OverDrive - Boudreau on Ovechkin breaking the goals record, the coaching views and the pathway to glory

Episode Date: April 7, 2025

TSN Hockey Analyst Bruce Boudreau joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the NHL, Alex Ovechkin breaking the goals record and the coaching experience, the difference of his stick compared to other players, his track to success throughout his career and more.

Given five days or less to accept a severance offer, you need EmploymentLawyer.ca. You actually have two years to file a claim for a severance package, which can total as much as 24 months pay. Call Leor Samfiru and get what you're owed, EmploymentLawyer.ca. Joining us now on the Maple Toyota Hotline, here's our TSN hockey analyst, Bruce Bujjo. Bruce, we got into the discussion of Austin Matthews and how many goals you think he could score throughout his career. Do you have a number in mind? Like, do you think 700 plus is that reasonable to expect out of Austin?

You know what? I think it is. I mean, but again, we're banking on longevity as far as playing years and if he plays 15 to 15 plus I'd say 700 as well within range if he you know like I mean if at 33 he's got a lot of injuries and he decides to hang them up obviously that's not going to happen but the great ones that score all those goals also play an awful lot of years so hope Austin stays healthier than he has been this year and and if he can do that and and then all you know then I think anything is the number like when he's on and he's healthy he scores and he outscores everybody so I mean I think that can happen for sure. We'll get to Ovechkin here in a moment, but I'm curious where you stand on the Leafs here.

They're eight one and one in their last 10. They've got games in Florida tomorrow, Tampa on Wednesday. There's uncertainty of who they're gonna play in the first round. What would you expect the messaging to be from Craig Barube here down the stretch? You know, first of all, it's eight one and one, but it hasn't felt that way.

Like, I mean, they're doing great, and they're going to end up, I think, I mean, depending on this week and first place in the Atlantic. But I think they've still got, they've got more to give. I think they're played, I think they'll do, they'll split this weekend or this week in Florida, Tampa and in Florida. But I don't know, when I watch the games, when they wanna turn it on, they're great. And then there's sometimes that they're pretty sort of loose

and I just I Want to see them shut teams down even more and I think that's what Craig wants them to do Because he knows come playoff time you've got to be dialed in defensively I think that's where they've been most of the year or trying to get that that's one of the reasons I think Austin's goal toll is down is because he's been dialed into way more defensively this year than before he killed penalties he does all of those things now uh... disarming but i think that's what you're going to be believes

really start the uh... and when they play the good teams they do dial it that dial it in and they're going to be really good defensively even though they are missing a couple guys probably didn't answer that question properly but it's been a long day. I like it. I know it's been a long day. We appreciate you doing this and again we're you know kind of projecting where Matthews could end up. I'm curious where you think Alex Sovetsky will end up now. He's at 895, he's 39 years old, he's still got term left on his contract. Like map out what you think the next two or three years are gonna look like for Ovi

And do you think he has his sights on 1,000 total goals? You know knowing him he he's always wanted to be great and when he puts his mind to it He is well if they won the cup this year Would he want and the way the year is gone, would he want to play more? I don't know. I think he would for sure play out his contract because I think he he loves Ted Leonsis and Ted's been so good to him. I think he would play that out. But I mean, he made two references yesterday to Russia and And he made the reference that his wife has allowed him to still play over here type thing And I'm wondering if if they said well when you're done and when you get the record and when you know that we're going to

Go back home So I don't know. I don't think he'll stay for a thousand I mean that's to me three years down the road I think if I'm going 35 goals a year and the when you and I've had players like Kimu Solani who's Fabulous, and he was in better shape when he was 44 playing For me than than most 20 year olds, but get old, all of a sudden it's harder

to do these things. And I mean, I know he's a freak of nature speaking of Oveskin, but at some point he's going to start looking old. I thought this was last year when he looked old and slow and this year he looks dynamic like he was 27 again. But I think a thousand, if he put his mind to it and said, I'm staying for a thousand, I want this record never to be broken. But I don't think that's anywhere near as important as him winning the record. So I think, I don't think he's going to get it. I think he'll retire before that happens. Bruce, there was a point in his career, I think it was like mid 20s, where it looked like maybe is he starting to slow down?

I wonder if there was a point coaching him where you were like, is this going to go the way that it eventually went? No, you know what? In 2011, one of the things that people don't know is that he did a stick deal for the first time and the sticks kept breaking. And as of the year, he got 32 goals. And I mean, he stopped shooting in the pocket. If you just look at his shot numbers were way down because he was afraid every time he shot the pocket with his sticks would break. And I mean, he got a huge amount of money for the stick deal,

but he got rid of the sticks after that year and he continued to go on again. But I mean, he wouldn't, we're in his office where he would score goals from, he wouldn't shoot the puck. So we moved him to the front at the top of the point and he wouldn't shoot the puck because he's afraid if he breaks a stick it's going to be

2-on-1 or 2-on-0 basically against him. So it was a weird year that that year but that that was the year of the stick that I called it and and he wouldn't shoot puck. So I mean it was really it was really a different kind of year for him. That was the anomaly right there. It wasn't because he'd gotten slowed slowed down or he got disinterested or his game was falling off is because his confidence was shaken because he couldn't he couldn't shoot the puck like he normally would because the sticks would break with Bruce Boudreaux and I thought it was so fitting that he scored the goal the way he scored yesterday even the the 894 goals kind of a carbon copy like both

off wing in his office top of the circles hash marks give or take and it's just a cn i shot that he gets off quick in goaltenders for twenty years and just not been able to stop like in you don't know where it's gone short side far side high low five or you just you never know but he gets there he gets there with pace he gets there with purpose I don't think you could script it any better from that standpoint Bruce the

fact that he scored the tie angle and the winner in the fashion that he did absolutely and I mean and that's his key like you can't pick the puck up off his stick when he shoots it and and and it gets to, no matter how experienced you are as a goaltender, it gets there quicker than you think it's going to get there. And I mean, this is another short side goal that he scores in. Like, I mean, goalies, that's the only area that they know when it's coming cross-ice that he's going. I mean, I can see him scoring long side a long time or what weak side but he scores on the short side and it used to not it

used to say how can he do that how good is this guy but like I'm staring at a stick of his that's on my wall in my room here and the the curve is different than anybody else's and the flex is different and he's so strong this is what I'm talking about when he was breaking sticks because he's so strong when he leans on that stick, it comes off it like no other. And yes, it is totally fitting and proper that he scores that goal from there

and it wasn't a tip in or it wasn't an in off from behind the net or something. That's the way it should have happened and it did. And everything went well for him after that as well. Yeah, it's incredible. Like the way he has scored seemingly all of his 895 goals. Like I was running through it in my mind over the weekend, like just thinking of history and in my lifetime,

watching hockey players, great hockey players, whether it's Gretzky or Lemieux or, you know, Sid or McDavid. And I can visualize all of those players, whether it's Gretzky or Lemieux or, you know, Sid or McDavid. And I can visualize all of those players, like, leading a rush, starting a rush, taking the puck in their own zone, skating it through the neutral zone. I don't have that mental image with Ovechkin. Like, I don't have a mental image of him stick-handling, if that makes sense. I know that sounds strange, but I don't. Yet, he's so dominant, so great. He scored all these goals, he's thrown all these hits.

I don't even know how to describe it. Like he might be the most unique player I can think of in terms of my mental history, yet I've been tracking him for 20 years. Do you see it the same way, Bruce? The way he plays? Yeah, it's crazy. Yeah, like I mean I know and I've seen firsthand of him stick handling through guys and and making great plays and some I do remember But when you think of Alex Oveskin you think of the shot off the left side Taking one move to the middle and taking that shot and beating goalies. Yeah, and that's what you see like I mean, that's the taking that shot and beating goalies. And that's what you see. Like, I mean, that's the way he did it.

And then jumping into the glass when he was excited, especially when he was younger, his goal celebrations were as good as any. That's why it was so unique and spontaneous yesterday when he dove on the ice. That's, like, I've seen him jump into the glass, dive into the glass, and do all kinds of things after he scored, but it was always based on a shot

coming down the wing. I mean, he scored so many other goals in other types, but this is what you remember when you think of Alex Oveskin. Yeah, it's incredible. Just an unbelievable career. And he's still going and they're the top seed in the East. And now this is behind them

and they got to let the dust settle and party a little bit. Then they got to snap out of it because they're losing a lot of games, giving up a lot of goals and I'm sure he'll be in charge on that. And I agree with you, everything has gone so well, even the timing of this goal has gone well because now they've got a time to reset because they haven't been playing well. And I think that is over and I think it's been on everybody's mind. I mean, especially when I do the cap games and you can tell that the players are thinking, oh, B, oh, B, oh, B. Like when you saw how quick everybody jumped off the bench in anticipation of when he scored, Now they got three days, they don't play till Carolina will be a great test because Carolina beat them 5-1 or something the other day. But they got five games to reset for the playoffs and I think it was a perfect time for them to score. You're certainly glad it didn't leave it till the last game of the

year. Then, holy smokes, I don't know if they would be prepared for the playoffs, but they will be prepared. And I'm thinking that they will get back to the way they were playing 20 games ago. Yep. That's got to be the thought process down there for sure. Great stuff, Bruce. Thank you for doing this. We'll do it again soon. I hope so. Take care, guys. Have a great night. You got it. Bruce Bujo 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. Visit mapletoyota.com. Hey, who invited climate action to the party? We did. Hey, I'm Shannon Burns. And I'm Sarah Christy. Together,

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