OverDrive - Johnson on the Maple Leafs' starting defeat, McKenna's debut and Jarry's issues with the Oilers

Episode Date: September 30, 2026

TSN Hockey Analyst Mike Johnson joined OverDrive to discuss the Maple Leafs' opening defeat to the Canadiens, Gavin McKenna's debut with the team, Sergei Bobrovsky's play in the crease, Auston Matthews' performance in the game, Tristan Jarry's issues with the Oilers, Connor McDavid's position in the lineup and more.

Here's Mike Johnson, our TSN Hockey analyst. Johnny, what did you, I guess we'll start with 34. I mean, there were eyes on a lot of different players last night. What did you make of Matthew's game? I thought he was good. He certainly won the matchup up against Nick Suzuki, right? Not very often that Nick Suzuki line gets outplayed by the margin they did last night. Marchenko looked dangerous.

Power play wasn't very good. He wasn't great on it there. I thought he was solid. He wasn't dominant. Didn't generate great chance. but they controlled the play more often than not, which is, I guess, a good team is a positive, but more to, they need more, and there's more to give.

So, MJ, what did you take away from last night's game? We were at the starting of the show, it's like, I know it's only one game, but, you know, X, Y, and C. Was there a main concern coming in with that roster or with that group that kind of just showed a little bit of your concern still? Or is it just a matter of, hey, we've got a bunch of new faces and they're going to settle it? Dude, it's almost like you're not quite sure how good the defense has gone to be moving the puck up the ice.

I believe they need more time. I believe they need more reps and games and minutes to get better at it, but I still think we need to see it. It was great to see Tann have played big minutes and look pretty comfortable. Great to see Jake McCabe not be heard, but obviously the Riley Radish pairing, the puck management turning it over while trying to make plays is a bit of a concern. and then all this revamped depth was supposed to be very important. And some identity stuff and some quality player stuff. And third, fourth lines didn't have much of an impact,

didn't play great big minutes or have big moments in last night's game. So, well, out there, Bob is Bob going to be the guy he was last year, the guy he's been the previous five years? Last night he was close to the guy he was last year. So these are all things they got to get better at. They can and probably likely will. but, you know, it's the first game. They looked like a team with 10 new players and a new coaching staff

and a major piece that was just traded in 24 hours earlier. They looked disjointed. They looked a little disjointed. And they were playing against a pretty good team. Johnny, do you have any internal data that you thought was positive and a trending in the right direction that we need to know about for a first episode of dis or data? I, not too, too much there.

the fact that you know one guy we haven't talked about at all old is this whole camp is Easton Cowan like he has been sort of an afterthought in the conversation with the hype over McKenna and the his spot on the top six and everything else that went along with it Easton Cowan played well down the stretch

he was good in camp he was good in the games he is a highly decorated junior player any other prospect that did what he did in junior would be we got to get this guy immediately onto the top six and on the power plant and everything else and I think it's a positive to see him play well

and then sort of be rewarded real time. Oh, I know sometimes you've talked often like, hey, if you're not going, you don't get to keep going. You don't get to keep going back on the ice or on the power play. And on the flip side, if you are going, like Cowan was going, then you do get more ice time.

You get a shift with Neil Lanner and Tabarren to the third. You get out there for the six on five. I think that kind of accountability and reward is a nice thing to see in the first game. This or Dada? Yes, I love it. I think, you know, he looked really good last night, really good. But they're going to need the third line to produce some offense, right?

Like, do Hame and Bluger and whoever else is playing there probably isn't going to do it on the fourth line? Not that any team in the league is really expecting a ton of offense from their fourth line. But they have a ton of talent and a ton of skill and a lot of opportunity for offense in the top six. but you know, Sizzins struggled last night, first game, just like everyone else. Nick Paul thought was okay. It wasn't great either. First game, you got to give him a chance. Mississauga guy playing at home for the first time.

But Cowan was buzzing. And, you know, I think there's a real opportunity there. If he stays in that position, you're up likely against lesser competition, maybe some difficult, you know, zone starts and all that kind of stuff. But if he could have a big year and kind of drive a third line, I think that would be very beneficial for them. Yeah, it's asking a lot for a guy who's a second year pro winger to drive offense on a third line with guys that are making, you know, sisters makes $4 million.

Nick Paul makes, whatever he makes, same thing, three or four million dollars. So these guys have to push more. So, yeah, I think that he will move around, Cowan will. He'll be on the second line at times, be on the third line of times, might be on the first line at times. Ross Levick may be up and down. Like they will try different stuff, but I think that is a positive that he looks so good. And oh, one more dis or data for you, I just recalled. Hang on a second.

If the memory serves, I think I... Dis or data? Go ahead. I don't think Austin Matthews or John Tabarres started one shift at 5 on 5 in the defensive zone. Big doubt. That is different. Big data. That is wildly different than what they've done in the past.

like that would have been unheard of last year. So I quickly scan the thing I'm like, wow, zero for Matthews, that is very different. Hillary said he was going to try to do it. Oh, that's an example of something he's trying to do a little bit different that I bet those guys appreciate.

I get the idea, I get the idea, guys, like start in the offensive zone, but there are situations where I want my big boy go out there and take control with the face off. You know what I mean? Agreed. Not 100% of the time, but as a rule of thumb, if you can

have that ice time chewed up by Colton Siss's line, that's better than and then freeing up to Vars and Matthews. Okay. I'm with you. I hear you. He was killing penalties last night too, which I guess was a part of the plan. I don't remember talking about that a lot in the preseason, but Matthews was out there doing that.

As for McKenna, you know, there was so much build-up and hype, and the last time of first overall pick had a game. We know what happened in this market anyway for that jersey. I mean, everyone saw the same thing. It was not comfortable. Was that nerves in your opinion? Was it the pace of the game? What would you chalk that up to? I would imagine his nerves the moment because the pace was obviously higher than the Ottawa exhibition games or even the Montreal exhibition game. But the stakes are much higher. And his family was in town and all the build up and miced up and warm up. And you just

shooting, like, it's all crescendoing last night. And you know he felt after that last preseason game, like, here we go. I'm going to be rock and rolling. And it didn't happen. And he's a guy that, unfortunately, when it goes well, it will

look spectacular. And he will blow our minds. But when it goes poorly, guys, it will look bad because he only knows how to make plays. He can have an, like, I could have an off night and you might not notice. it was that off of a night because I'm shooting the puck up the boards and I'm chipping it in and I'm chasing it down.

I'm not trying to pass it through guy's skates. I'm not trying to stick handle out the blue line. I'm not trying to spin away from a guy in a dangerous spot. That's all he sort of is wired to do. And now there's time and place for everything. But you don't want to take that out of his game, but on nights where it doesn't work. And it wasn't working. Timing, pace, nerves, all of it.

It looks more noticeable because of the way he plays, because of the way he's wired. Same thing if he said for Radish. Yeah, it wasn't ideal. Great for him that he's playing again tonight. I think that is really good news that he goes right back to it, doesn't have to think about it, doesn't have to sleep on it for two days, and answer to us or the media about it, just go back out and play. I assume he will be better, but there will be moments like this throughout the year.

Not every game is going to be clean. Last night wasn't. So an hour ago we're playing, it's only one game but, which is a game we love to play, especially in the NFL. We almost do it for 84. We may do it for 84 games, yes, sir. Let's shift to the capital of beautiful Alberta,

where we're going to be in a couple months. Yeah. You've got to watch yourself talking about my Oilers. Your Oilers, you've always been a fan, and you've always been a fan of Tristan Jari. What do you, like Babcock was obviously not happy. They stormbacked, they got themselves a point. You look at the actual chances and everything.

The Oilers diss or dad, kind of tilted the ice. Yeah, it was 20 to 11. Yeah, it wasn't really that close. That was the change of the game. That one you just played there, that 3-2 goal, the Oilers were in complete control of that game until that goal. Then they realized what the hell's going on back there.

Then they changed their game. It was crazy. Okay, so, I mean, Babcock, he has been labeled as this guy. It's almost like he's got insulation now, because if they don't get it right, he's like, what do you want me to do? You know, everyone's already asking, hey, you see that? You see all the odd man rushes? You see Jari's giving up all these goals again?

Like, you know, Babcock, he's a coach. He's not a magician. There's only so much he could do. But what stood out to you the most from an Oilers perspective last night? Some of their breakdowns were big breakdowns. They were giving up the odd man rushes. There wasn't that many of them. But when you're giving up two on ones and three on ones and breakaways,

those are big breakdowns that you can't have in a game. That's on the coach, the system, and the players executing the system, because there's obviously not enough layers there. But, you know, that can be explained a little bit, but that can be covered up by not great goaltending. Just can be mediocre. Like, you can make saves on hard shots. You can make saves on plays in tight.

And the concerning part is this is what we saw from Jari. It's not like, oh, he was great last year, it's a one-off. He was miserable last year, and it's more the same. That's the problem. And from what I understand, Freddie Anderson is not returning until, like, December. Like, it's not imminent his return. So it's Levi, Devin Levi, who's going to be the guy. To have to go that badly that early, guys, I know it's just one game, and so it doesn't matter,

but it does in that situation. because the start fresh, clean slate for him, it lasted 30 minutes. And then it's right back. All the damage from last year, all the scar tissue that the team has, but their goaltending is not very good. It's all back. It's all back. It doesn't matter what the coach says. It doesn't matter what anyone does.

It's all back. Oh, it's all connected. It's like they can play a dominant 20 minutes of hockey or 25 minutes of hockey. By the way, some more diss or data. Drist and Jari's played 21 or 22 games for the NFL. I'm 11 times four goals or more have gone in the net. That's a lot. It's not.

But when that happens, it's almost like the goals going into the net, and yes, they do have breakdowns. But when it always just goes into the net, it almost like pushes the panic button on McDavid or dry cycle. It's like, oh, so we're giving up four tonight. I guess we've got to get six. And that just turned. It's a vicious cycle where it's like, you know what?

How about when there's a two-on-one when you've got the game in your hands and you're in control, you actually get a save. That can change the complexion of the game. Instead, it goes in the net and McDefed, McJesus and dry-sit are on the bench. It's like, all right, man, go time. We've got to rip home six tonight if we're going to have a chance to win. You're bang on because the goaltender is going to give up goals. It just, it happens.

It's like the joke about fear. Fear will give up three, but he wouldn't give up that four. When it was most mattered. The owners were in complete control. control that game at 2-2 because Lankton was standing on his head. And then, you know, just a matter of time, just chipping away. But they give up that 3-2 and then it's 4-2. And like you said, all of a sudden you're sitting on the bench and you guys can speak to it as players.

When you don't trust what's going on back there, how do you play? All of a sudden it's like they reverted back to what they were doing last year to go, we're going to try and outscore this. Now, they got a point out of it. But it's crazy. They were at 5-2 and then decided, oh, Okay, let's storm back. Lost in all of this, Evan Bouchard puts up five points.

Five points. Five points. First of the first ever. But there were some great individual performances, and I laughed about this because, Hayes, you brought this up. Austin Matthew's first game, he scored four goals. We thought that Mitch Marner might have been the best player on the ice. Lost in all this, the Leafs lost that game. Yeah, they did.

Remember Freddie got scored on in overtime? Right? Like, this is, this is, Evan Bouchard put an all-time performance up, and we're talking, the goalie couldn't give you one extra save here or there. That was the difference. Where does their tandem rank, in your opinion? You can go first. League-wide.

Are they bottom five in the league, Jari? Dead last. Not dead last. There's a few. There's a few out there that, yeah, it would be pretty close. I invite you to name one. I don't love New Jersey's tandem.

There's not a starter there. Like that's Jake Allen. Jake Allen, Nico Dawes? Yes. Like there's not, you know, like I say, bottom five, you could say, but if Freddie Anderson's in there, a lot different, that's the difference. Freddie Anderson, but I don't think you'll be there.

I think they're getting 30 games out of them. I think the Levi kid has a chance to be a good goaltender. But again, you've got to go out and prove it. Last night. They couldn't do it in Buffalo. Right, Levi? He could not do it in Buffalo. A young, weak team in Buffalo, up and coming, right?

Like it was, Buffalo has now turned the corner. Keep in mind, you had Dahlene and all those guys as young players. Now they're getting older. I think Levi is a good young goaltender, but he's got to go prove it. And, you know, it's not a game of perfect. But last night was the difference was goaltending. You give me a save on a two-on-one or a breakway where there's a breakdown. the team doesn't panic.

They reverted back to their habits last night based on what they were seeing. Yeah. And the goaltending exacerbates whatever message Mike Babcock's trying to put in, right? Because you stay with it when you're in the game. When you're getting saved, you might make a mistake because you're trying to figure things out. But when you don't get saves, you don't want to listen to a new coach, ready coach.

Well, one other thing, too. Their power play had chances but wasn't very good. their penalty kill. I don't know why they put McDavid on the penalty kill. He never stops and starts. He just circles like that. There's little details that need to be cleaned up there. And Babcock wasn't wrong.

I liked his post-game media. He just straight at it. Like, we got work to do here, didn't like it. I don't know what his comment was. But they got work to do there. Well, what are you talking about McDavid circling on the penalty kill? And I thought that was the whole reason for all of this. All that garbage is stopping.

Well, but that's a detail. Right. Don't put on the penalty kill, though. also. The thing is, you're right. You have all the other penalty kill. They have all those other forwards to take minutes.

Yeah. I understand that. But like, you know, you got to have the second or third pair out there, which is what McDavid should be if he's playing, even with Nuge out and everybody else. You know, put Put Cawson out there. Put cap on out there.

Put other guys out there to do it. Like that's the whole point of establishing a role for those lower, bottom six guys. Agreed. Like, you know, you get Nuge, Dickinson, Savoyback. All three of those guys played penalty kill last year. Well, that's another thing. They're dealing with injuries, obviously, early in the year.

With Mike Johnson, we've got the Islanders in town tonight. What is your projection on Matthew Schaefer this year? I would expect him to be a better player, sort of better defensively, better reads, but maybe not score as many goals. We scored 23 last year. That's an enormous number. Now he takes a ton of shots He's up the rush all the time

But I just wonder if The other parts of the game Get a bit tidier He's not bad defensively But just a bit tidier And not that it comes to the expense of his offense He'll probably get more points I just don't know if he can score 23 again

It's hard to score that many goals He might score 16 or 17 And somehow it'll look like a step back It won't be It's just sort of the nature of the position Not many guys score 20 a year This just doesn't happen in today's NHL.

So I think he will be top 10 defensemen in the league creeping inside that, and the other parts of the game will continue to get better to go along with the overwhelmingly gifted stuff with the puck. Yeah, that's, I think, reasonable. I mean, yeah, 20 plus. I remember Dionne Funnuff did that early in his career. Yeah, at 19, I think. Yeah, and then it just kind of, and Ekman Larson, I think, did the same thing, and it never returned. And Schaefer is a much different player than both those guys.

But he is a ticket seller already at 19 year two. Like he's a guy, if you're in the building tonight, back-to-back Hudson last night, who I did not think had a great night. Like Hudson didn't do really much at all. Didn't factor the game. All the stars were bad for Montreal last night by their standards. And that's a missed opportunity for the Leaf.

Yes. Yes. Big time. Exactly. Like when Anderson, Bullduke, and Carrier scoring to win the game, that's probably not. Probably not. That Josh Anderson, if he played his whole career against Toronto Maple Leafs, he'd be in all the favor.

Yeah, he'll Vechan. Scores every game. Every home opener that's been in Toronto that he's been a part of for the haves, I think he scored a goal. He is. Quickly on Schaefer, Johnny, I think that he could, I think he could fast-track things, and I think he could establish himself as being the man this year as far as blue liners. It would not shock me. You heard it here first.

So, like, the celebrini. version of defense. Yes. Where you're like, wouldn't shock me at all if this guy wins a Norris. You don't think there would be a market correction on him at all? None. I have talked to inside people that not a lot of people are privy to.

Watch out. Inside people. Watch out. Those inside people are dangerous. I got it. Listen, it's McCarr, it's Warence, it's Hughes, but he joined that big three.

along with Hudson, like right in that mix? Yeah, certainly. You also wonder, oh, how good New York will be his team, right? Part of being perceived as the best defenseman, generally is you have to play in a pretty good team or be heads and tails the best player on your team like Orensky, so we'll see what happens there. Well, let me ask you this, Johnny.

I'm a little bit offended. If we want to go back into the huts, if we've got the defenseman hut with McCar, Rowensky, and Hughes, How come, and I'll say it again, my five-point guys, not in that hut? I just was about to say that. Warming his hands on the fire? Like, it's just an afterthought. Well, I don't think he said an afterthought.

I mean, hang on. I'm not including him of those three. I think that's fair. I don't think that's a massive slight to Evan Bouchard. I personally had him on my Olympic team. So, like, I'm not here for the Bouchard slander. I recognize what he does. He does almost better than anyone.

But what he does not do is not anywhere near as good as some of those guys. So, yeah, if he's 5, 6, 7 in the league, I just don't think both sides of the fuck are there to be considered the best in the league year over year. Regardless of who wins the Norris, just the best defenseman. But he's the top eight guy, you know. He just not a top three guy. Yeah, it's interesting because like when Carlson was wrapping up all those Norris trophies, he wasn't exactly Scott Steve. evens in his own zone, you know, and yet he would you say those years, was he the best defense in the league? Was he the best defense in the league?

Well, it's arbitrary, right? What's your definition of defense? Right, yeah. Like, is Slaving a better defenseman than Bouchard? Who's better? No, it's both sides. You've got to do everything. Like, that's what makes you the best.

Obviously, those years, Carlson was heads and tails the best offensive defenseman, and that was enough to win the Norris, but was he the best all around? You know, maybe he's so great offensively he might be. and maybe Bouchard will be so great offensively, it will compensate for some of his other shortcomings. And that's possible, 100% possible, because his offense is ridiculous. And it's not going to get any worse.

The power play with those guys, he's going to get a lot of points all the time. Yeah. Yeah. Well, and the thing is, like the big boys he's competing with are point getters too. Right. Like McCar and Hughes and Werencki, they're going to have 80 plus points.

So it's not like they're in the, the 50s, like when Dowdy won his, he had like 55 points. You know, when other guys have won Norris trophies with 50 points, 60 points. Lidstrom wasn't a point of game guy, but he just played every situation and controlled the game the way you can control it. Anyway, we'll see. Night one. Night one.

And we got another one tonight, Leaves Islanders tonight. All right, Johnny. Oh, are we feeling? Is this must win tonight? No. Well, it's not must win. but you might as well pick one off here. Come on.

Here's what's crazy. It's not missed must win clearly. But for a team that's coming off an awful year, you start going to be two at two home games. It's not going to be fun around there tomorrow, right? And then Ottawa always plays them well at home on a Saturday night. Always. Like Josh Anderson and the senators,

they always roll into town early in the season and win. Like all the time. Little love, too, for Jacob Markstrom, a little shutout in it. Yeah. Davey. Yeah. Really good. Swamon was phenomenal last night.

Swamon had some good goals. Florida holding Carolina to three shots in the first period on a banner raising night. That's the group of Florida Panthers that has the rest of the league scared. Like, hang on. But they can step into that place. If they get goaltending in a series and a seven-game series, that's the group that scares the rest of the league. This or data? Yeah.

Archstrom's the guy, right? Gotta play well. Got to get goaltending. All right. Johnny. Great stuff. This or dad? I love it. We're back. It's amazing. Wow. All right, boys. We'll chat later in a week. There's Mike Johnson joining us here on the Maple Toyota Hotline.