OverDrive - OverDrive - December 23, 2024 - Hour 1

Episode Date: December 23, 2024

Join Michael DiStefano, Jason Strudwick and Dave Feschuk for Hour 1 on OverDrive! The guys discuss Auston Matthews' injury status for the Maple Leafs and the next steps for the team, the Rangers' ongoing struggles and the headlines around Week 16 in the NFL. They also get into Festivus in OverDrive's Airing of Grievances to discuss their feelings on situations with the biggest storylines around sports.

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or visit askkelvin.ca this hour of overdrive is powered by fanduel fanduel bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score off and running on a monday here on overdrive and that's right call me al because hazy b's off he's off exploring his christmas holidays al's brother Running on a Monday here on Overdrive. And that's right. Call me Al. Because Hazy B's off. He's off exploring his Christmas holidays. Al's brother in for Brian Hayes. We got Dave Feshuk of the Toronto Star in. And my man, Jason Strudwick.

What's going on, Strud? I don't think we've done a show together yet. No, you know what? I didn't know what your real name was. I'm not going to lie. Until what, today? Yeah, I'm like, this is what you're doing with i'm like i'm not sure who that is i'm like al's brother like oh okay all right all right i i get so nice i'm learning everyone's names i just do new nicknames that's all i knew it's okay 98

percent of the people who work in this building who walk past me on a daily basis only strictly know me as al's brother and i'm sure like 89% of whoever's listening and watching right now, we're up on TSM Plus currently and also on 1050, only know me as Al's brother. Like I'll be spotted in the street and it's like, oh, Al's brother. What's your actual name? Like I'm so sore. It happens all

the time. All the time. So you're not the only one, Strutt. Not the only one. Yeah. Gonna be a fun show today though. Lots going on. I got the Maple Leafs in action currently. A rare afternoon affair. I don't one, Strutt. Good, good. Yeah. Going to be a fun show today, though. Lots going on. I've got the Maple Leafs in action currently. A rare afternoon affair. I don't know, Strutty. Like, did you like these afternoon games when you were a player? How much does it kind of screw with your rhythm and routine?

All right. So before, it's a little bit trickier because I found as I got older, or as I learned and got experience, I had to reset my clock to make it think that when I was going to the rink, let's say it's a two o'clock game and I was arriving there at 12, I had to make my body think it was actually five. So what I would do is I had to get up really early

and have pasta, let's say at like 6.30 in the morning and I'd go back to bed, then I'd wake up and then I'd head out like it was a true, like my body felt like it's five o'clock, let's play games. It's hard to set it. The best part is after though. After you're done your game, again, let's say it's's 5 o'clock. Let's play games. It's hard to set it. The best part is after, though. After you're done your game, again, let's say it's a 2 o'clock game.

You're done at 5. You're walking out at 5.30 or 6. You can now have a normal meal. You can actually go to sleep at a normal time, wake up at a regular time. And if the coach were to give you the day off the next day and you choose not to go out, which did happen some nights, now you'd have a full night's sleep to Saturday night and a full night's sleep to Sunday, and you'd feel so rested.

It was like a day and a half off. They are the best. I think that there should be a minimum amount of afternoon games for each team in the NHL because, in theory, again, if the guys don't go out, you're getting more rest, and you're more rested than you would be with these crazy 8 o'clock starts we see for some teams on the weekend. Well, and I guess you'll get a little extra rest, too,

with the holidays coming up. Tonight's the last game ahead of the holiday freeze. But we did get a little bit of breaking news before the game. It's currently a third period. Leafs down 2-1 to Winnipeg. And there's no Chris Tanev out there. And obviously, no Austin Matthews. And that was kind of the big story of the weekend.

Austin Matthews played on Friday after missing the morning skate. They kind of said, ah, he's playing through something. He'll be okay. He plays against Buffalo, takes a cross check from Dennis Gilbert, which we believe is, you know, probably where the re-aggravation of the injury occurred. And now we're not sure what's going on with Austin Matthews. He missed the game against the Islanders on Saturday

and then is not currently playing today against the Winnipeg Jets. And we know how long this injury is going to last, but this is not good news for the Maple Leafs or Austin Matthews ahead of Christmas. No, it's not good news because this is a guy with 11 goals through 24 games played. He's on 32-goal pace a year after he had 69. So that's a problem for the Maple Leafs,

who obviously have had a very difficult time scoring when it matters in the playoffs. Hard to imagine having your best goal scorer out in the playoffs is going to be a good thing. So they've got to get this guy healthy, Al's brother, and strutty. If he doesn't play again until their next game, which is not until Friday, he'll have had seven days off. But I'm of the mind, let's give him as much time as he needs here. Why is he coming back?

If he has come back from his Munich expedition and nearly a month off that he took. But Strutty, if he came back early from that, I don't see the point of that. Why did he come back if he wasn't ready to go is the question I would have. Now, we don't have enough information to answer that. But there's no pressure here. All you have to do is be ready to ramp it up for the playoffs. And the team, it wasn't like they were losing when he was away. Now, I'm not saying they're a better team without him, but they were surviving and learning how to play without him. And when they get him back, you think, okay, our star's back healthy. So if I'm in that room and my star

player walks back in after a month off, I'm like, okay, he's good to go. And now he's back out again. I'm like, well, what's going on here? When we need him and we'll need him game 83, there will be a game 83 and you hope there'll be a hundred for the Leafs. There will be one, but if he's not ready now and he's in and out of the lineup, how will I know that game 85, he's going to be ready to play. So I'm with you, Fest Chuck. I want this fixed if i'm a teammate i don't care how long you sit out you get it fixed massage you travel to munich if you have to go to india wherever you go get it fixed so it's a hundred percent so i know game 83 that he's going in with a clean slate because right now as a teammate i don't know that he does

well the first thing that kind of pops through my mind now is, well, should he be playing in the Four Nations tournament? Yeah. Like, that's kind of what went through my mind. If this injury is one that's going to continue to linger, and obviously has all season. Like, we know that this has been ailing him for a while. He tried to play through it at the beginning of the year, and then he didn't.

He ended up going to Germany, tried to see if he could massage it out with that specialist, and now he came back, and he didn't look 100%. Even when he got back, he still was not quite as Austin Matthews' self. He wasn't skating as well. He wasn't shooting it as well. And now you find out there's another injury. I mean, good chance that he's still going to be ailing from this a month from now.

Should the Leafs seriously consider trying to hold him out of four nations? Can you get around that? This is a tough one, guys, because to me, this is something hockey fans have been waiting for for so long. I understand it's a four-team tournament. It's not best on best. It's not the Olympics just yet, but it's the ramp up to the Olympics, and we've been waiting for some reasonable facsimile of best on best hockey,

and this is it. Canada-USA, February 15th, like, it's a future matchup, and, you know, to deprive people of, you know, one of the marquee players for the USA and to kind of pull him out of the lineup would be a tough thing to do. But to your point, I was probably like, this isn't about the USA. This is about the Maple Leafs. And if I'm Brennan Shanahan, I'm Brad Treliving,

if I do not see the Four Nations Cup being a productive endeavor... Who ultimately has the say in this, though? That's my question. Maybe Chris Johnson's going to join us at 6 o'clock. Maybe he'll have a little bit more insight on that. But who does have say in whether or not he goes out? If the Maple

Leafs, can they put a stop to that? Or is it going to have to be Matthews who says, no, I'm not playing. Tell his management I'm good. I need this two weeks to rest up. Well, Struddy knows the players decide ultimately whether they play or not. Right, Strud? Yeah, that's right.

And, guys, this tournament is something like my kids play in every weekend. You just get together a bunch of players and put together, hey, this is an elite, elite minor hockey tournament we're going to play in. That's what this is. It's not the Olympics. So I'll tell you who's going to put pressure on him. Do you want to know who? His teammates.

So you haven't played. So let's say that he didn't play for a month. Let's say that he doesn't play for three weeks. Just whatever it is. Then we're getting pretty close to the Four Nation Cup. If he's still not right, do you think that Mitch Marner, Tavares, go through the lineup?

They're like, yeah, go ahead. You're not 100%. You're going to go play in this glorified elite hockey tournament that we have every weekend all across North America. I'd be like, buddy, we can't go. We need you for game 83. So even if there's a risk of anything getting worse while you're there, I think it's the teammates that ultimately put the pressure on him not to go.

getting worse while you're there, I think it's the teammates that ultimately put the pressure on him not to go. I know he wants to go there, but he is the teammate first to his Maple Leafs buddies. His fans, he's loyal to the fans. No disrespect to the Canadian or American fans. You have to give it first to the team that's drafted you, that's developed you, that pays you, and with the guys you play with. It's one thing to go there and get hurt at the tournament. It's another go to the tournament and then get hurt while you're there.

Again, or re-injure an injury that is there or make it worse than it was. I'm with you. I personally, I would withhold him. If the injuries still persist, obviously, you can go. But if he still is nagging from something, he doesn't look 100% when he's playing in the regular season with the Maple Leafs, take that two weeks and get yourself healthy. That's what we need. Because to your point, Strutty,

the Maple Leafs don't need Austin Matthews tearing it up in this, you know, peewee tournament, whatever you call it, the weekend tournament going on, super elite tournament going on with the Four Nations. They need him for the Stanley Cup playoffs. Ultimately, that's what they need him ready for and if this two weeks can you know kind of lengthen the season for him that's to me ultimately what they should be worried about yeah i mean it's it's it seems like it's going to be a gray area thing like how injured is he how much will a couple of weeks rest

actually help him or is this something that's just going to nag at him all year and he probably can't get rid of it without you know you know three or four months rest in the offseason. The thing is, that was kind of the question that people were throwing out there on Friday and it was more so, well, I guess if he, I'm assuming if he's still fighting through things and they're still playing him, he can't get hurt or it can't get any worse.

Clearly it can because it did on Friday when he took that cross-check. Clearly it got worse. That was hard. Hard cross-check, by the way. Clearly, it got worse. That was a hard cross-check, by the way. Oh, yeah. That was right. You know when you cross-check someone, you get rib or bone.

It feels good. He got full money for that cross-check. Yeah, here it is. Oh, mama. That one, you're like, you can't breathe for a little bit. But as a D-man, that feels so good. So good. Do you do that to anyone, Strutty? Is there something that pops into your mind?

Do you remember getting a nice little cross-check on someone? Well, I tried. I mean, I'd always try to get away with it. Sometimes you would. Sometimes you wouldn't. But usually when there's a lot of chaos in front of the net, like there was pretty clear. Everyone was kind of looking.

But when there's three or four battles going on in front of that, that's when you really get away with it. Well, Streti, you played in the era where cross-checking in front of the net was essentially legal, right? Nobody ever called it. No, that was the welcome, the calling card. Welcome, right this way. Come on front. I'm going to cross-check you as hard as I can. And if you can tip the puck in, I guess

it's good on you. But it's changed a bit. But listen, I feel for Matthews, because he's trying to be a good teammate. He wanted to come back and help his team, but it's good on you. But it's, yeah, it's changed a bit. But listen, I feel for Matthews because he's trying to be a good teammate. He wanted to come back and help his team. But it's obviously this issue is continuing to go on for him. And so he will have pressure from his American teammates to come and play. But they get it too. They also have a responsibility to their, like, you know, JT Miller.

He has a responsibility to the Vancouver Canucks as well. And not just the team, his teammates. It's one thing to say, you know, I can play and the media will challenge you or the fans. But to look your teammates in the eye and say, I'm going away when I'm not 100% and I could come back less healthy than I leave, that's a hard sell. It's a tough one for me because clearly, I mean, you can go to an international competition and get hurt, right? Like John Tavares knows that. He got hurt in Sochi in a very major way, and that's a cautionary tale. And, you know, if you're a team owner or a GM, you feel like, hey,

I got screwed. You know, my guy went to play for his country, and he came back hurt for his team. And guess what? His country wasn't paying him, and we are, and millions of dollars, and we're left with the short end of it. On the other hand, I mean, it's a good-of-the-game thing. You know, I understand what you're saying, Freddie.

It's not exactly the Olympics. It's not a Canada Cup or a World Cup. But, you know, it's something people have been waiting for, right? Like, there's a pent-up demand to see, you know, McDavid versus Matthews and Canada versus the USA. And people will take what they get. And I also think there's a benefit to the players potentially, you know, to play on a big stage in February.

It's a lot bigger stage than an all-star game, let's just say. It's a lot bigger stage than playing for, you know, a little round-robin team in an all-star game. And I think the Leafs, guys who've had some problems in clutch moments, if they could have some good moments on the international ice, it could mean something to them. That's fair, but you have to remember who isn't going to be there as well, right? You've got many that the Russians aren't there.

You've got no dry sidle, Pasternak. I mean, there's tons of stars that aren't going to be there. They're going to be just spread out across every beach from whatever, Florida all the way down to, I don't know, maybe Cuba or whatever, right? Like it's – it is – so that's why I say, like, is it really – it's going to be cool to watch. I'm sure when it gets closer, I'll be excited. But if you miss it as a start, like, well, I'll say Matthew doesn't go. He's not the only one that didn't go to the party.

There are tons of stars. Look at the top ten scoring. Just take a look how many won't be there rather than who will be there. And I think – so it's not truly an all-star event. Yeah, I mean, Leon Drysaddle leading the league in scoring. He's not going to be there. Of course. Like Ovechkin's not going to be there.

It's not ideal. There's a lot of great players that aren't going to be. Some Tampa Bay players won't be there. Ryan Kucherov. Yeah, there's going to be a lot of missing stars there. So I guess Austin Matthews might end up being one. We'll see. I mean, again, this is a couple months down the road there's time for him to to deal with this injury

hopefully get back i mean the least and and leafs nation want this guy to be at 100 i mean if he's at 100 and he goes and he plays he tears up the tournament that's best news for everybody but as of now he's on the shelf and we're not exactly sure how long it's going to be it was just undisclosed his day-to-day right now he's missed the last two and we're not exactly sure how long it's going to be. It was just undisclosed. It's day-to-day right now. He's missed the last two games. And, you know, Maple Leafs, they're not a better team when Austin Matthews is gone. And we'll see what ends up happening.

Do you guys see what else is going on today? The Devils and Rangers are going in an absolute beatdown from the New Jersey Devils. That game went final, 5-0, only 12 shots on goal for the Rangers. But did you see the absolute troll job that was going on in that building, Strutty? No, I didn't see what happened in the building. So we're showing it right now on TSM Plus, but essentially the game ops, it was 4-0 the third period, and you got the Devils game ops doing something on the video board

of Capo Caco's draft selection, and the Rangers celebrating because they got Capo Caco in the middle of the game. What a troll job. You're at 4-0, and then you just continue to kick dirt while they're down. Outstanding. It's pretty crazy.

I watched the game they played yesterday, the Rangers, and I believe they've scored one goal in six periods. You go back that first period of the other game. They look lifeless to me. They look completely lifeless. Again, I didn't see today's game. I saw yesterday's. It looked like they were not trying, not moving, not much going on.

That situation, and Kreider not playing um and yeah he's he's not the best what's that well that was just bizarre to me too to kind of see that information come out Chris Kreider a healthy scratch in this game now I guess there's a potential that there could be a trade in the works I suppose so they don't want him to get injured going into the Christmas break but just the entire Rangers I suppose. So they don't want him to get injured going into the Christmas break. But just the entire Rangers situation, from the minute they posted that they were looking to trade Trouba and Kreider, this

thing has gone absolutely off the rails. 18-wheeler, off a cliff since then. And I really just don't understand how it went so, so badly for them so quick. And why they decided to go down this route. It was dangerous business from the beginning right like anytime you're advertising that you want to trade to

your highest profile players including your captain uh and then and then to have capo caco you know mouth off about being scratched by laviolette and be traded in short order afterward i mean it's just toxic from you know stern, from stem to stern, and it's scary. I don't – I'm not sure there's a way out right here. Like, I'm not sure there's an easy fix. You know, in this league, of course, you just fire the coach. That's what most GMs do in a moment like this. But I'm not sure that's a solution here.

It seems like it's such a toxic mix between the organization and that dressing room that it seems as though it's going to take more than one or two or three moves for Chris Drury to find a way through here. Well, how do you feel for Will Borgen? You're just minding your own business in Seattle. Then you get dropped into just a literally something with everyone running around with their head on fire, hair on fire.

And I'm like, hey, welcome, Will. We're happy to have you. Don't worry. There's nothing to see here, nothing to see here behind you their head on fire, hair on fire. And like, hey, welcome, Wilbur. Happy to have you. Don't worry. There's nothing to see here. Nothing to see here behind you. Like, it's just a gong show. So you're right. And it feels like this team is not trying.

And I said that. The game I saw yesterday, there was zero effort. Today, obviously, the result is to be shut out by the Devils, 5-0. That is not ideal either. The Rangers fans will not be happy about that one. But Chris Drury, Peter Laviolette, they have to sort this out. And yeah, maybe Laviolette's the one

who suffers. I don't know whether I think that's a good idea or not, but there seems to be something bigger than that. There's a bigger issue within that dressing room that if it isn't the coach, I'll just put him to the side, is that the players don't like Drury, or Drury doesn't like some of these players. Like how do you get out of this and you're trying to fix something that is –

last year was really good. They won the President's Trophy, didn't win anything else, but at least they won the President's Trophy. And now some of these guys are getting older and you're trying to unload them or maybe move it and change things along very publicly in a very high-pressure city. This isn't Columbus. We're making these moves. This is New York City where everything is louder there.

It's bigger. And you love that about New York when things are going good. When it's not going good, it's not fun to play. It's loud. Not fun to play. It's very noisy there. It just feels like it's all really backfired on them, the way that they went about it.

And maybe they were hoping to retool on the fly. But it's completely thrown a grenade into this locker room. Things don't seem to be going very well. 12 shots. 12 shots. How do you only get 12 shots on net in a game? Well, let's give the Devils some credit here. That's seventh straight game.

Freddie, that's the seventh straight game the Devils have held opponents to 20 or fewer shots, which is an NHL record. I mean, this is a hell of a defensive team in New Jersey right now, and they're really starting to kind of reach peak form in terms of keeping goals out of their net, not to mention scoring plenty on the other. Sheldon coaching pretty good out there, isn't he? Yeah, and they've got a good team. They've got their goalie in the offseason,

then some of their team at Dougie Hamilton being back now healthy. It does make a difference. They're a pretty big D. They've got skill up front, obviously. A lot of things to like about that team. So they're going the right direction. I played for both the Islanders and the Rangers. You look around.

You're always looking as a member of either any of those three teams at how the other teams are doing. You did not want to lose or be trumped by the other two in that community. And right now, it is definitely the Rangers. What have they got? Four wins in their last 16 or something? It hasn't been

good. They're better than that. That team is better than that. Even if you just look at the goaltender itself, the goaltender is way better than that. I'm not blaming it on him, but just he alone should win you more than four games out of that stretch. You would think. You would think that it would be the case. On the gridiron, though, there was a story that broke yesterday prior to the Week 16 slate.

Apparently Josh Allen's been playing this season with a broken hand. How much more impressive do you guys find the year he's having an MVP-worthy season knowing that he's been doing it with a broken hand? Well, it's not his throwing hand. It's not, but still, I mean, for a guy who tucks the ball and runs as much as he does and the fact that he's able to stay in there and take shots in the pocket, exposing that hand, exposing himself to injury and still be able to do what he's been able to do is still pretty impressive to me.

Oh, it's incredibly impressive. I mean, I guess it depends on where it's broken, how much a little shot from, you know, as they call him, Dr. Needle, makes it feel better during game time here because we know the NFL is famous for a little injectable before game time. But, you know, look, I mean, Josh Allen's been impressive in so many different ways, and this just adds to the legend, I guess. Yeah, I'm not building a statue because he's playing with a broken hand and is not throwing hand, but I liked him before.

You know, I think he's a great player. He's the leader for that team. And now, you know, for him, I think, to go to the next level of, I don't know if you'd call it a superstar, he's got to win a Super Bowl. That's what the biggest guys in the biggest moments find a way to get it done. It's not going to be easy, not disregard the broken hand, but just the team they have and some of the teams they have to get through or beat. Patrick Mahomes doesn't look too bad either on the other side.

He was playing with what looked to be a pretty sprained ankle to me. Oh, yeah. He's been dealing with the injuries you know i like about lee yesterday like the bills they escaped with a narrow victory over the patriots they were supposed to absolutely wall up this team like the the spread was like 14 points in this game supposed to decimate them and they only won by a field goal but what i like about it is it it showed that they could still win those games games where they shouldn't win, but they still kind of sneak them out. And that's what Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs have been able to do all year.

There's been a lot of games where the Chiefs is one play going the other way from losing the game. And somehow they've been able to rattle off 13-14 in one season, near perfect season. And the fact that the Bills were able to kind of have that game last night, they didn't bring their A game, probably not

their B game, maybe not even their C game, but was still able to get it done and just scrape by and get the victory and keep themselves in contention, keep spirits high, and still win the game. I did think it was kind of important and something that you could pull from if you're the Bills. Kind of reminds me of Hayes and

Bro, the way you guys have soldiered on through adversity this season. I would like to think that I am the Josh me of Hayes and Bro, the way you guys have soldiered on through adversity this season. I would like to think that I am the Josh Allen of Hayes and Bro. Yes, exactly. I would like to. By the way, I don't know. So I wanted to be on the Ravens yesterday, and the Ravens Saturday,

they ended up absolutely walloping the Steelers. And Jonas, your good friend Jonas, somehow played tiebreaker between Hayes and I because we were split 50-50 and convinced Hayes to take the Steelers and the points. He got bet up to a seven-point spread. They had dummy by 17 points. It was Baltimore all the way.

So Hayes and bro, we're a little tizzy today after him going over the top there. But we got to pick. We got to make a pick tonight. We got the Monday Nighters. So Saints and Packers. And this one's going to be another massive spread, too. It's a 14.5-point spread.

I don't know who's playing for the Saints, though. Their quarterback isn't Jake Hayner. They started at quarterback. No Alvin Kamara. Their receiving core is decimated. This one's going to be an absolute blowout. But Luke Wilson's going to join us at 5. We'll get his thoughts on the game.

But right now, I think there's going to be an absolute blowout for the Green Bay Packers. You're leaning back. We're leaning back. Okay. We're leaning back. Well, you've got a dome team from the south playing in, I would assume, very chilly conditions up in Wisconsin there. So it does kind of line up but 14 and a half is

is no small number it's not a small number but i just don't know if the saints are going to put up points who's going to score on this offense nobody like jordan love could still put up points and this offense is still pretty good in green bay i just think they're gonna end up winning by like 30 yeah well it's possible what about the raiders getting that all-important win yesterday? As a Giants fan, I've never cheered so hard for the Raiders in my life to have them get that win because I want to clean house in New York. I want the first pick overall. But to win that game, I get you have to try.

I get all that stuff, but come on. You don't want to win that game. Antonio Pierce says he doesn't care about the first overall pick. He wants to win. And that's the thing. I mean, you know that, Stratton. You've been in the room. The players and coaches, they don't care what the public perception.

They want to win hockey games. They want to win football games. That's exactly what they did yesterday with a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, who are the same boat. Both these clubs look to lose as many games as possible. So one of them had to win and turned out to be Aiden O'Connell and the Raiders. But here's the thing,

Strud, you talk about being excited about it as a Jets fan. It's not a good quarterback class. That's the problem with this league. Giants fan. Giants fan. That's just disrespectful. I can't stand the Jets and that disaster. Yeah, that's also a disaster. I believe that Arch Manning comes in next year.

Does he not? Isn't he a draft eligible? He's draft eligible next year. Yeah, he can declare. Yeah. So this is my fantasy as a Giants fan. We get the pick. We trade it.

We're just horrendous next year. Then we bring back the nephew of the greatest quarterback that New York has ever seen, Eli Manning, to lead us to their promised land for the next 10 years. And then I sail into my joy, just so happy to have Arch Manning. Hey, that could be the plan. That might be the plan, because that's not a good ball team out there either. They got dummied by the Falcons, too, over the weekend.

Yeah, it's not a good football scene in New York, not a good hockey scene in New York right now. Well, the entire state of New York, the Sabres are terrible. Oh, no. It's not a good football scene in New York. Not a good hockey scene in New York right now. The entire state of New York, the Sabres are terrible. Oh, the Sabres. Who's got it worse, the Sabres or the Rangers right now? I think it's the Sabres, Stroud. I mean, they haven't been to the playoffs going on 14 years. They're not making it this year.

I mean, it's as grim as it can be. What are they at? How many lost? 13? Was that 13 or 12? I don't know. I've lost track. I'll tell you what, though.

I've been down in Buffalo recently, and I grew up in the area. I used to go to a lot of Sabres games as a kid. There is zero talk about the Sabres. People have just forgotten about them. It's the team you do not talk about in Western New York because the Bills are so good, and people have just decided, you know what, yeah, let's just wake us up when you actually are respectable again, and then we'll become a hockey town again. But right now, it's a football city, and they've just forgotten about hockey.

It's been a decade since that team has been relevant, since they've made the playoffs. Was it 2013, 2011? Yeah, it's crazy. I think 2011 was the last time that team made the playoffs. 14 years in 2025. It's tough. I was talking in that area too a lot. I was talking with a season ticket holder,

and he's contemplating giving up his seats for next year. Apathy has set in, and that's the worst for a fan base. Once apathy sets in and people don't care about you, it's tough. It's absolute blues right now. No team, I think, of professional sports is excited for this Christmas break than the Buffalo Sabres. Get home, relax, and maybe come back rejuvenated and try and get that first win when you come back and all will be forgotten, perhaps. You can start the new year off on a positive note.

That's where you've got to be if you're the Buffalo Sabres. Just absolutely ecstatic that the new year and the Christmas break is here. All right, we've got a packed show today. Luke Wilson is going to join us at 5.05. We've got picks to make. Chris Johnston is going to join us also at 6.05. And Keegan Matheson, an interesting interview done with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. And we'll touch on that and his apparent contract demands and where the negotiations are at.

We'll chat about that with Keegan at 630. I'm Mike DiStefano with Jason Strudwick and with Dave Feshtuck. You're listening to Overdrive on TSN 1050 and up on TSN Plus. It's a brand new year. Time to review last year's financial decisions and set new priorities for 2025. Kelvin the Money Guy suggests the three-step approach. One, clearly define your goals for the new year. Two, create a plan tailored to your needs and ambitions.

And three, make sure your portfolio is designed to serve that plan. Goal. Plan. Portfolio. Contact Kelvin the Money Guy and set your plans in motion. Call 416-457-PLAN or visit askkelvin.ca happy festivus it's festivus when jordan's growing up his father it's nothing it's a stupid holiday my father invented it doesn't exist ge George, Festivus is your heritage. It's part of who you are. Welcome newcomers. The tradition of Festivus begins with the airing of grievances.

I got a lot of problems with you people. Now, you're going to hear about it. Oh, God. Overdrive continues here on the TSN Radio Network, also up on TSN+, Mike DiStefano, Jason Strudwick, and Dave Festchuk with me. And it's Festivus. Festivus for the rest of us, I know, Strud.

You're a big-time Seinfeld guy. Love it. Absolutely love it. And I was actually a little a little i got aged a little bit and look i'm i'm only yeah i'm a little younger than you two not to age you guys but now i'm starting to feel aged a bit because doogie hauser who's 20 years old 22 years old the other day i said hey monday we gotta air our grievances it'sivus. And he had no idea what I was talking about. Wow. No idea. Come on.

No clue. I'm like, do you understand that reference? He's like, no. No, I don't. Seinfeld. Come on. These newbies don't even watch Seinfeld. It's crazy.

You can YouTube it, Doogie. Yeah. It's awesome. Anyways, apparently Doogie, despite not even knowing what the airing of grievances means or is, has a grievance to air with me before we get into it. Here comes Doogie. Commissioner Doogie. Doogie McMahon.

Wiles, brother, I have to pick a bone with you here. In the last segment, you kind of threw someone under the bus. His name is Jonas Siegel. But you were the one who decided to give Jonas the claim to make the pick. So I can't stand for that. I have to air my grievance. There you go. You know, I gave him the opportunity to make the correct decision.

He happened to not do so. However. Passing the buck. That's what that is. That's what that is. That's what that is. But you thought you were walking him down the path. Well, I gave him the tremendous information.

I laid out the spiel and I let him know, hey, here's the reason why Baltimore is going to win. Now just back me up. And he did not. He came out and was like, no, I think the Steelers are going to win. That was it. That's all he said. And that was enough for Hayes to choose Jonas over me. I think Osbrough has made a case here.

He was well within his rights to throw Jonas under the bus. It's a fair case, but it just sounded like it was Jonas' fault. Well, it was. It was. It was his fault. If Jonas takes Baltimore, we take Baltimore. it was Jonas' fault. Well, it was. It was. It was his fault. If Jonas takes Baltimore, we take Baltimore. It was Jonas' fault. You could have made that pick.

Yeah, we were split. Hazy B and I were split. We'll be honest. So we needed to hear from a third. And I lost on the vote. But that's okay. It's all right. We still move on.

Luckily, those losers also didn't pick any winners this weekend. You're still plus one, am I right? We're plus one, yeah. We're up plus one. You were like plus eight. The lead is dwindled. Well, we were also minus nine at one point. Okay.

It's been a big swing. Big swing. We got another pick tonight coming up in about 35 minutes or so. Luke will be in. And, yeah, we got to make that Monday night pick. But let's get to the airing of grievances, fellas. And why don't you start, Dave? Why don't you give us something that you would like to air your grievances with?

All right. My grievance is with Canada's seven hockey teams, those NHL teams, none of whom have won a Stanley Cup since 1993. I was brother and strutty. This has got to happen, guys. As we awake today, six of the seven teams that hail from this great nation are in the NHL playoff picture. This has to be the year, the first year since 93, that Canada wins a Stanley Cup.

We got to wish it, speak it, want it into existence here. And 2025 has got to be the year, guys. If not, I will have an even bigger grievance with a, what, 32-year drought. So Canada to win a Cup, it is a long time. My entire lifetime, realistically. I've never seen a Stanley Cup risen on Canadian soil, ever. That's just sad. Yeah.

Straddy, how do you explain it? Well, if I knew, I'd probably be a GM, or even better, a president. It would just last forever. Exactly. I think, though, I feel like right now there's a lot of talent north of the border. Look at some of these teams. Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, young talent there.

Montreal, there's some accumulation of talent there. So I think that there's as much or more talent than there's ever been, and it's relatively young or in its prime. So I think we're going to hopefully see a few be rattled off here in the next number of years, I hope. A few? I'll take one. We'll start with one.

Fair point, fair point. But, I mean, I think. I'll take one, Strutty. We'll start with one. Fair point. Fair point. But, I mean, I think if one gets a taste, then maybe other teams jump on the bat away and get it going. If you had to pick one team who you think is the closest to ending the drought, who would it be? I'm looking at Strutty's way. I mean, clearly McDavid and his fellas came close. It was nearly an epic, historic comeback.

Man. Winnipeg's number one in the league now they just finished up it's gone final winnipeg 5-2 over toronto number one the league right now heading into the christmas break yeah but they've got a pretty substantial history of not showing up when it matters thank you thank you they're the san jose sharks i picked them to win many many years and i've been wrong been wrong. So I can't. I can't. If you kick me in the junk enough times, I'll finally believe you. And so now I'm like, I don't want to be that, because I was out with the Sharks, and I'm not with the

Jets. I'm out. I'm out. All right, Strutty. Time for you to air your grievance. All right. Enough. I don't want to hear from the West Coast that they're fighting. EP and obviously Millerer they're frustrated each other listen guys if one of you doesn't if someone wants to break up and leave that's fine but that city is incredible you've got a good team there you both got good contracts and got a good

coach you've got a good group if one of you gets traded look at your salary cap hit where do you think you're going how do you spell how do spell Buffalo? I'll tell you how. Last place. That's where you're going. So I don't want any here about figuring out, get in a room, a padded room with just no windows, no doors, come out 72 hours later after Christmas

and find some love for each other because you've got a good thing going on and unfortunately you don't know it until you end up somewhere else. Ask Jack Eichel. Yeah, well Jack Eichel went on to win a stanley cup though it did good but he was in buffalo and it was he was not happy now he's the happiest guy the happiest redhead i've seen for a thousand years well i think we have the audio from because like this is a big talking point right now petterson jt miller and the team and, and how there's this reported rift between the two. Here's what they had to say today when asked about it.

That's still going on? Yeah, it has been. Well, that's the same answer. It's good. I don't know why people still try to make up. Excuse my language, but yeah, that's my response. So it hasn't been distracting you? Oh my God.

Next question. Who wants that? Bothered by the reporting about you and Petey? I'm not, listen, you guys, in a sense, the outer world have created this thing. Like this isn't a thing. So am I bothered? about you and PD? I'm not, listen, you guys in a sense, in the outer world have created this thing. Like this isn't a thing. Am I bothered? No.

But you guys are just wasting your time. How tired are you about hearing of it? I don't care. You guys want to talk about it? You want to ask me? Ask me all you want. I can bring up PD and we can do the interview together if that would make you guys happy.

What about shutting out the noise, JT? This team has always been so good about it, no matter what year it is, about anything regarding the team. Listen, I have a lot of stuff to worry about right now for myself. I'm not worried about any noise. The noise is between my ears, and I'm trying to figure out how to play a good 200-foot game for the team. But you know what you mean to this group, and Petey obviously knows what he means to

this group, and right now, not a whole lot happening for either one of you guys like can this team get where it needs to go without production from from you two where do we want to go i would assume to the playoff first of all right beyond that okay so we yeah would you want yeah it'd be great if we could have 100 points for sure that would be ideal right so we're just trying to play the right way points will come when they come these guys just want to stuff every reporter in a locker for that line of questioning well al's brother let's you know give credit where it's due i mean you asked the question to former canucks coach bruce boudreaux about this very topic and boudreaux acknowledged that there was some kind of a rift in his you know knowledge to his knowledge there was a rift between these

two guys before he got there as vancouver coach and he's not sure where it stands now he hopes they brushed it under the rug but he he was the first one to speak about the fact that there was a history there between these two guys and the exact current state of it we don't know but it doesn't exactly look like it's nothing no i, I mean, again, like Stroud, you've been in those rooms and you've had to answer these questions, I'm sure. And I'm sure this happens more often than we think. There are issues within a locker room. I mean, you've got 30 different people coming from 30 different situations.

Like, I don't know why this one seems to be getting, like, super over-publicized at this point. It's really interesting. I never was a part of anything like this. Like, there'd be little dust-ups. Like, I fought a couple of my teammates, but then, you know, seems to be getting like super over publicized at this point it's it's really interesting i'd never was a part of anything like this like there'd be a little dust ups like i fought a couple of my teammates but then you know you'd blow over and usually that was enough it would release the pressure and you'd kind of move on um from it and like i remember one time when i played the rangers there was avery and and shanahan were there they were tight friends and i hadn't played in let's

say four or five games we were doing a drill and Avery said something to me that about tripped me. And I snapped. And instead of doing the drill, I chased him around, and he went and stood behind Shanahan. Shanahan said, Shani, that's enough. I said, Shan, if you don't get out of the way, I'm going to beat you up, then I'm going to beat up Sean Avery. And so he got out of the way, then the coaches got in,

and it was over. But, I mean, I loved Shanahan. I still love him. But I was like, I don't care. I'm coming to get this guy. So, that happens. It brushed over and we were fine. But this doesn't seem to be brushing over. Again, we're not in the room, but if it doesn't

go away, what's your saying? If there's smoke, there's fire. There's something going on here and it's obvious the way they're playing with or without each other that it's not working. But I'm telling you guys, if one of them gets traded, they'll be less talented probably,

the team left behind, and then the guy will go somewhere else. He won't be happy either. Probably not. So Vancouver's a great place. Do not leave. Do not figure this out. Padded room, 72 hours, with a Christmas wreath in the middle.

Figure it out. A little kumbaya. We'll singreath in the middle figure it out well kumbaya we'll sing some christmas carols and go out there in downtown vancouver and let's get this thing wrapped up i hope that's the case for the vancouver canucks because you this is not something that they clearly want to entertain going forward uh i have a grievance to air here on this day of festivus. And it's the lack of transparency when it comes to the Maple Leafs and the injury situation. How many times this year have we been told, like, oh, day to day, and next time day to day turns into he's going to miss a game,

then he's out for a couple games, always on IR, next thing you know the guy's in Germany getting some special treatment from a doctor that we don't really know much about. The lack of transparency with the Maple Leafs this year when it comes to the injuries has been abhorrent, honestly. And it's not that I want to know what the injury is, but

it's more so the severity would be nice to know. And especially when you look at this Austin Matthews situation, we have no idea what's going on. No idea what's we got theories have a lot of thoughts about what could possibly be be going on but ultimately we have no idea and i feel like in 2024 the public deserve deserves to know and especially and you could look at this from many different aspects but there's a lot that's baked into this right you can even look at it from a betting perspective which gets a lot that's baked into this, right? You can even look at it from a betting perspective, which gets a lot of old school people upset when you look at it from this.

But if he's battling an injury, I would like to know that before I go and place money in wagers or before I'm using him in a daily fantasy face-off of some kind and place my hard-earned money on this guy. I think I would like to know. I think that the betting public would like to know what's going on and everyone else in the Leafs fans would like to know. I think that the betting public would like to know what's going on, and everyone else in the Leafs fans would like to know what's happening. But this

team provides zero transparency to any of their injuries, and it's really, really getting old. I'm with you, brother. They made a mockery of day-to-day because, you know, day-to-day turned into it wasn't today,

it wasn't tomorrow, it was weeks. It was weeks. And, you know, the problem is it's not the Leafs to me. It's the league that allows them to get away with it, right? Like the NFL, to your point about betting, has long had standardized injury reporting protocol. Now, you can circumvent that, and there's teams that play fast and loose with the protocol, but at least they have one.

The NHL, there's very little in terms of what teams are expected to report, and we know nothing about Matthews' injury. Day-to-day with an upper body injury, what does that mean? And, Streti, I know there's this argument about, well, if we report our injuries, we're putting our players at risk. You know what? The NFL is the most violent league on the planet, and they report injuries very specifically.

This guy's got an ankle. This guy's got a sore back. This guy's had a concussion. And guess what? Players survive. And targeting, to my knowledge, yeah, it happens, but it's not such a big problem that you can't overcome it and you can't protect yourself.

Yeah, I like the way you frame that, and this is what I would say. I wish that they were clear on the injuries you know for sure. Vestrack takes a shot. It breaks my hand. I know your shot's not that hard. We're just pretending. Of course. And it hits my hand, and I'm out four to six weeks.

You just say, Strudwick, broken hand, four to six weeks, boom. It's not that hard. We're just pretending. Of course. And it hits my hand, and I'm out four to six weeks. You just say, Strudwick, broken hand, four to six weeks. Boom. It's gone. But maybe in the case of Matthews, maybe they're not sure. You think of Thatcher Demko with his knee situation. What is it? Is he in for longer, out for longer? I believe, if I'm correct, but with Stolarz, didn't Trey Living say there was a bubble

or a pebble behind his knee, and we're going to do this and clear it up? I'd like that. Would you know what it is, and you think you know 100% what the time is? Like even a knee. I get hit on my knee, and it's a stretched ACL or whatever. I'm out for it. He's going to be four to six weeks. This is what it is.

But be clear on the ones you know for sure. The ones that maybe you're not sure of, then maybe add a little more leeway, guys. Yeah, I think I could get behind that like it's for another example today chris tan have missed the game with an undisclosed injury and he was a he was a scratch today no body the answer lower body lower body what does that mean yeah lower body injury could have been anything but i it's the severity of no idea how long he's gonna be out for i It really, really grinds my gears to take a quote from old Peter Griffin. General body soreness. The old baseball.

He's not playing because of general body soreness. What? General body soreness. I would never want it. I'd say I'll play. Don't tell people I have general body soreness. That's like the old dead arm. Dead arm baseball. Which is a legitimate thing, especially if you're like a –

remember when Josh Donaldson was going through the dead arm? He couldn't throw to first base. It was a problem, but it just sounds so – Heavy legs. He has heavy legs. He'd never play. I would have never played if it was heavy legs. Can't play tonight.

Heavy legs. Heavy legs. All right. We got to fly. Coming up still, Luke Wilson got the pick to be made for the Monday Nighter tonight. Strutter Dud coming up. You got a couple strud muffins cooking in the oven. I can smell them, Strutty.

I can smell them. Yep. Chris Johnson going to join us as will Keegan Matheson. You're listening to Overdrive on TSN 1050 and also up on TSN Plus. It's a brand new year. Time to review last year's financial decisions and set new priorities for 2025. on TSM Plus. plan goal plan portfolio contact kelvin the money guy and set your plans in motion call 416-457-PLAN or visit askkelvin.ca overdrive is brought to you by fan duel bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score mike di stefano filling in for brian hayes we got jason struggle We got Jason Strug with Dave Festruck alongside me.

Do you guys see this tilt out in a Saskatchewan men's league hockey game? Oh, my goodness. I think we have the clip here. But two gentlemen, a father and a son, absolutely laying haymakers on each other in a men's league game. I mean, Strutty, what's going on out west, pal know we call this we call this christmas that's what we do that's how tough we are we fight our kids we fight our dads oh man just uh can you imagine around the the uh christmas table dinner that night dad can pass the cranberry i can't my hands sore son i just i pounded you so much the other

night you know like that's a tough one. I've never heard of a father-son fighting on the ice. I haven't seen that in my time at Festshop. That's quite the tilt, too. That's a good tilt. They were going at each other. There's some pent-up feelings between those two, let's just say. Be proud of your son.

Tough love. Good job. Where to get in there in battle, right? Can you imagine this guy's a hockey dad? He was right up on the glass behind the goalie just yelling at his kid the whole time he was going to play. We all know that guy. We all know that guy, right?

Like Pierre Lebrun. Oh, yeah. That kind of guy. I got to say, I don't know anybody that would punch their kid in the face. I just haven't met that guy until we saw this guy. I don't know that guy. Got to come to Saskatchewan. That's it.

That's just normal. Christmas skate. Family skate. Built different out west, A-Straud. Built different out west. I want to be at that table when the mom sits down and looks at them both like, are you guys kidding me? Three days before Christmas?

Come on. Come on, guys. I made my special pierogi casserole and you guys ruined it because you were fighting two days ago and everyone's making fun of us. Overdrive, hour two, continuing on the other side with Mike DiStefano,

Strutty, and Dave Feschuk listening on 1050 and up on TSM+. You've been listening to Overdrive, powered by FanDuel. FanDuel, bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score.