OverDrive - Johnson on Stolarz's notable return, Crosby's injury outlook and the 4 Nations Face-Off impact

Episode Date: February 7, 2025

TSN Hockey Analyst Mike Johnson joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the NHL, Anthony Stolarz's return for the team, Brayden Schenn's trade value for the Maple Leafs, Bobby McMann's offensive performances, Sidney Crosby's injury status and the impact for the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, the experience for the teams and more.

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Here's Mike Johnson our TSN hockey analyst joining us here on the Maple Toyota Hotline. What do you make of Braden Shed and his possible fit in Toronto if it got to that point? I mean I think he'd be pretty good let's be honest. Like all the concerns are valid. Norm Lundgaard would have them, his age, you know, he's played a hard game, where's his game gonna go right now. But if you think that he's going to be playing behind Austin Matthews for the duration of

his career or that contract in Toronto, he won't be tasked with those kind of things. Probably John Tobarro will be around, They can interchange depending on how things are going. Yeah, and I think, you know, you're looking for 20 goals and 45 points, something like that, like as a two, that's really the third line center. That's something you can find, get behind. And I'm sure it would cost a lot because of his resume

and his accomplishments, but as far as just fit, I was sitting there the last couple days, Hazy, and with Marner returning to line up and they were kind of shuffling the lines around and McMahon playing well, and I was trying to sit in there with Masters Nation, we were trying to figure out how to best optimize the least lineup because if you put knives and martyr with Matthews and you put Nylander and McMahon with Tabarro's those are probably the six best boards right now available to them If you put them all the same top six

Then you're left with a third line and then who do you eat who's on the third line? in the playoffs who's in your third line and then who do you eat who's on the third line in the playoffs who's in your third line and you're gonna count on your coming back because Max Dolmy's not probably ideally a third line kind of player is it going to be Robertson who's gonna be the centerman it's not home bird like you basically kneels the whole entire third line depending what you think about Max Dolmy in that role which is part of the reason why they put Dolby on the first line yesterday, because if it worked the way it went yesterday, Dolby's on the first line,

Marv's on the second, McMahon's on the third, yet Yarbrough back, now you're sort of just one player short, one third line center, one Braden Shen, one whatever, Yanny Gore, whoever it might be,

and then you sort of have all your lines line up. And then I think that's part of the discussion. Like if it's, if you're gonna have a third line with Max Dolmion, you almost need three new players. Like it's initially dynamic. I think they're trying to maximize what they have and the talent available to them and not have that many needs.

But certainly no matter which way you cut it, I think to optimize their lineup, they need a third line center. And Max has tried to do it as best he could, not as preferred or best position. And I think if they got a Brock Nelson, a Charlie Poyle, a Braden Shen, whoever, it does change the complexion of the team

pretty significantly. What does it cost though, Jody? We mentioned at the beginning of the show that we're sick of talking to Joe from the bridge about his trade possibilities. It's nice to have you on. Braden Shen, what would St. Louis say? If you give us that, you can have Braden Shen.

I bet if he gave my first round pick. That's it? I think a lot of people would sign up for that. I mean, sounds like they want a little bit more. Drager was on the morning show today and said it's going to take a lot to pry him out. If it's a first round pick, I'm signing up for that all day if I'm Toronto. Yeah. I don't know. The term on the contract does not make them significantly more valuable or the fact that you're taking a contract off their books that they probably want to get rid of is that sort of negate the value of the control

at all first round pick and give me you have a first round pick and whoever whoever you choose is the third best prospect in this organization so anyone but counter winner Minton take that guy and or Nick Robertson if you like I mean I've you know I don't just toss names around but it you know if you like Nick Robertson if you think you have something there first rounder and some other relatively significant piece not named Coward or Minton I don't think that's out of the question I don't think that's a Homerism Toronto look at things maybe a first and a second or first and a third whatever it is something like that oh to me would seem reasonable for a guy like Brink and Shen given how good he is but

also the fact that you know he's got three more years it's six and a half million dollars on a you know declining asset as far as just because of the age and everything else I don't think that there's a question for the Toronto Maple Leafs or any team in the league to kind of offer up a package like that yeah which that kind of sounds like the Ryan O'Reilly package. Like basically what they gave up to get him was like a first and another pick, maybe a first and a second, but he was expiring. So it's an interesting question in terms of the value, like do the Leafs, I would think

the Leafs would value a guy with term, but to your point- That's what the contract is, right? Like, you value term if it's a good value deal. Right. You don't value, you can't have $10 million with term, that's a terrible situation. So, depends what you think of the six-five,

and it depends what you think of the cap. Could they eat some of it, then it gets, then it starts getting spicy, then you gotta pay more for that. But that could be worth something for the Leafs. Yeah. And then you look at him, and then you look, okay, for that but that could be worth something for the Leafs. Yeah and then you look at him and you look okay well he's maybe available now but you look at you know if you think Brock Nelson is going to be

there if the Islanders turn that direction there's probably Coral, probably Zach or you know different from gold players like that that have term you know then you can also take your pick. Ryan O'Reilly, like I don't know, maybe you can try to coerce Nashville to get him back. Maybe it's a bigger trade than O'Reilly and Luke Shen. Like I think that would be, you know, those would fit some pretty important foes right now. Like this is the thing they're exploring and I think everyone is sort of just feeling each other out as to what the demand might be and then what the players who would be getting traded if they have protection think about these things. Johnny, I mean you talked about Max Domi now he you know it doesn't really have a

full fit on this roster like are you convinced that the Leafs want to try and make it work with Domi because if you're bringing in these players I mean with the cap where it's at with the Leafs are money's got to go out somehow like would that be a name that you try and move around to try and open up that space? Sure, AB, but I don't think Max told me with three more years, they're just under $4 million and what did they have, three goals? I don't know if that's going to be an incentivizing move. Max had good moments, Max had been a good player,

but the way he's played so far this year, I don't think adding him to a deal is going to make the deal more palatable to the team acquiring him. So yeah, I don't think it goes down that road. I think, you know, Max is going to be on the team and it's on Max and the team to find a squad that gets him playing or he's a contributor.

Yeah, I think especially if you're talking about teams that are looking to tank or rebuild or shed money, exactly. Domi, there's not exactly, he's not gonna be a compelling piece there, but he's gotta find a role here. Like they've invested in him, they've paid him, he's gotta find a role, and I guess that's Barube's job as well to figure out uh... but what's kind of incredible is like the log jam down the wings

you know we i don't love the idea of don't know if the middle the ice especially come playoff time but with naisa mcmahon playing the way that they've been playing it's really balanced out both wings you know like obviously it's always been matthews to bars neil ander marner and clearly the right wing is still tilted in terms of supremacy and talented production but niza mcmahon

are giving berube options and they're both scoring at a very very solid rate and they play a very meat potatoes game that i think allows you to breathe a little bit easier than maybe we thought they would at the start of the year. Yeah and and I think there is something to like the idea of you know courses for courses like I think both Knives McMahon play a style that works with what Craig Borubey does. Mm-hmm. Maybe more than Max Omi plays a style. Max Omi is very much a rush player and wants to create offensive chances in space and those guys are more straight line players as you mentioned

front nut guys and the only and the one consideration I have and I sort of like try to articulate this during the games hard to get out there quickly but Bobby McMahon has it's just been an incredible story. I think yesterday his goal I think I said it was his 30th goal in the last 76 games he's played. That's crazy for a guy that started that run on a day where he was supposed to be scratched and he got a hat-trick on just for Valentine's Day last year. That's right. And I almost wonder if he is so like uniquely valuable on the third line. Obviously he's playing better than whoever you know Pacioretty or Dolby or whoever else they might put in the third line. Obviously he's playing better than whoever, you know,

Pacioretty or Dolby, whoever else they might put in the top six. But McMahon has a little bit of William Nylander in him. In that, he doesn't need sort of other people to help him score. He doesn't need a whole system and infrastructure and support, he's a straight line, blazing speed, heavy shooting player.

And on the third line, where you get the best matchups on a team, because you're not, you know, you're not checking the other team's top guys and the other team's top guys are not checking you, defense and otherwise. Like he can do things with Holmberg in the middle and Robertson on the wing who are not really facilitators. Let's just, that's not what they do. And not that he's lost, but but you can almost maximize your roster by not playing him with Tavares. Even though he's clearly the sixth best forward on the team.

Like Phil Kessel and Pittsburgh, again, not the same kind of player, but they want a cup. He's a third line winger, right? With Carl Hagelin. And I think that kind of idea where he's so good in that third line role that you can put a lesser player in the second line because McMahon and his talents and the way they sort of work in the third line. I Again trying to optimize what they have it seems to make right now More sense and if you could ever get a Shen or a court like a quality centerman to play in the third line

then you put like man and that guy as a duo on the third line. And the team looks really pretty good down the middle. And your fourth line could be, you know, Lorenz and Camp and whoever, Yarn Broker, they're really reliable guys. And then, you know, you're onto something. I think you sort of like how that looks. Yeah, and this is how,

these are all the conversations we're gonna have between now and March 7th. And you know, this road trip, it's amazing how they are all the conversations we're going to have between now March 7th and you know this road trip. It's amazing how they're streaking right now Johnny like three wins three losses three wins three losses like they're six and six I believe in the last 12 but I think the most significant probably footnote of the of this trip is that stole ours return last night and played as well as he did and he looked really comfortable he was tested he was up for it what did you see in his game that gives you comfort that they waited long

enough he's ready to go and how would you handle tomorrow night would you go back to him would you go to Joseph Wall what would you do in Vancouver tomorrow no no no you gotta go to Wall okay first off he was he was awesome and it was funny being around the team and sort of talking to the coach and talking to Solars and stuff and you know he's been cleared physically for 10 days but it's not like oh a wager we could go in rusty not feeling quite right not being quite sharp and we're not gonna hurt our team right like I can get through a game and not be very good but not be absolutely brutal and cost myself

a team and so I had it in get it out couple one-timers on the pee-pee punch a guy in the face let everyone know you're interested yeah that's it that's it that's it but for him he's like I just don't I'm not skiing it right I'm not feeling it right even though it was healthy he's like I don't I don't feel good I'll feel confident and I guess their patience was well justified and that he wanted to make sure he was sharp. And he was really, really sharp. But I mean, the first couple of shots, he looked a little lost. Like he, the first one hit him, the end of where it went. The second one hit a post. But after that, he was locked right in. And we showed some clips in the game where he was moving

on that knee Explosive hard physical kind of goaltending and he had no problem. So Brilliant that he's back Brilliant for him that he's back before the break because now he doesn't have to think about what I'm gonna be like coming out Of the break, he knows he's good, but I don't think there's any way he plays tomorrow. I know way at all It's gonna be wool who's played well. He's sharper let solars enjoy his his first game back and his body to recover and We'll get tomorrow and then I think they almost

They might go almost like Boston Bruins style Like they might almost rotate this they split them split the remaining stretch and whoever plays better I guess will be the starter come playoff time But I would expect them basically to play each half of the remaining game with a great luxury for trial out in uh... johnny it looks like cross be won't play tonight though against the rangers the first game that he's gonna miss since two thousand and that twenty twenty two

uh... it's been a recurring theme for you to play jerry's a little many jerry's on the show the last couple weeks where jerry's percentages he's gonna be playing for Team Canada next week at the Four Nations and if not who do you think they tab is his replacement? So I'm going to say mini Jerry's real quick without knowing how Sid's doing. I'm saying 50- allowed it's a hard to say that it's a very little small and i don't approve

okay although fifty one forty nine he does not like right i like it slightly more likely doesn't play with it and i think any player was not healthy enough to play their last game is not helping up when that's right whether it's quite used or Sidney Crosby or it had to be Mitch Marner or whatever. If you can't play on Friday or Saturday night,

then you can't be in practice Monday. Unless it's a flu, unless it's like an illness, unless it's like a sickness, not an injury. And if he, you know Sid, he's a competitor, if he doesn't want to ever miss games, he certainly doesn't want to miss this tournament. He wants to represent Canada. He wants to play in the Olympics one more time I'm

sure. He was tabbed as a captain. He's a really important player for that team. So if he doesn't play this weekend then I don't think he plays. Although I saw clips of him passing the puck. He didn't shoot it but he was skating and passing it crisply. So I don't know exactly what's going on with him but I'm saying yeah if he doesn't play it, then he won't play in the Four Nations as far as who gets picked to replace him. Oh, is it Zach Hyman or Mark Scheisley?

The guys won on two guys? Probably. And, you know, depending on how John Cooper, how he envisions the lineup, like, the thing about this tournament, there's only two days of practice and three games Maybe four so there's no time for experimentation

Cooper has in his mind what the lines gonna look like and They're probably gonna look like that most of the tournament because there's not enough time to fiddle with it So would you say Hyman with the built-in chemistry and does that shuffle what you anticipated being your first line with? David or I mean you can't deny how Mark Shackels played this year. He's been incredible. Yep. He's been absolutely so good. Do you go in that direction?

Probably one of those two guys, I guess, would be my hunch. Yeah, and it would suck for Sid because really, you look at where Pittsburgh is right now, like the rest of the way, you wonder how much he's going to play like what we don't even know what the injury is and we don't know what the you know projection is in terms of how much time he could miss and without knowing all that it's really difficult to compare and contrast but I do like we had Chris Pronger on earlier this week and prongs was talking about Steve Iserman in 02 and what he was playing through just to get ready to play in the Olympic games.

And I just think if this was the Olympics, we'd be like, Sid's going. Sid will find a way to get there. You can glue him together, but for the four nations, he's not going to do it. And it's just, it'll be one more bullet of like, what is this tournament going to be worth in terms of the conversation afterwards, right?

In terms of legacy building. And I think it's gonna be a fun tournament. I'm curious what it's gonna look like. I'm preparing for this to be better than whatever the All-Star weekend was ever going to be. But generally speaking, when you get to big moments like this and big platforms, like we live in a media world now where everything's about legacy building, everything's about

chasing the goat. Like if Canada wins, what is that worth in your opinion, Johnny? Or if the Americans win or whatever, you know, for individual players, the best players. But what's it worth for McDavid's resume? What's it worth for Matthew's resume? Does that pop up on the plaque? Yeah. Is it a Hall of Fame?

Is it a mention in the Hall of fame speech? Like you think it is. Okay. Okay. Because there's been nothing else available in its place. Yeah. It's not like, Oh, we want a world cup. Yeah. But how do you do the Olympics? There's been no Olympics, right? Like it hasn't been an alternative. So this is all they got. And it's best on best in whatever the form, whatever the format, whatever the the teams whoever's in it you know I think it's I think it's probably more important for North American

players than winning a world championship right yeah yeah I would say so why not for Europeans or for a North American player would it be equivalent of like sort of world junior success I Something like that? I don't think it's nothing until we get into a bigger rhythm of World Cups, Olympics, World Cup, Olympics. And then I think once we get in that rhythm and they expand the format, which I think they're gonna announce like next week at this tournament, when you get to eight teams or whatever it is, then it becomes another thing that the top players want to have accomplished and want to have won. So yeah I mean it's not the be all end all we all understand it's a bit quirky it's a bit new but I

think once they get like maybe you guys are too young I mean it seriously but like remember the 96 World Cup you guys would have been you know you know early teens maybe and I don't remember like I was in college when that happened I remember the 96 World Cup. You guys would have been, you know, you know, early teens maybe. And I don't remember, like I was in college when that happened. I went to watch like the 87 Canada Cup, which was like a little all time race. I went to watch the 91 Cup Canada Cup for a walk where at Lindroff's like a 17 and putting all the sandals up through the glass and maybe with guardians. I don't remember the 96 World Cup having the sort of buzz that the Canada Cups had had.

And yet, now in the folklore of hockey, that tournament has been huge for American hockey, for the American guys who won it, for putting in USA hockey on the map, for Brett Hall and all those guys, the Kachaks and Garret, that Medano, that generation, like that turned into a massive moment historically for those players and the game. I'm not saying this four nations is going to be like that, but if it plays out the way it could, then I think we will be talking about it. And if it plays out the way it might as well, then we will be like, that wasn't what we wanted to be.

I think it really will depend on the quality of the game and sort of the emotional commitment of the guys playing it if they play like like it's game seven then we'll think it's really important if they play like it's not then we won't yeah the players will determine it it's just like the All-Star game you want the All-Star game the matter you got to try like you got to put that that effort forth and it's gonna be very easy to pick up like if they care or not like we're gonna know that immediately. Dangerous though, dangerous compared to the All-Star game because it's gonna be so much better like. Of course it will be.

In any capacity you'll be remotely like the All-Star game like a guy won't back check or we won't block a shot like that's not it at all like they're gonna be fully invested trying to win when they're out there I think I think that's likely the case But it's it's on the the perimeters were like you're going like if you don't block the shot If there's you know, if you don't finish the check if you don't back check like who wants to be that guy though? Brian like embarrass themselves. I don't know man. I I hope that doesn't happen I hope that doesn't happen

But let's say the third game of the the tournament where both teams are out of it You think they're going all out in that game. I don't know might be different But I want to know does Sam Bennett sneaky elbow Mac the Chuck in the head. That's what I'm saying Although on bark off does like like this like I'm serious like this is the difference like what their teammates in Their teammates today and I mean teammates three days after they're done but in those moments are they willing to put their club allegiances not only like on the back burner but like at risk like I'm sorry I'm gonna have to take a run at you in a very physical potentially dirty way because this is what I need to do to win

this game not considering what that might mean. Will Mitch Marner low bridge Austin Matthews, if that's what it takes to win a game? I don't, and we chuckle, but what if he did? And would you be like, yes, or would you be like, no? This is the sort of, this is the dilemma more than anything, especially when it happens this time of the year, as opposed to in August where you know

There's such a long runway before the playoffs start that you can kind of put any Impact in this tournament in the back burner because it won't probably impact the playoffs Well, I think you hit on something important like referencing the 96 World Cup the reason I don't think it it means as much up here Is because Canada didn't win it, you know, the Americans won it So I think I'll talk like Canada won that thing. They didn't. They did not win. Everyone was like, ah, it was so awesome.

The hockey was crazy. They lost to the U.S. They lost and it was, that was the great generation of American players. And I think if that's gonna be applicable here, I think what I would take out of your argument is only the Americans are really going to use this as a true accomplishment where if they win it, Americans will be loud, hockey fans in the States will be loud. I think if Canada wins it, it'll be awesome, but you better win the Olympics.

You've won a million Canada Cups, you win the Olympics every single year, you win. I do think that is likely the reaction. In the States it's huge, if Canada wins it's okay that's great, like cool tournament, but not going to be something compared to anything else we've done on the international stage. Where the Americans just don't have the same reference points. They have the World Cup in 96 and nothing else. I guess, you're right that one's a very significant one of course but also different context amateurs and we're talking best on best never won a Canada Cup never won gold at the Olympics so

yeah yeah I think you're absolutely right the only the only caveat to that is that the best players in Canada who are the three best players in Canada? McDavid, McKinnon, McCarr. None of them have won anything for Canada before. I'm best on best. So for them, I get like society speaking, we're like, yeah, that's good. We won, we're once again, the best that we knew we were. Don't worry about those world juniors, whatever. And, but like the big ones really next year.

those world juniors, whatever, but the big ones really next year. But for those players, I do think we're 0-1 against USA when it matters most. They don't have a track record. We can claim it as a country, but the players playing this can't tell me anything because they've been robbed of the opportunity because of all the situations that we know about. So I do think it will resonate more heavily positive or negative for the players involved because it's their first time for so many of them. Alright, Johnny, enjoy the Super Bowl on Sunday and we'll do it again soon. Thank you for this. Have you made your picks yet? Hey, we're doing our picks in half an hour. Al's brother

and I are on the clock in half an hour. You got it, Johnny. You got to pick one way or the other. I got the Eagles plus one and and a half i think the line play at the different and one get the job i'd kind of agree i lean eagles myself but that's not our pet they're gonna be picking the spread on also be picking the spread al's brother and i are giving on the total for two points a piece very important detail okay i'll be happy to help you get a check the okay rooster please do well thank you johnny Points of Peace, very important detail. Two points of peace. I'll tune in at six to clear all that.

Please do. I will. Thank you, Johnny. All right, boys. Mike Johnson joining us here on the Maple Toyota Hotline. Count on Maple Toyota for the right winter tire package for your Toyota. Trade in your old tires, buy a new set and get $40 back. Visit mapletoyota.com.