OverDrive - Boudreau on Berube's lines philosophy, the Maple Leafs' mentality and Keefe criticizing Kovacevic

Episode Date: March 24, 2025

TSN Hockey Analyst Bruce Boudreau joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the NHL, the Maple Leafs' roster mentality down the stretch, the Game 1 starter for Toronto, Craig Berube's line structure, Sheldon Keefe calling out Johnathan Kovacevic and Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin's longevity on the ice.

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Joining us here on the Maple Toyota Hotline, here's our TSN hockey analyst, Bruce Bujro. Hey Bruce. Hey guys, how are you doing today? Wow, we're doing very well. How are you doing today? Well, I'm doing well. Anytime I get a chance to come back to the city, I'm doing well. Anytime I get a chance to come back to the city, I'm doing well. All right. I love it. You're up in Toronto. Well, the weather,

can you believe it was snowing this morning? It was so disgusting. No, snowing in the Don Valley when I was driving up here. I know. And I'm like, what the hell is going on here? Gross. Ridiculous. Gross. I was disgusted. I was disgusted, by the way. I woke up and all the ground was was white and I went up and I woke my mother up and I said you damn city's got snow on it again. It is the it's a travesty because we were almost we were out we were out it was beautiful last week it's the worst when it snows late March it is a travesty but anyway it's

great to have you on Bruce we appreciate it and we were obviously we were discussing the Leaf game the other night and maybe what to expect tomorrow night and no one expects this no one's gonna win every single game it's not gonna happen Florida's gonna lose Tampa's gonna lose but for me I understand why Leaf fans were disappointed on Saturday night I would have been as well if I was in that room because you're up to nothing against a terrible team that is really waiting to throw up the white flag and they let them get back into it in the second period. Not only get back into it, take over the game and eventually win in regulation.

What's that like if you're in the moment? Like if you're playing the role of Craig Borube and you're in the room in the first intermission you think we've got this. Like we're a better team, we're a veteran team, we're up to nothing to nothing had a great first period how do you possibly explain what happened the rest of the way well you really can't but it's a game that when you're sitting down because all coaches are doing this they're they're writing okay uh their next games where they think you know they're going to be what they have to do to finish where they want to finish and they've got this game in the bag. They're playing a team that is in last place basically, has been no good all year. You got a 2-0 lead, you don't give up leads very often and you come in and you let them win and it's a, to me,

it's a two points wasted or lost and you know what? They are going to lose games, but you don't, you count on those games to win those ones that you have not you have to win but that you're much better than that if you come to play you're going to win and they didn't come to play and now they got to make it up with it uh... game against philly and i'm sure they'll play so much better and confidant looks like they they're not even trying anymore uh... but that's how Nashville was. And it would be a terrible feeling in your gut if you came in

and you played Philly and you lost this game. So Bruce, we were in the last hour talking about the goaltender rotation. And you had 12 games left. How would you handle this scenario? In your mind, would you already have an idea of who you wanted to be your starter in the playoffs or would you kind of play it by ear as to who was maybe harder or you felt more comfortable with as the playoffs approached in that last week

well i think you would you you would already know in your mind who you want to play but you've been watching these guys for 70 games now. And I mean, you know who you think is the better goalie. And I mean, at some point they've got to make a decision that I'm running with this guy. And like I remember when I was in Washington, we came down, we had Crystal Ball UA

after the trade deadline and Ole Kolesig. And I went game each one a game and then the last seven games uh... uh... uh... he way look really good no one game than the next game only lost and then i ran with cold they are with uh... you a the rest of the way and through the playoffs so i mean coaches do pick the one guy and you want to give them a couple games to realize that he's the number one guy, that he's the guy that's got to be

able to do it. So I think, I think at some point Craig is going to do that. I mean, and pick that one guy and tap him on the shoulder and say, okay, buddy, you're the guy that we're going to run with. But you know, I mean, and then you go tell the other guy, be ready because I know you're just as good. And if there's a chance that we have to play a we're gonna play a friend don't think of this is as something that uh... you're out and gone and we're gonna need you at some point in the playoffs so but i would pick somebody and run with that guy brucey how much would you be pressing for this atlantic division title with

this be something that would you would be on the guys every day? And do you think it would come across as almost panicky if it was like, we've got to win this division or how do you think you'd approach that? Well, I would not approach it that way or say we've got to win it because you're right, it would be panicky. But in my mind, I would say I would really like to win it because I think it's advantageous for us to win it. You're not coming into the dressing room and saying boys we gotta win the Atlantic because we're not good enough to beat Florida, Tampa and then Florida or Tampa again.

And so I mean that would sound like you have no faith in the team. But when you're sitting there and go, man, I'd really like to end up in first place to be able to play a team like Montreal that is playing at the top of its game or so much above the top of its game, if they were the team that made it that you had to play or, um, you know, that couldn't possibly sustain it, but it's certainly a better alternative, I think, than playing the second or third place team in the Atlantic, whoever it is. So if I was Toronto, I'd really wanna win the,

I think would be my advantage to get in first place this year. With Bruce Boudreaux, and we asked about the goaltenders, 12 games out, trying to pick one or have a feeling on one or the other. I'm curious, you know, how that relates to to choosing the lines where I think we've got some clarity in terms of the D partners. Like, I think we know what the what the three are going to be.

Maybe Myers gets into Benoit, but they seem pretty committed to Benoit playing with Ekman Larson. If McMahon is going to stay on that second line, it feels like the top six is intact with nice Matthews Marner McMahon Tavares, Nylander. My thing is the bottom six seems to change almost every shift You know or at least every period or game where I don't get the impression Barubei really knows what he wants Loves what he sees where he's gonna fit these guys. How Unsettling is that?

You know, 12 games out from the playoffs where I'm not sure he knows exactly what that lineup's going to look like. Third line, fourth line going into game one. Yeah, I think it's almost an ad lib situation. Let's see, okay, we start off this way. We know who the top six are, but if the game goes a little haywire we're

gonna change this all up and and I and I think the players they feed off of that they realize that too so I mean it's it's unsettling to them as well and more than anything and I think if I was Craig I'd say okay boys this is gonna be three games to go you don't have to go over, this is going to be our playoff lineup. Let's make sure that, I mean, this is what we're doing, and everybody else has just got to spot in and do it. But these are the four lines, and I'm going with you. I might have to make some in-game movements,

but for the most part, we're going to practice this way, and this is the way we're going to play. These are the units. So when we go into the playoff, we know part we're going to practice this way and this is the way we're going to play these are the units So when we go into the playoffs, we know what we're doing and everybody knows that there's no questioning This is how we're going to do it Bruce II What's the timeline on a newcomer coming in before you have a not so comfortable meeting? I think Scotty Lawton's come in I don't think it's gone his way. I believe in the player, I like the player, I like what he's all about. He just hasn't played well. So when he comes in, you don't

want to be spitting fire right away. But how have you handled situations like that in the past where there's a grace period, then you got to have kind of the coming of Jesus meeting where it's like, you got to play better. Yeah, I think, again, the last four or five games, you give them 10, 15 games, but it's not all of a sudden like if you're listening up there saying, I'm not talking to him from game 20 to game five, you're talking to him all the time. You're building him up, building him up, and then you start, if he's not getting it, you start giving him a little little bit of crap

And then and then when it comes time say hey listen, you're you're unrestricted I mean you you've got five games here. We traded you for you because we thought you'd be the guy You're just not doing the job. Let's get our button gear and start doing it And I think it's got to come with a few games left to give him a chance to correct himself and start playing better. But you can't wait till the end of the season. It's got to happen at some point. With Bruce Boudreaux, our TSN hockey analyst, I want to play two clips here, one from a player Jonathan Kovacevich of the New Jersey Devils, followed up by one from the coach Sheldon Keefe. This was from over the weekend. We're in a fight and hopefully that you know gets us in that playoff mentality. You know 10-11 games out and we carry that into playoffs so Yeah, obviously the results are tough, but we're in a fight here and we're not gonna back down.

Cova Savage just mentioned to us that he thinks the team kind of needs to have that playoff mentality going down the stretchers. Co-pilot Severs needs to play better. That would help. Have you ever had any moments like that, Bruce, where a player said something, the media came to you with response and you had a similar response to that of what Sheldon had over the weekend? I don't know. I don't know.

I mean, I've heard, we've heard Sheldon, I can't remember or recall having a response like that right away, but I think Kovacevic was seeing everything as a team and Sheldon just came up and buried him. And like, I mean, like he did, I recall him doing that to Matthews Marner, Nylander last year a little bit, but retracting it a day later. I don't think he's going to retract this, but I don't think it does any good when the player is trying, he's getting asked the question by the media and he's trying to say the right things, and then the coach just comes up and buries them. I don't think that's a

positive approach but I mean I can see how Jersey is feeling at this time because let's face it they've been so inconsistent. If they didn't have such a good first half they would be the last the second half they've been under 500 so I mean they wouldn't be in the playoff race. So I can see how Sheldon's getting a little antsy right about now. And we were talking also, Bruce, about maybe the player himself. You know, it was not the messaging was wrong, but it's Sheldon going, why is that player speaking for us? I mean, that's that's probably you.

I'm sure you probably sat in your coach's room and going, this guy who's never played a game in the playoffs, that's probably not a guy who should be speaking for my team type of thing. And if he is, Jamie, he better be on fire. Right. Yeah, like that's kind of what you wonder, if he saw something out of Kova Savage that night,

and he's like, I can't. No, he hated him to begin with after the game. I can't listen to anything from that guy. I can't hear that guy. No he hated him to begin with after the game. I can't listen to anything from that guy. I can't do it. But you know don't you think like he's sitting in his stall he's not begging for the media to come over and the media is asking him a question he's just trying to answer it as politically correct as he could answer it. But like i'm sure he didn't go over there and give me a michael and talk to you guys uh... like we've seen other people do at some point in their careers

and and but so like he would he could have said well i i really don't think that i should be the one talking but i don't here anybody ever saying that so i thought he was just trying to be nice. Though I think that's what he was doing. Yeah I think that's what he was doing it's just you know Keef just didn't he wasn't in the mood for it I guess and maybe he would add the same response if any player said that but.

Oh yeah that's a good point and I agree to that because he was obviously not in a very good mood. You know what? The one great, he did a lot of great things, but Chuck Fletcher always came up to me after the game no matter when loser draw and he'd say, what's your message to the media? Because he didn't want me to say things about the players or like call out players or anything like that unless it was absolutely the perfect time for it. So he would calm me down and say,

okay, that's a good message or that, I don't know if that's the right message tonight and stuff like that. And I don't know if anybody had a chance, if Tom had a chance to talk to Sheldon before he met the media that night. Not sure he did with Bruce Boudreaux. How about Sidney Crosby currently 11th in scoring in the league? Point of game. Yeah more than that like

he's got 78 you know he only needs what a couple more than he's gonna continue his streak what will that be nine game nine team straight seasons with at least a point of game? Yeah. I then the guy he's unbelievable still bruce it is that it is unbelievable and i was just talking about uh... it's going to be a uh... sad day quite frankly when him and alex uh... i hang it up uh... the and you know i mean they both played what nineteen twenty years now and then and they're both grew doing great and when sydney can do it with that team and if you see half the

half the wingers he's had all year they get rid of Gensel, they'll get rid of you know they've at least he's made Raquel back into a 30 goal scorer and stuff but I mean I'm amazed all the time at him and how good and how consistent he is and listen listen, to me, he's willing the Penguins, the Penguins aren't gonna make the playoffs, but he's willing the Penguins to compete on a nightly basis right now. And that's because he's competing, and I've asked so many people,

is he like this in practice and that? He says, every friggin' day. And so I mean uh... unbelievable player unbelievable i'm so proud that he's canadian because he'd be treated the game the way it should be in and he's in the marval and i mean if there was a bigger monument he'd be on it but i'd and i always thought that

that monument should be grown into about six or seven people rather than the four they talk about yet he is something man and and you're right about that. Like the whole Mount Rushmore thing, and it's always been Gretzky and Lemieux and Howe and Orr. Crosby's fifth for me if he's not into that top four. Like, he's got to be in that conversation in terms of legends of the game and Canadian grades and all the winning and the production.

And what's going on at this stage? It just doesn't seem reasonable to compare the way sydney crosby plays hockey to bobby or or gordie howe at it's hard because it's their adjust yeah it's a sign has again there like person yeah you could ask absolutely ridiculous as a player but it's it's in and bruce you can speak to it you've seen all the different generations like it's hard to bring Bobby Orr into a conversation in today's game. It's just, you know, because of he was that dominant back then, but the game was so different back then, wasn't it? Yeah, and he changed the game though. That's why when I keep getting asked this question, whether it was Gordie Howe or whether it's Bobby Orr,

the Mount Rushmore, and because there was the four presidents up there, we talk about that, but the Mount Rushmore, somebody's got to go out and build another president's head behind it so we can have five or six, because every era there's new, new generations of great players, maybe not as as great as the the four Mount Rushmore but this is definitely a fifth one when you look at what he's gonna he's gonna end up playing 19 seasons with over a point a game and that's like I scored a little bit in the minor leagues but I mean this is incredible at that pace on a good

team and a bad team and it doesn't matter and the way he's held the mantle for hockey has been unbelievably outstanding and I think there should be another president's face on that Mount Rushmore and it should be Sydney's. Yep, I'm with you there Bruce. Thank you for doing this. We'll do it again soon. Sounds good. You guys have a great night.

There's Bruce Boudreau joining us here on the Maple Toyota Hotline. Drive the built-in Canada fuel-efficient, fun-to-drive Toyota RAV4. Gas or hybrid models available is at mapletoyota.com. Made in Canada on iHeartRadio. Rock, pop, hip-hop, and when it comes to country, it's the true north all the way. Loud and proud. An all-new digital radio station from coast to coast. Made in Canada, played in Canada. On the free iHeartRadio app and at iHeartRadio.ca.

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