OverDrive - Dreger on Canada's forecast at the 4 Nations Face-Off, the atmosphere of the tournament and the Maple Leafs in trade buzz

Episode Date: February 13, 2025

TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the 4 Nations Face-Off, Canada's roster at the tournament, the atmosphere of the players and teams, Mitch Marner's importance, the teams in the trade market in the NHL, the Maple Leafs' shopping for a center 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. Bell. Internet just got better. TSN hockey insider Darren Treger is with us. Darren, good evening. How are you? I'm doing okay. How about you guys? I'm doing well. I know noodles as well. Where is your level of confidence in Canada's goaltending tonight? It's fine. It's fine.

I mean, you know, if we're going to make the comparisons to some of the very good goalies in this event, it's a challenge. But, you know, I mean, you're lucky in Stanley Cup Champions in Aiden Hill and Jordan Bennington. And I thought it was interesting yesterday in listening to John Cooper and, you know, his address to the media talking about the fire in the belly of Jordan Bennington and you know I hope that translates into him doing absolutely everything to keep the puck out of the net. I mean that's what it boils down to.

I mean you're not going to have too gold to square off the four nations face off. So he you know you're holding the dice here a little bit but doesn't it feel like with all due respect to the Swededes here if that line up representing team can account outscore sweden then we shouldn't be talking about goaltending is this guy's gonna let parks in from center ice i mean let's give jordan menon's uh... bennington little bit of credit here is certainly more than capable so i don't have a high level of concern

if yeah the gunnels now just gonna say like my my biggest thingggs is and I've said it all along Bennington doesn't have to win them the tournament but he can't lose them the tournament. He can't be to a point where it's like we just can't get a save or now your team has to change a little bit because you don't trust what's going on there. That's my biggest concern. But and all of this too Dreggs. We were you know you can't trust what's going on there that's my biggest concern now but and all of this to dregs

we're you know i you can't sleep on sweden now sleep on finland like i'd know on paper they might be slight underdogs are maybe gross underdogs depending on who you talk to you there's some great players on that other side and if you sleep on them they're going to make you pay i mean the goaltending there might be more than adequate again you run into a hot goaltender

aside from the guys that were earmarking going into this event like hell a buck uh... you're gonna have a problem and sweden as to capable guys there right uh... gustafson and and lena so mark now i think that there's some compelling stories you know what is willing the lander going to do in in that uniform again you know these capable being that game breaker uh... alias peterson the vancouver canucks

only and no one has more riding on the outcome of his individual game and team sweden than peterson does in terms of the bigger picture longer term uh... and if rektoket who's on the Canadian bench, is cheering for one guy outside of Canada, that's the guy he's cheering for. Because when you think of it, you know, he's had a brutal year to this point. It's been draped in all kinds of drama and turmoil, right? But what if he's an impactful piece to Sweden and they upset Canada and they go deeper in

this event than most of us expect? Can that motivate him? Can that kind of flip his season around going into the final leg for the Vancouver Canucks in the playoffs? And that's kind of a sidebar story obviously going in, but this Swedish team is capable for sure. Darren Dreger with us, Canada, Sweden, 8pm tonight. The thing about this tournament that I think a lot of people might not be grasping is just

how short it is. This tournament ends next Thursday. It's eight days. It is quick, quick, quick. And that's why I think coaching is so important in this tournament in that the coaches who make the correct moves at the right time in the middle of a game, I think in-game management is going to be so huge. Because if you have a couple lines that aren't going for two periods and you

just keep sticking with them, sticking with them and they don't do anything for you, all of a sudden you could lose a game in regulation and force your hand to the next game where, okay, this is pretty much must win, especially for Canada, right? Like if they don't get points tonight, you're looking at the game on Saturday against the Americans who are obviously just as good as Canada, very close. You can't over sell the importance of this opening game yeah sure and i mean they lose to

the swedes and all the sudden saturday's game against the americans gets ugly in a hurry because you go into see you later thanks for coming and nobody is expecting that but that's again the essence what this short event is uh... is all about I I'm not so sure coachee is always going to be a factor and you're right in-game bench management is key but how knee-jerk can you be I mean if you're lucky at the line tonight and we're all fascinated by Nate McKinnon

Sidney Crosby and Mark Stone with Crosby on the wing right you know okay so maybe they don't get going as quickly as you hope. Well, are you shaking that line up in the third period? I don't know, probably not. The one takeaway, and it's pretty obvious, is this isn't your standard international event, right? So there hasn't been a whole lot of opportunity

to work on things. They had two practices, and a large part of the focus was on special teams. You know, you're not talking about structures. And I thought Pierre Lebrun made an interesting point in his conversation with Brad Marchand, who said, you're going to see players huddle a lot before face-offs on the ice. And it's just simple conversation, communication off the draw. Where do you need me to be? You know, It's not hockey 101, certain guys taking face-offs want their wingers to be in a set position. That's structure and that detail work

that you haven't had time to work on, you've gotta have those conversations leading up to it. So I think you're talking about 23 different coaches here. Well, the one thing too, Dreggs, you just mentioned his name. So for the last two hours we've been talking about guys who maybe haven't had the best seasons individually. And I was pointing to Eric Carlson. I was looking at Mika Zabantajad.

You just mentioned Pedersen from Vancouver. How about Brad Marchand? I mean he hasn't had a great season. Boston's on the outside looking in. Maybe something like this brings his level up to the point where he goes back to his team and becomes a different player here down the stretch. That's kind of what, same thing, McEvoy coming off an injury. You've got some guys who haven't had great seasons are great players now but maybe they could change the way the rest of their season goes through a good tournament here i love the vibe of this event right now we're not there yet will eventually get there and our plan is the weather permitting get there are you know any time we are going to be u.s.a.

on not on on saturday but i'm told that no one would be surprised that montreal's hosting a terrific event speaking more from the perspective what i'm hearing from players when i hear matthew kichak talk about how it feels like it's the stanley cup final all over again well if that's true then buckle up as a fan because we are in for next level hockey. I mean you

cannot assemble the teams that Canada, the United States have, Sweden we've already talked about. You can't assemble these four nations and the rosters they have and not be highly entertained. I mean unfortunately there's going to be some losers and you know obviously from a Canadian perspective you hope that it comes all the way down to the wire at the Garden in Boston but the level of hockey is going to be super competitive and a week ago we were wondering whether or not that was going to be the case and now that the players are there it sure sounds like they're they're invested they're committed. Think there'll be a fight in this

tournament Drex? I don't I mean I mean look I mean the game isn't played that way anymore. Certainly not. You know, Ray Ferrero was talking about this and Noodles, you for sure would remember it. AK is a little bit younger. You go back to 96 and the battle, I think it was 96, the battle that Keith Kachuck and Adam Foote had. Yeah. And it ended, it ended with Keith Kachuck, the father, father to any adam foot in the back they get a little bit of a c any of that but i think that the emotion and the investment

will come in different ways right we're gonna see plays made we're gonna see all level of skating in execution hopefully that maybe we've never seen before i don't think we'll see a fight yeah i i mean when it comes down to it you are going to see and I think that's the biggest concern a lot of us were having maybe a month out or whatever. I'll be honest my level of interest is about was it about 20% for the last year talking about this going alright because we're saying best on best and I'm like okay well dry side I'll accoutre off you're saying best on best and I'm like, okay, well dry side, I'll Kuturov,

you're not getting those. And now I have to be honest, I'm at 80 and I can be coaxed right up to 95 to 100 here. Like it's come, it's somehow built. I wasn't initially on board. Now I am because I can't wait to see what happens. I hope it doesn't disappoint to the point where I don don't think it's gonna be a no-hitter I don't think it's gonna be a glorified all-star game I just want to see what level it gets to as far as intensity where where guys are playing for keeps

Yeah TSN hockey insider Darren Dreger in studio with us Mitch Marner playing a line with Connor McDavidt, Canada's top line. What do you think this tournament means for Mitch Marner and his reputation? Not that it's lacking around the NHL at all, but these are big games. He's on the top line with the best player in the world. What do you think Mitch Marner can do here in this tournament, Greg? Well, look, I mean the expectation is no different than the Crosby McKinnon line. When you have that talent on one line, it's got to find a way to contribute. I mean, Reinhardt is an absolute gamer. You

know he can shoot the puck. It's going to be interesting the dynamic for me between McDavid and Mitch Marner. You know, both guys like to make plays, right? So is there going to be enough of a puck for all of these great players? And that includes Mitch Marner. And when things get tight, the critics of Mitch Marner will bring that out in the playoffs right when there's not as much room there's not as much time and space out there does he create opportunity as much as you'd like him to see well that hasn't been the case in the Stanley Cup playoffs so now internationally what does that look like and look I always was like the games within the games

special teams for sure are are going to be a deciding factor in the outcome uh... i don't know how many penalties were going to see we don't know really how the games are going to call we're gonna find that out tonight but what about the matchup game right i suspect you're gonna see headman in brody matchup against

minor mcdavid and reinhardt but how long do you go without and and then you you know allow the uh... mckinnon line with cross being stoned to maybe run a little bit in the third line for canada looks pretty good in the fourth line for capital with connect me on it looks pretty good so

i'm i'm curious about the chemistry and whether or not that's going to develop a rate out of the gate between minor and connor mcdavid that's what i'm i'm curious about the chemistry and whether or not that's going to develop a rate out of the gate between minor and connor mcdavid that's what i'm i'm most interested in going into tonight well i i wanted to add on to this and i'm a little bit concerned about this guys where the deferring and what i mean by this is you know sydney cc cross be is the godfather right in your plane was said in nate nates going in on a two-on-one with Sydney

And he's got a clear lane to the net But he's got to get the puck to his body got to get the puck like to me I want to see and you know what it's gonna be like early on Marner's gonna try and overpass and find mcgave and you know like these guys they're excited to play together But you also have to identify you trying to win a game So there's a fine line sometimes you do need to be selfish Yeah, you do need to take that shot or make the play and I feel like When you when you have these games, especially early on you've got guys Overpassing overlooking guarantee. I watched the power play breakout

Earlier for for Canada and it was McCarr skating it up, dropping it back to McKinnon who skates it up, dropping it back to McDavid. I'm like, just get over the line. It's too much. I wonder if there's going to be a fine line as to, hey, we're here for business but we also want to not be selfish and help my line mates out. That to me is going to be an interesting storyline. Yeah, absolutely.

It's going to be great. I mean, we're about to see a couple hours away from having Crosby and McKinnon and McDavid play on the same team for the first time. And this is unprecedented. It's something that's never happened before. It's something we've been clamoring for forever. The unfortunate situation around COVID and the last time they were supposed to do the Olympics and that of course

didn't happen. And we're finally seeing it. And I totally understand Tregs that people are taking shots at the tournament, that Russia's not in it. And you mentioned Dry Cytl and David Pasternak, but I don't care. Like I'm a Canadian hockey fan and for me, these are the best sporting events there are. I think back to my days in

university I was talking about it early 2010 the Golden Goal yeah all those I remember that game against Russia I was supposed to see a Wilco concert I'm like I'm not going to Wilco I want to see Canada play Russia yeah but I did best on best yeah no no you're right but it but we've been still seeing Canada Canada's best play against whoever's else's best and I get the tournament is lacking in that regard but i'm not complaining because we've been deprived of it for so long yeah i know and then look we we should have best on best in the foreseeable future right you've got the olympic games are right around the corner there's no guarantee that russia won't be included you know the i'll see us to

make that determination wouldn't handicap it in favor of russia returning uh... but you know the other nations are going to be represented and then beyond that you've got the world cup of hockey so it's on the radar i mean the four nations face off i mean let's call what it is it's a fabricated event it's a made for uh... hockey event by the any tell the players association the quality is going to be

super yeah the caliber is going to be superb. The caliber is going to be off the charts and it does jumpstart the international calendar. Nobody at the NHL head office or players association is trying to make this into the next best thing to the Olympics. It's not that, but it's gonna be terrific. And if there wasn't Olympic games a couple of years ago, this tournament wouldn't be nearly as important to us

because again, 2016 the World Cup of Hockey happened in Toronto that had Team Europe and whatever the Young Guns, Team North America, this is a different beast. And we're looking back really at 2014 since the last time we saw best on best back in Sochi. Again, 2014 was a long time ago and we're fortunate enough to see it again there

triggers in studio n a chile wise for any conversation about trades are maneuvering or yes the focus still on the four nations for everybody in all i mean look all i need to a general managers who are involved in four nations are focused on on their clubs right and probably picking up conversations that they've had to this point

you know on available players uh... things that they might want to do before march seventh and and all of that so it's a bit of a reset but i think it's gonna be interesting coming out of the four nations and as we've established to be in there are no restrictions you could see a trade uh... during the four nations face off uh... i wouldn't be surprised if we saw a trade i would be surprised if we saw a

player off of four nations roster treated in your talking about high rent district stuff there uh... but no there's there's a lot of work that's being done behind the scenes and i do think that that's going to lead to a good amount of activity as soon as the four nations is over i do because i think that that's going to lead to a good amount of activity as soon as the Four Nations is over. I do because I think that the managers sitting on their hands waiting, eager, recognizing you're going in the final leg of the regular season, then the playoffs, we got to get after

it here. So probably a lot of conversations taking place now. So Draggs, is there a team that you, as an insider, would keep your eye on? I mean, there are teams that are hovering around that playoff picture and they've got to make decisions whether they're going to go all in or kind of maybe retool with some young guys and still see if they can make the playoffs. But what comes to mind, maybe a team like Buffalo, is there lots of smoke around them just based on some of the players that they do have

and and maybe a direction kevin avid adams wants to take them yeah i'd that's fair and it it feels like we've been talking about buffalo sabers and who might be available who's likely going to trade it all year long rain in that stems back to the early season speculation around the vancouver canucks and you know whether or not they were trying to pride dylan cousins and Bo Byrom out of the Buffalo Sabres it just doesn't feel like that scenario has faded away entirely and look every time I check in with

Kevin Adams I get the same message you know they can't close the door in Buffalo you can you can come up with a couple of untouchables but you know Adam still has to listen because that's the state of his organization as for teams that I'm watching noodles i mean that i i'm looking at the trone maple leafs i am and it's because you can see the needs in toronto there they're really good team there's no doubt about that i don't remember the east being as open as it is right now

for a long long time and you look at the carolina hurricanes absolutely rocked everyone's world when they acquired mico randman and carolina's probably not done yet you know what are the chairs they're going to get moved in the east look like toronto has to bring in a centerman who's the best affordable peace uh... and by affordable and talk about both from you know giving up the assets required uh... and then you're always

gonna wrestle with the salary cap until the playoffs start in you know vancouver's looking for a center and on and on it goes but i i'd put that uh... toronto pretty high on the list of teams that i'm i'm intrigued by what they're going to do there is a term affordable peace the lease don't have a first round pack pick this year but they do have their first next year have some prospects guys like easton cowan frazier minton i'm sure well regarded around and for those of the family at the at that's right i mean do you think anything is on the table when it comes to the leaves and parting with potentially any

and all those guys uh... i think that it would have to be a supreme package i i do and you know i love the possibility of a braden shen being uh... i think that it would have to be a supreme package i do and you know i love the possibility of a braden shen being uh... available i mean automatically i mentioned toronto would have interest well there's no shortage of teams i would be interested in the captain of the saint louis blues and that was the process that doug armstrong you know why it was initiated let's just let's let's see what's available out there uh...

yeah i think toronto would would would give up a couple of young pieces to get it because now you're getting a little bit of cost certainty in Shantoo. You know, he's not an expiring contract, he's a 6.5 annual average salary. You know, age dynamic, he takes a lot of boxes, but you've got to take that information and what the ask is, and to Brad Trelovin, the ass is probably going to be really high maybe too high and

then you measure that verse okay what's got lot in the cost you know from the philadelphia flyers every time i check in with wires management there they're gonna hold out as long as they can for a first round draft that that's what they want for scott laudin or something like that so the prices probably aren't coming down to you get closer to March 7th. That's not that far away.

What's today? The 12th of February? So we're getting close once the Four Nations ends. We're at a month. Just a couple weeks away. Don't you think also though, Drexler, you know, they know that they covered Easton Cowan. They know that Fraser Minton, like those are the young players that marina pipeline for the toronto maple leaves and it'd be hard to have the art press to to

you know who let them go but it depends on what the return is i mean that's the biggest challenge right it is but noodles you guys talk enough about this on overdrive but again covering the leaves as closely as we do it feels like the window, it's not closing, but every year it closes a little bit, right? You know you've got Miners, a pending unrestricted free agent.

You're looking around the East, as I've established earlier, the light looks pretty green. What are you saving all the pieces for? And that's easy for me to say sitting in this chair and not and not a general manager but look i mean the organization including ownership everyone involved with the trauma believes is is looking at this roster in the morning this might be the year now this might be the year so let's make sure that were flipping every stone over

to make sure that we're well i'm second guessing yourselves after the trade deadline and wondering or maybe we should have thrown in that piece that we're not second guessing ourselves after the trade deadline and wondering, well, maybe we should have thrown in that piece to get a little better center than the one that we acquired. I mean, that's the dialogue and the talks that are happening now. Couple of leafs in action tonight. Marner for Canada, Nylander for Sweden.

Darren, thank you for doing this. Can you give us a little weather report outside? What's going on? You know, it wasn't bad as I drove in about an hour or so ago, but yeah, I mean, according to the forecast It's not gonna be great driving home tonight. No, I will not I got my snowblower gassed up I'm not what you're doing your own more more Western Canadian boy You're not concerned by a little bit of snow just hit four by four

This is nothing for you. This is a job right through this. Yeah You can see Darren on the 401 later tonight and on TSN as well. Thank you for this. That's that TSN hockey insider Darren Trager