OverDrive - Dreger on the Maple Leafs' series-clinching failures, the Jets looking for success and the head coaching options

Episode Date: April 30, 2025

TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Maple Leafs' defeat to the Senators and the stars' inadequate performance, the Jets looking to bounce back against the Blues, the head coaching positions in the NHL and more.

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Join today and be part of something amazing. Here's Darren Drager, a TSN hockey insider. Where does your head go first? Is it simply Hallebuck? Is it Shifely, Velardi coming back with the Blues have been doing? Where do you go first with game five tonight in Winnipeg? Well, look, I mean, I start with the St. Louis Blues because obviously they've won the last two so they've earned the respect of everybody and our attention.

I was in the building for game one and Braden Schenn, the captain of the Blues, I mean, he was a one-man wrecking crew. He hit everything in sight in the first period. Now as that game wore on, the Blues couldn't sustain it and Winnipeg ultimately took over in the second half of the hockey game. So I'm looking at Braden Schenn and I want to see what he's going to bring right off puck drop. And I suspect that he's going to be the most motivated guy out there. I just believe that. Now, you know, comparatively Winnipeg is saying, all right, this isn't a Connor Hellebuyck story. Of course he has to be better. Of course he does. But they feel like they've

got away from their game. They didn't play their structure, detail, throw out all the cliches this time of year that we like to roll out there. They weren't able to establish that or didn't get to it in st louis games three and four and that's their plan that's that there there because adamant that they're going to do that that's the case on the heat off carl but but i mean started with hell about everybody in that one of the lineup has to be

better agree the goalie is is the focal point given you know he said this yesterday and i agree on agree 100% where this guy set the bar so high. So you expect him to not have and if he has one off game, you expect the bounce back. But I want to ask you about Scott Arneal's comments. Even after the game, he seemed pissed. He's being asked questions and I get it. You've been run out of the building twice in a row, but he was almost defined defiant

You know when the questions were asked you how are your adjustments and I'll keep that to myself I'm not gonna give in, you know, how is his demeanor when you've been around? Either changed or affects the team because he seems like a fiery guy. I don't know him that well or it affects the team because he seems like a fiery guy don't know him that well, but is he is he Intense guy back there. He's yelling at the guys or is it more just he's trying to you know Keep things close to the best as far as his game plan I I think the latter noodles quietly fiery for sure I mean competitive obviously, you know I mean the man played in the league so you know that that's just the way all you guys are wired Brian you included

Yeah, you know, so I just think that he's got a high standard of the way that team needs to play and Preaches it and and probably didn't have to preach a whole lot of it as they continued to have success in the regular season And you know, they were nervous in game one, but then they found their footing, uh, and found a way in game two, and then the series shifts over and they have two bad games. And I, for me, I think that's where some of the, if not pushback, just the standoff of this comes from, from Scottie Arneal, is I just don't know how to explain what happened in St. Louis other than we didn't execute our game.

But I think for the most part, he's a very approachable guy and he exchanges interactions I've had, for sure. He's not happy-go-lucky, but he's a guy you can have a hockey conversation with. I just, I wonder if you know that because of the market and because of the organization, how small it is, the pressures that they have financially and otherwise. I mean, I think everybody is wired tight there. I think I told this story after game one, they win that hockey game and we're standing outside

the dressing room of the Winnipeg Jets and shovel that half a log by and he was borderline purple. And they won the game and played pretty well in the second half, didn't have a great first period. And so I always give these guys their breathing space. It's like binder hockey, the 24 hour rule. So I checked in the next day and like is everything okay?

I you know, geez, you know, we should have done this we could have done that and all those things That's just how tightly wound that group is I just I think they feel the pressure of knowing that they've got a win Darren chief was seemed a little bit chippy this morning when the idea of the core four was brought up. Where do you stand on the media if it's a loss in St. Louis, we go right to Hellebuck. If it's a loss in a series clinching game, which is hard to ignore, it goes right to the core four. Like in the fairness level, is that just the cost of doing

business when you're high priced athletes or where do you stand on that? Yes, it is for me, but I'm biased obviously as a member of the media. You know, that's very much a field issue between whoever's the head of public relations and then, you know, you have to have a consult with your head coach and likely your general manager. I thought if we just go back to Winnipeg for a moment here and then I'll bring it back to to Borubi. And just to be clear Darren, I'm talking about like the criticism that comes about them from

us after losses like we go straight to those players. Yeah, yeah I get it but I think that there was a conversation Winnipeg where they maybe weren't going to make Hellebuck available to the media. Not just post-game the next day and maybe even the two-day gap between game four and game five and I'm glad they did. You know, look, I mean it's not about the money but sometimes you just got to face the music. If you're a leader on the team and he is certainly that Connor Hellebuck, he's a star in the core for the Toronto Maple Leaf, our stars in the national hockey league. And I think they do a decent job of being held accountable. I look,

the Marner interview post game the other night, um, Tuesday night, I, I thought that that's as good as we've seen Mitch postgame in the playoffs, right? So I have no problem with with holding those guys accountable I I think that the message from Craig Barube was more about all right I understand it of course pretty obvious those guys are gonna have to find whatever gear is necessary to end the Battle of Ontario And it better end in game six but other guys can contribute so I think and look oh we talked about this as part of the pregame too right of course again it's the star status but what is Bobby McMahon done of late you know Max

Patrick ready I mean he's working on borrowed time. We can appreciate that, but he looked tired to me in games four and five honestly at times the the Lottman-Lorentz combination line four Has been arguably Toronto's best line in the last couple of games So I think that that's what he was doing at the head coach trying to spread some of the accountability around. Well, I also head coach trying to spread some of the accountability around. Well, I also think there's a, I'm curious how the Leafs feel about the core four being a shield for all of the players individually, because I think they've all benefited greatly from just this blanket being thrown over all of them and

it's core four as opposed to any individual in particular. And I'm sure the Leafs are aware of that and I think the Leafs probably love that it's there. And I guarantee you the players do. Because like you look at it, there's a pecking order here. Like when you go back 20 years ago, it wasn't Matt Sundeen with Roberts and Tucker and Domey coming out.

It was, Matt's was at the forefront. You're the captain, you're the best player, you gotta be the best, you're expected to do more than everybody else. And that doesn't really happen here. And it hasn't happened in nine years. Austin's not out on a plank, he's out there with Mitch and Willie and John, and they all protect each other.

I actually, I think it's in their best interest to keep this core four label alive. Because if you wanna to get rid of that then we can start talking about Matthews with only two goals in his last 15 games we can talk about how Mitch Marner just doesn't score big goals I will at 45 this year's got won this series Yeah, like okay. You want to talk about the individuals we can do that and I know that's not what he was driving He's trying to talk about the team But I would be careful if I'm the Leafs trying to crack the core four shield because I think it's been very beneficial for these players Individually tracks. Yeah, I'm with you

I and I agree with everything you said and I I think that for the most part the criticism and the analysis in this market Is fair at times the volume gets a little bit loud and probably too noisy for the players and for the organization. But if that's any other player that coughs up the puck the way that Austin Matthews did that led to the shorthanded goal scored by Dylan Cousins, I mean, sure, you know, Mike and O'Dog analyzed the play

and rightly identified that, you know, that's a bad pass. You can't make that play. Terrible. Terrible. You know, but if it's any other player, if Marner makes that play, that guy is, he's vilified, right? So I fully appreciate what you're saying. And also we acknowledged on Tuesday postgame, you know, when, when Barumi was, was specifically

asked about Matthew's and the Matthew's line. Oh, you pointed it out, right? Like long delay. Yeah. He, not only did he choose his words carefully, there was hesitation in how he answered the question because he is blunt. He is honest, but he is also very aware that it's a 3-2 series lead. He said that three, four times

in his post-game media comments, but there was a message delivered there without him saying. And it's obvious that that line and the core four of the stars of the Toronto Maple Leafs have to be better. Well, and that's the amazing thing about, like the Matthews pass, and I think you're right, that if Marner did that, it would have been

a more visceral reaction. I think Matthews got hit last night with the criticism, he deserved it. But again, it's almost like Willie said, hey man, I'm here for you too. I'm not gonna let you, Austin, take this heat on your own. I'll contribute to this so that some of us could or other people could look at Willie and say what was that back check?

You know it's almost like it's almost like there was like this core four like assemble anchorman news team thing last night. It's like Austin pizza Mitch is in one because he's a forward trying to you know defend it 2 on 1, that's tough. And Willie's like, all right, I'll help you out here with the way I'm going to back check this. It's amazing how they're just constantly all connected all the time. There's just no way of breaking out of it.

I don't care what Berube tries to do, Tree Living's tried to do it, Shanahan's tried to do, Tree Living's tried to do it, Shanahan's tried to do it. There's no way of ending it unless there are players that either leave or they win. The winning is still there and that does need to be recognized. You have the opportunity to win this series and multiple series and change everything and guess what? You're going to get to all the accolades in the world because you would deserve it at that point no one's gonna hold this against you if you if you go on a run that's not gonna happen but if you don't then everyone knows you know what's coming and I'd be curious how Barubei handles that you know tomorrow night if it doesn't if it goes if it doesn't go well again tomorrow night

does he pull a Jim Montgomery from last year where Montgomery called out Pasternak like yeah that was pretty, that was something, man. It was something. It was, yeah. We saw what happened in overtime two nights later. I don't know, maybe we, Owen and I joked about this offer on Tuesday night, but maybe we get the Craig Berube,

St. Louis Stanley Cup speech, right? We've seen it a thousand times in the dressing room. And I don't know how motivating that might be for each individual guy. But the one thing I do know going into game six, that building is going to be volatile. Like that's not just lip service by Travis Green and everybody. There it is. It's just, it's going to be an electric experience and an environment and I feel like, you know, if you're breaking down the individual play and the sum of the parts, Ottawa all of a sudden has a little bit more going, right?

And that's obvious. I mean, they found a way to win a couple of games there. But I thought Shane Pinto had an excellent game the other night. I, you know, Jake Sanderson has emerged as a star and we know he's that. How about Tyler Cloughman? The guy's enormous. Big and tough man. Yeah, he absorbs hits. He's elusive. I mean they've got a lot of things going their way right now and chances are they're going to bring it all tomorrow night. Yeah, I think you're right. We're Darren Drager, TSN hockey insider. Taylor Hall signs an extension today, which I found interesting timing.

Rick Tocket leaves Vancouver tomorrow, or yesterday. Anything else we should be expecting that is not directly related to actually Stanley Cup playoff games? Because there's been a lot of wild stuff in the league this week. I mean really wild and what has become trendy in the last few years anyway is just the coaching carousel in the off season. No, but right now you've got a quarter of the national hockey league looking for a coach, eight teams looking for a coach and maybe they're, they're deals cooked.

I don't know. I mean, does Mike Sullivan leave 10 Schmill plus on the table with Pittsburgh and just say, okay, let's have a mutual. No, obviously he doesn't. You know, there's something that's been negotiated there. Lots of people think that he's just gonna slide into New York. They've got

the Brinks truck lined up and what's that number going to look like? It's going to be enormous. I'm reading speculation out of New York and around the league on, well, what if Capper Bay loses in the battle of Florida tonight and John Cooper gets exposed and he gets cut loose? Where's he going? You think that's possible, that Cooper could be out in Tampa? That seems, ooh, man, would that be something. It would be something, Brian, but is it possible?

Sure it is. But for two reasons, and one might be John Cooper just saying, look guys, I don't need you to tell me when my expiry date is. Every coach has one with an organization and I feel like mine is up personally or otherwise I haven't talked to Coop about that I'm just saying that I've seen it with other team other coaches who have been with a team this long and Sullivan's probably the

same with Pittsburgh and why he decided to leave but I also don't get the sense that on either guy, if it happens with John Cooper, it has happened to Sullivan, that there's gonna be this feeding frenzy. Of course there are teams, multiple teams interested in Sullivan. Vancouver for me is gonna be interesting.

And I include Rick Tauke in this assessment. I honestly fellas, I mean look, I know Tauke wants to assessment. I honestly, fellas, I mean look, I don't talk once you get back to Eastern USA, that means Philadelphia, maybe he's a fit in Pittsburgh. I hear David Glym's name might be somewhat attached to Kyle Dubas and the Penguins, we'll see how that plays out. But there are also some close to Rick Tauke

who think that he might just slide into the TV chair. I mean, Noodles, Oh Dog, you guys, we all know how easy that gig is. You don't get paid as much, but come on. It really is. Maybe you're pissed off because the team didn't win and now you've got to talk about it for another three hours, six hours, 90 hours, whatever, but it's pretty easy life. However, talk also pushed away from a five year extension

in Vancouver at big bucks. So that's a lot of money, that's a lot of money. And he'll get paid by Philadelphia, Philadelphia will pay, so let's see how it all rolls out. Don't you think though, I mean there are certain people that go to TV, but their coaches, Paul Maurice, Paul Maurice was a coach. He's great, he's fantastic on TV, but Paul Maurice is a coach by his heart. I would think that talk, for us obviously we do our TV gig, as long as we don't swear on air, you can sleep at

night. Those guys are going to live with win or losses, right? Like wins and losses, and their competitive nature. And yes, the amount of money that they are, you know, we're talking about with a guy like Rick Tauke at the free agent market, that's, you know, I think somebody might sway him. It would be interesting to see though. You know, Ray's somebody might sway him, you know, it'd be interesting to see though, you know raid Raise a very obvious comparison. We all remember Sheldon Keith gets let go by the Maple Leafs an hour later He's standing on the shores of Lake, Ontario

And I am lucky when it was sincere gonna be back there Well, no, no Well, I guess eventually his family still lives in Ontario, but he in his message, didn't he say, look, I want to take some time. I want to be with my family. I want to do this. I want to do that. And like two, three weeks later, Max, there he is.

And now it's his head coach in the New Jersey double. So that might be all talk needs. Well, first, if he is coaching and getting needs permission from the Vancouver ducks so that these teams can get to him him but he definitely is going to have options. Yeah, yeah there's some names out there. I mean that's for sure and there's definitely vacancies. Yeah. All right Drex, well we'll see what comes of it tonight. We got the Habs in action, we got the Oilers now up three two man things they flip quickly Don't they like with Edmonton playing the way they played?

Yeah, like they are they are a chip out at the line from being down three one and now they're in the driver's seat Never everyone's like all the Kings are done. It's over. Yeah, that quickly Incredible kind of feels like that especially you get I think Zach I'm and didn't you say post game if that's the best game They've played collectively all year where everybody chipped in so Yeah, they're on an eater now. We'll see how it plays out the boys my biggest fight tonight I mean obviously I got to watch the Jets game Like come on like nine was a 945 puck drops something like that. What is that? What's the deal with that because I'm working at all this is that is a very seven

yeah that's why i was how do you do you know what is that local like winnipeg it's an assortment eight four-hour them local yeah well and and i'm not complaining about from st louis and winnipeg but it feels like their game has been bounced all over the map just to accommodate well some of the other series Like I'd be yeah, they put a one o'clock. Well, that's what I said that drags the other day

How hard is it in the playoffs when you're trying to get a heated rivalry going and it's 108 puck drop in the afternoon Like that's it. That's what I struggle with and I get it. It's people above us, it's TV, I get that. But it's just, it's hard to fire the engine up sometimes. Like that's prime time 730 at night, like your body revved up for it all day. I love that stuff. 840 tonight, man. 840. I'm telling you, that exterior whiteout is going to be well oiled by the time they drop pocket money.

You're right about that man. There's people that have shown up there at noon. Tailgating, full blown. Remind me, I was, like I don't know, in the, what's it called, the leaf pit outside. Maple Leaf Square. Yeah, Maple Leaf Square. Are they allowed to drink in there? No, they're not drinking. Although it's probably sponsored by a beer company.

I think it is. I was down there, but I don't think they're drinking. Well yesterday, I'm watching and like the Oilers Pit, there are people with beers that are just booed. It's just interesting to see. It's the province, right? Like Ontario, I don't think allows you to be don't allow you to drink on the street alberta the pilot go ahead who cares what they can eat uh... care to do it everyone that this is the fact that i would say it like people in the background that

just oiled and it's a lot it i mean it is a little bit of a lot i can assure you that there is consumption near portage and Main tonight. Yes, yes, and at Maple Leaf Square. I can guarantee you there's some crafty people in there that have found a way to make that work. That's true too.

You can guarantee it. Alright, Dreggs, good luck with staying up and watching the games tonight. Alright boys, enjoy it. Thank you. Darren Dregg, you're joining us here on the Maple Toyota Hotline. Drive the built-in Canada fuel efficient, fun to drive Toyota RAV4, gas or hybrid models available visit mapletoyota.com. That just happened with me,

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