OverDrive - LeBrun on McDavid and Draisaitl's injury timeline, the NHL general managers meeting outcome and the potential expansion in the NHL

Episode Date: March 21, 2025

TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the NHL, the potential expansion in the league, the NHL general manager meetings storylines, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl's injury timeline with the Oilers, the Wild Card standings race, Matthew Knies' contract value in Toronto and more.

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They all so buzz much, yeah. Kane Brown's new album, The High Road, is available now. Here he is, Pierre Labrano, TSN hockey insider. There you go, Pierre. You got the floor. Do you believe Atlanta for the third time is going to somehow pop off and be a great success? If so, how?

I think if you were present in the Gary Bettman scrum again Wednesday with the GM meetings wrapped up, you will attest that I'm not exactly on the same page as the league on many things. Okay, I gotcha. We get back and forth on a few things, but yeah, I like to have fun in those things. What are you guys asking about? Houston, Atlanta? Yeah, I mean listen, we've been talking about for years now and now the name of Dan freaking Came out yesterday for Emily Kaplan bill ZD bill daily confirmed that to me as well last night That he's a strong option to be an owner in Houston, but daily also reiterated that I guess

The league keeps adding this and no one really wants to hear this part and I get why but he Reiterated that the league is not yet in a place where they're ready to expand. I feel like I have to add that because we tend to get ahead of ourselves but I do think it's happening and I think the way it's gonna happen and this is just me reading between the lines is that there's a few important things that have to happen before the next expansion one is the next CBA so that's you know talks are starting in early April the league and the PA are sending out positive vibes. They want to get an extension done. So let's say they do that without going off the rails. So CBA extension is huge. Then the next big one, and this is where

it gets interesting as far as the cart and the horse. What is Gary Vettman's future? Which I asked him about Wednesday. You may have heard the exchange on that one. He said he was gonna outlast me. But a lot of people wondering, where is the succession plan? Is it tied to the new CBA? Or is it tied to one more round of expansion before perhaps there's a succession plan for the commissioner all to be determined? We don't know that for sure.

But I guess that's what I'm saying, is I think the next round of expansion certainly at the very least has to wait for a new CBA and then it's a question of where does it tie in with Gary Bettman's future. Okay, but Atlanta in particular for a third time, if it happens, how could they possibly explain that to people? So, yeah, I mean listen, I've been there the last time they had a team, I actually covered the altar game there. Um, you know, I, I get why, you know, listen, if you really want to have fun, you know, that the league is dying to go back to Phoenix, right? I mean, you

guys know that. I mean, that's another one they, they, they can't wait. And the, and the same reason they want to go back to Atlanta one day, the same reason they want to go back to Phoenix is that they are a large, large major US market that they believe could finally work if the team has run properly. I think we can all agree the Phoenix thing was a complete disaster almost from start to finish. They never built the rink in the right place, shaky ownership throughout, but if you ever have a good owner and build a rink in Scottsdale or Phoenix, I actually believe for sure it'll work in Phoenix

myself. I bet if MJ was here he'd say the same thing, I haven't played there. But they never have that kind of, you know, solid footing and I guess that's where the league feels the same way about Atlanta. I'm not ready to say that. I have no proof of that. I've not spend that much time in my life in Atlanta So but that's why and you know The other thing is you'll hear the league say this and you take it for how you guys want guys But the NHL is a unique league compared to the other big three, right? We have seven Canadian teams. So the US footprint NHL wise is not as So the US footprint, NHL-wise, is not as spread out as the NBA and the NFL and MLB. The NHL is in 25 US markets compared to the other leagues.

So the idea of more expansion to places like Atlanta or Houston or back to Phoenix is pretty obvious. Those are big markets and they're not there and they want to keep spreading their brand. So Pierre, you were down at the meetings, you met with Batman, you obviously got to pick a lot of people's brains. Did anything productive get accomplished down there as far as what you think? Okay, maybe some tweaks here, some changes or some thought processes moving forward that you believe

will be implemented as early as next season? Yeah, well listen, in the here and now, and we had another big one last night in Long Island with the goalie at appearance, Patrick Watt, decided to challenge it and he was wrong. I got to say, I'm a bit of a cynic, so I don't know if you guys listened to our hits this week from there, but they brought the media in after the GM meetings after day one, and let us hear a version of the same presentation that GM's got on goal interference, coaches challenge.

I don't know, maybe I just been around too long, but the idea is that there's a consistency there, and a clear criteria, and I get it, it was actually part of it was an education for a lot of us to remember, you know, are you in the blue crease? How did you get in the blue crease? Are you allowing the goalie to reset and play a position? I get it. That's a very clear criteria that the situation room in Toronto is looking at. I'm here to tell you though that I'm not totally buying the kind of unanimity

that the league was telling us that they got in all their breakout groups So GM's on 54 different goalie review goal and appearance reviews I just and I know I'm not embarrassed to say I shared as much as that when I was with the route the league because I Just think we're we're ahead. We're in for some controversies again with this come playoff time you know, I covered that Colorado Colorado Dallas playoff series last year and it didn't become as big a story as it could have because Dallas ended up winning anyways to win the series in game six. But to this day, it's probably the angriest I've ever seen Jim Mill when they disallowed

that goal in overtime. And it was really a 50, 50 call for sure. Um, and I'm telling it, it's still to me a pretty gray area, even with the criteria explained, I just explained it, but to me, if there's a big takeaway from this week is that in a league was really trying to, to stress and it did a good job explaining it again, don't get me wrong. They brought us through all the steps, but I still think we're headed for some moments here from playoff time

Pierre was there any GM's that avoided white dress pants down there in the fear the end of the season coming up anybody a little nervous about the future with poor seasons oh good question Oda I didn't even think of that I mean yeah I didn't see any white pants. Uh, I'm trying to think here. I know there were definitely some key times. There were definitely some key times.

I was the meetings ended at noon every day, but not for me, sadly. Um, yeah. I mean, listen, I think that, you know, I think that if there's still a buzz that I heard from a lot of the managers, it's just how many trades went down before the deadline this year. We've kind of been let down by the deadline

the last number of years, and I think there was still a buzz among the managers is that they surprised themselves with how active it was and how meaningful it was, and maybe a lot of it was forced by the Niko Rampens situation, which is perhaps a one-off. I mean, I don't know, we're going to see a guy with a stature traded twice in six weeks mid-season. But that trade itself, and I had a chance to catch up with Eric Tulski there at the gym meetings, but that's still being talked about. Like, I think we're still going to talk about that in a year or two about how it all went down

and where you ended up. With Pierre LeBrun, our TSN hockey insider, what are you hearing on the status of Connor McDavid and Leon Drysaddle moving forward? Yeah, I've checked into that in the last few hours here, guys. I don't think within the organization they think it's anything too serious, but I also don't think we'll see them, you know In the very near future either I think they're gonna be super cautious with each superstar given that you know but not fighting for their playoffs lives and you know as There's several lining if there is at all is that they actually rest these two work horses before the playoffs

But you know, you're always worried, I think, when you do the best three or four players in the world are injured, you know, this late in the year. But again, my sense today from the organization was that they're just being cautious and it's not serious. You know, if I had to guess, I think McDavid's out at least a week and then we'll see and then dry saddle maybe a week or two to guess I think Mcdavid's out at least a week and then we'll see and then dry saddle Maybe a week or two but

But I think everyone involved expects both to play games for the end of regular season and be ready for the playoffs Which is probably all that matters at this point. Yeah, that's what's important But we were talking about yesterday appear that like dry settles in a heart race and an art Ross race And if he's gonna miss two weeks that may cost him That hardware like he may or may not win the heart trophy if he misses You know eight years down the stretch or something like that. You know what trophy Leon cares about I understand that but I mean, it's not you know, this isn't a you know fan vote. This is the heart trophy. It's a pretty significant one, too a fan vote. This is the hard trophy. It's a pretty significant one too. Yeah, no. I mean, that's accurate. And the reason it might cost them is just because

it's so close. I mean, you know, Nathan McKinnon is having an unreal year. Connor Helvuck, you know, if the connects make the playoffs, where do you have Quinn Hughes battling through everything? I think there's lots of different cases to be made and maybe missing two or three weeks could be the difference for sure. I'm just saying though that, I bet you that's not really front of mind for him right now given how close they got last year to winning it all. Yeah, I agree.

I mean, it is what it is, but unfortunately, he can't control that. And I would think McKinnon probably has a slight edge anyways right now. Halibuck should deserve a lot of love. I don't want to overlook the goaltender, but you're right, Dry Subtle has to focus on what's important to them. You know, you look at these playoff races, Pierre, I can't, you know, It seems like it's daily out west. All of a sudden St. Louis is there. They're in the spot right now, second wild card.

Is that the team or is it Vancouver or is it Calgary who came back against Jersey? This might be flat out down to the last day of the season. I know the league will be fired up about this but you have to think there's some owners and the fan bases will be pissed to say you know we've been talking about this 16 teams making the playoffs 32 teams in the league and it's been like that for a hundred years and Gary is so bullish on not expanding it. Yeah and you know and I asked that man again about whether or not you consider changing the playoff format. I knew what the answer would be but within that answer he had a little kicker and we have our own version of a play-in with these races on both sides so he understands what's being written

and commented for sure. He knows what you guys are saying on Overdrive and and and he's listen he happens to be right this year the races on each side are phenomenal right now to get in for You know, especially for eight spot and on both sides, you know the blues the kicker for me on the blues is that You know, we know for a fact that a month out from the trade deadline Doug Armstrong was telling teams Hey, you know, you may call some my core guys all listen and then I kind of wondered sometimes When that happens because you hear it from other teams, does he want that out there just to wake up his team?

Like, did he maybe never have any intention to trick any of those guys? And now they've found, you know, they've rallied and they're playing their best hockey of the year. I love that stuff, looking back, and versus I was hard to know the truth. But that was a team, a month from the deadline that was like, I'll take the playoffs for real for us.

I mean, here they are. And some of it is that Calgary and Vancouver backed up a bit. No one's running away with it, but still it's pretty compelling stuff. And I always look at it this way, which team would scare you the most if you're a top seed right and the teams that I always would hate playing if I'm a top seed is the teams that feel like they've already won the Stanley Cup just by making the playoffs and like for example if Montreal hangs in there I don't know if they will the Habs have a really tough schedule here in the next couple weeks but if the Habs get in and that's the prize for Washington,

I don't know, man. Like, obviously I'm gonna pick Washington, but I'm just telling you, that would be a Habs team going on some kind of mojo where it's like, we've already won. Like, nothing we do now can change the script as far as our expectations. And I just, if I'm a number one seed

that's over exceeded like Washington, that's an unsettling feeling for me. Pierre we were talking about Matthew Knizan about how he's come into his own this season it's been fantastic for the player of the team how would you guess that his next contract goes like what would you predict happens here? Oh boy, he's kind of in the waiting line. Is he not? That's part of the problem with your Matthew Nyes is that you're not on the on deck circle, I don't think. Should he be?

Well, I mean he's an important contract, but listen, until the Leeds have an answer on Mitch Marner, it's really hard to start committing major dollars elsewhere and you know at the end of the day after NICE is RFA so it's not like you're concerned about him going anywhere either so time is on your side there but but I just think that before you know what you want to do there, you've got to answer the Marner question for sure in my mind. But you know, what I love about Knives is that I feel like every couple months he's found another level in the game. Like it's a nice gradual progress in who this guy's ceiling can be. And with not a lot of regression, it's been a real steady climb

for this guy since he's come into the league. And I don't know, you know, a lot of regression, it's been a real steady climb for this guy since he's come into the league. And I don't know, you know, a lot of players like to say that, but not a lot of them can. I really like Matthew Nines. Well, it's interesting, the pecking order, you referenced that he's not on deck and that would be Marner, but I would put Nies ahead of Tavares from the Maple Leafs. Oh my God, not even a question. Not even a question. Like, sorry, like, and this is where it can working get sticky where you get let's say morner takes it up until june

thirtieth and you haven't figured it out yet you're gonna speak with knives and you have the right to do that he's an rf a like you said you can get a read on where his head is that no lease will be prepared if they haven't done it already so they may have a pretty good read on what those numbers are going to be but if i'm waiting on Marner I'm I and knives I'm not signing John Tavares before I sign both those guys if that's the plan Like if the plan is full commitment to Marner and then obviously we got to figure out knives

Tavares is third which that could get uncomfortable You know if it's if it's June if it's July 5th, then're telling John, we haven't figured this out yet man. Moving chairs here, you may want to jump on one if we're not calling you back quick enough. Yeah, and when I say you got to figure out Marner, it doesn't necessarily mean that it has to wait until the actual Marner situation is totally decided. My point is you need to get a pretty strong read on it after this. Right, of course.

So you could sign knives before the final shoe is dropped on Marner, but you won't really know where that is until after the season is what I'm saying. So, and there's lots of times between the end of their season and July 1st. Um, to figure that out, I'm not worried about the knife situation at all, but, you know, on Tavares, you know, he's wanted really, his agent, Pat Brisson has not been shy to tell the Leafs, really from the start of the season, a lot followed, this past fall,

they've been ready to extend. I mean, John Tavares loves it here, doesn't want to go anywhere, and they've been open to that, but the Leafs have had to say, hey, you know, that's just, it can't be something we do right now, right? And with all due respect.

So yeah, we'll see where that goes. And I think that's okay if you're the Leafs because I think the Leafs have been too worried over the years to sometimes get some of these things done. You know what? This is a big playoff. Get for this team and this core. I don't know. Let's see what happens and then react to that. I'm fine with that if I were running the Leafs. Yeah for sure. All right Pierre, we'll leave it there. Enjoy your weekend. We'll do it again soon. Radon Radon. See you boys. There's let's go put some miles on. Meet him. Interview him. An iHeartRadio experience you'll never forget. Turn up the night like that radio. With flights, hotel, and $500 included.

How we feeling tonight? For your best chance to win, enter daily at iHeartRadio.ca. Thank y'all so much. Yeah. Kane Brown's new album, The High Road, is available now.