OverDrive - Duthie on the Battle of Ontario heating up, the Maple Leafs' playoff mode and the Oilers' subpar start

Episode Date: April 24, 2025

TSN Host James Duthie joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Maple Leafs seeking a large series lead against the Senators, the Canadian teams performances, the harmonica anthem for the Kings, the Oilers' plunge in the series and more.

Tim's smile cookie is almost 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 28th to May 4th. I got a scenario for you guys right off the top I wanted to throw at you. What do you have? You know all the time there's those things online hole in one if the ball is halfway out of the hole or whatever or like it crashes into the side hole. So my buddy today doesn't make one okay so this is I'm not gonna embellish the story but he almost made an ace for my first day open at my club but a couple of the par

threes you know it opened a little bit early got a few issues with the sodding so they're they're mats mats on the par three t-box so the same thing for you'd see it arranged they just put down a little mat so people aren't wrecking the t-box okay but no divots no anything if you made an ace off a mat i think it counts i just gotta say it's legit but oh it counts still the length isn't it no something about staying off a mat. I don't know I wouldn't want to make my first you have to declare it and say like I got an ace But it was off a mat like is that I think if there's an asterisk integrity

It sounds so 20 handicapped. I don't think anyone The person would declare it and the guy who almost made it has made a few in his life So that would be okay. it would just be a good story but if you made your first off a mat yeah I'd be sick over that do you do you carry that as a weight through your life I would do you tell people that in I would never even a hold the fact that he gave that information to you to pass on that there was any kind of mat involved no no I was there I was playing of the worst guy ever to be there it's on national tv now that no no no i didn't have been

he didn't get the whole story the whole one did not happen i think it went i was just throwing the scenario at you to say if it's story as i told you it's not that great of a story i just wanted to know what you would think of it actually have gotten a soft a mat is it still i wish i lied now and said he made it because that would make you happy. I wouldn't be telling anybody. I don't think I would but it would in the back of your mind you'd be like it wasn't it wasn't legit you know what I mean it's like you haven't have you made I've never had a hole in one. You have an ace?

I would take anything I can get. You have an ace? Yeah with him. Yeah first one ever with me. This guy saw me get a hole in one and a week later Dave Poole and get a hole in one and a week later day pooling get a hole in one Yeah within two miles of each. You have amazing. I have one. Yeah, you have one too I'm the only one off a mat no man. There's something about the tea in the air There's something about you take it but it's still a hundred and seventy yards away or whatever So it's not like you propped it up and fluffed it up right up by the mat. You may not have made great contact You know what I'm saying? Like you may not have. I don't like the mats. The word mat it just sounds like it's garbage.

There's something about it. It's like it reeks of a 25 handicap and it's garbage. It's all trash. It's choppy. It's choppy. Personally I think it's harder because these little wonky mats they put down the ball you throw your ball down you don't tee it up. Right. Yeah. And sometimes we're about to hit a couple shots and the ball kind of rolls because the mat's not level. I know I don't like it man. That actually should be a chirp if one of your buddies is like coming up and you go bring the mat.

That is a good line. It is a good line. When they do that I think in like yellow knife up in the places where the grass doesn't grow as well you when you go to the golf course you take your mat and you carry it around and you play all your shots off the mat there's golf courses I've seen that they're preparing for tournaments and stuff by the way I would like if I had not made an ace I would obviously it's an eight you'd celebrate and it's the rules everyone in this course is playing that way. Very valid. But I don't think I would tell the story with the math.

It's just not far off like replacement tees where you know it's like this is usually 160 yard par three we're playing it from 90 yards because we're you know. I don't know. I played Sawgrass in December and it's like the tournaments in March. And they're preparing. You couldn't drive anywhere not on the fairway not in the rough But I wanted to say these marshals like you have four months here homeboy like let me drive around Was awful would you call him homeboy the Marshal whatever I call him something

What would how would you describe what's going on with the Canadian playoff series right now? We're there's none of them are tied right you have Toronto, Winnipeg 2-0 Ottawa Montreal Edmonton 0-2 like it's kind of a weird turn of events through Collectively these two games. Yeah, I'd feel really Uncomfortable if I was all the O's. Yeah, you're in big trouble. It is because I was saying this this morning This cliche of your a series doesn't start till you lose a game on home ice I think is one of the stupidest cliches ever because I couldn't remember it Hayes had to remind you don't have home ice you could not

lose a game on home ice if you don't have home ice advantage and lose the series four to three I think I just think it's dumb because oh two is a legitimate hole I don't care if you're coming back for two games at home and that's not saying the Sens or the Oilers or any of those teams, they may come back and even up the series. But it's a significant hole in the historical numbers of the amount of teams that come back from O2, including the Senators who have never come back from O2, show you it's a significant hole.

So I don't really buy any of the feel-good stuff when you played okay on the road you know using Ottawa's example I don't think Edmonton has anything positive to come home with. Jimmy what would someone from the Ottawa senators have to do for you to go down to morning skate for game five and hand over your key to the city and say I don't think anything would warrant this but what you did in games two and three take my key to the city He games wanted to no no in games two and three Oh, no three and four in Ottawa like what kind of individual performance would a sense player have to do to hand the game? Are you to say I want you to take the key to the city?

They're coming back for game five or coming back for game five like would it be all mark mark to shut out? You know Ridley Gregg two goals and draws four penalties. I mean you're turning me into a fan here for this hypothetical situation. Timmy Stoots goes nuts and has five six points in the two games. I would walk up to Timmy Stoots and say it's yours. Here's the key to the city. Is that what he holds the key in right there? That's a harmonica. That's a harmonica that we have. We have harmonicas. Doogie gave us harmonica.

Well, they're 2-0. Open that thing up. Those harmonica ladies, and they were hanging on for dear life last night. They couldn't barely get the wind through the... They were running out of gas, man. They looked like they were dying. I like how they got them King's jersey. There's a few of them that might drop dead there. They're 150 years old. They're going the rest of the way now. They have to. You know they're rooting against the Kings. Well, could you imagine if they're like, we

need you for games. Yeah. And they're like, the way to happen. Oh, yeah, and and they're like no We can't do it could be 15 home games if they get to a cup finals gene principate interviewed them out in in in between periods Yeah, and they need an interpreter the ladies like yes Community I don't know what this is but do you get paid to sing the anthem? I mean the regular anthem singers at a game would usually get invited. You're promoting your own little thing. I mean Rene, what was his name in Boston? Rumnos. Rene Rancourt. Rene Rancourt. He was getting paid. But do you, if they don't get paid, if it was a thing of, you know, just an honor to go do the anthem, but now you're getting into the third round in this year, 12th time. They gotta get an agent. The harmonica group has to get an agent. You should ask for as for a stipend on more than a stipend you

gotta if the kings are winning will be no were so i'm a mess there's fifty a check your pocket where you get that by the time i want to be fine and it's going to ten grand to the to their their cause right now to their what was it called again the korean i was yeah they'll have my own i don't know what the whole don't a ten grand to that but there's i've buddies who have sang the anthems at like you blue jay games and stuff like that

they don't like doing it now because if you do it well you're supposed to your singer if you do it dreadful they are not top ten was forever clip forever that's the beauty of a being in a band and be plan harmonica you can't really mess that up. I'll bet you one of them's not playing. Oh, 100%. One of them's up there like, I'm just here for a good time. Eating corn on the cob. They're just horrifying the person beside them seeing when they blow into the harmonica. It's like one of those

kids festivals. One of them's not playing. Yeah, I like that. But A, it gets the job done and if you're superstitious. Now if you in LA you need you need the Harmonicas every single time every home every time all right Would you would you would you kill it if they lost a home game? Even if they won the series or do you keep going until I think it's until they lose it if they lose a home game With our Monica's now you can bring in somebody now you go a different route, but if they if they go on a heater Yeah, they can't you have to bring them back and you do have to pay them, give them a stipend. At some point if you keep asking people.

This is the stuff of legends if they win the cup. It really is. Yeah. Oh, they're getting booked all over Beverly Hills, Hollywood. Yeah, they get everything. They're on all the talk shows. Comes a big, big story. You know, Kimmel, all of them.

Oh yeah. They're going to perform on Kimmel. We get them on Canada Day, right? Maybe we need to look ahead to... Well I'm disappointed that this, you got ahead of it, because the morning guys, I'll give AK and Carlo credit, they were saying that this should be like our next song, you know, the Bad for Bidard, Yeah. Don't Take My Goal Away, should involve Owen, us playing the harmonicas.

I like that. Now it's kind of been done already. Well... I thought that was a vape. Yeah, it looks like it does look like a vape. I don't know how people carry their vape pens or whatever. I thought that was a vape thing. Oh, you see the vapes everywhere. Have you ever played the harmonicas? His talent? No, what he needs is one of those... Doesn't Burton Cummins have where it's like around his neck? Well, Neil Young, right?

Yeah, Neil Young. You can play the guitar and then you've got it sitting there. You just lean into it. Blues Traveler. Remember the guy from the Blues Traveler? He lost all that weight and no one knows what happened to the guy. They only have that one song that everyone knows. Run Around? Yeah, it's a great track. That guy hammers the harmonica. He's very good. Well, JD, let me put you, you just, we asked you to play the role of a fan. Let me ask you to play the role of a host.

Okay. On Free Agent Frenzy. I'm gonna send you into the future. Okay. The Orlers gethmm. July 1st Connor McDavid can sign an extension. This guy can't stop him. What's what are we not? Are you talking about that on trade center on free agent frenzy? What are we talking about? Well, if we're definitely we would be I'd probably be four of the Four of the eight hours or whatever we're on for I don't think I

four of the eight hours or whatever we're on for. I don't think I, my personal guess is that him and McDavid sort of made a deal that we're staying and that's why McDavid, him and Dreissel, Dreissel, excuse me, and and that's why Dreissel already signed and and they've both decided that they're staying. That would be quite a stunt if he agreed with one of his best friends yeah we're gonna make it work here and then suddenly suddenly actually see you later. The series is far from over but it's ugly in Edmonton right now. If he does not sign an extension, I mean if you thought like the Marner stuff this year it'll be tenfold in that city all of next season if he does not sign an extension this summer. There'll be a chopper following him every day. Because Dry Sutter got out in front of it, signed a year before it even kicks in.

Shog and Struddy and a chopper following David every day. Absolutely. Struddy in tight jeans. But, like, I'll say this, Stan Bowman has not had a good introduction to that market. Like, the moves that they made. Well, and when you suck at it all. No, it's not good. And the goaltending thing, last night wasn't all on Skinner, but you know what I thought watching that and watching certain teams that are in having goaltending issues is how great of a signing that Stolarz was. Like for the amount that he's getting paid and just that was that's one of the you know I'm not gonna hold that back I'm not gonna say that. If they go on, if they go to the Cup final that's one of the great I'm not gonna say that. If they go to the cup final,

that's one of the great signings in the last decade. I think it's- Well, if you look at Trees, we were talking about it yesterday though. You look at the people that Tree brought in, Brian, you laid it out. It's Chief, the coach, it's Stolars, it's Tanev, it's Oliver Ackman-Larson, like-

Lorenz, the little guy, Carlo. Yeah, Carlo, guys like that, but like it's, you know Yeah, Carlo, guys like that. But it's the filling out of the group. And I, you know, in talking about goaltending, look at it last night. Let's just do the off-season last year. How many teams felt

like they needed goaltenders? Jersey? Go and get a goalie. Colorado, two. Right. Washington? Washington. What stole is the AAV exactly? 2.8. 2.8 or something. 2.8, something in the 2.5. It's ludicrous to me and I know it wasn't proven as a starter and all that stuff but when you look at his size and just how solid he looks I just can't believe there wasn't more of a bidding war. Well finally

something's changed for the different instead of having a guy that makes double digit millions it's like have a guy that makes double digit millions it's like have a guy that makes two that plays like he's worth ten that's a nice change of pace for the lead. And he's got to still continue to prove it like yeah yeah like the point being it's very very well he's already earned the 2.8 for the value of the contract a hundred percent but the biggest thing too is you know when when you look look at some of the deals that were made, I think there was a bigger marketplace for Stolarz, but he might have chose the situation. Right.

Because he probably could have gone to other teams. I think, and just from talking to people throughout the league, I know there were other teams that were interested in his services, put it that way. Yeah, I was just watching that game going, put put him in the him the way he's playing with Toronto in the Edmonton net and then not necessarily would he play that way Edmonton has got defensive issues and so on and so forth and you put anybody there mm-hmm that has been at the top of the game playing better it just looks different yeah. What do you think the white jersey count is going to be in the building tonight?

White or blue? I think it'll... what is it, 20,000 there? 19 something. I thought I read they sold 19. We'll ballpark it at 20. I think it'll be... 14-6. Ottawa. Okay. So that's like 70-30.

And I think a Saturday night game in the middle of the's like 70-30. And I would think and I think a Saturday night game in the middle of the season is 50-50. 10-10. How did you get to 14? I don't know. I just I was gonna say 15-5 and then I threw an extra grand there. Well I think I saw, is it Cyril Lieder that was doing an interview? I think this morning, like they have tried their hardest. They went out of their way. Ottawa senator fans are in the building tonight and they're they're going to do whatever they can but you're seeing it already like these are all anecdotal and it's all stuff online you never know if it's true or not but people like I'm going and I said I was a sense man and it's like Lee Feds

are going to find out you can't stop them from getting in. This is all conjecture for people outside. Yeah. Like if I'm ready for... But it is a priority for the team though You can't stop them from getting in. This is all conjecture for people outside. Yeah. But it is a priority for the team though. You can't overlook that. They have legitimately tried to keep the fans out. The team is happy to be in the playoffs and the team should be excited to afford their fan base, the people that have signed up for season tickets and that. You're the priority. If you want to sell your tickets, that's up to you. I mean, that's ultimately, if people pay a lot of money for season tickets, regardless of who you are, it's your right to sell them. Absolutely. So if you

feel like, hey, I can pay for something or gonna do something, yes, they would like to discourage that. But in the end, like this is, it's, Ottawa's trying to build that fan base up and my understanding is that they've gotten even more season tickets signed up even at the end of the season like people that you think I might be 90 naive I don't think it'll be a typical the typical games where you hear the Leaf fans I don't think I don't think it will be I you know the Leaf fans are gonna be there and they're gonna be loud and what you get is when you get Leaf fans on the road they're particularly loud because they take on the challenge. Right. Like they understand okay we're in the minority here we're going to make sure you hear us. So

they're going to be loud they're going to be scattered around. It should be a good atmosphere. Mike Fisher, I see a line that's been used before but it was the first time I heard it was from Mike Fisher when he was back with the senators and i don't i think maybe i was still reporting on them in autobahn they were playing the lease and big saturday night game and i said what's the key and he said score early take the crowd out of it yeah and uh... and i was being used to tell the times but it may be locked it is a good line and we should say it when

yeah i've been in some buildings where you know in calgary one time i i know in early o all one when we weren't we were struggling yeah that way and the Leafs came through town oh it was Vancouver Vancouver travels well pretty well we're like all right take the crowd I remember getting scored on it was like yes you're like home or way on the road but well it happens tough to be tough for like the Brady Kachucks if if

it is louder than I'm guessing that it will be for the Leafs fans. That's tough. It's like you get your home ice to the end. And if you played if you're playing Tampa it would be 99% Sens fans. Right. It's just that it's the Leafs or if it was the Habs. In the end like you got to... There's nothing you can do. There's nothing you can do so I wouldn't worry about it if I was a player. On the outside, the business side of that, that's what you worry about. And I wonder, I doubt it because it's been so long coming for them to get back into the playoffs but being down 0-2, is there a chance some people said, alright I'll sell? Like if they're up 2-0.

I don't think so. Are you keeping your tickets? No, they haven't had playoffs in 8 years. If it was an 0-3, then people that hold 3 games 4, I would think that's possible. That's a good point. But I know enough Ottawa people and fans have been waiting for this, they've been starving for this for a long time, and down 0-2, they want to see them play and play. A lot of people thought that they could have won game 2. You've got it to overtime. Well, it went to overtime, exactly. They're going, okay, what are they going to

follow this up with? Talking to people from Ottawa today know they're they're going okay what are they gonna follow this up with you know and talking to people from Ottawa today they're like I want to see do they go one way or the other right now that's that's really how it you know is there they push back in the third and had a yeah they push it over time man and it just ended quick put it this way minutes in overtime not really comparable but when they made the cup final in 07 they lost the first two games in Anaheim and Game three in Ottawa was one of the most electric games I'd ever been at as far as the loudest of the building again

This wasn't playing the Leafs it was playing the Anaheim Ducks as far as crowd But that was one of the loudest crowds I'd ever heard. All right. Well, let's get to it. We'll see what comes of it tonight All right guys JD will catch on the panel. You guys are crushing the postgame too. It's called the hot zone. I noticed that. Everybody, we know you have to watch the game elsewhere, but when the game's over you just flick it over to the the TSN. Come on over to the TSN. You get to see the O-Dog talking about the game for a half an hour. That's right. Breaking down the numbers on site arguing them j that this week rake rake

didn't let go uh... this is a bad hot stuff about some of the don't get carried away and i don't say about their ways pretty smart cookie like you get an art from arguments i just kind of shut up cuz i'm like that i want to argue he's pretty smart yeah i've had a couple of going on a couple rounds with johnny over the years

yeah but that doesn't have you know what if you feel if you're stubborn at your position stick with it Yeah, I've had a couple I've gone a couple rounds with Johnny over the years You know what if you feel if you're stubborn at your position stick with it Absolutely picks up everything Johnny the other night when Marner I know we got to go the other night when Marner got caught with the high stick He was like stay on the bench stay on the bench do not come out because if they don't call it a four That's right Then they can't review it can't review it and as soon as Mitch Mitch comes and you think somebody on the bench would have said that. It's a great point. He's bloody comes out. It's a four review. That's when I privately said to myself, I had no idea. If it's a four,

and he saw it from the first second. He's like, don't come off the bench. Don't come off the bench. Exactly what happened. All right, JD, we'll catch you tonight on the hot zone. Thank you boys. James Duffy. the polls and the momentum. That just happened with Vashikopelos. Canada decides 2025. Fresh every Friday. Stream on your schedule with the free iHeartRadio app.