OverDrive - OverDrive - April 16, 2025 - Hour 3

Episode Date: April 16, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Jamie McLennan for Hour 3 on OverDrive! TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger joins to discuss the headlines around the Battle of Ontario with the Maple Leafs and Senators, the next steps for the Canucks and the Canadiens nearing the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They revisit their conversation with former NHLer Gary Roberts to discuss the Battle of Ontario rewind and the teams in the series, Hayes and O-Dog make their selections for the RBC Heritage and give the FanDuel Best Bets.

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Join today and be part of something amazing. Final Hour Overdrive continues powered by FanDuel, bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score. FanDuel is gonna be rocking here as we get closer to Stanley Cup playoffs, the NBA playoffs. We had the playing games last night, Golden State and Orlando winning.

It's a great time of year just to be tracking the stats, tracking the odds, you know there's gonna be a favorite in pretty much every series but this is something we can try to determine and maybe we'll get into it with Dreggs. Like which series that we know of in the Stanley Cup playoffs so far is would be the most difficult to predict. Which one when you look at it and say I don't know man I could that's a coin flip series. Dallas Colorado like yeah I think that or the Florida one. Yeah I think it's the Florida Tampa one person I like Dallas over Colorado I think it'll be a great series I wouldn't be shocked if it went either way. I'm picking Dallas. Florida, Tampa, I don't know, man. I think that is going to be a war.

And it got chippy last night towards the end of the game. And like those two teams, you can't beat that. And if you're Betman and company, this is what you are absolutely begging for, is this series to go down, right? Florida and Tampa. And if you're the rest of the East, you're ecstatic because one of them's got to go home. And for the last five years, the state of Florida has

been represented in the Stanley Cup final and they're going to lose a ticket in about 10 days. So yeah, if you're the Leafs, if you're Carolina, if you're Washington, if you're whoever, Ottawa, you're like, great, step aside, move out of the way. That is the thing. There's that lull in the second round where you're like great step aside move out of the way that is the thing there's that low on the second round where you're like Where's my Colorado Avalanche or Dallas stars like me? It's like it does create a first-round buzz for But I was even talking to my dad about a couple days ago And it's just like just just go back to the one eight man and just try it like not gonna happen

Like I don't that man will not do it so yeah like this this is what we got but it's gonna be a good run but we got to get through tonight tomorrow first and like the next two nights is gonna be crazy to watch because if the Habs screw this up like they haven't had a chance to clinch they have lost now three in a row they lost Ottawa lost to Toronto lost an overtower in a shootout to clench they've lost now three in a row the lost auto a loss to toronto lost an overtower to shoot out to chicago if they lose tonight regulation the panic watching tomorrow night of columbus islanders is going to be just an

excruciating experience of your all the other i a m friends is it in columbus or on the island it's in columbus jack in columbus all day well the islanders of their see you later yeah they've had a lot more than a few retires by the way shout out to matt martin but you're right and you know what patrick war

he's going to be sitting there thinking i can jam up the montreal canadians do i want to do that off-bottom off-bottom i want to jam up the montreal canadians do i want to do that off of what do i want to jam up the montreal canadians because tonight is the offer sheet battle right like i version of should be there in it pop at the most as just watching with the all-hot nick cockney emmy remember the back on the offer sheet i'm sorry like retrospectively looking back at the random what all so stupid you know what at the time it was rightful and it was stupid

uh... but that's that's if you're carolina not that the players care be like many can really jam up on true but you carolina scores first and quickly you will hear a pin drop at the bell center tonight others say you want to talk about an underpants cam, you're gonna have to show the chart, right? Like... Big time.

Big time. Bottom right. They score early. It's straight down to bottom right. And that's a problem. Yeah. Yeah, it is. All right.

So Dreggs will join us here in just a moment. We will revisit our chat with Gary Roberts later in the hour. We've got our RBC picks as well. We've got to hammer these out. And I think we'll do this after Dreggs. We'll get him on the line here. But we do have to figure out who's going to have first pick. You jumped on Rory last week, somewhat unfairly. I gave you Scotty Scheffler as a gift saying you have the first pick.

Go ahead, take Scotty. No, that's not how it actually happened. Dude, you would not have taken Rory I would have taken you chime in here Dougie cuz this guy's bold-faced lying he's on the phone with Dreggs but I was all over McElroy I had picked McElroy all week but to make you shut up I said go ahead you take McElroy I'll accept Scheffler. Dude do you know that you FaceTime me after he puked at the US Open you said he'll never win an event again Well, I did not say yeah never win an event. You did you said it's over for him. He'll never compete again

I thought he was in big trouble to never win a major again. I can't lie about that, man I I thought that that meltdown at Pinehurst was gonna set him into a Just spiral him out of control and it turns out he won a major two times like he decided to go through one more at the Open Championship and then all of a sudden he picks up the next one at the Masters but the reason I'm saying that is because Scheffler is the defending champ so I have to believe whoever has the first pick is likely going to take him but we'll get to that in about 15 minutes we We have Draggs? Yeah here's our TSN hockey insider, Darren

Draggor. What's happening Draggs? You know it's like calm before the storm. I know the regular season isn't over yet but it kind of feels like that right? Like we're all into the busy season, we've got another league games more night uh... talk to the playoff preview show so i'm trying to jam as much stuff into today and tonight as i possibly can't go i've got the smoker going i've got the barbecues on i've got the other in going it's going to be a feast

before the uh... playoff fever takes hold. Yes. Well, we got to get through it though. We're talking about the Montreal Canadiens You know having an opportunity to make the playoffs if they win, you know tonight's game You know how yeah, how tense do you think things are there Dragg's? Well, yeah, I mean tense obviously given what they're facing Well, yeah, I mean, tense, obviously, given what they're facing. You know, they need one point to lock their spot and not have to worry about what Columbus is going to do tomorrow against New York Islanders. So in that sense, for sure, they're feeling it.

There's no doubt about that. And I wonder about you guys can speak to this more than I can, like, who's feeling it? The fan base definitely is feeling it but you know are the players actually feeling that level of intensity they've been dialed in for a good stretch here likewise from arty san lujan the coaching staff and it's all management hands there's nothing else that ken hughes and management can do going into this one tonight so you hope that management can do going into this one tonight. So you hope that, you know, they've got a, the highest level intensity of playoff mentality. But I heard you guys talk with Ray about this and maybe earlier in the segment on,

on overdrive about what, what the hurricanes might bring or not bring. And I guess we appreciate what you're saying in terms of, all right, well, nobody wants to get hurt. You just want to have a day or two, get set, let's go to the playoffs if you're the Carolina Hurricanes. But is that the way Brendan Moore is wired? Like, I mean, doesn't there have to be a playoff mentality about every game that you play? And the only way you can manipulate the mentality is by hitting guys and giving those guys load management rest going into the playoffs. So you know, the hurricane lineup, I think that Montreal is going to face is going to

be one that wants to win. Well, yeah, we'll see, man. I was, I made that statement. I mean, I'm, I just, you're not playing for anything. Like I get what Rod's saying, but if you're Bryn,r like do you really want your guys blocking shots tonight? I wouldn't so I don't care How I was sons making his debut you think Skyler Bryn Mawr doesn't want to play his nuts off sure yeah But what how does Rod handle that you can play him 30 minutes because he's his kid I mean, it's it's it's dicey like the the Habs are literally playing for something. Carolina is not.

I mean, there's no dancing around it. Like, yes, it's a professional game. I'm not predicting that the Habs are a lock to win because of that mentality. But you know, it's like Vegas last night. You think Vegas cared that they ended up losing the game? They didn't care. Get me out of here.

Like we're here to play and we're professional and whatever. But it's just a weird, it's like what you were saying off the top Drake's is this weird kind of like gray area where a lot of teams are like get me to the playoffs or other teams like get me to Vegas or Europe or whatever and there's two teams. Columbus and Montreal are like we got to play man don't forget about us we got to get to the finish line here. Agreed. And I mean, the Columbus story would be tremendous, right? Like turn, obviously, a nightmare into something

and nobody could have predicted that. You know, they'd be in this position, let alone lockdown a playoff spot. So who would be surprised if that's the way it tumbles in favor of the Columbus Blue Jackets. But even from a Montreal perspective, fellas, you know, I look, I mean, it's theirs to lose, that's abundantly obvious. I thought, and and you guys correct me again here, I thought Montreal would be a team that

would nibble at a playoff spot. By nibbling, I mean, they'd be in it until there's like 10 games left in the regular season, and then all of a sudden they're not in it, because they're just not deep enough. They just don't have enough experience with their younger core and whatnot. So the fact that they're here, and I'm sure that Marty St. Louis coaching staff and management and the players have looked at

the number of points that they've squandered, where they missed opportunities in the first half, second half and all of that. I still think that the benefits that Montreal Canadiens are gaining from this experience, it's going to bode well. Because I know what management is planning for the offseason and that's to recognize where they're at. They're not going to expedite the process but they look around the Eastern Conference, they see what Toronto has. They see what Ottawa has built. They look around other teams. They look over in the West and they see these teams that are

legit NHL or Stanley Cup contending teams. And Montreal is like, okay, we're not there. But maybe if we add a big piece, maybe if we add a top six piece in this off season or two, then we can get there quicker than we thought. And I think that's what's built off the season that the Canadians have had to this point. Draggs, we were talking about the East and just not qualifying for the playoffs this year. It's exciting for the teams that are going into the playoffs, and you don't need to name names, but would you suggest there's some teams in the East where people are not

going to be wanting to look at their phones in the next four or five days? Or answer it? Yeah, there's probably a few teams for sure. I mean the easiest prediction to make is that there's going to be change with the New York Rangers but you know that's a tap in putt But we don't know to what level that is going to get to. How deep that knife cuts. You know, Peter Lavieleta, you've got a decorated, experienced head coach.

All right, you see the problem? I'm not convinced of that. Do I expect that there'll be a change? Sure, I do. But that Dolan family and the ownership of the New York Rangers man they're in it to win it every single year. So if you're not looking at your front office or if you are and you believe that your front office is going to find a way to enact change, all right well now you're looking at a roster again

you're looking at a roster that couldn't put it together regardless of coaching so automatically I'm drawn to the New York Rangers. Beyond that, I mean Buffalo is always in our crosshairs because you know they played hard for what the first 10 minutes 15 maybe and then things kind of went off the rails from the Sabres last night yet again. So yeah there's lots of teams in these that that we can look at and you know, there are players, I'm sure that are looking at, you know, what change might look like and maybe those players are looking at, geez, I hope it's me. But I don't, I don't know, it's gonna be interesting to see. I can look at both conferences and come up with two or three teams that, you know, there's gonna

be something going on. Well, I guess the owner of the Bruins sent out some letter to the fans about the struggles of the season. Yeah, now I've noticed Sabre fans are quote tweeting that saying, where's Pagula's message? Why doesn't he ever send anything out? So it's just like the miserable fan bases of the East in particular. There's certainly ones out west. And out west, I look at Vancouver dregs and I'm curious like what could happen there. This Brock Besser story's hanging over them. Like Calgary misses, yet it's, everyone's ecstatic.

The fact that they battled, that they did what they did, everyone's happy. In Vancouver, they just miss, yet everyone's miserable. So very different expectation clearly, but what should we be waiting for, bracing for in terms of Vancouver? Well, Brian, there are three big story lines there. And I guess the first one would be, who's the head coach of the Vancouver Canucks next year?

Is it Rick Tauket? We know that they have the club option as Chris Johnson reported last night you know the belief is that Hockey Canada reached out to Rick Taukett in hopes that he would coach Team Canada at the men's worlds and uh I mean our information is that he's essentially declined and the reason for doing that Isn't that he doesn't want to represent his country. Come on. It's Rick talking But he's got a lot on his plate. So he's gonna spend a ton of time with the primary pieces and

It starts of cringing he's a captain. You got faster Demko thepko, the goaltender, and he's gotta figure out what's going on with Alias Patterson, good, bad, or otherwise, right? And then, or on top of that, he's obviously gonna have management conversations with Patrick Albee, the general manager, and Jimmy Rutherford. And he needs to map out whether or not he can go through another year like the one he just went through with the Vancouver Canucks. So that's that's story one for me. Story two is what is Thatcher Dempsey and what happens to him in the future. He's got another year left on his contract.

So as of July 1st, they can negotiate and I know that there's some contact with his representatives to say, hey, you guys think of options, we'll think of our options and then we'll meet in the summer and we'll figure it out. I don't think that Vancouver, at least at this point, is in a position where they want to give Thatcher Demko that mega goalie deal, full long term. Okay, so what if they, well, I hear you, but what if they come to him with a two or a three-year contract extension option? I got a good feeling that Demco is probably going to say, ìNo, Iím good. Iíll play out my year or Iím telling you right now that Iím not going to sign a contract

in Vancouver.î How does a guy with that injury history not say yes to any? If I'm Demco, I'm signing the longest term contract I possibly can. I mean unless he feels that he's healed and all that is behind him, and there is, again, we joke about it and it's cliche to say you bet on yourself, if he decides that he's not going to, and I'm not saying he has like let's let the the whole situation play out But if he decides that whatever Vancouver is going to offer in the summer Isn't long enough isn't good enough and he wants to bet on himself and go into his final year Well, then that's exactly what he's doing, but you're not wrong. It comes with considerable risk

But all of a sudden now you're Vancouver and that's the third part of it, you need a number two centre at least. How are you getting that number two centre? And maybe you're filling a hole in your tree with another enormous hole if you trade the goalie, but they want a number two C. They're probably not going to get that in free agency. They feel like they've got draft pick capital and they've got a prospect pool that can help them acquire that. But again, if Demko draws a line in the sand, which he's entitled to, why not? It's his contract.

He can manage it the way he sees fit. Maybe that shifts things entirely in Vancouver they got the you'd say looking for a 2c they need to figure out what the hell their 1c is that guy came up yeah I came up lame in a face-off in New York and you didn't see them the rest of the season Patterson like what's up with what is up with that guy nobody knows and they need to figure it out before they do anything Yeah, well, it was funny because I was it last week you guys corrected from wrong, but you know every morning I'm going through the highlights and the scores and and all this and I feel Alias Patterson in a fight first career fight and I just read the headline

I didn't see the the number I didn't see the player or any of that and then Click on I think there's no way number one I didn't think he was healthy enough and then I'm like click on oh, that's the other guy Yeah, they gotta get they gotta pick one you can only have one guy with the same name Confusing for everybody else so Dregs I was telling the guys that started the the show that I was in the league during the Battle of Ontario So I didn't really pay attention to it. This is my first time around You know living in Toronto covering Ottawa

What do you remember about those those you know back in the early 2000s? And how do you think that's gonna translate you know now to you know 2025 Battle of Ontario? Yeah, I mean it has to be different just because the game is different i think that the animosity between the organization is still legit and that's going to develop as soon as the park drops i mean automatically and i mean the media in both markets is going to generate all kinds of nonsense i mean that goes without saying

you know are you going to have the Darcy Tucker, Travis Green, all the kind of craziness that we saw way back in the day, Daniel Alphords and all that? No, no because it's you just don't have it but you you're going to get as close as you can with a healthy Brady Kachuk and I'm interested to see what Toronto's counter is going to be to that and let's let's keep it in perspective. Noodles you do a ton of Ottawa Senators games like when Brady is dialed in he's a heck of a hockey player. We're not talking about the the crap show here we're talking about a guy that can antagonize but when he's on his game,

he's physical, he's not cheating, he's doing all the things he needs him to do, including generating offense. So I expect that's what you're going to get in the better version of Brady, but does he have the capacity to just drag it in the mud and into the... Yes, of course he does. So if it gets to that place of Toronto allows it to get to that place how do they counter what's their answer right and and that that's what I don't know I I think Toronto wins the series I heard you guys talk to Ray I I think Toronto wins the series if Toronto clicks the way that they need to click in all the different

versions of the games that they can play. But I wouldn't discount the possibility that Ottawa keeps it interesting that series goes longer than most would want. Yeah, the Brady Kachuk factor, man, he is the ultimate X factor and a unicorn in the series. The size, the, I just, there's no one that can really match them. All of them. Yeah. And that applies. that about waiting eight years to be unleashed yeah yeah that's it we saw it at the Four Nations remember it's like these are the biggest

games of my life well now these will be the biggest games of his life so that that is going to be something to behold you know once we get there but you know you presume health on his ass I think Sanderson's been banged up a bit, Giroud's been banged up, McCabe, Ekman-Larsen, Patcheretti, you know what do you what do you think come game one? Do you think everyone more or less is going to be available or? I think more or less Brian I think they're going to be available. You know I wonder a little bit about Ekman-Larsen. I know that he's trending and he's definitely trying to be available to the Leafs for game one.

So I'm not going to sit here and say, well, no, he's not going to be. That's his hope and that's what he's aiming for and the Leafs likewise. I don't know. I just, again, I want to look at that series from a higher level and wonder what it might be. The goaltending is obvious, right? Like, you know, your goaltender has to be as good or better than my goaltender. I get that. Defensively, if Toronto is healthy, I think they're better in that regard. I don't know that we're paying enough attention, we will, because we're going to drill down on this. I think we're opening a channel at TSM that's all battle of Ontario,

and Noodles is going to be doing it, No Dog's going to be doing it, and Brian, you and I are just going to be kind of on the fringe of all of it. But, you know, the injury stuff matters, but we're also at a place where across the league where it's not load management, it's calculated load management because I think the league has said stop talking about load management because the season is so condensed. So we appreciate what you have to do when you get to game 78, nine, 88, 82. We understand what you have to do i think that the clubs are rate there with that so

i don't anticipate that helps going to be a big issue on either side i just wanted corrected i've been assigned jersey carolina that is the series i will be covered up for t s and you should see you should hear the stuff he says about that series so drag Drex. It's utterly disrespectful. I did. I did. I'm covering that, followed by Vegas and Minnesota. Those are the two series that I will be paying attention to about what people in New Jersey do. Both outlier series, by the way. I'm on those. I'm on those. I'm starting, by the way, so people

aren't chirping me. I got roasted in Montreal and I deserved it. I'm on those. Well, I'm starting, by the way, so people aren't chirping me, and I got roasted in Montreal, and I deserved it. I get it for the whole deminoff thing. We don't have to go down that road, but I'm starting in Winnipeg, apparently, first two games. Ooh, Shen Brothers going at it, man. That's going to be something. That is going to be something.

Yeah, and Winnipeg in a a very unique position for them too, right? Like they're heavy favorite. You gotta win. Not a gift though. Not a gift to get that team man. To get St. Louis. I don't disagree. But last year was Colorado the year before it was Vegas. This one you gotta win this one man. You got to win this series and I think they will but that's gonna be a fun one that'll be a fun series. Hey boys you want a quick fun fact? This is me throwing my old Western Canadian WHL hat in the ring. Noodle's you'll love this. Are you ready? Yeah. Alright just have a look at the Brandon Wheat Kings for a moment if you could. Brad Trill living right general and their wings that the division kelly mccracken

general manager of the vegas colman nights brandon we can uh... kevin shoveled out and all extended to create high finger also with the winnipeg jets brandon we can't well represented anyone from washington that uh... has an association typical west don't care about that there's no value here gradsky nothing to do and ross the greatest junior players of all time all

and i think you know that there are a lot of us the correct don't care played me out on a state that that i'm gonna tell that i'm gonna actually go on and haze in an old here you go into brandon does not have that rank do you remember the smell of that rink like it's like a it's like a barn rates and that's the if i'm not embarrassed uh... what was it called it was like there was a there's something but it was like a casual show in a horse show in the building at certain times years on

you know that money you know if you have all people you got a enterprise you gotta get you know you have a big money in the area i'd say that i did i just want to win a fair enough to know where it is i just remember because i guess so frustrated it was like a twelve-hour bus ride from lethbridge to brandon and we always would do it like that black brandon was the last stop

and you'd either you know win big or lose big and you'd have to have a 12 hour bus ride all night and then you'd have school. You'd get home and you'd get home at 8 o'clock in the morning and go right to school. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, but you know what that was? That was your equipment. That wasn't a building. That's right. That's right. That's theL. We've heard all about it, these bus rides from all over the place. We know, we know, we've heard, we've heard. Enjoy the final couple of games in the regular season and we'll buckle up for

the playoffs starting soon. Thank you, Draggs. Okay, boys, have a good one. There's Darren Dragg or a TSN Hockey Insider. All right, we got to get to some picks here. Last week, O was very, very successful. The Overdrive PGA picks brought to you by TaylorMade, introducing the all new QI35 drivers. For more distance, from more of the face, unlock another level of your game at TaylorMadeGolf.ca. I'm taking Scheffler again. I'm getting the first pick. I'm taking Scheffler again. You're going to get the first pick, but I'm going to give you a list of my guys afterwards

and you're going to have to chew on it. I think I was more than reasonable and i didn't get greedy i'm gonna take you've got chef for you need to add four more that because i'm taking shane laury mhm calling more a cow rusty

henley rusty he missed the last week he burned me in so many pools i was in that little matter Here's another guy. Here's another two guys that you wouldn't even sniff. Okay, Denny McCarthy Yeah, Danny McCarthy and my guy Who gassed the square shoes? set up strata

shoes set up right steps going to be on that rider cup team and and he'll be was the last one yeah he'll be still be shuffling around doing his thing man about page duties dialed in he realized he was the cause of the week though to i get you know many people to take steps right to a step strata i took russell henley like these are other pools we pick like eleven guys and you know

i would add bob McIntyre They all screwed me. None of them made the made the the weekend Anyway, alright, so there's yours. I'm gonna go with I have Scheffler I will take Ludwig Oh Berg who I love and I love the way he's playing. I am going to take Xander Shoffley Yes, I'll take Cory Connors, right? Mr. Top Ten, he'll be on the hunt. And I'm going to take my man Danny Berger. I think Daniel Berger loves this place. I think he's trending towards a win.

He made the cut this past weekend. I'm going to take one more guy. The postman from my hometown in Sea Island, Georgia. JT Poston. You're going to take Poston? All right. Then I got to sneak in one more guy. It's a tight track.

Who do i take uh... i'll take uh... take tommy fleetwood thomas got a win at some point and i want tommy car for me and it's a standard keegan bradley and scotty bale for you to take a key to our guys is cattie i don't think jay day i'll take jason day So you're taking Keegan rather too. Well that's two more. No this is caddy. This is caddy.

Alright I'll take Jay Day. I'll take Jason Day. You got a good squad. You should win this week. I feel good about this. The Overdrive PJ picks brought to you by TaylorMade introducing the all new QI35 drivers. For more distance, for more of the face, unlock another level of your game at TaylorMadeGolf.ca. Overdrive continues.

TSN 1050 and on TSN 2. All right, best bet still to come later in the hour. Habs Carolina, it's gonna be a big game in Montreal tonight. Montreal just needs to get to overtime and they're into the playoffs. It's gonna be a big couple of weeks around here in the whole province, really. And I have to believe the whole country's

kind of looking forward to the Battle of Ontario. It's gonna be a great one. And 20 years ago, it was every single year, every single spring these two teams found a way to play each other and Gary Roberts was right in the middle of so much of it. And we caught up with him earlier and we were talking about you almost killing him with a golf ball. He hit an eight iron from 150 yards out and he was standing by the fringe and he got hit right in the head. And just felt like a perfect segue bringing Gary Roberts into the fold and we were eventually gonna get to hockey but we asked Rob's out of the gate

do you remember almost being killed by the old dog and an 8-iron back in the day? Well first of all I did he say was was 185 yards away? No, 150. 150. I was 150 yards away. And you know why? So why would I be at the green waiting for this guy? Because he's got his gun out and he's got his watch to see how far he's going. It took him like a half an hour to get the shot.

Like, I'm busy. I'm busy. I'm trying to get through my round. You know, this guy's out there taking forever So I'm standing on the green. He doesn't even say four guys So the very last second and I literally it hits me right in the forehead and down I go in the bunker Yeah, that's not good no Rob's we were also rattled I don't know if you remember like we quit a hole later like we were just like we just need to get the hell out You probably hit me in the safest place possible

Right in the head and you're up Hit me in the head. I was good. But yeah, I do remember it. So obviously I wasn't that concussed. I was good I guess so I guess so. Well you are you having flashbacks at all I mean now that we got the Battle of Ontario right around the corner I mean it's every every Leaf fan alive you know of a certain age is like I remember Roberts triple OT I remember Tucker going into the bench all these different stories can you do you how vividly do you remember all those series? Well I remember, you know, obviously 02 I remember it was a special moment for me to

be at Toronto Maple Leaf, but you know all the series, I just think about the momentum back and forth in the series. I think about, you know, we were a high risk, high reward team I tell people, you know, Toronto Maple Leafs, our dear friend Pat Quinn, he allowed lots of turnovers. So we, you know, I wasn't an East-West guy, but we had a lot of guys that liked to go East-West and we used to turn the puck over quite often. And I say it often, if it wasn't for our goaltending, I'm not sure we'd win any of those series. Rob, when you talk about the intensity of the Battle of Ontario, you look back at the fights as you mentioned, some of that stuff, what can translate into today's game?

I mean, the game has changed, obviously, but when you watch this Toronto Maple Leafs team that's built a little bit differently this year, you know an Ottawa Senators team That doesn't have a ton of experience, you know What what translates as far as a battle of Ontario but into the playoffs now, you know with that next level Well, I think the intensity and I know everybody says the games change and I hate comparing, you know 2002 to 2025 I'm just not that guy to compare those. It's different time, different game. But if you look at the Stanica playoffs

over the last few years, I mean, there's been some incredible series, incredible intensity. Like I really don't think that's changed. Yeah, like the skill of the game has changed. You know, your fourth line guys can all skate, all shoot. You know what I mean? I get all that, but the intensity is still there, the excitement is

still there in playoff hockey. Whether you're a young guy, an old guy, you walk on the ice at Scotia in the first game of the playoffs, Ottawa, Toronto, it's going to be electric. It's just the way it is, the history of those teams. And of course course we all know the first round of Stanley Cup playoffs is usually the toughest round and I'm looking forward to watching. As a matter of fact I share tickets with three other guys and it's this year's my year to get game one so I'm excited to be in the building for game one this time around. Roy what was your approach for your team? Because if you look at the rosters of Ottawa back then in Toronto, you guys had the intangibles. You had yourself, you had Tux and Coarse and Ty, and Ottawa didn't. And I'm not saying that's why you guys won the series, but what was your approach?

Because Ottawa was a heavily skilled team, and you could almost argue that it might be flipped now, where Ottawa might be saying the same thing about Toronto. What was your approach every time they touched the puck, they needed to be punished or just overly physical or what was the mindset? Well, there's no doubt, intimidation probably was a bigger part of the game back then. And you know, I'm not going to sit here and say we won because we are tougher. Do I think that was part of the reason? Yes, I do.

Do I think that's as much of a factor today? I don't. But then the intensity is still going to be there. I you know, I'd go back to maybe we were a little tougher. I thought our goal-tending was better and that's not to put down, you know, Ottawa's goal at the time. I don't think it's not to put down, you know, Ottawa's goalie at the time No, I think it's fair to put the series on him either But you know Curtis Joseph and Eddie Bell for their big-time goalies and the more shots they got the better they played

It was a joke in the dressing room. We used to say hey guys Cujo needs at least 40 shots tonight or he's terrible least 40 shots tonight or he's terrible. It used to be a little, literally a joke in the room before the game. We would say, Holy guys, Eddie's way better when you get shelves. So let's make sure we go up to two on ones, you know, noodles, knows that stuff. But that was just good dressing room talk. We used to, I used to love those conversations and Cujo Davos, little smile on his face. He's such a good human and good guy about it. But they just played better the more work that they got. And you know Eddie Belfour when he fell asleep it was only because he didn't get enough action.

We had amazing goaltenders and I, we all know you don't win without goaltending. Yes, defense wins championships but your goalie has to be hot. And for Toronto to win this time around, they need better goal pending. Yeah, well, and that's, you know, going into it, you got Stolars here, who we believe will be the starter game one. He's won his last eight starts, three shutouts, 950 save percentage, but doesn't have any playoff experience. Gary, as you're aware of, I mean, he's never started a game in the Stanley Cup playoffs. I mean, I'm curious what you think the vibe might be or mood might be like in the room

where you look at it. He's red hot. He's been unbelievable all year when he's played. He's been so good for the Leafs, yet he doesn't have that playoff experience. Like, how do you think his teammates could be kind of reacting to that? Well, I mean, I'd be excited for it. I mean, I know if I was him, I'm sure he is totally excited about the opportunity. But this is what all these you know, this is what you guys get to talk about every day is how a guy comes out his first Stanley Cup playoff round and

plays amazing and gives the team a chance to win. I mean, this is what the Stanley Cup playoffs are all about. The parody is so close in the game that it has to be something that people don't see coming that becomes a big factor in the series and I think it's an opportunity for Soul Livers to have an unbelievable playoff round and for the Leafs listen I spent lots of time with Chris Taneff in the last decade obviously Craig Berube and I go back a really long time well I just think their team is better this year. I think they're better ready to prepare for a playoff round than they've been in the past years. Obviously it's still going to come down to our Toronto's best players

better than Ottawa's best players. We had Chief Hawn last week or a couple weeks ago and he said you need him in Toronto, so he beat the piss out of you at center I see Guys listen to me listen to me. Okay, I've heard all that stuff. I sent chief alone. I said really Okay, so you guys know a quick story. He gets traded for the Gilmore trade the big trade He comes in he moves into my subdivision We get to the rink the first day and he walks up to me, Craig Boomer, he says, Hey Gary, he says really sorry about beating you up last week in Toronto. So I went and got the VHS tape

brought him into the coach's office. I put the tape into the machine and I hit play I said just want you to watch this and We watched the fight together And and I said, how can you tell the median me that you you beat me up last week? How can you tell it and he's like I said look how many times I hit you and look how many times you hit me And he says you throw pillows. I didn't feel a thing And he says, you throw pillows, I didn't feel a thing. Isn't that the best way to start a bond though, in a team? I mean, you can't beat that. Yeah, that's how Craig Ruby and I became best pals and training partners.

And you know, that's what, yeah, that's why the game is so great, guys. Like, it's stuff like that. You just can't make that stuff up. Craig Ruby is a great person, a great human, a great coach. And if anybody's gonna put the child made bleach over the top I would count on him. If I'm going to war I want to go to war with Craig Barube. Well it's I mean it's such a big opportunity for him and the whole team and there we're watching it now up on

TSN. I was at the gardens too. You hammered him with a few laughs Roy like you got him pretty good. I thought I got him. I definitely thought I wanted to fight. I was pretty excited after that fighting Tronlis tough guys. So yeah, I was a lightweight back then as you saw. Yeah, that was a good tilt. That was a good tilt. Good old days.

Yeah. But you know, in terms of the way Borubay's kind of handled the meat, I don't know him personally, noodles, you know him really well. Yeah, I played with him in Calgary. Yeah, I mean, I haven't seen him change at all over the course of 81 games now. Like I'm guessing that doesn't surprise you, Gary, that, you know, he's very comfortable with who he is,

his approach, and would you expect a different kind of approach come playoff time, like a different personality that Borube is going to show with the media on the bench? What might we expect as a game on Sunday night? Yeah and I'm sure he had lots of people in his year when he became the coach of the Leafs and how he was gonna have to choose his words carefully and maybe change a little bit. I mean he wears his you know his passion on his sleeve like he is he is who he is as a teammate, you had him as a teammate. Like he is he is who he is as a teammate noodles you had him as a teammate like he walked in the dress room in Calgary

After we won the Stanley Cup Ruby was part of our team a couple years down the road and he walked in the room one day and he says you guys Think you're all-stars. You guys are terrible. I won't say exactly what he said. You guys are terrible all-stars You guys are you know, basically He was talking to he was talking to Gary suitor and all McKinness Mike Vernon Joe Newandike, you know You know, it was crazy. He walked in and this is the kind of guy that he was as a teammate He was an amazing teammate one of the best teammates I had I had the most fun. You know, like he's just one of those guys you want to play, you want to play for. So I'm, you know, for me, I'm, I'm thrilled to be, uh, you know, uh,

have a history with, with Craig and then watch him go through this process and see how he's handled himself as the Leaf coach. When he does have so much passion and emotion that he's been able to kind of find a way to to not to gauge it a little bit and and and maybe choose his words a little more carefully to survive in this market I think he's done a tremendous job yeah he has and I'm looking back on that season that 91 92 season that was your 53 goal season Gary that was that was the you know best goal scoring year your career and every Gary that was that was the you know best goal scorer in your career and every once in a while in the show we end up on like hockey DB and looking at different stats and you had 53 goals 207 penalty

minutes that year like if you had like if you didn't have that many penalty minutes you might have scored 60 that year yeah that was probably fighting chiefs battles back then, you know, so I had a few pulling minutes, but. Yeah. Good old days, yeah, well thanks for, that's a nice memory, you guys, that's a nice memory, for sure. Absolutely, taking a Pro V right off the forehead

and 53 goals back in the day. I know, well I have quite a few stories about O-Dog, but that's a very, you guys don't have enough time in this interview for that, but I miss our O-Dog training days too. a very, you guys don't have enough time in this interview for that, but I miss our O-Dog training day, so we got some great stories, Jeff and I, but we were not gonna share all those today. Well, it'll be another day.

Of course, we will get to those. A brand new facility opening the O-Dog, and I have, I put in a special second floor, private executive wellness training center with an eatery, you can come all day you can hang out you can work out you can do sauna cold tub you can eat you can have a smoothie you can do the Norma text you can you can do a Pilates so it's whenever May 15th we open bud I'd love to have you okay I can't wait to get there right I've got myself back in shape but it it's highly unlikely I'm going to be there

It's in Vaughn it's on the way to your golf course, okay, like you literally have to drive by I get to golf Okay, I love it We're looking forward to it and I guess congrats to Sam as well. That's sounds like he won the first round Yeah, gotta be pretty excited as well that's sounds like he went the first round is yeah gotta be pretty exciting well I'm just starting to wonder if he's my kid he's a high scoring right-handed shot hey old Scott your face though I saw it he's high scoring and he's soft I don't know it could be old kid okay check him out at the at the gym at the grand opening we'll bring the we'll bring the two of the

and you know that good luck with that. Good luck. Have fun down at game one and we'll do it again down the road. Thank you for this. Okay, good luck guys. There he is, Gary Roberts, bringing people together up at that new gym, man. That's going to be intense up there, but that's why all the NHL players want to work with Gary. He's one of one. I could just see the guy, if I went up there and had a sauna and a smoothie, he'd be like, this is not the purpose of this play so it's a good and there are a lot of my area it's like me when i used to just go play basketball when i went to the gym

never actually all of them pockets yeah uh... anyway thanks to gary and uh... we got a big one tonight montreal the j's come off a win today bladdy finally hit a home run at nineteen strikeouts as a team things are trending in the right direction for the Blue Jays and the Leafs have got to get through one more tomorrow night. They got Detroit in town tomorrow night and then the Battle of Ontario will kick start this weekend. We cannot wait for it. Come back with our best bets and tee up tonight. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050N on TSN2. All right today's best bets are powered by

FanDuel. make your picks in the sample the same game parlaying seconds on the federal sportsbook gap among the habs moneyline tonight gotta get it done i've been damned off one point tonight call carfield three plus shots pan plus three sixty one them and off game two bell center people breaking down what he's doing in practice in the stick skills people jack for this kid they are excited he looks pretty good he said it was pretty good the other night

yeah i gotta give credit where it's too much credit words to you uh... today's best was powered by fendall life in game parlays are now available for every nhl game of the fendall sportsbook gap please play responsibly nineteen plus physically located in ontario all right games tonight games tomorrow than the real stuff kicking off cannot wait for it uh... not fired up yes i love our area right here at least a lot of material

let's go there let's go battle of florida we got winnipeg in the dance edmonton l a can't beat it uh... alright thanks everyone behind the scenes for helping out we appreciated everyone for tuning in today tv radio podcast radio, podcast, web, we appreciate that. We're out of here. Enjoy your evenings. Enjoy the games tonight. We're back tomorrow at...

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