OverDrive - Johnson on the Maple Leafs' playoff opponents, Knies' contract level and Hellebuyck's Hart race

Episode Date: April 11, 2025

TSN Hockey Analyst Mike Johnson joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the NHL, the Maple Leafs' possible playoffs matchups, Matthew Knies' spotlight season and his contract standpoint, Connor Hellebuyck in the Hart Trophy lead, the awards in the league and more.

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This is a party where everyone is invited. The Earth Day Party Podcast on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. Joining us on the Maple Toyota Hotline, here's Mike Johnson. We all know the answer, fellas. Give us an answer. If you're Montreal and you can choose to play Toronto

in the first round or Washington, who would you choose? I think everybody wants Toronto. It's just the reality. It is. Thickening but it's true. Whether they should or they shouldn't, that's another question. But the fact is they all would and I think the fact that it's Ottawa and Montreal that could be down there in wild card one, wild card two. The fact that they're both Canadian teams just exacerbates an issue that's already there for the perception at least is that they're not as battle hardened,

playoffs tested, resilient as other teams. Even though Washington was terrible last year. It's not like Washington's been on a great run of playoffs since they won the cup. But I just think Toronto got the baggage that is sort of top of mind for Canadian teams, Canadian team players, and so I think both Ottawa and Montreal, if they could say, and be honest, would both say Toronto.

Johnny, all you've got to do is go through the history, like if you're just going, let's see how much success they've had, you just keep going through the log, it's like, oh, they choked away that series, they couldn't win that series it's like you would be an idiot not to want them an idiot I just you know what and you make a great point but Washington still that this is a different team that won the cup yes OV is there yes Tom Wilson's there who else is there that won that car? John Carlson. John Carlson. That's it.

And Logan Thompson. I want Washington too, man. And Charlie Lindgren. I want Washington badly. If I'm any of these things. Oh, you're horned up for Wash? I would be over Tampa, Florida, Carolina. Like, absolutely. If you had me rank, I'm not convinced Washington should be looked

upon as that much more of a sure thing than Toronto either. I mean, I'm not convinced Washington should be looked upon as that much more of a sure thing than Toronto either. I mean, I'm not sure I'd buy that. I mean, Dylan Strom is your first line center in the playoffs. Let's see. He's had a great year. Let's see what he's got coming in the playoffs. I mean, that's asking a lot at a lot of these players, man.

Like Chickron in the playoffs, got no playoff experience. What does he look like in the playoffs? Rosmas Sandin, of experience was he look like in the playoffs rosma sandin what is he gonna be in the playoffs logan thomas i was going that's right i was going to but i was going at it from the back end charlie lengren and logan thompson have four games each in the playoffs right so it's if there's not a lot of experience there but there is pedigree and and we do have to give them the benefit of doubt they've had a hell

of a season and there are a boss and season but again you're there's a lot of unproven show me I don't know how you feel about it Johnny but that's kind of where I would I'm thinking about with Washington that's totally fair and I think that's reasonable I think the goaltenders are a legitimate question like they haven't kind of been through it they have come so far so fast that, you know, it's a little surprising what they pulled off this year. And so, yeah, can they back it up?

How does that game translate? All those questions you just mentioned, totally reasonable. But I just think it's not for Canadian players. You know, I think the Toronto Maple Leafs and their playoffs lack of success is just so well known that I still think if you're to ask the players without doing a deep dive on how they match up in previous results and who's got confidence against what goalie, I think they would just say Toronto because the perception around Toronto sort of pretty well-earned is that

they haven't been the best version of themselves in the playoffs and it's not a one-off it's a what are we at seven off eight nine nine years in a row they made the playoffs here so that's why it would be and the only way and the players on Toronto knows there's one way and only one way to stop this conversation. Only one. To go on the playoffs, play well, win a round, two rounds, and then it goes away. Then we will not have this conversation ever again for another seven years. But until they do that, that's their reality. That is their reality. That is their reality. And they're, listen, things are going to have

to break their way. They're going to have to be healthy healthy. And Oliver Ekman-Larson now is out tomorrow, I would assume for the whole weekend. I don't know how you don't play tomorrow, but then plays Sunday in Carolina. You got McCabe who's still out. Like that's two defensemen that won't play and they're gonna be likely with five defensemen tomorrow night.

Health is gonna be such a huge part of this. And specifically, I think that defense core that has changed the most. tomorrow night, health is going to be such a huge part of this. And specifically, I think that defense core that has changed the most. I mean, you've got Morgan Raleigh as a stalwart, but really over the last three years, I guess, you've added McCabe, Tanev, Ekman-Larson, and Carlo. Like, that's probably the biggest difference. I know the goaltenders have turned over and all that, but the, and they need to score big goals and big moments all those

things have been consistent for nine years but i think what they've built on the defensive end of things has the chance to have a a massive positive ripple effect presuming they're all healthy that the big production i guess at this point they are the benefit of having them largely healthy most of the season uh... and yet you know They had the benefit of having them largely healthy most of the season. And yet, you know, because when everyone is there, it seems to work quite nicely.

But once you even pull one guy out, the domino effect of putting Ekman Larson further up the line, bringing in Myers, it all gets much less effective pretty quickly if guys aren't capable of playing because of health but I mean look at Florida. Is Matthew Kachuck going to be healthy? I mean you hope so in your Florida but do you know so? Brady hasn't played in a couple weeks. Is he going to be healthy? This is an issue for all teams and important players will miss time but you're right Toronto if you're a Leaf fan if you're a Leaf management you're thinking okay we built this team to be

different we designed it to play a certain kind of way and brought a certain kind of coach that could get them to play that way can we give our can we see it like you don't want to get the class and not be able to even see what you sort of built up and how if if it works or not, because Jake McCabe can't play or Oliver Ekman-Larsen can't play or whatever it might be. So yeah, it's a big deal, but these are the reality for teams regular season or playoffs, injuries are something they're going to have to cope with and they won't be the only ones to do it. Johnny, you mentioned the lack of success

and going to the Tampa game, watching that top line play the way they did produce. They won them the hockey game, they were the difference in the hockey game. Like, what about that game do they need to bring to the playoffs? Is it just simply the contribution? Was it intensity?

Was it just getting it done? Consists, done? Did they need to do that more often? What do they need to do in the playoffs? What needs to change about the way they play? So I think what it is that that line specifically is absolutely lethal when they are able to turn pucks over. Now you saw in that game against Tampa that they forced turnovers or Tampa gave them turnovers. Whatever you want to phrase it right like Tampa was maybe a little loose, Toronto did a good job forcing it and when they can get that they're incredible. The night before the game I did in Florida they gave them nothing. They couldn't force it, they

couldn't get one and the game flowed along the board, did on the dump and everything else. So if you're asking me sort of stylistically, if they're playing a team where they can pressure enough to get turnovers, because once they get turnovers, they're just so talented though, that they make it happen. And the other part is like, you know, Matthew Nye is a different player. Like him in front of the net is, he's a different, he brings a different element. And I think that might help them as well. So but that would doubt be what I'd say. They got to find a way to create turnovers and not play the whole game off the wall,

but a little bit in open ice. Johnny, I was going to go to Connor Hellebuck here, but I want to stick with Matthew Nye as well. We're, you know, on it. Have you had the conversations? You had people, I mean, I had to talk about it yesterday. Where are you at with Matthew Nice as far as would you try and lock him up eight years? Would you find a number that fits for both sides? Would you bridge

him? What do you see? I mean, I know you've been following his career. You said he wasn't a huge scorer in college. You had 15 goals last year. Now he's going to be a 30, 60 guy. Do you see him ever being a 40, 80 guy? What is the ceiling on him? What would that number look like if we were just spitballing and getting crazy here? Yeah. So you're right, Noodles.

I mean, full credit to him. He has been incredible. He has been better than I thought he would be at some things that I didn't think he would be this good at, notably scoring goals and plays around the front of the net. I mean, you look at Noodle, the most goals he scored since he was 16 years old, 21, like not in the USHL, not in college, not in the NHL, all of a sudden he's going to go for 30. Now again, I guess I'm hesitant to suggest he can go 40-40 because that's a big step, given that he's already taken a massive step this year compared to years past. But I think,

you know, the fact of the matter is he's shooting almost 20% this year, which again, I don't know if that's entirely sustainable, but he's a very, very good player. So let's just say this is what he is. Some version of this is what he is. That is awesome. That is incredible. On an eight-year deal, Noodle's, that's got to be $8 million plus a year with the cap going where it is. If you just think about what the cap is, four years from now the cap's $130 million. $8 million players is not that much. So, but the challenge that I think Toronto will face, but not just Toronto, we focus on Toronto,

but every team that has players like this, is like why Johnson just got a big long-term contract. If the players are bullish, they also know the cap's going up that much. If they want to bet on themselves for a three or four year deal Get back to it when the numbers already there. They probably can chase their number a little bit higher I don't know if nice wants that if I'm nice. I'm also appreciative of the fact that I Don't know if this martyrs back next year, right? I don't know if Johnson Vars is back next year

Like I'm gonna play with Austin Matthews, sure, but am I guaranteed to have the same kind of run on the power play with five guys? Am I going to have the same kind of run at success shooting 20%? Like it would be a pretty lucrative time to cash on a long-term deal if you're him and you're not certain you're going to go get 70 points next year because it's going to be hard for him to do much better than this year. That's a compliment to him. He's been fantastic.

My philosophy is anytime anyone offers you 8 times 8 or any 7 times 7, you are a moron not accepting it. Unless you're a super duper star. Unless you're a super duper star. Johnny, I don't care what you are. If someone says I can throw that amount of cash in your pocket and you don't do it and you're hoping for a little bit more down the road you are a moron

end of story moron you could get hurt there's all kinds of dumb things that could happen and you could have that stuffed in your pocket moronic behavior all hazy be agree that this is a good uh... hang on hang on i don't know your contractual history in your career, but did you ever fight over $250,000? I was getting nickel and dined. Did you ever want four instead of three and a half?

Did you ever want three instead of two, seven, five? And you fought today and got frustrated. It's all relative. It's all relative. I know. and then they got frustrated like it's all relative it's all relative and the thing is, oh, once you're good enough and this is where like the league is the league there's gonna be two more teams in the next few years he's gonna have a team that's gonna pay him seven eight million dollars

even if he gets 20 goals and 45 points. The bottom line is seven times seven or eight times eight you can see Andy Dufresne down by the water and you know you're gonna get there you just play Andy Dufresne down by the water and you know you're going to get there. You just play it out and you go down to the boat and fix it up. You just find 3 for 18, 6 per and you're going to make 9 for 5 for 45 and you're up at 61 and you're going to be just fine.

You know what I mean? Like it's going to happen and you can get hurt, yes, but you can buy insurance to protect yourself in case you get hurt, yes, but you can buy insurance to protect yourself in case you get hurt. I hear you and logically everyone listening right now is throwing their phone at my voice saying shut up because it's so much money. But you know how it is, you talk to the agents like listen, a million dollars a year, that's not insignificant. Johnny, same people were saying that to Hayes when he quit on Rory McIlroy

rookie mistake exactly you know what'll happen you know what'll happen by Sunday Hayes is gonna have a tweet because Rory might go south he might Greg Norman well I had all you I had some stuff planned after last night I was coming in with heat on meltdowns on Thursday I was gonna bring up the shark that ironically that's dude we're gonna get developing in hoodies with Rory's face on it with a straw hat that's right Rory's face on the shark hat behind 15 green yesterday that was's face on the shark hat behind 15 green yesterday that was the image of the tournament and then the guy shoots

six under today and I hope he pulls it off it'd be incredible story but you know this is it now now you played yourself into the weekend where you're in contention you got to close you're not going to get a better opportunity than this if you're if you're McElroy. Well didn't have a better opportunity in 2011 when he was leading by like four. Yes but you're not you can't go back in time I mean that's the thing 14 years ago is 14 years ago. He's been he's been in a really good spot before it hasn't gone well for him. Exactly. That day in particular was gruesome. That was very gruesome and let's hope that does not happen again.

No. We collectively as a show decided to announce at four o'clock that Connor Hellebuyck won the heart trophy last night Oh, you want to jump on our bandwagon or are you gonna push back? I Mean unanimous decision strong, but I I get it like you don't even you don't have to convince you that like leading point getters gonna get a hundred and 25 points neither the top two guys are gonna get 50 goals the leading goal scorer the guy that I probably would have given it to had he played the entire season would have been dry saddle but he's gonna miss 10 games and not win they aren't Ross and only have only 53 54 goals meanwhile you got

Hellebuck back one of the best team in the league a team that's good but they're not like not the Red Wings at 97 like they're good but they're not you know Hall of Famers everywhere he leads the win save percentage goals against shutouts I think this is the kind of year that is special enough especially relative to the field that I'm okay with that I think he'll be a finalist I think he'll have to just get over the idea that people don't love voting for goalies, but on merit, it's not a hard case to make. Yeah, I think best player, best team, the fact that he plays as many games as he does, I think should hold value. I think compared to your position, like you mentioned, and it's accurate, Dry Settle scored more goals than anyone else. Well, look

what this guy does. Like this guy's going to start so many games, more games than anybody, he's got more shutouts than 27 teams in the league. He's got more shutouts on his own. His stats are off the charts, they expected this, expected that, and he's done it all year. Like they started 15 and 1 and they all played and they were scoring a million goals. Remember the goals they were scoring back then? And Eric Palmer didn't win a game for like 8 weeks. Right. It's like the's a backup when he played it's not like he went on a 10-and-1 run it's all every thing you look at strengthens his case the only thing that does it is that he's a goalie and whatever you value

that in when it comes to the heart that's if he doesn't win it this year then just take then make that announcement goalies can't be nominated that would be my stance just take them out and it's over and they're from there i'd vote on it i just got my ballot or whatever the and email like literally half an hour ago it just it i think dry subtle was solid out of the it's not right now how about all i've got to go through it you've got a hard time it did that what time what are you

on my eyes you're not asking the salki here it's easy send it to me and i i i i i i i i i email and we're done on the head and there's there's plenty of time i'll come into studio let's do a whiteboard next week done and lay out some depth charts and go what does this look like who's our heart who's there but i don't know what i want to do that i think you got to use instinct and you've got to use box and feel

and you can say that guys was a subtle intangible award that's what it is. It's an award based on intangible. You just have to say to yourself I'm here as an expert who was the best guy and it's Connor Hellebuck this year. Some people might think it's Kucherov, some people might think it's Dry Sido, some people might think it's McKinnon but you just put down who you think was the best guy people start turning into they start looking into stick turnovers and zone entries it's crazy but you have to look at it all Johnny help me out here you have to look close you have oh yeah you want to look at zone entries for the heart trophy are you high bro you can't I would like to

look at I would like to look at possession numbers something defensive if you're going to compare McKinnon and Kuturov their numbers are very similar very very similar so like you got to dig deeper than say well they both have you know one guy's got 36 goals one guy got 42 they both have 122 points they both have both the same number of power like you got to go deeper so yes, but when it's a goalie versus a positional player, it's sort of different because no matter how deep you go, at some point you got to be like, okay, I value this more and you can't really compare them because it's apples to oranges. Right.

I think it's a great exercise to go through and I think it would be a lot tougher if Dry Cytil was playing down the stretch if he didn't miss 10, 12, whatever it's going to be. Because apparently he's skating, I think Edmonton's being overly cautious with all of them as they should be. We were joking last hour, like I heard from people at edmonton that mcdavid was ready a week before he played but it was like you're you're not we're going to be a hundred ten percent because he was shot out of a can in the other night in it again st louis like he was

he was on a hundred little like where you think that you got nine and or now ninety three he'd like seven point before games and they may be that interesting, the 100 point. Yeah, I mean. Yeah, that's true. They played San Jose tonight and I think he might have himself a game. I just feel like he... His interview after the game the other night, he had three assists and he seemed still a

little bit mad that he missed. He was like, yeah, I'm working on the timing and stuff because I was telling the guys yesterday watching it he was ahead of the play in the first period he was at the far blue line he was moving so fast and the D couldn't find the puck for him but it was it'll be interesting to see you're right a hundred might have been in the back of his mind going hey I need to do this that's like a legacy play as well right yeah you started those markers you know like the most hundred point seasons right you start reading that most hundred point season the guys don't have that like somebody's pull up obi's like obi doesn't have that many hundred point seasons

even sid doesn't have that because they don't play all the games right they don't have that many hundred point season like four or five six like not that many for all-time great players and you know Conor's had four or five by himself like I don't know I don't know you know I think one of those things that he's probably not thinking about but he might be aware of. Well why wouldn't you man I mean it's yes it's an arbitrary number but it's an important one in sports you know we've just done it with Sid and you got to be realistic in terms of what you can catch. You know, it's a feels like a minor miracle of catching Scott Gretzky. No one's catch. I don't think anyone's catching Gretzky's point record.

Are you kidding? I hear you. But people have done the math with McDavid that if he plays another, you know, 12 years and averages 100 points or something, then you can get up and maybe get close to it. But then you're looking at what Sid just achieved, you know, point per game for 20 years. Like what else can you do as a player where you hit a mark that is yours? You know, you can take ownership of a record. And I would have to believe that's something that would be important. Just like

I'm sure Dry Settle looked at it and said, I'm not ending the season at 48 goals or 49 goals like I'm getting back and I'm scoring 50 and he did that now he doesn't have to play again if he doesn't want to until game one of the playoffs. I think all and all those players are all driven by team success that's very true but you don't become great without an ego without an awareness without a desire to be great individually too it's like a healthy thing that pushes the great players. They want to be individually great. They're all, they know all these numbers, Hazy, and you're right. They care about them all. For sure, as they should. All right, Johnny. Well, we're gonna help

Noodle's out here. I think the top spots in all these categories. Zone entries. Well, it's, for me, it's Hellebuck, Carberry probably Jack Adams, right? McCarr's got I think the Norris. Hellebuck's got the Vezna. Hudson's got the Rookie of the Year. Yeah, so what else is there? I mean just pack just send it in tonight. Selkie, all-star teams like there's a Selkie's an interesting one because Barcaw's been injured and maybe Uncle Ricky Suzuki. Yeah Yeah, you've got the NHL all-star center three selections right wing three you know three selections for any all rookie team does all we make though like the NHL first team all-star noodles wins do you

have any games next week noodles cuz me and Hazel do the awards yeah okay we'll run it through for you we'll take it over we will do the award show because we will have it done like a split this will be quick man and lady bing that's the other one i always struggle with just mail that one in and let jp do that then send that to jp your ass brother the lady bing is typically the lady bing is usually a consolation prize for the heart trophy.

No, not the lady bing. It's whoever doesn't win it one year. It's whoever doesn't get any penalties. No, dude. If you have no penalties, you get the lady bing. The lady bing is like a consolation prize. It's a guy that has a zillion points with little penalties and he didn't get in the heart nomination.

It's the highest scoring guy who doesn't win anything else that's really just don't get a lot of this get it one year that that i think that you start i think he might have a picture of both every year he does you're right that he'd be okay is not i don't think this is your means not put up his the greatest numbers but well i don't know i think i think i was a little big in and pick like Jacob Slavin, defenseman, defenseman. He only has six minutes or something.

I like that idea. I always try and look at, like my metrics too. There's our guy. I always try and look at guys who play, especially defensemen who play a ton of minutes with low penalty minutes. And Slavin always fits that bill, right? Like that guy plays, well, let's say twenty five minutes a night good player produces points but also has like eight penalty minutes all year

which is tough to do as a defenseman you know that's where i look but then i like a professional voter doodle than none of us not nobody else is that why you're the guy very professional i'm not that guy every there's a bunch of voters professional surprised johnny i'm sure you're on that list too i don't know i sure you're on that list too. Why can't Oh be on that list? Oh could be on that list. I'm surprised Johnny's not on that list. I'm surprised Johnny's not on there.

But Oh, we know. I think you need Oh to balance things out. I'm nowhere close. I know I'm not close. I'll never be involved in anything to do with this league. I believe Oh could and should be on it but they've probably watched this show and go this guy has fired people like how many times the O say like that's a fireball offense and it's like you know I was asked

somebody who's very highly respected called me and said we're looking for some voters about four years into my broadcasting career and i said i'd be honored i'll take it very seriously i hung up the phone and that person never called me back once i love that they were dead serious to say i really like to have a welcome addition i'd never heard back from that but what What happened there? I'm curious, man. I thought you were being sarcastic.

Or you forgot to hang up the phone afterwards and he kept listening and God knows what you were up to. He's like, that is not a voter that I want to be associated with. There is a chance that happened. Very good chance. All right, Johnny. Good stuff, pal. Enjoy your weekend.. Very good chance. Alright Johnny, good stuff pal. Enjoy your weekend. Have a good weekend. There he is. Mike Johnson joining us here on the Maple Toyota Hotline. Drive the built-in Canada fuel-efficient, funded drive Toyota RAV4, gas or hybrid models available. Visit mapletoyota.com. best of our great nation one song at a time. This is Justin Bieber. Hi, this is Terry Clark. We are Nickelback.

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