OverDrive - Ferraro on the Oilers and Panthers' close contests, Bennett causing chaos and Marchand's career greatness

Episode Date: June 9, 2025

ESPN Hockey Analyst Ray Ferraro joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines in the Stanley Cup Final, Evan Bouchard's ranking on the blue line, Sam Bennett causing havoc in the crease and if supplemental discipline is required, Brad Marchand's intangibles and hall of fame status, Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart's silent start and more.

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We were so mad we had to hang up with you and go home to our comfy couches. I was hoping that your booth was made out of metal. It was. It was. That's why we ran for our lives. I would have paid money to see you guys scramble out of there. That would have been good. But we don't have to worry about that today. So it's all good. Last week we stumbled across this bit where we're always talking about the hut, which really has no definition whatsoever.

I'm behind on this. What is the hut? Here's what happened, Ray. I said if there was a little hut out in the wilderness and only the best defenseman went into this hut, Kale McCarr goes in first and I said number two in the hut that gets a VIP suite is Evan Bouchard. And Hay's head almost popped off of his body You know how much I hate to agree with Hayes You know you got like you know that but as I'm on I hate to say it. I'm on team Hayes here. Thank you Yeah, I mean Queen here's number two

Clearly ahead of them, but guys you can't argue with the playoff performance I mean the guy just comes up and But guys, you can't argue with the playoff performance. I mean, the guy just comes up and performs where some other guys, you can't find them come playoff time. I don't want to get into this all again, but... Go ahead, Ray. You speak on Bouchard, though. Okay. So there certainly is a difference between regular season Bouchard and the one in the

playoffs. Like, it's not even close. Yet every once in a while, he does some things that make you think like he's just kind of wandered away from the game. Like in the second game, if before the game, he didn't know how to spell Marshan's name, by the end he would have known it because he kept chasing them back up the ice

on the breakaways. Yeah. Like I don't understand how that happens to like the swings for him are like they're incredible for somebody that's that good. That stuff really shouldn't happen. And even though it's like it wasn't his mistake, perhaps like he seems at times like he's a half a second slow reading a play and i'm talking about being in the elite of the defenseman whether he's a very good one that

that's not even a question like would you take would you take him or would you take back or empty well that's what we're talking about a new arrest the no man is by might i might be moresky i was right i said i'll be done we're not doing the same segment i know that was charged by guy i'm gonna take our guys are going to hear about your call and for many reasons your hot apparently would be different than my heart yes they have a raise let me just ask you this if we want to just

briefly stick to this if there is an olympic team hot out in alberta around the o the Olympic ice surfaces, does Bouchard go on the Olympic team hut? Well, I'm gonna say yes. Yeah, there we go, that's what I thought. But, I mean, just think of what happened though when that, at that Four Nations thing,

all of a sudden you're like, oh my God, Thomas Harley's really good, geez, Van Hynes really good. and fenn heim's really good and for a guy that might not pop your head right away like well paid them a car going to be there that's too and like you're it gets crowded in a hurry but i i think i i would have bushard and

in my uh... you have any defenseman i've got him for sure well money what's interesting about that is the trans little pulled out of the four nations you notice he throws name back into the ring and say well I'm willing to play this time and if so they have a decision to make they take him or did they take the chart did he lose his

spot you know I'm just gonna find out they got to get ten months to figure that out but and I said it and right in the a lot of that stuff will be like in the last month who's playing the best exactly which is what it should be uh... right in terms of like sam bennett this guy scores goals and he runs in the goalies like that's what he does he scores goals and runs in the goalies

uh... at this point it it cannot be a coincidence anymore it's not a coincidence but. It's not a coincidence But are you surprised at all that the league? Effectively has done nothing. I don't recall him getting a penalty at any point for goalie interference Maybe I'm wrong. It maybe got one of the Carolina game. No, he got one last night the other night He got no yes, he did you're right? And then it was coincidental cuz Kichuk went into you're right

But you know this guy it seems to beed, like it seems to be a philosophy maybe by the Panthers, yet he's kind of leading the charge at it. What do you think the league should do here, because it is a real storyline of the cup final? Okay, okay. So we can look at him and say, yeah, he ran into Stolarz and he ran into this guy and he ran into this guy and he ran into that guy and now it's two games and he's run into Skinner twice. And, you know, you build this, this case of, you know, repetition, but the official on the ice can only call the play that's there, whether it's reputation proceeded or not, he can only call what he gets to call

in that moment. We all get a replay. He can't say, geez, I think he ran into him, I'm not sure. Like, I did the Stolar's game, and honestly, I didn't think much of the play at the time at all. I thought, well, I guess he did hit him, but when I see it on the replay, I'm like, oh I see it much clearer. Well they don't get any of that. So, like over and over and over again, it's like when Corey Perry was young, it was no accident that if somebody was lying on the ice

behind the play, I didn't even have to look at the play and I knew that if Perry was out there, he probably had something to do with it. It was just like, of course he did. And you can't give him a penalty because of course he did unless you saw it. And so I think that's, you know, every team gets coached crowd to goalie. Don't let them get out on top of the blue. I thought for sure, and I think it's been pretty clearly a strategy that Skinner would

have a tougher time in this series fighting for his ice because Florida fights way harder back than Dallas did in front of the net. Like Dallas was an easier clear for Edmonton and then for Skinner to see. And I figured there'd be a lot of this mess. It's just, it's become a real story for sure. I mean, all they can do is tell them before the game, tell both teams, which they all, they have that meeting in the morning with the supervisor,

and he tells them, we're watching the crease. All you tell your guys to stay out of the blue, and that's what we're looking for. I mean, that's all they can do, and then they have to call whatever they see but they can't say oh you know he did this six times this year that's probably a penalty of course they can't do that. We were talking before you came on about the the old veterans in in for both teams you got Brad Marchand at 36 or 37 years old and he's playing at the top of his game and

Corey Perry scores the game tying goal with 17 seconds left. It's not like these guys are just fading away into the sunset. Both of them are contributing at their age. I think they both, in one way that they're similar is that they both, I mean Marchand's a better skater, but they both play with their head so much. Like head over speed, head over physicality, head, you know, head over strength.

Like they're, they do all those things, but they're all, they're both so smart. Like Marshann knows when to poach and he ends up with the breakaway that comes out on the winter and over time. He comes out on the winner in overtime. He got beat on the dry sidle game winner, but he's kind of, you know, they're pressuring so hard. If Edmonton can make five passes like they did, they deserve to score. Like, you know, like his head is like, is balancing risk and reward and it's pretty obvious that

he's got a great feel for it. Perry, I, I, I've come to this thought like nobody moves less and does more than, than him. He just, he doesn't chase the play. He doesn't chase the puck. He's always around where the puck is going to get to. And that to me, it's, it's smart. It's, we, we ask lots of times about players hockey IQ and what is it and that's what it is. He's not running around, you know, with 27 hits and never getting to the puck. He hits when it's there. He's physical when he has to be. He's clearly not as mobile as he used to be. But he's got all these games of experience and he just knows where to be. Like how many times did he have his stick right at the puck? Doesn't go in all

the time of course but he's got it he's on the play all the time and I think those two that's what I see with those two guys that really impress me. I mean I played till I was 37 the ice ice was going up hill the last year, both ways. Right. And they were like, man, they seem to be able to get around it, be in the right place more often than not. Something that John brought to you by Boston Pizza, Canada's favorite sports bar, this playoff season, Boston Pizza is planning the parade and has a new all-star playoff menu for you to enjoy. For pizza, pints and puck drops visit your local boston pizza today we're asking ray online

uh... here's your take on this is brad marshan a first ballot hall of famer well i guess it would depend who else comes up that year but i would have said a couple years ago i didn't i don't think he's a hall of famer i think he's really really really good uh... the lack of uh... years ago I didn't, I don't think he's a Hall of Famer. I think he's really, really, really good. The lack of, you know, league awards will probably hurt him. His team successes will certainly be a bonus.

He's clearly not ready to finish off. He's got a couple of good years in front of him. I'm gonna guess no on the first, but I think he's got a couple of good years in front of them uh... i'm i'm gonna get no on the first but i think he's going i think he's played his way into being a aborted in member for sure is that's kind of feels like you know like you consider these kind of got like a mark recce type career right play a million games and

by the end be just under a point of game. But he's famous too, right? Like it is the hall of fame. Like that's a part of it. Your name, your personality, plays for Canada. He's teamed up with Sid and Bergeron and all that. And if he sneaks in another cup or two, right, that's definitely going to factor in. But I'd agree. I'm not sure it's first ballot.

Go ahead, Noodle. Yeah, I think he's pretty decorated. I mean, it would be. It's on the line. I'm not sure it's first ballot. Go ahead. Yeah, I think he's pretty decorated. I mean it would be it's on the line Just I agree Ray depends on you know, what who's coming up that year? You know, I wanted to ask you, you know, you've been between the benches and throughout the playoffs Have we is it been more of an epidemic like how many times are guys getting kicked out of the draw? Like it's a my gosh like I, I'll tell a quick story Ray.

When you and I played together with the Islanders, I remember, I mean you always had a little bit of a long standing beef with Kevin Collins, but you would get kicked out and I remember you would be yelling like, they're not here to watch you. Just drop the puck. And like, I swear I feel like Dry Settle's yelling that the whole time because I see, I don't know how many times these guys are getting kicked out. Is it something different or is it just that big of a battle for that particular draw? I think it's a, you know, everybody's a little, well, it's like everything. Everybody's a

little bit more aggressive for positioning and that, but I'll be honest with you. When a guy gets kicked out, half the time I have no idea why he's getting kicked out. Right. It doesn't look any different to me than the guy gets kicked out, the next guy comes in, and it's the same play, but the puck's on the ice. Like, I don't have a feel anymore. Before, you could tell, like,

somebody would cheat so obviously and come flying through the dot, and they'd kick that guy out. Now, I, like, I don't, I really don't know why, but it seems like there's some games where like even the fans that they've taken notice that, oh my God, is this puck ever going to get on the ice? And Dry Cytl does give it to them for sure. And honestly, you're sour when you get kicked out. You've got maybe it's

a face off you got an advantage on, right? And you get kicked out and you think it's a lost thing. Like we used to argue all the time. That's where like, you know, Kevin Collins was the guy that I, I did have a, you know, a long problem with and he would give it to me and I would give it back to a man it never ever got resolved of course and you know sold two things i would say was just you got two jobs drop the parking call the icing that's it

told can we can we move along here and that never went over well i never understood that shockingly probably didn't get the benefit of the doubt no yeah shockingly you probably didn't get the benefit of the doubt yeah but it's interesting you know where this cup final is at because you know barkov is now under the spotlight kiss he has scored no no goals no assist minus four i think it is if it's not one one and

you know he said moments throughout the playoffs recent brilliant but it was great carolina especially that game five closeout game but he didn't do much against the Leafs either I guess really it's kind of been Sam Bennett the third line Bob showing up like is that is that glass half full or glass half empty if you're the Panthers are you looking at this thinking once Barkov and Reinhardt arrive in the series, look out or would you be concerned maybe they won't and if they don't, you can't beat the Oilers? I think this Florida team is set up as well as anybody to not have anybody they really

particularly need to score because they get goals from somebody and that that to me is real depth so it at one point in the series or earlier in the playoffs rather they had like six guys had seven points nobody's leading with 12 or anything. Everybody had the same. And so it seems like when a guy goes quiet, somebody else is able to backfill around them. One guy that does that, when he gets hot, boy, he's tough to handle, and he plays an odd game sometimes is Verhage.

Like when he gets hot, like that guy scores four games in a row. And that would be a guy I would look at in this. I wonder if Reinhardt's healthy, because he doesn't look at all as effective as he has been, certainly last year. But remember when he got hit by Ajo in the Carolina series, he missed the next game and he's really not been much of a factor. Usually Barkov and Reinhardt control chunks of their shifts, like a lot of them, and that's not happened. I guess I would look at it glass half full, but I would be concerned that if they don't untrack themselves a bit, that might be a hole that edmonton can take advantage of that

they're just the ball so good they're just such good players but you know last year and we can got the game seven and right title didn't score a goal in right in the final right and you would have thought that would have been possible leader well that's true and that's the flip side of it like

you know mcdavid shown up and had some highlight the whole just call it a McDavid showed up and had some highlight reel. Just brilliant plays. Oh, what a play. The other night was just silly. He had the Echblad turned around three times there. I love this interview. Echblad is after and he just says, when he said, yeah, and McJesus.

Yeah, exactly. You can't even be that angry. Like what am I supposed to do with this guy? He's flying around at that pace. He can stop on a dime and he's got the silkiest hands. Dry saddle, you can watch it. We're watching it up on TV. You talk about the office.

Ovechkin has his that he's had forever like is anyone better on their offside you know with a left-handed stick than dry settle like who had it's unreal it's everything down exactly it's always low down he always sniffs it out and he always gets something on it he always gets it up I guess it's always it I don't know about a no-lead blade too for a bunch he's got a shovel for a stick isn't't that an ugly looking thing? It's like, it looks like a boulder and he's like, and it just comes off there like a rocket. What he does that I, I, a couple things for him when, as soon as McDavid starts circling

the zone, you, if you can get a look at dry saddle, he starts to get lost and then get in that area right below the dot. So McDavid already knows he's just passing it to a spot because Dry Cytl is there. The second thing is he rarely misses the net. And I think that is such an underrated skill or we don't talk about it enough. Oh, like you scored a lot of goals, right? Like how about when you had a scoring chance and you missed the net, you about it enough, oh, like, you scored a lot of goals, right? Like, how about when you had a scoring chance and you missed the net, you'd be like, oh, like it's a fun thing when you get beat by the goalie.

But when you miss the net, you're like, man, it's like, it's not even a chance. Dry Cytle doesn't miss the net very much. I think those two, they're so different, and they're so complimentary to each other, they're, I just, I love watching them play. Because they just, they're so complimentary to each other there i'd just what i love watching the play idea because they just they're like the great like boston trotty didn't have to look they just new gretsky incurred they didn't look they just knew

and these two guys are they're the same right and it's charred hard to stop i guess the best ways just try not to take four penalties because they're probably gonna get one for sure if you give them that. Yep, that's the truth. And yet, you know, Hyman's out and we're not sure if Nugent-Hopkins will play tonight. Like that'll be, that's a big hit if he doesn't go, right? Like that's a big hit.

He's a, him and Reinhardt to me are very similar. You know, I mean, Reinhardt's more of of a goal scoring it but their versatility their penalty killing power play that they don't need the pocket lot to be effective there really smart underrated complete players and they're they're both really really critical to their

their teams if newt can't play tonight that's a that's a big hole for that right just let me ask you quickly before we get you out of here what whole are you on the golf course i'm just finished i am a bright uh... uh... yes had to drop my car off to get the tires switch out of really really sharp getting the winter tires off in june but anyway uh... played pretty good today or seventy eight so i was uh... that was happy with

that part of our own by the break-in manual take it every day of it is that it is no sixty four five percent right that's not solvents good stuff anyway i'm not a different expectations of so-called storm well i got great all i got big export expectations they just never be the last the problem that's you just keep keep chasing those dreams right that's that's why we keep going out that's it

that is it all right buddy thanks for doing this we appreciate it okay guys we'll talk to you soon have a great day yeah got it there's Ray Ferraro joining us here in the maple Toyota hotline drive the built-in Canada fuel-efficient fun to drive Toyota RAV4 gas or hybrid models available, visit mapletoyota.com. Hey, this is Ruby Carr, the host of the podcast Encore. Do you find yourself singing Shania Twain's Man, I Feel Like a Woman every time you do karaoke with your friends?

You're not alone. Billboard has named that song the number one karaoke hit of all time. Tune into Encore, the stories behind the songs you love, for the unbelievable story of Hennadazone, Shania Twain, and man, I feel like a woman. Listen to Encore on the iHeart app, or wherever you get your podcasts for that and more stories behind all the songs you love.