OverDrive - Dreger and LeBrun on Hughes' trade possibility, the Canucks looking for deals and Matthews' injury timeline

Episode Date: November 25, 2025

TSN Hockey Insiders Darren Dreger and Pierre LeBrun joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the NHL, Auston Matthews' injury for the Maple Leafs and the league looking for transparency, Craig Berube's job security, the Canucks seeking deals, Quinn Hughes' possible trade from Vancouver, the Oilers changing their goaltending and more.

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here are the insiders Darren Dregor and Pierre LeBron there they are looking good as always great to see you guys drags why don't we start with that the injury stuff we had you in studio last week you and CJ were in there we're talking about the Leafs and their injury

problems and Austin Matthews in particular and still no word on if he'll even play tomorrow night what do you make of that from Craig Barube and where this goes if he doesn't play tomorrow well it goes to Friday on TSN when, you know, the Leafs obviously play the Washington Capitals.

I think what the Maple Leafs are saying at this point, and what Berubei said after their practice today, was that they're not ruling them out for tomorrow, for Wednesday's game. So, I mean, I guess they'll decide after the morning skate. It sounds like Matthew Nyes is closer. He seems likely to go. But I think it's the bigger picture issue, right? You know, you think of Anthony Stolars was expected to miss a game

or two and this guy hasn't been on the ice for an extended window of time here so look i mean it's an individual club thing you don't have to disclose information you don't have to disclose timeline but i don't think that gregg brouba meets the media and then just randomly gives misinformation i mean he's dealing essentially day by day with the information that he has he doesn't want to push nice because this is something that he's been working with and dealing with since training camp and, you know, Austin Matthews, we know when

he got hurt and they need him to be as close to 100% healthy as he can be. Well, Pierre, where do you stand on, you know, I see her in your Cowboys gear there and you know the way the NFL has operated for a long time. Transparency, got to tell people, got to let fans know what's going on.

The NHL isn't there. I don't know if they ever will get there. Where do you stand on that? And do you think it's possible at some point commissioner could be tipped and said you got to give more transparency here yeah to your point i just read this afternoon that george pickens will be playing thursday for america's team the dallas cabboys transparency george pickens you know i missed a few plays because of a leg injury uh on sunday no i i it's bugged me for a long time too i think it's it's a very relevant conversation in particular um you know the nchl has uh deals with you know you know the nchel has uh deals with

know, legalized gambling companies, and I think there should be more detail and more transparency in the way injuries are talked about in the NHL. And by the way, it's interesting because Dregs knows this, but at the last GM meetings here in Toronto a couple weeks ago, one of the real interesting presentations, or at least GMs were telling us they thought it was really interesting, was from the NHL security director, Jared Maples. who talk to GMs about being careful about who they share injury news with, et cetera. And that conversation was in the scope of all of the stuff that you're seeing in other sports

with some of the gambling controversies and investigations, etc. So my point is it's probably more paramount than ever, I think, for this type of information when coming from teams to be as transparent. as possible for all kinds of reasons. Well, Dregs, I think there's some frustration in the fan base in Toronto here because they need some of these guys back. Their season is like Hayes was talking about the mathematics that need to go down for the Leafs to get into the playoffs moving forward.

And if they don't get it together in the next two weeks or so, it could be game over for these guys if they don't get some of these bodies back and start playing better. Yeah, I mean the playing better part should be amplification. to fight because, you know, with all due respect to Nyes and the Matthews and the Stolars and go down the list, it's not like these guys were at the top of their game before injury. There were moments where individually they were playing well, but, you know, the moments where the team was coming together collectively have been fewer and fewer.

But look, if it was as easy as Bradford Living, you know, identifying, okay, well, here's player X out there that I think is going to help us. He would do that. a way to do that. But now we're talking about the reality of all these other teams, Vancouver being the most vocal in that process, but it's difficult to find the right help. So back to Toronto when Matthews,

if Matthews is back in the lineup on Wednesday, or if he's back in on TSN on Friday, he's got to find a way to deliver every single game. And likewise for the rest of the group, because the next man up routine in Toronto, hasn't worked. It hasn't worked at all. It hasn't worked since game one.

well it's the reality of the league that you know trades they don't seemingly happen much now there are apparently our teams open for business we'll get to that in a moment i'm sure noodles you're about to jump in on that yeah but what usually happens then is gms come out and say the only thing i can do is change the coach it's the only thing i can do um dregs do you get the impression that's even on the radar for brad tray living right now i don't not even on the radar. Now, I guess things can change relatively quickly, but I, look, and nor am I saying that there shouldn't be an element of responsibility on the head coach or the coaching staff. I mean, that's what Craig Barube would expect, but not at the expense of his job, meaning

that he feels that he still has time and the coaching staff in general have time to do a better job. Inspire this team to play better because the words aren't working, right? The message sending hasn't worked to this point, but look, if there's finger-pointing happening, then everybody deserves a mirror in their said office, including the general manager and those above, those above who decided that the only changes that were required were to get rid of Brandon Chanahan. Everybody is responsible in some way, shape, or form. I don't think this should all hang on Craig Barraubi, and I don't get the sense that

management feels that way either. Yeah, I agree. I think everybody has to own some. of it. That's just, and I don't mind that because everybody's got to be a little bit better if Toronto's going to dig out of this. Pierre, I wanted to ask you, you know, do you get a sense that the marketplace is heating up?

I mean, you know, we are coming up on American Thanksgiving. Teams are, you know, starting to internally have the meetings and take a look at what they've got going so far. Is the market, you know, are we going to see a trade? Are we going to see a team maybe pull the trigger? And we've just talked about it. there are some teams that seem to be open for business right now are their phones ringing off the hook right now it's vancouver it's st louis is it calgary

is it you know nashville that type of thing yeah noodles i mean listen before you have trades you have to have teams that announce to the world that they're ready to do trades and that's what we're starting to hear right now so you know there's there's you know dregs touched on this on the early IT earlier today and there's been other reporting on it that the vancouver Kinnock sent out a memo to other GMs about being open to listening and trading on their pending UFAs or veteran players. You know, the National Predators in Lost Place in the West, they are open to listening on their veteran players depending on who it is.

The St. Louis Blues were the first team to, you know, tell teams they were open for business a number of weeks ago. Pierre, just quickly. Can you just explain to people listening, what does it mean when these teams say it's just open for business like are they bluffing

like what the hell do they mean I think people hear the term and it's like just call us and we can make a deal like even I would like to know open for business what the hell does it mean so it depends on the team honestly I mean drags may have a different answer than me

but you know when when the news surfaced out the blues were quote unquote open for business there are a lot of team executives that I talked to that weekend that said, well, you know, I think that's Dr. Armstrong just trying to set a message to his team, trying to wake them up again like he's done in the past, although I do think they'd be open to doing different things. I think the Canucks, Patrick Alvin, sent a note to, you know, in the GM's group chat,

saying we'd listen on our pending UFAs. I think that was pretty straightforward. But to answer your question, though, I think there are some teams that kind of say that and want their players to find out about that. Whereas there are other teams where it's a very genuine thing where they're like, if you guys have interest, let's start these discussions now because it takes a while to make a trade fit and then make it materialize.

Dregs, Quinn Hughes, where does he stand in all of this in Vancouver if they're open for business, quote-unquote? Yeah, I mean, he's still very invested. He's committed to winning in Vancouver, at least on the short term. And we know he's got this year, and he's got one year remaining on his contract. And I think the responsibility is pretty obvious. Aside from this team needing to get healthy, and now there's, you know, news on Lankin, and he's out. He's had to take personal leave.

So it just keeps piling on the Vancouver Canucks. And you're talking about significant holes here, right? You've got goaltenders hurt, including the star. you've got a couple of centers who aren't available to them you look at the young d that the Vancouver Canucks have it is a legit struggle and that's why Patrick Galvin is making these calls and sending out memos and all of that but most of that is kind of ratchet it up because they know that the window is closing on Quinn Hughes you know if things don't improve for the Vancouver Cadux and I mean for the remainder of the year even closer to the trade deadline

all bets are off, right? I think that that has to be the timeline that the Vancouver Canucks are working with. You know, if they go into the off-season and they've had a poorer year, you know, don't you have to be prepared for Quinn Hughes to come to your organization and say, I know I've got one year left on my contract.

I'm telling you, I'm not signing. So it might be in your best interest to, let's try to work something out now. Move me in this off-season, get the maximum return, whatever that is, probably from the New Jersey Dells. Why not right now, whatever the target is?

Why not now? Why wait? Yeah, because they think it's too early. They think it's too early. They feel like they're a hard-working team. Well, because they feel like the season shouldn't be thrown out to what. Well, that's your opinion. It's okay for management, the coaching staff,

the Vancouver Canucks to have a different opinion than you sitting in your chair in your home studio. If we can allow for that, then that's the reality of what Vancouver is dealing with. I'm just saying they're not throwing this year out the window. Now, maybe they get closer to the trade deadline, and they've got a different opinion, and that conversation is on the table.

Well, the thing is... I can add to that. You know, the... Sorry, Brian. The dilemma is so fascinating to me for Vancouver. The priority remains, as Drake said, is to sign Quinn Hughes if they can. Duh. I mean, he's the franchise.

one of the greatest players ever to play. They can't sign him until July 1st. But if you wait till July 1st and only then realize he's not signing, if that's what ends up happening, now you're into a process where maybe the best trade you get is with the team that he'll sign with, and that gets CAA, his representation involved. Whereas if you trade him before March 6th, you have none of that part involved. You're literally just saying to the rest of the league, you get at least two playoff cracks

with a top three defensemen in the world come and get him. Again, they'd rather sign him. They'd rather sign Quinn Hughes. That's priority number one. But it's really interesting to me the timing of all this because you can't sign him until the summer but you may get your best trade possible before March 6. How do you figure that out? Yeah, well, that's the thing.

I mean, you look at it, I'm just reading a stat from someone out in Vancouver. the Canucks have two regulation wins in the last 17 games. Like that, that's ugly, man. That is ugly. And Hughes is aware of it. You mentioned all the injuries. That's a big, big factor. And they should try to keep them.

Like, why wouldn't you? But it's complicated. Like, how do you get that answer? Because he's under no obligation to give it to you. He doesn't have to give you an answer. Right. Right. The owner, I'm sure, would love to call him up and say, do you want to stay or not?

He doesn't have to talk to you. He's going to play. He needs to give an effort. which he will every single time he plays. But he doesn't have to give you an answer on the future, which makes it such a dichotomy and why it's so difficult and why we've been through this song and dance with other players and other teams in the past.

But I don't know. It's dicey. And you look at the division they're in, you know, there's some really good teams. The West is loaded. You know, Colorado, they just keep winning. And, you know, I happen to be in the bookmarks here where I saw that one Kinnux Statt.

I'm also looking at Mike Kelly's tweet from a couple days ago, our buddy Mike Kelly, who tweeted out that McKenzie Blackwood, Scott Wedgwood, back-to-back shutouts over the weekend, as the abs improved to 16-1-5. One year ago today, their goalie tandem was Georgiev and Anunnin. Like one year ago, they had two different guys, one who just cleared waivers. And if you're another team searching for goaltending, Edmonton, Koff, Koff, how do you not look at that and say, what the hell is going on here? Like, how do we not find that?

You know, easier said that Don, but Colorado did it. And look at the position they're in right now. The thing is that Colorado didn't, Blackwood was no good in the playoffs. That's the only thing that they changed their goaltenders out last year, and it didn't get them any farther in the playoffs. That's the only thing. Okay. Now, do you think they regret their decision noodles?

I don't. Not right now, but I'm saying, I'm not saying that Evanton shouldn't go and do what you're talking about. What I'm saying is that it's not like that goaltending tandem last. year that was no good wedgwood's having a great start to the season if he has to play 60 games you'll see a market reset he's not a one and and blackwood's a good goaltender that's injured but blackwood was available to them they both were available in the playoffs last year didn't play that well put it that way okay well but i don't either like what is that i hear what you're saying i'm just this is the point being is you can turn your goalies over colorado did it

It almost seems like it was lightning in a bottle haze. Maybe it won't. Everybody's probably looking around saying, how do I do that same thing? It's just, it's not out there. They hit lightning and it's, yeah, it's not happening. I think teams should change the goaltending. Like, I do believe Edmonton will. I do personally.

But I just, like I say, both go, they might have two new goaltenders by the deadline anyways. They've got Ingram and the minors, who's 28, who's a good goaltender. He's just getting back up to speed. You know, Calvin Pickard played for his life the other night, and I thought he was awesome in Tampa. Skinner was good against Florida. The thing about it is, I do believe there will be a different look at some point, but at the end of the day, like, you've got to find the right mix. I think UC Soros is awesome goaltender. He's been getting hung out to dry.

He got pulled last night. Hung out to dry in Nashville. I don't know how you guys feel the insiders. I do believe there should be trading, like going through these teams. Those four teams should be open for business. Maybe Jordan Bennington's available. Maybe you've got to be bold. You know, you've got to be bold, but you've got to give something up, too, right?

Yeah, and there's history with the Oilers' interest in Jordan Bennington, whether or not, you know, Stan Bowman wants to revisit that. We'll see. The problem, though, that I hear about on an annual basis, and it's almost around the quartermark every year is, yeah, there's interest. but you have to have somebody to deal with. And if you're dealing with Doug Armstrong on Jordan Bennington as an example, what are you willing to give to acquire that gold?

I mean, are you taking apart a young roster and giving pieces off your lineup? Are you throwing in first-round drop picks? Because these teams, there are so many teams that feel that they're still in it. The only way you acquire a piece that matters, especially a goaltender, is if you're overpaying at this point. all right go ahead pier

yeah and i know that when the the orlers yeah when the orlers talked about whether there was an goalie upgrade out there before last year's trade deadline yeah they just came to the conclusion that that they couldn't see something that was tangibly 100% better than what they had

in terms of what was available you know john gibson was basically the only name available and there's no guarantee there and so they didn't pull the trigger on that so that's the hard part i love the point you brought up about colorado brine because not only that they remake their goal-tending in-season, in fact, their Wedgwood trade was on November 30th last year.

I interviewed Chris McFarlane just a couple of days ago, and, you know, the Avalanche actually retooled a third of their roster in-season a year ago. They kept making trade after trade, and they were a contender, and they got it done, and it didn't help them. They lost in the first round again to Dallas, but they look pretty darn good right now one year later. Well, to add one more thing on that, the elephant and the, they just, traded ranting it like we're talking the goalies they traded

rantin it right that's a that's the elephant in the room and this guy can't stop hitting people from behind 16 15 15 5 that's why they traded them that's why they trade them yeah exactly anyway go Canucks go guys thanks for doing this let's get going here good seeing you guys thank you for doing this Derek here at the front our tsn hockey insiders it's beginning to sound A lot like Christmas with IHeart the Holidays. Non-stop Christmas music 24-7. All your festive favorites.

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