OverDrive - LeBrun on the Avalanche and Stars' clash, Maple Leafs' playoff success and the Oilers' unideal beginning

Episode Date: April 24, 2025

TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Maple Leafs' series lead against the Senators, Gabriel Landeskog's return and the Stars' large victory, the Kings' incredible start against the Oilers, the players making the most impact and more.

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Join today and be part of something amazing. Here's our TSN hockey insider, Pierre Lebrun. Pierre, you were in the building last night in Colorado. I guess paint a picture for us in terms of the emotion of Landisgog out for the skate and then just his introduction, his play, what was it like being there? Yeah it was a grease pump time honestly it was you know 30 years of doing this one of the probably a top-five moment in my career to witness that. I talked to someone who has worked in the arena for like 40 well

ever since the the Avs got to Denver and he said that is the loudest he has ever heard the arena, including winning Stanley Cups, including all that. That is the loudest he's ever heard the crowd last night when they welcomed Lannis Cog back. And it was electric, but you could also feel the pure love that fans had for their captain. You know, I mean, listen, Lannis Cog has set in themselves. No one's hiding from this. No one was sure this would ever happen. I mean, there were times in the darker times of his three-year comeback that this looked like it may not happen. And for him to play last night and for the way the crowd reacted, it is absolutely one of the great, great moments

that I'll always remember for sure. Well, Pierre, the fact that Colorado doesn't get it done though, that's the, I mean, I thought they were so brilliant in game one, you knew Dallas was going to have a response, but you know, now all of a sudden Dallas has kind of calmed down a little bit. What are you seeing from Colorado? I know it was emotional and both of those games could be coin flips. I mean there was a four-minute power play that they I mean they had a wide open net they pretty much should have got it done. Was there some nerves or it's

just bad luck or what are you seeing from that because you know in my mind Colorado should be up in this series. Yeah I'm with you Noodle. So I'll tell you what I've seen so far here being in this series. Colorado was the better team for the opening five periods of this series. They were the better team for five periods. And then at the start of the third period in game two, and remember if Colorado hangs on, they're up three, two in game two, start third. They're you know, they hang on to win that they're coming home up to nothing. And as Pete DeBoer himself said after the game like

That's we're not coming back from that. That's kind of surprising said that after the game, but Um, and i'll tell you what happened at the start of that period Captain jamie bennett val stars put the team on his shoulders put the team on his back His first couple of shifts which didn't make the highlight reel His first couple of shifts in that third period on Monday night changed the series. I mean he just he had a couple of rushes where he took the puck ran over a couple of defenders on right to the net and Mackenzie Blackwood must have been happy that he put the brakes on at the last second. And that was it like the rest of the team set off Jamie Ben from that moment on and this has been a different series since. Now

Jared Bednar himself after the game last night said he was surprised that his team didn't get more of more juice out of the you know the atmosphere and the emotion for their captain being back and you know it's hard to predict how these things play out but they really didn't they were pretty flat in the first period and then you mentioned that they get a four-minute power play And and really only got a good look at the end with Luckinen had a great day and just missed but Bednar is not happy with his power play right now That's got to change I mean that's a power play that's been among the best in the league for a long time And so I think that will change but I got to tell guys, I heard you guys talking just before I came on, I pulled 13 coaches slash team executives before

this series and took Colorado only three took Dallas and I was surprised how lopsided that was by the way, the same group 12 took Toronto, only one took Ottawa, we can get that later. But, but I was surprised how lopsided that Dallas Colorado poll was just because to me, this is like a mini Stanley Cup in the first round. Yeah. Yeah. Two great teams. But I think it spoke to Miro Hyskinen still being out especially. Jason Robertson hurts to some degree, but they're so loaded up front. I mean, why Johnson's on the third line right now, if you call it that, like they're still very loaded up front.

I mean, why Johnson's on third line right now, if you call it that, like they're still very loaded up front. They're hanging on right now without Miro Hyskinen. Like Thomas Harley's playing out of his brains. Lelouchkin's playing too many minutes, but he's playing well. Like they're, they need number four back for Dallas, but they're up to one. Yeah, exactly. So it's been an incredible series so far. And I tweeted this last night. There is so

little free ice in this series, guys. You know what it's like when you're watching game seven of a cup final and it's like zero, zero forever, and you're waiting for that first mistake. That's what the series has been like, think about all the talent offensively on on each roster right now I'm telling you there's not a lot of great A's to be had out there they are grinding this out right from the outset of the playoffs like the sounding cups on the line with Pierre Lebrun our TSN hockey insider all right Pierre let me

let me off you up this hypothetical okay you have you have the option to have an exclusive sit-down interview with one of these two coaches and they have promised you 100% candor a hundred percent honesty in terms of how they're feeling what they're seeing out of their team Would you choose Chris Knobloch the head coach of the Oilers or Marty St. Louis the head coach of the Habs? I think I would choose Chris Knoblock because I think no matter, I saw some of the emotion post game there. I saw the clips from Montreal. Like, come on, at the end of the day, regardless of how that series finished, they made playoffs.

Yeah. That was big for them. Yeah. Like, let's just be real about where Montreal is. This is all gravy for them. It sucks in the moment. They're competitors, but Chris Knobloch all day. The Orlers are so fascinating to me right now.

They've never had really their team together all year, right, with injuries and everything else. It's like this moving target about what their roster should be like. The loss of Ekholm, I mean we just talked about the loss of East Kinneth. Man, I mean we knew Ekholm has been a great player for them but boy they can't defend without them and it's really hurt them but you know who would have predicted that they'd be losing the special teams battle, the Oilers? I mean they feasted on special teams the last

three years in the playoffs so there's there's a lot going on there with Edmonton and I would to answer your question I think the truth serum Chris Knobloch with the the most entertaining I agree yeah I think it would have to be man because it is shocking they've given up 12 goals in two games in Edmonton and they had that moral victory come back in the third the other night and then just completely flat again last night and everyone looks at it, myself included. It's like, well you got McDavid and Drysottos

so you're fine. This is proof that it's not, this isn't the NBA man. Like you can have two great guys, two best players. The thing is, is they've got RN&H and Hyman. They've got players like those guys have been quiet. They've Darnell Nurse makes $9 million. You would expect players to step up. Like that's the difference. Like I agree. It people can say Stuart Skinner, Stuart Skinner, Stuart Skinner, and he needs to be better. And I would think that I would bet anything that Calvin Pickert's playing tomorrow.

And rightfully so, in just for a change of atmosphere. But Evan Bouchard was an absolute beast in the playoffs last year. I don't know where his game has gone. Darnell Nurse, like you're asking guys to punch above their weight a little bit farther down in the lineup. But you know, Evander Kane looked rusty a little bit last night um you know Frederick same thing because they're coming in I mean John Klingberg I thought he actually he was okay I thought he looked decent he was all right because he can pass the puck.

Kate Wallman's been a little bit. But that's the thing like the point being is play to your capabilities and then maybe you don't have to have those two guys try and go nuts every night now right you know Arvidsson gets a goal, which was a bonus for them, but then he literally turns it over. What was it? Five minutes later. Yeah. And that's where it's like the timely saves.

If Stuart Skinner bails them out there, that's three, two, and you got a game. Curtains, four, two, five, two, curtains. Over. But you know, but doodles, and I agree with everything everything you said but I think we're also all guilty of this I know I am Especially when it comes to Canadian teams. We look at what's wrong with the team that's losing We really give credit to who's up to nothing and I got a pretty like I've had a couple people for the playoffs said watch out for LA. They are no one's paying attention

Yep, they are they were about to play their best hockey they have in this rebuild. And you know, Clark and the young guys, the next wave has stepped up and the old guys like Kopitar are still coy. You know, Darcy Kemper, you know, what a trade where two teams went out, you know, Duboff or Kemper. LA is, this is as good as they've looked since they won a cup. No joke. And you know what? You're a hundred percent right. And we actually said in the

last hour, as much as we're, you know, kicking Edmonton in the junk, we're not looking at LA like LA is a hell of a team. There's a reason why they finished above Edmonton. There's a reason why that they want, they what, five, six home games all season long. They're a very strong team. They've got depth, they've got speed, they've got some bite, and they've got a good mix. They remind me a little bit of Dallas. They got the older guys, but the younger guys, the wave that have pushed through. The older guys are still doing it, but the byfields and guys like that have pushed through. Clark scores last time.

Right. So you know, you're right. As much as you're going, what's wrong with Edmonton, you should be going, what's right with LA? Like give them their flowers as well. Yeah, no question. And listen, it's their fourth year in a row playing Edmonton. And listen, I know how good the Willers have been.

You know, they have the best player in the world and another guy with top five. But at some point in the league with this kind of parity, are you not pushing your luck that you're just gonna keep being the same team every year? That's a good team? I mean, like, it just might be LA's turn. Like, they're not meant to be just a team

that's a speed bump before you get to the second round every year. That's too good a team in LA. Yeah, I agree. Yeah, that's very valid. And listen, it hasn't been four years in a row consecutive, but the Battle of Ontario, this is the fifth incarnation of it, knowing what happened back in the early 2000s, where the Leafs won all four of those series, and now they're up 2-0 going into Ottawa tonight. You referenced the Habs a moment ago

and I think that's a very sensible viewpoint. Again, from the outside looking in, that hey, you barely got in, you got in, you're ahead of schedule, it's amazing, you're up against a beast in Washington. Do you have a similar viewpoint of Ottawa that they're playing with house money or do you see it differently for the sense?

Hey listen, the Leafs should win this series but I think Ottawa, again, going back to your truth serum question, Brian, I think they'd be a little disappointed at their lack of discipline, their lack of execution at times in those first two games. Now, give them props, like they're down to nothing and they force overtime the other night. Like that showed some moxie, right?

But at the end of the day, even though the lease were favored and again, all in that poll I did pretty much everyone picked the least, I still think people expect Ottawa to give the lease a push on this series. And if this isn't a long series, I think there'll be a lot of disappointment there in Ottawa. Again, they're not supposed to win, but there are different ways in which you can lose a playoff series. And this is huge tonight.

We'll see what the crowd looks like in terms of the mix of the white and blue and the Ottawa jerseys. But Ottawa, this can't be a sweep because that will feel pretty empty, though, is what I'm saying. Yeah, I'm having people send me messages from outside of the rinks, and it does not feel like your standard sends Leafs came

like there's Leaf fans there but what I'm seeing and what I'm hearing is there there is more Ottawa Senator fans than usual in this matchup. Yeah then a then a November or January. But those are always big there's Saturday night games you know what I mean like and and and yes, you it's different. Obviously the pricing and all that kind of stuff. But this is big for the for the Sens. I agree. I mean, this is a massive moment. Like you've been waiting for this for a long time. We've been having the Brady Kachuk chat for years. Like what's he going to look like in the playoffs? Right. He scored a goal the other night. I think he's been fine. I think Stutsel has been fine. I like Jake Sanderson's game as it went on the other night. But that's the

future. That's the core. Yet I think you look at a guy like Claude Giroux, Hurst, Ontario, second most famous Hurst, Ontario alumni. Is he the second most famous? Yeah, he's number one. Absolutely. He's number one. Giroux is number two. I'm not even number 50. Okay, but I think Jura's got to have a big night. They brought him in, veteran guy, you know, you got to, I look at him, I'm like, he's got to do something tonight, man.

The thing, and before you jump in Pierre, the thing with Claude is exactly what we've been talking about with Dallas and LA. He's the veteran guy that needs to be put, but he needs to be pushed down when the team pushes through. So like Greenie's given him a chance there, top line, right wing, all of that type of stuff, but I would be shocked if Greenie doesn't find that Zetterlin more ice time and a better look.

And it sounds like Zetterlin is going to be on that. I think on the second line he is moving, moving them around, but that's where the game within the game is all about. If you, if a guy doesn't have it that night, it's not like, Hey, legacy player, you've got to be here. Cause it's our first home game. And seven, eight years, it's like, if you're not bringing it, somebody else has to go there. David Braun I saw is on the fourth line.

Braun was on the second line left wing and you know what? He's been heavy along the wall but he hasn't been super noticeable. So hey, let's try and move some guys around. You've got to be creative to try and combat a Leafs lineup that, you know, we thought Craig Brewery was going to go with the same lineup but it's Max Patcheretti and for Robertson because he's looking for something a little different on the road. So this is the game within the game, the adjustments. As much as we love Claude Giroud, if he doesn't produce, it's somebody else that has to push

him down the lineup to try and do that. Wow. I predict a pretty important moment for Claude Giroud tonight. I know I'm unbiased when I say that. Well, I love the guy too. But you know and remember in conversations I've had with Claude over the years, remember why he signed in Ottawa? It wasn't just to go back to his what has become his offseason hometown over the years. He moved to Ottawa and he was 14 from Hearst. It's also because he truly felt that Ottawa was going to be

that they were arcing in the direction of being that team that was going to make the playoffs and the reality is that it didn't happen as quickly, I think, as he probably would have wanted or where he could talk to anyone else on that team. But now they're finally here. So this is huge. This is why he signed a USA deal on July 1st years ago, go to Ottawa, because he thought this moment was coming. So no question there.

Now I just want to say this about the Leafs. I know you guys would have touched on every single angle of the Leafs last couple of days, but one thing that's playing out so far that I think everyone thought might be playing out is the poise of that team. And when Ottawa ties the two-two the night in the third period, I don't know what went through your

minds, that's the kind of moment in years past where this core has sometimes fumbled the ball. Where they get agitated and start pressing. And I'm telling you, this team feels different. Again, I'm not getting radioed, but I've been saying all year that I thought they were finally gonna, you know, maybe this team goes deep.

They didn't sense the other night. The rest of the game played out like they were just, they kept, you know, believing the system, believing the next shift, just stay within yourself. Honestly, I've not seen that in back to back games from Elise and Pablaus in a very long time. I agree. And I think, you know, you're referencing especially

the reaction to the goal. I would argue the way even the goal happened the build-up to the goal was very different because you know in years past it was like they're on their heels 15 shots on net goalie standing on his head it's inevitable Ottawa was going to score it did not feel inevitable Ottawa was going to score no it was literally their first shot of the period like the Leafs really controlled the play in the third or pushed things to the outside. Now I will say this, after that goal the save on Dylan Cousins was huge. That's a massive save because maybe like you know what you're pointing to Pierre and what you've been

talking about Brian, maybe in past years that that one goal that tied it all of a sudden leads to that's a loss because that puck goes in top shelf and cousins picks it and hey Ottawa finds a way to win that one so it comes back to big save yes timely save too right like that Brad Marsh and last year remember he did that he scored late top shelf and that's curtains right like that's so large but Stolar's is part of that he's part of that change he's part of that I mean I like that's over but stole ours is part of that He's part of that change. He's part of that voice. That's I mean I mean he's out playing Almark right now and right, you know

And I just want to quickly bring up Chris Tana because I'm here with Dallas and Colorado And I don't know if you guys saw a couple days ago Pete DeVore was asked by another reporter about the differences in this year's Colorado Dallas series compared to a year ago when they played in the second round. And you know, he talked about a couple things, but he finally said, well, here's the big difference. We don't have Miro Iskandar right now, and Chris Tanev's not here.

Like out of the blue, mentioning Chris Tanev, and I'll tell you why, because, and that they miss him. Like Chris Tanev fit like a glove here in Dallas after they picked him up last year, and he was an unbelievable matchup guy in the first round against Joguy Gold in the second round against Nathan McKinnon. You don't replace a Chris Tanniff and the Stars dearly miss him and again what's different about the Leafs this year? Listen, Chris Tanniff, this is why Brad Trulund brought this dude here,

you're seeing it right now. Absolutely, I'm on Wikipedia right now. Hearst, Ontario. Notable people. Reginald Belair. Reginald Belair. Don't know Reggie. Renée Fontaine. From where? Mayor. There you go. Politician. Eric Sorensen. Journalist. Claude Giroux. Wow. Pierre Lebrun.

Love it. Ah, whatever. Pierre, you're in there. Notable people from Hearst, Ontario. Everyone knows it. You wrote me in, that's what happened. You just wrote me in while we were on air. Yes, I did.

I do have that ability to do that. With Wikipedia, you can't edit on the fly. One of our viewers do it. But you're in there, buddy. You're in there. Good catching up with you. We'll do it again soon. Right on, right on boys. There he is. You got it. Pierre Labrano, Tia Sonhockey, insider. on iHeartRadio. Rock, pop, hip hop, and when it comes to country, it's the true

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