OverDrive - Johnson on Laughton meshing with the Maple Leafs, the team depth in Toronto and the goaltending trajectory in net

Episode Date: March 25, 2025

TSN Hockey Analyst Mike Johnson joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the NHL, the Maple Leafs' roster construction leading up to the playoffs, Scott Laughton playing the Flyers, the goaltending choices for the team and more.

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Yeah. For seven or eight years? Gee, that's gonna be 14 or 15 million dollars. Yeah. I mean, it's gonna be right now. Like that's the nature of where the cap is headed, which is why it's gonna be hard to sign those kind of players super long term because it almost takes us to a number that seems unreasonable in the

shorter term but you guys are right like I like to think I'm quite accurate at projecting contracts and so I heard Chickward sign I'm like oh what seven times seven and a half so I don't even know I mean like what he has said no like if they offered that what he has absolutely not, I'm insulted by that? It's been a great fit, but it just seems like that wasn't there in Arizona, that wasn't there in Ottawa, and all of a sudden that's what he is, and it just seems like he'd be jumping the gun a little bit as good a player as he is. Yeah, I mean you fall in love with the situation if you're Washington, obviously everything

has done so well for them this year. Oh, but the challenge for Chickert is not necessarily when he's healthy and right if he's a good player. I think he's shown that he is that. He just has sometimes an issue staying healthy and right and he's a guy, you know, he's got the weird taking care of his body routines but he's very dialed into how he feels. And, well, he's pretty interesting. When he's still good, it's incredible. But when he doesn't feel good, it affects him. So that would be my concern going eight years for him.

Like, well, how many of those years will he be relatively healthy the entire time, especially as he gets older? But Strati said it. We just have to continually, quickly adjust our scale higher. We can't say that guy's not a $7 million player because what we think of a $7 million player is actually a $9 million. Like it's just where it's going. And then Stretty will know more about it than most of the next little while we're trying to get Mick David's time. Like what's he going

to be worse if he goes eight years? They can't even pay him enough money. Like he's not even allowed to get the 20% number, it's not high enough to get him on an eight year contract. That's the nature of a cap that's gonna be going up 10 million dollars a year. Yeah, it's incredible and like defensemen, their contracts have not matched, like the number one superstar center

has always been the pace car and that likely continues with McDavid Drysettles up there Matthews is up there, but you look at these defensemen like last night Quinn Hughes Quinn Hughes plays over 31 minutes last night this guy so good. Hey, it's Unbelievable how good he is and like that was such a big win for them and then down the road Warenzki played 33 minutes last night in Columbus one, a massive game in pursuit of a playoff spot. Like between the two of them,

they played over an hour last night in the greater New York area. But dude, back in the day, Chris Pronger and Nick Lindstrom did that on the nightly. On the nightly. Well, and there's no clutching and grabbing and it's not a slow game. I mean, not that it was a slow game back then,

but it's so fast now, Johnny. And these just they're so so good. Yeah and so there might be obviously there's two defenders who have separated themselves from everyone right that's Kale McCarr that's Quinn Hughes those two I think they take themselves out of the rest of the group because of what they could do the fact that they can impact the game offensively they can play so much those guys should, and I imagine will be dragged to the very highest of numbers in a couple of years when their contracts are up. And part of the reason why Colorado towed the line so hard on Rantanen, because they know a car is coming, he's going to be a $15 million player, $16 million, $17 million. Like you don't know when the cap's

$130 million in 16 million 17 like you don't know when the caps 130 million dollars in a few years Morenski he's getting there. He's certainly having that kind of year this year, but there's not that many Number one defensively who can do both right both shut it down defensively kill penalties playing as their teams best line But also drive offense score 20 plus goals every year get 85 90 points there's only a few but those two guys you're right they should no longer be stunted relative to the offensive players they they should probably like talk about value can you imagine work Columbus without Wierenski I mean he should get part you should heart trophy of votes this year for what he's done in

Columbus yeah he's been he's been phenomenal he's done in Columbus. Yeah, he's been phenomenal. He's been incredible. Johnny, you talked about those numbers. Do you think there's going to be pushback from teams? I mean, we've already, who knows what's going on behind the scenes in Toronto? But if players are asking for these amounts that you have just mentioned, like 50, 60, 17,

are teams going to say you're going to have to get that somewhere else or is there going to be any pushback where it's like I'm not sure about that For sure Oh for sure Oh, but I mean I think nobody wants to get into a percentage of cap conversation right now But it's a very easy argument to make if you're a 10% player today You're a nine million dollar eight eight point eight million dollar player right if you're a 10% player or your turnout you're a 12 million dollar player that's just it's not about dollars it's about value of to the team if you're the exact same player in the exact same situation and it's hard for a team to

convince me oh no no no we still got to pay you eight like that's not how it works yeah that's a good way to work I've never really thought about it like that so and the ball and the other problem is oh, yes, like Jeff O'Neill's team. He's like, sorry, dude We don't pay dude $14 million. You're not worth it Problem is Mike Johnson team says oh, yes We do and then then you hold in line is useless because you're losing good players that you would otherwise want to keep They're just going elsewhere for a number you don't want to pay Yeah

But what if I have a couple eight million dollar players that are really good and I have depth and I can get it done and you don't because you want to blow your brains out on $17 million players. But it's still just a percentage, right? I think we also have to reset our mind to say this is now where it's at. Like look at NFL quarterbacks, the amount they make. So I think you just have to reset and say what was once X is now X plus 30 or 40%. Okay, let me give you an example, Struddy, because your boy here just said, you know what,

that's the percentage and that's what you gotta pay a guy. Danny Dime said you gotta pay me $45 million and they did it and look what they got. But if you just say that's what we gotta pay ya, that's what you're gonna get, trash. Yeah, well, yeah. It's all leverage, yo, right? Like, is Edmonton gonna save that to Conor McDavid?

Sorry, man, we're gonna go 15 and nowhere else you know well straight now there's some guy that's not going on the line putting up stats and performing in the playoffs or regular season just says i'm a temper center guy you gotta give me this there's a there's a certain situations where you can say go stuff it yet but the top guy to pick your spots pick your spot we started conversation with jacob chicrin who we all know the night defender just signed for nine or 72 without batting an eye and the cap hasn't gone anywhere yet. The cap is still the same. Although it's going places. You know what

I mean? Like he's not walking into a cap world of one 20, three, four years. Like it's, it's, this is where it's going to be headed now. Oh, there will always be an argument would you be better off taking that 14 million find two good players for seven and Give your time team a better chance of winning that goes to roster construction philosophy There is that conversation is very much in play, but the scary part. Oh seven million dollar player in Three years is a third-goal score. It's going to be Bobby McMahon. Yeah.

You know what I mean? And like maybe seven might be like somebody like that. You're like, that guy's not moving the needle. Two of those guys are not going to win us the cup either. So this is just the new reality. You just got to get used to it. Yeah. It's just the way it is.

And we've seen it in other sports, right? The numbers these guys are getting. And hockey's slower. Oh, basketball. Shreddy, right? Yeah, it's just the way it is. We've seen it in other sports, right? The numbers these guys are getting. At hockey it's slower. Oh, a basketball strategy, right? Yeah, basketball. I mean, football, it's crazy. The numbers are crazy. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, but that's just the math.

It's just math. That's all it is once you get to a certain point. Johnny, we'll shift gears a little bit. Looking at the Toronto Maple Leafs and their situation. Who do you look at to kind of find their've got to find their game this last stretch as they, you know, head towards what they're hoping is, if not first, at least second in their own division. All right, so there's basically two situations that I would identify, Strudy, that are sort of paramount for the Leafs. The one is the obvious one and that is

the third line and they've talked about an awful lot. They traded for Scott Lawton, they gave up a first rounder, we all know that is the third line and they've talked about it an awful lot. They traded for Scott Lawton. They gave up a first rounder. We all know that. Fully understanding and sympathetic to the significant adjustment in his life that is going on and the pressure he's feeling here in Toronto. But they have to figure out, is that guy better than what he's shown? How do we get this guy looking like the guy we think he's supposed to be in the team? How do we get our third line with

whatever combination of personnel to be a viable, we're playing, camp in the first round, we need a third line we can trust in most situations and not just hide and hope. How do we work that out? Starting tonight they got Lawton on the wing, Dome in the middle, Nick Robertson on the other side. I don't know if that's it, but that's number one. Number two is, well, the numbers have actually been very good for Carlo and Riley. I'm going to call them the second pair now for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Brandon Carlo has come in. He actually has done very much what he's supposed to do, which is steady Eddie, tilt the ice,

get a good underlying numbers and not get scored against and don't worry about points just have the puck in the offensive end. He's done that but I still think Morgan Reilly is if he can elevate his play just a little bit and make that pair that much better that Morgan Reilly we saw when they beat Tampa a few years ago in the playoffs if those two things sort themselves out they will be the favorites to win the series, whether it starts at home or on the road in the first round. And if they don't, they're probably the underdog. That's how tight the series will be.

That's how important those two situations are to me. Yeah, I would agree with you. And I think that's a really in the weeds answer, which we live in the weeds. But I think, and what I mean by that is like on a micro level you got to have a third line what's gonna happen that second pairing but I come back on a macro level and say are the best players gonna be good enough and will the goalie play well enough like it you know what I'm saying like that doesn't need to change that just needs

to be proven I understand that I understand it's not that's not what you're being asked but in terms of the big picture. Right like Stolar's got to be good well obviously but he has been good does he have to be good the playoffs of course there's not keys to winning this is what they got to answer them down the stretch. Keys to winning is always a goalie who's not played much of the playoffs I imagine if the playoffs started tomorrow Stolar's would be the guy that's a question for sure he's never done it. And like you said, and like we've always said, Chet and the big guys, and Austin actually,

in the last week, has looked fresher, spryer, quicker than he has at times this year, which is great news for the Mableys. Can those guys get it done in the playoffs, at five on five, and be the difference makers winning a series? That's what it's gonna boil down to but I think they already know and they sort of know what those guys look like already to see if it will or won't is

just will it or won't it Johnny you mentioned Matthews fresher quicker spryer however you want to describe it how do you handicap the chances that that can continue until the end of the season and If they're gonna do what they want to do a long time after that Many Jerry I have a huh. Yeah, many Jerry. I don't know. Is it 5050 maybe 7030 that it doesn't because If it was like a will to do it he will He's obviously so good. He would have done it previously, right? Yeah, I mean he was just like a mental thing I got to play harder. he would have done it previously, right? Yeah. If he was just like a mental thing, I gotta play harder, he would have done that. I don't think it's that.

If it's a physical thing, like he's feeling physically better or he's gotten treatment that allows him to move better, okay, does that last for three months? I don't know. If it does, why didn't they do it earlier? Or maybe they can't do it that many times? Or is it just a week where his body's feeling better After months of his body not feeling quite perfect. I guess I'm just I'm leery of Given how long this has lingered for him, which is like literally since training camp that it's all about to fix itself while playing

Through the hardest part of the season. I'm glad it has for him and for the Mayfell's but I guess I'm not positive it's kind of stayed that way because just the medicine behind it without knowing what's wrong with them, it seems unlikely that all of a sudden he turned the corner in March 10th and is like, oh, I'm feeling better now when he hadn't been able to turn that same corner with all the stuff he's been through this year. Yeah. Yeah. It's going to be a topic of discussion between now and the playoffs still a month away with Mike Johnson or TSN hockey Analyst leaves Flyers tonight You know the third line is a topic of discussion on a daily basis and you mentioned Lawton's there with Domi and Robertson Do you could you do you think they're committed to this top six like do you think Barube is just committed?

It's gonna be nice Matthews Marner McMahon Tavares Nylander or do you still think he may be open to the idea of mixing some of the pieces up and trying to spread the wealth a little bit like who well I don't know do you like percent hundred percent not committed to Bobby McMahon being there all the time okay and McMahon's interchangeable but could you see a scenario where Nylander moves down they tried it before and he quickly reverted and put him back with Tavares. Could you see a scenario where maybe does Tavares move down to the third line and you move Lotton up or Domi up and they stay with those

wingers McMahan and Nylander. Like could I don't I'm not holding my breath because we're it's game 71 tonight and that hasn't really happened he's been fairly committed. But do you think that's a possibility and do you think that would be wise to try to spread it out a little bit, to try to balance out your top three lines? I think, I mean, there's always a possibility,

as you mentioned, it is far less likely that those guys change at this point in the year, heading into playoffs. Now you get to the playoffs, who knows? It goes poorly, all bets are off off they may do anything but I think the plan is those five guys are those five guys and the first line is gonna stay and tomorrow the Nylander are gonna stay and they better hope Nylander is just outrageously good which he largely has been to help drive that line at five on

five. Now McMahon could swap for Domi, McMahon could swap for Lawton, like that sick spot could go to any number of players depending on what you're trying to get on the second line, what you're getting on the third line. But I don't think Nohe is that it's going to be likely unless something strange happens and it's probably a bad sign if it goes down that road. I think this is a team, this is how they built it, this is how they plan on running it for better for worse.

And I don't see, you know, you can put Willie down there, but Willie and Max, I don't know, like I don't see really natural spits to spread them out through three lines and expect it to be significantly better. Johnny, what is the identity though though that Craig is looking for in that third line? He wants energy, speed, a bit of physicality and you know you'd like to be able to play with the puck a little bit but mostly just energy and and you know add pace to the game and give problems with your pace and your kind of willingness to battle around the puck. And you know, Robertson is smaller, but he's been actually doing that as you know,

he gets around it. Now he's the smallest. He you'd like him to be the third of the three guys doing it, not the first of the three guys. Blotten and Domi can bring that. Then I think that's what they're looking for. I, I, I, he understands like they're not going to score a bundle, but you know, I still Nick Robertson in his weird year is scoring around a 20 goal pace. Max Domey we know he just hates scoring goals he only wants assists and Lawton's trying to figure out his game here but could they all score at a 15 goal pace at five on five? If you do that that's a goal every other game right 45 goals that's a goal every other game. If that line scores two or three goals in a seven game series

that's all you're looking for. The way that these built that's a goal every other game. If that line scores two or three goals in a seven game series, that's all you're looking for. The way that he's built, that's all you're looking for when it comes with the energy and the irritation and the in your face and like sort of that's the identity he's looking for. Whether they have it, whether it's in them, whether they can do it, I guess they're trying to figure it out maybe even starting tonight, but that's what we're looking for, Strati. With Mike Johnson, our TSNSN hockey analyst feels like a big game for Scott Lawton tonight Like against his former team doesn't it ever gotta have a game tonight. I think it's important for him because it hasn't gone his way Like don't show your team like don't be yucking it up with your boys and like yeah hugs in the hallway like just get to business and knock someone on their ass and

Like deal with the demons tonight and move on. If you see a guy that hasn't been getting it done grab Travis Kinnakne and say no we're not friends right now. That's it. I'm showing you and me and my new team I'm in this new team. There's no more orange I got no orange sneakers on I'm with you and you guys are so right. Like the topic of conversation this morning was him. And there's been lots of articles written about his emotional departure. And I get it. Like it's, we all sort of understand what that's like, but I also am the reality of our businesses.

It's been time limit on everything. I'm limited on everything, including the grace of our understanding. And I get it like family, kids, all of it. I, we all understand it, but yeah, given that it's his former team, it would be the perfect night to turn the page, find the closure in your mind and in your heart and just, you know, get comfortable with the new guys

and show them what you can do and then springboard yourself down the stretch. Like that is 100% the hope because if it doesn't happen tonight, you're like, come on man, bring it tonight. You're really hoping for him that he can. Johnny, I think the most important thing for him to do is narrow the focus and that's what I would tell him if I sat down beside him. You don't have to think about being traded to the Leafs and being a key part to them getting it done and being traded for a first round draft pick. Just narrow the focus to I want to score a goal tonight or

I want to be the hardest working player on the ice or I want to be the best penalty killer and just stop trying to think of everything that's happened in the last two weeks and put it all out on the ice at the same time. Just really try to narrow the focus and if he starts there, he should have success. So, oh, different situation, but same same story. My very first game of my career, obviously college kid, not drafted, I don't know anything about the NHL. I'm nervous as you could, you can't even imagine. And Larry Murphy doesn't even know my name, literally doesn't know my name. He sits down beside me in the locker room. I'm terrified'm near tears I can't talk to anyone I'm so nervous and he just said hey kid because he doesn't I'm first of all 23 but I'm kid he just

looked me calmly and said whatever it is that got you here just do that you'll be fine it was the most freeing moment of my career maybe a three-second throwaway comment by a Hall of Famer to me allowed me to park everything you're talking about. Narrow the focus. To do what you do and forget all the other noise and the circumstance and all of it. And it's amazing because everyone is, Scott Lawton is here to be good for a reason. Because he can play a certain way.

If he can just get out of his own way, which is what Murph allowed me to do, then he'll give himself the best chance. Oh, you're exactly right. However you want to say it to him, we bring in Murph if you want to, because he was, I'm like, it was life changing. His five seconds is unbelievable for me. Or it was the pitcher, like Kevin Costner,

he'd say in that one movie, he'd say clear the mechanism, man. Just like narrow the focus, clear the mechanism, you'll be done. But don't you think you're trying to do I like it It's not I remember playing against my old team the first time and you're trying to do so much You're trying to be someone you're not and I was like that's not who I am So I got back to running guys and being dirty and all soon your game starts flowing again from there Or it feels like he wants a strip of puck hit a guy fight a a guy in score goal all in once it just doesn't work like that

no doesn't know now i didn't get dirty and and it guys but i did it by the different way but they might be a yeah exactly you know we all are saying you know about it and that that we all do they don't fly up and down the wing

so good it's the same thing do it to do it do whatever it is to got you there that's all you need to know when in doubt that the murph or kevin costume and they got a belly but there's no way home and your fat you know bellies you know bellies you know i don't know heard anything so stupid in your life of gravy on the stand here we are a fresh dip that was before yeah i guess that's the difference is so i took out of the sort of saw and asked for gravy on top of it

I chicken you ever had a chicken sandwich with gravy on it at Swiss chalet growing up all day man of course I've come in these guys don't know and you know what next time I come in in this establishment is 200 yards from my house yeah I know I'll stop by I'll get you a dipper oh and you could try it I know it's a lot of your diet but we'll get you to try it Johnny next week me you and me and Hayes We'll meet you there and we'll done. We're going to bellies. I will set it up. I'm telling you. It's a life-changer man It's a life changer. It's but that's limp bread. You have a limp bread. I want a stiff bread I want a stiff bread. Oh, no. No you want do we soft pillowy thought red you can read on it absolutely rashley's red ready one rock

kathleen you know you're a deal i'll to review little death not sloppy like poutine that sloppy all the you know i could see now but i don't like to saw fries anyone I don't like soft rice anyone like the Western Canadians

They just have no idea. I got serious problems. No idea how to live. You're noodles the same thing noodles Just eat like dry chicken. Here's what noodles and eats a chicken breast plain caught up in the little baby bites corn It's awful and peas. Yeah and rice. That's it guys like a polar bear like guys I put a kitchen that has no fish in it ever. I'm like, well, that's going to be hard. Never. Like, that's going to be tough. I've been at dinner where Noodles said, I'll take the Caesar salad, hold the Caesar.

I swear those words came out of his mouth. And I just looked, he goes, I'll take the croutons. I couldn't believe it. I'm like, is this guy serious? Like, grazing. What dressing is he putting on it? Nothing. Just plain, probably salt. Plain lettuce. Rabbit food. Straight rabbit food. Rabbit food. That is noodles. And man,

he gets so mad when like, you don't blame the waitress for being like, sorry, can you say that again? He's like, I don't want anything. And they're like, okay, I guess we could ask for that sandwich to completely be reversed to nothing on it. Like it is one of the more wild experiences to see him try to break down whatever the sandwich is supposed to be or whatever the meal is supposed to be on the menu that a chef has worked hard for

and noodles just absolutely looks down on it. Completely looks down on it. So disappointing. All right, Johnny. Well, there we go. We got a date. We're gonna get out and we going to enlighten these people. Oh, and we'll send me some pictures. We will. We will. And I'll wait. All right. All right, Johnny. Chat soon. Here's Mike Johnson joining us here on the Maple Toyota hotline. Drive the built-in Canada fuel

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