OverDrive - Johnston on Jones landing with the Panthers, Tkachuk being placed on LTIR and Kane's contract situation

Episode Date: March 3, 2025

TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the NHL, the trade deadline outlook across the league, the Panthers trade for Seth Jones from the Blackhawks, Matthew Tkachuk landing on LTIR, Evander Kane's contract approach with the Oilers and more.

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As to why matt rempe did not get any discipline whatsoever for that hit the other night It can to some degree. I mean, I I think the the issue is did not get any discipline whatsoever for that hit the other night it can to some degree i mean i i think the the issue is that you know that there was a lot of force delivered there and obviously the big guy i mean it's going to be continued to be an issue for him i think they have communicated to him that he he needs to be mindful about how he delivering those

checks but you know i i don't think that was one there was too much Malintent and I mean look if Matt Rampe's coming up against me At five foot seven if I was ever on the ice with him It's probably no clean way to finish up a check against me if you're in his shoes And so I think that one was just on the line and and he was fortunate It didn't have any worse consequences or wasn't delivered any more forcefully. That's a dangerous precedent to say like he's waiting just to give a little bit more force.

To me it's just letting the guy off the hook. I don't know. I've just seen the way he hits in the past and I just... hits like that man, you don't deserve the benefit of the doubt. I think they gave him the benefit of the doubt. Yeah. Well, I mean, look, I think that is part of it. And this is going to come up again. I'm sure that when you have a player that big that's playing that style of game, I mean, everything he does is going to be under the microscope because he has been dinged with a few big suspensions. Well, and that was my point, CJ, is because they keep saying the next one's gonna be bigger

Now they put themselves in a position where they maybe didn't like the hit but they also don't want to give them 15 games for it But if that's the case, what's the point of having this whole repeat offenders thing if you're afraid to use it? Like if the repeat offenders only while now that really justified 15 games, so I'll hand it out What's the point of putting them on the books I mean I don't think they're afraid to use it I mean in this case they just don't think he crossed the line and that it was certainly you know much different than the Hitties earlier you know like they got him dinged earlier this season no where he was way away from the play way away from the boards and in a very vulnerable spot I mean I think in this

case you know, some of it is clearly down to the height differential there. So, you know, I'm not as worked up about this one. Like I don't, I don't see a hit that needs to be punished in that case, but I mean, it does, what it does remind me, the underlying to me is just everything that Rempe does is going to be scrutinized pretty closely. Yeah. Well, and I think he deserves it. Anyway with Chris Johnston our TSN hockey

insider, before we got to Rempe we were talking about the Hughes injury, Jack Hughes. You heard anything on him and you know what are they bracing for in New Jersey? I haven't heard anything definitive. I mean it sounds like there could be a somewhat positive signs there just in terms of, you know, it obviously looked horrible. But, you know, it was a travel day for the team. You know, that play happened right at the end of the game last night. And so they need, you know, further imaging to get a sense of exactly what they're dealing with. But, you know, clearly the entire organization holding its

breath when you have a player of huge standard and given that, you know clearly the entire organization holding its breath when you have a player of huge standard and given that you know he had a shoulder injury last year in a shoulder surgery that kept him out for quite some time you know I think that there was a lot of concern in that moment what you saw in Sheldon Keith's reaction you know he thought a felony should have been called he was thrown out of the game and and you know but i don't think that there's any firm you know i did just yet exactly what they're looking at but as i said maybe some small hint of encouragement that it might not be as bad as

initially everything looked cj kelly are croc coming back how do you think the least view this player coming back from injury is it like all while we've got like our we've made a free trade that didn't exist and we just got a great player he's going to contribute and be a part of the solution here or is it welcome back what are we going to do with you i think it's it's somewhere in the middle uh... you know i don't i don't

see anyone coming out doing cartwheels and you're trumpeting this is is a massive development but clearly I think Kelly Yarncrook when he's been on his game in the past, he's better than players at least have been playing routinely in their lineup this season. To me the biggest unknown or the question mark there is what version of you are you going to get and I don't just mean tonight, I mean as he gets his feet back under him here in the coming weeks before they reach the playoffs, it's been a really long layoff for a guy in his early 30s, hasn't played since game seven last year against Boston. And so I guess the real point of judgment here is just seeing what version of him you're

getting. But if he's anywhere near what he's been at his best I think he's seen internally as an upgrade on the lineup could give them some options especially on that third line you know and perhaps even if there's injuries can be moved up a little higher than that for some spells and he's got a little bit offensive finish to him at times but you know what they like most about him he's a very responsible two-way player and you know when we get into the playoffs if he's part of that third line I mean that's that's a valuable thing for the team to have. CJ speaking of trades this is your favorite week I know of the year it's

it's never ending coverage so I wonder is there like a sleeper team out there that you think might surprise us all and do something that we don't expect? Like every year there seems to be like, wow, they did that. The old sleeper team question. You like that? Whoa, we love it here. Hey, what do we have? What do we have? Who are we sleeping on, CJ? Well, I mean, I'm going to go to the two most obvious options for that. That would be Vegas

and Tampa. I mean, those are the two teams that always seem to come up with something in the deadline window that are aggressive. And obviously in both cases, you have teams that are trying to win the Stanley Cup again this year, teams that are in a contender position and I think are incentivized to behave as they have in the past. But it's tough for me to say that, Jonas. I mean, sometimes, especially right now, I'm so in the weeds, it's hard to maybe see the big picture of what's going on league-wide I mean I am encouraged I will say that we haven't

had really that much activity yet obviously a couple deals over the weekend but you know when you go back since February 1st I think right about three or four trades that involved NHL players and so I do think it's going to be a busy few days leading into Friday and you know we just need a few more sellers I think to juice up the market and get the floodgates open here. With Chris Johnston, Something to Chew On brought to you by Boston Pizza, Canada's favorite sports bar.

Enjoy a $15 lunch at BP where you get an entree, a side and a drink and you get it all in 20 minutes or less. So fast lunch doesn't have to be fast food. See you for a $15 fast lunch or your local BP. So we've been asking online, are something to chew on brought to you by Boston Pizza? Does the Panthers acquisition of Seth Jones, and I guess you could throw anything Tampa does between now and Friday, put pressure on the Leafs to make a big move? How would you answer that, CJ? I don't really think it does.

I mean, I understand where that thinking comes in, but I don't really think it does. I mean I understand where that thinking comes in but you know I don't think it really changes the approach or anything like that. It's not as though at least we're in the market on that player you know and obviously Toronto is dealing with a pretty you know infinite or finite I guess rather amount of cap space and they're just looking to you know get the best team they can together with that cap space. And so I don't think it changes anything.

I mean, certainly there's a lot of internal pressure for a GM like Brad True Living at this time of year. You know, the Leafs look at themselves this morning, fourth overall in the standings. I think they feel good about what the teams may have accomplished, you know, especially given some of the injury issues that they've encountered this season and had to play through. But I don't think it's quite as simple as, oh, a team makes a big move, now we've got to do the same. Florida has been on the rise right now, and maybe if anything, it just sort of reinforces

the idea of Toronto wanting to push here as hard as they can to win the Atlantic division because likely whoever finishes first seed in the division would at least avoid taping of Toronto wanting to push here as hard as they can to win the Atlantic division because likely whoever finishes first seed in the division would at least avoid tap on floor in the first round, which I think is a pretty good objective if you're on the Leafs end of things right now. How is the league responding to this Matthew Kachuk long-term IR? Hopefully he returns for game one storyline. Well, I haven't heard too much cynicism about it just yet. hopefully he returns for game one storyline.

Well, I haven't heard too much cynicism about it just yet. I mean, you know, certainly we've been down this road with other players and other circumstances in the past. And I think what gives it credence, obviously, is Matthew Kachuk, you know, didn't play the last 12 minutes of the first game against Canada, the Four Nations, he sat out the third game by the U.S. and then he played what, I think seven minutes total in the final so you know we know what that tournament meant to him

uh... you know how we would have done anything he could to to be on the ice to be a difference maker for team u.s.a. and it's a good for the team cj like it's a gift like it and i'm not a gift but it's like a layup where it's like all your hurt you're going to be out for a bunch for you might as well be out for the whole thing well you're you're saying that and I think it's fair. It's a gift at the deadline, but is it a gift? You know, what version of like, is Kichak going to be ready to play on

when the playoffs begin? Is he going to be effective at that point in time? I mean, it's hard for me to sit here and argue the fans are better off without him. Um, but certainly it opens up this window now where they can. Can be adding and doing things, but you know, I want to see what it looks like on the other side because that it's clear that the truck is dealing with it

legitimate serious injury uh... and you know while they they hope he's back for the start of class i don't think that that's uh... i don't think that's a foregone conclusion this point i think it's uh... you know he's looking at a pretty significant recovery period here now i was just gonna say i wonder how that drives with palmar is last week emphatically telling radio in Florida he is playing

for us again this season yes this is like what happened good vibes yeah what how did Paul get that information if now all of a sudden we're not certainly well well I guess the playoffs is what they would count as this season I mean look they're they're they're planning on playing right through till June again. So, um, you know, I guess it depends. I define that, but you know, I think it was pretty clear, quite honestly, for Kachak leaving Boston, that he was likely, you know, out for eight weeks or so at that point in time, at least, um, obviously he's gone and got subsequent testing and, and, you know,

they've done a little bit more of a thorough exam on them but you know I don't think anyone you know I don't I didn't see exactly Paul said I read those quotes but the truth is I don't think anyone within the patches organization expected him back anytime soon coming out of that tournament do you think we ever see a day where that's not allowed I don't know how they would do it but do you think it's something ever legislated out where you can't put a guy on and then I don't know bring him back for the playoffs I don't know how you would do it I do think it's possible don't it's just because it's been discussed you know I mean like some

GM's don't like the idea that you can do this I mean it's come up at GM's meetings the last couple years there's been talk about maybe you have some kind of you know cap that governs the playoffs maybe as a way where you can't dress a roster that has anything more than what the combined salaries would be allowed in the given season. I don't know what that looks like but given that we're in a period where the NHLPA and the league are negotiating a CBA, I do think it's possible there's some change to the system that at least eliminates this question because it can get pretty great, right? And the crazy part about it is essentially for a team if they have an injured player

and it could be Matthew, it could be Chuck or anyone else, if that guy can play one game at the end of the regular season they're supposed to activate them and you know, there's obviously a lot of cap implications from that. By holding him out one more game you know, you get his entire salary True to the playoffs and then you can basically have an unlimited, you know amount of salary on the books in the playoffs and it doesn't Necessarily make a ton of sense and obviously we have seen some teams game it as I mentioned to Hayes though I really don't think that's the case here with Florida that the feeling you know is that that this is Something pretty significant that Kachak's dealing with and I don't know that we definitely see him roll

out game one of the playoffs and have three points the way we've seen some players do it in the past and so you know it's a tricky one but I think we will see a change at some point because there seems to be you know a league wide thought that that might be the way to go. With that in mind this Evander Cain story is is gonna be fascinating between now and Friday because you know Explain it to everyone first like and I'd like to know the skinny on it like is it well he's ready to go and they don't like when he had the surgery you correct me if I'm wrong CJ when he had the surgery for starters he had it

pretty late right there all summer people were kind of going back and forth he had it the original time my my understanding was he could be back kind of early into the new year. Yeah. Like that was kind of what they were, like four to six months and maybe that January was coming up. And then there was some sort of pushback on that, that it was unlikely he'd be back in January.

Clearly that was accurate because we're into March and he's still not back. But now it's a scenario where you might be having a little bit of a game of chicken here where the Oilers probably thinking this isn't our best interest to keep you on long term IR until the playoffs and then we can use that money maybe to acquire pieces between now and Friday. But I read an article today that there could be some pushback from the Kane camp CJ because he wants to play and if he feels like he can play with Eight to ten games to go he's gonna want to do that. Is that your gist of it? And if so, like what who wins that battle the Vander Kane or the Oilers?

It's it's to be determined who wins it I mean, I think you've summed up the highlights pretty well there I mean where where some eyebrows are raised, if you might recall, is he had a second procedure. He didn't had a knee procedure done in January after the initial surgery. And so I think at that point, a lot of people were thinking, oh, OK, this is something

that was done with some eye on keeping him out through to the playoffs. But you know, Vander Cain himself has put video of himself up skating on his Instagram account to, I guess, show that he was on his way back and it does seem as though, you know, he's trying to trend towards a return at some point before the season and obviously the Oilers are sitting here, you know, having to plan their cap in a certain way. They're like a lot of contending

teams, you know, considering adding players, adding salary at this deadline and need to know where that's gonna go and, you know, where it's ended up now is a lot of contending teams considering adding players, adding salary at this deadline and need to know where that's going to go. And where it's ended up now is they've at least started gauging what the market might look out on potential moving cane because he had a full no movement clause that turned into a 16 team no trade clause essentially on March 1st. And so I think that there's a scenario to remove any uncertainty perhaps where Edmonton finds another home for him. If that doesn't

happen then it really gets interesting in terms of what moves do others make or don't make, how they they navigate this because you know obviously they're looking to spend right to the cap and we'll need to have some certainty that Kane isn't coming back because frankly you can't activate a player and be over the cap and and there's only so many mechanisms to get rid of guys between now and the end of the season so this is this is the script here still to be written I don't know who wins the tug-of-war or where this all lands but it's certainly one to get your popcorn out for between now and Friday's deadline to see how the

Oilers manage it and did they just end up trading and to remove any any concern about that so the justice cj if he comes back they got a lot unloaded i or is it just that they comes back they can't add anything at the deadline well it's both i mean if he comes back they need to have room to add a salary on on their there on their books right now. And, you know, I think the salaries is it 5 million?

Yeah, it's five something. It's not, you know, it's not nothing. And so, you know, as a team, you need to know what that looks like before you even make another trade potentially or trades this week. So I think it's right now just in kind of a gray area where it might be in Edmonton's best interest to see if there's someone else out there that would take his contract. I think that's where it is today is that the oilers are looking at the market and obviously if they can move them, then it's no longer a concern for them.

If they can't move them, then it's going to have some pretty big implications of what they can do by Friday 3pm. This is the conundrum on both fronts one when he's healthy and playing He's a really good player and if you're the Oilers you need the help like they need they need some help They they won over the weekend, but they've hit a bit of a rut here, you know Some of the depth pieces they have they acquired over the offseason just have not worked. They could use him But it's pretty clear they could use him game one of the playoffs, wink, wink, nudge, nudge. And the I could, I'm certain

the fan base will probably turn on them. If Kane's like, I'm not doing that. I got to play. And as a result, it's going to possibly screw up the cap structure or who else they could acquire. Like, and I don't know, I don't know where I would side on this because like he has the right to play. He has a contract and he's a professional player and he's a veteran and he's worked hard to rehab. The cap has never been a player's responsibility. No, and that's exactly, he's like, yeah, I'm signed, I'm a professional and I've worked

hard to get back and I want to play. But you know in Edmonton, CJ, and would be thinking take one for the team of Vandor and play game one. Like don't force yourself back to play ten meaningless games. Like I would think from a PR standpoint he would have to think this through a little bit more. Well do you want to know another element of it is is look the reason they want that cap space is they might want to replace him in the lineup. They might want to trade for another forward who could play ahead of him or play his role. I mean if there's all kinds of strings we can pull on here and then on top of that honestly what the Oilers need is someone like Kane.

Like I've talked to some people around that team like there's a feel that they don't have enough pushback that you know they've obviously come out of the break here not playing too well after the four nations and you know they've obviously come out of the break here not playing too well after the four nations and now they need someone with some bite and so you're right in a perfect world they would just have him ready to roll out in the playoffs and and get him back down but I'm not sure they're gonna get that option yeah in terms of Vancouver in this Brock Besser scenario how do you see this plan out I still think he going to be a tough guy for them to move. You know, obviously they're nowhere on an extension.

They've had months and months and months and there have been talks over those months at various points about extending him. But what about the rumblings of him being offered 8 million per year for five years? Is that incorrect? I think it's approximately correct. I don't know if it's exactly eight times five, but from what I've heard, it's something in that range. Like that's within an acceptable range where it's about what was on the table, but it sounds like that isn't even on the

table anymore. So, you know, in the next four or five days here, like I don't know where this goes, but to me, you're looking at a guy who's a solid citizen with a team. He's the longest-tenured player there, and they're trying to get in the playoffs. I know he hasn't had as productive of a season as he and they would like, but it's hard to imagine that they're trading him away and still saying that they want to make the playoffs. So the truth is, this might just end up going to the offseason, and we see where it lands, but it doesn't sound like they're anywhere near an extension right now and you know

they're kind of hit this, you know they're at the sort of a staring contest I guess in terms of what moves next but it doesn't seem like they're moving anywhere towards getting a deal done I love Besser but if 8 million is pushed in front of him I don't know what the hell else he'd be looking for I mean I don't... He wants more term, I mean it's the five years that was the issue at that time, not the eight million. He wants more term? That's what he's looking for, is a long-term deal?

Yeah. That's a dangerous game, man. That's a dangerous game. He doesn't exactly, he's had some good seasons but you look at his skating and that's what they're probably projecting. I don't know. I think he's crazy not accepting that deal. Crazy. Yeah, yeah. Well, it would scare me again if I was a team thinking this guy's demand,

like he has the right to ask for more term. But why are you scared to play out the five years and see where your career's going? That might be a part of it too. All right, CJ, well, we'll leave it there. It's gonna be a fun week. We'll catch you on Friday. Yep, enjoy it it boys. We'll see you there. There's Chris Johnston joining us here on the Maple Toyota Hotline. Okay ladies. I Heart Radio celebrates them all. Let's go! Turn up the Women of the North playlist.

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