OverDrive - Clark on the playoff mentality, the rewind on his physicality memories and Pros Talk Prostate awareness campaign

Episode Date: May 1, 2025

Former NHLer and Maple Leafs Forward Wendel Clark joined OverDrive to discuss the experience throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the physicality in the playoff games in his tenure, the Maple Leafs' team performance, Pros Talk Prostate awareness campaign and more.

Tim's smile cookie is here and every bite makes your community every bite better. Because 100% of proceeds are donated to local charities and community groups. Head to Tim's for smile cookies from April 28 to May 4. Here he is, one of our favorites, Wendell Clark joining us here on Overdrive. How are you doing, Wendell? Hi guys, doing good. So what are we expecting tonight? Well, I think it's fun time. This

is we've turned it into a series so Ottawa's come and pushed hard they don't want to lose and and so it's up to us to go and grab it and it's actually for they won't know what they're in the middle of the battle but this is this is a good test when you get through they've they've they've had a test and that's a good sign for the next round. We just have to prove and get through it. Yeah. Well, exactly. They've got to get over this hill.

Everyone talks about elevating your game in the playoffs. You were clearly a guy that was famous for that one. I'm curious how you did that. How did you recognize, A, I have to elevate and B, this is how I'm going to go about elevating my game? I don't know, I think everybody does it depending on everybody's different in their mindsets. I just probably just try to simplify everything. All I can do is go out there and throw everything I can at it and if it's good enough, great

and if it's not good enough, there's nothing more I can throw at it. That's pretty much how we we uh... in simple terms do it uh... my always love playoffs because you're uh... as i tell people is no better job in the world of the left winger playing in the nhl the playoffs i get to work eighteen minutes every forty eight hours that's not i like that that's a good approach cover job you work thirty

right so uh... wendell's of it playoff hockey is so different from the regular season. Is there something, when you look at it, for example, a skilled player, the playoffs, the level gets to another height of intensity. And people always say, you've got to step out of your comfort zone, but you still have to bring that skill play. Did you find when you played with skilled players, did they go looking for something different or is it just maximizing what you have?

I think you've got to maximize with what you've got and really in a series you're playing against the same checking guys every night that are going to be pretty good. They're both teams that are in the playoffs and every team takes away the middle. If you take away the middle in your own end, they don't score. If you can't get to the middle, you can't score on the other end. And the biggest thing to score goals is you've got to sometimes less fancy and just throw it on net. You look at all the game winning goals of them bounces and seeing eye stuff from long

shots and really the farther you go in the playoffs the more simple the game gets. That's really I think we are doing that well in the first period of the last game and then by the second period I think at power play we were throwing it around the outside a little too much and not getting just get the fuck on net. Simple and that's you watch all the teams that have wanted they they get simpler uh... come playoff time to you never know what that goal

uh... what bounce causes the goal uh... because it both teams are playing well car key i mean you love running guys over i think we play some of your hits behind the net over and over once a month it pops up like regardless of your skill level don't you think like some kind of massive hit in the first period can be a tone setter? I know they're not known as being the most physical team,

but any type of like big body check, just to get everybody cooking and on the same page is a massive thing. No, I think it's an energy. Nyes has a body that can do that and maybe even any of the other guys that don't normally do it really gets the team going. The Washington game, I think you've seen the big guy

in Washington, the start of the game, made Montreal look, they were throwing the puck away because he was finishing his checks. And that really, and it gets your team going. And you never know what happens when people start throwing the puck away. In times they don't want to. But physical play is playoff hockey. That's why it's up the middle or finishing on the boards. There's always a little extra hit or you sit on the guy 10 seconds longer because you know it's not a penalty. Right, that's the beauty of it, right?

The kind of the gamesmanship with the refs where that is one thing. I guess you never really know though how quick the whistle is going to come out sometimes. I mean when they change the ref, you know, back when you were playing, I guess was there still I think there was only one ref out there back then. One ref. I think you preferred it because you actually and guys will will know you look at the piece of paper and you see the name of the wrap and you knew the type of game was going to be just

by that personality of that rapid year you and every ref had his his way of doing it now you're in the two ref system it's a little a little different on either end of the ice maybe some nights but they try to be the same but but really come playoff time they they're going to let the the players settle it as long as it's pretty close to it in the rules but it's uh it's some hard hockey is the first round it always is you look at all the series of some of the hits and some of the antics and things and that's that's the fun stuff and it kind of settles down a

little bit after the first round but that first round everybody is all in. With Wendell Clark you referenced Tom Wilson in that Habs series where he and Josh Anderson game three ended up in the bench. Have you ever, have you ever experienced anything like that where you drag someone in or you get dragged into the bench? Let me guess yes. No, I'll say what happened and it ruined it for the rest of my career because I had to fight him all the time. My first two

fights in the NHL were Marty McSorley. So that and the first fight ever was in Edmonton and his gate happened to open so I fall on top of Marty. It's not like I won the fight I just said the gate opened I fall on top of Marty. It's not like I won the fight. I just had the gate open and I fell on top of Marty in his bench in front of his buddies. So that pretty much set the tone for another 15 years. Because he's a league tough guy and I'm some 18 year old and just by fate the door opened and I, you know, in the fight in hockey, if you end up on top all you want uh... mendered that can help was but and that we had uh... we had experiences the rest of my career uh... probably because of because of that he was uh... the league league

tough at that time that's incredible i don't remember ever seen that video or you know i'm a t t games an exhibition in september in the eighties that's very valid i don't know that i don't know what's going on in the 80s. That's very valid. I don't remember full panels for those types of games. I just remember having a front row seat to you fighting Marty in LA the one night. Oh, that's right. When we were with the Allenders and now they had handed us a pretty good beating that night. I think it was 8-3 but you fought him maybe once or twice. There's two of the greatest fights I've ever witnessed. Yeah, that was twice that night because it was the first start of the game and he kicked my butt in front of the net and then we are losing really bad and the third night skated right at

him. I said, we're having another one. And so, but yeah, no, Marty and I battled and usually being a left winger that finishes checks, if you're playing for right d that that's a rivalry you'll have your whole career bob ross was another guy started minnesota about just just because you're in you're battling all time uh... where the puck goes in absolutely with uh... wendell clark ahead of game six tonight now at the end of your career when you were a part of the inaugural battle of ontario

back in 2000. Do you remember that vividly? And did you think it would reach this point 25 years later where it holds such esteem, especially with Leaf fans? Yeah, no, I think it's great that both teams are in the playoffs, Toronto and Ottawa. I think it's great for rivalry. The rivalry starts because the teams playing each other in the playoffs a lot and then there gets to be a hatred between cities and fans and the teams and that's what makes the the

hockey fun. So yeah I was you know at the start of that that might have been my last goal ever in a playoff game, game four or the game four that we won or the one the fourth game there in Ottawa. I can't remember what one that was, but yeah, no, I was just a peace player signing at the end of my career and the guys, Caby, I think was a rookie and Anthropniky, Anthropov, and those guys were just starting out and a great group of young guys and they had a great run against Ottawa, what, four times in a row in the playoffs there and Ottawa had great teams and we, the Toronto always found a way to upset them but the rivalries are always good.

They're the fun ones, they're the fans that give the players energy, they're the fun ones to be in. With Wendell Clark and Wendell we've had you on a bunch in the past to speak of this, Navardis and Pros Talk Prostate, this partnership in collaboration with other NHL players aims to raise awareness but prostate health and encourage canadians to seek necessary checkups and information when though you've been a part of this clearly it's something important to you

uh... take us through this why why you get involved in why it's so important you know just a it's you know we all have friends and family that uh... deal of and dealt with or dealing with it. Really, you're at a stage, I think it's the third leading cause for men of the cancers. Really, we want people

making sure they're getting checked and get checked early. But if you do have prostate cancer, we want to let you know there's a spot to go and check. It's pro station Canada

.ca and download a pamphlet and get and it's prostationcanada.ca and download a pamphlet and get all the information you can to be able to open up and talk to friends and family and questions to ask your doctors to make sure you know how to handle stuff. We as guys, we always get very quiet amongst all this stuff. Our doctor visits are usually about 10 seconds and that's all we want them for. It's something about we're only here once so look after yourself and make sure the people or the guys with you know prostate cancer are looking after themselves. Absolutely, prostationcanada.ca that's the website to get to he is the great

Wendell Clark we always appreciate you finding time for us Wendell enjoy the game tonight. Thanks you too guys. You got it. There he is. Wendell Clark. Introducing Brian Adams Radio on I Heart Radio. Hosted by Brian Adams himself. Join me for an insider look on a wild ride through 40 years of global rock and roll. Brian Adams Radio. Now available on the free I Heart Radio app. Or ask your smart speaker to play Brian Adams Radio on your smart speaker.

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