Overview of Spittin' Chiclets Episode 664: Featuring Dave Tippett
This episode blends a big personal milestone for Ryan Whitney with a wide-ranging hockey interview. The first half is dominated by Whit’s detailed victory recap from the Fallon Cup, where he and partner Andy Luther win the championship flight after a dramatic comeback. The back half features a strong interview with former NHL coach Dave Tippett, who reflects on his playing career, coaching journey, the Coyotes era, and his thoughts on today’s game and stars like Connor McDavid.
Whit’s Fallon Cup Win
Whitney opens the show absolutely riding high after winning the Fallon Cup, calling it one of the biggest moments of his life.
What the Fallon Cup is
- A major club member-guest tournament with qualifying and multiple flights.
- Only the championship flight can actually win the Fallon Cup.
- The tournament is played over 18-hole matches, making the run even more demanding.
How Whit and Andy Luther won it
- Whit and Luther qualified for the championship flight and fought through four straight matches.
- In the final, they trailed by as many as three holes before storming back.
- Whit describes key moments:
- Huge birdie/par saves to stay alive.
- Luther making clutch long putts.
- Whit sinking the winning putt on 18.
- He emphasizes the emotional weight of finally winning after years of trying.
Other golf-weekend highlights
- Keith Yandle’s surprise 40th birthday party happened during the tournament.
- Whit jokes that he was mentally split between the party and preparing for the final.
- He says the win made him feel like all the prior embarrassing sports moments no longer mattered.
The Deep Cove Chalet “Sweat Bay” Story
One of the funniest non-hockey segments is Whit’s story about dinner at the Deep Cove Chalet in Canada.
The joke
- The restaurant’s server, “Gaston,” is described as sweating heavily while carrying drinks.
- Whit and the crew nickname him “Sweat Bay.”
- At one point, sweat allegedly drips directly into a margarita.
Why it stood out
- Whit says the place is still one of his favorite restaurants despite the weirdness.
- The story becomes a running gag about the “experience” being part of the charm.
- The crew is clearly amused and horrified at the same time.
Dave Tippett Interview
The interview with Dave Tippett is the core hockey conversation of the episode and gives a strong look at his career and coaching philosophy.
Tippett’s background
- Played over 700 NHL games.
- Won a championship as a coach in the minors.
- Won a Jack Adams Award in the NHL.
- Now retired, living mostly in Arizona and playing lots of golf.
His path as a player
- Grew up in Saskatchewan and played college hockey at North Dakota.
- Talks about the development benefits of college hockey at the time.
- Shares stories from his NHL days, including:
- Shadowing elite players defensively.
- Being assigned to track stars like Wayne Gretzky and Pat LaFontaine.
- The physical, defensive role he played for years.
Coaching journey
- He explains how he moved from player to assistant coach to head coach.
- His stop in the minors was especially important because it taught him:
- Travel logistics
- Lineup decisions
- Contracts
- Power play and other tactical responsibilities
- He says that experience made him a better NHL coach later.
Phoenix/Arizona years
- Tippett says the Coyotes teams were built on culture and buy-in.
- He credits Shane Doan as the best captain and leader he ever had.
- He talks about:
- Mike Smith’s resurgence
- Sean Burke’s goaltending work
- The team’s underdog mentality during the bankruptcy/ownership chaos
- His view is that those teams overachieved because they played with identity and had fun.
Tippett Stories About Specific Players
The interview is packed with memorable player anecdotes.
Players he praised
- Shane Doan: best leader he ever coached.
- Mike Smith: elite athlete and puck-mover.
- Sean Burke: excellent goalie coach who helped transform careers.
- Jay Caufield: great story and standout athlete.
- Joe Sakic? No — they specifically discussed Joe Nieuwendyk, Joe Thornton is not mentioned; the main “Joe” was Joe Sakic? Actually the conversation centered on Joe Juneau / Joe Mullen / Joel? The clearest “Joe” they discussed was Joel Quenneville, who Tippett described as a smart player and eventual coach.
Players and personalities
- Tippett said Ray Ferraro was a talker from the start and joked he may have gotten multiple initiations.
- He described Brind’Amour/Brizgalov as being on his own planet but still very useful to the team.
- He also recalled Tomas Vokoun? No — the goalie stories were mainly about Marty Turco, Mike Smith, Sean Burke, and Brizgalov.
Tippett on Today’s NHL
His big picture view
- He believes the modern NHL is faster and more skilled than ever.
- He pointed to the Canada–U.S. games as some of the best hockey ever played.
- He said Connor McDavid is beyond special and one of the most incredible players he has ever been around.
McDavid’s mindset
- Tippett describes McDavid as:
- Serious
- Highly driven
- Very aware of his public profile
- Sometimes almost embarrassed by his own success
- He thinks McDavid will eventually win the Cup, even if people keep doubting him.
On the Oilers and coaching
- Tippett is confident in Edmonton’s ability to win.
- He jokes that if he could win the Fallon Cup, the Oilers can win the Stanley Cup.
- He also shares how much he enjoyed coaching McDavid, even if McDavid is a more reserved, low-profile star.
Other Hockey Topics Mentioned
Kings / Kopitar statue
- The crew briefly discusses Anže Kopitar getting a statue.
- They agree it’s well deserved and part of the Kings’ dynasty recognition.
Penguins contract talk
- They react to a huge contract for a young Penguins player and joke about how few NHL games he’s played relative to the money.
- The conversation turns to how teams sometimes pay for projection rather than track record.
Babcock / Commodore story
- The guys revisit the legal/PR fallout around Mike Babcock and Mike Commodore.
- It’s presented as classic Chiclets-style off-ice drama and a reminder of how public hockey arguments can get.
Key Takeaways
- Whit’s Fallon Cup win is the emotional centerpiece of the episode.
- Dave Tippett comes off as thoughtful, funny, and highly respected.
- Tippett’s best coaching teams were built on:
- trust
- personality
- structure
- fun
- He believes the NHL is in an elite era of speed and skill.
- The episode mixes serious hockey talk with the usual Chiclets chaos and storytelling.
Notable Lines / Themes
- Whit on winning: he treats the Fallon Cup like a life-defining championship.
- Tippett on leadership: Shane Doan was the best captain he ever had.
- Tippett on McDavid: the guy is built differently, and the Oilers will break through eventually.
- The recurring Chiclets theme: good teams need structure, but they also need characters.