OverDrive - Boudreau on the Maple Leafs' trade deadline direction, Matthews looking for a boost and Pettersson scavenging for success

Episode Date: March 5, 2025

TSN Hockey Analyst Bruce Boudreau joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the NHL, the Maple Leafs' trade additions to the team, the goaltending approach on the lineup, Auston Matthews looking to flip the switch, Trent Frederic landing in Edmonton, Elias Pettersson's season with the Canucks and more.

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Switch to Bell PureFiber, Canada's fastest internet, awarded by UCCLA. Starting from $60 a month. Visit bell.ca for more details and to check availability. Here's our TSN Hockey Analyst, Bruce Bujow. How you doing, Bruce? Hey, man. How are you guys today? We're doing pretty well. How are you feeling about your Leafies these days?

How are you feeling about the way they're playing and how they set up for that Vegas game tomorrow night? Well, you know what I really don't think they've played great the last three games and they've they're 2-0-1 in them I think the Pittsburgh game was really sloppy the Boston game I think they were lucky to to tie it and then win it in overtime because Boston was so brutal in the last two minutes sorry and I think last night They were just tired like I mean

You guys know that when you when you have a road trip and you're winning and then you come home for one day Soon as you're home for that one day, there's no rest. It's not like you're getting a chance to rest I mean you got family obligations and and you're running around and then you're going back on the road again So I mean I think this is gonna be a real test these three games And I think it'll be good that they're playing Vegas because when they play the good teams, I think they They get up to their speed. No, they'll play as as good as they can. So I mean, I like the position They're in I like the fact that they can. So I mean, I like the position they're in.

I like the fact that they can win when they're not playing that great. But I've seen them play great. And when they do do that, then they're a really tough team to beat. Well, that wouldn't concern you at all, Bruce. See, not that they've been bluffing it, but they've been winning in some kind of weird ways.

It is a positive that they're finding a way. But you'll find out what kind of stones you got going out there to Vegas. If Vegas is dialed in, you'll get a good idea of where that team're finding a way. But you'll find out what kind of stones you got going out there to Vegas. If Vegas is dialed in, you'll get a good idea of where that team is at right now. Because you can't. It's like a tough golf course playing the Vegas Golden Knights. You can't bluff it around there.

No, I agree. And that's exactly what I mean. I mean, I haven't liked the way they've played, but they've won. So it's better than losing five points in the last three games that uh... but they're gonna find a real path and you know if they're going to make any moves on friday

i think this will this will really be a tell find of whether how how big a deal they have to make her or whether they can get by and on on doing minor stuff brucey of brad Tree Living went into your office and you were the coach of the Leafs and said, Brucey, what would you like me to get you? Anything you want, I'll do my best.

What would you say back? Well, I would probably say I want a really good two-way third line center, but if we get them this time, I'm not gonna move Tavares to the left wing. I'm gonna leave him onway third line center but if we get them this time I'm not going to move Tavares to the left wing I'm going to leave him on the third line and let him play there. That's and then I'd need I'd want one more right-handed defenseman that's really good just in case you know I mean when Tanner's out you can tell the goals against and and you can tell the D is not as good in their own

zone. So I mean those are the two things that I would want if I was Toronto. I mean I think they're pretty solid. You never have to worry about their scoring. They got enough scoring at their defense sometimes I think scares me a little bit. I think their goal-tending Stolarz to me is the number one and he will be the number one come say the last eight games of the season and throughout the playoffs. But I would like that one big right-handed defenseman and I would love a really solid

experienced third line center. Bruce, you just mentioned it but I wanted to follow up on it. Do you believe Stolars is the one and I do not think he started a playoff game yet in his career at 31 years old? Would you have any pause for concern or how would you handle this goaltending tandem down the stretch here in the last 22 games or whatever it is? You know, I mean mean it's interesting i mean uh... uh... i'd tell a little story that

my first year we traded for crystal ball u a at the trade deadline and him and um... uh... only cold it with the two bullies and i just alternated them okay and i thought we had to number one and then uh... with seven games to go only lost the game and then Huey won this game six and I just ran with him because his Numbers were better in the games they alternated but I thought okay I'm that we needed to win all six to to win the division and make the playoffs and we win we ended up doing it

Luckily and but QA was the guy and make the playoffs. And we ended up doing it, luckily. But QA was the guy. And I think the players understood that he was the guy. He understood he was the guy. And I think it made him play better. And it made the team around him play better, knowing that there was no questions anymore. This was just the way the guy were going with.

And that's it. I think if you look at Boston a couple years ago, when they't know which goalie to play they were going back and forth, back and forth. I think it affected the team. But I think Stolarz, other than the two goals he gave up last night where he looked like a fish out of water on them, he again made great saves in overtime. To me all year long when they needed a big save, he's made a big save. And I think just being the backup last year on the Stanley Cup champion has helped him an awful lot. Even if he hasn't played any playoff games, I think that's an experience that you can't forget just being in the room and what Bobrowski was going through. I think he learned a lot from him and he would be my guy that I would

go with. With Bruce Boudreaux and in terms of you know Austin Matthews and the way he's playing everyone's got a different viewpoint on what you expect out of him come playoff time. I'm curious how you you would handle that behind the bench if your best player has had a down year based on his standards. And that's what's happened with Austin. I don't think it will change between now and the end of the year. We'll see. How do you transition from regular season down year to, okay, it's game one of the playoffs and I need you to be your best player? How do you handle that as a head coach? Well, I mean, I think it's, to me, you're talking, it's, I hate to say just talk to him, but I mean, it's like, I'll use a golf analogy here in that his front nine was just horrible, but you can wipe that out, okay, and say, okay the back nine It's a new game playoffs are a new game

He can wipe out all the feelings of scoring under 30 goals for the regular season in In having a great playoff winning the first round winning the second round and then no one would think at all of the regular Season and I would tell him that like I would say listen, you know Austin I know you're disappointed in the amount of goals you got and all of these things but we can wipe everything out right now with a great playoff and no one would say boo about his regular season ever again because they know he could perform in the playoffs so I mean I would try to keep it on a positive note like that and make him think positive instead of negative stuff and and run with that and I mean

Until it didn't happen. I would think that would be the way to go. Yeah. Well, you need it exactly And that's I think that's a smart way of approaching it. Hey, the pass is the pass This is what it was always gonna matter if he scored 70 goals this year to the regular season and they don't perform the playoffs That's what's gonna stick out and you know Austin is at the playoffs, that's what's going to stick out. And, you know, Austin is at the forefront of that in terms of turning things around come playoff time with Bruce Boudreaux. Trent Frederick traded from Boston to Edmonton today, still injured, but I think he's out of the walking boot. He's going to return likely before the playoffs. What do you make of him as a player and as an addition to the Edmonton Oilers? Well, as a player, I think he's a good, hard-nosed player that has earned... He's gone from the

minors to the fourth line to playing up and down the lineup. I mean, now, I mean, he's not a natural 20-goal scorer, but he's a hard- nosed guy to play against. I think it's something that Edmonton really needs, especially now, you know, Evander Kane's been out the whole year basically, and he's coming in there and you know yourself that, I mean, to win in the playoffs, it's the winning of the board battles, winning of the one-on-one battles, that's going to do you a lot of winning. And I think Edmonton needed that. I think it's a really good acquisition. I don't think they, I mean, I don't know,

because I don't know other than the draft choices. I mean, and I personally, if I was the GM, the draft choice is two years down the road and three years down the road. Coach has never seen them anyway. So I mean, I don't think that's given given up much but i think he could be a real addition could be better is a big character died will fight anybody but he's good in the corners and he's good

go along the board and he can score if you give me opportunities so uh... to me for a top nine forward for the uh... for edmonton i think it's a really good uh... really good move so here we look at thatmonton and looked through throughout Canada. Your old team in Vancouver, Patterson came out and spoke to the media today, owned some of his struggles and basically said he needed to be better. Again, you know behind the scenes but also you don't know what's going on right now.

How would you handle a guy like Patterson and even the rest of the team with how it's been going? Because this is a team that can make the playoffs, Bruce. They're right there. They're tied with the Calgary Flames and they've had an uncharacteristic season. Let's call it. They've had a dreadful season with some of the storylines coming out of it. You move JT Miller out, Pedersen's the guy and he hasn't found his form you know what do you make of that and what do you think could

turn around here down the stretch the last 20 games for them? Well I hope something can turn around because they've got a lot of really good people and good good players but I mean they've made so many moves in the last two years I mean it's a completely different team almost than that I was which is just a year and a half ago. So I mean it's and with Pederson like I think I said it earlier but he needs a new start somewhere. I think Vancouver needs a new start from him because I don't think he'll ever be able to achieve the greatness and I think he's

a great hockey player when he's in the right frame of mind and things are going well for him in Vancouver. But I think he could do a do-over on another team and I think they should move him if they could get somebody of equal, I don't know if they'll ever get equal value back for him, but I mean Like I always thought a good deal would be Pedersen to the Islanders for Barzell, but that would be That bar. I don't know how bad if Barzell is coming back or not, but I mean, they've also got Brock Besser I mean they're losing all their scoring and if you look at every one of their games It's two to one they get under 20 shots on goal a game almost they need some offense and I mean if they lose

Vester and they lose lose Pedersen they better get the they better get some people back to can play or they'll be in real trouble for not only this year but for upcoming years too. Yeah no kidding I mean that's the thing they just have such a tough time generating offense as it is. But think about what they used to look like, Hayes. They used to have Miller and Pedersen and both of them on the power play. One guy ripped home 40 goals, under guy 100 points. This was never a question in the last year and a half. Yeah, Besser had 40 goals last year.

Horvat? Don't forget, they had led to a very five goals when they traded him uh... a couple years ago i mean the power play was in the top five in the league because i mean they could put out or that miller peterson faster and uh... and queen he was pretty pretty solid they can't do that now so it's uh... uh... they've they've gone

uh... from their really good defensive team but they've gone from one extreme to the other i think uh... from a good offensive team to a very mediocre offensive team and defense is going to have to win it for them because they just don't have the often that can can score goals we'll see what comes of the person it's a fun week in the nlc and there's there's a ton of games ton of action and there's going to be a bunch of trades.

And we'll see what comes of it. The first thing I do every morning is I look at my phone. I wake up, I look at the phone, what happened overnight? And that's what I think all the hockey fans are doing right now because some trades get it one in the morning, two in the morning, and I can't wait to see what they are I'm with you on that and you're speaking to the choir you're preaching the choir we're all doing the same thing so continue to enjoy that experience every morning we'll be doing the same thing thank you Bruce all right we'll talk to you soon you got a Bruce Boudreau RTS and hockey analyst An iHeartRadio experience. Rock legends ACDC in Vancouver.

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