OverDrive - LeBrun on the Leafs playoff readiness, his thoughts regarding Leafs injuries, and the Canadiens odds to upset the Capitals

Episode Date: April 17, 2025

TSN Hockey insider Pierre LeBrun joins the show to discuss his tweet on the Leafs playoff readiness. LeBrun shares his thoughts on the Leafs injuries and if the Canadiens stand a chance against the Capitals.

That just happened with me, Vashi Kapelos. Canada decides 2025. Stay informed with my exclusive iHeartRadio podcast, available Friday afternoon, straight through till election day and beyond. I'll have your weekly highlights and my unvarnished analysis of the campaign of a lifetime. The candidates, the quotes, the polls, and the momentum.

That just happened with Vashi Kapelos. Canada decides 2025. Fresh every Friday. Stream on your schedule with the free iHeartRadio app. Let's welcome in Pierre Lebrun at TSN Hockey Insider who again said that this is the most playoff ready Maple Leafs team in the Matthews-Marner era but the Senators are playing with house money. We could talk him into so many plausible scenarios heading into the Battle of Ontario let's see what we can get into. Good evening Pierre how are you? I am good I am packing my suitcase off to Dallas tomorrow very excited that I got the series that I put my number one bid on for the athletic.

Is there a bidding system at the athletic is that how it works you guys put in bids and that's where they send we communicate we communicate they they valid the you know he knows the drill there over the years of the star you know of course you know at least 24-7 at the star but but I will tell you that I'm pumped about avalanche and stars that's the series I've been on for a couple months and it's coming together and I look forward to it yeah so we'll get to that series in a bit Pierre but I am curious to know about your thoughts with regards to the Leafs. You talked about how playoff ready they are and perhaps the most playoff ready team that we've seen here in a long time

for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Take us through your thought process here. Yeah I you know I put it out because obviously that's how I feel. Craig Borube has in fact, to me, gotten this team in a place where I believe they're more comfortable in low event games and guinear games. I mean, we'll have to see it obviously, but I think he's done an excellent job this year transforming that team that way in terms of style of play and simpler plays and you know so on and so on. But I also think the way that Radtree Living has continued to tweak their roster in the last two years has made this team more playoff ready too with especially Chris Tannin.

You know it's funny I covered Dallas Colorado last year too in the second round they're going to start to think I'm stalking them but Chris Tannen was unbelievable last year at playoffs for Dallas, you know I know a lot of people listening probably didn't watch a lot of Western Conference hockey But you know in the first round he really limited Jack Eichel in the Vegas series for Dallas in the second round He was unbelievable against Nathan McKinnon Of course McKinnon had his moments because he's Nathan McKinnon But to watch Tannen up close last year in that series and I made a point of sometimes just watching his shit and maybe watching the puck I remember thinking my goodness this guy's even better than what I've seen on TV

when you watch him live in a playoff series when I was a Leaf and that's why they went out to get him and so all those things are positive I truly think the Leafs are more playoff ready than you've ever been in a Matthews-Marner era. I stand by that. However, I heard you had Paul McClain up earlier talking about the demons. If Ottawa takes game one, I'll bet they're off to me because that's the human side of it

that is so hard to coach and control. I mean, the original Leafs here of this team only know one thing at playoff time. I mean, I know it's cruel to say, but I don't know how else to put it. That's just what we know with the core of this team. So it seems silly to say this because good teams overcome game one losses all the time, but I think this one sets the tempo for the battle of Ontario right from game one. Well, in that case, Pierre, the stakes are as high as they could possibly be on Sunday but I think this one sets the tempo for the Battle of Ontario right from game one.

Well in that case, Pierre, the stakes are as high as they could possibly be on Sunday night, and there's a little bit of intrigue about who might play for the Leafs, as much as I understand you believe in this team and you believe it's a better roster construction than we've seen to date, but the roster construction depends on health here,

and we've heard from Craig Borubei today that he's fairly confident, I believe is the quote, that Oliver Reckman-Larson, Jake McCabe and David Camp will play. I think the two names, well the one name that sticks out is the most important there obviously is McCabe because he is of course,

can as partner on their number one shutdown D-line. What do you know about, how would you speculate, decode Leaf Inj injury language for fairly confident when it comes to these guys playing? Yeah, I think, listen, they're gonna obviously wanna play and the question is, you know, you know, one of the reasons you can't come out today

on Thursday is because those three days matter. It's the same way you notice the way Paul Maurice answered the math you could check questions today in Florida. Every day matters at this time of year as far as whether a player is ready. So no one within the least is ready to say either way right now because tomorrow is a new day. Tomorrow is another day to check on these guys. So that's the truth and I know people think that it's, you know, everyone's in playoff mode already and they're not being as forthcoming. Some of that is true but the reality is because the series doesn't start till

Sunday there's still information to be gained over the next couple days and that's where the Leafs are at with those guys. TSN Hockey insider Pierre Lebrun our guest. You mentioned you're covering the Dallas Colorado series. Dallas gets Kyler Sagan back last night Pierre but they lose Jason Robertson in the process with a knee injury what can you tell us about his prognosis? Yeah we'll find out more tomorrow the the stars had the full day off today so there were no updates on Robertson but you could tell from how annoyed Pete DeBoer was the stars coach post game last night and in his crumb

that he wasn't very happy about it and it does you know it stinks when you know the Stars have been playing meaningless games for better part of a week or week week and a half ever since it became clear they couldn't catch Winnipeg first and you lose guys and meaningless games and you know it's just it's your worst nightmare in a way, but on the other hand, I go back to, I think it was 1996 when the great Scotty Wollman decided to rest Lindstrom and I think Eisman at one point, I mean, Detroit was so far ahead of everyone

in the conference and their division, they started resting guys late in the regular season. And in hindsight hindsight there was some talk when Detroit didn't win that well maybe that hurt them you know so I know you guys talked about this earlier about game 82 for the least but I don't know that there's a perfect handbook like I think if you're a player who's not 100% it's a no-brainer to rest and not play in game 82 playing game 82. But there's also some gain and benefit in playing if you are 100% so that you continue your rhythm and you go into the playoffs feeling good about your game. And especially some of these teams don't start till next week, the way the schedule was announced

today. So, you know, I think Florida is going seven days between the end of the regular season and the start of the playoffs. So it's an eternal debate, but you just feel for Dallas that there was Jason Robertson last night in a completely meaningless game for them. Yeah. So you're going to be in Dallas Saturday, Pierre. And I mean, in a lot of ways, this is the most intriguing series. I mean, we're going to be focused on is the most intriguing series i mean we're gonna be focused on leaves auto i know obviously we're always keep in mind five canadian teams

montreal washington wintipig st louis edmonton l a but when you think about the main story line or the most intriguing story line of this nhl season in terms of you know transactional trade news the ranton saga is number one by a mile and it's not close.

The idea that now these two teams, Colorado decided to punt on Rantonin and he spent a little time in Carolina and now he's in Dallas, and he hasn't really been the same player. He hasn't been terrible, but he hasn't been anywhere near the force he was playing alongside Nate McKinnon.

How do you see this sort of meeting of former Stanley Cup champion teammates, McKinnon, Rantinen, Colorado Dallas? Well, Dave, that's why I want to be there, man. First of all, these are two of the top five teams in the entire league in my opinion, and they're facing off in the first round. So the playoff format is kind of nutty that way. But the Meekle-Ramson in bowl for sure. I remember I interviewed both GMs from Dallas and Colorado the day after the March 7th trade deadline or sometime that week in LA. And that was the piece was, you know, Dallas, Colorado on a collision course and Meekle-Ramson

and now in Dallas. And I asked Chris McFarlane, the GM of the Avalanche that day, can you imagine your reaction the day you traded Ranton into Carolina if someone had told you, well, he'll be in Dallas in the first round of playoffs and you'll be playing them? He kind of laughed. He goes, you can't, he could have never imagined that Carolina was gonna flip him. But that's life.

And not only flip him, but Rampen and ends up signing for 12 million a year in Dallas after being offered his last offer from Colorado a few months before that was 11.65 million a year. So not a whole lot of difference other than tax-free in the state of Texas. So I guess take that into consideration. But I will tell you this, I don't know if Meagol Ransom would ever come out and say this publicly, but I am 100% sure that if Meagol Ransom knew, I'm 100% sure that if he knew that when Colorado offered him that in December or January, I forget when he got traded to Carolina, but when he got offered that by Colorado, 11.65

million a year, if he knew that by rejecting that offer he would get traded, I think he would have signed that offer. He was so blindsided by getting traded by Colorado. He was for sure in the mindset that this, that he had till July 1st just like Mitch Marner, that he could wait and wait and wait and get their best offer and stay in Colorado forever because that's what he wanted and I think it's one of the reasons he never found his sea legs in Carolina.

I just think he didn't know where he was after time he was there and then four nations game. And then the Dallas opportunity presented itself and I think he knows the stars well. He just played them in the playoffs again last year. And I think he said, figured to himself, you know, I can't really go back to Colorado. This might be, you know, just as good a fit for me. And he signed for eight years. But it's an incredible backstory. I mean, Rantanen and McKinnon were inseparable forever, both on and off the ice. Now they're facing off in a playoff series. Colorado and Dallas are two of the busiest teams in the entire league, not just at the

deadline, but throughout the year and everything they've done. One of them is going home early after all that and the stakes are super high for a first round series. TSN Hockey insider Pierre Lebrun our guest in hour three of Overdrive. The Montreal Canadiens punched their ticket last night, they beat Carolina, excellent record post-four nations. What type of chance are you giving the Habs of beating the Washington Capitals? I think a better chance than the Vegas

books I mean I still think Washington should be favored for obvious reasons but let me just say this about this league that is like no other for this 12 months ago what did you guys think of Washington when they when they backed into the playoffs of the eighth seed with a minus 37 goal differential? Seriously, what did you guys think of them? Yeah, I thought kind of similar to what I view Montreal, frankly, even though Montreal is coming in with a much different pedigree as far as their play over the last 20 games. Sure, and my point is, and listen, I do think, give credit to the Habs.

They took advantage of a weak race for eighth. Let's just call it for what it is. It wasn't the same as the West, but they won out and they deserve to be there. My point is that we are all guilty of this. I'm guilty of this. Washington's a tremendous story. They've been one of the most aggressive front offices in the league in the last three years. The way they've retooled that team on the fly and not bottomed out, it's all positive. It's all, I mean, believe me when I tell you how the GMs are taking notes of what Chris Patrick has done there in Washington. But it doesn't change the fact that we're all guilty of looking at a first place team

in real time and thinking, oh yeah, they've always been, no, this team backed into a playoff spot last year. Now they're better, but how much better are they really? And maybe they win the cup, and you guys can radio me with this clip, but I think the reality is that somewhere between last year's eighth place team and then adding, you know, Pierre-Luc Dubois trade, Logan Thompson trade,

they're obviously way better. Their record tells you that. But are they really seven spots better 12 months later? I don't think they are. And so I think they're a playoff team. I think they're probably certainly worthy of having a chance to go all the way in the East. But they are beatable.

They are beatable, and that's what will give Montreal you know a puncher's chance. Yeah, no doubt about it Pierre. It's a toss up for sure. I mean, you know, there's a lot of talk about the way it's fallen off for the Capitals down the stretch here. Obviously Logan Thompson's injury looms large. The kind of the emotional deflation of going through the incredible high of Ovechkin breaking Gretzky's record and then you know a couple of big party nights it looked like for the Capitals and now the come down has been kind of cruel for them. On the other hand to your point about

Montreal the punters chance like when you look at this team like Marty St. Louise never coached in the playoffs a lot of these guys are essentially playoff neo fights you know as much as they're coming in on a high as an unexpected playoff team do you think they actually have the sort of the substance to bring the kind of game you need to bring to win a seven game series yeah it's a good question and I think there were some red flags over the past week when it took them a number of games to take that final step in. You know, I mean, last weekend they only picked up one point over 24 hours in Ottawa and Toronto, and then they lose and

shoot out to Chicago at home. And I thought the nerves were really on display that night at the Bell Centre, despite the amazing debut of Ivan Demidoff. And then last night, I actually thought they came out really nicely against Carolina. That's as good as they looked in a while and deserved to win, even though the Hurricanes wrested some regulars. You don't know because this team really hasn't been there, so it's sort of the unknown with this group.

And listen, they are way ahead of where they should be. Um, you know, Kenny Hughes and Jeff Gordon will never admit this publicly, but I don't think they ever saw this as a playoff team this year. I thought they were hoping to take really important steps and knocking out the door, but the next year would be the year. So they're ahead of schedule. They're year three of a, of a pretty substantial rebuild and they're already in the playoffs. So, you know, again, odds are Washington's going to win, but you know, I just tried to answer your first question, which is, is Washington beatable? And the answer is yes, in my mind.

Pierre, I did a list in the four o'clock hour about the players on Canadian teams that have the most to gain heading into the Stanley Cup playoffs and I had two Winnipeg Jets in my top five. Horace Connor Hellebuck who's a total no-brainer but also Mark Shifely. How are you feeling about Winnipeg's playoff chances considering they won the president's trophy? Everything seems to be trending in a very positive direction for them but they've got a very difficult first-round opponent. It's funny you can link it back to our Washington discussion in some ways, but isn't that funny that now I haven't looked at every publication and everyone's picks yet but from what I can gather so far, I haven't seen a whole lot of Winnipeg-Washington out

there as it sounds like a final and they brought part of the best teams in each other's conference. And so we've covered Washington. Where does that come from on Winnipeg? Why is Vegas to me a more popular pick or a return from Edmonton if they get their act together or the winner of Dallas, Colorado? It seems like people just want to overlook the Jets. And I think it starts with what we saw 12 months ago. I mean, the Jets got destroyed by Colorado in the first round and some of that was gone to Alibucks play.

But I think that has put some people in a position where despite an amazing regular season, where the Jets really went wire to wire and almost barely showed any signs of slowing down throughout the year. People are like, yeah, but now it's the real hockey. And, you know, there's an argument to be made that the Jets have a bit of Leafs West in them and that since their ride to the 2018 Western Conference Finals, which I really enjoyed

covering with fans in Winnipeg or Unreal, the Jets haven't done much in the playoffs since then. That's a pretty long chunk of time. Losing last year is the favorite in the first round of Colorado losing to Montreal in the bubble in 21 like this is a really good team that since 2018 has not gone deep and So I think there's a lot of pressure on them to be honest and it certainly starts with Hellebuck Now your point on Shifely would be this to me

He was by far in my estimation the biggest snub of Team Canada's Four Nations team when they announced their team on December 2nd this year. Just based on his production, his consistency, and it's almost like, you know, is he paying the price? Because Winnipeg hasn't, you know, answered the bell at this time of year, who knows, but I agree with you, Aaron, that a big, deep playoff for the Jets helps guys like Halbuck and Shifeley and their perception around the league. But I'll tell you this,

we're asked by the PWA not to divulge our ballots because we don't want to influence other voters who haven't voted yet, but Conrad Halbuck figures pretty prominently on my archery ballot ways a pretty prominent i think i guess i i can guess where you're leaning here winkling it could corral already revealed the uh... god dries i have a rather broke the rules by the way carlos tells me voted for i was i've been saying i'm undecided and still i still get the vote here so i'm

following the protocols thank you very much there you go i don't think it i don't think it's the slam dunk year I think that's what's great about the heart debate this year is legitimately there's some great cases you know I think between dry title McKinnon Hellebuck Jack Eichel how about Kale McCarr and the defense and never get to win the award you know Chris Pronger is the last defenseman to win the heart trophy yeah Nick Littstrom won seven Norris trophies and is considered a top five defenseman of all time, I think by most, and never won a hard trophy.

Blame the hockey writers, Pierre. Blame the hockey writers. Well, Pierre, safe travels out to Dallas. We know you love the Cowboys and I'm certain you'll love covering the Stars in the Avalanche series. Thank you for doing this. We'll talk to you again soon. 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 iHeart Radio app and at iHeartRadio.ca. It's gonna get loud.