OverDrive - Cammalleri on the Stanley Cup Playoffs experience, the mentality in the games and finding success with the team

Episode Date: April 22, 2025

Former NHLer Mike Cammalleri joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the experience throughout the playoffs in his career, the mentality in the games, the Flames and Canadiens' runs, playing against Alex Ovechkin and more.

That just happened with me, Vashi Kapelos. Canada decides 2025. Stay informed with my exclusive iHeartRadio podcast, available Friday afternoon, straight through till election day and beyond. I'll have your weekly highlights and my unvarnished analysis of the campaign of a lifetime. The candidates, the quotes, the polls, and the momentum.

That just happened with Vashi Kapelos. Canada decides 2025. fresh every Friday stream on your schedule with the free iHeartRadio app. Look at this cat. What's up, Cammie? What's up, guys? Nice to see you all. Great to see you. When you're watching the Stanley Cup playoffs now you would have played in it, you know, a lot throughout your career. Do you get flashbacks? Do you get nostalgia? I mean, what what kind of experience do you have watching games? Yeah, it's pretty cool.

I mean, the energy would galvanize the city better than Stanley cup playoffs in Canada, you know, and as a player, uh, it's really the most fun. I mean, from a scheduling perspective, from a lifestyle perspective, you kind of play every other day, everyone leaves you alone. Um, there's no, you know, the practice days are just skate around, feel good, and it's all about game time, show time. So I love playoffs. It was the most fun playing. Yeah, and in terms of like the coaching decisions, we were talking about this prior to you coming on, the Leafs aren't going to do anything. What's a room like, like how would you compare and contrast the room after a win

compared to after a loss, especially if you're kind of bracing for coaching changes? In other words, I guess it placed yourself in Ottawa's room yesterday and you kind of have an idea someone's coming in, someone's coming out, you know is that Joel thing, is it unsettling, is it, what is that reaction like in the room? Yeah I guess it depends on who you are in the room. I think the thing about playoffs is as you're jockeying through the season, you're thinking about where your team is and the standings and where your role is on the team. But when it comes to the playoffs, it really is kind of that real optimism of just every night you're trying to win and

find a way to win and everybody has the dream of going all the way. So with that collective energy, I guess, I don't know, to answer the question specifically, it's hard to go back to those days and think, what did it feel like when there was a change? You're kind of waiting to see what the coaches are going to think. But I just remember feeling like we really had to take the bull by the horns so to speak and take control of our own destiny. Cami, were you a superstitious player or a routine orientated player? I believed in habits, but my only superstition was to try not to have superstitions because

I didn't want to rely on like, you know, if I didn't do my skates up the same way, I think all that that affected how I played. So I, I tried not to have any superstitions, but definitely, you and I like to have the same meal every day in Calgary. What was that place called? Australia? Was it Australia? No, it's after us theory was Villa Villa friends, right? Villa friends. Yeah, we get olive oil Olive oil chicken the whole thing going it was so we had our traditions I guess our mark I was more habit oriented as a player than anything else and again

That's playoffs was was great for that because I don't know about you guys But like for me it was like everyone knew just to leave me alone And it was just like the naps were better the meals were better It was just all that mattered was the game the next day or that day, right? Was it is was that your experiences too as well? Gio like yeah home games road games I mean did it all kind of feel the same I guess come playoff time or yeah like Yours it you're just checked out from the from the outside world The only thing I'll add to that is yeah You're just checked out from the outside world. The only thing I'll add to that is, yeah, I'm like,

the one thing I'll say is from game to game, it's crazy. We were down three nothing to Florida, and you never lose that optimism, no matter what happens either way, right? So it really is game to game, and that's why I think some coaches believe in momentum from one game to the next, and then there's other coaches who are like it doesn't exist like right every game starts

fresh. I'm I sort of lean that way because that's a feeling you get as a player like going into each game it's like a whole new set of circumstances but yeah there's no better time you're you're it's the weather's getting warmer here you're getting to the rink and feeling good about yourself your body feels a little bit better in the warm weather, you're getting to the rink and feeling good about yourself, your body feels a little bit better in the warm weather, and you're playing every other night. You can feel it, huh?

Yeah, Cammie, did you ever feel, and we were talking about this yesterday, Tim Stootsla had eight, eight hits, and did you ever feel like the playoffs, you maybe had to step out of your comfort zone something different than you were maybe known for? You were a goal scorerorer you were a skilled guy. Did you feel like you either wanted to or had to prove something or try and do something

different in the playoffs? That's a great point. Yeah, I thought our first year in Calgary there, Gio, I thought we all did as a group. I mean, we it was we ran into Chicago's coming out party they ended up we know we thought we we'd take it to them physically. I punched Marty Havill out in the face, so I ended up playing with him right off of faceoff. Darrell Sutter and Keenan, they got us all going and we had our targets on the other team.

I think I definitely came out of probably the game that made me more effective, trying to be overly physical. I can totally, and that was my first experience in the playoffs physical so I can totally and that was my first experience in the playoffs so I can totally resonate with a player like Stutsel and maybe what he was going through. I thought we may, you know, looking back in hindsight, I think we would have been better served kind of sticking to our game. We were already a tough team that year. Well, yeah go ahead.

Tammy, that was not a punch to the face. That was a butt end right to the guy's chop. Well, you know, as Noodle alluded to, I grew up in the tough streets of Vaughan. You had to take care of yourself once in a while. Absolutely. You know what? I remember I was on the staff like we should have won that series. Should we have not have? That was 08-09 in Calgary. I'm looking at it here. I know the answer. I'm pretending like I don't. We should have won that series. I don't know know I mean it was Chicago's coming out but I felt like we gave him a pretty good run we we were up here or at least like played hard in Chicago

what do you make but like that night in Chicago I do that to have that and he scores the overtime winner so like I don't know I mean it just looking back on it it's like maybe I should have been focused on other things but yeah well a couple overtime games yeah that's. I mean it just looking back on it. It's like Maybe I should have been focused on other things. Yeah, well a couple overtime games. Yeah, that's what I mean It was a coin flip thing and Chicago was a great city even the coaching staff enjoying themselves Oh, I'm sure you would play out sir. Otherwise, it doesn't matter you have time in Chicago there But yeah, that was I felt like you're right It was Chicago's like getting to the next level type of thing. But man, we played them hard. Well, in Ottawa, you know, Travis Green was talking about it today that

he felt a lot of their young players who were making their playoff debuts were nervous and he doesn't expect that to continue tonight. Do you buy into that theory, Cammy, like game one to game two in terms of your first two playoff games? Was there a tangible difference or were you still nervous? I think so. Like it's really hard to describe how much energy you're putting out in these games, especially your first ones. Like it is substantially different how hard you try in every play, every hit, every stride, and it's too hard to sustain. So the longer you play in them,

the more you understand that you want wanna keep your kind of pace and energy and be as effective as you can. So I do buy into that and that ties into kind of an earlier theme you guys had mentioned, which is another beautiful thing about playoffs is you can build any narrative you want, right? Like that energy, like Gio's saying, that eternal optimism in the room,

you go down, you feel like you have nothing to lose. You go up, you feel like it's our time. Like whatever energy you wanna build in the room, you build it because it's going to serve you that night, right? Absolutely Mike Kamelari with us game two tonight leafs sends Yeah in terms of the Leafs big boys, you know like they're veterans. They played obviously a lot of playoff games They haven't had a ton of playoff Success in terms of series over series over series But what did you make of the fact that you know

Matthews and Marner and Willie and tomorrow's like they had the games they had in game one They all put up numbers. They all got on the game sheet. They all contributed like how significant is that? You know, you were a player like that a skilled player that was expected to contribute offensively getting on the board game one You know, how how big is that for confidence building going into game two and beyond? Yeah, I wouldn't under I wouldn't yeah, I would put huge value on that. I think for those guys it helps it makes you feel like it's part of your responsibility and the burden you carry as a guy who's relied upon to produce is you want to produce and so That's a great way to start it puts a little more balance in your step

It allows you to kind of freeze you up to make a little bit more comfortable plays. It allows you to play defense with a little bit more of a stride that you want to have. It allows you to play offense and make the plays without pressing it or squeezing the stick. I see this goal. That was a gorgeous goal there and a great path to set them up. So I think that's huge for those guys and I mean I think for relief fans I mean it's like any year could be your year there's no reason why this year can't be their year there's no reason why it can't be every year so with the group they have so it's exciting for them. Yeah that's what they're banking on huh? Like you're waiting for these guys you just got to break loose. Yeah you got to break through and you know it'll be a fun one tonight you know we've

been talking about goaltending and you know noodles is down on island here as you know the only goalie in the room but in terms of your reaction when you don't get a great performance from your goalie in the playoffs we referenced what happened in Edmonton all mark in game one he wasn't wasn't great for Ottawa how did you approach that topic like if you're doing media after the game and someone's gonna ask you about your goalie during the playoffs in particular what was what was your approach oh I think we might have lost cammy he didn't want to answer that I don't want to tell me a goal he didn't want to start chirping goaltending I

don't necessarily blame it we'll see if we can get them back but yeah I just I believe it like I've been around especially be in the backup you here right like I'm sitting right beside the D And a goal goes in and you can just hear the guys on the bench of God Mix one in you know like or you know comments here or there right like it happens But when you have a good goalie, and this is the difference like you you brought it up in geo And I thought it was a great point the guys in Ottawa believe in all mark because all mark you know when he plays his capabilities he's a hell of a goaltender yes so they're going if we're

gonna be in this series you have to do what you do right I think Edmonton's different because they look at their goaltending it's like they're there's okay just be okay like I think Edmonton looked at they made it to the finals and within one, you know, we'll call it two goals. You lost two one of winning a Stanley Cup with a tandem that would be deemed as average in the national. Absolutely. Right. Got my camera Larry back. Cami, I don't know if you heard me about goaltending and you know, if your goalie is kind of a sieve in game one or any of these games, you know, as a veteran in the room, I'm sure you would have been asked about it.

How did you generally approach that topic? Yeah, I didn't have to, you know, fortunately, we had Yuro Halak just playing out of his mind in Montreal and Kipper and Coward. So I was fortunate I didn't have to experience that, but I don't know, but I will say I watched that last night and with Connor and Leon particular like it's just hard not to bleed for these guys.

I mean, they're just so good and they're playing so hard and they're doing so much to come back from that. But you never, you never, I mean, it's hockey is the consummate team sport and you just, you never truly feel that way. You just, you win and lose the team. You always feel like you could have done more. We could have done more. We could have done better. And that's how you go into

these things. Well, you mentioned Hallak. That was that run in 2010 and Ovi was on that Caps team and he scores the OT winner last night. Like, what do you make of this guy? The fact that he's still, he's breaking records, he's scoring 40 in the season, he scored two last night, he's throwing hits, he's a monster still, and you were going up against him 15 years ago. I know, it's unbelievable, I was 15 years ago. Yeah, it's impressive, I mean, there's nothing else to say

than hats off to him, and we've got to witness greatness and great goal scoring, and the energy he brings and the way he scores, it's just, sometimes he just he just does things so randomly too like we obviously know the goals he scores but like off the shaft last night and the way he just runs over and runs through people it's always been exciting since his first day in the league he's always just been a fun guy to watch right so that year when we played them we like on the power play we just took him right out and number seven he was a really good player too he had like point blank slot shots all series long he just couldn't beat Halak and that was

just what we went with you know that's crazy though do you remember that Montreal run there was a big argument because they had they traded Halak to make room for Price Gary Price and people were like what are you doing you know and and carry prices gary price but it was a lot credit had taken the team deep in the playoffs and was a a hero they traded in what to st louis and was it yeah that's right reason it was bought was a bob gainey was running the show back then can get a little bother that was a very very very was good just kinda this in the going on he knew it was going to be his time we all we knew, I mean, you had the guy in practice every day, you knew he

was the next greatest goalie in the world. It's just, Yarrow got hot and Yarrow was obviously very good, had a fantastic career and Kerry was still pretty young and yeah, that's what happened. Yeah, it sure did, man. That was a magical run, again, 15 years ago. Even the celebration from Ovi, what was he doing? Like, he's using his stick as a wand it was amazing last night. He's 40 years old. He's 39. I think he's 39 he might be 40. He looks like he's 50. He's got grey hair and he eats Subway with Cheezys. Caffeine, caffeine, the guy's sleeping at night. The guy's just full of energy.

The best part is after the game they were asking him about the Gones, I was like, ah it's not a big deal, just another goal and I'm like, dude did you see how you celebrated? Yeah exactly, for him it is I guess, the way he operates all the time. You're right, he has coke in his water bottle on the bench. Like what would that be like a team, I guess everything's Marks, he wouldn't drink out of some guys. But back in the day, like maybe someone grabbed that at some point like this is coke Obies got a completely different way of operating Incredible your reaction stills every goal is just like it's his first and he's 12 years old. It's it's it's his way of doing it

Yeah, absolutely, and that was a big one last night. All right, Cammie. Great catching up with you, man. We appreciate you doing this. Okay, boys. Thanks for having me. Nice seeing you guys. You got it. There's Mike Kamelari. That just happened with me, Vashi Kapelos. Canada Decides 2025. Stay informed with my exclusive iHeartRadio podcast, available Friday afternoon, straight through till Election Day and beyond. I'll have your weekly highlights and my unvarnished

analysis of the campaign of a lifetime, the candidates, the quotes, the polls, and the momentum. That just happened with Vashie Capellos. Canada decides 2025. Fresh every Friday. Stream on your schedule with the free iHeartRadio app.