OverDrive - Johnson on Tavares' extension with the Maple Leafs, the impact for the team and Dobson landing in Montreal

Episode Date: June 27, 2025

TSN Hockey Analyst Mike Johnson joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the NHL, John Tavares' extension with the Maple Leafs, the impact of the deal in Toronto, the priorities for the team's signings, Noah Dobson's deal to the Canadiens and the fit on the team, the Atlantic Division strength and more.

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Good point Frankie Frankie that's what I like to come in with some good logic. Absolutely Talk about and I don't know fast if that Expanded schedule was positioned as a give By the players, but behind closed doors if they pitch it like this, okay, listen We're gonna cut down Reasons and games the total number of games the team has to play is still gonna be 90 or 80 88 but we're gonna have HR go up by

2% because we have these extra couple games. But only 4 preseason games? Resounding yeses. Abs like no brainer yeses. Preseason games? Like I played in the era where we had like 9, 10, 11 preseason games. It's ridiculous. So yeah, I know people think the season's too long already, but for the players it's

a net zero game with more dollars in their pocket. That seems like an obvious win. Among the other things, Johnny, that I do find interesting in this new CBA is the playoff bonus increase. Like the Stanley Cup playoff pool is gonna be nearly doubled. Like, I don't know what people would know about that

and how much money there is, but if you make a ton of money, if you're one of the big boys like the money that you would make for playoff bonuses really pales in comparison so to add more money as far as playoff incentive i think that's a smart thing and there's a win for the players as well it is and you know players don't really care about now if you're making the league minimum or making a million dollars yes which i understand is a lot of money, but you play for two months and you lose in the final and you walk away with like, I don't even know what it is,

like it used to be 30, 40 grand. That almost does it after taxes and escrow which used to be a thing. That barely covers your two months rent and food and everything else. Like it's almost like a net losing money proposition and players don't care, they don't play for that. But it is true. Or if you're a player that's not even playing, you're basically losing money to hang around for six more weeks and not make that much. So it doesn't really matter. It's a nice little win. And I don't even, it's such a non-issue, Frankie, that I don't really matter. It's a nice little win and I don't even it's such a non-issue Frankie that I don't even know I think we the one year we made in 99 25 years ago. He made the conference final

Lost in the third round and I don't know if we got $26,000 like it was a you know relatively small number. I don't even know what it is now Let alone what it's going to So it's not a really big issue, but anytime it's a little bit more money for the players, that's not a bad thing either. Well, one guy who could have made more money if he went to the open market is John Tavares. He signs a four-year deal. A lot of people were talking about five million a year would get the job done. Well, apparently $4.38 million would get the job done. Well, apparently $4.38 million dollars will get the job done. What was your reaction to hearing the news?

Police got what they wanted, a massive hometown discount for John Savars. And John Savars got what he wanted, where I guess he got the fourth year, he got some no-move protection, and he got to stay at Toronto Maple Leaf and have his career extend here in Toronto and have his family get to grow up in Toronto. But for all the talk about contract negotiations with the Leafs that have generally gone one way only and that is the players extracting every single penny and this is not a criticism, this is just an observation. I don't have any problem with players getting paid as much as they can. But players getting every single cent from the Leafs. This is not the case at all. If

he would have gone to the open market, Frankie you love to look at the numbers, he would have been projected $8 million for giving maybe a two or three year deal at $8 million per year. The fact is they got almost half that less than Matt Duchenne, given the tax parameters of Toronto, everything else. This is a pretty significant win. And it's important that people, well, one, celebrate that, given the amount of criticism they take when it goes the other way. But also, look at John Tavares now,

not as a $11 million player, not as a former first liner. Look at him as a deaf player who makes $4 million. And what do you expect out of a guy like that? Out of a Max Domi, out of players of that ilk, you expect maybe 15 goals and hopefully 35 or 40 points. I expect Tavares to get more than that, but he should be sort of evaluated and judged through the lens of the makes four million

dollars which is today they tell is maybe a third line player maybe and rhetoric money literally and frederick literally tried for a big number if you read the guys a lot tomorrow will do that but yet and you're hoping it's a good deal for trunk and it allows them all kinds of flexibility is still

try to fill the other holes that they'll have with their roster Johnny is that supposed to make people feel better that he's got nine points in his last 20 playoff games Yeah, okay, you make four million dollars. No, no, no, it will make people feel better if he gets nine points in his next 20 Okay, okay. I got you. It's not about the last one. It's about the next one. So you can you can go backwards Absolutely. Now if we we're going to be serious about it, Tavares left money on the table in his last contract. I know it was a big one, but he left money on the table and that contract negotiations to come to Toronto as well. I think San Jose was over a million dollars more per year than what Toronto was

offering. So he's probably left now upwards of 12, 14, 18 million dollars on the table to play for Leaf. And people should appreciate that because they seem to have a real problem when they don't think that that's happening. Johnny, completely understand where you're coming from there, but isn't this also an acknowledgement Johnny that there's real money in being a lifetime Leaf, being associated with this crest. You and a lot of your colleagues that have played for this team, you know, there's good money in being a beloved retired leaf, right? And this, if John Tavares

wants to retire here, this could prove to be a very good public relations move that could net him a lot of money down the road as a retired guy. Yes, that is true, but Fess, I think that is a little bit different even compared to my era, because he's gonna make $120 million in his career. So if he can pick up a few hundred thousand dollars in ambassadorial numbers from the Leafs or from organizations from appearances, sure, that's great.

That doesn't really matter to him and his bank account because his bank account's gonna be big enough regardless. But I just think as far as general day-to-day piece of mind and given the turbulent times we've seen, maybe with Mitch Marder and what's happened late in his career, having general peace of mind for you and maybe most importantly for your family because Devar does have kids now that through this contract will grow to the age where

they'll be in school like they'll be into a school where people will know that their dad plays with Toronto Maple Leafs if you have that kind of that kind of reputation where you're so beloved respected Wendell Dougie Kujo Max John Tavares then that probably makes your life on your family that much nicer, even more so than even you. The money that they would have saved on the Tavares deal, like let's say if they were able to go up to 5.5 even and say, John, we're gonna do this

because we think we can go up to that number, but they don't have to, they go to four point three eight how consequential is that savings with the matthew nye situation potentially having to play out and unrestricted free agency well believe will be a team that even with the right in cap frankey as you know every dollar counts uh... you like the more else

you pretty good for the, for the lease last year. Well, there's Steve Lawrence right there. Yeah. I mean, it's like, you know, yes, it gives you a bit more on nice and you got it right. You work top down, not bottom up. So you figure out Matthew Nye, you figure out who your second line center is, you figure out those kinds of needs. But if there ends up being money left over for the bottom, well now you can have a guy like that come back and afford him. So every dollar still matters for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Not every team around the league will say that this summer, but the Leafs will. And yeah, so it's a win. It's a win financially as far as the salary cap management goes for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and that's not something that they've had happen a lot with, you know, for the last seven, eight years. Mike Johnson joining us on Overdrive. So as the Leafs continue to try to alter the DNA of this team, we've talked so much about

free agency starting on Tuesday and who they could go out and get. But if they're following what the league is doing it's more likely to come via trade where we've seen some pretty significant hockey deals no adopting going to the Montreal canadians just uh recently miles wood and charlie coil going to columbus do you see teams like the maple leafs maybe going down that road a little bit more than saying trying to go after one of the three florida panthers or another free agent? Well, uh maria i think unless it's unless it's marchand or benis That's what they're going to have to do. I don't even know I like i get brock best is a really good player You'd like him. Maybe nick eelers the guy you go after

beyond those guys I don't think there's a UFA out there up front that would help them to the degree that they need help. So it has to be a trade. And I love it. I love to see Zegrist getting traded and the Dobson deal going through and Colorado working to make more space.

These are good players getting traded in pretty much hockey deals. So you need cap space, you need assets to go the other way. At least might have the cap space, not so many of the assets anymore. But yeah, I think absolutely they will look to not free agency to address their other needs, especially the ones higher up in their lineup unless they can get Mark Shandsworth. I think they're going to take a pretty good run at him. I don't think Bennett's going to consider coming to Toronto and maybe Nick

either as it might take a good run at him if they can as well. But beyond those guys, yeah, Mark, they will they will look to offer sheets for agency trades or different ways that you can you can find a way to get those players. It was interesting, MJ, to see today that Montreal pulls off the trade for Noah Dobson and then, of course, Columbus pulls off a trade for charlie coil and miles would you like a look at that a team that just got into the playoffs and the team that was two points behind that team that just got into the playoffs

both being aggressive trying to make their teams better uh... what do you make of the fit for noah dobson with montreal and the i guess not reactionary move by columbus but the subsequent move by the Columbus Blue Jackets. Yeah and all reports had Columbus being in on the Dobson deal as well so they were probably saving some of those assets for Dobson didn't get them and they pivoted. For Montreal I mean Dobson's a fascinating player he's a very very good offensive player. Not a perfect defensive player Frankie as you

know but he you know he can move the puck out of his own end really nicely. He had a monster year, two years ago, and will fit in nicely for the next eight years. And he gets an eight year deal, which for guys coming up, those won't be available for when it comes to after next summer. So get them while you can, and he gets one in Montreal. Now, I'm curious to see how it works because

He's an offensive player with great instincts that way not a super physical defender Lane Hudson an offensive player with great instincts not a super physical defender and How many of those guys you could have on a Stanley Cup contending team? Which is what Montreal is trying to build that does remain to be seen. If Lane Hudson plays ahead of Noah Dobson on the depth chart next year like he gets first power play minutes he gets more points what's Hudson gonna ask for for a contract? These are where my mind goes but you want a right shot offensive guy who's really good and it costs you yes two first-rounders but two first-rounders that won't that won't help you for a while did not cost you

Reimbacker, Logan Mayhew, Michael Hegg. You're probably top three prospects, and you have the money to afford it, and you're still under $10 million. Like, you kinda love it if you're the Montreal Canadiens, because your team is much better today than it was yesterday. MJ, when you look at this Taveras deal,

we can talk about the hard money that's been left on the table by to various in the very reasonable cap number they're dealing with but is is it kind of to rash to say this could be sort of a turning point for the maple east front office under brad tree living where you know they're playing a little more hardball than we're used to beliefs playing with star players and

you think it could actually change the tone of future negotiations with other players? I think a better litmus test will be what happens with Matthew Nyes. Because the moment you meet in that he was clearly publicly desperate to stay in Toronto and the leverage was really clear. What we will need to see is in a negotiation where that desperate that desperation that leverage doesn't exist to the degree that they would have ours where it's just a negotiation guy likes it here. He wants to stay here. Matthew and I just said that but he's not going to you know

move mountains and take huge discounts to make that happen. So we'll see how that one plays out might be more indicative, but that happen. So we'll see how that one plays out might be more indicative. But but even still like taking the wind when you can get them is something that every front office should be doing. Now Jason Spetsa played here real cheap and Joel Thornton played here real cheap and you know they got Chris Tannett to come back to Toronto. Like they have done well it's actually at different moments but you know it will be the real test. Matthew Knight is a lot closer to not quite Marner, not quite Nylander, but in that ballpark more than Tavares was this time around. You know, Mike, it's funny you're around that organization a lot and when I say organization,

MLSC, and the big news today is Masai Ujiri is out as president of the Raptors and we talked a little bit about how Keith Pelly came out and said we're still in search of replacing him as a president where in contrast the Maple Leafs said good riddance to the role of the president and it's going to be Brad Treleving right to Keith Pelly and the juxtaposition of those two organizations within you know the same ownership. It's interesting because they're the exact, it's exact same thing, the exact same rule. Perhaps it speaks to the uniqueness of the Raptors market in the NBA being a Canadian team.

Like somehow do you need a figurehead that is more Bobby Webster to be out there? Like, Masai was, Masai was an amazing ambassador for the Raptors around the basketball world. And you know the Leafs probably don't need that role. Shandy did a nice job in a lot of business development, a lot of different things. But he didn't have to go you know sort of sell the hospital, the Leafs around the league. Whereas the Raptors probably do need that kind of PR campaign and figurehead to do it.

So, and perhaps, Bradstreet Living haven't been around longer, having had some experience doing this, maybe they feel he's more capable of absorbing some of that responsibility, more so than Bobby Webster is. I don't know the Raptor side of things quite as well, but I think it's more about the Raptors because they're the only Canadian team and around the basketball playing world there are some questions about playing in Canada for NBA guys not our new draft pick he was just excited that's what I've heard he was just excited but I think it's more to do with that than anything sort of like Leaf versus

Raptors it's basketball versus hockey in that than anything sort of like Leaf versus Raptors. It's basketball versus hockey in Canada. Yeah, I mean, MJ, you like the NBA, you follow the NBA. I mean, when you see that happening to Canada's only team, I mean, it's a really seismic moment for a lot of people. There's a lot of fans. If you go on social media, there's a lot of hate being launched toward Keith Peli for the move and maybe people above Keith Pelly

I mean what's your perception of it just as somebody who pays attention? Well I mean I think the writing was on the wall when when MLC was bought out and Tannenbaum and Bell were bought out that the singular voice with the Rogers family or Keith Pelly was gonna make decisions I out that the singular voice, whether it's the Rogers family or Keith Kelly was going to make decisions. I think that the new management organization felt that there was a lot of, what's the right phrase, a lot of layers in the management for both organizations. Maybe that wasn't quite as necessary. With those layers comes big salaries.

What's Messiah, like 15 million or something like that? Plus, plus, plus. Shani was maybe ended up being 15 million or something like that? Plus plus plus Shani was, you know, maybe ended up being half that or something, whatever. It's a lot of money that they felt they probably didn't have to pay. But, you know, I think for Maasai and how significant he was in creating the team that won a championship

and how significant he was in, you know, making those hard deals and so many people looked to him for the, when they decided to trade DeRozan for Dwye and that whatever it takes to try to win mentality. Yeah it's very significant but not surprising and again I always default to whether it's the company I work for owning a team or somebody else. If you own them Fes, guess what? You can do whatever the heck you want. Yeah, no doubt. Like that's you've obviously been successful enough to get to a spot where you own that team Then if you want to put yourself on as a coach, you know, what are you gonna do? That's what that's what happens whether it's advisable whether it's smart

I guess we'll wait and see but certainly have the right to make whatever decision especially with upper management that they'd like to because That's their prerogative as the owners What kind of stuff are you looking forward to for the draft tonight John? You think we're gonna get some big trades on the floor? You think the Islanders package those Habs picks up and try and move up for Hagans? What do you think? Yes! I want the shape for Hagans. It would be and like I don't know if you know Matthew Darch at all but he's a smart smart guy obviously he's been around the Tampa organization but going this bold early for Darch to trade Dobson away.

Now they have first, they got the two straight picks for Montreal. Can he possibly get the best player in Schaeffer and then go get the hometown guy at five, six, seven, eight, wherever Hagen might be available, whatever he has to do. That would be awesome. That would just be great drama and theater. So yeah, I was hoping it was gonna be a big day

and it has been already, but I would like to see, yeah, like the jockeying for the islanders specifically to do Schaeffer and Hagens together would be fun to watch. Well, it's been a big day. We hope Tuesday's a big day. You're gonna be part of our free agent frenzy coverage, which begins at 11 a.m And I would say you get to sleep in a little bit, but you'll be up watching Wimbledon anyway, so it doesn't matter

You'll be ready. You know I will be absolutely and Frankie as we would I go back on our list Yes, so I now have to scratch off my offer sheet guy. You know Heineman. Oh, yeah, that's right Of course offer sheet got targets and I think much y'all knew this and that's one. Of course, offer sheet got targeted, and I think much of y'all knew this, and that's one of the reasons he's not there. Yeah, Johnny and I were doing some hypothetical offer sheets the other day, a couple emails back and forth, and Heinen was on... Is that going to be a segment? Maybe, we'll see.

We'll see if... Hopefully not. Hopefully we have a lot of stuff to talk about. Hey, Johnny? I mean, hopefully we don't have to do any of that stuff we prepared for, but if we do, Heinen was going to be a smart one, and now I'm just going to say it for you so I can sound smart to you, Frankie, but we won't get it out there publicly. That's awesome. All right, we'll keep the other ones under wraps then. for but if we do, Toyota Hotline drive the built in Canada fuel efficient fun to drive Toyota RAV4 gas or hybrid models available visit MapleToyota.com

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