OverDrive - OverDrive - December 12, 2024 - Hour 3

Episode Date: December 13, 2024

Join Bryan Hayes, Jamie McLennan and Jason Strudwick for Hour 3 on OverDrive! TSN Hockey Analyst Carlo Colaiacovo joins to discuss the biggest storylines around the NHL. In the latest edition of Hayesy's List, Hayes lists why a Canadian team could win a Stanley Cup this season and Bryan hands out his FanDuel Best Bets.

It's a brand new year. Time to review last year's financial decisions and set new priorities for 2025. Kelvin the Money Guy suggests the three-step approach. One, clearly define your goals for the new year. Two, create a plan tailored to your needs and ambitions. And three, make sure your portfolio is designed to serve that plan. Goal. Plan. Portfolio. Contact Kelvin the Money Guy and set your plans in motion. Call 416-457-PLAN

or visit askkelvin.ca final hour overdrive continues brought to you by fanduel bringing you everything from the opening line of the final score brian hayes jason strudwick jamie noodles mclennan and we finally have someone dressed appropriately for live TV. National TV on TSN2. I would rather be wearing what you're wearing right now. I've been outside. It's so cool. Thank you. So you're from here.

These two idiots. Finally now I have someone from Toronto that I can connect with here. Because we have the Craig Berube. Although Noodles lives here now, Noodles has become soft. We have brought Noodles into the soft world that we have been living in. Why don't we play the Craig Berube clip? Let's play it one more time. Craig Berube, as we know, where's he from?

Calahoo? Just north of Edmonton. North of St. Albert, actually. Beautiful suburb of Edmonton. He's from just outside of Edmonton. Freezing cold in Toronto. By any standard on earth, it's so cold here today.

Craig Berube addressing the media this morning. This is what he had to say. Are you guys okay out there today? A little windy and cold for you? I had a T-shirt on. You know what the best part about that clip is? Look at his cheeks. He's got windburn oh yeah for sure he does he's got windburn on his face so cold but he's got to admit because he's from alberta he can't give in to really cold weather yeah and noodles and strut just they got to talk

about you know ice skating in minus 50 back in the day. The jeans. Have to do it. Honestly, though, I have gotten soft. But when was it, like, Hayes, I know it's a sensitive topic, but do you remember when you and I first started, like, Blue Lunch? I didn't understand when there was a snowstorm in Toronto, they called the army in. Yeah, they did. They did.

Mel Lasker, I think it was, called the military in. The military showed up in Toronto to dig people out because it was like five feet of snow. It was something gross. It was like four or five feet of snow, right? It was a bit of an overreaction, I think, as we look back on it. I would never let it go. I would bring it up every, like, there would be one inch of snow outside, and I would say, I've got to call in the military.

And Hayes would just get on me and and now i know like i i feel like it just i just gone so soft now like i just i don't want that snow i don't want the wind is a pain in the ass that's the problem i can live if it was minus 15 and no wind just crisp yes i think you're fine with it but the wind goes right through you. Exactly what it is. Exactly what it is today in town. How old are you guys? That's embarrassing. Noodles, you're the kind of guy that shovels the driver with one hand on his shovel and the other on his phone, right?

Just stick in there. Get it done. Or he pays somebody to do it. Fair point. And then complains that he misses a little bit of snow. Oh, he missed that one patch. I never complain. The people that do my driveway do a great job.

They've got one of those trucks with the rubber thing on the bottom. It's like a scoop or something, and they do a great job. It's awesome. All right. Well, shout out to them for doing a great job. We appreciate that. Thanks for saving noodles. Yeah, you save noodles.

Figging them out. You're right about great job. We appreciate that. Thanks for saving noodles. Yeah, you saved noodles. They get them out. You're right about the wind. And then you know what happened? We were talking about this a couple hours ago, and some guy sent me a board of the weather in Manitoba, and it's minus 42 in Winnipeg. Right now? I think so.

That's chilly. That is not normal, man. You can't live like that. That's Arctic, man. Yeah. Toronto would shut down. Toronto might. It might, and it should. Stay home. And it should. So what do you think of tonight? Is tonight a trap game?

Could the Ducks represent a trap game for the Leafs tonight? Well, could it possibly get any worse than it was last game? Yeah. Right? I mean... Against New Jersey, you mean? Against New Jersey. I know they got... They ended up getting the win, but mean you did the game oh man it was i said yesterday it was a it was a it was a controlled scrimmage in the first period yeah run by sheldon keith yeah using the leafs as defense that's yeah that's basically what it looked like i mean i think under a craig berube

coach team there there would... And you saw it last game. They got a lot better in the third period. I don't know why they started as slow as they did, but I can't imagine that they would think starting the same way tonight against an Anaheim team that's very vulnerable, that it would be okay to do it. They got to come out flying tonight.

Yeah, I think so. But, I mean, again, Thursday night in Toronto. It's cold. It's cold. You're probably going to have a quiet crowd. Yeah. Bundled up. Bundled up.

I mean, I don't think so because when we've seen this team play like this this year, it seemed like it was a one-off. We didn't see much of this type of consistent slow play with them under Berube. I don't think that they start the same way tonight. But, Carlo,

this is what I see. I see this as a stepping stone for them to show they're maturing as a team, and they just come out and play the way they need to. And I think the good teams, they understand. You don't have to be perfect, but you play a mature game. You don't have to kill them 10-1 to prove that you're better. You just do your thing. It's not even about the Ducks.

I don't even show the Ducks. I just say, guys, show me. Show me you've matured. And that's such a great point, Strutty, because you talked about good teams. Good teams know when they're playing those type of games they just find a way to stay in it stay in it stay in it they get their chance and then they find a way to win because their best player steps up to score a big goal and their goaltender steals one for them i think that's a sign of maturing into a good team that was new jersey but i i you

could you could go back in the schedule here even a couple games before that. They didn't have a world-beater game against Nashville, but it was four or five minutes early in the third period where it was Marner and Matthews and said, okay, we're going to put us up 3-1 and the game's gone. That type of stuff. And I think that's when it comes back to Strutty saying, good teams do what they need to do that particular night

to win or to be right there. You're not going to have a game of perfect. You're not going to have 60 minutes of just pillar to post. Once in a while you have a game of perfect where it's like there was no chance. But Anaheim played last night. This is a team that didn't have a great game against New Jersey, but they won. So you can be happy with it. I never criticize a win. A win is a win.

But I do think that they know. Guys got on the plane going, I didn't play that well tonight. We'll have a better game next game. I do think they should hit the ground running and do what it takes to win tonight. It comes back to

Strutty saying, it's not even the pre-scout on Anaheim. It's going, what are you capable of tonight? That's really what it is for me. Well, Jake McCabe returns tonight. When he was going through his contract negotiation, I don't think there was really any pushback. If anything, it was his age. They're committed to a lot of guys over 30 now, right,

with Riley, McCabe, Ekman, Larson, and Tanev. That's their top four. They're committed to a lot of guys over 30 now, right? With Riley, McCabe, Ekman, Larson, and Tanev. And that's their top four. They've committed to it. Yeah, he was playing so well earlier in the year. He connected so well with Tanev. And then when he's out of the lineup, you can tell just how valuable he is. And if anything, I think a lot of Leaf fans over the last two weeks have

said, now I get why they got in front of this and signed him. And if anything, I don't know if they got a discount, but they did not overpay. I mean, he's a really good player and a really important piece. For a top four defenseman, that's a discount. Might have been a discount. Yeah.

For the way he plays, fitting to the way the coach wants the team to play. Yeah, when he's not in the lineup, he's desperately missed. And I think more so because of the matchup. If you're using him and Tanev as your shutdown pair, now you're sliding in Ekman-Larsen in there, maybe Benoit in there. You seem a little bit weaker, but I've been really impressed with this group of defensemen that the Maple Leafs have had all season.

Even when they slide in, Connor Timmons has turned himself into an everyday NHL defenseman. And a pretty good one. You know, Benoit hasn't had the same consistency to his game that we saw last year. And maybe it's because he knows he's the extra guy when everybody's healthy. And I know that feeling. And he was playing with McCabe a lot last year. And he was.

He was the shutdown pair with McCabe in the playoffs. So, I think for McCabe, we all appreciate how hard he plays. I just hope he's ready to be that guy coming back because it takes a blow to the head. That was scary. That was tough to watch. Tough to watch. Yeah, that was tough to watch.

Right? And you just hope that doesn't shy him away from the game that he's comfortable playing, which is a physical game. Absolutely. You know, I guess, Carly, no, Noodles doesn't appreciate the work Dee does. Hayes just wants Mitch Mariner to score 50 goals every year. So let's have a real talk here about the foundation of every team. So with the way Craig is getting everyone to play,

I believe it's less risky for the reward they're getting. How has that affected the Morgan Rileys, Tanevs, the D-men? Is that impacting them at all? Because they now know it's not going to be quite as, oh, man, there's a turn with the blue end. Now I'm scrambling to get back to maybe defend something that you weren't perhaps seeing coming down as they're going up to the ice. Well, look, I played for Berube, and I understand the system

that he's trying to preach. And a lot of it comes from being clean coming out of your own end. And I think when you watch this Maple Leafs team play, the way they break out, it's very clean. And with Sheldon Keefe coached teams, there was a lot of risk to the way they play offensively especially. I think when you're eliminating that risk and you're just

getting guys to playing clean with structure, the confidence comes with every play that you make, which at the end of the day makes the defenseman play more comfortable with their position, if that kind of makes sense. Sure.

And, you know, you see it. You don't see the Maple Leafs give up a ton of, like, grade-A scoring chances because they just have guys that know that when they have the puck, they can make a good play, but also they find themselves in good positions to make the right play. And, you know, you look at – I did some research the other day. The Maple Leafs have the 23rd ranked most goals scored in the league. That's not what we're used to.

They're not crushing it offensively. They would outscore a lot of their problems in years past. And now, like last game was a great example where you find yourself in a game where not much is going on, but you still find a way to win because you trust in everything that you're doing. You're not giving up that next goal that could be crippling. With Carlo Koliakovo, and you look at Marner's season and how defensively sound he is, how smart he is, the numbers he's putting up.

Like, he is, I don't think there was any question that he'd find a way to work with Berube, and Berube made it pretty clear almost immediately he wants to work with Marner. Like, there was so much noise around Marner and his future, and Berube almost immediately said, I think he probably spoke that to Tree Living. Like, don't even think about moving on this guy.

Let me have a chance to coach him for a year. But the fact that he's so comfortable playing a different system, playing maybe a defensively sound game first, yet still putting up points, I think that speaks to his all-around game and the IQ that he's got. He's not uncomfortable. Where Matthews looks uncomfortable at times, if that makes sense. He doesn't look as explosive offensively. He's trying to buy in to a system where marner i think is just capable of basically

playing any system well when we talk about marner we always talk about his skill set but mitch marner is a pretty damn smart hockey player and probably one of the elite you know hockey iqs in the national absolutely and we're seeing that now because I've talked to some of the coaches throughout the year, and the glowing praise that Marner continues to get from this coaching staff about how good he is, not just because he's skilled, but how good he is because he can be trusted to play any position or any role that you want him to play.

And I think that's what's impressing the coaching staff even more this year. In a new system, is that he's still a guy, like, plays the most minutes of every forward, accepts a defensive responsibility, one of their top penalty killers out there, obviously one of their top point producers. I think with Matthewss you talked about his how he looks like he's struggling the system i think maybe you see that struggle because i don't think he fully has 100 confidence in his health right

now and he's still you know he's missed some time they want to make us believe that it's something that's not going to get worse, and I believe that. But if he's not feeling like himself, there's a trust thing there too. And I don't see that trust issue or factor with Marner. If anything, I see a lot of confidence. Absolutely. So then with all of this, and I don't want to bring it up every week, but it's like, okay, this guy just continues to chip away no matter what is thrown at him.

Do we just not bring up the contract, or is it just the same thing like Colorado? Like, Ranton and I, we don't hear noises out of Colorado. Like, what are they doing with Ranton or whatever? Those are two elite players that are free agents next year because they don't have a contract for next season. So is it just, you know, I believe, is it just assumed that it's been kicked, the can has been kicked down the road? Or, you know, what do you think of that, Carlo? Yeah, Vermarner.

Yeah. Yeah, I mean, like, I think we have a good assumption as to where this contract's going to land. It's probably going to be north of $12 million. That's a pay raise. It's below Matthews. Now, I know Colorado, as people have speculated, that they want McKinnon's contract to be the internal cap that teams like to use.

People have suggested that the Leafs want Matthews' number to be the internal cap that teams like to use. People have suggested that the Leafs want Matthews' number to be the internal cap, but can you blame either one of these guys if they feel like they want to get paid more than those guys? Well, you can ask for whatever you want. You can ask for whatever you want. Yeah, it's a matter of who's going to give it to you. Right. Are you going to win?

Are you going to win? Exactly. And I think for Marner, it's almost kind of better that it has been quiet around him. Because he's been playing on real right now. Because he's performed and the team has won. There's a lot of positive vibes around the team right now. With Carlo Koliakovo in studio, first up, 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday right here on TSN Radio. Oilers Wild tonight. We were talking about

this with Ryan Callahan earlier this afternoon. Are the Wild a legit cup contender in your opinion or just a team that's been red hot through 28 games? Well, what's the recipe you need to be a cup contender? You need elite goaltending,

you need a stud defenseman, and you need a star forward. Minnesota has all that. You know, Gustafson, Noodles, you could probably. He's been unreal. He's been one of the best. Fleury comes in and gives them spot starts. That Brock Faber kids, a stud on defense.

Now they just brought in another young guy. Yeah, Juracek. Juracek. Yeah. And Kaprazov is playing like a hard trophy guy. So I think, I mean, they're a surprise team for me. I didn't think they'd be this good, especially with, they're operating with $14 million less on the cap than anybody else.

Yeah. Because of the cap. Suter and Parise. Right. I mean, Winnipeg started 15-1. Minnesota's caught them. Yeah. Minnesota's ahead of them, and Winnipeg was 15-1.

Maybe Strutty can touch on this, too, because we're talking about Edmonton. Edmonton had another slow start again this year. You looked at the standings lately? Yeah, they're right in the mix. They're only four points back of the division lead. Yeah. How are we feeling out there, Strutt? You think they're going to win the Pacific or what?

Well, I don't know if they're going to win the Pacific. And history suggests this team doesn't do anything the easy way, this team being the winners, right? Like they've never won the first place. They're always kind of starting on the road. And even their series, they kind of start and get back from, you know, they have to crawl back from behind. So I don't think they are going to. They're

playing like a team that knows it's a long season and they're managing, you know, their effort, even the physicality. Connor and Leon aren't hitting like we've seen them hit in previous years. So I think that they're managing it. They understand the road and they're going to keep going at it. One comment I'll make, and I'll kind of chime off of you, Carlo,

I think that the reason I can't have many as a cup contender is the reason you mentioned, $14 million. That's two or three really good players that other teams have. So you get deep in the playoffs, other teams have that. And I know they have some good young players that are cheaper. But I would just think that eventually the other top teams have that. The Wild doesn't. It's a great story.

A lot of money, yeah. A lot of cash on the sidelines. I just had one question, too. How did you pronounce it? Is it Kaprizov? Or what did you say? Kaprizov? Kaprizov.

Is it Kaprizov or Kaprizov? Now you got me thinking like tomato or tomato. You're like Kaprizov? What did you say? Kaprizov? Kaprizov. Is it Kaprizov or Kaprizov? Now you got me thinking like tomato or tomato. You're like Kaprizov. I'm like, who the hell is Kaprizov? Kaprizov. Carol Kaprizov. Carol Kaprizov. Carol Kaprizov.

Carol Kaprizov. Graves is on with us. Honestly, I will say this, though. If you're voting for the heart today, he might be. He's the favorite on FanDuel right now, Nunes. He's the favorite. You're right. Strutty, you make an unbelievable point because depth is always challenged deep into the playoffs,

and you need guys in your third and fourth line that probably make more than the league minimum. But the D, the goalie, and the forward, they've got a Vezina finalist and a Hart finalist right now on their team, if you're picking the awards today. I don't think you can look past them because they might just have this

weird mojo, like, hey, we've come together, we play as a team. Now they've got Faber's on a low contract. You look at it marco rossi's been great rossi's cheap right now so you're you're looking at it like now do they have enough to push you through into a deep run i don't know because we haven't seen it right we have we haven't seen him but at the end of the day i i think uh i i look at this right now i think they think they are like a cup contending team, but you've got to give them more time.

I'm sorry, sample size 30 games. I need to see more from them. That's what I think. I'm with you. I mean, if I were ranking teams I think could win the Stanley Cup within their division, they're fourth for me. In that division? Yes.

I'd still have Dallas, Colorado, and Winnipeg ahead of them. I don't care what you've done through 28 games. I'm taking those three other teams. If the Stanley Cup playoffs started tonight, I would take those three teams. Maybe they're a playoff contender. They're playoffs for sure. If they screwed this up, it would be crazy.

Could they win a round or two noodles? Be competitive, sure, but I don't know of a cup contender quite yet. Right now, if you just had me ask, it's Colorado. Colorado just went and changed their goaltending. Now they've got a team in front of them. Have you ever seen that before, Noodles? A team just shuffle out both of their goaltenders a quarter into the season.

No, not a quarter into the season. I've seen turnover. I've seen it here in Toronto. They've turned both goaltenders over in the offseason. It's like, that's not working. Two new guys. I get that. You're right.

A quarter of the way into the season, like, nope. Georgie Five, you've got to go. And we're trading for Annanen. You're out. You're a young guy. Now it's Blackwood and Wedgwood. Yeah, the woods. And Mileswood.

There's a lot of it out there. You guys see the story that Teddy Bluger's mom won the 50-50 out in Vancouver? Yeah. I saw it. Unreal. How much? It was $100,000 or something like that. Wow.

Yeah. So she won the 50-50. What's the reaction like if you come out through the tunnel or whatever, you got your suit on, your families are waiting, and your mom's like, I won the 50-50. How would you react if that happened? It's going to be a fun Christmas this year. I guess.

I mean, it's a cool story. And you know people in Vancouver are like, it's rigged. How did that happen? How did a player's mom win it? They don't make enough money. Exactly. But it's her money. It's a cool story. And you know people in Vancouver are like, it's rigged. How did that happen? How did a player's mom win it? Yeah. They don't make enough money. Exactly. But it's her money.

It's hers. She bought a ticket. She didn't do the raffle. You buy a ticket, you deserve to win. All day. It's fair and square because there's not like, I don't know, what was the NBA draft that people thought was rigged? The Ewing draft for the Knicks.

Yeah, Patrick Ewing, right? Like that's... These 50-50, like these 50-50s, like you're buying from somebody in the stands. A vendor walking up the stairs. Exactly. I think now you can buy it on your phone now. Yeah, you can now. Yeah, you can. So I'm pumped for her. It is a bit awkward, because what is...

Bluger doesn't make league minimum, does he? I think he makes a couple sheets a year, doesn't make league minimum does he i think he's he makes a couple sheets a year doesn't he i would guess he's been in the league okay so this is what i want to ask you brought up 50 50 strutty how does the alberta the edmonton oilers game get like get up to hundreds of thousands millions millions, how? I'm telling you, because everybody in Alberta, it's like scratch tickets, Lotto 649. Everybody plays Lotto like it's their job. We love it.

Yeah, that's your thing. That is what I define Alberta. Go ahead, Strud. Can you hear us? Strud, he's having serious technical issues. He's on the phone. He's staring at us. I'm like, is this guy decided to just quit? Gordon Gekko, he's on serious technical issues. He's on the phone. He's staring at us. I'm like, is this guy decided to just quit?

Gordon Gekko. He's on his cell phone. I want to weigh in on it because I have friends in Alberta that we have a little pot going. So I will send them money and the three of us go in. Like we'll go in on it. Because you have to be an Alberta resident to buy. You're just investing in the group. Right.

So I will just email money in. And in the group chat, they're like, Noodles, you're buying tickets today. It's Dan's turn tomorrow. It's Shayla's turn. Is there an opening in that group? I'd love to check. You know what's going to happen. They're going to win.

Noodles, these two will disappear. They'll be in Hawaii. Noodles isn't getting a penny. You're not getting a penny if they actually finally win. You think Dan and Shayla would jam me up? You know what? I mean, the joke is, if I don't hear from them and all of a sudden I see on their Instagram or something

they're in Turks and Caicos or in Hawaii, you know that they're gone. You know they want it. There's noodles. You're like, what happened to those tickets? Yeah, exactly. It's a lot of money, man. No, no. It's a lot of money.

Shout out to the Bluger family. Yeah. Shout out to the Bluger family. And that's tax-free, right? I think up here, generally, it is. Yeah, in the States, I think you've got to pay tax on that. Yeah, in the States, you've got to pay tax on that. So you're doing the panel tonight, Habs-Pens.

Yeah. You've got Sid at the Bell Center. You know what, man? Habs games have been a lot of fun to watch lately. Freewheeling out there. And Liney's been a great story. Patrick Liney has re-energized that team and re-energized that fan base. The goals this guy is scoring, like I exaggerate when I say this,

but he actually blows the roof off the building in that place. I hope they have good arena insurance. If he scores again tonight, he's been on fire. What that's done is give them more balance. Now they've got a second line of Line A, Doc,

and Slavkoski. Lane Hudson, elevating him to the power play, top unit power play, they've been a fun team to watch lately. Yeah, Lion-A, man, he goes far down as well as anyone in the league. He just snaps it.

He's got the chain under his neck guard. That you don't see too often. From the back? From the back. You can see the chain. He's got the chain. He's like, I'm wearing this chain. I'll wear a neck guard, but I'm rocking that chain, too.

It's a big line, too. And it's not just goals. He's going bar down. Oh, I know. Exactly. It's wicked. He looks like vintage lining, man. It's a really, really cool story.

Really cool story. That's where I was going to go, Hayes. It's a great story because it's a feel-good story. Yeah. There was a time there early in his career where we were expecting this guy it was 40 what for his rookie year and you're going okay this guy could be a 50 goal scorer in his sleep once he settles into the league and he just never got there he never got there and then it's Columbus and he doesn't like

it and I don't know what's going on and then he has a mental health struggle. And now it's just a great, you know, him even, to start this season with Montreal and then he blows his knee out. I know, preseason game, I know. Your heart hurts for him, but it's just a feel-good story. And obviously it's given juice to the team a little bit. Big time. It helps their power play. It kind of just gives them, you know, to me, it's just a great story

where you need, there's two positive things in Montreal. Actually, I'll give a third. Montembal. Montembal has been incredible since. You called that making on Canada, man. When we were doing that in the summer, I was like, I don't see it. But you were out in front of all that. And then Lane Hudson and then Lane, Patrick Lainez.

You've got three nice stories there. And Caulfield scored a million goals this year. Yeah, he's got a goal center 18 right now. He's scored a lot of goals. All right, Carlo. Good seeing you, man. Thanks for doing this. Great seeing you, too.

Can I borrow that hoodie on my walkover? Yeah, you need my hoodie? Stay warm, big guy. Stay warm, man. Stay warm out there. Good seeing you guys. There's Carlo Coliacolo. First up, he'll be on the panel tonight.

Habs Pens on TSN. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and on TSN 2. It's a brand new year. Time to review last year's financial decisions and set new priorities for 2025. Kelvin the Money Guy suggests the three-step approach. One, clearly define your goals for the new year.

Two, create a plan tailored to your needs and ambitions. And three, make sure your portfolio is designed to serve that plan. Goal, plan, portfolio. Contact Kelvin the Money Guy and set your plans in motion. Call 416-457-PLAN or visit askkelvin.ca. All right, Best Bets brought to you by Fando later in the hour on the Thursday night or tonight. Niners, Rams, Hazenbro, the pick is in.

Rams plus two and a half. Got my list coming up. Hazy B's list on a Thursday. I could only get to three. Bit of a cop-out, but I figured I want to be optimistic. I want to be an optimistic Canadian hockey fan. So I'm going to get to my list in a moment. But we have sent Al's brother out somewhere in the city with a pair of Leaf tickets, and you have to guess where he's hiding for your chance to win them.

Are you guys ready for the fourth and final clue of the week? Yes. Let's do it. Okay, it's Thursday. Time for your final clue to get yourself a pair of Leafs and Islanders tickets on December 31st. And let me tell you, I immediately regret the decision to come here. This place is an

absolute zoo, but I gotta get my Christmas shopping done, and this is the best place to do it. Alright, so we all know where he is. I think by this point. I referenced this mall earlier in the show. It's all good. Find out tomorrow. Tune in tomorrow, and the first caller through with the correct

location will win a pair of tickets to see the Leafs take on the Islanders December 21st. All right, Doogie. There we go. 21st? 21st. Okay, thank you. Is it Ron Berger to you or what?

What are you doing? Al's brother said the wrong date, I guess. And then, anyway, Find Al's Brother is brought to you by McAlpine Ford in Aurora. Our family, the Ford family, and you. Full details at tsn1050.ca. All right. Can I just defend myself for a second? Yes, please.

JP just seriously screwed me. He wants me to change my codec mid-interview. Yes. He calls me on my phone, and then he hooks me back up. I can't hear what you guys are saying. I look like Amateur Hour over here. JP, I hate to throw you under the bus, buddy, but you just did it to me mid-interview. Yeah, that's wild. JP,

do you want to explain yourself? Outrageous. Come on and defend yourself, JP. What's going on behind the glass today is just wild. Go ahead, JP. Truth be told, there is no defense. It was a miscommunication part on my end that I thought he would be fine. I can't even hear him now.

I still can't hear him. Why would you want to hear the guy who runs the technical portion of the show? You're trying to screw me over. You're trying to get me out of this team? JP is sabotaging. Are you sabotaging Shreddy? Is that your plan?

I'm actually the one who changes Wikipedia as well. Exactly. I'm not answering your text, JP. You're done. You've got a two-week suspension. Well, it doesn't help. JP's the only Samsung guy here, too. So everyone else is on iChat.

And we've got to have a green background because of JP sabotaging everything. That's why I'm not in the group chat. Yeah, you're sabotaging us right now. Are you guys ready for this list? Three reasons why I believe a Canadian team is going to win the Stanley Cup this year. Number three, admittedly, is a complete cop-out, but probability is at number three. Now let me explain here. I know. It has been 31, it'll be 32 years without a Stanley Cup.

There are seven Canadian teams in a 32-team league. At some point, probability alone would suggest, I'm going to put my chips down on green double zero because it will hit. And I believe that that is the case. Also, I believe we're looking at a scenario where we could have five Canadian teams in the dance. Toronto's going, Winnipeg's going, Edmonton's going. I believe

Vancouver will get in, and Ottawa is right there. I'll believe it when I see it with Ottawa, but it's not like they're 10 points out. They're in the mix. And if Walmart gets hot, and they start moving and shaking the way that I believe that they can, and Noodles, you've been pumping their tires for a while.

You and a lot of people. If they get in, that's five tickets. You give me five Canadian tickets. Out of 16. Out of 16. Probability is number three. I know that's not the greatest case to make, but it's true. Let's just go the safe route.

Yes. Four out of 16. Four out of 16 is still 25%. 25. One in four opportunities. Exactly, and it's been 32 years. And I think those four teams are pretty good teams. They are. I think you could make a case for all four teams.

If Ottawa makes it, then you can make a case that Ottawa goes on this run or whatever, they get hot at the right time. But let's just say one in four. Yes, they are good teams it's just i don't know you know what it is i've got ptsd and i'm sorry i'm gonna it's like we say things ah it looks different this year that you no chance they're gonna do it this and many like no chance it's gonna happen six times i would yeah and then it happens and then you're like oh you know so i'm i can i can see what you're saying i can reason with it and, and then you're like, oh. So I can see what you're saying.

I can reason with it and say, yes, eventually the numbers will have to happen. But I'm on the other side because I've got PTSD about it. You know what I mean? I understand. That's where I'm at. 32 years we've been doing this strut. Yeah. A long time.

Hayes, you're the kind of guy that walks into a casino and sees nine black numbers that hit on roulette. And you're like, it's due. The 10th one will be red. It's got to be red. It's still 50-50. No, it's not. It's still a 50-50 chance.

Now momentum is swinging towards red. But the chips don't care. The dice don't care. It's just that they don't care what happened before. This is it. But I think that we're getting close. I think that we're getting close. There's a lot of good players playing in Canada right now. The talent

is high on all the teams, including Ottawa. Maybe I won't call them contenders. The Leafs, according to everyone, is a contender that lives out east. But you've got Vancouver. They've got a pretty good team. The Oilers. Winnipeg is good.

Montreal, probably not quite there. Calgary, not quite there. But I think there's a lot of good talent here in these Canadian teams. So I think it's coming up. But unlike you, I can't just say the same word do thing. I just don't – I can't get behind that one. I hear you. It's not the most compelling case.

That's why I said number three. I was thinking about putting goalies up here, but that's more specific to Hellebuck, Demko if he's healthy, because I think Skinner's got to prove it again. The Leafs goalies both have to prove it. So I was going to go with

the goalies, but I thought probability and more so again, if you give me four, maybe five tickets in a 16-team dance, maybe we find a way to get a Teddy Bluger's mum scenario here where the 50-50 drops our way. That's a number three. The talent I'll get to in a moment. Number two

is I don't see an American powerhouse where in years past, last year it felt like Destiny Florida was going to be the team that just was going to beat you team that just was going to beat you you weren't they were not going to be stopped i don't think that applies to them this year i still think they're a great team but i don't think it again three straight years going to a cup final very difficult to do tampa did it but we saw they ran out of fumes in that third year vegas a couple

years ago felt like they were a team that was just they were motoring and they weren't going to be stopped tampa in their years in the covet bubbles they were clearly the that was just, they were motoring and they weren't going to be stopped. Tampa in their years in the COVID bubbles, they were clearly the best team. I don't see that down in the States. We have Minnesota leading their division right now. Very good start. Really, really good.

LA's been up and down. Florida and Tampa have been okay. Boston's a tire fire. The Rangers are a mess right now. I like Carolina. I like Jersey. I like Vegas. I like Colorado, if their goaltending's legit. It is,

but when did McKenzie Blackwood become Marty Brodeur? You have to explain that to me. No, he doesn't. That's the thing, though. They won the Stanley Cup with Darcy Kemper. That's the thing. I look at it. Are they a powerhouse, though, to you? Do you look at Colorado with

34 points, albeit a lot of that was injury-related and the goalies stink, but are they like, I'm terrified of that team? I don't see that. You're right. As of 28 games into the season, I just think they just got so much better with stable goaltending, and I am not convinced that they are not done yet like some weird like trade where it's like they did the middle stat trade out of nowhere not out of nowhere but i didn't see that one coming right you know again pittsburgh's gotten off the mat but you heard

like you know sid to colorado all of that type of stuff i think there's something up their sleeve there still that that would put them. Getting Nachushkin back, keep in mind, this guy just showed up again. And who knows if they can trust him again because it was two playoffs in a row that this guy disappeared on him. But you're right, just a clear-cut pillar to post powerhouse where it was like Boston with 62 wins or whatever. I think you're right, Brian, as far as just saying powerhouse where it was like boston was 62 wins or whatever i think you're right brian as far as just saying powerhouse but i could make a case for a lot of the teams that you did mention

for tampa for florida for colorado for uh win no winnipeg but you can do it for canadian teams too like that's the thing so it's kind of on the same that's what i'm at i think that i think the playing ground again it could be different by the end of the year. I'm not saying there's Canadian teams that deserve to be definitively at number one, but I don't see a Boston from a couple of years ago. And they flamed out in the playoffs. But remember what they looked like, what Tampa looked like when they won 62 games. Again, Florida had that feel to me last year where it was like,

I don't know who's going to beat them. They look like a clear-cut favorite. I haven't seen that out of an American team, which again just kind of evens the playing field, which should put Canadian teams in a better position. And at number one, I will drive home the point that I think you were making, Strutty. Generational players get cups.

And Edmonton is where you would start with this. McDavid is going to win one. I cannot live in a world, I cannot believe he's going to go through his career without winning. I think that would be a travesty. I know it doesn't matter how I feel. It's not an emotional thing.

But McDavid, dry settle. I think Matthews, you can make an argument, is on pace to be the greatest goal scorer ever. He's going to be in that conversation. On pace to be the greatest American ever. Or you can make an argument, is on pace to be the greatest goal scorer ever, or he's going to be in that conversation, on pace to be the greatest American ever, or you can make that case. Guys of that ilk, Hellebuck doing what he's doing as the clear-cut best goalie in the league the last couple of years.

Quinn Hughes, the way that he's growing as a defenseman. You have this uber, uber talent in the country. You pointed at that strutty. And these guys, eventually they break. And I don't know which one. Am I pecking order? I would go Edmonton number one. I think I'd probably go Toronto two, Winnipeg three, Vancouver four.

As of today. Could change by April. But when you have guys like McDavid, like Drysaddle, like Matthews, those guys just, they win. They find a way to win. They get their cups. And Canadian teams have them right now. And they're in their primes.

I think that's the important thing to point out. They should be hungrier than other superstars who have already won because they haven't. They're all in their primes. This is when it's going to pop. Like you're in a window here, and I'm going to put money on it that one of them can do it in 24, 25. Yeah, and just to sum it up, what I see is that I think this year is a jump ball. The year that Colorado won it, they were so good.

So good. They were just – Vegas, it felt like they were going to win it. They were the ones they were going to get. And just go back. It's always like they're just going for it. And this year it feels like a jump ball amongst five, six, seven, eight teams. You know, instead of it's like this team against everybody, I think it's, you know, I don't know how high we want to take it,

but let's just call it five, six. And so it's a jump ball. So first, you know, do they make an addition to have a big impression moving forward? Injury, luck, although I don't love luck because I know a lot of... In fact, it's in those struts. You need things to break your way. You can't rely on it. I guess part

of it is luck is not getting injured. Those are the things. I think I would phrase it as a jump ball this year compared to... I agree. Florida looked really good last year, although so did Edmonton, but Florida's been through it. Yeah, exactly. When Pittsburgh won their Cubs Florida had been through it. Yeah, exactly. When Pittsburgh won their Cubs, you could feel

it. When Chicago was in that window, you're like, this team, I don't know how anyone's going to beat them. LA, after the first one, the first LA one was shocking because of them kind of backdooring into the playoffs and then they never lost. I think they lost a game to Vancouver in the first round and basically didn't again until the Cup

final. But yeah, a jump ball, I think, is a game to Vancouver in the first round and basically didn't again until the cup final. But yeah, a jump ball I think is a great way to describe it. That's what it feels like. Throw it up, and I think if you're a Canadian fan, ideally you'd have that powerhouse, and maybe one of them will feel that way by the end of the year. Winnipeg did the first month. First month of the year was like, wow, Winnipeg's the best team in the league.

By the end of last year, you could have made the argument, Edmonton the best team in the league. By the end of last year, you could have made the argument, Edmonton the best team in the league. We'll see. And this is always subject to change as the year goes on. But trying to be optimistic here on a Thursday. That's where I was going to go, Brian. So we are, let's say, 30 games in. Most teams are at 28 in that range or whatever.

Can we do this list or can we revisit this list 45 games into the season yes you know not 41 just past maybe 50 games 50 games into the season and see what it looks like and see if teams have made made trades see if guys have pushed through inconsistency just see what the league looks like you know see if we are talking about five teams or really four or that type of stuff. But as of right now, I agree 100%. It is a jump ball because nobody's running away with it. I think there's more than five or six teams. I think there might be eight. But it depends.

Did the Rangers get their act together? Did they make a big move? Stuff like that. So I'd like to see 50 games and revisit this list. I love it. Promise me that. I will do that. Doogie, lock it in.

Doogie and JP. Whichever one you are, Strutty's calling you both the same name. Strutty's confusing the two. Well, I thought that's what I have his name as my thing. Isn't it? That's his name? No, Doogie is Josh. Doogie, come on the mic.

That doesn't make sense. Has Strutty called you JP? I believe we've talked over the mic and Strutty said JP. Yeah. And I believe you thought it was me, but there's two JPs here. My last name starts with a P.

Our technical producer is also JP. That's a good point. Many people have talked about that. It's not the first time, Strutty. Actually, that's the first I hear of it. Now that I think about it, I've been on the show for years. But I forgot that Doogie's last name starts with a P. Josh Pulitz.

Yeah, JP and JP. And then we got Joe from the Bridge. We got it all covered. JB, we got it all covered. All right, Strutty. Only hearing half the show, he's screwing me over. I know, they're sandbagging you bad, man. They're really trying to take you out of the knees.

Sorry, Stratton. We're sorry. I don't know who likes the cologne. Which of the Joshes likes the cologne? That's what I'm curious about. Oh, that's Doogie. Doogie told me that he and his buddies literally talk about cologne, which to me was a shocking revelation.

But he said, yeah, cologne talks a big it's that's i don't even think doogie's a millennial doogie's like a gen what are you what's the next what's the next one after you're not a millennial that's for sure is he gen z or do you know doogie are you looking it up that's that's how young he is you're a gen z yeah i'm a gen z you're a gen z guy yeah, Gen Z's big into colognes and sandbagging people on the air. I just got some breaking news, too, from a buddy of ours that worked with the Rangers for many years, and he said no staff alumni jackets as well. So, honestly, I think the Rangers, they're not doing people right there. Disappointing.

Aren't they one of the wealthiest teams in pro sports? Yeah, Dolan, man. It's MSG. Dolan owns, they're under the whole umbrella. Knicks, the Garden, the Rangers. The Rangers are generally valued as the most expensive team in the league or the most highly valued team in the league. More so than the Leafs, the Habs.

I'll send an email to Mess. I'll email Mess. He'll get this straightened out. Nice cardigans or something. The line would stop at me, though. No, you get one, man. You get one. You're in. You play the game. Do people get an alumni code if you played one game for the Leafs?

I believe that is accurate. That's a question that we have to ask. You'd have to ask for one, I would think. If you played for the Marlies, you'd get one. It's just like everybody. Everyone gets one. Marlies. Strutty, I was telling Hayes and O the other day,

when I got to the Rangers, Mike Dunham was my goalie partner, and the team was really in a tough spot like they had cleared out like the number one pairing i think was christmas mcallister and dale peerington that was the number one pairing d yeah okay so offensively if we go out we go out for a game i think we're playing pittsburgh and dunny's like hey listen to when i get announced like when they start they say starting in goal he goes the fans hate me here so they go starting and go mike dunham and the crowd just goes boo like it was insane and he looked over at me he was laughing i was like oh my god this place is an animal house here it was so funny it's tough living in new york

they're hard fans, man. When you're not playing well, like I remember being booed off the ice after the first period. It's 1-0, get booed off the ice. Like, we better pick it up. We might not make it out of here. New York in a nutshell.

We'll come back with our best bets brought to you by FanDuel. Wrap up a busy afternoon. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and on TSN 2. It's a brand new year. Time to review last year's financial decisions and set new priorities for 2025. Kelvin the Money Guy suggests the three-step approach.

One, clearly define your goals for the new year. Two, create a plan tailored to your needs and ambitions. And three, make sure your portfolio is designed to serve that plan. Goal, plan, portfolio. Contact Kelvin the Money Guy and set your plans in motion. your portfolio is designed to serve that plan. Goal, plan, portfolio. Contact Kelvin the Money Guy and set your plans in motion. Call 416-457-PLAN or visit askkelvin.ca. All right, today's best bets are powered by FanDuel.

Make your picks and assemble a same-game parlay in seconds on the FanDuel Sportsbook app. Very unfortunate line movement for Hazenborough. Now up to Niners minus three. Saw that. Of course it moves in the direction of these two dummies, and they get the advantage of that. But we're still on the Rams, plus three. Better than ever.

Rams plus three. They cover the number tonight. Kyron Williams, anytime touchdown score. And Matthew Stafford, over 246.5 total yards passing tonight. That parlay paying plus 311. And today's best bets, again, powered by FanDuel. The FanDuel Sportsbook app is the exclusive home of the Overdrive Same Game Parlay. Please play responsibly.

19-plus, physically located in Ontario. All right, boys. Well, good stuff. Everyone survived. Everyone got through the. Well. Good stuff. Good stuff. Everyone survived. Everyone got through the cold weather and technical difficulties and JP and Doogie trying to sewer everyone else. And it's all good. It's all good.

The hoodie show. The hoodie show. The hoodie show. The hoodie show. I'm bringing this in more, man. I felt good today. Comfortable. Very comfortable.

Very comfortable. All right. Thanks to everyone behind the scenes. Everyone behind the scenes. Reluctantly. Do you All right. Thanks to everyone behind the scenes. Everyone behind the scenes. Reluctantly. Do you really mean that? Reluctantly. Thanks to everyone behind the scenes.

I don't mean that. Everyone for tuning in today. TV, radio, podcast, web. We appreciate it. We're out of here. Enjoy your evenings. Enjoy the games tonight. We're back tomorrow at?

4 p.m. We'll chat then. We'll chat then. TSM Plus is taking game day to a whole new level with NFL Red Zone.m. We'll chat then.