OverDrive - OverDrive - April 4, 2025 - Hour 1

Episode Date: April 4, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jamie McLennan and Jonas Siegel for Hour 1 on OverDrive! The guys discuss the outlook towards the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Eastern Conference and Western Conference contenders and the possible matchups in the games. Got Yer Back Podcast Host and Former NHLer Jason Strudwick joins to discuss Leon Draisaitl's injury bug, the Hart Trophy impact and Stuart Skinner looking for redemption in the crease.

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smart speaker and up on TSN 4, Brian Hayes, Jamie Noodles, McClennan, and there's Jonas Sego from The Athletic. There he is. There's Jonas. What's up, fellas? What's happening? How are you doing? Everyone okay down in Leafland?

I saw you had a little exclusive sit down with Mitch Marner. Is he in a good spirits? Everyone everyone happy what's going on down there so you know it's interesting last time we talked noodles asked me great question by the way oh yeah if there was if I notice any change in like the temperament of the team as playoffs came around the corner yeah today I noticed it today practice felt different. And maybe like that's just me. I don't know.

Connecting the dots. It's just like, you know, like you're right. You're looking at media like, like, is this a narrative? Is this real? But practice the intensity today at practice, I just got, I just came back from there. Felt different. Like it felt like another level.

Like it was, I don't know, I don't know know how to describe it but it just felt more intense and direct and less like a January 26 practice and more like a team that's like around the corner from playoffs and knows that there is still a lot to be gained obviously in the regular season but it's starting to shift into that we're in playoff mode Kyle I almost wrote back in the group chat where that nonsense was going on potential fights and potential like that happens all the time i almost wrote back to going are we gonna have to like interrupt the show before us and have an emergency show here

like i like everybody's ramping up for the playoffs i like that that's good you know that's a good sign, like intensity. And the thing that in talking to a lot of coaches, they don't get enough practice time. So that's really good that you get a couple days to practice and push each other and really work on habits. Because when you think of the schedule, since the four nations face off these teams are like trying to rest as much as possible because guys are nicked up there you know your games are all clouded together so I like the fact that there is some intensity to this and and and practice should be treated like that

because you're you know two and a half three weeks away from from playing so you should be taking it seriously absolutely what you're referencing is brandon carlo and max don't we should mention what we're talking about that's all right well so i wasn't even talking about that like that i don't mean it i know that's what that's what you know yeah sorry i was referencing this juki put it in the group chat like we had to stop everything we were doing today at noon going hey there was almost a fight in practice i was like alright a fight and then you poured cold water on it going, that's not as bad as you think.

It was probably two guys battling for position. Carlo gave him a little extra. Domi took exception to that. And that's good. I like that stuff. That's healthy. I was noticing more like Matthews just look dialed. And now like you can start seeing him like he's starting to look more like himself

But like there's a lot still at stake like the division is still so up in the air Columbus like Columbus is beating them both times this year scored a bunch of goals Barubei is never not serious at these practices. So yeah Yeah, well you look at their schedule over the next week where you've got Columbus tomorrow They'll probably have the day off on Sunday Columbus tomorrow, they'll probably have the day off on Sunday. And then, you know, like, yes, practice Monday, fly down to Tampa, go Tampa, Florida, off day Thursday, practice Friday, have Saturday. So you're going to get a couple of practices in, which is rare. We'll see how many guys actually make it and you know, how many guys are actually, you

know, obligated to be on the ice if it's a full practice and optional, what have you. But they should realize that it's April. Once you're into April, this is when the playoffs begin and they are marching towards something that is very important because I think you were there, you witnessed it last night. If it wasn't for Linus Olmark, I think Tampa destroys Ottawa last night. 29 high danger chances they had watching it live. I didn't see the whole game but watching it you know periodically in and out I'm like man, Almark looks dialed which is something to consider if you play Ottawa

that if he's on his game and in the zone that's something but Tampa is red hot right now they're firing on all cylinders and yet Ottawa did them a big favor, the Leafs have favored last night. They beat Tampa in regulation. So now all three teams, Toronto, Tampa and Florida, they got seven games left. The Leafs have a three point buffer and again in Florida on Tuesday, in Tampa on Wednesday and those two games likely determine what's going to happen here. Right? Like those are the two games and I'm curious if we have any reason to believe or to know who might be playing in net I can tell you what I okay go ahead I don't believe Craig Barube confirm this but all signs point to stole ours tomorrow

Tomorrow night against Columbus. Yeah, and then probably on Tuesday in Florida. I would think I Thought you were talking like I said like oh you mean for the Florida game just based on what happened at practice like wall was out there extra long he was playing the game or like but I like that too let me clarify yeah you got to like play Stollers like he's he's only started so many games I know it's been a constant conversation all year but he's looked really good and you got to get Columbus and like Columbus is a high wire act They will they try to beat you seven five if they can And it'll be a test for the Leafs because like you said they've struggled against them. They've lost against them twice. You're at home

You're rested. You're waiting for them. It's a big game for you. These are two points the Leafs should bank They should bank them tomorrow night. Yet Columbus, again, they're a fun team. Like the goaltending hasn't been great. There's going to be some defensive breakdowns. So will the Leafs try to win the game 3-1 or will they say, all right, let's party tonight? Let's do this 8-7. Let's play an 8-7 game. Because that feels like it's two options. It feels like there's a fork in the road for the Leafs because I think Columbus that's where they're comfortable

That's what they're looking for is a crazy game. Yeah, and Well, the Leafs buy into it and say all right we could do that too and Marner's dancing around and Matthews is chasing a hat trick or whatever or will they try to kind of Really lock in and dial in considering the tone you're talking about today at practice? I guess we'll find that out. But Stollers tomorrow, and then I would again presume that Stollers goes on Tuesday against Florida I would think and then Joseph Wall would play the next game in Tampa. But if that's the case, that's a real indicator of what they're gonna do.

Well, and like if you're trying to win your division, don't you just play your best goalie as much as you can? Like not within limits? So let's look at the schedule just quickly here because what you're talking about. So from what we believe it's Stolar's tomorrow or what you think it is, correct? And then you mentioned Hayes Tuesday in Florida. So you could come back with Stolar's Wednesday Tampa, which would be wool in a back to back. It's Saturday Montreal. It's Sunday in Carolina, correct?

Yeah, so you're splitting those. So there's, you know, they're each plain, so I would imagine that it would be Stolar's Saturday, wool Sunday, and then you've got Maple Leafs at Sabres, Maple Leaf at, or Detroit at Maple Leafs. Now, if things, I would argue, if things are settled by then, we might have a difference of, you know, of starts and stuff like that and resting players depending on where guys are and all of that. But if it's not sorted, then you could realistically see Stolar's 4 to 5 starts and Wool 2 to 3

depending on, you know, what we're looking at that that would be my Unofficial opinion just guessing I don't know how you guys would I would think that line's up thing I think you know walls gonna get the the back-to-backs clearly they're gonna split those right and I would think down the stretch Depending though, you know, they ideally you you try to map out if Stolar's is gonna be a game one starter Give him a chance to figure out his final week. Okay, which one do you try to map out if stores is going to be a game on starter give him a chance to figure out his final week okay which one you want to play you know do you want to play at home against detroit to wrap it up do you want to play

on the road in buffalo uh... and again if all those points are necessary that he played both i think that would that should be the expectations so they could be a scenario i could see a scenario where ball only place two more games right real life starts to and it could be a scenario starts four see a scenario where wall only plays two more games right where he only starts two and it could be a scenario where he starts four more games like Stolarz may get to the final week if you know they go through Florida beat Florida and Tampa in regulation they basically would wrap it up by that point it would be up and

then i could see a scenario where you know wall starts against Montreal and then wall starts probably against Detroit and Stolarz goes give me one game and I'm good to go and ready to rock here but that's put in the car before the horse at this point. Yeah obviously but you know what just my thought process too is from what all what I can gather from talking to people throughout the league I don't think the Leafs would start until we're like the Monday yeah right like the 21st. So the last game is the 17th, the Thursday, or the Tuesday, the 15th. Again, you've got to factor in for everybody, but as well as Stolar is going, do you want six to seven days off or do you want four, four or five?

So that might also be a factor in because I believe it would have been bumped up, but that Calgary is a Calgary LA games a makeup game they threw it in on the Friday I think it is that kind of jams everybody up as far as the the playoff matchups are starting right I think if one series would start Saturday one other series you know some other series start Sunday and then the Leafs would kind of go Monday that's again unofficial that I kind of rumbling around talking to people throughout the league. But you're looking at Monday the 21st, you're planning backwards from those days too, right?

As far as scheduling. Right. And you would think the Leafs would be privy to that. Like I don't know what the obligations are of the league in order to keep their teams notified. I would think they should. Yet they don't know exactly who they're playing. No one knows who they're playing.

But it's a TV thing as well, right? That's the national rights holders are gonna want. I would think, it depends on if the Habs get in, but that's gonna be a big part of it. Like if Montreal gets in, they're not gonna want Toronto and Montreal playing on the same night. I wouldn't think. Then you try to pair it up, Winnipeg and edmonton in the west

that would be my guess is let's say toronto winnipeg pair up montreal and i'm a two pairs up they could try to keep it that way so you get double headers uh... going for weeks you know that that is certainly a possibility at this point uh... so yet you know there's still a lot left to be settled here but again with tampa losing a reg last night joe from the bridge has been punching the numbers here

and at least would have to go if they go for three the rest of where they'd end up with a hundred four points that means tampa would have to go five one and one or something of the like and florida six and one for them to all end up tied in points and they'd have tiebreakers and all that kind of stuff so again the Leastor in the driver's seat, that's why tomorrow's a big game like it you're you're you Put home two points tomorrow Jonas. You know that gets you that much closer You can basically go 500 you get a split in Florida. You're feeling very good about where you're at

Because again every night you watch Tampa play Yeah, and Florida for that matter you just you want to talk to that all of that one and i think yes yeah i don't know you know i said it all along i always felt that they were the crazier like i i don't know watch the boy that a goalie a noodles on my god but i still have to hear from you in your service of you turn to have you come around and say no here this guy saying all year, this guy's amazing. Where is this? This guy's crazy. He's tired.

He's tired. Him maybe returning to form, and he could be a concern for people. His numbers aren't that much further off Hellebuck's. Hellebuck's. Yeah, if you look at goals saved above expectation, he's number two behind Hellebuck. And it's damn close, like 38 to 35 type of thing in above plus but listen he's great that team is good.

Like there's a bunch of good teams that you know I've been lucky enough to watch live recently and it's good. This is why you know the juices get rolling the last two three weeks the season because you're going okay what does this look like what is you know what are the health of teams what are you looking at this and and really a lot of that is there's a lot of jockeying on both sides still. Like, you know, really, what is it out west? Like Winnipeg's not out of the woods. Dallas is chasing them.

Well, that was a big win for them last night, man. They went into Vegas and won. That was massive because Dallas, I think had Nashville and they just smoked them earlier in the day, early in the evening. And so when the puck dropped in Vegas, I believe Winnipeg was aware that Dallas would be two points behind them Yeah, and then when it with a game in hand and Winnipeg ends up winning in Vegas last night So they keep a four-point buffer yet. They're in Dallas I want to say next week and that game is massive because for the majority of the season really over the last few months

It has been Winnipeg in the West, Washington in the East, and those two are just going to fight it out to see who wins the President's Trophy. And now Dallas has been kind of like St. Louis. Like, they're not getting the same amount of attention, but they have been so hot, you know, since the Four Nations. And you know, Miko Rantan in trade and he's fit in well. You notice that. Like, there's no concerns about Rantan anymore in Dallas because all they do is win. nations and you know Miko ranting in trade and he's fit in well you notice that like there's no concerns about ranting in anymore in Dallas because all

they do is win and they're right on the heels and you can understand why they they are as desperate as the Maple Leafs are and Tampa and Florida for that matter because if you don't catch Winnipeg you got Colorado in the first round yeah and it's just the idea of Dallas Colorado let's say Tampa Florida If you don't catch Winnipeg, you've got Colorado in the first round. The idea of Dallas, Colorado, let's say Tampa, Florida, there are two teams packing their bags in 14 days that could easily win a Stanley Cup. Absolutely. You could look at them on paper and the way that they play, presuming health and the way

that they're all built and believe that any of them could win. And any of them could win as like a clear-cut favorite in whatever possible series they might play. And yet two of them are out in the first round. So Winnipeg, you better snap out of it, man. It's not that they've like completely fallen off or anything like that. I think it's more they're just kind of plod plotting along and Dallas is red hot and right on their heels.

So you can't have, like the funny thing is they've won seven in a row. So let's say you're five and two. They've made up four points. Exactly. What the hell's going on here? We're having a nice run. Everybody would take five and two.

All day. And they're like seven, how about this St. Louis team? That's 11 now. They won again. We just don't lose. Yeah, it's crazy what's going on right now or you know now the math I mean people are clear on Vancouver it sucks for Calgary because they're still kind of in it they got games in hand but it just doesn't seem realistic and you know

Montreal beats up on Boston last night and Boston's lost ten in a row the Habs that was a big big win. Like every time they step in and Columbus lost last night, again the Leafs can do Montreal a big favor tomorrow night by kind of knocking Columbus out. It appears as if it's, it could be a two horse race. Like it could be Montreal and New York, the Rangers to see who's going to get that second wild card. And Ottawa plays Columbus Sunday and Tuesday in Columbus. They've got two games here out of the next three for Columbus, right?

That's Ottawa head-to-head. You're right. The Leafs can do favors in that but that's literally Columbus's circle in this going hey, that's you know, we're true. We got it. That's our spot You gotta win these guys gotta win those right? So it's there's urgency on all different fronts it's just the the level of it you know depending on what your sit your individual situation for organizations but it's a great time I still think they're awesome I mean the Rangers aren't going away either no to be interesting still in it there in Montreal seems destined like I said this the other day Hayes like that Nick Suzuki getting that puck on the back door from Sam Ryiner like that would seem like that was an omen Like that's just you know, everything's breaking their way falling is it bad? No, it's a good old. Is there a good omen?

Yeah, you can have it. Why can't I don't know I might be wrong in that Right now I want good omens because you always say bad omen if if all it is naturally bad Why do you have to say bad omen if if Omen is naturally bad Why do you have to say bad omen so that I should have said I feel like it's destiny good Oh, I should have said that then instead of Omen. I didn't know it Omen was it Have you seen that movie? Boy, I seen all of those creepy movies a good Omen good, but I wanna see if that's a real thing you go They not see I probably misspoke, but it probably I just felt like there was destiny involved there where

You know again, they had their the puck behind their own net was 17 seconds left, Florida Which is a lockdown team that knows how to lock things down win all of that All of a sudden it's in with nine seconds in the back of their own net where they fire it and it goes off Reinhardt like you couldn't do that again if you tried. No it worked out. Do that again. Perfect setup. That particular play.

Yes. Suzuki stops on the post and it hits them right on the tape and yeah they have some destiny cooking right now and it's a good place to be because they got a pretty soft schedule coming up too. They would play Washington right if they wanted. Yeah that's right. Do you think they could beat Washington like I think they could I mean Washington would be a favorite I would probably pick Washington and Washington's been very good all year but Washington still got

to prove it they got a lot of guys who you know I don't know what Dylan Strom looks like in the playoffs you know like what is what are what does chickren look like in the playoffs like there's a lot of guys He's yeah, what is Logan Thompson look like in the playoffs, but that's not the same applies to Montreal Don't get me wrong, but any question like the thing with Montreal's you're like wow can they are they built that way? Do they have it? I think there's a lot of similar question marks when it comes to Washington come playoff time. I think The one thing we should all get our heads wrapped around is that I don't think

there's a layup series. I really don't. Like from teams that have had great seasons to teams that are struggling or have injuries or whatever, I don't think there's a layup series across the board. What about Winnipeg if they... Winnipeg in Minnesota? Yeah. I guess that's not a layup. Yeah. Capri-Sauce coming back. Yeah. Like keep that in mind. That guy is a legitimate, you know, is he, Hayes was in your top 10 list at the start of the season? Yeah, he was at the halfway

marker close to it, right? Remember when we readjusted? I don't know if he was top 10 coming in, but he would have been top 20 for sure. But he's a hell of a player that you're gonna add back. I believe there was an injury to Boldy like they they've had some injuries and those guys are literally skating with the team now and and yes they've been in somewhat we'll call it a freefall. If you look at Mike Kelly and follow his stats from Sport Logic the Gustafson Goldsender he's got the most,wes nancy or philip gustafson has the most steals in the league uh... as far as games i believe he's got nine and he's been that good

and given them an opportunity so i'd just don't think anything's a layup now adjusted with how tight games are played you can definitely be a favorite on paper you can definitely say yes how they match up all of that type nothing surprises me and i want to be yeah these teams probably should one one I would say I I would be very surprised of Carolina lost in New Jersey very surprised just because of the injuries yeah I just I don't love Jersey I don't love the way that they're built the way yeah the injuries are significant he

hates that say I'm not a fan of Jersey there's nothing about Jersey and I'd be rooting for Sheldon Keefe I'd want to see keith the walkers you know you don't want to see the the battlements follow him while but no one cares about what people in new jersey there it was a carolinas better i think the wire better i think they're they're more of playoff tested i'd like i'd be on carolina five i would be at on carolina too but again, is it Kurchetkov? Is it Freddie?

Good question. And then at the other end, there is a guy who's legitimately, you know, if he's on his game, could be a difference maker, I'm telling you. That's right, you're right, Brian, and I don't disagree, but I also look at it and go, would you be shocked? Would you, you know, if all of a sudden Markstrom's like, hey. Yeah, I can't say I'd be shocked with you you know if all the sudden marks from psyched hey that can't set the shock i'm not i'm not right about that i don't think there's i

don't think there's any layups but there are definitely levels of there's fit levels of prize is in all of that you know that one that would probably be your biggest rise out of all of them i think so yeah i think so especially like jersey again the last couple of months is not played well they've had really bad injury issues clearly, but they're also not going to be rectified. Like Jack Hughes is not going to be returning. All right, Strudy's coming up. Jason Strudy will join us. We got Mike Johnson today. We've got Dear Hazy V

coming up. We're tracking the Jays down at Citi Field and the reaction of Mets fans to Vladdy Guerrero Jr. being announced because it was opening day for the Mets today. We'll tell you a little bit about that as well. And Jonas again, you sat down with Mitch Marner. You can find that at the Athletic. We'll get your take on what you picked up from Mitch, what your read is on Mitch Marner and how he's going to perform in the playoffs and what will be happening with his future

here in Toronto. We'll get to that as well. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and on TSN 4. Alright, Dear Hayes, you'll be later this afternoon. Our best bet's coming up. Overdrive continues powered by FanDuel bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score. Jason Strudwick in a few moments. We have Jonas Siegel with us this afternoon. And Jonas, I guess you get a little alone time with Mitch Marner. How did this work out? You sat down with Mitch and I was reading the article and he's still

he's not going to give you any answers on his future or what but did you pick up anything that would give you a read one way or the other about where his head is at in terms of being a Maple Leaf and how much the playoff performance by himself individually and the team for that matter could factor into what happens in the future. Well so the hardest thing sometimes in covering the Leafs is with their big players they're so requested that the only time you can really talk to them for the most part is like in big scrums and like you can't really have conversations like that like imagine like I just shouted questions to you about like your future. You're like, what are you gonna do? Like there's not, it's not really a way.

There's other people that have obligations too. Exactly. And so this was like an actual rare chance to kind of actually compose questions that I have about the whole situation. And I'll just say like I left the conversation less Sure that he's wants to stay them before now that's just like reading between the lines only he knows exactly what he's thinking and Obviously the playoffs I think will have a lot to do with everything But I probably went into that 5050 as to whether he stays or goes and I left it a little more on the he might leave. Really? And that's just like that's just reading between the

lines like I gave him chances to explain why things are the way they are and why things are played out and like and when like you just hear him keep repeating like I'm just here to play hockey like again like he may have just decided this season I am NOT talking about it I'm not thinking about it fair enough maybe that's all it is but you could also say like I just I want to be a leaf the rest of my career and he has said that at certain points but then we also have the stuff at the trade deadline which I don't know how he feels said that at certain points. But then we also have this stuff at the trade deadline, which I don't know how he feels about that. I don't know how I would feel about that.

Like if I was him, that would probably piss me off. Like I would not be happy about that. He's never said that. You're alluding to the Mika Ranton and stuff and asking to wave to go to Carolina. Yeah. It's like that would not make me happy. That would make me question some things. And like, I do feel like, and he referenced this in our chat, that the way he's been covered here, or the way he's criticized here, whether it's fair or not,

whether like his perception of it, my thinking on his perception of it is fair, it does feel like the negativity is a thing with him, and affects him differently than it does all the other guys. And so I wonder, I just come away from it thinking like maybe he just doesn't want to deal with all of that, whether you think it's real or not. Yeah. Maybe he's just over it. That would be my assumption is if he were to walk, it's not because he's getting more money somewhere else. I've never believed it's that I got to get the highest cap hits and I got it. I don don't i think there's internal battles and he goes about you know him compared to william compared to austin all that kind of stuff that

can shake out he could live with himself and he could move on and he understands how much money he makes uh... away from the record being a maple leaf you know what comes with that in terms of endorsements in lifetime endorsements and you know everything that comes with being a lifelong leaf that owns the record books and all that kind of stuff, especially if you continue to take kicks at the can and try to win. If they were to win, what that would do in terms of exploding your marketplace and your

reputation within the market. But I did pick up on that, the one quote in particular, and this has been very consistent with Marner, is he will say something like he said to you, you'll notice, something along the lines of it's more negative than positive, the coverage, and then he tried to follow it up with, that's why we don't care. It's like, you do care. You clearly do care. It clearly wears on him more.

That's my read on it from afar. I can understand why, because he's a local guy. He doesn't escape like austin goes to he goes to arizona this basically the second he can leave my understanding is he's out here willie the same thing will they might stick around for a couple weeks play golf go for dinner with a few people then he goes to sweden

and he's gone mitch goes to muscogee that's not gone that's not out of here like that's still around his buddies and everyone his buddies and everyone is all from here. Exactly. It's a different experience for him. That's the biggest thing is we forget sometimes, and again on a much, much smaller scale, way before social media and stuff. Like I do remember playing in a Canadian market compared to St. Louis or Minnesota and stuff like that where great hockey markets but not

a Canadian market. To me that was one of the things where I can't imagine now with social media with everything that's instantaneous. It's not just Mitch that lives it, it's everybody connected to him. It's his family, it's his friends, all of that. They're only human too. That's the biggest thing is you get a buddy, or I remember one time my mom was like rattled because some guy on the radio said,

bad five hole or something. I'm like, yeah, I pretty much do. I was joking, but like, you know, that, like it affects not like, for me, yeah, fine, have thick skin, but like my mom or my extension, my brother or cousins and all, they have to live it too. And I would imagine that's probably what he's alluding to it's it's it's it's the whole package that comes with it but hey you know what you got to live with that that's part of being

a pro pro athlete in any world today absolutely it's the nature of the beast but you're right we're living in a very different world where that was a time to your mom had to be listening live probably to hear that right that's another thing in terms of the world we live in and we're a party to this. I may come on here and say something about Mitch, it doesn't just die after we've said it. It's on podcast, YouTube, TSN.ca. Marlon might go find it. You don't know the context of it, but we live in a world of 15 seconds.

You can go back and find it yourself, is the point. But what I'm saying, Brian, is we live in a world of 15 second clips. You could say, I love Mitch, you could have a hundred good things to talk about Mitch, and then you say, but, you know what, that's the one that's clipped, and that's the one that he sees. That's true too. That's the point. That is valid too, but it's out there and you can find it.

That's why newspapers used to be the only thing. You read it and it's there. I have it physically in front of me. This is what you wrote. Now it's a different world. Here's a guy very familiar with playing in his hometown in Edmonton, playing in Canadian cities like Vancouver, playing for a Spengler Cup representing the whole country. Here's Jason Strudwick.

What's happening happened strudy guy i i fell off my chair noodles you know that i'd like after a year here lately club like a plot machine i would have a look at that uh... you know what i a it lessen there was a lot there was a few soft spots here uh... i don't think that i gotta go back to watch the tapes there was a lot of

it i think it was a michael jordan shot three he does have a tiny bit who that i think that you could be uh... either that's just a comment made one time it was like all right married that add that to the list of the that's what i felt like saying add that to the list of complaints you have about my point

uh... yeah five well as i think you get the starting report easy-fifth easy-fifth you chute craft you'll probably score uh...

uh... well strut week every we're talking about your your favorite player core talking about your your favorite player bitch barnard the face of the twenty fifteen draft uh... you know cuz jones caught up with them and try to get a read on where his head is that dealing with the media in the marketplace and he referenced you know it seems to be more negative than positive than you know when you played edmonton what was what was what was that like for you I mean it was later in your career but the idea that you know your your inner circle probably lived it a lot more than when you were on the road yeah and you know for people didn't see me play I

wasn't quite as good as Mitch Marner a little bit further further kind of like noodles five but you know I further down the line up. But, you know, I don't think I would want to play in my hometown when I was really young because you're still trying to figure out who you are as a hockey player, but you're also trying to establish yourself as an adult or a man, you know, and you're, he comes in at 18 and you know, there's all these expectations. All these people are telling you how great you are and then you're, you're trying to do it and it's not the same as basketball where one guy can lift

a team in the playoff. You need pieces and the help around you and development and coaching and all that. So it's really tough and then as you get older, like I came here, I think I was over 30 probably, probably only looked about 25 but I was pretty mature and I knew exactly who I was. You do interviews and you're probably not a top four defense, and yeah, I've known that for a few years now. You don't really take offense to it and you know how to manage it. But Noodle's Point is really well made.

It's hard for your family. I remember my parents hearing comments from my sister. It's hard because they get upset and you try to tell them, don't be offended because you deal with it all the time. To be honest, these things your teammates say are meaner than what the media says and in a good way and in a fun way. But I think for Mitch, it's tough, it's tough. And then let's just say they only win one round this year.

Is that acceptable or is that gonna be accepted in that market? And then he'll have to wear part of that as one of the faces of the franchise. Yeah, that's the reality. Listen, he has compensated incredibly well. He gets paid a lot. He's living out a childhood dream. This isn't some victim story. It's just a reality. It's a different experience, think then we reference austin and and william and i think you bring up a great point like even to bars john and john was twenty seven i think was married you know and it was like a cabin

around for a while and i did the long island thing and right you know to deal with what i had to deal with but i'm i'm prepared to take on this challenge now or mariner you know from time he was drafted it it was like, all right, this guy's got to lift this team up. This guy's got to be a pillar.

And he has been really, he's been a great, great player. He's been a great, great leaf. But Matthews goes to Arizona in the summer, Willie goes to Sweden, and Mitch kind of stays in Toronto or goes up to Muskoker. It's just different. Well, and Hayes, don't you think he is, I don't think this is a point of debate. He's taken more of the criticism than the others. I think that's fair.

Barely unfairly. I think if you did your hazy bee blame pie, he's gotten more of it, and I don't know that it's totally in line with the way things have gone. He has not performed. Some of the other guys haven't either. I think that's probably what it is. I think maybe Marner has maybe been actually given

an appropriate amount of criticism and the other guys just haven't had enough themselves. And Austin, I would say, is at the top of that list. He's their best player, highest paid guy, number one center, and he hasn't carried them where he's supposed to. And I would say that that might be because he's an American. I don't know what the reasoning is behind that. I'm not quite certain. But yeah, I think that is true. But what's up with dry saddle out there Strutt?

Are we lighting candles for Leon now? What are we doing here in Edmonton after he left again last night? Well, I just text him my daily stretching routine. Maybe that will help him out. How to get ready for a game. Obviously he's not prepared properly, all the games he's played. It's weird, for the older, for a number of years now, they've been very healthy. If you go back and look at the number of games, D-Men have lost, they're forwards.

We're talking a handful of games here and there. But right now, they have a ton of cash sitting on the sidelines. They have their two top centers, their top goalie, their two best power wingers, one who's traded for, who hasn't played yet, and then, you know, arguably their number one D-Man. So you take that off any team, it's going to look a lot different. So the challenge for these guys and Leon, you know, he's been playing so well. I still feel he should be the hard trophy winner. But they, you know, they're in a fight to be second and maybe first in the Pacific. But I think just to keep the window a little small, I think a second place they can maybe

pass the Kings or Vegas, the Vegas Falters a little more. And the other thing is they got to try to get healthy. They need to have these guys healthy for the playoffs because it's going to be tough To go through the Pacific Division and try to beat whoever comes out of Central So getting everyone healthy feeling good about themselves and then try and develop chemistry with Frederick who I think will be I'm guessing dry side of line mate At some point that that's challenged because we're two weeks away from the end of the regular season guys Well study I was curious about the stakes for the Oilers heading into the playoffs. Like does it feel different this year? Obviously go to the Cup Final

last year we talked like here about Marner and Taveras and like the playoff history with the whole specter of this summer and like like does it feel higher pressure this year to get something done than before? I think the pressure is the same. I mean these guys I want to win it so badly Does it feel higher pressure this year to get something done than before? I think the pressure is the same. These guys want to win it so badly and to come that close last year, within two shots of winning it, I think that that's really been hard on them. I think at times there has been a governor on their physicality, the way they play, because

they know how hard it is to get going. But they're also trying to inject new players into line-up. You know, guys like Arvidsson, Paul Colton, Skinner, who are... Paul Colton's been pretty good for most of you. I think the other two are improving all the time and starting again the score sheet, which is important for the others. But I think that they know how hard of a long ride it is. The challenge though is that for the organization, there's two

guys in St. Louis, especially one in Holloway who's absolutely destroying his contract right now. I think he's at I think he was actually 2.5 or somewhere around there and he's just absolutely on fire especially since I think Christmas he's been just a machine. They could sure use that on this team a fast guy that can score and big and instead they don't. They have you know Skinner who they bought in and he's been mostly a third or fourth line player. Knobloch seems reluctant to move him further up the lineup. So Strahd, when you look at the group right now, I mean obviously McDavid coming back,

they're all skating. I read today that you know Frederick might get his first game tomorrow. There's a good chance and you know they're very comfortable with saying that dry side will we be back McDavid will be back where you at with Stuart Skinner I mean Pickard Pickard put himself we had this chat was this two days ago Brian like yeah you know Calvin Pickard's given them some good minutes now I I still think he's a backup but I still think they need Stuart Skinner to be at the top of his game but what are you hearing on him and what do you need to see from him when you know that he's on his game and feeling comfortable in the net and the team feels it as well?

What I remember from goalies when they would be out of injury, they aren't able to work on their game and fine tune their craft. I got to use Henrik Lundqvist. I loved him. I could tell when he maybe didn't like one part of his game, he and the goalie coach would go out before, usually practice, and just work on that. Just tweaking it and making sure that he's that area's, you know, smoothed out the rough edges. He wasn't playing to the level he wanted to before the injury when he got run into by Nico. And now he's injured. So not only is he unable to play, he's unable to refine or just change or tweak what he's

doing in the net. So when he does come back, and maybe they're expecting him to start his game here pretty soon, when he does come back, he's getting himself back up to game speed and then you can start working on those areas and try to get in some games because you know just like Trent Frederick or you know Van Bukene is not coming to the playoffs but you're running out of time to get your game to where you want to be for the playoffs and that's the hardest thing is that you just don't just drop in and just start playing great unless you're Kuturov I guess you know or Stone you know those are

elite elite players and no disrespect to Stu Skinner heís not at that Vasileski level. So he, I believe, needs reps, needs time and a few games to feel, ìOkay, my game is on point, Iím doing it, the guys know what Iím doing, everyone knows what theyíre doing.î And we still have Cal Picker there to back him up. Alright, Stretty, well, weíll see what comes of it. Weíre two weeks away from go time, Stanley Cup playoffs, Ovi in action with Chicago tonight in Washington. He might do it tonight.

It wouldn't be shocking at all if he scored three tonight. Like he's gotta get one or two. Chicago is just waiting for him, man. He gotta pounce on this team tonight. Yeah. Yeah, it's gonna be an interesting weekend. And let me just apologize to my good buddy Noodle. Like I'm sorry I didn't know that about you,

that you had a bad five hole. You know, like I have a bum chin. Now we both know something sorry I didn't know that about you, that you had a bad five-hole. I have a bum chin. Now we both know something maybe we didn't know about. I've been sharing stories. I've tried taping toilet paper to your face before. I've known that you had a bum chin for 100 years. Don't talk about that you have a butt. Now you're just coming out talking about it.

We've been talking about it for 20 years. Behind my back. And you know what? Yeah, behind my back listen we were talking about you the other day where people have off nights was it minus six or minus five i just couldn't remember in new york minus five tom gilbert bald headed long haired man the worst type of hair you can have

you can find the cave look he has a full rack of hair like Craig Simpson. He has minus four, he comes around, net throws up grapefruit right up the middle. I just skated right off the ice, right to Mayeron Gavrich's scores and coach says, you're done. I'm like, yeah, what about my partner? He's been brutal. Minus five. Yeah, Galey could not, he should not have seen another shift either. That would have been unacceptable. He should have shaved his head right after that game. I wonder still if he ever acknowledged the fact that he's bald. Because long-haired bald guys, like Kim Mitchell, he had hair cut like Kim Mitchell before he was 17. That was great. Kim finally said, I can't do this anymore.

Finally. Patio lanterns with that hair, you're just like, you can't do it, man. You can only wear it to my trucker's hatch to hide the truth. Exactly. All right, Strud, have a great weekend. See you, boys. Jason Strudwick. Yeah, Kim Mitchell, man.

He eventually just said, I'm taking this right down to the woods. Eventually, you've got to let it go. I mean, he did have the hat on all the time, but the minute he took the hat off, the end they have to have all the time but the only time took this out the hat off the salad was in touch a yeah they want to support and it's a good chance it was awesome awesome yeah patio lander that we're getting there with this weather man it's nice

i get well i've been hoping it doesn't we don't have freezing rain on sunday or something like that are we through this is that i don't think that whether persons say no, I'm looking at it daily because I'm trying to get out and I want to golf and I want to get outside and do different things and bring my kids to the park and all that kind of stuff. Next Tuesday it's gonna be like minus two or minus three snowing I think, which is just a deplorable, deplorable decision by Mother Nature but after that it looks like we might be through it and then it's you know rest is history time so let's see what comes

of it. Is today okay Hayes for short? I think it's pushing the limits a little bit personally. I didn't do it I'm just asking. Yeah it's yesterday was right was it yesterday that it was 16 or 18? Yesterday's doable it was still kind of single digits today, and it's just unnecessary there was literally an ice storm like two days ago Just keep your shorts and tell me I know I would say wait until May and then like this shorts police I am something I take a lot of pride in making sure that I police shorts guy

Because it's it's so unnecessary just wait another week or two here oh get it it's been a long winter but it's not that warm-out just wait Jonas all right I can't like hey I can't wait for Jonas to weigh in on Vlad E and all of that I haven't talked to him about baseball well let's let's come let's do that right cuz yeah I wouldn't say he's off to the greatest of starts but there's a lot of people wondering if they're still chipping away on a contract right now yeah so we'll get Jonas's take on that one Soto not off to a great start today either you know decent start to a season but not

phenomenal and the Mets are obviously playing the Jays this afternoon down at Citi Field so we'll get to that with Jonas overd continues, TSN 1050 and on the TSN app. Alright, Mike Johnson coming up in about 15 minutes. Dear Hazy B, later this afternoon, the Jays are playing the Mets and your boy Juan Soto. What do you make of Juan Soto's a New York Met, Jonas? Are you happy with that? I'm so confident. I just read a great story about his presence and just the veteran leadership. Oh, leadership, wow. He's going to be great. He's going to be a great Met for 15 years.

He's going to be worth $700 million. $765 million. Oh, yeah, $765 million. No deferrals on that, which is just an absurd amount of money. And I guess Vladi, because it's opening day down there, you know, they call out the Jays and, you know, whoever's gonna be in the starting lineup. And Vladi, I guess they were kind of either booing or somewhat disinterested in basically all the Blue Jays.

And then Vladi got called out and there was a big cheer from Mets fans, according to Keegan Matheson, who's down there. I gotta be honest, like Mets fans, you need to relax. I get it, you got Soto, good for you. And now you feel like you're emboldened and all this you're still the Mets All right, don't get silly This is crazy. That's pretty wrong. I'm taking a shot right at Met fans

He's right at New Jersey and the Mets that's yeah, that's the Mets. That's right, Queens I have my least favorite borough Staten Island dummies Queens all day favorite borough, Staten Island, Dummies Queens, all day. But you know that that's what they're thinking down there as well. We've got Lindor now, we're paying him a fortune, we got Soto, Vlad is his boy, let's bring in this guy, pay him a fortune. And I actually think if you're the Blue Jays, this is why you got to get out in front of this because if he gets to the market, who knows what some other owner is going to offer him, including Steve Cohen, who's a lunatic down there. Okay.

He'll spend money like crazy. So you want to get this done before that if you want to keep the player. And it would appear as if that's the plan for the Blue Jays. If you were Vlad Guerrero though, would any part of you be like, I better, maybe I should take this? Like you don't know how the season's going to go. Know what I mean? That's how I'm wired.

I'm not a pro athlete, but if someone said, shockingly, I'm not a pro athlete, how does that happen? What? Here's 500 million. Exactly, though. I don't care what it is. What I do with my life, if someone goes, we'll pay you $500 million, that's stupidity to suggest that, no, I'm gonna gamble on myself

You're an idiot like take the contract Lock it in if you don't like the place down the road You can ask for a trade you can move on you want if you're getting options in the contract What's the difference of 450 475 and 500? I don't know I get that point that I guess I just mean like your life is not changing, right? I hear you, man. I would just be worried like the way it's not started great if like, I don't know. It hasn't been a great start for Vladik. Like what if he has a great year?

Like I don't know. Yeah, I hear you. But even if he doesn't have a, this is what, and we got to get into this in the five or six o'clock hour too. Even if he doesn't have a great year, I still think there's a marketplace for him. So five hundred? Really? Okay, but what's the, I still think there's a marketplace for him. So what? Really? Okay, but what's the, what are we talking about the marketplace for him?

450 to 600? Is that what we're dealing with? Yeah. 150 million, correct? Yeah, 400 to 500, 400 to 550. Yeah, something like that. Yeah, 450 to 550, maybe a hundred million dollars, which is a lot of cake. But if it's over 15 years and you do taxes and cost of living like they there's there's people that do

That for a living financial people would be like, okay You're talking about a couple million a year here when you're already making 40 a year or 50 a year So he's got to put some thought to this a little bit more and I'm sure he has but now that you're playing It's a it's a different type of thought that can hover around you Now that you're playing, it's a different type of thought that can hover around you. Hour two coming up, Overdrive continues, TSN 1050N on TSN 4. Mail It In Friday is brought to you by Boston Pizza, Canada's favorite sports bar. Enjoy $15 lunch at BP where you get an entree, a side, and a drink, and you'll get it all in 20 minutes or less.

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It's gonna get loud.