OverDrive - LeBrun on Matthews' future in Toronto, his outlook with the team and meeting with Chayka

Episode Date: May 7, 2026

TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun joined OverDrive to discuss the Maple Leafs winning the NHL Draft Lottery, the Sabres' opening win against the Canadiens, how Montreal can bounce back, Buffalo's offensive performance, Jakub Dobes' role in the crease, Auston Matthews' future in Toronto and the next steps with the organization, Craig Berube's role and more.

Speaking of Buffalo, we're going to go there now. Hockey Insider, Pierre LeBrund, joining us on Overdrive. Pierre, we were just showing that Leaf fan because Leaf fans, they need the tension on them, wearing the Gavin McKenna jersey to game one of a series that does not involve the Toronto Maple Leafs. Listen, I respect the, you know, I respect that Leafs fan being intrigued by coming to the series. I guess he wanted to get a first-hand look at the two teams that will double. dominate the Atlantic in the next decade. Wow.

I knew something was coming. I knew it. I love it. I mean, I don't blame him. It reminds you a little bit of the Giants and the Dallas Cowboys. The Giants are on their eyes. You know that's true. Sorry, I have to slip that in there, Pierre.

So now you're taking on two of us. You're taking on Pierre and myself, Freddie. So watch out. You're a Cowboys fan too. I am. So watch out. I am. Keep the quarterback healthy in New York, there big guy.

Yeah, let's see if you can get through a full. That's true. Before we get on to what should be a great series, because you've been traveling and you've been in different cities, what has been the reaction to the leaves getting the number one pick and how much it changes the off-season surrounding that organization? I mean, you know, it's been disbelief, I think, in a lot of markets that are tired of the,

attention that the Leafs get all the time. And, you know, the juxtaposition of how brutal that news conference was welcome, I think, in the Toronto market. And 24 hours later, the excitement for Leaf fans of winning the Jaff Lottery, that, I mean, that says dramatic, you know, a range of emotions as you're ever going to see, certainly in an offseason, I think, for a franchise. And, yeah, I mean, obviously, it's. you got a lot of people around the league talking about it,

know that about it. So Pierre, last night's game, what did you make of it? Was it two teams trying to, you know, settle in and feel each other out? Buffalo looked like they had a little bit more jump, a little bit more pop. Montreal might have had a little fatigue coming off that game seven against Tampa. But, you know, to me, the way I looked at, I don't know how you felt, but Buffalo is such a different team than Tampa. Tampa tried to bully them and, you know, and almost take it to,

a back alley fight where Buffalo just tried to skate them. And it looked like they were able to have some success just through their speed and skill. Yeah, bang on night and day. What a contrast for Montreal having to play a fast team like Buffalo now. And listen, Lindy Ruff will tell you, too, as he did today, that, you know, playing Montreal is totally different for the Sabres compared to Boston, too. So both teams kind of adjusting. I don't think game one was that great.

I think it was kind of a tepid both teams, you know, putting their feet in the water and trying to get a read on each other. The most impressive part of the night for me was seeing the way the Sabres closed it down in the third period. They had a two-goal lead and, you know, I don't know how you guys feel, but I think game management is a rare skill among a lot of young players coming into the league in the modern NHL, and it feels like a two-goal lead isn't enough for a lot of young players. and the sabers, and Lindy Ruff talked about this after the game, the sabers since December have learned to play the clock and to do more mature things. And that was a clinic class night in the third period. I don't know what the haves were smoking.

They felt they could build after a third period. Well, of course, you have the buck. The sabers were sitting back and just pushing you out to the perimeter. I mean, that was really impressive by Buffalo to see how they can close down a game like that again. and they've been doing it for a while. But I do think we'll see a better Montreal team. You know, that top line that has been scrutinized him in Cole Coughfield today, met the media for the first time in six days,

and he's feeling it. He hasn't scored an even-strength goal in the entire playoffs. This is a 51-goal score. He's getting, you saw it last night. There was more space out there. There's more time of the puck. It was maybe almost a shock to that line after what happened against Anthony Sorrelli in the first round where they had no time.

time. And I think you'll see a much better game from that top line in game two. Well, that's where I want to go. The top line, you know, offensive, they haven't had a lot of juice. It's what we come to expect from them. Is there any chance you think either, you know, for the next game we're moving forward? They might tweak that line again like they did a little bit in the first round. Yeah, Freddie. I mean, they did it late in that first round because they basically, Martin St. only had no choice by the end of that series. I mean, Sorrelli and Hagle had dropped an absolute, you know, blanket on that line. and so they had to get Slavkosky elsewhere and they broke up those guys. I think they start the game together tomorrow night.

I thought they had some good looks. Slavkosky, especially to me, looked really dangerous last night. Suzuki got the power play goal. So really, it's Cofield that to me does not look at his normal level of confidence. He said today that he does remain confident. I should pass that on, but I like to look down between the, TV timeouts and between the whistles and look at a player's body language and there's a couple times where he went back to the bench with the shoulders slopped. He's going to need to pick

me up and honestly, it could just be a greasyy goal and a redirect. I don't know what's going to take, but he's not quite there right now for me like the guy we saw score 51 goals. Joined by your hockey insider Pierre LeBron and of course I should point out a lot of Sabres fans are big big fans of this show. So let's give them their flowers. And you know, you've been to a lot of big games at the Bell Center, and we always talk about how that atmosphere is second to none. What's it been like? It's only been the one game, but what was it like last night in Buffalo and just where that organization has turned things around so drastically since, you know, a third of the way into this regular season? I mean, it was electric. Oh, boy, they are

so pumped in this town for the Sabres. It's sort of like that passion for the Bills and the passion for the Sabres and it's just colliding in this springtime moment right now and man if the Sabres win a Stanley Cup I don't even know what the city of Buffalo is going to look like at the end of that night it really is unbelievable

and you're right I felt it in the first round in Montreal I mean again in the rink outside the rink these are the two markets right now that seem to be living it up like no one else left in the Stanley Cup playoffs so there's just you know in Buffalo I think it's

It's just the years and the pain and 14 years out and, you know, losing in the 99 cup final toe in the crease, all these things, throw in some football heartbreaking moments with the bills. And it's all built up really tightly in this emotion right now, this market. It's unbelievable. And, of course, goes without saying what it's like in Montreal where it's not just about a hockey team, but honestly part of their identity, you know, have fans in terms of what that team meet. So this is a great series, I think, in terms of the two fan bases, trying to out duel each other. But I'll also say this, that I could tell from, you know, being part in the athletic and a group discussion with fans

during the game last night, Arpin de Sunei, there's a lot of respect, mutual respect, between Sabers fans and Habs fans about sort of the parallel assent of their respective teams at the same time. I mean, this is really a series that represents the changing of the guard in the Atlantic Division. It doesn't mean that it'll always be these two teams, but there's certainly a decent chance

we're going to see a lot of savers and haves over the next several years you're in the playoffs. I agree. And I love the fact that there is, you know, that mutual respect between fan bases where it's like, hey, you know, we feel your pain, you know, same type of situation. But they're both very, very passionate.

We know what the habs are like. We know what their fan bases like. They're noisy in both languages. They're very passionate. I love that. I wanted to, seeing today a lot of the questions, and Pierre, I wanted your reaction on this

because it kind of fires me up. Because I look at Dobish, who was unbelievable in the first series, and I thought he was okay last night. He wasn't tested a lot, but you couldn't blame those goals on him. There were two screenshots, but at the end, he gives up four goals and 16 shots, and they're already going,

ah, is it time to maybe take a peek at Fowler? And I'm like, okay, you know, is this guy not allowed to play game two without there being whispers. I mean, Hudson falls down at center ice. Dobson sticks to the ice here, Struddy. I don't know what's he doing with the slide. You're supposed to slide.

He sticks to the ice, and it's a perfect pass by Benson backdoor. So not a lot you can do for these goals against. But now you're hearing whispers of like, oh, what about Dobish? Maybe Fowler should go in. And, you know, what did you, anything today you take out of their media, Pierre? Yeah, so Martin Stanley was asked last last. night about Dois's performance, and he absolutely vehemently defended his goalie, pretty much the way he just did.

I mean, he said he had no chance on the first two goals. And, of course, there were two parley goals. One of the parley goals, as a result of a failed clear, his coach actually backed his goalie. There wasn't much talk about it today. Nor should there be. Four days ago, he's the reason they survived game seven. You're never going to have a good time shots on goal ever.

In the next 100 years, though, that sounded like that. a team will never win a game seven again. Dolbeth stood on his head and throughout that series and I was at every game stared Andre Vasseleski, the former Vesnetch Hove winner, former Konsmite winner, right in the eyes, save for save and said, I got this. So I don't know, anyone who thinks they should change goalies after one average game in game one to me is smoking crack. I mean, it's Stobis's net for sure in game two.

He is our Hockey Insider, Pierre LeBron. Outside of the highlight that we just showed of Lane Hudson falling in the neutral zone, it's been a fantastic postseason for him. It's been a great year for him. Not good enough to be a finalist for the Norris Trophy. We also have a guy coming up at 5.30 who had 95 points this year, and Evan Bouchard, who also wasn't a finalist. It's a testament to how deep that position was this year.

It's Kail McCar, Zach Werenski, and Rasmus Dahlene. What was your reaction to the news of those three guys? being up for the award. Well, for one, you could tell how much it mattered to Erasmus Dalyne, and I thought it was refreshing because hockey players are notorious for trying to deflect from individual spotlight and individual attention, and Daleen allowed for the fact that, you know what, he's been, he's grinded to this moment here in his seventh NHL season, and I think it's gratifying to him that he was recognized, and that is, as he said, it mirrors his team's assent, that the

sabers are in a great place now, and so it allowed him to get this kind of attention. But, you know, you mentioned some names there, Mark, but in all the years, I voted on the Norris, I've never had more difficulty than I did this year. I took a long time researching it and putting in my votes. I will share that the three guys who got nominated today were among my five guys that I put on my five-man ballot. But I believe that the Norris was eight players deep this year. You mentioned Bouchard, definitely Lane Hudson.

Quinn Hughes wasn't nominated today. Miro Heskin and never gets talked about. I mean, let's be real. He had another great year. And Moritz Cider, I think deserves way more talk than he's gotten for his well-rounded game and what he meant to the Red Wing. So it was eight-deep for me, and it's going to be controversial. So controversy today, because some big names weren't among the three,

but wait until all of the voting is revealed, as it will be. once the winner's announced because there will be people upset about where even the rest of those guys ended up in the ranking. So, you know, Lane Hudson, by the way, we asked him about it today and he was really great

and the way he described why Dalline deserved to be nominated and what he loves about Dalline's game. Again, a lot of respect between these two teams and where they are. Well, Pierre, you've done a great job breaking down this series, breaking down the award,

but you know, fill in for Brian Hayes, I have to finish this with a leaf question. And I have to finish it with Austin Matthew. I just want to soften the blow a little bit. But your colleague Chris Johnston reporting earlier this week that Austin Matthews still isn't 100% sure that he wants to be with the Maple Leafs this year and that there is speculation that he could be moving on

depending on what the Leafs do this off season. I only bring it up because, you know, former heart trophy winners and guys who almost scored 70 goals in a season aren't on the market at all. So what have you heard from other teams hearing that report that suddenly they can go out and get a proven goal score like Austin Matthews? Yeah, well, let's start by, I made a few calls today knowing that was coming on here. So let's just bring this up to date on where I think the leaps are under new management. Number one, my understanding is that new GM John Dunchaika is throwing dates back and forth with Austin Matthews and agent John Mildover to get some face-to-face and for him to go down to Arizona and spend time with Austin Matthews and get a sense to where things are. And obviously from the least perspective, they hope they can sell their side of things to a point where Austin Matthews is on board with the vision of this offseason and where it's.

headed. That's a big if, but that's where that side of the process is they want to get together at some point in the near future year. Number two, you know, John Chega is going to meet with Craig Reube in the next number of days here, I think by the end of the weekend, again, to see where the coach and the new GM are in terms of whether they're on the same page, whether they share a vision of where things need to go moving forward. If I had the handicap that part of it, I think that John Cheykeyeke will be comfortable with keeping Craig Brubes as is that coach, but that's just a gut feeling on Mike Farrell we'll have to see how that meeting goes between the two sides

and finally you know depending where the Matthews decision goes I mean that may influence you know what happens at the draft with Toronto having the number one pick and and whether or not the timing lines up for them to know what his decision is this is where it gets tricky I mean John Chacon they leave Arizona and not have a firm answer yet

from Austin Matthews because it may be that Austin Matthews as Chris wrote about about this week. May he need even more time. May you need to see more of the revealing of the offseason before knowing whether or not he wants to stay. And that's the chicken and the aid of this whole thing. I think the least would like to know where he is

before they get going on the off season. But Austin Matthews wants to see how the office season plays up before he decides where he goes. And ultimately, that's the most delicate part of it. But to finally answer your question, if Austin Matthews is available, this isn't a situation where teams, are just going to call from Blackfield and say, I want in on this.

They don't have to say. Austin Matthews and John Moldova have the same. They have a full no move. So if they decide they want to move on, if it's going to be a list of X teams, I can't imagine it'll be that long, and they go from there. So that's different than suggesting that 25 teams

get to hop in on this sweepstakes. That's not how it would play out. It could be pretty wild off-season. We were like pointing out the names of Brady Kachuk and Austin Matthews and what just specifically some of the Canadian teams are going to be doing this off season in their respective situation. I feel like Trudy should be mentioning a name. I don't know. Like, is it just me or? I don't know.

There's, yeah, the owners have some stuff that got it. To me, the goaltending pair is the thing that to sort out. But it's that trade this off season made things a little tighter. it. Yeah, no, there's no question about it. And listen, I think that, I think the important thing for all these hotspots, and there are a number of them, is that you get the sense from the agents involved and from teams involved. Everyone wants to decompress and take a deep breath before they rush into anything that they may regret. Remove the emotion from it. Take a deep breath. It's a long offseason. And when it comes to the bigger name players, I can't see any of them rushing

into any kind of decision. I think they want to see how things play out. Pierre, awesome stuff as always. Enjoy the Sabres Canadian series. Hopefully it's a deep one and you can enjoy the fine people of both Buffalo and Montreal equally. Oh, I already am. Looking forward to it. I'm actually driving this here. There's no direct flights between Montreal, so we're going old school. All right. I'm driving the series. All right. Road trip. Love it. Awesome stuff. All right. Thanks, Pierre. Appreciate it.

There's Pierre LeBron, our hockey insider. I'm Luke Wilson. Join me each week for Film Never Lies. Since retiring from the NFL, I've had a lot of my mind, and now I've got my own show. So if you're tired of lazy takes, if you want honest conversations, join us each week.

Film Never Lies, available on all TSN platforms in the IHeartRadio app.