OverDrive - OverDrive - December 2, 2025 - Hour 2 - Mike Johnson

Episode Date: December 2, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Dave Feschuk for Hour 2 on OverDrive! TSN Hockey Analyst Mike Johnson joins to discuss the Maple Leafs and Panthers' matchup, the Jets' losing skid and if Jordan Binnington is the starting goalie for Canada at the Winter Olympics. The guys go around the sports world in the latest edition of Confirm or Deny and Bryan gives his FanDuel Best Bets.

Every year it's the same. I get socks. You get socks. We all get socks. Not me. This year, I got more. More socks? More for less. Virgin Plus hooked me up with an affordable phone plan and member benefits on food, fashion, and entertainment. So while I'm knee-deep in snow and novelty socks, you're unwrapping deals all season?

Exactly. It's the gift that keeps on giving. Get more for less this holiday season with affordable phone plans and member benefits you'll love. Virgin Plus, obviously. Visit a Virgin Plus store or virginplus.ca for details. Hour two overdrive continues, powered by Fanduel, bringing you everything from the opening line of the final score. Brian Hazio, Doug Jeff O'Neill, Dave Festruck of the Toronto Star. Confirm a deny later in the hour.

Mike Johnson coming up, Johnny down in Florida, Least Panthers tonight on TSN and on TSA radio. Big game tonight. Forwards are healthy, right? You look at the least lineup. Yes, Tano's out, Carlos out, Stolars are out. None of them are returning anytime soon. But the forward group, this is, everyone's available. So when you showed up at camp, day one, this is, I guess, what they envisioned.

He still have Dolmey on the top line. I don't love that, but he's going to keep getting those opportunities. Easton Cowan, I think he's played himself in a position where he deserves to play on that second line. I like what Easton Cowan's doing. Played very well. And it's a great transition for him, confidence-wise, when you can go from, like, you remember in training camp where Lorenz and Lottomor like, hey, kid, like, do this or do it. And it seemed like a real teaching type of thing where he was the young guy.

I think he's putting himself in a position where he could say, hey, if I'm ever open there, get me the puck and we can, like, those conversations change when you're having success with William Nealander or John Tavar's. Like, it goes from a linemate to like a kid type situation, which is a great thing for his confidence. Well, I think that Goan, Washington's a great example of that because Willie hit him with a pass that a lot of guys wouldn't be prepared for. A lot of guys would shoot it wide.

And in Pitt, you mean? Was it in Pitt? Yes, it was in Pitt, you're right, where he either shoots at wide or you know miss you know flubs it or something like that so willie's got it in his head if i can give him that pass and he can make he can cash on it i'll keep doing it yes exactly like that was a really savvy play yeah it was a beautiful play by willie but yeah exactly i mean you got to hit the net but it's easier said than done yeah when you're not expecting the past and there's traffic and there's a lot going on and you're a young kid and you pulled it off

i'll tell you what man they need this guy because he's got a motor right like what does this team lacked at times. They've looked old and they've looked slow. And here's a young guy who just keeps going. Like he may not be the fastest guy in the history of the league, but he's fast enough and he he's got incredible energy and he's got decent hockey sense. He finds

himself in good spots. So I think good players can, to your point O, good players can respect that and say, look, he's one of us. Like he's working his butt off and he's trying to find empty ice where he can make a play. And you got to respect that because they don't have enough

of that right now. There's just not there haven't been enough guys with all the all the guys they brought in have had only fleeting moments of even marginal success and he's been the hit of the kind of the new guys in town. Dave it's been a while since I talked to you. What have you made of Austin Matthews game thus far? I know he's had the injury but just overall big picture impression. I mean it's flashes of the former, the former great player that we once knew but only flashes like the goal he scores the other night where you know he, I don't. I think you would tweet vintage. I think you tweeted vintage Austin.

I haven't seen that a lot in two years. I haven't seen enough of it. And it feels like you see it every now and then in practice. You see it every now and then in a game. But we used to see it two or three times some nights where you go, wow. And just haven't had a lot of wow moments with Austin Matthews. And that, that to me is massively concerning because you start to wonder, is this just the new normal with Austin Matthews?

Like last year it was injury-riddled year, but he'll be good after an extended rest in the off season. now he comes out of the gate not particularly flying has another injury absence and it's just not electric like it once was well again let's hope he can carry that over because you know I thought he played well

in Pittsburgh they all played relatively well they won the game and tonight it's as big as it gets you know for a game in early December for both teams like Florida's got the rings they got the banners but they don't want to just flame out and miss the playoffs and I'm sure they have confidence they'll get it together but as you said earlier, Dave, they're a vulnerable team.

You can pounce on Florida. A lot of teams have been doing it this year. Joining us now the Maple Toyota Hotline, here's a guy that'll call the game on TSN tonight, our hockey analyst, Mike Johnson. How you doing, Johnny? All good on our way to the rink, which is quite a journey.

I don't have you been down near Hayes, but it's a good 45, 50 minutes from the beach area where everyone stays. So it's sort of like Ottawa, but heading inland. So we're on our way to the rink. And you're right. Like, it's an interesting game because both teams are in the same spot basically in the standings, same sort of record to get here.

But when you get around the teams, and not going down to Brad Varshand Road, but the vibe from Florida, maybe it's because of their success and because they believe that these guys might come back and they'll be fine, it just feels far more matter of fact. Not that they're positive about how they've played, but they're just, you know, it is what it is, and we'll figure it out, as opposed to Toronto where it feels a little bit more, I hope we can figure it out. but I don't know 100% if it's going to happen. Johnny, what do you expect to happen with Sam Bennett this evening, if anything? I don't think anything.

I mean, I think the game is really important. They'll try to play hard on him. I'm trying to think who would go after him for bump and stole ours. I don't. I think the guy's think the game is too important. Maybe Scott Lawton. He might be a guy that might go down that road, maybe Benoit. but I don't know, given the relationship and given the comments by Bennett's sort of saying,

I didn't really mean to do it. I don't think anything happened there to you. Well, we're just talking about who's it going to be, you know, and it's not really, I don't know, like a guy like Dakota Joshua is he going to say, I know I wasn't here last year, but I'm going to go out there and do something. I just, he'd be my choice because I do wonder if he looks back on last week and wishes he had a Mulligan on the Jack-Eye scenario. like just when you're in the corner

drop your gloves grab them fight to fight again he wasn't here last year it may be a different scenario and I don't even know if you have to have a fight I mean historically you would expect it but it's a different world it's a different era but you got to

someone's got to take a piece like a wrestling a double-minded or scuffle something like a scrum with a couple of punches or a head or something tricky when you're a new player you want to take that on to say hey I'm part of the new group

but you also maybe don't want to overstep and say like, is this something that we're doing tonight to this guy? Like maybe the group as a whole is like, no, no, we don't need to do that. I don't know. Maybe that's when they have a conversation beforehand, not necessarily about a fight, but about, hey, make sure to go to take a piece if you can. Well, and furthermore, like, if you do, and then Florida's reaction

is like, all right, let's get crazy tonight, how comfortable the Leaf's going to be in that situation. You know, that... Is that a better road? The game in the alley is the game that they are always more comfortable than just about any other team in the NHL at playing, and they're better at playing that way. They've lost two in a row,

just want to spark that potential emotional response that makes them a tough opponent tonight. These are all sort of the questions that they would be going through. But I don't, you know, maybe a chat in a scrum, you know, saw a lot and get slightly tangled up with Malkin last games, maybe something like that. So as Hayes pointed out, MJ, The Leafs have their forward group essentially intact now with Lottinback.

But the D group obviously in some sort of shambles when you hear today, Craig Barubic giving updates on Brandon Carlo, the idea that he's going to be out longer than they expected might need surgery. The TANF situation remains cloudy. And obviously, the last line of defense, Anthony Stolar is still a big question mark about when he may or may not return. I mean, A, how do you think you've been dealing with those two huge? absences on the blue line and B, how do you, what is the strategy as they go forward here

to try and sort of get by without two key cogs? So I think they dealt with the injuries to the defense not well initially because I think I think Carlo was compromised. He was playing hurt and it probably showed in his play because he was really struggling. And Philippe Myers, despite trying, you know, the best he can, was really, really struggling. And so the team as a whole, the defense at times and puck management and turnovers and important points. It wasn't as good as they needed it to be. I will say this.

Troy Stetcher was sort of an innocuous waiver claim largely because he shoots right and he's been around. And yet he's come in and has been really good to the point where now he's on your second pair. Now, Troy Stetcher's second pair, probably not a long-term solution, but he's given them stability. He's given them good minutes where the team is not hemmed in and he battles and he does what he can and his underlying numbers are very strong amongst the strongest on the team

so since he has come back it has been better or since he has arrived it has been better but now with Carlo gone and you know your third pair is going to be Myers and Benoit on the road we'll see what happens tonight but I don't know if there's anything they can do about it they're going to wait

on TANF I'm assuming internally they have a better sense of what this might take and then for Brandon Carlo if he has a surgical procedure whatever then you would know how long that time then will be as well, but probably stay afloat and then keep hearing of the Bill Nove and the minors to we

see him at some point on the team. But other than that, sort of deal with it and ride Stetscher's good play for as long as they can. Yeah, and what sticks out about him is what sticks out about Easton Cowan. We're talking about it. Like, he's feisty, he can skate a bit, he gets involved, and that's, that looks

different on this team. Like, it just looks and feels different when you've got a guy who's who's, you know, he's got energy. He's got energy, exactly. Which is kind of a sad compliment, to be honest with you. Yeah, and you'd like to believe there are other guys that are, like, that's what Max Dolme is supposed to show every shift. Like, it's a guy that you notice just based on, you know, he's buzzing around.

But I've been impressed by Stetcher. It was a good waiver pickup, and he's helped him. We were talking about Calum prior to you coming on and how he just, he looks comfortable, Johnny. He looks like he looks like a pro out there, and that's probably the best compliment you can give a 20-year-old. But he should, right? Like, given his pedigree, given how good he has been in his pre-NHL career, you would expect him to be a pretty quick study at figuring out how to play here. And he has been.

So, you know, and he's looked, you're right, more comfortable. I still think he will probably be well served by getting just a fraction stronger, a fraction quicker, which will come with training and maturity into the next years. But he doesn't mind playing with the big guys. He is comfortable making plays. He doesn't just shoot it away. to be safe he he doesn't mind being the power play with them and sort of handling it and moving around and taking the high ice and you know that sort of arrogance that great players play with

he's got it and he's got it in a situation where he's not the best player with ice by a long shot and he doesn't care because they've needed his his spot to be filled by him they are much better when one of those top six spots is filled in turn by a guy who seems to be capable of it and I think as he gets more comfortable guys the points will start coming like he creates like a lot of close chances and once he gets you know finishing those chances

or a little crisper with those then the points will start to pile up as well and if the power play could ever score consistently like what that would do to feed guys who like points oh no and I know like you can get some cheapies on the power play and all of a sudden your five on five play gets better and that's somewhere

that all the players in Toronto could use an uptake. With Mike Johnson our TSN hockey analyst. So Winnipeg got pumped by Buffalo last night. Hang on a sec. Brian Hayes thinks the most insulting thing in pro sports to a franchise is if you have a player's only meeting in Buffalo after the game. He finds it very insulting. It's always Buffalo. We lost the Buffalo. Close the doors. We got to talk.

Hey, I think I was playing one year in Arizona. We were terrible. And in the span of like three weeks, we beat three teams. Two of them immediately fired their coaches and one resulted in a players only. You're like, okay, I'll give me all due to respect to us the fact that it is emergency situation as soon as you lose to us. So, yeah, that's, but Buffalo is actually playing pretty well as the play. Winfakeg is not, but that's, yeah, that's part of the problem of Buffalo's history. Now you expect to beat them when they're actually probably playing better.

Josh Norris returns than maybe their history would indicate. Well, we'll see how the Jets come out of it. but with Hellebuck injured, and that's not been their issue necessarily, but they look sluggish. Like they're not defending very well. They've lost a lot of games. They're on the outside looking in. They're in a division with two powerhouse teams that they're not going to catch.

You're not catching Colorado or Dallas. That third spot is still very attainable. It's still early. But for a team, this time last year was putting up historic numbers. Like, what's your level of concern if you're in Winnipeg right now? It's pretty good. actually, it's pretty high. I thought that they would be deep enough

and sort of have the structure and enough good players that they would be able to withstand Hellebuck's injury. What happened that it all went down the tubes, Johnny, the five-on-five play? Well, I mean, I think you probably talked to them. They would say it was maybe heading in the wrong direction a little bit before he was hurt,

and maybe he was cleaning up some of those messes. But they have looked a little bit older, and I hate to say it, but, you know, Jonathan Taves, who I think we were all delighted that he's back in the NHL and happy that he's healthy. He's got, you know, nine points, I think, but he hasn't been a play driving guy in their second line. You know, Perfetti didn't score forever.

So the first line, yeah, lights out crazy, Valardi and Shisley and Connor. But their second line at Five-on-Five-O has been a bit of an issue. And with Adam Lauer being out for a long time, too. I just haven't worked quite as well at Five-on-Five as they would have hopes. that's been part of the problem. Yeah. Yeah, Taves, he just, he's, like, you can see he's struggling to keep up at times. Yeah, the pace is not just, it's not there just yet.

And then when you watch to play Buffalo, there's two ways to play fast, right? You skate fast or you move the puck fast, and you would assume Buffalo with all their young players, I think with the lineup last night, they might have been the youngest team in the league. They would skate fast, but you would assume Winnipeg, with their experience and skill, would play fast, didn't look like that. And when you watch Winnipeg play at times, it doesn't look like they're fast anymore. That's a problem. Yeah, it's interesting in Buffalo.

Like, this Owen power, I was reading stats on him today. Like, his game, like, he's got seven points in 25 games. I know he didn't come in as expected to be the next Cal McCar. But signing an $8.5 million contract is given to him. First overall pick, they jumped in front of it, said long term we want you. And the numbers just are not very flattering. No. And I don't know. I mean, that was a kid. I thought, you know, I had a chance to be on Canada's radar, like a couple years ago. And it's not like the play is overwhelmingly good where it's like, oh, the stats just don't match the play. It's, you're.

Yeah, it gets out muscled a lot and put, yeah, it's, I don't know, what's. I think Matthew Barnaby described him as a mouse in a giraffe's body, which is a tough. It's a tough description. Yeah. But, yeah, he's a big boy, and it just doesn't seem to work for him. Johnny? No, it's not being, it's been a tough call. I think that was Craig Ravey or Andrew Peter, the most comment. Not Barney. Sorry, Barney, it wasn't you.

Barney, I apologize. Say him, my idea. That'd be something he would say, though. Yeah, I think he struggles with a couple things. One is that he is not an overtly physical player, despite being huge. He carries himself sort of a very impassive demeanor.

You know what I mean? Like, he doesn't look like he's that emotional about anything, which again, is maybe not ideal. he probably wants to play on the power play, and he's not getting any time there with Byron and Dahlene. Both who shoot less. Both are better than him at that right now. But what makes it sort of almost worse for him, guys,

is that he's Kevin Adams guy, right? Like, they chose him, they committed to him, and given where the thoughts are for Kevin Adams by that market, it probably works against him. They hold the fact that he's Kevin Adams guy against him because Kevin Adams is also taking some. meet in that market so um yeah it's tough but i did you move him at nine million dollars right now easily oh man i i don't know question is is he going to Chris pronger you where he shows up in

st louis or another organization and turns into chris pronger because that's that's what happened in hartford it was like big tall guy and then all of a sudden it's gone and he's a heart trophy winner two years later yeah yeah and that would be the fear of course first overall and everything else but um yeah i don't know i don't know i think buffalo would like to sort of see their full lineup play and you know that norris back and upl playing relatively well and see if they can make inroads so they're playing better at the way i don't know they could they could easily go on a 10 game losing streak as they might also go 8 and 2 i have no idea what they might do in that i have to get a read on them um yeah jordan bittington

pulled last night yeah and him and jim montgomery kind of going at it as he's kind of you know And he's a fiery guy. And afterwards, they said, hey, it's all good. We talked it out, whatever. But it seems like a formality. Bennington's going to be on the Canadian team and he's just going to be the starter and the number one. And I understand that because it was history

of what he just did at the Four Nations. But his season is, it's really ugly stuff. Like, the whole team is really struggling. But Bennington's numbers are really, really off. I mean, we had this chat leading into the Four Nations, but this is even more important. Like, Four Nations, everyone was uncertain of what the thing was even going to be. This is the Olympic Games.

Where is your comfort level with him just getting to Italy and it's going to be all good? So I don't put much stock in them sort of squabbling on the way off the ice. Like, if O gets sat down for three shifts, he might be like, hey, you know, say something to the coach. Every time a goalie gets pulled, it's always volatile for those two minutes, right? Like it's always combustible, coach, players, goalie, everyone's mad at each other. So I'll put that aside. The bigger question is, how good is his game? Now, he played relatively well last three or four games for St. Louis, which I think is part of his frustration.

I think he goes there no matter what. I don't know if I'm naive to think that Doug Armstrong being the jam of the blues also factors into that. Plus, his success. It's such an easy to say, yeah, like, I get it. He hasn't played well or his numbers aren't good. But, you know, in the biggest games in his career, he's come through. And so we trust he's going to do it again. So he can end there's three of them.

And while Binnington probably gets game one, there's no guarantee he gets game two or three or four. So I think he's going to go no matter what basically does Hayes. And then it'll be whatever, Logan Thompson and Darcy Kemper or Scott Wedgwood. And, you know, whoever plays best probably gets the games. but I don't know, I don't know that anything he could really sort of do that would stand himself off his team at this point. He's going to get named in a month.

I think he's virtually, he's a lot to sort of be on it for the history and the relationship and the lack of another bona fide superstar goalie for Canada. Johnny, we know you have to go, but inquiring minds would like to know when's the last time you read a book, front to back?

I read books digitally, oh, on my iPad. I read them every week. You read every chap, like the whole thing? Yes. That's, yeah. There's so much disgust in his voice that you would ask that question. When do you think we'll give you one guess? The last time, oh, finished a book?

Brought to back? Yep. Amlet, grade 10 English. No? Further. Under. I took the under. Under.

What book would he read in seventh or eighth grade? Under. Catch her in the rye? Under. still way too hot. No, I'm trying to think what books are like you read. Grade five. He claimed he wrote some book. Max, the dog that refused to die.

That's not a book. That's a picture book. No, it isn't, dude. It's a novel. It's a good book. It's a good book. It's brilliantly written. It's about a German Shepherd. Yeah, you can dive into that story. Did you ever read Scrubs on Skates? Oh, you had to read that. Famous book, I think it was McSaint. Farlin wrote it. Got Young.

Got Young's dad. Absolutely. There were three versions of it. And it was like, I think I read it around grade five as well, maybe. Brilliant. This guy's talking like he's in Oprah's book club. I read those books as a kid. He went to Leaf Camp. Remember he made the Leafs? It was like, it was like a moving book. Like if you liked hockey growing up, it was like, yeah, it was a, yeah, like a childhood defining kind of book. Yeah. Scott Young. I didn't we should get it for O. He might like it.

Dude, it'll sit right. It'll collect us. right on top of Duthy's book in my dressing room. Yeah, put Duffy's book right behind you, though, so you can see it on camera for the next three weeks for the plugs. Oh, he's bringing it to the World Cup draw. He's going to hand it to Trump. Oh, Mike. He's kind of give it to Messey.

Yeah, hand it to Messey. Hand it to him. Say, congrats. I wrote something for you. Personalized. Personalized. All right, Johnny. Good luck tonight.

Should be a good game. We'll catch you on TSNF. Pick it up. Download it. Max, the dog that refused to die. It's a great one. I am going to put a picture out there if I can find it. All right.

Enjoy yourself. It's a great reading. There he is. Mike Johnson. Joining us here on the Maple Toyota Hotline, get in and go where adventure takes you. And a new 2025 Tacoma from Maple Toyota, near Canada's Wonderland.

And the Maple Auto Mall, visit Maple Toyota.com. Gets great reviews on Amazon, O'Dog. You're not kidding. I told you. And I know you don't read books. Stop acting like you read all this crap. It's nonsense. I've read the books he just referenced.

Oh, yeah, Scott Young. They were great books as a kid. There were. I believe there were three. Am I wrong in that, Dave? There were at least a couple. It was a series. There were multiple books.

Yeah, multiple books. Scrubs on skates. What was the kid's name in that? It was a very distinctive name. Great question. Look that up. I can't remember for us. Scott Young.

Famous. Neil Young's dad. Really? I've never heard of Scott Young. I thought you meant the guy that played for the avalanche and the blues. No. He's an assistant coach, no. Neil Young's dad was a sports writer in the intro.

Hall of Famer. Absolutely. I had no disrespect. I had no idea. Well, I mean, it was well before your time. Yeah, a little bit before your time. But still. He was still around in the 90s.

Was he? No, I mean, I saw you run into him. He'd be around. He'd tell great stories. He used to tell stories about how all these sports writing friends used to make fun of his long-haired, good-for-nothing rock-and-roll son. And he'd like to say, yeah, he just bought a 400-acre ranch in California with all that good-for-n-n-n-n-roll money. Right.

Well, Neil Young is adamant that the song old man is not about his dad. Yeah. Although everyone, because I don't think they had a great relationship. I don't believe it was. He said it was about the guy who lived on his ranch. Lived on his ranch, yeah. Could have been about it. But I don't think they had the greatest relationship.

It's my understanding. I think. Because Neo grew up in Winnipeg, right? Yeah, I think there was separation in there. But it doesn't matter. He was proud of the kid. As he should be. He used to brag about him quite a bit in my conversations with him, at least.

There you go, as he should be. Yeah. Okay. There you go. You learn something new every day. Every day. You can always pick up a book and learn. You always can.

What would it take, though? If you could get, like, if there's a tell-all on Tiger Woods's lowest moments or... I want it on the golf channel. I don't want to read it. You don't want to read it. You wouldn't even read, like, the play-by-play. I literally, I have to put it down and read a chapter again. What if you had an exclusive?

Tiger wrote a book that only one person is allowed to read, and it's only you. and he tells every story and I mean every story in detail enjoy this you pass it off i'd give it to you you wouldn't even read that i'd give it to you or jamax that's disappointing exclusivity one of one you know why because i sit and have coffee with you before we start this show i talk to you probably more than any person on earth and you could just tell me what was in the book you'd want my cole's notes of course because you would beef up the stories even better than they were i don't know if i could do that to tiger if he trusted me. I don't know if I'd do that to him.

Anyway, confirm with the night coming up. Alec Manoa's got a new job. I'll tell you about that. And Scotty Barnes, with a big distinction this month, Raptors back in action tonight. Portland and Town. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and up on YouTube Live.

I can neither confirm or deny that this is in fact a segment. Austin trades Andrew Raycroft to Toronto in exchange for the rights to Tuka Rask. It's been my honor and a privilege to serve as the general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs Hockey Club. It's time for confirm or deny. Do you regret giving all those gentlemen the no trades or no movement clauses? I can either confirm or deny that. I can't confirm or deny that.

All right, I can confirm that Alec Manoa has signed a contract with the Los Angeles Angels. One year deal, I think a little under $2 million. $1.35. Hey. Worth a shot. You know, pulling for the guy, go, hopefully you can return to glory. That would be amazing. But, you know, that's the team.

Like, they're always desperate for pitching. Always. They never get it right in L.A. That's amazing what, like, you watch what Otani does with, you talk about ownership and a belief and a desire to win. You put the best player in the world with an owner and Roberts and the supporting cast, you got back-to-back champs. and you got owners in Anaheim, like, their owner,

who did he just hire as their next GM? I don't know. I didn't see that. They just hired somebody that did not have a massive resume, I believe. Well, the Anthony Rendon stuff really jammed them up. Like, I guess he recently, we talked about him last week, agreed to part ways he's barely played. He basically took money and just said, I don't like playing baseball anymore. That hurts.

He said that it's the first year after he signed the contract. Right off the bad. Show up at camp. I just don't really want to play much. Like, actually, very blunt. I haven't appreciated it for. After the first year, he's like, you know, baseball is not my whole life, you know. It's not my priority.

It's like, well, you're making like $30 million a year. Shouldn't it be somewhere on the priority list? And then Trouts hurt all the time, and it's just gone south. They're just a team that never gets it together, never gets it right. But we'll see what Alec Manoa has in store. also Scotty Barnes Defensive Player of the Month in the Eastern Conference

and the wraps back in action tonight. All right, confirm or deny. At least one major award will be won by a player or coach on a Canadian team this year. One major award by a player or coach this year.

I think Travis Green's got a shot to win coach of the year. I think Damanov could win the Calder still. Like he's in it. Schaefer's clearly leading the charge right now I'm going to confirm there's a chance I'm not real confident that it's 100% because if you look at the coach of the year

John Cooper, Joel Quinville Colorado has to be yeah has to be like stop ignoring the wagons everybody ignores the wagon coach but it's weird when like I was talking about this on

Jay Show last night six of the last nine hard trophy winners were on Canadian teams like McDavid, Dry Settle, Hellebuck, Matthews. You've had Quinn Hughes win in Norris. And like none of those guys are going to- happening this year. Not happening this year. Like Hallibuck's obviously out now with the injury. He's not going to win anything.

Matthews isn't going to win anything. Hughes is not winning the Norris. Travis Green and Demadoff are your only hope to be quite honest. I think part of San Luis got an outside chance of the Jack Adams. Possibly. If they have a good second half. I mean, Sunfield is probably the front runner right now. I think Suzuki could play himself into a heart contention. Like if he stays hot and naked in. I don't know what his defense of metrics are

because it seems like that's a massive part of winning the salary. Barkov's out of it. Barcov can't win it this year. You know, that's a great, that might be the one because, you know, when you think about, when you hear about people talking about Suzuki being the sort of the Patrice Bergeron second coming, he's not there yet, but, you know, any year where the guy that's one of, you know, what has been,

Barkov wins it every year. Yeah, it feels like he's always in the running for it. he's very difficult to beat in a year where he's not going to be a factor. You would think there's going to be new blood there, right? Because, you know, Bergerald's not around. Barkov is not around. Suzuki's got a chance. I mean, if the Canadians are the feel-good story, you know,

then I think Marty San Luis and Ben Suzuki have a chance there. Yeah. Yeah. I'm going to, I'm going to confirm it because there's still a lot of season left. And, like, there are a few names we just listed are going to be in contention. I think the Suzuki for Salki that is going to be very, very loud. And Demadov is still in that race

for the Calder. Like, Schaefer has a clear lead right now, but he's still in it. This time last year, Lane Hudson wasn't chasing down the calder necessarily, right? We thought it was going to go to Celebrini and ended up going to Hudson. Confirm with then I, Mike Vrable will win NFL

coach of the year. Coach of the year. Mike Vrable. I think it's almost a slam dunk, isn't it? Ben Johnson's the one. guy who could put his hand up. Yes. What cares are going to fall, though?

I think they will too. Yeah. But if they end up winning the NFC North or they, like, I think he'll get it over Vrabel. Because Rables, it's the Patriots. They're a great organization. They went all the time. So what? They were a mess too.

I hear you're so dialed in. Not like the Bears, though. Like the Bears have been a disaster. Yeah. A disaster. Ben Johnson did a good thing because he kind of shone the spotlight on himself, but taking the head, the tarp off. and celebrating with the guys.

It just like, it brought attention again to them, which is like a positive thing to get people to notice. That win against Philly was a big statement by them. Yes. That was a big, big game. Usually they got their ass kicked by that. Absolutely. A lot of people were saying this is where they start to show who they really are.

Right. Like, yeah, you're one of the worst eight and three teams we've ever seen, and you're not getting the 93. They don't know. Yeah, so much for that theory. But, yeah, like, it's a two-man race. I'm looking at the gambling odds. It's Vrable minus 235.

Ben Johnson plus 250 and then it falls off from there. Right. So it's one of those two guys that's getting this time. It has to be. Like McVeigh should be in the running, but he probably won't. You know, like if the Rams win out, but yeah, I think it will be brable. I'll confirm it. I think it will be brable.

Confirm it tonight. It'll be a disappointing off season if the Js don't sign one of Kyle Tucker or Bo Bichette. It'll be labeled disappointing if they don't sign one. I 100% confirm that because it will be like. you went halfway, you went out and got ceased, and then you didn't back it up with getting at least bringing ball back, so I would 100% confirm that. Yeah, that's an auto-confirmed.

I feel like they've got to do one of those two things, and it feels like, because I think, you know, when they sign cease, O'Dog brought up the point, like, does this preclude them? If they're spending this kind of money on the starting arm, do they have the money, do they have the commitment to continue and continue to spend and bring in the talent they need around, him and these are not going to be small price tax right like neither guy is going to go for

peanuts here and we don't know the winning the winter meetings are you know going to show us maybe give give us some touch points about what the prices might be and I thought you had a good theory last time we talked about this that maybe the blue jays are hoping they can get bow a little cheaper once he sees the market isn't as robust as maybe he thought it was or thought it would be that would not is that the rumblings out there that the market is not as what he thought? Well, we don't know yet, but, like, again, I think Tucker will establish it, although Bichette and Tucker are different players, and it's going to be a different tax bracket

for the two of them, but also it comes down to, like, what position he's going to play and how many teams are looking for them, and it wouldn't shock me. Like, there is a world out there where it's February 1st and Beau hasn't signed anywhere, and then it works out to be, okay, maybe I go back to Toronto, two or three-year deal, a player option. I can opt out, do it again. Like, what happened with Pete Alonza last year? And there have been other players that have done that, that had to wait a long time.

But I'm going to deny this because I think if you add bullpen help, there's still trades that could happen out there. There's other guys on the market, not named Bichette, not named Tucker. I don't see them in on Schwerber. I don't see them in on Bellinger. I don't see how that makes sense with the way they're currently set up. But trades

are still a possibility. I don't think it has to be one of these two coming back to make it, you know, a grand slam offseason. Or if you don't get them, I'm not sure anything could be a disappointing offseason, considering what they just did. Like, they have so much house money that they're playing with right now. It's crazy. How much Uber positivity surrounds the Blue Jays right now.

No, that's fair. And look, I think they're benefiting from the fact there's a lot of war drums. Oh, to your point about the market, there's war drums about labor unrest. There's, you know, we're hearing, you know, people who carry water for the commissioner understand we don't want to spend as much as we normally spend and maybe we don't make as money as much money as people think we make in this sport those are the things you say when you're about to enter a negotiation with a players union and i do think that benefits the jays because they they've shown that they're they're willing to to fork over some big

dollars here and i think there could be a disappointment though hayes like if they if they fall flat like you're you're making the point that maybe they're not going to be second place anymore They were proactive on cease And maybe they won't be the bridesmaid Like they were for Soto And like they were for Otani And like they were for Sasaki And on down the list

But you know They still got to get over the finish line Yes, they do It's one thing to overpay for a guy Which is what they did with cease But you can't overpay for everybody What I'm saying is there I think there's an avenue that they could take

Where they'd actually They don't want Tucker or don't want Bichette, not that they're not good players It's that they feel like there's another option that they can get now would have to be via trade because I don't see it via free agency right now but maybe there's someone available out there that they feel like this

makes more sense like put our eggs into that basket and we'll trade some pieces within the organization and bring them in it's a long off season if it's like some kind of lateral type thing when it doesn't make a splash people are going to be like yeah possibly you know we'll see

again they've built up a lot of house money here what do you think if you could ask the fan base and they could respond as one what do you think they want, Tucker or Bichette? I think the sentimental value of Bichette rings out a lot with the fan base. I think the idea of bringing Bo back, he just had a great season until he got heard.

You know, it's him, it's flotty, positive vibes. You know them, you know the market. Like there's a lot of familiarity there. Tucker's not a guy, he's not a big personality. He's not, you know Tucker based on stats more than anything else. Like people don't connect to Tucker. He connected to Otani. and Soto, those guys are like larger than life,

and you can close your eyes and envision them in the box and hitting and doing what they do. Tucker doesn't have that same presence. So Tucker, you know, it's not that people wouldn't go crazy if they signed them, but I think there'd have to be like who learning to, you know, figure out who Kyle Tucker is for a lot of the fan base. You know, diehard baseball fans know who he is and his background and what he does. But Chet, it's just, you don't have to sell it.

It's already done. You know, the cake is already. baked with Bo. You sign him, it's nothing but positive. Bo Bichette's back and everyone's happened. And I also think, like, when you think about what define this team this season, so much of it was chemistry and vibes

and the magic of the sum being more than the parts, right? And you know, like, Bo was a big part of that, right? Yeah, he was. In a lot of ways, he's in some ways he's the leader of the team. In some ways, he's the heart and soul of that team. They got a lot of hearts, and a lot of souls, don't get me wrong, but

I think they'd be true, you know, you've got to be careful when you take a guy who was a day one or with Vladdy and if he doesn't come back I think there'll be disappointment. I really do. I think there'll be real disappointment in the market. All right. Let me get through a couple here. Rapid Fire for you guys. Confirm it tonight. Tiger Woods will

play at least one golf tournament in 2026. A hundred percent confirm it. I think he plays golf. Yeah? Yeah. Might be on the senior tour, but... Even at the hero next year. But he's the kind of guy that will walk into Riviera and just show up and be like, I'm going to play this week.

And he's going to say, I got a chance to win. Yeah. Like, that one's going to be tough. That's like three months away. He's just chipping and putting now. I don't know how long it takes him to rub back up. He's like, ah, chipping and putting, and then all of a sudden he's going to take a video of him hitting a stinger. Yeah.

And then all of a sudden he's going to be out of tournament. Be amazing if he played at Riviera, because it's back at Riviera this year, I believe, right? After last year, because the fires, they couldn't play there. Yeah, I don't know, man. man, I just worry there's more setbacks, like consistent setbacks. And this was, remember, it was, he blew his Achilles out, I believe, was the original injury. And then it was a back thing out of nowhere. Yeah, another fusion.

So, I mean, a year is a long time. He could play at the hero next year. Like, maybe he shows up there and then plays at the PNC or whatever it's called with Charlie. I guess I would, I guess I'll confirm it because that's possible. Just don't know if, like, early this year it's going to happen. But I don't, like, he never plays with the players anyway. so he's not going to play there. Is he going to show up at Augusta?

I don't see it. If he's healthy, he will. You think so? If he's healthy, but I don't think he's going to be healthy. That's my point. By April, I don't see it. If he's only just chipping and putting it, he said he, you know, he's just starting to do rotational stuff in the gym to try and strengthen the back

back up. But this is, you know, to your point, it's a seventh surgery. So number eight can't be too far behind. No, that's what things, man. But I do think, look, that the path might be ease into life on the seniors, tour, you know, start playing well there. We don't have to you know, you don't have to bomb it. You're, you know,

you can take out of three wouldn't be as long as most of the guys out there. And you know, maybe, maybe that gets you into some kind of competitive groove where you start believing that you can get back on the real tour. Well, that's what happened with Mickelson, right? Yeah, when he won the, when we were doing it. And he won at Kiwa. Yeah. Mickelson won on

the seniors tour, then won Kewa, I believe, after he played senior tour golf. All right. Last one quickly. Confirm at the night. Oklahoma City Thunder will win 70 plus games this season. Seventy's too much. They're 20 and 1 right now. It feels like you're confirmed. Seventy

games. I mean, they are the ultimate regular season machine, right? Like, don't forget, like, I think they're still beatable in the playoffs because, like, two teams took them to seven games last year in the playoffs. But they've got so many guys in a league where... There's so many picks too. They've got picks coming up to

the Wazoo from the Kauai trade, which is just incredible. And from other trades. Sam Press, he's been really in building that organization. But, like, their advantage in the regular season is a lot bigger than it is in the playoffs because they got 10, 12 guys that can play. And they just have, you know, next guy up and the next guy's good and the next guy's big and the next guy can play.

You can't play all those guys in the playoffs and the playing field's leveled a bit. But I feel like they are just a regular season juggernaut because everybody else is dealing with injuries and these guys just, they have injuries and they got replacements. And they'll probably make trades. Like to probably at the deadline, they'll acquire a piece or two. Yeah. I'm going to confirm it as well. Like 20 and 1 is crazy.

There's so many bad teams. And there's so many teams that they just run into. And it's weird because they're, like, I don't know if... How could that be good for business, even saying that so many bad teams? And it's Oklahoma City. It just doesn't ring out, you know, like in... Like, can you imagine if OKC dude was in NYC? That's what I'm saying.

Like, if this was the Knicks or the Lakers or the Celtics or something, it'd be the biggest story in sports. It'd be huge. And yet, it's just, you know, like Shea is kind of a soft-spoken guy, and he's a he's got to like and root for, but Oklahoma City, they don't have history, it's not a big market.

You know, it's just, the Lakers are a bigger story. Lakers are winning and playing well, and that's the big story. The Lakers. Yolkish is a bigger story. And Yolkish, how great he's playing. Denver's, they lost it, Dallas, didn't they last thing? They're more compelling, though. Denver trying to get back to the championship circles, a better

story in some ways, but it doesn't mean these guys aren't going to run the table. Right. You see, Luca got asked about the Raptors last night, and he's like, I don't really watch the NBA. It was a weird question to ask. Is that someone from Toronto? I don't think so. Like, I get they're

coming up here on Thursday, but why would you ask Luca in L.A. before they come up about the Raptors in three, like I get it once they're in town, shoot around on Thursday. Hey, what do you make of the Raptors tonight? We have it? I mean, okay. You want to hear this?

Yeah. Okay, this is Luca last night. What stands out to you about the season they've had up to this point? I don't watch much NBA, sorry. So I know they have a good record. I love the coach they have. I know he has them playing physical. So we're going to see in this kind of report.

That's a nice way of saying. I have no idea. the Raptors are playing and why would I find it crazy he doesn't watch any ball but if you live in LA why would you watch the Raptors you're a Lakeer you know what LeBron does every night he's comments on every sport being played on TV how much of it though is just like what is he really investing he pays a guy to sit on the couch and watch sports I don't know about it I'm sure he's tracking stuff but I kind of appreciate Lucas like I what the hell do I know but the Raptors like and if I was what yeah like I don't watch much NBA but if I

was. I wouldn't be watching the Eastern Conference. Right. I'm watching Oklahoma City player, Dallas or Denver or whatever. All right. Raps in action tonight, leaves in action tonight. Good luck. See what they got this evening. All right. Get some books, man. Gotta get you reading. Got to get you reading. It's a high priority for me. A Christmas miracle. Get the O-Dog reading. A little book club. The O-Dog's book club. The O-Dog's book club. There'd be money in that O-Doh. There'd be a lot. A lot in that. Oprah made a ton. Oprah made a ton. Hun, just saying, hey, this is the book of the day.

That's right. Okay. All right, overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and on TSN4. All right, Best Fet's powered by Fandul. Make your picks and assemble the same game. Parlay in seconds on the Fandul's Sportsbook app. I'm going to parlay the two Toronto teams tonight.

They'll lay the points. Rapplers minus five and a half. Coming off two losses, can't be happy about that. I wouldn't say the New York loss was a scheduled loss, but felt like they got overtime the night before. They had Charlotte, too. They were up big early in that game. That was disappointing.

They had to, and they got kind of pumped in overtime, too. Hadly. Badly. And then they lost bad at the garden on Sunday. Portland's been okay this year, not great, but the whole Chauncey Billups thing, I thought that would just implode the whole organization. Seemingly hasn't. But I'm laying the points wrappers tonight, and I'll take the Leafs on the Puck line,

plus one and a half goals. I think they either win tonight, keep it close. I could see overtime games tonight. I could definitely see this going overtime. Yes. Same thing, Ottawa, Montreal. all, like just a bunch of three-point games. That's kind of been the way the NHL has played out this year.

And that parlay, Pan plus 200. Best Betts powered by Fandrel, same game parlay is now available for every NHL game in the Fandau Sportsbook app. Please play responsibly 19 plus physically located in Ontario. All right, Lisa Raps in action tonight. Both, I wouldn't say the Raptor game is a big game, but you want a response. Got to get back on track, right? Because it was, you know, I thought it was alarming, like,

Darko talking about how they were tired in the Charlotte game. We had two days off, and Charlotte was playing a back-to-back, and the Raptors, it hadn't been on the road. It hasn't been a hard schedule necessarily. And to your point, they looked really bad against New York with no pertle the next night. So, man, if you're tired 21 games into the season, that's not a good sign. And it happens quick. Now Miami's caught them.

The Knicks have caught them. You know, like, again, it's December, and they're still in a very good spot. They're 14 and 7. But they're right there with Detroit. And then all of a sudden, it's like you lose a couple games. Things, you know, they move and shake. And the Leafs, you know, you can't emphasize how big this game is for December. Like they've got to carry over the Pittsburgh game.

They've got to play well tonight. Got to take advantage when you can, man. You know, the Panthers depleted. Big time. Big time. All right, Dave, good seeing you, man. Good seeing you. Thanks for doing this. Dave Fastchuck of the Toronto Star.

We're out of here. Thanks to everyone behind the scenes for helping out. We appreciate it. Everyone for tuning in today. TV radio, podcast, web, and of course, up on YouTube live. on TSN's YouTube channel. We're out of here. Enjoy your evenings.

Enjoy the games tonight. We're back tomorrow at 4 p.m. We'll chat then. It's beginning to sound a lot like Christmas with I-Heart the holidays. Non-stop Christmas music 24-7. All your festive favorites. Unwrap the magic of the season.

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