OverDrive - OverDrive - December 20, 2024 - Hour 1

Episode Date: December 20, 2024

Join Bryan Hayes, Jamie McLennan and Jonas Siegel for Hour 1 on OverDrive! The guys discuss the Maple Leafs and Sabres' matchup, Auston Matthews playing through an injury and Matt Murray's return to the crease for the team. Canada's Head Coach at the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship Dave Cameron joins to discuss the outlook of the roster at the tournament and the team's foundation for success.

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TSN 1050 on the TSN app, your home smart speaker. And up on TSN 4, Brian Hayes, Jamie Noodles, McLennan, and there he is again, Jonas Siegel of The Athletic. I love it. How are we feeling? How are we feeling? Jonas. Oh, wow.

I got something for Jonas right off the hop. Let's do it. Are you happy about your boy Juan Soto? Hayes was asking me yesterday. It's like a victory lap for me. I feel like $800 million richer. Yeah. I feel great.

You personally pumped his tires to the point where Steve Cohen said, I have to have this guy. Jonas Siegel believes he's the greatest hitter in the history of the game. I'll pay him whatever the price is. Yeah. So I hope you're getting 10%. I'm a Mets fan now. That's what it is.

You're willing to flip. So you're more of a Juan Soto fan than you are an individual club team. Is that how you operate as a sports fan? I've always kind of been that way, actually. I've never understood that. You're not alone. Tell me. Because there's a lot of different people I've met, especially in this industry.

And I understand in the industry, it's a different world. Because you're covering teams. You see the sports world kind of behind closed doors, under the hood, and it makes you feel a little bit different, myself included. I am a different sports fan today than I would have been 15 years ago. But I have heard people say that. I think Dave Naylor might classify as one of these guys. Fans of individual players, but no teams. No. There's there's a one that's me i don't get that you gotta i gotta get you a team for christmas can i get you a team please no because

it's it's better here's and i want you both to weigh in on this i think it's better with the job that i have to do okay i call ottawa center to these games to these games. I follow the Leafs. I've watched every second they play. I'm from Edmonton. All my buddies grew up and Oiler fans. Strutty is one of my best friends. I used to play for the Flames. The godfather of my son is the vice president of the team.

So I have lots of reach throughout. One of my best buddies is in management in Florida. So you've got all these situations throughout the league. So I like players. I'm happy for people when they have success. It was weird watching Edmonton and Florida in the finals because I had friends on both sides. You're talking to one person on the Edmonton side going,

you guys are making it back in there. Then you're talking to Brian McCabe and running to him on the street. And he's like, God, I hope we get it done today. And I'm like, yeah, it would be great. To me, I have to stay impartial. And I swear on my life, I don't have a favorite team, but I have favorite players. And you guys know Morgan Raleigh is one of my favorite players. I just love the guy.

But I love him as a human. But I think he's an awesome player, too. I just love the guy, but I love him as a human, but I think he's an awesome player too. You go through the league, I've obviously developed some friendships with some of the guys, with the Senators, because I've been around the team for six, seven years type of thing. So Brady Kachuk, I get this. I know him

a little bit on a personal level, because I know his dad and his brother. So I honestly don't have a favorite team, but I do cheer individually for guys. Is that weird? Is that strange? Again, I think within the hockey world, I guess I can accept that from both of you.

I don't know if I could live in that world. I have favorite players. I have players I love to watch play that are not associated with my favorite team. But I want to turn on TV and be like, now, gambling can do this, I'll admit it. That's a very degenerate comment to make. I was a big Broncos fan last night.

I've never stepped foot in Denver, and I couldn't care less about them today. Now, once the game's over, I'm no longer a fan of them. But not having a dog in a fight, and putting hockey aside, like hockey, I'll grant you, but you're telling me between the two of you, there isn't one team, between Jamie mclennan and jonas seagull there isn't one team football basketball baseball live golf are you four aces fan like i ride and die with yeah f1 can you be

a ferrari guy jonas give me something no. I just like watching the best games, like watching the best teams. That to me is crazy. That to me is just living. You're not living. You two aren't living. You're not alive. I kind of wish, though I had it, because it would be nice to be so invested in something, but I'm just not. Noodles, aren't you the same?

I am, but I'll give an example. I think I told you this last Christmas there, Hayes. My son goes, I want a Justin Herbert jersey. I'm like, I'll give you an example. I think I told you this last Christmas there, Hayes. My son goes, I want a Justin Herbert jersey. I'm like, out of nowhere, you even like the Chargers? So I had to hunt down an NFL jersey and have this thing mailed to the house or whatever. So I was like, okay, I kind of like the Chargers. But then I'm like, I don't know.

I don't have, for some reason when it comes to NFL football, and I just had a spirited debate with my buddy Rhett Warner, because he's like, well, you're in Toronto. You have to cheer for the Bills. And I said, well, I do, because I think Josh Allen's amazing, and, you know, it's close proximity. But I said, I kind of like the Patriots there for a while with Belichick, because I always like them.

Oh, so you're a frontrunner. No, no, no, no, no. Hold on a second here. Here's why I like the Patriots. Because everyone wanted to knock them off the pedestal. And it's like, hey, deflate gate and drone. Spy gate. You felt bad for them.

All that winning. Empathizing with Bill Belichick. I felt bad for them. Yeah, it's Empathizing with Bill Belichick. I felt bad for them. See, but now I'm not. Yeah, it's so rough. I'm not a Kansas City. It should be Kansas City, right? Everybody should be on that train.

I'm not on that. I felt like I was because I love Andy Reid. And that video, we should pull up the video where he's like 14 years old and he looks like he's eight feet tall against the other kids. Because he is eight feet tall compared to the other kids. Andrew Reid. But I don't love Kansas City. I think I'm just Taylor Swift out.

I think the whole story is too much. I'm starting to believe the narrative that maybe the refs do give them the benefit of the doubt on some of these calls. I don't know. Maybe that's just the X narrative or whatever. I don't have a favorite team, but I kind of always lean towards. Honestly, Hayes, because of you, I watch Green Bay. I do. Jump on board, man.

Publicly owned. Joe Bone would love to hear that too, the whole Bone clan. I'm going to get you guys a team. I will lean in on a team. I promise. I will lean in. Because I don't think you're living, man. I think you guys are playing it safe here.

Okay. It is. Let's put it to a vote let's you know what like find a team for us like we can have some people right in or whatever what would be a perfect team now not hockey because i i just have hockey out of bias hockey hockey out of it find me a team like is it the boston red sox i kind of like the yankees and you know what noodles can't we be Red Sox and Yankees. All right, the two of you, we'll attach you to a team. There's got to be some sort of parameters to it. But I need you guys to join the real world.

And listen, maybe I'm in the minority. I don't know. Maybe there's more of your kind out there. Maybe there's more of Jonas and Noodles. It's nice. Hayes, you should try it. You turn out the game. You don't feel anything. It reminds nice. Hayes, you should try it. You turn off the game. You don't feel anything. You're just good.

It reminds me. There's a famous Hunter S. Thompson quote where he asks, Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived, or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? That's you two, existing on shore. I'm in the storm, man. I'm riding it out, and I i'm living and i'm a happy man do you just got into my ear and he is correct okay i did have a team growing up it was the

edmonton now they are called elks the elks okay i was uh because i watched them i used to go to the games and then i did work for at that time they were called the Eskimos, I worked for them during training camp every summer. I worked with Joey Moss for like three or four years. Awesome. Him and I were the laundry guys there for training camp. What a legend. Oh, yeah.

He was a beauty. But I did follow that team, and that was a team that i you know that's matt dunn again that's tracy ham like those guys but honestly they were they were awesome and matt matt we know who matt is i mean matt's a legend here now and i know but i i i've let them go strutty's still a fan of them i've let them go i didn't like the change to elks i didn't like the name i you know strutty has these like elk horns that he wears. It's ridiculous. But honestly, I've let them go, but you've got to find me a team, Hayes. All right, we will.

We will do that. It's coming up at 630. Dear Santa B is coming up, and I'm going to try to be handing out some gifts or some knowledge or whatever I can, and I'll try to supply you two with the perfect team to jump on board with. So that's coming up later this afternoon. Dave Cameron will join us in about 20 minutes. The World Juniors got off to a good start last night.

It's a pre-tournament game. It's a tune-up against Switzerland. But Easton Cowan with a hat trick, he looked good. And we'll catch up with Dave and get his take on the training camp, the Cods, the team, what he does with young players who appear to be burgeoning superstars if they're not already. So we'll catch up with Dave in about 20 minutes. And, man, this happened quickly.

We were talking to Matt Murray yesterday, and not only is Matt Murray back, he's playing tonight. I don't know what's going on here. Matt Murray's back, and he's playing tonight in Buffalo. But where's Joseph Wall? Where's Joseph Wall? I don't know why Wall. I thought the same thing.

Wall plays tonight, and then Wall plays Monday. This honestly leads me to believe Murray's going tonight and Monday. I'm not convinced Wall's playing on Monday at all. Is he playing on Saturday? I don't know because it's a good point. Today at the skate, he wasn't even on the ice. And they said it was maintenance. This is my biggest fear, man. This is my biggest fear, man.

This is the biggest fear, and it's a mojo thing. And let me clarify where I was yesterday, because we were having a conversation, Noodles, on should it be Hildeby, should it be Murray. I thought they'd stick with Hildeby. I know Hildeby hasn't been great, but to me, they've won with him. He's young. He's got a future with this team.

If they want him to go down there and start playing, so be it. I will give Matt Murray a ton of credit for battling back to the National Hockey League. It is a story that cannot be rained down with negativity. There's a difference between should he be playing or not, but now that he is, 628 days since his last NHL start, he's made a ton of money. He's won cups. He could have easily said, I'm out of here.

I don't need to do this. He went through the surgery. He went through the rehab. He battled. He went down to the minors and rode the buses, and now he's back. So full credit to Matt Murray. It is an incredible story that he's doing this. But the idea that he's going tonight and Joseph Wall is not on the ice

for maintenance when Stolarz is out for upwards of six weeks, if not more, this is just exactly what you were always concerned about. And I'm telling you, if Joseph Wall is not skating out and playing tomorrow, because he is going to back up. They did say he's going to dress tonight and back up. If he doesn't play tomorrow night and he's injured already with something that's tweaked, again, it's worse than opening night. I don't know if it's worse than what happened in Game 7, but this is when the team needs you.

You're 26 years old. They've committed to you. And I don't want to get out in front of it without knowing exactly what's happening yet, but it is a little bit strange that he's not playing tonight and he was not even on the ice this morning yeah i mean unless it's just a flu or something but maintenance i don't know what that means but they would have said that right they would have i just i don't understand i listen matt murray jonas you and i were back and forth today. I understand Matt Murray. Here's the problem that I have when you're developing.

Because my understanding, and I laid eyes on this guy live, the Russian, I don't want to butcher his last name. That should be his nickname, just the Russian. The Russian. The Russian goaltender with the Marlies. He's got some upside. He looks like he's going to be a goaltender, which is really good for the future of the Toronto Maple Leafs

because he's young and he's got to go through the process. But there's three goalies in the minors. So that's the other thing. You've got Hildeby, Murray, and the Russian, and there's not enough net. That's the challenge. When Hildeby came up, I did the game on the panel. I'm like, this guy's played six games with the Marlies.

So it's tough to get into a groove when you talk to people around the Marlies or whatever. Yeah, he's been okay, but he hasn't played a lot because there's three goalies. It's a rotation. So it's tough. I understand the thought process behind Matt Murray because it's exactly what you just laid out, Brian. Because if Joseph Wall's not available, Matt Murray has to be. process behind matt murray because it's exactly what jesus laid out brian because if joseph wall

is not available matt murray has to be like you this is an nhl vet who's done everything it's a good signing by brad tree living because this is your insurance policy that's your martin jones but this guy's won cups you know i want martin jones assuming assuming he gets back to that level i know he's played well with the Marlies, but he also – Martin Jones was a guy who was playing back-to-backs last year. He played 50 games the year before. He played a ton of games in the year before. I know. I get it.

Murray is a totally different wild card because of his history, because of the injuries, and that's what we were saying yesterday. Like a Murray-Joseph Wall tandem is a terrifying proposition. I would think for the training staff, for the coach, for the GM. For the training staff. Honestly, they're thinking we're in one here. Like, we're in a storm. We're not back on the shore, right?

We're in the storm. They're in there with you. In there with me. I'm brave in the elements, man. But, again, once they they're playing you're good once once the puck drops like it's they'll be okay you would think unless you know something like stolarz did leave the game in the second period the other night but it's getting to puck drop is a mystery and maybe this was the plan anyway murray or hildeby would go tonight i

figured wall would go tonight, off tomorrow, and then play Monday against Winnipeg. It's an afternoon game, too. That's what raised my alarms a little bit, is like he's going to play Saturday night, and then he's going to play 2 o'clock on Monday. I'll believe it when I see it. Unfortunately, that's it. A different goaltender, I'd be like, yeah, cool.

Yeah, of course. But it's not a different goaltender. Like if it's Hellebuck, Hellebuck's supposed to win that. Yeah, of course. Hellebuck's playing every game. It doesn't matter to him. But you're right, like the trust factor. I think that's what it is, though.

Until we don't have to have these conversations, they're still there because we don't have a large book on Joseph Wall. We don't have a large book on Anthony Stolarz. Really, Matt Murray, we don't have, you't have what's the book on Matt Murray that we've seen over the last couple years? Him in and out of the organization, unavailable, then sent to the minors. To me, the book is

kind of jaded a little bit. That's the biggest challenge. Now you see Hildeby get some games. He's a big goaltender. I think he needs some growth there. But it's still a question mark where, you know, what was it, Hayes? Ten days ago, we're talking like the Leafs have the best tandem in the league. Hayes wanted Wall to play every game. I wanted him to play a lot, and here's the issue, right?

Yeah, there you go. This is what I told you. Well, I hear you, but like you said yesterday, you want to play the top line together to know what you've got. I would say it's the same thing with Wall. That's not the same. You've got to actually expect to get a play at some point. He hasn't been ruled out for anything, so I don't want to jump to conclusions.

No, to be clear, they have said he is available, but he also did not skate after a day off. After a day off yesterday, and it's Joseph Wall. Who didn't play on opening night. Or game seven, the biggest game of his career and and listen matthews didn't either and austin he's gonna play tonight but austin didn't skate this morning which is not the end of the world but it is december he missed three weeks there have been different shifts i think we've all seen it where it looks like he's laboring a little bit there are times where the Jets go on.

You know, like you think of that Jersey game. He took off a few times through the neutral zone, and you could tell he had his wheels. And then a couple times over the last few games, I think the three of us, and I think everyone's seen it, like it looks like he's lagging a little bit. Here's what Craig Berube had to say on the plan for Austin Matthews moving forward. It's tough. I mean, he's fighting through it and he he's

doing um you know he's he's doing a pretty good job out there in the ice like he's producing and playing hard and working and you know we just got to manage it we just got to manage it you know it'll it'll get better we just got to manage it though and you know that's why he's off the ice today so that's the thing no one knows ice today. And it's what? That's the thing. No one knows what they're managing. So why is he playing tonight? Well, I mean, at some point. And why would he play tomorrow?

The guy's got to, I guess they believe that it can't get worse. You know, like what I would question there, again, with Craig Berube is very blunt and kind of matter of fact. And I don't think he puts a ton of thought into details of anything in the future. He just seems like a guy that's locked in in the moment, which I appreciate, and I think that's important in pro sports. It's not his job to necessarily worry about three months. He has details of the game and all that kind of stuff and preparing.

But he has almost become a meme, Craig has, with everything's day-to-day. Everything's going to get better. Everyone's okay. And I don't know how much you can really rely on that update. I think if you're a Leaf fan and you're listening to that, there has to be some genuine concern about Auston Matthews, you know, and what his status is and will it actually improve to the point where he's one of the three or four best players in the world again

when it really matters at the end of the year? I'm more concerned, guys, and I don't know how this has just come about. It's like, yeah, he's fighting through something. I thought they shut him down so that he came back 100%. All of a sudden, he's kind of fighting through something, but they're confident enough. Obviously, if he's playing, listen, their doctor staff, I i know them they are the best on the planet i'm not lying they the leafs always they afford the best they bring the best i i have full faith in that that medical staff they are the best so it's obviously something they're not concerned because he's

putting a jersey on but it is a little bit weird is it just something he's going to have to live with the rest of his life is it something that he you know it's going to take a couple months just through osmosis to work through i don't know we don't know those answers but i just i i didn't know where we arrived back to like yeah he's kind of fighting something i'm like i thought they that was the time off well that he could heal noodles like fight something think further back so training camp happens something happens happens, right? Where something happens. We don't know the injury, but something happened.

He plays through it the first, I don't know, I think it was a month. And then they're like, he's not playing. And then he sits for a while, and it's not getting better. So he goes to Germany, and then he comes back and then he plays and then he doesn't he still doesn't look like he did last year and so you wonder like does time off actually help so like maybe sitting tonight won't actually do anything and then it's like maybe this is just going to be one of those years where the whole year he's just kind of 70 i don't know that and that's again a scary proposition for the leafs because of who he is and how important he is to their program.

And it's going to put more and more emphasis on the other guys to continue to lift up. And, again, they're in a really good place in terms of wins and losses. They're in a great place, even with Austin Matthews, not playing at a heart level of play. I mean, that's where he's been for the majority of his career and his prime. You know, he literally won one a few years ago last year.

I think he finished fourth. He could have won it and no one would have batted an eye. The guy had 69 goals. He has not been anywhere close to that level. And it appears

with every passing day and every update like that, you move away from, well, it's him trying to figure out the system. It's him, you know, the weight of the captaincy. I don't think it's any of those.

You guys, like that first goal against Dallas, that doesn't look like him. He was basically like skiing down the ice. Like he was not hauling ass at all. It didn't look like he could. Yeah, it didn't look like he could move up another level in another gear on the back check. That's something he, at a minimum, puts more pressure on the player,

the Stars player. He couldn't do it. He couldn't get up to speed. Steele kind of got a step on him. I kind of gave him a bit of a pass on that. It was like, okay, end of shift. He's kind of, like he tries that little like lift the stick move, and you kind of got to stop on it to kind of pull it.

And Steele got around it, so then now you're behind it. And you're right, like I just think when he's 100% healthy, he probably puts himself in a better spot to not have to make that move. He either pushes the player off or can skate along with Steele and then lean into him. But I just think my whole concern, outside of just a goal or whatever, is my bigger picture with Austin Matthews is I just hope that it's something that, you know, when the season is on the line, down the stretch, right now we're December,

everyone looks good, everything's fine, they're winning regardless of the situation. But when the press is on in March and into April, that's where I'm concerned that Dre Berube's coming out and going, yeah, he's laboring with something and we're trying to do it. That's my concern. This is two and a half months later, though. Five months from now, four months from now. And listen, you know, you hope it doesn't get to this point. But if it's not improving, not improving, everyone knows what the next step is.

Shutdown and surgery or something like that, right? Yes, and that is a nuclear option. And I don't know if it's on the table. We don't even know what the injury is. Well, that's exactly. Like, we can't speculate, right? Well, we can. They force speculation, right? Like, you don't say. it's on the table. We don't even know what the injury is. Well, that's exactly. We can't speculate. Well, we can. They force speculation, right?

You don't say. What do we do? The history of sports, this is what happens. We all follow sports closely. This is just the lineage of a player who can't get going enough. Eventually, it gets to a point where maybe the player decides, I've got to do something different here. And it could be Matthews pushing through.

I don't know. I mean, I can't imagine he would go against the wishes of the medical staff. But he's going to give it a shot, and I credit him for that. But I think it's a legitimate question right now for Leaf fans. Is it Austin Matthews or the goaltending position? Where do you go to first when you think this could be a bigger concern long term if health doesn't arrive? That's impossible.

For me, it's goalie because there's other, like through by committee, you could score, you could defend, all of that. Goaltending is your last line of defense, and if you don't have somebody that you don't trust we saw what happened like joseph wall was playing all of a sudden it's it's um who came out for game seven there i'm drawing a blank on samson samson off right like samson off skates out and you're just like what is going on here like that's to me goaltending is you only notice it when you don't have it ask the ottawa senators ask you know teams

that have had you know ups and downs and and you know you can't judge a team ask the new jersey devils last year who couldn't get a save and then all of a sudden they go and get markstrom and like look where they are now they're climbing back near the the top of the standings are getting there right like they're they're a good now, but you couldn't judge that team because you didn't know who was stopping pucks for them. That's my only concern is Joseph Wall, I think he's a fantastic goaltender and talented guy, but Hayes, what do you say all the time? Availability, right?

It's the most important ability is availability. He's got to be capable of playing. And Stolar is the same thing now. Anthony is now going to be out for at least another month, I would think. It could be longer. You never know. And, yeah, there's a bit of a turnstile happening there. Yet they're in Buffalo tonight.

The Sabres are 0-8-3, and they're in the last 11. So this is a game where you'd think if you're Berube, show up early. Get out of the gates fast tonight put one on the board quick and it's in that that bench is going to completely sink it's a trap of all trap games because i don't think the leafs play that well in buffalo they don't historically they're all they're not very good against the Sabres, home or away. Sabres are winless in 11. This is just a perfect storm of like, you know what, you take them too lightly, Buffalo gets some luck, or they get a goalie that stands on their head, something.

The Leafs have to find a way to douse any type of confidence early on. Quick. Get up 2-0 quick, and you know they're waiting to quit over there because they just don't have that kind of confidence but uh lindy ruff spoke on the the crowd that is expected tonight we'll play that a little bit later this afternoon get mike johnson to answer on that johnny knows what it's like to be a leaf plan and in buffalo on a friday night this is an old school throwback it used to be buffalo on fr, Toronto on Saturday. How many home and away games did they play back in the 80s and 90s and early 2000s?

It was always crazy with Domi and Ray. Brad May would be in the middle of everything. It would just be an amazing back-to-back between these two teams. I'm not sure we're ever going to see that kind of activity again. But Mike Johnson coming up. Luke Wilson will join us back into the Thursday night or last night and turn the page onto the other games in Week 16. Overdrive continues, TSN 1050 and on TSN 4.

Breaking story from Alpine News Network. Jan owns a home and a restaurant fusing French and Mexican cuisine. But she is fusing no more because her ovens have gone kaput. She called Alpine Credits who sent their speedy superhero. With her business loan approved, her ovens were quickly fixed. The hero even had some of her poutine nachos. Yum. Own your home, need a loan?

Alpine Credits can help. Alpine Credits, where homeowners get approved. Just for license 12-616. All right, Overdrive continues, brought to you by FanDuel, bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score. Mike Johnson in about a half an hour. Johnny, as far as I know, still in the NHL world, I guess, partially tracking the NHL.

But as of last night, and certainly by Boxing Day, it's all juniors all the time. For MJ and Gord, I've seen a bunch of internal emails, Gord Miller working on the pronunciation of all these different players, and he'll nail every single one. Every single one.

Yet, at the same time, if he got one wrong, would anyone really know? I don't think anybody's going to know, but Gord's a professional. Johnny's a professional. And we can't wait for the World Juniors. And the tune-up started last night, and they look good against Switzerland. And that's us saying it.

I'm curious to hear what the head coach has to say. Here he is, the head coach of the World Junior team. Here's Dave Cameron back on Overdrive. How are you doing, Dave? Good, thanks. How did you feel about your effort last night? It was a lot to like. I mean, I think it was your typical first game.

The first ten minutes was a little feeling out process. Then we were able to generate some emotion through offense. And we kind of built and we finished strong. So it's always good. You evaluate for this tournament your team at different stages. And it's not until you get against outside competition

that you get a real handle of what you have and whether the plan you have in place has any chance of working. You can do the inner squad stuff all you like. This exhibition series takes us to another level, and we're excited about it. So what do you think you learned then from that game last night

that maybe you didn't know prior to it? Well, you always wonder when you assemble a team best on best and you've got the elite of the elite. And, of course, when you pick your team, you're picking your team based on just that, a team best on best, and you've got the elite of the elite. And, of course, when you pick your team, you're picking your team based on just that, a team. And so you have different players in different roles. And when you see them get into a game, and we realize for us to beat the best teams

and to win this tournament, we're going to have to be pretty solid away from the puck as much as we're going to be able to create when we have it. To see Ethan Cowan and Tanner Howe tracking back in the 7-1 game like it's a 1-1 game, a real good sign of a buy-in early and that they realize it's just important to play on both sides of the puck. Dave, was it easy to pick your leadership group as far as captaincy and stuff like that? It was difficult, but it was easy. What I mean by that was that it was difficult from the point of view that we have a large

number of guys that wear letters on their team, So we have quite a crew to pick out. And when you're picking from the elite of the elite, there's no real defining thing that says, okay, these three guys are heads and tails above anybody else. But it's also easy, you know, from the point of view is that regardless of who you pick, you know that there's other leaders in that room. There's going to be great support from coming underneath because, as you know, the leadership goes way beyond the three guys wearing ladders. With Dave Cameron, the head coach of the World Junior team, World Junior's beginning boxing day here on TSN.

You mentioned Easton Cowan and the back pressure he was showing late in the game. He also obviously was pretty good with the puck on his stick. He had a hat trick last night. A lot of people here in Toronto are very excited to see him on this type of a stage. We're well aware of what he did in junior last year, what he was looking like at Leafs camp and early in the year in London. But what would you expect out of Easton, not just based on last night, but what are you hoping his game looks like

and how much of an impact do you think he can have on your team come the real stuff starting on Boxing Day? Well, you know, the Leafs should be excited, you know, that they have Easton. And, you know, I think he's got a 56-game point streak in the CHL with the London Knights and the OHL. So there's more than luck involved there when you go on that run. But he's such a competitor. You know, he's really, really competitive. And what separates guys, you know, from being good players to elite players to going on to play pro is that they can perform at such a high level

and they're a step or two ahead. And then throw in the fact that Easton has that and is real competitive on top of that. That's a real good tool set to have. He's going to play a big role on our team. He was one of the guys that could have very easily gotten the letter, but we're going to rely on him for leadership also. So when you win a game 7-1,

and obviously it's a game that's just a feeling out process are you more as a coach just trying to evaluate of the process of how the habits of the guys are the chemistry of who you're going to play each other with it's more of an evaluation other than just the wins or losses in the in the pre-tournament games yeah exactly jimmy it's it's you know, we sit down and we have a plan and we put combinations together. But, you know, until such time that you let them play and play against competition, you know, you're not quite sure.

And we know this tournament that there's, it's best on best, but there's some discrepancy in the balance of some of the teams versus the teams, you know, that are top of it. But these kids, because most of these kids come up through the under-17 program, the under-18 program, and some returning from the World Juniors last year, they have a good understanding of that concept. And so when they win a game 7-1, I think they don't get too excited. There's some real balance there to know that there's a lot of heavier challenges

coming down the road. Dave, this is not your first rodeo at the World Juniors. You've been through this a number of different times, and I think you're aware of how the country kind of attaches themselves to one player in particular, especially if it's a young superstar that's coming, and that would be Gavin McKenna in this instance where he just turned 17 today. Literally, it's his birthday today.

He's 17. He made the team out of camp. I'm curious what your plan is and what your message is to him in terms of what kind of role you intend on him playing and what is a reasonable expectation? The whole country wants to know more about this kid. What is a reasonable expectation once you get to the real stuff? Well, you know, once you get over the off factor

of watching these young guys come in, I've kind of been there too. We watch these young guys come in at such a young age and, you know, you're just doing off and things like that too. And then, you know, a big part of this tournament isn't just the play. It's being able to deal with the pedestal you put on and the pressure that comes with this tournament and the excitement off it and all that.

So, you know, you have to be really conscientious of it's a two-part equation for these players. It's bringing their skill in that, but it's also bringing it under the bright lights. And for a lot of them, this is the highest level they've played at so far. I mean, outside of Callum and Jeff, who started this year in the NHL, this is the highest level. And so what the young guys basically have learned through the tournament is that it's all right to ease them into it.

It's all right to let them catch their breath or let them breathe and bring them along. And then when you start that way, you know, their play then will dictate, you know, where it goes from there. And I thought Gavin played last night. He played – he was real good with the puck on the stick. And the only complaint I would have, not really a complaint,

is I thought he was too selfless. He could have shot the puck a couple of times because he's the one who had to be shot too. So it'll be a work in progress and we'll bring him along and we'll let the play dictate as we move through this tournament and the competition gets tougher.

With Dave Cameron, head coach of the World Juniors, Canada starting on Boxing Day in Ottawa. So it's on Canadian soil, which is always an incredible scene to see because the games are going to be in prime time, the building's going to be packed, and it's going to be 100% Canadian support every single time you play. So I think the benefits of playing on home ice are probably pretty obvious. I'm curious as a coach what you might guard against

or is there anything you might concern yourself with in terms of playing in Canada for a tournament like this? Well, I think you always are a little bit careful about the excitement and the build-up. TSN does such a great job with it, and that kind of can switch and flip over into pressure. And so you want them to be able to certainly enjoy it and the emotional level, and that's going to be up.

But you also got to just kind of keep reminding them that at the end of the day, all that matters is how they play. And, you know, this is a tournament that there's no easy games. This is a tournament, you know, that's decided on sudden death games. And so it's going to come down to two or three hops. And whoever gets those breaks or whoever executes those type plays is going to go out and win the tournament. But, you know, my experience tells me, not just in this tournament,

but in sports and playoffs in general, is it comes down because it's best on best. The talent pool is pretty equal amongst the top teams. So it's going to come down who is the best team, who turns that skill over to the team. And then you need a little bit of luck on top of that, and, you know, we'll go game by game. You've got some good young goaltenders. You know, do you have a plan in place, kind of maybe a soft plan in place

of how you want to deploy your goaltending throughout the tournament early on, or just kind of play it one game at a time type of thing? No, it's, you know, we sit down and we have a plan, and it's a long-term plan, but it's also judged day by day. And, you know, on any given day, it's so we have a plan in place. But early on, we want to give all three a shot. We want to give them a look.

We want to get them in, and then, like everything else, we'll evaluate after each performance. And when you have three elite, you know, that's rare in itself. You know, just three really good goaltenders. And so we'll work through that. They'll play or dictate. And we're quite comfortable that all three of them are quite good. Well, you threw one tune-up game.

You'll be back at it before you know it, and Boxing Day is rapidly approaching. So we all await the start of the tournament. We can't wait for it, and we wish you nothing but success as always, Dave. Thank you for doing this. My pleasure. Really appreciate it. Thanks. You got it.

Dave Cameron, the head coach of the Canadian World Junior Team. A little tune-up last night. Easton Cowell with a hat trick. Gavin McKenna had a couple of dangles last night that were pretty phenomenal. He's going to be a good player. He looks like he might be worth the old

maybe I'll tank next season type routine. Look at these moves by this kid. That's the thing. We've had the tanking conversation. You talk to people in Chicago. They love that they have Bedard, but they hate the fact that the team is such a mess still.

I don't know how you handle it next year, and I'm not going to sit here and predict who could be in the position to do it and chase him down. But McKenna, if he's – Craig was on yesterday. Craig Button said he's the best player in the country right now, best junior player in the country right now. If that's the case today, what's he going to be by next year? I mean, the kid's going to be a back-to-back world junior player,

and he's racking up points that are like Crosby levels and McDavid. Like, it's crazy what he's doing. He's a player, that kid. There will be a few teams that will be in that bucket to go, you know what, if we're going one way, let's take our foot off the gas here and try and head down that. This Salabrini player, like he's a player too. Oh, yeah.

Like that's – San Jose's got themselves a nice player. Like he might help speed things up there a little bit because he doesn't look overwhelmed. And it'll be interesting to see whoever gets McKenna. Early on, I'm trying to take a little bit of a breath with Bedard because I think he's on the Nathan McKinnon pathway. The first couple years, not as dominant. And then just overnight, I felt like, and it wasn't overnight

for McKinnon, but McKinnon went from a 60 point level to 90 to 100 points over a summer I felt like where he just turned a corner I think Bedard's going to get there with the team around him Celebrini, this McKenna Canadian hockey is still in pretty good hands

I know people always like to you know say you know it's a world league all of that like and i get it but there's some fantastic players it's the goalies noodles well you're right but now they might be on their way last night but but that's they might be on their way with these three kids yeah right yeah well i mean it's still five six years away before any of them will be playing for the national team, but still. Right. That's the thing. You hope that these guys are good enough to at least grow with the group.

Because I think players, if you ask me, and I've talked to lots of scouts throughout the league, it's easiest to make it to the National Hockey League as a forward, right? Because you can be hidden a little bit as a winger. Well, really, not as a center man, but as a winger. Then a defenseman, then as a forward right because you can be hidden a little bit as a winger well really not as a centerman but as a winger then a defenseman then as a goaltender so goaltenders it might take them six seven years to become an everyday guy like a joseph wall who's 25 26 like you know think about it if you're drafted out of junior at 18 and you're just making the nhl at 25 or 26 that's three contracts and that's a lot of time where a team looks at the goaltender and goes, when is this guy ever going to break through?

That's the biggest challenge for goaltenders that are drafted either high or drafted by an organization and they draft and develop them. It takes a long time for a guy to arrive where we see the impact of McKenna or Celebrini or Bedard. Obviously, those guys are special, special. There are some good goalies. It just may take them until they're 25 or 26 for the light to go on. That's why you wouldn't maybe necessarily want to pick them in the first round

because, like, am I going to be around for when this guy comes? Yeah. It's the biggest challenge for scouts. They always are scouring depths. You know, Jordan Binnington's a prime example. Man, he was a fourth or fifth depth chart goaltender for the st louis blues and then he ends up pushing through helping to win a cup and now the the rest is kind of history but there's lots of goaltenders anthony stolars is a

prime example he played for edmonton played for philadelphia played for anaheim he wasn't a number one he wasn't a guy that they trusted every night but man he looked really good when he was playing for the Leafs this year so far. Yeah, he sure has. Alright, we've got Mike Johnson coming up in 20. We've got Luke Wilson still to come later this afternoon. Al's brother as well. A bunch of picks. A couple of Saturday games

in the NFL. Games in the NFL on Sunday. The Raptors losing last night. The Chargers with a big win. There's a lot to get into as we move forward. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and on the TSN app. Alpine News Network is here live with one of our superheroes.

Joe and Lucy needed a new roof and reached out to Alpine Credits. I flew over to help them with a home renovation loan. I suggested they transform their house into a giant robot head. Femes that shoot from the eyes. Pew, pew. Instead, they just went with shingles. But it's pretty glorious. Own your home, need a loan?

Alpine Credits can help. Alpine Credits, where homeowners get approved. Visceral license 12616. All right, Mike Johnson coming up. Luke Wilson still to come as well. But it is time for you to tell us where Al's brother was hiding this week. Where has Al's brother been all week? Call us right now at 416-870-1050.

416-870-1050. The first caller through with the correct location wins a pair of tickets to see the Leafs take on the Jets December 23rd. That's this Monday at 2 p.m. All right, there you go. Do you have the answer now go do you have the answer now do we have the answer do i have the answer yeah i think he's in the distiller that's what i thought yeah pretty sure that's where i actually don't know but i'm pretty sure that's where he is well some of his clues have been really soft like i'll be honest like there there's been some really tough ones and then some other ones where I feel like he's

mailed it in that week. I don't know if this one. I missed yesterday's. It wouldn't surprise me if he said he was just standing in a bar in the distillery. I think he was doing the hot chocolate thing, which I don't understand how hot chocolate became associated with going to the distillery.

I guess my understanding is there's some spot there that makes really cool types of hot chocolate. It's all an Instagram thing. It's all TikTok and Instagram. If something starts to go viral, that's what is going to happen. That's where people have to be to say that they got the hot chocolate and, hey, look at the tree.

The distillery is a cool place. It is. I've been to weddings down The distillery is a cool place. It is. I've been to weddings down there. Really, really cool place. But outside of the tree, what am I getting around Christmas where I have to line up for two hours to get in there? Do you have an answer for me, Jonas? You're a downtown guy.

I don't think I've actually ever gone there for the Christmas thing just because of that. I just don't get what I'm going to wait for. I don't know what I'm getting either. I'm purely ignorant. And to be clear, I have been down there during December. This would have been a decade ago. I went for dinner.

It's a cool spot. The distillery is a really cool neighborhood. Really, really cool. It's to get in the spirit, I guess, right? Yeah, I guess so. But the idea of waiting in line. People are waiting hours to get inside to the cobblestone area. Not into a club, not into a show, into the area.

People did that for when Chick-fil-A came to Toronto and Krispy Kreme donuts or whatever. Remember when Krispy Kreme was like... Massive. Massive. I went to the original one, I believe. It's in Anaheim. It's right by the rink. So years ago, went there, and those were like

piping hot. They were a great donut. But the lineups for that were just out of control. You had drive-thrus going like 50 cars. Are we doing this? Out of control.

Great donuts, but out of control. Yeah, they were. All right, so we're taking a break for the holidays, but another chance to win Al's brother. Not to win Al's brother, although that would be quite a Christmas gift. Yeah, that would be awesome. Al's brother's moving in with you and your family. Open the back door.

He'll be quiet. He'll clean up after himself. That's what we're giving away this year. Surprise. Al's brother is moving in with somebody. But, yeah, find Al's brother, and you can win more Leaf tickets starting in the new year right here on Overdrive. And, of course, it's brought to you by McAlpine Ford in Aurora.

Our family, the Ford family, and you. All right. So we'll hear Lindy Ruff on what he expects the crowd to be like tonight, what kind of impact it could have on the game. Leafs Sabres down in Buffalo. Islanders in town tomorrow. Matt Murray making his debut for this season anyway for the Leafs. And we're getting into a number of things,

including some crazy stories happening throughout the country here in terms of hockey news and notes. So Mike Johnson will join us into the next hour. Overdrive continues, TSN 1050 and on TSN 4. You've been listening to Overdrive, powered by FanDuel. FanDuel, bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score.