OverDrive - McLennan on the Maple Leafs' roster construction, Toronto's goaltending depth and the clarity on his tattoos

Episode Date: July 31, 2025

OverDrive Co-Host Jamie McLennan joined OverDrive to discuss his clarity on his back tattoo, sets of clothing on vacation, the Maple Leafs' roster construction, Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies' line, Toronto's goaltending depth, the team's third goaltender, bracing for a flurry of signings and more.

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the more you save. Switch to Canada's fastest 5G-plus network today. For details and more great offers, visit a Bell store or bell.ca slash promotions. Bell, back to school, just got better. Look at this guy, Jamie Noodles McLennan with one of the worst back tattoos of all time, according to Struddy. Go ahead. I know you've been waiting to answer on that.

I don't have a back tattoo. Like, okay, for weeks now, you guys know, I mean, we all text and all of that. But I'm in Italy, you know, laying in bed or whatever. My phone starts blowing up saying, Strudy's just carving you. I'm like, yeah, that's a Tuesday. He carves me all the time. Yeah.

Said you had a bad cover-up tattoo on your back. And I'm like, okay, first and foremost, yes, I've got 13 tattoos, but they're mostly all visible on my wrists and my triceps, all that types of stuff. But I don't have anything on my back, and I've never covered up a tattoo. So I don't know. Is he remembering somebody else? I feel like O-Dog has a cover-up tattoo. He's not me, right? Oh, he's losing tattoos.

Like, he's getting rid of tattoos, man. That guy's going through surgery, like, basically daily. Oh, yeah. I think it's just strutty making things up. He's looking for content. So he's like, oh, there's an easy target. Nudels. He's not on the show.

Let's just make something up. I think Frankie, I said you a note going to this guy's completely lying. He called him a flat out liar and a content creator. Well, he did do that. Both can be true. Because it was great content for us. Outstanding. It was phenomenal stuff.

Like once he got into the cover up and how bad that looked, I'm like hookline and sinker, man. We were ratings bonanza. Well, the thing is, is I was going to have a picture taken of my back and send it to you guys, but I didn't want to get upset everybody with the hairy gross back and, you know, all of that type of stuff. So I'm like, let's just leave it alone. I will deal with it when I'm on the show next. Good man. So there we go.

Well, it's good to see it. How's everything going? Good. You know what? I wanted your guys's opinion because we've had a spirited debate on. vacation so i i have vacation clothes so i've worn my vacation shirt here on the show yeah so it's funny because step and i've been together what 14 15 years so we have pictures where we go to italy every summer and i bring my vacation shirts out so there's pictures from 2012 2012

2013 with the same shirt on like i love it so my my son is always like what shirt is is that? I'm like, that's number three. I bring seven, we go on 14 days. I wash, I do laundry on the road, so we pack light. So this is what I wear to dinner most nights. This is not a bad shirt. I love that shirt. It's a travel shirt, right? That's the summer 2013. It's a beautiful shirt. That's what it is. It's a beautiful shirt. So I, I don't know. I mean, am I the only person who has, like, travel clothes and stuff? I don't have that. We did Italy for our honeymoon two years ago it was the same clothes that I have like I bought a couple shirts yeah and to be honest with you like I don't think they've come back out there's a couple of them that just doesn't make sense to ever wear them

anywhere else other than there I don't know if you can call it a vacation shirt but you're you're basically Frank Costanza you have cruisewear that sits in an attic for 11 months of the year and then it comes back out for your vacation last night we got home late I I washed it I put it in the drawer and we'll visit it a year from now that's it like when I I pull it out and the shirts come out. Now there has been some deterioration with the shirts. I think that's where the frustration comes in because I've got a few T-shirts that have some holes in them.

But I wear them to the beach. Like I'm not wearing them out to a five-star dinner. This is my five-star dinner shirt. That's your five-star. Yeah, I love that. I love that. And sometimes I do find, like, I'll get, you know, photo remorse based on what I was wearing back in the day.

Like, we got engaged over in Europe. And for starters, I was still in griff mode. so I was a disaster. The gear I was wearing was horrendous. Like we, like, I got engaged in like an old Navy t-shirts. Do we have any of that pick? Like, does that stuff live in the system? Could we get it?

I don't think it's like public knowledge. Like, that stuff's deep in the archives. But I look back on it, I'm like, what was I doing? You know, like, what was I thinking? But it was the same thoughts as you noodles. I'm like, well, I'm just, this is what I'm going to throw in. A few T-shirts, a couple golf shirts. It's like golf shirts are my move on the road.

If you're going to somewhere warm, warm climate in the summer, it's golf shirt at night, t-shirt during the day. And it's all good. It's all good. Well, I support you. Okay, good. Like, I felt like I don't have a lot of support with this, but it's like you like to travel lean.

Yeah. You're not there to impress anybody. That's right. Like, that's the other thing. Like, you don't need to be all dolled up. You're going to relax, blow off some steam. You're laying by the beach or on the beach or, you know, I don't go in the water. so I just kind of sit by the side of the, on the sidelines,

but everyone else is swimming and enjoying themselves. Beautiful. So, you know, I got a little side tan. I got, you know, basically the V tan. That's it. That's all good. That's all good. And that's the way it should be.

I love it. You know what I've noticed online? I'm sure you guys have seen it because, you know, we've been talking about a noodle's that the NHL has just packed up shop. They are doing nothing. Like, there's nothing going on. A couple guys are avoiding arbitration. Samberg signed in Winnipeg yesterday.

We'll see what happens with Nick Robertson. NBA is no different. But now what you're getting is the NHL's social media accounts are publishing, like, the projected opening night lineups. Yeah. And the only team in the league causing a stir online is the Leafs. Like, every, have you seen it where they posted? They got Max Domi, of course, on the top line. And so the comments are just exploding.

Marner to Domi and this team stinks and people in Ottawa. I find a humorous because Sends fans and Habs fans are jumping in. They're like, that team's not making the playoffs. They suck. I'm like, only the league. could generate content from a projected lineup card on July 28. It's so funny because I believe you and Feshchuk were just teeing off on Jonas. Was that yesterday or two days ago?

Yes, a couple days ago. Jonas felt like Bobby McMahon was the Locke, you know, NHL All-Star that, you know, we haven't seen yet or whatever. Right. Hayes, you broke his heart saying, I'm not even sure he's in the lineup on opening night. It was not happy with me or Dave for that matter. but yeah he took that one personally yeah but honestly you're right like it is posting but i still think there i don't know how you guys feel there's another wave coming here guys

because there's some good players out there that haven't signed and it might be the max patcheretti pto route to make teams here yes max domi i don't think that is what it's going to look like opening night but it could you know we'll see if max like the one thing that max domi is capable of is playing better in the regular season So, you know, it wasn't that, he's not that far removed. I think he got 72 points. That was probably six, seven years ago. But could he get 55?

Like, I don't think that's out of the round. Especially if he's playing with 34, he should be able to. Well, yes. And you have to think someone's got to be, like, someone's got to have the purpose of saying, I'm getting 34 the puck, whether it's domi or Michelli. Like, someone's got to kind of take that role and run with it because there's a really big void there now, noodles. Yeah, I think, I think they are going to get.

give a long run. I did agree with Jonas on one thing is that I think I think Barubi is going to give the newcomers a longer look in certain situations just to see if they can settle in, develop some chemistry. Machelli, I think, is a guy that has some creativity. I don't know. I hate for him to have to go, okay, well, there's Marner's spot. Machelli, you fill it. Because he's going to fail because he's not Mitch Marner. But if he can develop some chemistry, like it might be a scenario where Maybe Nealander goes up there, and they might start moving things around. Dakota Josh was a nice player. I like the signing.

I think it's a really good sign. He's a big player who's tough to play against. Yeah, he scored, what, 18 as a career high? You know, could he get 15 to 20, maybe north of 20 if he gets some quality minutes with some good players? Absolutely. Noodles, if he scores 15, but he's confrontational and is a bit of an agitator and can change the temperature of a game, Like, would that not be considered a win for Dakota Joshua? I think, like, they're dying to get 15 goals from a depth player at this point.

Absolutely. Absolutely. That's a win. I keep coming back to, does Nick Robertson make the team? Like, is Nick Robertson opening night? I feel like I don't even know if he's with the organization. I think if things shake out, they might find a spot. You know, you might have to open a spot for somebody else that comes in. You know, he's a guy that's really polarizing for me.

me because, you know, he has scored. I think he had 12 in 56 games, something like that. Like, he can put the puck in the net, but he seems a little bit more one-dimensional. But he's got now guys that are ready to jump him on the depth chart. Where does Easton count fit in? Does he push for a spot? You know, Joshua's in the lineup. Like, that's the thing.

Machil's in the lineup. Those guys, they brought in for a reason. Nicholas Waugh is in the lineup. Like, Tree really likes him. You know, Hayes, you. You and I talked to him, what was that? Trade deadline day. Trade deadline.

Or no, on Free Agent Frenzy on July 1. Yeah, sorry. He was raving about him, saying, like, we think he's a matchup guy. He's big and, you know, agitating. Like, to me, this team is going to look different, and I don't mind that. Isn't that what we've been begging for? Yeah, it was mandatory, right? Fast-track, like, they had, it was manned, and it was someone was out of their hands.

Marner was going to leave anyway, so he's gone. Yeah, I mean, you can argue how different it's actually going to be. It was basically the big piece being martyr. Benudos, I was going to ask you about the goaltending. You know, last year you had the tandem. He still needed, what, six or eight starts from the likes of Hildeby, and then even Matt Murray got used for a couple of games. How do you feel about that third goaltending position right now?

Do you think they need to get a veteran guy in there? Are you cool with it being Hildo B or it being the Actiumov kid from the Marleys? So, okay, yeah, so Ardi will call him as the number four, just because I'm not even going to try and pronounce his name. They want to give him a longer run. It sounds like to get some games. I think what you need to do, if you're the Toronto Maple Leafs,

is create a pathway for Hildaby to either be a player or not. And with Matt Murray there last year, he was taking up, he was soaking up some of the progression of Hildeby and we'll call him Arty. Because with Matt Murray there, we know what he is. I think what's going to happen is they'll start with the two up top, which they're very comfortable with and then have Hildaby as a three and then at the deadline

you grab another guy like you have somebody in the system that has you know, NHL, pedigree, all of that type of stuff but I don't think you force feed somebody into your, you know, Marley's lineup that will get in the way of Hildeby. I think Hildeby had maybe a little bit of a down or inconsistent year last year

and they need to figure out if he can be an everyday guy, and the only way you can do it is play him a ton in the minors and give him a pathway to try and push somebody out at the NHL level. You weren't able to do that with Murray kicking around and then, you know, the Russian there, Artie. So I think for Hill to be, he's got to be their three, and I look at a lot of organizations that are going to start with some of the players that they have incumbent, and then they've got the flexibility, they'll build cap space throughout the season.

I think of Edmonton. I think Stan Bowman is going to just kind of sit up. on the guys that he has, see if some young players can jump in, and if they don't settle in, then you start making moves. And I think that's where the cap flexibility comes in for a guy like Brad Tree Living as well. You can take a look at it and go,

okay, let's see what we have here, and then you can continue to add to a really good team. Yeah, I like that idea. Listen, he said it to us on July 1st. He said it to the general public and media that he'd probably prefer players, like Tree Living, I'm speaking of. If you have the money, maybe

you can grab guys, they want it maybe to chat with Shant, Sam Bennett. There were others. They never made it. So if they don't make it, don't just spend it to spend it. You know, you don't have to spend every penny you have, especially in July and August. Wait it out, see what opens up. And, you know, you mentioned there's a second wave coming. And I agree in terms of PTOs. And there will be trades. There'll be trades in August. Guys will get moved. I don't know if there'll be blockbusters, but there will be deals. But what I think we're mostly bracing for around the league is signings. Right? Like, when does McDavid go down?

Does Caprisov re-sign? Does Kyle Connor re-sign now that the Jets kind of know what they have? Is he willing to do that? Is he going to play it out? Like that's what I'm curious about, noodles. Like next year, Jack Eichols up, there's a lot of big, big, like, superstar players. How many of them signed before opening night? You know, listen, I follow Twitter as much as you guys.

You know, I saw Bob Stoffer talking out to Edmonton saying that he was confident that he felt that there was going to be, you know, some signings in Edmonton. You know, it's at home. Like, they've got, they've got some house cleaning to do there still, get guys that they want their core under term. So, you know, I look at Walman, I look at Oklahoma, obviously McDavid. McDavid just controls. Like, yeah, it's whenever he wants to. Exactly.

He makes a phone call and says, okay, knock this out at four or five years or whatever number they come to an agreement on. Right now, it looks like he's in France with dry-siddle. I think dry-sidels getting married, right? He is, yep, yeah, that's right. So, I don't know. But you're right. The next wave is going to be some PTOs, but it will be some, I think, probably some massive signings.

All right. I don't know when we have Struddy on next, but we'll have him create something new and then you can respond to it in like a month. Content creator, Struddy. Yeah, he is. The thing is you guys just bought in, too. I love that story. I bought into it completely. I know you have tats.

I didn't know you get a backtatter. That's what makes it believable. We know you have tattoos. So it's like, ah, you can have a bad back tattoo. Studdy's just kind of exposing him. He sold it. Man, and he kind of said what. what it was.

Didn't he say it was a bird or something, which really makes you feel like, all right, he's got details on it. I hate birds. Yeah, exactly. Why would you get a bird? All right, noodles.

I don't know. All right, guys. Stay in touch. We'll see you soon. Jamie Noodles McClennon. The biggest songs in the world. You've heard them countless times. Now learn the details of how they came to be.

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