political answer it's actually not what I would expect. I that's a very interesting answer. I
10:51Would ask I would ask Greg is there one thing in Boston that works better now than it did when Marty was mayor one thing
10:59Everything has gone to hell
11:01Like well, the good thing is though. I was thinking when you were talking about one city hosting the four nations
11:08We could set up rinks and all of the empty office buildings in the city
11:20Yeah, I hope I hope people come back to work yeah, you know I should have come in this morning
11:26I don't know why they come
11:28I
11:29Guess I could save you Marty
11:32When you look at this season
11:34Is there anything potentially special that you're gonna have set up for Alex Ovechkin?
11:40He's 17 goals away from potentially passing Wayne Gretzky as the all-time goal scorer
11:46is there anything that the
11:50NHL PA is looking to do the NHL looking to do if that's something that possibly happens or is it
11:57You know something that you guys know
12:00There'll be something down here, you know, this it's an amazing accomplishment if you know
12:05Assuming you know, that's gets it hockey's funny is as you know, we use sports is funny
12:09They don't want people want to talk about anything until it happens
12:12so
12:13We've just been kind of watching OB move along here, you know, he got hurt
12:17I've missed a bunch of games and he's just he's on a tear
12:20Yeah, so we'll see what happens as far as the rest of the season and it's not this seasonal potentially early next season
12:26but you know you
12:28They'll be all kinds of all kinds of
12:31Different acknowledgements when it happens. What's the one thing you took from the White House and you didn't tell anybody?
12:41Can I say
12:43Curtis don't worry about
12:45Elon Musk and Doge have a report coming out on it soon
12:50Joe was almost too sharp
12:52That was a good question. What did you take from the White House? You can't tell anybody and I'm on radio, right?
12:57So let me think about that
13:00Well, I carried a guarantee or something
13:06It's it must be though growing up here and being a hockey fan
13:10It must be like it must be a cool job like getting to deal with all those guys all the time
13:16It must be a really cool job
13:18No, it is. It's very different. You know, I mean, it's kind of like I can't believe that that this is my job
13:24Especially, you know coming from what I've done
13:27I mean been in politics for 25 years state rep mayor labor secretary
13:31And then and now I now I represent the NHLPA Players Association. It's great
13:36You know, what's funny is is, you know, no matter where you go
13:39I thought this one's labor secretary went wherever I went. There's always a Boston connection in the same thing in this job
13:44You know, whether it's a general manager of a team a coach of a team a player in a team
13:48It's such a great Boston connection, but it's a great job. I mean you get to represent
13:52NHL players these guys are humble, you know, they just they're just really good group of people
13:57And you know, they're not they're not asking for a lot. They're not looking for a lot to go out and play their game
14:02It's a tough game and they give back to the community, which is great. I love I love seeing that happen
14:07I can be part of that, you know, and then you know, it's just it's great to do that
14:11Then you get this competition
14:13The four nations where you're playing for your country and if they go back to being little kids again
14:18Some of these guys are so excited about it
14:20Giddy about the fact that playing for that country
14:23And that means an awful lot to them and it means a lot to a lot of people that watch this
14:27So it's it's pretty awesome to do that
14:30And to be in this role and to be able to you know
14:33Be in the city that I grew up in and I'd be part of this what's happening here this week in two weeks. It's great
14:40What do you think is more likely in the future you run for governor or Charlie Baker runs for president?
14:47Oh
14:47God, I don't know. I don't think maybe none of them might happen. I don't know
14:51I've talked to the governor a bunch of times, you know
14:54We reminisce a lot when I talk so we go back and forth about you know, when we were the good old days
15:00so we
15:02Get caught up in that sometimes because I still walk into the airport and people look at me and go Charlie
15:07Thank you very much
15:10You know and then he gets lost all the time and so
15:13All right, well
15:17No, I just can't say one thing about Charlie Baker myself
15:19The thing that has to that we had that politics needs is that respect for each other?
15:24And that's not there today in Washington and a little bit around in cities like Boston
15:30We people got to get that back respecting one another. Yeah, you guys found a way to work together
15:36Yeah, yeah
15:38Okay, so tickets are available and the tournament kicks off on February 12th, and then
15:45You got the championship game here at the garden. And so how do we get tickets for four nations?
15:52You can go on the NHL website take a mess there and you can get the tickets and then the garden has them
15:59There's you know, it's going to be an awesome awesome opportunity here in the second half
16:03The tournament is going to be in Boston in the TD garden. So it's gonna be an awesome opportunity
16:08Alright, one of our listeners is
16:10Saying we haven't mentioned the four nations. It's
16:14Canada the United States
16:17Finland and Sweden, I believe right Sweden. Yes, please. Yeah
16:22All right, Mayor Walsh
16:24Mr. Executive director. It is always great to hear your voice. And as Curtis said we miss you around here. So we're
16:31Thank you guys and ladies and uh
16:33Next time I come by I'll come in. Yeah. Well, I'll say that about you
16:38During the pandemic you were you were one politician who?
16:42Showed up and went on and and pled your case and nobody else
16:47Virtually, nobody else does that so I give you a ton of credit for that
16:52Thank you Greg, all right
16:54Your hands on a signed OV jerseys
17:01I gotta tell you they have some very nice NHL PA gear
17:05Yeah, if you if you've seen the merch, they're very nice the the NHL Players Association
17:11They take care of their current players in their form players
17:14I've talked to a lot of former NHL guys and that's how the biggest thing is
17:18How do you take care of the guys once they're done with the sport?
17:21Yeah a good job with that. All right, Marty
17:24Thank you
17:26Thank you guys

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