OverDrive - Olczyk on Rantanen's role with Dallas, Matthews' goal scoring skill and the playoff close race

Episode Date: March 12, 2025

NHL on TNT Analyst Eddie Olczyk joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the NHL, Mikko Rantanen's departure from Carolina and his role with the Stars, the Atlantic Division competitive race, Auston Matthews' goal scoring skill, the Eastern Conference and Western Conference landscape and more.

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Switch to Bell PureFiber, Canada's fastest internet, awarded by UCCLA. Starting from $60 a month. Visit bell.ca for more details and to check availability. Here's a long time NHLer, former Leaf, our buddy from the NHL on TNT. Here's Eddie Olchuk joining us here on the Maple Toyota Hotline. Does that surprise you at all, Eddie, that looks and sounds and feels like only one guy is going to score 50 this year? Well, good day, guys. Thanks for having me. looks and sounds and feels like only one guy's gonna score 50 this year. Well good day guys, thanks for having me. Always great to jump on with you all. Yeah I guess

Brian, I mean you know you think about you know the league and you know like we talked before about you know the National Football League and really you know tightening up the rules and opening up the game to you know to lend more offense. I don't think that the you know the league up the rules and opening up the game to, you know, to the lens more offense. I don't think that the, you know, the league has certainly done that, but you know, sometimes it goes in cycles and what have you. And I would agree with you. I was looking at it the other day and it, you know, serious smells like there's gonna be one guy that hits the 50 mark now. I mean,

you know, you can get to any, you know, any of the guys sitting, you know, two, three, four or five and know that some of those guys can get, you know, eight and five or, you know, 10 and six or whatever. And then all of a sudden they're, you know, they're pounding on a door. So, um, and the lead that obviously dry saddle had is it has is, uh, is pretty darn impressive. So yeah, I mean, I am, I am a little bit surprised, but you know, is Jamie Katae in the goal thing in this league, you know, for the most part, it's pretty, it's pretty darn good. And, um, you know, you get to this time of year, the, the, it sure has seemed to me at

least watching a lot of games and doing, um, and that wasn't silly on the weekend for Jersey flyers. I mean, Utah tonight, what a game and what a season they've had. I mean, they're only three points out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference. They have Anaheim. It seems here recently, at least for me, that the rink's gotten a little smaller here as we get down the stretch and teams battling for home ice or securing a playoff spot or teams just trying to get in.

So I think that the games have become a little snugger, a little bit more defensive and you know, maybe that lends into as well as when you ultimately at the start of this, Brian, the question, you know, maybe only 150 goal scores. That, uh, you know, things are, he's a pretty good without the puck and maybe you're not getting as many, uh, you know, many freebies as maybe, uh, you know, you're accustomed to over the course and maybe you're not getting as many freebies as maybe you're accustomed to over the course of regular season. Yeah, absolutely. Go ahead, Neal.

So, Eddie, we were going through the trade deadline fallout. You're sitting watching from afar. What was the... Was there some big surprises or what team maybe surprised you out of nowhere after the trade deadline to try and either make themselves better or wave the white flag? Yeah. Well, I've got to go back, Noodle. I think the – I shouldn't say the easy one, but the one I think is most head scratching is, how did Rantanen end up in Carolina to begin with?

Now. Great question, Eddie. Like, look at, look at, Meiko Rantanen, Meiko Rantanen, I mean, he's an unbelievable player here, no doubt, and any team would call up and go, hey, you know, like, you know, what the hell do you want to get people into this? But knowing a situation, um, knowing the contract and you know, Marty

Natchez is pretty, I mean, he's a pretty darn good player. Look at, they were talked last year. Remember Vancouver and Carolina were talking with about Natchez and I think Pederson was a part of that. And then all of a sudden like three days later Patterson got the you know, the 88 million dollar extension or whatever. So I Mean like if you're gonna make that call You want you what I would I would want to know

We Would you would you sign an extension with us? If it's maybe, if it's no, if it's I'm not sure, and you still wanna bring them and use them as a rental, I'm okay with that. But when you're moving out a guy that has terms as the nature does, and you can't get the assurance of that,

I just don't know how you make the move. And again, then you flip them, right? And he says, well, I'm not sure, well, we think that Aho convinced him to stay, and we're gonna, you know. I just, that's the one I still just don't understand that how we even ended up in Carolina and again now maybe Colorado again I don't know all the particulars maybe you guys do but maybe Colorado said no we're not gonna let you talk to him or whatever I don't

know I mean but I just don't for him to even ended up in Carolina and then you hear Rob Britton Rob Brindmore's comments the other day, it just seems to me like that this one was the hand that was played. I just, I don't, I just don't understand how it got to this point. And look, Logan's dangle is going to be a good player for a long time in this league. He plays even, even on the surface of bringing rampant and into Carolina, I heard somebody talking about, wow, his play was affected because they play man on man.

And I'm like, they play man on man in their own zone. This doesn't have anything to do with him offensively and how they play offensively because as you guys know, they play straight ahead until everything's up off they're really not a you know they don't I don't say they don't try to make plays that's not the right way but they're just more funnel everything to the net it's not a you know that's not the style that Ranton has played for you know his NHL career so that one for me is just I you know I don't know how you I don't know how you bring them in without having any kind of an okay that he's going to be there long term.

But again, then if you're going to bring them in and you're okay with using them as a rental and saying we're going to go try to win the cup and if he doesn't sign here, we're okay with that, that's fine. I'm totally okay with it maybe you trade them five days before free agency and maybe you get a second rounder form or something and then you know you dump them off there so that that to me is where I just don't know how it ended up you know being the way that it was but look they got a good young player out of it you got a couple of draft picks, but Carolina's got,

it has the ability that they can go on a run and they've proved it over the last couple of years under this coach is that they do have the ability to go on runs and, and they could be a dangerous playoff team. And you know, we'd all know what health is come playoff time. So that would be the one noodles to your, uh, you know, long winded, I'm sorry, but I just, you know, so having a tough time, uh, trying to figure out how you ended up stopping Carolina for the 12 or 13

game. Eddie, you're not the only one. I mean, it got even more head-scratching today when Rantanen comes out and says, no, I would have been happy to, you know, consider signing in Carolina after Bryndamore claimed that he showed up there and said, there's four teams I'd signed with and you're not one of them. You know, exactly. There seems to be a bit of a communication breakdown there to, for whatever reason, but what do you make of the fit? Yeah, there seems to be a lot of propaganda

and a lot of lobbying here on what did and didn't take place and, but that's, I mean, that's, yeah, that makes it even more intriguing here but I I don't know I just I didn't seem to fit with him playing as far as when it came to the offensive part of going to carolina and then again to go back to what I said earlier is if I don't have any assurances I gotta be I gotta be just saying okay we're gonna you know we'll pass right now but thanks for your time and then you keep natus and then you you know maybe you move nature somewhere else or you just make a run with him and then worst case scenario you got him for another year. Well and the beauty of this one

Eddie is if it keeps up you know as it stands today first round of the playoffs we got Dallas Colorado. How do you like the random fit in Dallas Dallas and what do you make of that matchup? Yeah, I mean, it sure looks like it's going to be a collision course. And then it makes me just think again, it would be great to go back to one versus eight, two versus seven. And I know it goes in cycles, like we talked about the 50 goal scores or whatever, or maybe you do something where, you know, divisional play is obviously important, but it's not divisional play, I look at it, you know, we kind of, you know, we crossed over for a period of time. I mean, I, like,

you, it's not like you're playing eight times against somebody in your own division anymore. You know, like you're just playing the three or four or whatever it is depending on the numbers. But I'm almost like, okay, two divisions per conference, the two division winners get the top two season and the next two highest point totals get three and four. And then you go all the way down. And then if you want to do something with the, know with the you know with the wild card and maybe if you

want to have a play in for the last spot or something I'm good with that but I just I just kind of feel like we shouldn't be this has now been a couple of years here and I know if you look at the points and whatever some people said well probably end up being the same way or whatever but it just seems like you know we're gonna lose a really really really good team in the first round that maybe you could argue you'd look at on paper could maybe get to the conference final and then you know who knows from there so but that I mean that that has a chance I'm actually for TNT down here in the States we're actually going to be,

I will be in Colorado on Sunday and that will be rampant in return to Colorado for the first time and that will obviously be during the regular season and you know, maybe a little appetizer to what the hell we're going to see come playoff time, but I guarantee it's going to go seven games, but it's gonna feel like nine or 10. Cause I think both those teams have that ability to, uh, you know, to play that type of style and play that type of game. Because look at Colorado on the tool. Like if you go back and just do a quick little cliff notes version of, of, of what they've done in Colorado this year from, you know, the goaltending part of

this whole thing and then, they've done up front, especially with the Rantunen deal, but then you look at the center-ice position, when you look at who's playing behind Nathan McKinnon and who's patrolling the center-ice position, they've really, really changed their team on the fly. I mean, Chris McBarlan and Joe S I mean, they deserve a boatload of credit. And if Dallas can get healthy and, you know, obviously get haste getting back because he's, he's so crucial to what they want to do. So, um, I mean, I'm, I'm my hands up right now raising, if I can get a couple of

those teams in a playoffs, cause I think it's got a chance to be, uh, one hell of a series here, if indeed they do end up end up, you know, having this collision course. But I'm looking forward to the game on Sunday in Denver when the Ramsden makes this return to Colorado with the Dallas Bulls. Yeah, it's going to be a wild one with Eddie Olchuk. And you know, we're having a similar conversation here in Toronto and in Tampa and Florida, right? Who's who's going to win the division and then who's going to be stuck playing each other and it just to your point it doesn't feel like you can catch Winnipeg but over here in the Atlantic it's wide open right now like it could be any combination of those three teams and

I'm curious which one you think needs that first seed the most to feel the most comfortable. Would it be Toronto? Would it be Florida? Tampa? Where do you stand on that Eddie? Yeah I mean I would probably lean more towards the Leafs than I would you know with with with with Florida or Tampa. I was in Don't it sorry guys. I've been all over the place. I was in Vegas last Wednesday when the Leafs in the Leafs were there You know, I look at that game that we stepped right off the top I was doing the game with Kenny Albert and Brian Boussé and you know, we talked to Craig Berubi right off the top, I was doing the game with Kenny Albert and Brian Busce, and you know, we talked to Craig Barube. Our former teammate at TNT for a period of time there when Chief was doing television. Obviously, the

that was the schedule was just, I mean, very, and everybody has it, we understand that, but at this particular time, it hit the lease where they really had nothing that night in Vegas. I mean, they really didn't. I mean, they were, I think they were on the road for four before they came home for that Monday night against San Jose, I believe it was. And then they went right back on the road and were in Vegas two days later on that Wednesday. And then obviously they got a couple of days off before they went to Colorado and then eventually here in Salt Lake. I like, and then we talked about in the summer, I mean, my expectations for the Leafs,

and you see what they did at the deadline, and there's no reason why they can't make a run. I mean, I still believe that. I do, and again, but it does come down to matchups. If you can win the division, and you can avoid, and there's no other way to say it. I mean, you can avoid Tampa or Florida in the first round. You probably like that.

I don't know. There's no guarantee. I mean, they get Otto on the first round. I mean, oh yeah, that's going to be, you know, I mean, Jamie, you know, that's. Can't ask for anything better than that. That could, that could easily go seven games. I mean, that there's, that's just, that's just the way that it is. But, um, you know, you're going to get in, uh, but Florida, Tampa, I mean, all just the way that it is, but they're going to get in.

But Florida, Tampa, I mean all due respect to the Napoli fans in Toronto, could you imagine though considering what Tampa's done and Florida's done here? And all of a sudden, yeah, welcome to the playoffs and you're going to play the defending Stanley Cup champion or a team that's won the cup here twice in the last five years or whatever it is for Tampa and then you know we're going to you know somebody's going to be at home you know probably way earlier than they ever thought but it just makes for great theater. So between the three I mean I would say it would obviously be much more beneficial in my opinion you know for the Leafs to somehow find a way to win the division and then take

their chances from there but i still i give them every chapter they do like their team and i think the world of correct ruby at the coach and uh... you know see how it all plays out i do like the addition to the trade that that dot that line that uh... that brad made as well on the back end of the front of the tenor exposition with lot lot and uh... carlo respectively

eddie you know one of the areas of concern in toronto obviously along with the fact chris tanaf's still out of the linchpin defenseman is obviously austin matthews right i mean he's got three goals in his past fifteen games he's he's fourth on the team in goal scoring i mean you're a guy who's led the Maple Leafs in scoring more than once. I mean, what are you seeing when you look at Matthews

that differentiates the 69 goal score of last year to the guy who's on pace for about 30 this year? No, it happens. The guy, I mean, he gets chances. Just even go back to the Four Nations and the championship game there, obviously against, you know, against Canada. I mean, he had how many, a couple of different chances in overtime to win it. And it just seems like, you know, he's, he gets chances there for the most part.

You know, again, like I'm not watching every second of every Leafs game, but I like to think I do watch, you know, more than enough to have a pretty good feel. And then even talking to Craig Berube last week, you know, talking specifically about Austin is just like, you know, again, these are my, I'm breaking down coach speak is that he's been pretty happy with the chances. He just hasn't been able to, you know, finish like he has in the past. And it's, it's going to happen. I mean, you know, the guy had 60, what 69 last year, whatever the number was, and it's just, it's going to happen. And as long as you are, and I know it's kind of an old saying, and I remember my late mother,

you know, kind of telling me, you know, when I was a young boy and maybe I didn't score maybe for, you know, a couple of games. And, you know, she'd always say, well, you're getting the chances. And, you know, it's, it's when you don't, then you got to start worrying, you know, I'm like, oh, say thanks, mom, you know, and I would it's, it's when you don't, then you got to start worrying, you know, I'm like, Oh, say thanks mom, you know, and I would try to remember that when I was playing in a national hockey league where you, you know, you, you, you go, you know, sometimes you go four or five games and you know, you wouldn't score, but if you knew that you were getting the chances and you were

doing it well, I mean, his 200 foot game is, you know, I just, I think he's, he just turned into a terrific player. And, you know, but look for I think he's, he just turned into a terrific player and, you know, but look for the reliefs are going to look at, just cut to the chase. Like come April, like the big boys got to show up there. There's, there is absolutely no doubt about it. And, but I just think for right now is, it's just, it's just not going in and you know, if he's, if he's not getting the chances and I'd be a little bit more concerned But talking to Craig Barube and you know and just watching what I have is No, they got the guy that can get ten in four games, right?

You guys all know that and we met all that so you just hope he gets hot here and obviously help out And and then they can finish as high as they can and then make sure you're carrying it over into the playoffs. So Eddie, we were talking before you came on about how it's so jammed up on both sides, I mean as far as playoff spots. We talked about the potential first round matchups, but if you had a crystal ball, I mean who do you like on either side? If I had to say to you, Utah, St. Louis, Calgary, Vancouver, all for that one spot, I mean,

those are teams, it's almost like they're trying to, like you take it, I don't want it out west, that's kind of what's happening. And out east, you could make a case for five or six teams I mean, I don't know if I've ever seen it that close in the standings this deep into the season in a long time Yeah, yeah, I think noodles, you know, obviously the You know, nobody should be surprised just because of the three-point game and how close that the league is So when you put those both in the blender, you know, you're going to have, you know, the, it's going to be very tough to get the, you know, to get the separation, but you're right. I mean, you got three,

four teams battling, I would say pretty much in the, in the, in the West where you got three or four teams that are battling for the, you know, probably for the final spot. And then in the East, you're right. You got, you know, you got the five or six. I just say this cause it made me, it made me think about, think about the job that Joey Sacco has done with the Boston Bruins here. Now I know that they got up to a great start when they made the coaching chain. And then obviously, you know,

they kind of went back to what they were for a good stretch there and played some probably a little bit 500 hockey and then they had a dip. But let's not forget, no McEvoy, no Lynn Holm, I think now it's, I mean, it's like Lynn Holm that's going on north of 20, some 25 games I believe. McEvoy has been banged up prior to the Four Nations. Benny obviously, you know, with the shoulder issue at the tournament. They make all the moves and they're right there. You know, like I give them, I think a lot of Joey Sacco is a hockey guy and a guy that did a good job in the first job in Colorado

and then gets put in this situation here, like guaranteed when all these moves have been made by Boston and pretty much just saying, you know, we're looking to move on and, you know, whatever happens happens. Well, whatever he's selling, the guys are buying inside that locker room because they're right there so it is so close now that can speak to maybe you know that the bottom part of the you know the wild card in the Eastern Conference and you go look at the Rangers what that streak the Rangers had earlier in the season guys that was like 17 18 games right where they only won two or three where they just they couldn't get out of their own way but they've kind of found they've kind of found their game and they're back and it looks like Sisturken has kind of found their game here.

I know they blew that game the other day in Ottawa, right? They had a 3-1 lead I think in the third, if I'm not mistaken, and they ended up losing. I think Brady got the OTTWG. So it's I'm not surprised. But when you look at maybe a couple of the teams and the spoons that they've had or maybe the spell off, you sit there and go like, I would hope that most hockey people would sit there and look at the standings, go, how in the hell are the Boston Bruins only four points? Like, now, the last time I looked, I think it was yesterday or the smart game, I remember.

But you know what I mean? How are they only four points out of a playoff spot with all of those guys I mentioned that are hurt and then all of the guys that they moved out of the lineup for trades or whatever, it's like they're right there too. So look, I'm not saying that they're gonna make a run in the playoffs, I'm not saying that at all,

but I think that the guy behind the bench who has an interim tag deserves some credit here for rallying the troops and Selling whatever he is and the guys are buying it and you know They're right there too and that mix of what four or five teams that still within a you know an arm's reach of Making the making the playoffs in the East Absolutely. Well, it's it's gonna be a crazy race down the stretch here, Eddie. We're getting closer to the Triple Crown, too. So we get both of them coming up in the next two months, Eddie.

Do you believe it? Do you believe it? We're less than two months away from the Derby. I love it. Pucks and ponies, man. Pucks and ponies next time you're on, Eddie. You know we'll be doing both. Right now, the name of the horse that I'm leaning towards right now is a little

early bird here. So, yeah, I got a little action on Celtic Thunder NBA final back in July and I got a nice little 12 and a half to one on that thing there, Brian. So you know what I'm talking about. They're playing tonight, Eddie. They're playing tonight. I know they are. I know.

Okay. I got that sitting in my coffer, but the name of the horse for the derby right now, that I'm, again, this is not official picking, but I like the horse out of California by the name of journalism, so keep that one on the roll of decks at the front there, and then maybe get your feet wet here in a couple of weeks. I like it, journalism, that is not fake news. Not fake news, man.

Journalism, we're tracking it all the way up until Pucks and Pony. All right, Eddie, next time we chat, we'll be doing both, man. We can't wait for it. Thank you for this. All right, I look forward to it. All right, there he is. Thanks for having me. Yeah, yeah, I'm going to be in town next week for the Avs-Leafs game, huh? Oh, beauty. TNT on Wednesday, so I'm looking forward to coming back to you all. Awesome. Thanks for having me. You got it. There he is, Eddie Ol500 included. For your best chance to win, enter daily at iHeartRadio.ca. Kane Brown's new album, The High Road, is available now.