OverDrive - LeBrun on Pacioretty bringing physicality to the Leafs, dysfunctional situation with the New York Rangers & what is next for the Predators

Episode Date: December 20, 2024

TSN hockey insider Pierre LeBrun joins us to chat about Max Pacioretty bringing physicality to the Leafs, a dysfunctional situation with the New York Rangers, what is next for the Rangers, Predators and Canadiens making a trade, why the Predators are doing a reset and not a rebuild, and more!

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or visit askkelvin.ca year one of the max patch already version in toronto has been fascinating when did he become basically scott stevens like he crushes somebody every single night. He told me it's actually his goal to try to do those kinds of hits. He is injuring people. He's not trying to injure people, but he basically wants to have momentum-shifting kind of hits.

Not just like Bang Guy. He's a smart veteran. He understands he isn't who he was, so he's got to find a way to contribute. And that lets him hang around longer. Look at Corey Perry. He was always ratty, but he's figuring out a way to contribute nightly. And that's what those vets do. They hang on for a lot longer than many people think they might be able to.

Yeah, I didn't see this one coming. It's every single game he throws a massive hit. Where you're like, was that clean or was that? Exactly. That guy was kind of turning. Whoa, what a hit. It's Max Pacioretty every single time. Here's Pierre Lebrun, our TSN Hockey Insider.

Where do you stand on what you've seen out of Max Pacioretty and where all this physicality has come from all of a sudden? Yeah, I don't know if it's all of a sudden, to be honest. I think we're going to take it more because probably, you know, you follow the Leafs more than any other team, Brian. But even during his heyday in Montreal, when he was captain, known more for his offense, I mean, you can ask Dan O'Chara. He was a pain in Dan O'Chara's, you know what, in that rivalry boss in Montreal.

He would stand up to Big Z, and they had a real physical rivalry, those two guys. So I think it's always been there, but it's certainly not the first thing you think of. those two guys so i think it's always been there but it's certainly it's not the first thing you think of it and for me you know i'm just happy to see him healthy because it's been a long road and you know i remember talking to him a couple years ago he was so excited to come back from the first time he ruptured his achilles when he was in carolina and then it and then he re-injured it and you're just like oh my goodness he kind of wondered if that was it, to be honest. And he's persevered through the PTO and come all the way back. It's a pretty fabulous story, really, so far from the least.

It feels like the New York Rangers' house is on fire right now. I'm not sure if it's the GM, if it's the coach, if it's the players, whoever's responsible. It seems like everyone's hair is on fire. How does that group of people bring it back into focus, what they're trying to achieve, which is win games? Because it seems like it's everything but winning right now. Right. I mean, as you know, it starts in the room.

And I was following today, it looks like Vincent Trocek asked the New York media to go and talk to him, and he wanted to clear the air that the players, yes, they had a players-only meeting recently, but it was not about the fact that they wanted Chris Drury fired or whatever. He wanted to clear the air. I'm just going to say, when you're having that kind of media session, that's the kind of year it's been. But, yeah, it's been a house on fire. But, you know, at the end of the day, you know,

when you've got Igor Shosturkin in goal, I still think this team finds a way to get in, believe it or not. They just have to, you know, stop worrying about the nonsense around them and get back at it because there was enough talent there and you know listen kako is a guy who i think wanted a change of scenery so there's one guy who's gone who isn't moping around and i don't blame him i mean he looks like he's going to benefit from a change of scenery in seattle but you know when you start making these moves uh you know maybe it you know maybe it helps reset the room but you know they are three

nine and oh since you know the memo that chris jury sent out the gms was leaked there are three nine and oh since then so if that memo was meant to in some ways shake up the team and wake them up uh it did not produce that i'm curious pierre like from a journalist standpoint, if Trocek wants the media now to come to him so he can get a message out, would you feel obligated? Let's say they get smoked their next game or the next five, and Trocek goes, I'm not speaking. Would you be in the right, if you're in that room, to say, wait a minute, you have to come speak now?

Is there any obligation? I know it doesn't work that way, but I guess I'm speaking to the frustration of, I'm sure a lot of reporters in that room are like, really, now you need us? We've been dying to talk to you guys. You're a house on fire. It's a mess.

But now, when you want to get your message across, you can't wait to talk to the media. Like, what is the journalistic integrity type of role on that yeah i mean it's probably a better question for jonas because he covered the team we're living you know i've always kind of floated around covering 32 but uh but on a day-to-day basis jonas would have a better grasp for that but i would say this vincent trocek individually i've always found him to be very approachable and and and very, so I don't think he's an issue that way. But I understand where you're coming from.

And, you know, I know that Chris Kreider did a pretty lengthy interview with a bunch of the beat writers in New York when his name was leaked, and the very next day I think he addressed it, and it sounded like he gave a really heartfelt interview about how he feels about it and so on. So good on him for that. So I don't know if it's a media, you know, access thing in New York as much as, you know, why is this, you know, when this all started,

the Rangers were in a wildcard spot. Like, why did management suddenly decide this team isn't cutting it? Like, to me, that's an off-season decision, not a, hey, it's November and we're seventh in the East, let's blow it up. That's the part that I struggle with in terms of the timing because it is so hard to make meaningful change in season in a cap system that, to me, what you're inviting really is controversy and distraction more than meaningful change.

That's the part that I struggle with. Pierre, do you think there's still another shoe to drop there? Well, yeah, there could be if the losing continues. I mean, the low-hanging fruit is always a coaching change. I personally get tired of that always being the move because I think it's GM survival mode in some ways. But on the other hand, the Bruins and the Blues both turned around their seasons by making a coaching change, right?

So the proof's in the pudding. It seems to jolt the team. I just think that I don't know why firing Peter Laviolette would be my move myself. But they've got to start winning. I mean, honestly, they cannot win a game right now uh the other thing is i think there will be more trade i mean listen carter's name was on the memo and he's still a ranger so um going into march 7th i still think there's more moves coming from the rangers from that perspective so um yeah they're i mean it's incredible fear and i and

i heard you guys talking i think it was strutty earlier yeah it's not a team it's incredible fear. And I heard you guys talking, I think it was Stretty earlier. Yeah, it's not a team. This is not a Stanley Cup team that's won a bunch of cups and now they're being reset. But they were two wins away from the Stanley Cup final six months ago. And I'm trying to think of the last team that was two wins away from the Stanley Cup final that had this kind of fall from grace. It's pretty dramatic. Well, Nashville might put their hand up

in terms of what the expectation was before the season, right? They never found any rhythm like the Rangers had earlier this year, and they obviously were not two games away from a cup final last year, but they were the darlings of the offseason. No one made more noise, and no one got more love. You should not want to do that, because doesn't it seem to backfire on every team? They're like, they had a great offseason.

The worst thing you can do. Wasn't it the summer of Pierre? Oh, the Ottawa Senators were the... Every single year, prom king on July 1st. We're the best. We're going to win a cup and then it would fall flat. Famously, the Blue Jays. Remember in 2012?

Oh, yeah. Josh Johnson. Well, yeah, exactly. Burley, Jose Reyes, R.A. Dickey. They were a disaster that year. Oh my goodness. It was a mess. That one hurt. That one really stung. Meanwhile, the Cowboys

just stuck with everybody and brought it all back. And look what happened. So maybe you're right. Maybe they need to win an offseason every once in a while. But where are we at here with Barry Trotz and the Nashville Predators? Because they obviously made a deal yesterday. you know, Carrier for Barron. They make a one-for-one trade with the Habs. I mean, I don't know how much that's going to affect the rest of their season.

What else could be in store here for Barry Trotz and the Nashville Predators? Yeah, well, yeah, we had a good interview today, and he kind of walked me through where his frame of mind is now because, as he says, it's been a really incredibly disappointing year. He's not hiding from that. I mean, this is not where they thought they'd be in a million years. I will give credit for Trotz for one thing. Last summer after he, quote-unquote, won the day on Free Asian Frenzy,

which he did by any measure at the time, at the time, I remember interviewing him the next day, and he says, well, it all looks good on paper, but it's all fantasy hockey unless it comes together for real. He did say that on July 2nd to me. So I'll give him that because he'd been around the game long enough to understand that just because you go out and sign all these guys, it doesn't necessarily mean it's going to all work.

And fortunately for him, it was the latter. But in terms of what we chatted about today, he thinks he's going to be work. And fortunately for him, it was the latter. But in terms of what we chatted about today, he thinks he's going to be a bit quiet now. I mean, he's made a number of moves since the start of the year. He's traded away three players. He waived another. And the reason for these moves, as he put it, is that he's trying to gain a little more cap flexibility

heading into the next offseason. And he was adamant. He repeated this three times during our chat. They are not tearing this down. They are not going into a rebuild. They want to do a little reset here. They're acknowledging the reality of the situation, that it's almost possible for them now to make the playoff.

So they're peeling off some pieces so that they can attack the offseason again, go after July 1st, go after the trade markets, go after teams that are in cap trouble. They just hope they can bounce back next year, kind of like the doubles did from last year to this year, and be a playoff team again next year. That's where his mindset is at. Pierre, the Utah Hockey Club is within spitting distance of a playoff spot. There's a lot of positives happening there. Logan Cooley, Dylan Gunther, and Ser, Sergeyev. So it feels like

they're kind of flying on their radar. Is this what happens with a team that moves and maybe historically the former Arizona no one was really into? Or is there something that, you know, they're just kind of playing without two of their core divas and still making things happen? Well, first of all, when you watched that overtime last night Oh my God. That's maybe the best overtime I've seen in three years. It's a track meet. Oh, wow. And the crowd, no one was sitting.

Now, again, first year NHL crowd, they're getting used to hockey. It was unreal. Everyone was standing up. It was riveting stuff. And let's start there. I mean, they're playing in front of an actual crowd now. And you can tell from the players' comments here and there

when you see the beat reports. You know, it's night and day, and there's just such a relief for those players that they're playing in an NHL building, number one, and in a market that's embraced them. That human part has been huge for that team this year, I think. They've also survived some massive injuries on the right side of their defense. I mean,

John Dursey out. He's going to be out for most of the regular season, or he'll be back sometime in March. John Marino is out until either sometime between mid-January to mid-February. That's their top two right-handed defense. I mean, like, that could have buckled a lot of teams in this

league, and they've kind of grinded their way through that. And so they look forward to getting those guys back. But, you know, they've been building towards this moment. I think what we forget is around this time last year, if someone can pull it up, but they were actually not too far from a playoff spot, even in Arizona. And what happened in the second half is that the roof fell in because the players started to realize behind the scenes, I think this thing is ending.

Like, I think we've got trouble on our hands here. And they started having talks with the PA and stuff was happening. But I think that whole thing completely took over that room where it was so difficult to deal with. And it sunk their season. I think they were a better team than they showed is what I'm saying. So the bumps that we're seeing, the fact that they're fighting for a playoff spot, I think is actually more realistic based on where this roster has been built.

They should be battling for a playoff spot. I don't know if they'll make it. The West is pretty tough, but they're certainly battling for one. Yeah, they're in it. We had Peter DeBoer on the other day and and i was talking about the central division and he went out of his way to mention utah and how they've been playing and obviously you know they're making somewhat of a an impact on that division and people are taking notice of it but they happen to be in a very difficult division you know where you've got winnipeg and minnesota and dallas and

colorado it's a fight you know it's a it's a Minnesota and Dallas and Colorado. It's a fight. You know, it's a fight. But I strut. It's a good point because I hadn't been paying attention to them really since they started. You know, opening night, they were in a new building. And obviously, there was buildup. And go ahead. And if I can add quickly, I had a chance to catch up briefly with Ryan Smith, the owner, at the Board of Governors meeting last week.

And I actually had never met him before. I had interviewed him over the phone when he was trying to get an NHL team, but I had never met him. And one of the things that both CJ and I were there, he took out his phone and he showed us sort of a digital forecast of what the rink is going to look like when all the renos are done over the next two years. Like you sort of see it happening in front of your eyes and this program that he brought up on his phone and it is unreal how that rink is going to look like by the time they're

done they're they're dropping massive money in that arena to make it more nhl friendly and just i think another example of the commitment that obviously that guy has for the hockey team so you know pretty positive stuff there. Yeah, it'd be a cool story because if they get in, it still is the Coyotes. Like, that's what I think makes it feel different than Seattle or Vegas is there was no expansion draft. Like, when the expansion players moved on, for a lot of teams, there was a lot of fans. They had a connection to Vegas or Seattle because one of their players

got plucked. We're here very different. They have to boost the profile of players because they don't really have superstars. You mentioned guys that are really good players, but they don't have household names on that team.

I guess they would in Arizona to an extent, and they probably do now in Utah. Logan Cooley and Keller and Sergeyev. Dylan Gunther. Dylan Gunther. Gunther's going to be a really good player, Strud. But how many – he's from Edmonton, so people probably would know there. But I think if you asked 100 diehard hockey fans where he plays,

I'm not sure how many people would know. And that's something that I think Ryan Smith and Utah and I guess the league have to do a better job of. But you've got to get into the playoffs to really build your profile. That's kind of the way the Stanley Cup playoffs work and the way the NHL works. That's where you get more national TV and more spots

when you make the playoffs. And the other guy, we should mention, that's playing out of his mind and almost forcibly because of the injuries on D. Sergeyev has been on real over DAPA. He's playing a ton of minutes, and of course he scored the OT winner last night. And by the way, before you guys cut me off here, I have a bone to pick with Jonas,

so I'm going to do this right off the bat. Oh, yes. There you go. I love it. Athletic on athletic crime. So, yes, and it is an athletic thing. So I want Strutty and Hayes to weigh in here. So we had our athletic Toronto holiday get-together on Tuesday night.

Now, I will say I was late getting there because my son had an hockey game, so I came in late. But I kid you not, as soon as I sat down to order the beer, Jonas got up and left. What? That is greasy behavior. I was personally hurt. Very coincidental.

I was personally hurt. Listen, he was laying the crown work before he went down there, I think. I would not take it personally. Jonas, I don't think, was dying to have a big night. Was that on Tuesday, Jonas? It was. Yeah, you were in here with me. That kind of rings a bell.

I don't know if you should take that personally. That said, if the guy just sits down, you've got to stick around for ten more minutes. I didn't even see that he sat down. You've got to give him ten minutes. Wow. You guys don't have a massive profile up here in Toronto, do you? The Athletic? How many people would have been there?

Two. Reservation for three, but two people yeah exactly on that note please go read my very trot column in the athletic today there you go all right there's your plug do you have anything you want to plug jonas you spoke with william kneeland yeah well there you go and he's shooting for 50 goals he is willie thinks he might hit 50 this year. Pierre, what do you make of that? I think he's going to hit 50 all day. But the one thing I would – I don't like the big line together. I like Nyes better with Matthews and Marner. Or Matthews and Nylander.

To me, Marner and Nylander, either one with Matthews is fine. I don't like all the talent in the same line, personally. Yeah, I think it's going to change at some point. I think we all anticipate that. But it's fun. You know, it's different, right? It's got like a shinny type, like throw sticks in the middle type vibe. Well, and the one thing about it is that when you talk to coaches over the years,

when you try these things in the middle of the season, it's good to know, put it on the back of your mind, because when you get to game three of a playoff series and it's desperation time, you're not trying it for the first time. That's one thing I would say. Well, Jonas is convinced that they're going to play a full game together. That is Paul taking me out of context. Nine percent. He's nine percent sure.

Nine percent sure. I will tell you this. I will tell you this. I will tell you this. If those three have to play a full game together in the playoffs, it's because at least they're down 2-0 in the series. I can assure you that. That's a good point, too. That means they haven't scored.

They got shut out two straight. Remember Sheldon Keefe did that against Columbus. It was game five. It was game five. He put Tavares up with Matthews and Marner. It went terribly. Yes. Nylander moved to center.

That's right. And Sheldon was like, I'm never doing that again. Ever. That was a COVID moment. That didn't count. Sheldon wants that stripped from the record. That never actually took place. That's what's going to happen, Jonas.

You're going to see that happen. I look forward to coming back and talking about it when it happens. Okay. All right. Well, that's a long way from now. Pierre, next time I owe you a beer. I look forward to coming back and talking about it when it happens. Okay. All right. Well, that's a long way from now. Pierre, next time I owe you a beer. And a hang around. Just a hang around.

You don't have to buy him a beer. Just hang around. Be in his presence for 10 minutes. Chicken wings. Old dog still owes me dinner from three years ago for a Dallas Cowboys bet. Yeah, good luck with that, Pierre. Never going to happen. Anyway, thanks, buddy.

Appreciate you doing this. All right, guys. See you later. Pierre Lebrun joining us here on the Maple Toyota Hotline. Check out Maple Toyota's huge truck and SUV lineup, including Tundra, 4Runner, Highlander, and Grand Highlander in stock and ready to deliver. Visit MapleToyota.com. Yeah, you got to stick around for a little bit,

Jonas. I was looking for my jacket, and it was like, oh, there's Pierre. So you gave him the hay on the way out? No, and then we talked for like three minutes, and then I was like, okay, peace. Got to go. Did you record the A team on VCR to get home and watch it? Right. What was going on?

What did you have on Tuesday night that was so important? Just a long day. Yeah, it was a long day. You were up here. It was just me and you on Tuesday, too. It was, yeah. Yeah, I mean, this time of year, the holidays, you've got to be careful with stuff, right?

Because everyone's checking you out. I just had a conversation. TSN's got this. Oh, I wouldn't say it's a TSN thing. Some people are trying to get together. I can't make it now. Originally, I said I would. So now I think I'm in trouble there

because people were trying to make some transportation plans revolving around me, and now I'm on the chute. It's a tough one, man. Be careful. Well, here's what's happening. I was supposed to bring this up yesterday, but as I referenced earlier today, I was completely out of sorts on the show yesterday. Forgot to get back to it.

I think I'm walking into a landmine here. I think I'm being set up. All right? So friends of ours right around the corner, they have people over. You know, it's like a Christmas thing kind of. It's generally informal. But I was made aware that it's a pajama party. Oh, no.

But here's the catch. I have to do the show show so i'm coming in last i think it's like a black tie and they're setting me up like my radar is going off that i'm going to walk in in like grinch pajamas and everyone else is going to be drinking cocktails in a you know suits and dresses and be like what the hell is wrong with you? Should I have my radar going here, Strud? Do you think they're possibly setting me up? Well, are they doing the history of being funny, or are you just a little bit gun-shy right now?

I'd say it's a combination of both, to be honest. I think I'm just on edge. I'm on edge because I'm the last one coming in. If it's a Saturday night, that's different because I'll be there first and I'll be picking up on the P's and Q's. I walk in there and they're decked out. I'm right back to the house. No one needs to know any better.

I'm coming in last. They knock on the door. The door's open. Hey, there he is. And I'm going to be in. What if you wore your pajamas under your suit? That's why we employ you, Jonas. That's why you're the man of reason.

I love that idea. I was at a party Saturday night. My wife says, it was a 50th birthday party. Just that's it. And she's like, we're going to wear it. There was a couple other couples all decided, the wives, that we're going to wear Christmas sweaters to this party. I'm like, no.

I don't want to do that. I don't want to be that guy. I just want to blend in. I just want to walk into a party and blend in. So sure enough, they get these outfits and we all wear these sweaters. We walk in, the music stops. Someone was singing Summer of 69 on karaoke.

It literally shut down. Everyone looks over and I'm like, great. This is exactly what I do. I start sweating right away. I make a beeline for the drink table. I'm like, this is why. You don't want to stand out. I don't want to stand out. I want to blend in. I want to get my groove on, get into some chip

and dip party, maybe some of the meatballs. I don't want to be standing out. Did you karaoke strut? I'm with you, strut. Oh, I love karaoke. What was your song? Oh, man, so many. I think I did That Summer by Garth Brooks. And not good. You know what the problem is? The pitch was wrong. So I

kept asking the guy can you pitch it up or something like i like to sing a little higher than my voice oh it was the technology jammed it was it was i'm like please raise it he raised it like a half a note i'm like this isn't working so you know you don't know if you should sing high or low because i can't hit that i was so frustrated and i kept going after brandon Brandon was his name. He was like the guy's brother. I was all over him the whole night. Can you adjust this? He wouldn't adjust it.

It was outrageous. You're chasing him around the ice. I was like 2 in the morning. I'm still arguing with this guy. You screwed me on the pitch, man. I have the voice of an angel, and the technology was terrible. Okay. You're not going to get Mariah Carey to sing as a bass, right?

You have to find the right pitch. That's right. Jonas, you must sing at that karaoke. Oh, I'll bet you do. Pierre at the big athletic parties. You and Pierre at the athletic karaoke party would... I might have stayed if they had karaoke. I think that would break numbers on YouTube and stuff.

I can't ever see you doing karaoke. Me? I don't know if I've ever done it. What? I can't see it. I have a horrible... Never? I just... I've never see you doing karaoke. Me? I don't know if I've ever done it. I can't see it. I have a horrible... I just... I've never had any...

Like, I've never thought... I want to do that? I care to do it. Yeah, exactly. I have no ambition to try it. It's not a Joe Cool thing. It's just... I don't think I've ever been to a karaoke bar.

Like, I know they're scattered throughout the city, but... I just... I don't know. It's not my thing. So much fun. Especially when you've dropped a couple shots and you get in there. I think that's mandatory, though, isn't it? Like, I'm not going out there like sober as a judge, like, hey,

throw on some Garth Brooks. Pitch, pitch, pitch. Like, I'm not doing that. I would need to be half cut, if not full. Brandon, raise the pitch up. Brandon, jamming you up. Brandon, I think he did it on purpose because I was one of the

top ten best singers there and I couldn't show my best moves. He probably saw that goofy sweater you were wearing and said, I don't like this. The sweater.

I didn't even put the two together. That's what it was. I had Snoop Dogg. I had Snoop Dogg on my Christmas sweater and I'm trying to sing That Summer by Garth Brooks. Outrageous.

Can't work. Snoop Dogg or Snoopy? Snoop Dogg. Snoop like Snoop Gin and Juice. Like Snoop D-O-double-G? Did you karaokeopy? Snoop Dogg. Snoop like Snoop Gin and Juice. Like Snoop D-O-double-G? Did you karaoke that? That's pretty cool.

No, I can't rap. I love rap, but I can't rap. I walk into the party. I'm trying to sing. I got Snoop on my shirt. They ran out of pork that I like to drink. The pitch is too high. There's a lot going on Saturday night, boys.

Awful. Awful night in Edmonton. Rough night. Awful night. Rough night. All right, Luke Wilson coming up. Al's brother with the pick ason. Awful night. Rough night. Luke Wilson coming up. Al's brother with the pick as well. Overdrive continues.

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