OverDrive - LeBrun on Klingberg's return to the NHL, Andersson's trade value and the Hart Trophy rankings

Episode Date: January 15, 2025

TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the NHL, the Maple Leafs in the market for a center, John Klingberg looking to return to the NHL, Rasmus Andersson's trade value, the Hart Trophy rankings and more.

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Let's go. New year, new you. New you. New you. Explore it all. Feel brand new. At iHeartRadio.ca and on the free iHeartRadio app. Here's Pierre Lebrun, our TSN hockey insider. Pierre, I'm sure you're a part of that athletic vote.

Who is your top seed in the East right now? I'm actually not. I was... Oh, you get... you get... Oh, you just don't fill it out. I see. Lazy. Oh, that was bad. fill it out, I see. Lazy.

Oh, that was bad. I should not have admitted that. Let's just play it back. Let's do it now and I'll send it to Myrtle or whatever. What was your question again? Who's the best team in the East, in your opinion? Oh, I tell you the team everyone's cheering for is Columbus Blue Jackets what a story yes oh my goodness I gotta tell you it is unbelievable where they are give it how they're you're a star in the tragedy it's just such a superb story but best team in the East. That's the wrong way to

ask it no no no that's not the. Which team do you think is going to come out of the East? Which team will be in the final? Well, I picked a New Jersey Dallas Stars final September so I got to stick with it. I'm gonna go to get man Jersey's gonna be in the hunt. I'd be a tough rating series. Yeah, Jersey I've had some of my Stanley Cup predictions from September go down in flames by the holidays so that one's still alive at least. Yeah that's a good that's not a bad choice. I had Dallas in the cup final so I think I picked them to win the cup this year. I don't remember I might have picked

the Rangers in the East that that's tough that one's not gonna happen. You weren't alone a lot of people did. You know it's interesting too about the Devils who that's the next game released not the one't alone. A lot of people did. You know, it's interesting too, about the Devils who that's the next game where the Leafs not the one tonight, but Sheldon Kies return. They're, uh, I know from talking to people around the league, the Devils are look looking at similar players as the Leafs are ahead of the trade deadline. Um, both organizations looking for, you know, essentially a third line center type among other

different fits but a lot of the same names so a little in conference rivalry there between the devils and the leas perhaps. I like that because Brad Trillivan was speaking the other day right? Mm-hmm. Said they're looking for like a middle six forward right with some first until then center more or less like that's kinda how we raise to them the evidence or somebody give it like they are they're looking for a good player had great i would score some is reliable defensively but they're not alone like

this guy every day he indicates that there's like every team in the east and i would guess the west as well but focusing on the east note no team can feel great about the way they're built top to bottom. Not that you ever necessarily can, but come on. No question. I mean, I think both Florida teams will try to add a defenseman, for example. I mean, the Panthers, as we know, lost Montour, lost a few other guys, so the Panthers are

just waiting to get close to March 7th, but the Panthers would like to add to the blue line. The Lightning would like to add to the blue line. The Devils, we just talked about, would like to add to the blue line. The Lightning would like to add to the blue line. The Devils we just talked about would like to add a bottom six center. The Hurricanes are looking at both goaltending and adding a little offense in the Metro. So yeah, I mean, everyone's got their shopping list

out in the East. Chris Johnston, I'm seeing tweeting out that the Tampa Bay Lightning say that Braden Point will be scratched tonight after missing a team meeting. Which I got a great appreciation for that. That's the guy who's won two Cubs, been there forever, missed the meeting and John Cooper's like, you're not playing. Like that's a Belicheckian move, man.

The Leafs do that with Neander a couple years ago? Well he was late. Remember there was an issue with the phones. It was one of the two companies i can't remember which one say rogers why not couple of the rogers there was some sort of an issue

and willy got the he he he was late for the that he needed was a power play meeting but i don't think scratch them for the game i thought it was one of those like you're gonna miss a shifter to that really goes nowhere but anyway i mean that's interesting that Braden Point not playing today. The Lightning just announced it on their own Twitter feed too. There you go. And CJ tweeting about it as well. Yeah it was not the number day. Especially for a guy whose reputation is absolutely spectacular in terms of his seriousness to the craft and his leadership and everything else. I mean the guy is one of the first six players taken by Dean Canada last June

for four seasons, right? I mean listen, this is a blip obviously, let's be real. But there's your meritocracy in Tampa, they've always talked about that there. Absolutely. So John Klingberg is going to make a return to the NHL, is that how we're phrasing it? Like, is he trying to get back into the NHL or he will get back into the NHL? Yeah. Well, I mean, he's trying and we wish him the best, obviously. He's coming from hip resurfacing surgery, not easy, you know. But there is strong interest with Darren Drager first reported today and I'm interested to see where he ends up because if he can get his health and all signs point towards him feeling better and

better but he can help the fire play and you know there's a few teams I could use especially because you know he's not going to break the bank just trying to get his career back going playing for the rest of the year so interesting to see and interesting that Canadian teams after Greg's are involved, you know, Toronto, Ottawa, and then the Orlers for sure will try to add a piece or two in the blue line before March 7th. I talked about that on IT last week. You know, with the Leafs, aside from power play woes, by the way, you know, they know the guy, he didn't play obviously for them a whole lot. But but you know when a player, whether he's injured or not, spends time with an organization, he gets to know everyone and there's a comfort there. So it's not surprising to me that the

leagues are involved as well, potentially. How do you think like a player would come back after that injury? It's January 14. It feels like it's like almost too hard to imagine him being able to play, no? No, I don't think that if teams are having these discussions, I don't think that they want to waste people's time. I mean, there has to be some level of belief that he can play before the end of the year, in my sense. Otherwise, you know, they wouldn't want this out there like that But still join us to your point if resurfacing surgery is a serious thing

I mean on the one hand Patrick Kane has recovered pretty nicely from it, right? Yeah, but like here, you know this like you talk to players all the time if you miss like training camp They're like you're so far behind. He's missed more than half the season, and he's not back right now. You know what I mean? Yeah. It just seems like a long shot. It's not a slip and dunk,

if that's what you're trying to get me to say. Of course not. I'll say it. What I was gonna say is, while Patrick Kane has recovered from it, Nicholas Backstrom really did not, right? So it's hard to tell from this type of surgery, depending, and every surgery is different. You gotta be careful about the, you know,

I don't have a PhD as you guys know. You know, just because it's called hip resurfacing doesn't mean that every player had the exact same surgery and is recovering the same. But still, those are just examples that we know of, so. Yeah, you know, and the other thing is the teams tend to be like, you know sharks in the water when there's a free asset available because it's hard in the cap system to get your hands on players and And that's the other part of the interest probably was just finding out where he's at and what it would cost

With Pierre Le Bon artisan hockey insider. So what else is coming out of insider trading? I know you guys were We're doing we're tap taping and i believe this afternoon uh... yeah what else we have yeah i i had an item on uh... it's funny because we get to this time of year and and start seeing names and reports you know and a lot of it has obviously has has meaning because of you know team you're talking but one thing that I tried to clear up,

we'll see if I did or not, but Rasmus Anderson's name has been out there for the Flames and the reality is Calgary is telling teams we're not trading him. And I don't know why it started, it might be because they sold off so many players last year, the teams just figured they would keep doing that.

But Calgary wants to keep him. He's got another year and a half on his deal and they actually want to try and extend him this summer. We'll see whether or not they're able to. But for now, they're in a playoff chase number one, which they weren't a year ago when they were selling out farts. And he's not a pending UFA.

So I think, you know, flame GM Craig Conroy is trying to alert teams to not call him on bothering me. Yeah. And he is in my understanding, as he's even gone to Anderson himself and says, listen, don't listen to this stuff. We want to keep you around. So it's always an interesting time of year that you're that way, because there's a ton of stuff for sure that's coming down the pipe. But sometimes you have to sort of iron out the situations that for some reason become a story would maybe be certain. Yeah, he's a pretty good player though. I have a question for the two of you. What do you think the highest that Connor Hellebuck

has finished in the Hart Trophy voting? You don't get to vote Hayes, Pierre and I do. So we're not gonna make you feel bad. But what do you think? You guys have power over me. How high do you think he's finished? Seventh. Good guess. I was gonna say sixth.

Sixth is the highest he's finished. So I asked you, Pierre, do you think he actually has- I can't believe I got that. You're right, he's finished sixth twice actually. I guess my point is like he's having a great year, but do you actually think he can win or be a finalist? It just seems to never happen. You know, Mike Johnson and I, I think,

share a brain on this. I think for me, when goalies win the heart, it has to be such a spectacular legendary year that you, you know, Terry Price won the heart. I don't think anyone batted an eye, right? I mean, the Habs are a mediocre team that he basically willed. You know, the Jets are not a mediocre team.

They certainly have issues at times that he covers up for, but they've got a lot of talent in that team, right? So I, you know, it's one of those subjective things, like, like it's, you know, when Price won, it was sort of like, well, you know, he's Superman, right? And I think that's the, you know, Dominic, you know, Dominic Aschick, it's, I don't know if I get that vibe. I mean, to me, Dry Cytl right now,

deservedly getting the most hype I think for the heart McKinnon You know, those are all I mean Capri stop. I don't think is getting enough attention for what he's done in Minnesota but To me right now I would be given at the dry title Yeah, I think for me. I would agree with that. I think dry subtle is a one I will say this,

Hellebuck is leading in wins, goals against, save percentage, shutouts, starts. Well, and you've got Hayes. What else is he supposed to do? I think the NHL average- You average it. Like, and I get your thing about the aura. Let me ask you this. I guess, let me finish the point. Carey Price was probably different because yes, the Habs had like no other superstars or even stars, but Shusterkin was nominated a couple of years ago.

Hellebuck is just as good as he was two years ago. Like in Shusterkin, it was like, oh, he's gotta be in the top three. Of course he's gonna be in the top three. Like Hellebuck would deserve to be in the top three for me right now, for sure. Because again, I don't see a magical season from McDavid Matthews isn't gonna score 69 none of these guys gonna have a hundred hundred assists this year like it just kind of feels like it actually

sets up better from a narrative perspective for a goalie to finally do it if dry saddle finishes with a hundred and twenty seven points and 56 goals great year phenomenal season but not all world. Not wow I can't believe it I'll never forget it. Well that's what I mean and you know Price is the last goalie to win it in 1450. By the way the two other nominees that year were Alex Ovechkin and John Tavares. They were the two archer economic and the last goalie to win for Price was another half which was the Theodore in 2002,

just ending up Jerome McGinley in a very controversial vote. It's rare. I mean, you just don't see goalies winning this award. I don't disagree with anything you said, Hayes. I just think it's, you know, when Haschick won the heart, he wanted a 97 and 98. It was like, what are the Buffalo Sabres without Dominic Haschick? Yes. All due respect, right?

So it always feels like, I mean, that Habs team of 0-2 with Theodore, that Habs team should not have even been in play contention at all. And so it takes sort of a Herculean effort sometimes by a goalie to say, well, that's the MVP. The thing that's silly about it all is, I think the MVP on almost every single team alive is a goalie, just by definition. Like, you don't win a cup with, I don't know.

It's, and so I think you kind of, it's like the pitchers in baseball have the scion, they don't, you know, how often does the pitcher win the MVP? It's sort of like the goalies have the Vezina yeah there you go that's all you need is a Vezna yeah and and I'm not saying that's the way it should be but it just seems for a goalie to out kick its coverage and get past the Vezna which is a very very important award for a goalie it seems like it has to be completely out of this world for sure that's's 100% valid.

And there's still a lot of runway left this season to see how it all plays out. All right, Pierre, we'll leave it there, buddy. Great stuff as always. Thank you for doing this. All right, I am not in contention, by the way, to be the next head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. People are asking.

People are asking. What would you think of Deion? Deion Sanders, head coach. I think he'd be fine. I mean, listen, he turned around the program in Colorado. Players seem to love playing for him, but college is college. And that's all that I fell. I mean, the Cowboys once hired Barry Switzer from college and wanted to rebel despite him. But yeah, I don't know.

I was hoping the Rams would lose last thing. You know that, say, the Rams would lose. Charlie McVeigh might get tired of coaching the Rams. Not gonna happen, man. It's not gonna happen. Not gonna happen. That's my dream. Yep. All right, buddy. Keep dreaming. Thank you, Pierre. Pierre Lebrun, our TSN hockey insider. Don't forget, every incredible playoff moment on TSN

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