OverDrive - LeBrun on Rantanen's next steps, the Bruins becoming sellers and Gibson's outlook in Anaheim

Episode Date: March 6, 2025

TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the NHL, the moves around the trade deadline in the league, Mikko Rantanen's interest in the NHL and next steps with his deal, the Bruins' approach as buyers and Brad Marchand's outlook, John Gibson's buzz in Anaheim and more.

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Made in Canada, played in Canada. On the free iHeartRadio app and at iHeartRadio.ca. It's gonna get loud. Here's Pierre Lebrun, our TSN hockey insider. Maybe you can clarify this, Pierre. Uh-oh. Wow, the price of Braden Shen, everyone's got a different viewpoint on what it should be.

He's 33 years old, he's got three years left at six point five million yeah can you explain clarify what it would take to make the move in why st louis might feel obligated to ask for so much if they're asking for so much though you know i've been mentioning this all along that he's a great test case for the old eye of the beholder

Discussion there are a lot of people that view Braden Shen and his remaining contract as great Value with the salary cap exploding like it is over the next three years Any on the other side of that there are there are other people who view that and say well wait a minute You know we're taking a bit of risk here taking that on so maybe it shouldn't be as much as you guys are asking for. It is one of the most fascinating situations I think in the league when you talk about guys that are you know the teams are calling that players that teams are calling on. The Leafs obviously really like this player that's why they've made so many calls on this with St. Louis and they're still engaged and they

have been with St. Louis in the last 24 hours to see if there's a fit. You know the difficulty and this is why the Leafs were also still hanging in on the Islanders and Brock Nelson and I know that today my understanding is the Flyers and Leafs had another call on Scott Lawton. Leafs have to keep spreading their their darts because the Blues don't have to trade Braden Shenn So you can't you can't? You know they you don't want to be left there saying we spent all this time trying to get Braden Shenn and then realize that the Blues are like I will talk to summer which could happen right so so that's why I think and it must be

Hard you know must it's not fun for leaf vans to follow along and see all these names in the reality is that's what's going on is a branch we're living it continuing those calls and in getting a better sense of the price and and the deadline approaching and and and what ultimately they're going to do well here's something for you guys just on the fly here it all being considered if if you pay the same price I don't know what that would be we don't know what the cost of doing business who would you rather have Ryan O'Reilly or Braden Shen because I think they both have turned on their

deal correct yeah has an extra year right so has an extra year more money I believe too no no I think I think I would say Shen even though I love Ryan O'Reilly is a player but for two reasons one is that Braden Shen has played for Craig Brubbe and so there's there's a history that's cheating though Pierre We're just talking about the players Rather want to con smite on that team Well, yeah They both played for him

But but O'Reilly had a chance to sign in Toronto and didn't rain I don't know if that matters or not But and I also think frankly if Ryan O'Reilly had his brothers he wouldn't get dealt. He's very happy in his family in Nashville and that's another thing I take into consideration. So yeah, I think my pick would be Shen. Okay. Pierre, you got to explain something to me. You just mentioned Nashville. Why are they

engaging in trades with the Pittsburgh Penguins? Do you have any explanation to what the hell that is going on? Yeah, listen, I was surprised by that deal as well. You know, two teams not making the playoffs. I think my sense is, but my sense is in all seriousness. It's like the Spider-Man meme where the two Spider-Mans are like pointing at each other. But I think you stink, you stink too. It may make more sense at the end i guess again tomorrow's what i was gonna say that is that some trade setup other moves

and i have a sense that that might be the case here special in pittsburgh case i mean you know i think i'll do this is ready to keep luke shen because he signed for another year after this year because he loves his game and his leadership i think the smarter move is if he gets what he wants he should be flipping luke shen before tomorrow afternoon i think and i know that pittsburgh's open to that so uh... and and honestly i hope it happens for luke shen who's he's such a great

dude and then asked to be traded you know he signed in nashville presumably so that he could finish his career there and traded you know he signed in Nashville presumably so that he could finish his career there and they you know they bought a house there I hope he does get flipped to a contender because if you're gonna get your life disrupted this way hopefully you get a chance to win a cup finishing out the year in Pittsburgh like geez that would be not really ideal no terrible with Pierre Lebrun all right M Miko ranted in like what is happening here with this guy?

We got less than 22 hours to go before the day. Hey, it was 301 and he's in Carolina He will finish the year as a Carolina hurricane What do we see happening and what is what has been changing over the course of the day by the way? I come all the way here in studio to see you guys and you're not even here as an aside You know, I got you feeling the love right now. I way here in studio to see you guys and you're not even here as an aside so i don't know if it's a bad guy to like feeling the love right now also i'll see you tomorrow see a lot of cheese for their all day time so a lot is happening it's one of the most fascinating things that i've seen a long time in the n.h.l. to trade for arguably the best rental player in the last ten years in a shell and then contemplate flipping him six weeks later.

Like my brain just wants to explode. They are talking to a handful of teams about asking them to put their best offer on the table. They want to know what the best offer is on the table from the likes of Dallas, Florida, Vegas. I know LA Kings had some interest, but I don't know if they're still in. And then they're going to take those offers, and I'm sure there's a few more teams, but those are teams we know about. And then they're going to take those offers, as it was explained to me today, and say, does that package make sense for us,

or do we keep ranting in and try to win a cup with him as a rental and if he walks July 1st he walks July 1st. I think keeping him as a rental right now Pierre is complete insanity because mentally he does not want to be there. Sorry if he just tells you he doesn't really want to sign there that means I got traded here I didn't want it and I don't want to play here that's why I would trade his ass sorry that's how you got to do business so I guess I'll tell you why I disagree oh and I understand the point you're making and you lived it but I think that once tomorrow is gone whether he's dealt or not I think Mico Renton will have some will have a relief in his life he'll be able to finish the year no matter where he is and just play hockey again and I think if he's not dealt and

he's a rental for Carolina, I bet you he turns it on because he now he understands that the rest of his career is in his hands. He can decide where he's going July 1st, he can win a cup before that in Carolina, those are all positive things. You know, he got pushed into a corner here in the sense that Carolina wanted to know what his answer was to their contract offer by the trade deadline tomorrow at 3. Well, he gave their answer as they turned it down this morning. Well, what he told them, I believe the specific answer was, we're not in a position right now to give you an answer on it by 3 p.m. Friday. That's what

his camp communicated to the Herd. That's right I'm just saying yeah okay so so now the balls in Carolina's court and listen I and so I guess it's hard to answer in the in a vacuum what I would do because I don't know exactly what those offers are gonna look like from a Dallas or a Florida or Vegas or whatever. If they can turn around and get something close to what they gave up to Colorado and Martin Nietzsche and Jack Drury then then I've been wrong all along because I think it's literally ridiculous to be flipping this guy six weeks after you traded a lot for him. But if they get something that makes sense tomorrow and maybe one of these teams puts a package in there that

May surprise us because they have a feeling that they may end up having a decent chance of signing him at some point before July 1st Maybe the side and trade out of the the rule the well like is that just not possible sign signs of Carolina today? And then they flip them to the team tomorrow like is that possible or no so what i was told today is that uh... their kids and not given permission to teams to speak to him about that ok but yet you know that doesn't change the fact that teams that are willing to step up in a meaningful trade offer probably have to have a sense of whether they have a chance to sign at some point and i guess what i'm i'll give you an example

what a great idea well i'll be no i have to have that noah hannifin wasn't assigned trade last year the deadline but i'm an extension what two weeks later with vegas i think after the treatment of your summer that i could see that kind of scenario where it's not assigned trade but we have at least a sense of we got a chance to maybe extend this guy's get it done yeah but don't Florida Vegas again go ahead noodles at that point it seems like these it's the same team so every year it's like okay Vegas has found a way to do something and they got Riley Smith back and looks like you know the pennies on the dollar they're familiar with them feels like every big deal right now right I'm sure that

you're swirling around and you have to keep things behind the curtain Florida's name or Vegas's name is attached to it I mean they've got some yeah I don't well I mean does it you know trucks on LTIR so Florida's got cap room and yeah a shade theater is out for Vegas but if you ask me to rank the plausible scenarios, and again, this is just really me with that. I have some information. I don't have the whole picture. So this is me, you know, for what it's worth. Yeah. My number one, my number one option is Dallas, Buranton, I think. And number two is East East Putinane, Carolina before I get to Vegas

and Florida. I could be completely wrong but obviously they're all options but I'm just ranking them for you. Okay well listen Dallas is a really good team and you know no state tax all that kind of stuff they got some money to play with down there. We're Pierre LeBrunner, TSN hockey insider. Saw Chris Johnston tweeting out that I guess teams calling on Brad Marchand are not being told no as of now. Boston's an intriguing one. They're kind of the St. Louis of the East for me. They've been in the playoffs, they're not really in it, are they in it, whatever. Take us through their plans with Marchand, Coyle, is Brandon Carlo available?

What do you see happening there in Boston? The Bruins, as another team said to me yesterday, the Bruins have had a lot of different things going on in their war room. Like they are probably among the most active teams in terms of making calls and taking calls. They got a lot of juggling they're doing right now. And I think what has happened there is they went into this deadline a week ago thinking they'd be buyers and sellers. I think it's going to be more about selling now after the last few games. You know a week ago Brad Marchand

publicly to the Boston media said he'd rather not get dealt and he's got a modified no trade but I've heard the exact same thing as Chris in terms of I think in the last 24 hours the Bruins have made a point of sussing out the trade market potentially for Ralph Marchand, just so they know, while at the same time I think continuing to have dialogue with his camp about what an extension could look like at the 11th hour. So it's coming to a head, I guess, is what I'm saying. Both those scenarios are in play.

And you know, it seems crazy to even think that is what i'm saying both those scenarios are in play and uh... it seems crazy even think that the captain the boston brunes could be dealt but it's it's it's it is a possibility that are going anywhere right now and i guess you can resign with them in the summer if you want to don't you think there'd be a lineup for him or no i mean yes idea yeah i think there'd be a big market place and that's part of why if he gets dealt

i think part of the explanation that will come from don suen is probably going to be listen where we are need assets and we love this guy but interest was high and i think that's part of what will get other than that means they will have also not been able to come to terms of extension which by the way could could still happen. And then beyond him are you buying the Charlie Coil, Brandon, Carlo, big right shot defenseman still in his prime like how deep could it go in Boston? Yeah they're definitely listening on Carlo who's

probably the most intriguing of all the names you gave out there. That smells to me more Brian like a yeah call us, but, you know, make it count. Make it count. You've got to pay off significantly. Right. Yeah. Yeah, they're intriguing. I mean, this is one of those real crossroads moment for one of the league's great franchises

that has been good for a long time, but the bill has come up finally, after all these years in this system. So it's a really really reminds me a bit of Washington a couple years ago when I thought these they went down a really clever path but at the time it wasn't that obvious right so let's see what Boston does here. With Pierre LeBrun our TSN hockey insider so you know we began talking about the Leafs and Braden Shen and the value and they're calling on him and Brock Nelson and Scott Lotton. Beyond that center ice position, is there anything else the Leafs, you believe, are targeting and how crazy could the Leafs get between now and 3 p.m. tomorrow?

Well, certainly our understanding today is that center and D is still absolutely when they're calling around the league and we're hearing from other places around the league, center and D, center and D, D center and D they're still on that truck so again you know right hand D right shot D would be the preference and when do they narrow that pier like when do they circle around and circle around and search like one I know before well I know like well but when do they actually decide well okay we're gonna go with that like what what if you do often what happens to be honest is is that

you know you have four five names on your list and three are gone suddenly and you're like oh and and why appear i love that the jim rutherford approach where he does his business in december and january and it's yeah and to be fair to the actually headline the lease actually in the last five six years have been one of those teams the Leafs haven't really waited till the last minute most years so this is a bit of a throwback scenario for Toronto but

what about San Jose like this Ferraro yes that's what I like him like I do I I think he's a really good defenseman doesn't make a ton of money yeah play in all situate like they're listening on him. I was just gonna say they get garnering a lot of interest on him. They are and 26 years old, left shot D plays in your top four. He's got a year and a half left on his deal at I think it's 3.125 million. Yeah, it's three. Yeah. Really good figure. I think it's why they're listening because I think someone might get overexcited. You know they're comfortable bringing back and going through all this again next year potentially but uh...

or he'd be a guy you know i feel like he's a god and then or should be all over but but uh... i don't know that they are uh... you know i think there was that some interest in bryan doom when you got dealt earlier today to new jersey i think carson suci a possibility for the Oilers. Anybody sniffing around that Jacob Truba? No you know what oh never say never but Truba's quite happy in Anaheim and I think he's ready to be part of that because that ship seems like it's turning there in Anaheim they're playing better there you know

some of this potential is starting to come together and i think jacob true bus pretty happy now what i think teams care about that well i think there are not there had to be care fees comfortable there are not a lot of questions in quickly as the john gibson train finally like you know came out of the game last night and like i

i would we're talking about it tomorrow i'm not you know obviously I'm gonna bring it up, but we did a stat He's come out of in the last two years of 19 games like live hockey games He's been games that he has started in yes come out 19 times Yeah Injury pull all of that like if there was a marketplace for him like that's something people have to circle like yeah I think he's staying put now I actually I did a little update on him yesterday and one of my rumblings for the athletic you know the two teams all along that you know his camp you know this is out there noodles knows this like his camp was working with Anaheim

on seeing what the market was all year long like they were working in conjunction and he was willing to wait to go to edmonton carolina was high on his list the hurricanes went pretty far down the path to trade from last summer we've we've since realized uh... didn't get done uh... carolina and anaheim of

have talked again during the season but that one has at least last I checked falling apart because the Ducks feel that John Gibson's playing better this year and if they're retaining on the rest of his deal which two more years at six six point four million a year but that's probably worth the first round pick in their mind and really and my understanding is Carolina said yes see you later yeah we're not doing that I would have said here what is it worth to you that he comes out of the net nineteen-time well your dress negative for a well-respected and it's and listen

and i'm the last night the reason i call noodles all time when i write about bullies the politics because i need him to tell me what's what because bullies hers i'm so confused we're a little bit right now and a lot of lawyers fans would like to the Oilers to trade for John Gibson. I'm telling you the Oilers do not view him as an upgrade on Stuart Skinner. Especially with that contract. So you know.

It's a fair assessment though. Based on availability. Hayes you say it all the time. You've got to be available to play. I don't think he's getting moved. You can introduce yourself to the trainer staff. That's really what it is. That's not ideal.

Exactly. At that price. I think Edmonton's got to trade for a goaltender, but somebody who is a three, somebody who can play in the minors and be an NHL call-up. The Leafs have Matt Murray. That lost in all of this, if there's an injury or anything the toronto maple leafs has a guy who has at least played nhl games and been you know deep well one cups like flat out was one cup one two cups other organizations we saw florida do it with florida's re yeah florida's rejigged their their second and third now a couple moves later yeah

yeah trigger to what kakkanen right so now yeah kack in it when a peg in in Florida. Yeah, okay It's just interesting. All right, Pierre. Well, we're getting close here. We're getting close Yeah time tomorrow 3 p.m. The last thing I'd say just because I'm it's the other one I'm really fascinated is the Brock Nelson situation and again not to make light of it you saw how emotionally got a couple nights ago on the Islanders telecast, but Lou Lamorello is the last GM in the league to pull up a white flag on his team season. He believes in his team and the fact that they're four points out right now for a lot

of people would be you got to sell. He sees a team that's still just four points out and so I'm telling you that the last few days have been really difficult for everyone involved I think to get Lula Amorello to a place where he's ready to trade Brock Nelson, which he may be by tomorrow by the way. But it's just fascinating that the human side to all this where he loves Brock Nelson, he was still trying to sign him I think last night and obviously that hasn't happened but you know we look at it without emotion and say it's so obvious the Allenders should trade Brock happened but it you know we we look at it without emotions it's so obvious the elders should trade brock nelson but we all of it here all of it like what are they hanging on

to their they don't win playoff series and they don't get into the aga else it's over it's game over i have no idea the attachment i do understanding they got a new building uh... it's just that team doesn't work whatever it is that group of players doesn't work what is the attachment i think you probably it's just so i think when it pays the best fit by the way for him

uh... bryon lson i i i love the fit for when it paid but i know new jersey since losing jack use has showed a lot of interest lease of state in their uh... colorado kind of under the radar as usual will see well see a bright early, Pierre. Appreciate you doing this. Rado Rado. There he is, Pierre Lebrun, our TSN hockey insider, this is Terry Clark. We are Nickelback. Made in Canada on iHeartRadio. Rock, pop, hip hop, and when it comes to country, it's the true north all the way.

Loud and proud. An all new digital radio station from coast to coast. Made in Canada, played in Canada on the free iHeartRadio app and at iHeartRadio.ca. It's gonna get loud.