OverDrive - Dreger on Hellebuyck's impressive season, the Maple Leafs getting boos and Klingberg's possible return

Episode Date: January 15, 2025

TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the NHL, the Jets' winning season and Connor Hellebuyck's compelling role to the team, the Maple Leafs receiving boos against Dallas and John Tavares' injury, John Klingberg's return to the NHL, Jeff Skinner's scratch in Edmonton and more.

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Let's go. New year, new you. New you. New you. Explore it all. Feel brand new. At iHeartRadio.ca and on the free iHeartRadio app. Here's Darren Drager at TSN, Hockey Insider. What's happening, Draggs?

Oh, just enjoyed the sunset in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Nice, out in Winnipeg. Terrific time to be alive. Man, they looked good last night. They did, they looked good last night. They did. They did. Plus three in Winnipeg tonight. I know you guys were looking for the forecast.

Plus three Celsius. But sadly, it's dipping all the way back to like minus 30 by Friday or Saturday. So it's okay. I got my woolies. I brought my boots, my big park on set. All is good. I love it, man. Plus three a chance. What exactly are woolies, Darren my boots my big park on set all is good that love of mania plus exactly are

willies long johns long johns the problem one piece it's just you know the the the wall and can't underwear i haven't fired up long johns since grade six called the long johns to the one piece comes with the crapper in the back, like you've got the trap door, right? That's right.

Okay. Mandatory. Have to have it. Have to have it. Well I know, but I don't know, if you have to go to the bathroom, like I don't know anybody who would just drop the trap door. You take it off and you... A full gear down though, Noodle?

That's shoes off, dude. You're doing that at... No, I think you can't the uh... you've got a rapid from your shoulders and pulled out i don't think you lose it all i don't think it's a lot of what are you in the book i don't know by the way it's not just as a heard off in the back it's a lot of that's why i i just i can't i can't disclose the identity of this person i'll just say the body of mine

uh... doesn't matter in the big picture, but we do this annual trip to a cottage, normally at Super Bowl, but we go several times. And this is back a number of years, but let's just say on this one particular night he'd been over-served all day long, couldn't find them, and it wasn't me that found them but he was found in the washing room stands close not just sit on the proper that's a crime that's a long day long that's a long long day punch in the clock and that's all that is that's right that's a warrior i'll bet you that i was a moment in a bit of a second when it i think it alive maybe without clothes but he came alive, I guarantee it.

So what's the confidence level out there then? Because Winnipeg, obviously they've had really good regular seasons in the past, and the playoffs has been an issue for them. Is there some anxiety still? Because they look great. They've been the best team all year, from start to finish so far. I mean, they've been great. Well, look, I mean, the general manager

is always very conservative, as most general managers are. I mean, there's no premature celebrating, right? And you look at your roster, and the way they're playing under Scott or Neil, there are many nights where they do look terrific. And last night was one of those. I mean, Kyle Conner, you guys chime in here.

What's the definition of a superstar? Where would you put Kyle Conner in that category? Is he there yet? He certainly star in the NHL He is for me Darren. But he's drifting up into that stratosphere. He really is for me like this. Yeah. It's just the way he shoots the puck how fast he is in the playmaking like this Yeah, total superstar. Yeah. Yeah Yeah, total superstar. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, he's

Superstars weird because like it's tough tough to define that and like does he out play like the way he scores It's just such matter-of-fact goal scoring like he scored some yeah, but it's not like McDavid or Kuturov No, I think he's a winger too, right? So you yeah You're a winger that I don't know why the shine comes off You a little bit people prefer centerman. I think there's wingers that drive play Kyle Connor is I think I just look at the marketplace to like it, you know, Winnipeg it I don't think they get enough play there Yeah, even though being a Canadian being a Canadian city

They should and they are gods there and they're treated well by the fans But yeah, I don't I still don't think we pay enough attention to the Winnipeg Jets Like I just wholeheartedly believe that you know I'm with you and it's from the crease out, right? I mean you've got the best goalie in the league right now. I think in Connor Hellebuck who you know long He stays healthy, he's going to add another Vesna to his collection. But here's something that's stuck with me. So we had Scotty O'Neill on the podcast,

oh, I don't know, six weeks or so ago, and we got talking about the playoffs last year. And he, like, he didn't mince words even a little, but he goes, you know what, it's embarrassing. We were embarrassed. You know, we had a great year we went into the the playoffs and a high we're like all right boys let's get up we're ready and we did that that's what we did and he goes so they're the bat that's the motivation honestly god

fellas that's that's what's pushing the Winnipeg Jets this year is that they can't wait to get to game 82 because that just allows them to get back into the playoffs but mentally they're going to be a lot stronger and ready for whomever they face in round one and and you can I maybe I'm just making too much out of this but I feel like you can see it in their game they don't always you, you know, just steamroll teams like they did last night. They win some games that are tight games. They've got Mark Scheifle playing that style of hockey.

You know, Kyle Connor, watch him on a back check. Like, I mean, those guys just, they're multi-dimensional now, and it seems like there's a much greater commitment to how they're winning games and approaching this year than maybe ever in the past. We were supposed to get into something a couple of days ago about Halibuck and where he ranks in terms of US goaltending. I'll throw out names like Mike Richter, Tim Thomas, Mike Marasso.

Winners. Yeah, well that's what I was going to get to because Halibuck's got two Vesnas, he's going to win a third that he might want a heart can he be considered the greatest american goalie ever if he doesn't perform in the playoffs considered sure uh... yes you can consider that but can he get that number one type does he have

it already based on the way plays in the stats might indicate that. Well Hayes you judge on cops right which is whether it's fairly unfair yeah right but I mean you know well Hellebuck be the starter of the Olympics because maybe he gets a gold medal there right like you know like that type of stuff I think there is much more to the story of him to be written. But it's all about individual awards. The guy's done everything. You're right. He's been in a hard conversation. He's won Veznas. He's in the hard conversation

this year. He's probably going to win the Vezna. To me, you know, that's impressive. Like that's Hall of Fame territory. Jamie, he doesn't have the option to like chase like some forwards or different players maybe, you know what I mean? Like, some guy who says, I want to jet off and go join that team. He's the goalie to Jetson. It seems like it's going to be that way

for the end of the contract. Yeah. And look at the exception that he signed. And look, we've got the New Jersey Devils on TSN tomorrow night. And it's not like Tom Fitzgerald when they were having trade conversations with Winnipeg about Hellebuck, of course, pre his contract extension didn't like the idea of Connor

Hellebuck playing for the New Jersey Devils. He was terrified of what that contract extension was going to look like and the dollars that he was going to command. And then he signs that deal and and look I mean it's not chum change it's big money by anyone's standard but Helly looked around the room and he knew that Scheitli was going to do the same and then you've got Kyle Connor and you've got Josh Morrissey and you've got all of these pieces that are committed to Winnipeg and committed to finishing what they started. Well, this team isn't anywhere near what it is today if Connor Hellebuck doesn't buy in

wholeheartedly and agree to that extension and likewise for Mark Chithee. And there's something about the lifestyle here that suits Hellebuck. He likes to fish and do all the stuff outdoorsy. Wow. I mean, and you can't hide from the fans here. uh... hell about the next official do all the stuff outdoorsy while i mean you know you can hide from the fans here you know he's not walking through malls and doing all of that so i'm to leave the arena you can live a life in winnipeg that's pretty good

especially if you embrace everything around it in the community and he's done that we're dead regular tsn hockey insider uh... so obviously you're aware of what the lease went through last night now they got to jersey tomorrow there in montreal on saturday tampa here on monday they still go out west canada western canada california vegas colorado get a tough schedule coming up and

now they've lost three in a row and rag they've been booed the last two games at home you know it's it's uh... it's pretty wild considering again they're sitting atop the division and overall they've had a pretty routine season what do you make of the responses to the booze from Barubei Marner Nylander and maybe how the fan base is reacting to what's happened over the last week or so yeah well and that's what it is it's a culmination of games it's it's not what went down against the Vancouver

Connection and what went down against the Dallas Stars. I mean, obviously the Toronto Maple Leafs didn't play well enough. And I think you can go back even before last Thursday's game against Carolina where they had a terrific start, first 10 minutes brilliant and the next 50 were god awful. The games they were winning prior to that, there were a couple in that mix where Toronto didn't play particularly well. There were some issues that they got away with. So it looks like it's caught up with them now. We talked a little bit about this in the show last night and it does sound like Jake McCabe is going to be back in the mix tomorrow against New Jersey. Bit of a surprise. bit of a surprise. I think that I most thought that it would be more likely Saturday against Montreal but he had a good skate today and he's good to go and maybe you guys can

explain this better than I ever will be able to but he's kind of the straw that stirs the drink on that back end. He is. He's a pivotal piece to that blue line and their comfort level and to degree how they play. So you guys explained that, but that's the good news. And then the bad news is what we all saw in video and I wasn't there live, but lots of people who watched John DeVaris, you know, try and get off the ice and limp off the ice, um, saw a guy that was in a considerable amount of pain.

Now they continue to do some testing and they don't have the full results yet but I do expect that there will be some clarity on that tomorrow so some are looking at is it me, the way he flexed going off, all of that but they'll probably miss some time. To a full extent I think that we'll get more on that tomorrow. Darren something I didn't think I would ever say to you ever Okay, what if this guy could give the Leafs a shot in the arm, especially on the power play Oh John Klingberg Yeah

Johnny Klingberg a hot item right now or what's going on with this cat? Yeah, it's kind of a big deal But look Yeah, it's kind of a big deal, but look, you know, I think the general managers that are interested in Klingberg are looking at it and go, well, look, there's not a whole lot of risk there, but there is some risk. So you sign them until the end of the year. The risk comes in the reality that he's going to want bonus money and he's eligible for bonus money because of the injury time, right? So what does that look like moving

forward? If you finish the year over the cap, you're an LTIR, then there's an overage cap hit that has to be applied to next year. And that's a tough one for some general managers to swallow. Look, Brad Turliving knows and likes John Klingberg as a person and I know Toronto is interested in bringing him back and it's not like he just put on the blades in the last two, three weeks and said, look, I'm coming off that hip resurfacing surgery, I'm going to give this thing a go. No, he's been working at it. I'm told for the better part of the last three months with skating instructors and working

with people that Patty Kane worked with because he had the same surgery. And so if you can live with the idea that there's a gamble in all of this, what if he's as good as he was when the Dallas Stars offered him that big, big contract and he declined, he pushed back on it and all of a sudden now you've got that right shot defense who can help you on the park that's why Edmonton is is quietly hoping that Toronto pushes away or other teams aren't as interested in Klingberg as they are and he ends up there because they're willing to gamble on John Klingberg they think that he might be

able to help them a lot interesting it like edmonton it sounds like just in a skid of the scratch again tonight now that three straight yeah so i mean the and that is a very good thing that was going to go anywhere else haze yes like now yeah i don't know i mean during the regular season he's been hot and cold the last for four years right i i think he's a guy that they you know, you're not it's not a long-term deal

It's not a huge number and he wanted to go there Watching him, you know, I always thought he was this really fast skater And you know, he's very agile because his edge work is is terrific But his pace has looked a little bit off. He's played a zillion games, Noodle. He's been around a long time that guy. Listen, Corey Perry still gets around out there and gets on the four check and physical and he's still behind. Like to me, I just, I know in Edmonton they're complaining about did they give him enough time in that top six. But like, I don't know, that Arvidsson is a really good player.

Yeah. A really good player yeah really good player and I think if they're trying to do is clear some room and maybe a spot like if they start to you know add to that group they're a good team and they're they're they're in win now mode to be interesting to see what they do at the deadline I'm with you I mean their primary need is is on defense and I think that they'd like to add a couple of pieces and it would take some of the sting out of the next several weeks leading up to March 7th, if they're able to land Klingberg and he actually, you know, turns out pretty well and he can play in their top five. Imagine that.

That takes some of the heat off stand moment. I'm with you, noodles in terms of, you know, Armitage Armitage coming over he's certainly more well-rounded and so the upside of Jeff Skinner is if he can provide a you know decent layer of secondary scoring and he just hasn't been able to do that he most definitely doesn't have the trust of knoblock and coaching stuff because defensively he's been a liability in the league for a long long time and that wasn't going to improve over the summer it was a curious one given some of the other pieces that Edmonton knew they were getting well Drex stay warm out there

and uh... safe travels and uh... we'll see what happens with the Winnipeg Jets and the Roser in action tonight and the Leafs Devils tomorrow night on TSN yeah boys i've got a date with an ice fishing shack friday night james uh... and i'm sure on manda old school prior purpose they get locked in their her nobody on purpose i am going to be not the wall out of the lake in the prairie flake you read about i'll take

often the pictures your way it can's gonna be a black one. You don't have to pal, you don't have to, we'll visualize it. Thank you Dreger. Enjoy your long underhand. Yeah exactly, there's Darren Dreger. That was a good one. Alright, TSN Hockey Insider.