OverDrive - OverDrive - April 7, 2025 - Hour 1

Episode Date: April 7, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Jonas Siegel for Hour 1 on OverDrive! The guys discuss Alex Ovechkin becoming the NHL's all-time goals leader, scoring his 895th goal against the Islanders and breaking Wayne Gretzky's record and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. signing a contract extension with the Blue Jays. Capitals Broadcaster Joe Beninati joins to discuss Ovechkin breaking the goals record, the journey following his career and the iconic milestone for the franchise.

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Made in Canada, played in Canada. On the free iHeartRadio app and at iHeartRadio.ca. It's gonna get loud. This hour of Overdrive is powered by FanDuel. FanDuel, bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score. All right, here we go, Overdrive off and running. TSN 1050 on the the tsn app your home smart

speaker and up on tsn for brian hazy odog jeff o'neill and there is jonah seagull of the athletic what a monday we have beautiful day here in toronto lots of action we can't wait for it good to see you guys i'm happy to be here i'm lucky to be here i deserve some type of masterton nomination for even appearing on the show today after the

absolute hell that i've just endured i had a root canal go off the highway and sideways on me and thankfully i write at the ship and and i'm going to contribute a few hours of my time today but some big items to get into hazy beavers big item absolutely mass before i get off this program i have to detail before i go off the airlines are airways at six all detail

the worst day of my life on saturday you know if we have a okay the worst day of your life. I'm guessing it's tooth related in some capacity if you're laying the framework for a botched root canal. Let me put some framework and see if you can piece this together and anticipate the story. Tooth problems? In the bathroom stall for an hour and a half a possible ambulance call and melting your shorts all of that in a day step aside Flatti

step aside Flatti step aside Alexander Ovechkin the old dog just to prep for the story I was in a bathroom stall beside alexander ovechkin so just a little bit just a proper story i was in a bathroom stall almost called the ambulance so i just prep for that okay i had just before six

jonas you have any response to that i want at so many questions so do i we might have to say we have to start that story we just walk off the five o'clock hour? 5.30. 5.30 we've got an opening and we will hear all about the tooth, the stall, the ambulance, everything at 5.30 and I have a feeling anything we say about Vladdy today, Ovechkin, the Maple Leafs, the Masters will be secondary. We'll absolutely not be able to keep up with whatever

we're about to go through at 5.30. So there's a tease for you in about 90 minutes, alright? 90 minutes. I can already picture this. Dude, don't make me laugh. My face hurts and I can't but... I'll try not to. ...re-living, just even like thinking of that ambulance wheeling in there to grab me. Haze, you're aware of it, so 530, we'll get into it. Alright, at 530, I think we're doing self-indecisiveness here because I can already picture people that download the podcast, they are fast-forwarding right through everything. Stop, stop, stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop one for us because i guess are we waiting for bladdy to go through physical before he plays a game tonight

how does a guy that's how he had the team like playing games go through a physical i don't know what are they just gonna make sure that he's okay to get the five hundred sheets i gotta tell you haze i i don't want to like just dump on this but i would have gone there i would have had to that guy five hundred million. I don't know. There's just something about him

I think that kid in Kansas City is a young star that you can kind of wrap your team around and build something towards And I believe they find him to a long-term deal to see how much less is I think it's like less than half Yeah, it's like 250 or something. They got out in front of that one. I mean juniors Well, that's exactly what Bobby with jr. They did with him. Yes. Yeah, they did they they learned from what other teams Showed you right like elana did that with ronald the kunia jr. Now kunis had a lot of injury problems But when he's healthy unbelievable get out in front of it. I would say the padres and fernando tateez Remember at that time though, that was 314 million or something And they were get they were a laughing stock of the league

How could you possibly pay a guy that kind of money? Listen 500? It's it's crazy money. You can't wrap your head around 500 million Like he's he's immediately the highest paid athlete in the history of the city and nobody is even close Like Scotty Barnes is kind of close Scottie's kind for like 250 but that the NBA is just crazy But the idea that this guy is going to be within the organization for 25 years Barnes is kind of close. Scottie's kind for like 250, but the NBA is just crazy. But the idea that this guy is going to be within the organization for 25 years is really, I think, the story here.

Because in order for it to pay off on both sides, for the owner and for the fans, for the owner, I think you gotta go, you gotta get to 2035 and look back on the previous decade because anytime you sign a long-term deal He's not giving you a bang for your buck when he's 39 years old That's not gonna happen neither a Soto in New York judge Mike trout in LA none of them will probably even be around for those exactly There's a chance. He's just gone. They're paying him and he's not even around you need a decade

You need I think between today and 2035 the end of the 2035 season if he is a top-10 player over the next decade then he's gonna give you bang for your buck it's going you could justify one way or the other but that's what they have laid out we believe he's gonna be the 10 best offensive players in the in Major League Baseball one of the 10 days you think he is going to do that I think he can do that I'm not gonna sit here and he is going to do that do you think ship i wrote an act is who both had a difficult time with the question when he would they were both asked

do you think what he is a generational talent and they were him in in high and bumbling over their words and they're like now god i don't think these guys led the charge on this at all this is the owner dissonance or should probably only on the play yet looking at fan blow back yes probably looking at attendance from those first couple series saying we've got to put somebody in this roster to keep people going in there

and they probably told me give the money i think i think is asinine well listen i i credit the owner because that's the what that's what the big dogs doing baseball steve cohen looks at five hundred million any he's embarrassed by that number like cohen pays at the dodgers pay it i i get a lot is not show he's not judge he's not load is not so don't he's not he's a step below those guys

but he is he's very young he's still in his prime and i think you can give you a decade of being a top ten bat i do think he can do that and i think he has to for the owner to say this made sense in retrospect because you know you're paying him a fortune but this is a guy that wants to play every single day he does play every single day he bought into Toronto I know you can scoff at look what they gave him to do it but there have been a lot of players in this in the history of this city who have said I love it here love it here love it here and they're gone. Yeah but hey he's like you offer anyone 500 million they're gonna be like... But he could have gotten it somewhere else. Possibly. Maybe. Yeah and I think that's

the point. Like I know you can look at a glass half empty well you had to pay him that much to keep them. You're right you did and ultimately they gave it to him but maybe if he got 500 to go to Boston and he leaves then what happens? What if he goes to the Dodgers? What if he goes to the Mets or the Yankees and they give him that money? They had to step up and say we can pay and you have to with this guy. I've been saying this for the last year I get what you're saying. Oh He's a first baseman eventually. He'll be a DH, you know, he's still he's still relatively young in terms of his leadership qualities He hasn't won anything was one an MVP hasn't had big moments in the playoffs Is he gonna keep himself in shape? All of these things are legitimate questions, but he's the homegrown guy that is their superstar

that wanted to stay. If you can't keep that guy for $300 million, $400 million, $500 million, you might as well pack up shop and say, we're the Tampa Bay Rays. We are going to completely adjust to where we are. Okay, and under that politely, I just interrupt you. Under your philosophy, you better just sign Mitch Marner right now and give him whatever he wants if you're gonna take that approach. Very different when it comes to salary caps.

It's a hard salary cap in hockey. It's not in baseball. It's apples and oranges in terms of the way you approach it. And I hear what you're saying, but the Leafs also don't have the same problem that the Blue Jays do. The Leafs are a larger than life, original six, monster hockey market. The Blue Jays, they're not that. They don't have the same history. but the leaves are the least are larger than life original six monster hockey market the blue jays and they're they're not that they don't have the same history

my question for you is actually a multiple questions jerry's percentage on what you're talking about many jerry's many jerry's and he's going to be a top ten player in twenty thirty five will look back to the next decade on the next on the last decade i'll say ten percent now I'll say 65% 65 Really two of the last four years that's what he's been there top 10 player Offensively absolutely like if you want to bring pitchers if you want to bring defense into it

I'll tell you many Jerry's step in the box and hit he's been built two of the last four years He's been one of the ten best hitters in baseball like that's indisputable in terms of the seasons he put forward. He's got to do that five or six times in the next ten years in order to qualify for what I'm talking about. It's it's a big ask. I'm not guaranteeing anything. I'm not guaranteeing anything but at some point you got to put up or shut up that Jase did that with Lottie. I'm gonna up mine to 25% that he's a top 10 player in 2035. No I don't know. There's just something about him.

Yeah, looking back on it. I kind of lean with, oh, like, yeah. Okay. And I guess here's my other question for you, and this is a bigger question. To what end is all of this? You mentioned him specifically. What does the next decade look like for the team? Well, this is where, okay, there's a few different things on that.

Because I look at the next five years and I don't know where it's going. Yeah, and listen, the timing is strange. They just got swept in New York. They're five and five. He hasn't hit a home run yet. He doesn't look overly comfortable. You know, like it's a it's strange timing. I think if you could go back three weeks and get it done, they should have gotten it done three weeks ago. They chose not to. Again, I think the owner got involved. I wouldn't be surprised at all if Lattie got involved and said, Hey, I don't like this. If they chose not to again I think the owner got involved I wouldn't be surprised at all Vlady got involved and said hey I don't like this if they're gonna give me 500 get it and I'm signing it but this is where the fans come in on the money if the team goes south and the owner decides I'm not gonna continue to spend because Vlady took all the money that's when it

becomes an issue like if the argument is in two or three years, we stink, I don't wanna go and spend more money, Vladie's got all the money, go talk to him, then that's when you start to really discuss what the dollar amount means in terms of team building and in terms of what the owner's gonna do here. But I think this is the ownership saying, and it better be saying, we have to be committed

to spend and trying to win. Like you can't pay a guy five hundred million dollars and then say I'm cool with 65 wins every year you have to commit like you've got to keep going and this I think should be a sign that there'll be a top five or ten payroll in baseball they got to sign the right guys they still their farm system still has to be a big big priority and it has not been and it's not good enough are they set up to actually contend in the next five years he's got not to have the answers all the answers no the best five years is now

so then like you get a pair of thirty one and then they're going to contend with a game but a couple things on that and listen i'm not i haven't been palm palm waving mister blue jay here dot like i don't know why i'm being attacked here the represent the team where to start is that what questions were not attacking okay i i'll get out give you my answers on them and you guys are free to feel free to answer whichever way you choose there are five and five club i think that at best they're like a

third wild card team this year it's still reasonable that they can get there this isn't an awful team this is in oak Oakland or Chicago White Sox. They're not awful How many games they win last year 70 they won 74 games. Okay Yeah and the year before they added seven and they've added players like Santander's like Bo Vlade and Santander have not hit a home run any of them and they're five and five but if you're gonna commit to Spending money then you can you can continue to add every off season

like they did this year. You're going to have to win trades, things you're going to have to break your way. The farm system's got to get exponentially better. There's no denying that. But that doesn't have to take five years for all of that to patch together. Like we've been talking about

the Washington Capitals constantly. Look what they did on the flag, picked up Strom, picked up Chickering, went out and got Sandin and now all of a sudden look where they are. OV's 39. No one sat there five years ago and said OV's or a lot of people probably did. OV's dead, the windows closed, they're never going to end up doing anything in terms of wins and losses. Look where they are. They've got to start getting wins in the offseason. They've got to start filtering guys through the system. A lot of things have to be better than the way it's been operated for a couple Why is that but flatties 25 minutes old hang on? But why is that suddenly gonna happen like these people run? Do you think she fire on Atkins are here for life?

They've been here ten years. Okay, why is the ten years? Are they do they have a better chance of winning with or without Vladimir? question are they do they have a better chance of winning with or without Vladi win what win games which is what you're asking be a competitive baseball team so you can win 85 and like be out in the first so what I don't prefer to do leave let him walk into what trade him what is your plan be the thing I would you trust these guys to make the trade you trust these guys to make the trade you don't you just you're telling me they they're going to rebuild the team No, they're not rebuilding from scratch. No, but like our point is

In the next five years, what is going to make this team a world series type team? Obviously there's got to be improvements Made to the club Like you do want me to run down everything. I think they're pyro right here No, i'm not you guys are saying just what i don't understand what your point is don't sign them let him walk in the alley and i guess that's that's fair so what's your point let me just say this if the if the agent and gladi's plan was put the team in a position where they feel like they have to do that all they have to do is sign you that's the only option they played a perfectly as they did

because it takes a long time to do that because the I don't know what the original offers were but if the agent said to the client just be patient here you're gonna put this team in a position where they're gonna come to the table and say let's get this done that's played beautifully brilliant like and you can only just hope that it's off his mind now and he can go out and play and start putting out some numbers because that hasn't happened. But if that was their original plan to just stand pat and say, they're going to come to our number or come to an area that we want them to, that's played perfectly. Without even performing.

100%. Like, Vlad didn't give anything to the team other than his services for life, which is a big commitment. But they didn't win a thing on this negotiation. It's the third largest contract in MLB history. And I think the second largest without deferrals? Yes, no deferral. Behind the photos?

Like they didn't even defer money, which is crazy. And you're right, O. I mean, their agent or his agent and his, and all the talk about the Yankees and the Red Sox, he played them like a fiddle and he got everything he wanted. But I think you got to give him some credit where he did consistently say I want to be in Toronto. Now you're gonna have to pay me to be here but I want to be here and eventually they gave him his number and he signed it. So he's here and I think it was something they had to do. It's not my money. It's a lot of money. It's a big commitment but I also think the pressure now shifts to the player. I think prior to this, the pressure was on ownership

to do something, front office to do something. Now it's on Vlad. Because you've got an opportunity here to play your whole life in one market. You have the chance to be Mr. Blue Jay. I think he has the chance to be Mr. Toronto Sports, which is very rare for a non-mate belief to have that opportunity because he could be here for 20 years. Like he's going to own every record. He's going to obviously his number is going to be retired. You might as well start doing that right now.

Like if he plays for 14 more years after this one, he's got to win. He's got to have individual success, but it's right there on a platter for him to absolutely own this marketplace for the rest of his life. And he's well compensated to do it but now I think the pressure is on Vlad. Like you gotta snap out of it now. You gotta start playing and you gotta you gotta be a legit superstar for the next decade. When you play in a market like this and you sign a ticket like that every single lollygag play will be just like every commentator be like, imagine making $500 million and having an effort play like

that. Like every time he falls asleep at first base, stupid play, caught sleeping at second base in a playoff game, like that will come up saying for that kind of money you make like he's under the gun now. So hopefully it kind of just puts him in a position where he's the consistency improves where it's a day-to-day performance where you're like that's a guy that deserves that nobody really deserves that kind of money but earns that paycheck on a day-to-day basis because you'll just get roasted man if

you if you have lollygag play anytime. Yeah, now the number is so bold, it's attached to you. I mean this year he's making a fortune. Like he's getting paid more money than any Blue Jay ever, any Maple Leaf ever. Again, the Raptors and the NBA are a little bit different, but I think if you're a Blue Jay fan you're excited. Vladdy, listen he's a big personality, he's a guy that's put up numbers, he's a guy that wants to be here. The dollar amount is what it is, that's for ownership to figure out. And it's imperative that they don't hold it

against the front office in the future in terms of team building. Can't say well we can't give you that because you wanted Vladi. I think the owner is the one that pushed this over the line. And now it's on Vladi to go out there and do what he can. And here's the thing about Vladie Guerrero Jr. And we talk about body type and positional play and does he fall asleep at times. All of these things are legitimate questions

moving forward. He plays every day. He's a baseball freak. And Vladie is a baseball freak. You gotta pull him off the field. And I would invest in that mentality over the opposite guy every day of the week Like how often oh do we rant and rave all this guy doesn't want to play a little banged up

Oh sniffles can't go flying about the dude. I signed with the angels a couple years ago rendon like yeah rendon He what he showed up at spring training and said I don't really like playing baseball anymore He said it's like the third third best thing I do. Yes I don't know if I'm like it in there it's been an embarrassment since he signed that contract total embarrassment total embarrassment so you know you got a you got to appreciate i think that yes you got paid a lot but what he committed and now it's on him to go out there and put up a shot up and starts tonight at fennway but now you come off a weekend like that you got swept by the mats the

bats have been asleep he's got to be a leader for this team. He's got to show up and I'm curious to see how he looks post Contract because it is life-changing man is generational wealth 500 million dollars for the next 14 years after this one Crazy. Yeah, I know it's crazy. I guess what we're saying is I know you're saying the pressure shifts to Vladi And it does obviously but it also shifts to the front office, right? Because now you're on the clock now you get a win. You have a long clock Yeah, but I guess you don't have a long clock because those guys aren't gonna be here throughout his

Ten years of Blue J Like Ross even if Ross and Mark get it back on the rails and they win a lot They're here for the next five six years, they're not here for 15 more years. What do you think is most likely in five years what has happened? From a team standpoint? Has the team won anything? How can you answer that question? I don't know.

Like, is there not... Is there not... That's part... That should be big. I don't have that. I don't have that. Okay. How do you think the Kansas City Roy royals when in the next five years

i mean they've been better as an organization have them late a little bit of a faster they were a platter of team i sure you're good for them you think they're gonna win a world series in the next five years not like outside of the dodgers who can answer that question definitively but the yankees don't win every five years the mats haven't won but several one in forever Like the Yankees don't win every five years. The Mets haven't won. Mets haven't won in

forever. Since 86. Braves, you can throw the Braves in there. Yeah, the Braves come and go. They've been pretty good for a while now. This year a disaster. Since a certain general manager got there, they've been pretty good. Absolutely. I'm not sitting here guaranteeing this doesn't change. He's already on the team. He didn't just sign as a free agent. Yeah. And like, and you're right. Let's just, instead of bickering back and forth, let's just summarize it at this. They made the choice that having this guy a part of the fold is gonna give them a chance to win yes as a part of moving off of him trying to find the next Flattie Carrero jr. in the mix five to ten years down the

road that's a decision they made and we're gonna find out in the next ten years if it was worth the risk hundred percent because there's heavy risk involved in any deal and there certainly is with this one in the number attached to it and with his age I still think there can be ebbs and flows in terms of where they're going you know if you got a retool for a couple of years okay yeah but really based on his age it's next five years is his prime ideally yes but I guess that's where I'm a little skeptical is I just don't see what the next five years look like but it's like the other choice is just not have them. Mmm. I don't care. It's very 500 million

They can spend a milk like it's been there money. I don't care their money and there's no salary cap. Yeah, right All right, Joe Beninati will join us the longtime voice of the Washington Capitals He just knew Ovechkin was gonna score tomorrow or yesterday like he just knew hevechkin was going to score tomorrow, or yesterday. Incredible. Like, he just knew he was going to score. And like, we had the debate and the discussion about the idea that he didn't want to be on the ice when it was an empty net. He had that opportunity on the Friday night. And I remember thinking when I heard that, and Carberry was the one, Spencer Carberry,

I think originally said it on a radio interview a couple weeks ago, like, OV's made the call. He doesn't want to do it on an empty net. I know, but some risk in that, though go on a slide that's my thought like what confidence this guy has at 39 to say I don't even care about an empty netter I'm going to score on a live goalie and he does it and he does it in that fashion off-wing top of the circle I mean that is as much his office as Gretzky's office was behind the net. Like his name should be at the top of that circle basically on every rink throughout the league. He owns it and he has since he walked into the league.

Didn't they put like 99 behind the net when Gretzky retired for the year after? When Ovi retires put 8 on the top of the dots. Yes. Like do it. Definitely. Because it was a perfect way for him to do it. The celebration was incredible. Credit to Gretzky for traveling. I'm sure he's ecstatic.

But that's the thing. That's the level of the greatness. Like, to just wrap it up that quickly. Imagine having Gretz and Betman travel around for the next six or seven games to see if he can do this. He got two in Washington, almost had the hat trick and then he just does at the next game in new york like what an incredible fee yeah but no doubt

but you just knew it man like that's that this guy was escorting five straight game six straight games and he's on such a heater right now the guy he might chase fifty this year he may get there thirty nine at thirty nine years old and that goal is it's just a perfect encapsulation of who he is and what he's done since he walked into the league

it is a dominant it's a crazy how good and how long he's been good for it made me think about my life i played against that man for one year okay i retired i moved to flor Florida for two years. I came back. I got a job as a broadcaster that's now 13 years in length. And through that whole time, this guy's been crushing Subway sandwiches and ripping home

goals and now he has the most of all time. Like I had three kids. My oldest is now 16 years old. Through that whole time. This guy never stopped scoring goals It's incredible. It's incredible man. And oh and I think it was Malcolm who said this guy is not your Standard modern athlete like he doesn't really work out and he drinks beers after the game and dude Usually when guys do that their timeline ends quicker than most guys Guys who don't take the Gary Roberts approach to fitness and all that other stuff by 31, even earlier sometimes, they could be done.

Because the game just catches up when they don't keep ripping home goals, their production drops off, and somebody looks at them and says, you're just not good enough, whatever, to stay in this league. But even all the guys he's shaking hands with his teammates at center ice in washington he's probably older than all of them and i think hands with all absolutely man it's it like even when he's still standing he's still standing

if you look at him like when he's kinda wait for the play to catch up to him in the neutral zone a stand by the boards his his can't laces undone like his pants aren't even done up. If you go back Joe and you go to the original shot where he's just kind of standing I don't know if we can have that but you can see it like I don't even this guy might have suspenders on which is like an old-school hockey move. Dude he's just

he's just an old-school yeah just absolute stud like I don't know I remember watching like the viz when they first started showing guys walk into the rink is like his shirt was on buttoned His tie was barely done up. It was like a grubby dress shirt Yeah, like this guy is just old school man It usually old school doesn't last like that, but it did and I gotta say one thing I was happy to see Wayne Gretzky being celebrated for the class act that he is and for the legend that he is at Center Ice, because I think some of the attacks on that guy

have been absolutely insane. So I was happy for 99 to be celebrated like that at Center Ice, because he deserves it more than anybody. Yeah, he was very, very classy throughout, like talking before, talking afterwards. I think his wife Janet was with him, like she was crying when the record broke and I would think that was she was crying for Wayne because now that records gone and it was crazy some of the people clearly claiming to to boycott watching

it because Gretzky was involved and Ovechkin it was just like you're watching it so stop trying to act like a hero on Twitter saying this this I can't do this and it's just crazy stuff i'm glad that we've got to give a celebrated the way he was yeah he was he was front and center and listen he owns basically everything and that's the amazing thing about watching it happen a whenever these type of records are up for grabs and being chased its incredible theater it's so unique to sport. Whether, you know, it was Bonds chasing down Hank

Aaron, whether it's Ovechkin, whether it's an individual season like Judge trying to get to 62 home runs, whatever it is, it just brings people together in a way that is very, very unique to sport. And I hope it can happen more in the future. But the idea that someone could ever catch Gretzky, like as a kid, a Canadian kid, you're just taught, like I grew up in the 90s and early 2000s, nobody touches Gretzky's records. Like don't talk about it, don't discuss it,

it's stupid to even contemplate, because it can't happen. And this guy's done it. Like it's amazing that he did it in the fashion he did it in. Joe Benanati will join us, he was in the building with the call is called basically all of a veterans goals throughout his career get his take on the whole experience

will get into the leaves they get a big week coming up right in florida tomorrow in tampon wednesday could they be playing the panthers in the first round instead of the battle of ontario that seems like it's definitely possible will touch on that later in the afternoon and more of whatis signing the jays at fenway starting a series tonight overdrive continues tsn 10 50 and on tsn 4 overdrive continues powered by fanduil bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score keegan matheson in half an hour from fenway

jays socks tonight vladi pending a a physical, will be making $500 million. What would they have to see to be like, yeah, you know what? Wouldn't it be so Blue Jays if they found something and they're like, we can't pay you that, but we need you to have a big season the rest of the way. We'll do like 400 after we sell. We're gonna adjust our numbers

because we found something here. Yeah, I'm assuming that'll go swimmingly and everything's going to be all good, but who knows? So yeah, we'll get to Keegan in about a half an hour. The Leafs again with a big week in Florida tomorrow, Tampa on Wednesday. Let's hear the call last night. This one is one we were all anticipating. Joe Beninone has been calling the Caps games forever and it was right, obviously, that he's in the the caps games forever and uh... you know is right obviously is in the building the divisional rival the big game for the islanders and of winning the game

but uh... after tying the record on the friday night ovian caps roll into long island and this is what we heard and we saw in the second period yesterday cindy wilson on the flank right side so that's good day. That was awesome courtesy of the Monumental Sports Network. Here he is, the voice of the capitals Joe Beninati joining us. Joe, where does that call rank for you in terms of all time great calls?

Geez, it's way up there. By the way, overdrive would be a great title for Ovechkin's autobiography. Yes. Geez. I'm still shaking guys. The last three or four days, Friday night, I thought was exceptional. It was the closest thing you can get to Stanley Cup final fever pitch. And without the aggravation, without the apprehension, uh, everybody was there for a party and Ovechkin scores, uh, eight 93 in the first five minutes of the game. And it was the most amazingly positive type

five that you could ever imagine. And then to see him have eight 94 in front of the great one, in front of all the dignitaries that were there and have multiple chances to break the record that night. It's just an example of the roller coaster ride that he's had us on for 20 years. And to do what he did yesterday with so many Caps fans in attendance and a true tip of the cap to everybody

with the Islander organization and the Islander fans, they understood what was happening and they saw the right moment to recognize true greatness. I still shake my head. I never thought he could get to 895. I started to think about it maybe when he got to 500 so quickly and showed no signs of stopping, but 895 goals is really hard to get your head around.

So every great broadcaster gets asked this Joe, so it's your turn. You had great calls for 893 and 4 and then the last one, 895, is that something you had jotted down somewhere? Did you just let it fly and it came off the top of your head? There was an interview guys that was done with Craig Loughlin and me in between periods. Rachel Nichols does a show called Hometown here in the DC area. She comes in with her camera crew, so what are you going to say if he gets it in this period?

And Loughra and I had not talked about it. I mentioned to her it has to do with something with the chase. Everything was about the chase this last month. The chase coming to an end. The conclusion of a chase. And I really, I started noodling it honestly early in the second period. When they had the power play chance, it came to me chasing days are done. I like a little bit of alliteration and that's what we went with and you just cross your fingers the whole time. It's been nerve-racking for all of us connected to Monumental. Anybody who's covered this guy as the milestones add up, yes we're rehearsed, we're practiced in this, we've seen them do it

at 500, 600, 700. We've been lucky enough to call those. But those are nerve wracking times. You enter the building with your senses heightened. And I had the feeling that something great was gonna happen. Chasing Dave's done was in my mind. And then you just have to give him the credit

that he deserves as the greatest goal scorer in NHL history. And then you get out of the way and let the directors, this is a TV medium, let the directors cut all the reaction shots and that's when you start to get emotional about it. But for me, I really, I didn't tell locker about it until early in the second period and I just, you hope that the goal is clean that it doesn't go in off of his head that there's no holy interference that there's no offside challenge possibility would have been just catastrophic man oh

can you imagine but thankfully and luckily everything was meant to be because 93, 94, 95 were all good, visible, great type Alex of Eskengold. The toughest one in the run was 890, the deflection he had against Buffalo, but Alex does such a great job of selling that and I thanked him for it after the game. When he gets it, he gives the kiss to his late brother sergue he does that the bend it me he'll do the glass jump yesterday obviously you saw what he did but thankfully he sold that one i was the toughest one in this last five run up to eight ninety five

which had a ritual ben and i did the uh... voice of the capitals on alex ovechkin hitting eight95 yesterday in Long Island. You know you referenced once he hit 500 you thought okay that was quick maybe 895 is possibly within sight. For me it was when he started chasing Gordy Howe down like 802 I thought oh wow this guy's gonna have Gretzky in his sights which always felt like an impossibility. I'm curious how like you have felt Ovechkin has handled this because you know all he knows is DC all he knows is the caps he's been the captain there forever but English is his second language

it's pretty incredible how comfortable he seems to be in terms of handling media now and speaking with the media compared to you know when he was drafted 18 19 years old. How has he kind of handled the spotlight something he's very familiar with but this is a unique kind of chase that I'm sure the whole marketplace and the whole fan base has been jumping on board with what have you made of kind of his body language and his approach the last you know two or three months it's a it's a great question thank you for asking it and I was sort of conditioned to the response when I did an interview recently with Cal Ripken, Iron Man and Baseball 2131, which was passed 30 years ago in 1995.

I said, �Cal, you had the media crush, all the press conferences and availabilities, radio and TV and print. Alex is going through the same procedures now. Everybody wants a piece. This was all-inclusive. This was consuming for the team, his teammates, for Alex, and I thought the communication staff for the Cavaliers did a great job of at times if they had to insulate Alex, they could, but he is such a front man and has always been.

He loves that spotlight and yes he still will shy away on occasions due to what he feels like is not the greatest command of the English language but honestly the more people that are in the room the better he gets. It's more difficult for him when it's one-on-one with just a camera and a turnaround monitor that's when he gets self-conscious. When he's surrounded by people, he loves it. And I'm thrilled with the way he responded yesterday in his speech afterwards. And for me, I think the perception has changed and it did when he got it across the finish

line when the team as an organization became a champion in 2018. I think the perception of Alex changed and it wasn't just from jumping in the fountains and having a blast like he did all summer. I think there's been a humility there and one of the great things in our business is we get to meet these guys at 20 years old and now Alex is pushing 40 and has two children.

You see the maturity, you see the humility. Last week or within the last 10 days, the game in St. Paul where he brought the guys back out of the dressing room to congratulate Marc-Andre Fleury, those are the kinds of things now that I want people to know. That's the kind of Alex Ovechkin that I've seen and known for the longest of times. And I think the perception started to change once he became a legitimate Stanley Cup champion with his teammates. Everybody knew about all the individual accolades and they continue to add up and 900 goals

is on the horizon. But more than anything, what Alex wants is two and that's two Stanley Cups. Well, and this is maybe his best chance since 2018 with how well this team's been playing and I guess we'll get you out of here with that question Joe like now that the dust is settled what would you expect how do you think Ovechkin plays the rest of this season into the playoffs and and how does the team possibly build off this going into the playoffs where they're gonna be the number one seed in the East? Guys he's on a ridiculous heater and

he's 39 years of age. If he doesn't break his leg in November, doesn't miss 16 games, he might have been right there with Dry Cytl again for another rocket Richard. That's what makes this so incredible. But they put together, they being Brian McClellan and Chris Patrick, President and GM in the off season. In Brian's words, they were able to thread the needle. They were able to keep the caps extremely competitive as Alex Ovechkin was approaching

an all-time great milestone. And they've had a phenomenal season and a lot of that has to do with the coaching staff. And I think almost assuredly Spencer Carberry will be the coach of the year in the NHL. I expect them to play better than they've been playing of late. Let's be honest, they haven't been good lately. I think a lot of the guys have been consumed with getting Alex this incredible milestone and now it's back to winning. What worries me all of a sudden is a Logan Thompson injury and Alexi Protus injury. All season long, you don't get to 49 wins as fast as they did in the hundred separate points, etc Etc without being healthy. They've been really healthy all throughout and now these injuries are cropping up

That's part of the game. Nobody's going to give them a pity party. I think they're a legitimate candidate I know the betting public really considers though the Western teams as the better ones and the ones that have the best chances. But I just look at that Atlantic division with Toronto and Florida and Tampa and know that should Washington get to a third round, that would be an incredibly intense matchup. But they're going to have a difficult matchup getting out of the first round if it's Montreal, the second round if it's Carolina. Nothing's easy. You guys know that. It's the hardest tournament to win in sports, but I think they're in a good place.

And I know, I know they want to play better in these last five games. Joe, just quickly before we do actually get you out of here, I just want you to touch on your partner being involved yesterday. How special was it to have Locker, who experienced his own health issues, for him to get back in time to witness all that stuff? It must have been pretty awesome for you and him to share that together. Oh, Brian, Jeff, Jonas, I mean, yeah, there were times without a doubt on Friday especially where I was tearing up. Alan May did a wonderful job subbing in for locker. Craig had open heart surgery in early February and just

like any ex-athlete he's setting target dates. I want to be back on March 30. I'm like Craig this isn't a sprained ankle this isn't a twisted knee but when you know it he's special enough to do it and the doctor care and the cardiac team that took care of him was just phenomenal to get him back this way. And there's a line, there's a spell during a recent broadcast where I could see Locker saying to Ovi, hey, wait for me. And yesterday after the game, well after the postgame show, we go downstairs and the party is still going and the press conferences are still going and

What makes me tear up the most is the bear hug that Ovechkin gave Locker In the hallway outside of the team room. That's what this is all about. And that's what he's all about. He's yeah, I Just think that that shows you what kind of a leader he can be and how important the people around him are. Every time the cutaway shots to mom and wife and the children and I just couldn't help but wish that his dad Mikhail could have been there to see that and I hope he's watching from from heaven as to see his son achieve what is maybe a number that we will never see broken. I know we said that when Gretzky did it

30 some odd years ago, this one is spectacular. And you guys in Toronto have a player who might approach it if he stays healthy and if he has the desire to play that long in Austin, all of those guys, Matthews and Dry Cytl, on and on and on. The game is in such great shape, but Ovechkin set a standard here. In goals it's gonna be hard to reach yeah there is no doubt about that man it is a big gap between him and whoever is chasing him now it's

pretty incredible what we just witnessed enjoy the rest of the season and into the future Joe really appreciate you doing this today fellas my pleasure anytime thank you you got it Joe Benanati joining us Capitals play-by-play announcer. Matthews was kind of uncomfortable with the idea of his name being launched into the pursuit of Ovechkin's record. It is pretty fresh. That's so 2025, the very next day.

What do you think of your chances? You think you can catch the guy? I don't think it's that crazy. No, but John, I've been saying for the last two years how people are just fascinated with go this and who's the... In the States, there's a goat debate in the NBA every single day. By the way, we've got to touch on the NBA, how embarrassing that's getting because it is outrageous, man. But right the next day, Matthew, is you going to be the next guy? Who's the next guy

that's just like it's like date the dating game you know you're asking player acts you're asking like if you look at right now through this number of games all right let it breathe a little bit before you even bring it up a week I'm gonna wait but then like then it's not topical then you know I know it's by the way lot of it but you you know he's not he i don't i i'm conflicted on it because i get the you can ask it he's never gonna give you an answer that i don't want to go you could look at me like that guy has the erratic dry saddle could maybe past an act like there's three guys that may be in this era could possibly touch up against it

it's so fresh. And when you think about like the longevity, the production in health, it seems unrealistic to think either one of them could do it. Matthew's got to do this for another 10 or 11 years. He has to basically average 50 a year for 10 years. Yeah, it's crazy. Just to get 500 and like how many more goals is a veteran going to score? That's it. If he keeps playing another year or or two why would he not score 40 next year?

Right. Like why wouldn't he do that? So then add another 50 all year. Exactly. All right Keegan Matheson in 15 minutes more on the Leafs and their trip through Florida starting tomorrow night coming up as well overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and on the TSN app. All right Keegan Matheson coming up into the 5 p.m. Hour from Fenway ahead of Jays Red Sox on Vlad E signing 500 million dollars 14 year Deal with the Blue Jays as just a just to hear that number is just say half a bill half a billion It's probably lands better too, right and it really hammers at home. What kind of cash we're talking about here

Al's brother will be in here tomorrow He is going to reveal his at home what kind of cash we're talking about here uh... al's brother will be in here tomorrow he's going to reveal his masters champions dinner power rankings ultimate so vows brother ever got himself a green jacket got into that dinner this is what he would provide the boys so that's coming up tomorrow saw his brother earlier even imagine

what kind of groceries put in front of those guys yeah that's why you got a tank him leaning down putting a plate down and saying tiger Scotty Scheffler enjoy Mr. Nicholas mr. player there you go all right this is the final week to find Al's brother for a chance to win leave tickets and we're doing something a little different this week Al's brother is a chance to win leaf tickets and we're doing something a little different this week Al's brother is going to be at a new location each day So you'll need to name all four locations on Friday in order to win new rules for the final week Let's hear Al's brother's first location of the week

Hey, Al's fans, it's Monday and it's our final week to give away some leaf tickets We're giving away Leafs and Detroit tickets for the season finale on April 17th to get to find out where I'm hiding all week long. Here is your Monday clue. I'm at a popular Toronto park in a legendary overdrive location and there's a good chance there's a large, large bag with 500 Schmelz lying around somewhere here for one Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and you know exactly what I mean. Okay I like it very smooth Al's brother find Al's brother brought to you by McAlpine Ford in Aurora our family the Ford family and you there's the first clue of the week or the first location

there'll be another one tomorrow Wednesday Thursday final tickets of the year Leafs Red Wings April 17th our tickets of the year, Leafs, Red Wings, April 17th. Hour two coming up on the Leafs, could they play Florida, Ottawa, who they're going to play in the first round? We'll get to that. Keegan Matheson coming up as well. Overdrive continues, TSN 1050N on TSN 4. You've been listening to Overdrive, powered by FanDuel.

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