OverDrive - OverDrive - December 9, 2025 - Hour 2 - Mike Johnson

Episode Date: December 9, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Jason Strudwick for Hour 2 on OverDrive! TSN Hockey Analyst Mike Johnson on Mitch Marner's decreased production with the Golden Knights, Connor McDavid's accolades and Quinn Hughes' future with the Canucks. The guys go around the sports world in the latest edition of Confirm or Deny and Bryan hands out his FanDuel Best Bets.

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

Exactly. It's the gift that keeps on giving. Get more for less this holiday season with affordable phone plans and member benefits you'll love. Virgin Plus, obviously. Visit a Virgin Plus store or virginplus.ca for details. Hour 2 Overdrive continues, powered by Fanduil, bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score. Brian Hayes, Joe, Jeff O'Neill, Jason Strudwick. We got Mike Johnson coming up, confirm a deny later in the hour.

Best bet still to come. Saw that the Northern Star was awarded today, right? Canadian athlete of the year, and Chey Gildes Alexander won it for the second time in three years. Not surprising, considering the year of this has. I get ready because he's probably going to win it again. He might. he might like there's very few i think gretsky won it three times i don't know if anyone else has won it three times i'd have to look that up but there's not a long history of athletes winning

it even twice let alone three times so this one was deserved not that the one two years ago wasn't you know obviously he was great a couple years ago but this year won MVP scoring title NBA championship NBA finals MVP he did it all i mean and he's doing it again this year they don't lose and he's putting up huge numbers so you knew she was going to win it this year but um it's interesting strud like mac david's never won it connor's never won the the athlete of the year the northern star athlete of the year which is that's shocking it is because i don't know if he is he going to win it now you know he's in the year 11 of his career he's on the probably on the tent tee of his career and let me just say this strad before you answer there's someone on

this show that thinks the glory days for mcjesus are over. I did state that before the year. Dude, you did. You're like, no, this guy goes, no more heart trophies, no more scoring titles. He won't score 50 again. I don't know if I said no more scoring titles. For McDavid's standard, you said it all, dude.

You said it all. I'm not convinced to win an MVP again. I don't think, as of now, he won't this year, right? Like McKinnon's clearly going to win it over him. Still a lot of season left. A lot of season. And if there's one guy that can go absolutely. nuts on an NHL season.

It is McGeese. It is, although I would counter with it's McKinnett, too, man. You think he's going to slow down? That guy puts up two points every single night. I get it. And you know what I find a little bit disappointing? Not too long ago, guess who else we'd be saying, mentioning in the same sentence? Matthews?

Yeah. Yeah. And I don't think we can say, like, Matthews can just tear apart a season the rest of the way. Like, just by the results that we've seen, I don't know if he's got that in the tank right now. He's not in that category. He's not chasing a heart. It's not chasing an Art Ross. And I find that it is what it is, but I find it disappointing to say.

Sure. Listen, I'm not sure. I'm surprised McDavid's ever won one, though. I mean, I think you could make a pretty strong case that most of the years he was, at least in the conversation as a finalist. But as far as this year, there was a game last week where they lost in Minnesota 1-0. Twice McDavid had the puck in the slot, and he chose to go to his backhand, and then he threw it backdoor to former Leafs.

Zach Heiman. And, you know, I don't think that there's ever a time where I would sit on a bench or anyone sit on a bench and think, you know what, the best player here is for Connor to pass it. You want your best player to shoot it. And so he said as much, pretty much postgame. And he came out the next game, seven shots, three goals and an assist. Like he, I think he needs to have a shoot for a mentality. And what I'd like to about one of the goals he scored, I think it was the first goal actually scored the next game. It was from distance. You know, Conner is more a guy that's going to skate it into the net because he's so quick and just beat a goalie and go short side or whatever, he ripped one from above the tops of the circles.

And as a defender, when you start thinking now, this guy's presenting choices that deep, it makes it pretty hard, or that far away, it makes it hard for a defender. Now there's more options to defend. Well, he's got 53 games left, McDavid, I believe. He's got 14 goals, 42 points. You know, he's off to a very good start. He's top five in points. He's chasing McKinnon.

But that's on pace for 33, 34 goals, 115 points, something like that. That's a great season. But I said I don't think he's going to hit 150 plus ever again or 60 plus goals. And I'm not sure he's going to win a heart again. He could. But, man, did I take heat? I'm a hater. I'm the worst.

How dare you say that? Deserved. Deserve it. Well, I mean, I would say as of now, I'm looking like I'm on to something. Here's Mike Johnson, our TSN Hockey Analyst, joining us here on the Maple Toyota Hotline. There he is. What's happening, Johnny? Well, hey, I like the victory left, 29 games into the season.

That is nicely played. That is well done. Because I know if you ever get a prediction wrong, I'm sure you're revisiting. Be like, boy, did I ever blow that one? Boy, was I way off? Never. That never occurred. In fact, I remember this conversation with O and I, and while I think we conceded, yes, unlikely

150, the no heart trophy thing, that is still very bold to me. Very, very bold to me. That is the show, and there's been some real dumb things. And that's saying something. Yes. That is saying something with this crowd. All right, so where would McDavid rank for you? The

heart was being handed out tonight. Is he in the top five? Oh, I mean, he wouldn't probably not. I'd have to look through it very clear, but it's McKinnon. It's McCarr. I think Celebrini and Bedard would be ahead of him. Celebrini and Badar would be in there.

Given what they're doing those teams, they don't have a running mate like Drysaddle. Maybe in the top 10-ish. But if we're going mostly based on points and mostly based on team success, I'm not kidding to our Edmonton crowd, but would it surprise anyone? I would almost give it even odds,

even odds that Edmonton wins the division. So, you know, if they go and finish first and he ends up second or third in scoring. He might be a hard final. He won't win. I think McKinnon or Ricard will get that award, but I don't think it's out of the question. He'd be a top five guy by the end of the season.

I'm with you on that. I mean, that's very reasonable. It's probably predictable. I mean, that's probably, like you said, safe money to kind of lean that way with him. And again, we don't have to revisit the conversation. It's just time is 20. Well, he's in year 11. Like, if he doesn't win it this year,

I hate to break it to you guys. It becomes more unlikely as he gets older he's going to win. What year is McKinnon in? McKinnon is older than him. Yeah, he is older. Right. You're absolutely right. Johnny, we were just having the discussion and I said I found it somewhat

it's almost disappointing to say because we were talking about guys that could roar back and jump into that heart conversation and Austin Matthews isn't in that conversation as a guy that feels like he could roar back and get in there now. Why is that? Is he committed to defense? Is

Is he something off with him? Is he injured? How come he's not a guy? Because in years past, we'd be like, Austin Matthews could rip off 40 goals the rest of the way and be dialed into that conversation and overtake it. But I don't think if we're being honest, he isn't right now. And I want to know why.

I think the answer, oh, is always always not that simple. It's not one thing. It's a combination of everything. One, you know, I'm not sure where his body's at. If this is healthy, if this is what? this version of healthy for him is I'm not sure that he plays in the right kind of system that will allow him

to pile the kind of points. Perhaps the attention to detail, 200 foot game also hurting him. The fact that power play is like the worst in the league and boy, it looks awful at times is not going to help him. You put all that together and you're like, yeah, like he's going to have a good year where he'll get

45 goal, 90 point pace. That's an incredible season. That is one of the better players in the league season. But it's not hard for if you're winning. feels like in his best moments, oh, so far this year, we haven't seen many glimpses of a guy that could go on 50 goals and 65 games here. He just doesn't look like that. He looks like a guy who's going to get a goal every other game and be really good while doing

it, but that might just be where he's at. Health, system, teammates, special teams, all of it. He's just not, you know, a top, top score in the league right now. You know, Johnny, we had a discussion earlier on about just the impact of the Olympics on the NHL, and I think we can all agree, fatigues it. But I made the strong case that, you know, we've seen a lot of kind of sloppy and hectic play because of the lack of some practice time to hammer it habits. You know, what is your experience in that, and are you seeing something similar or dissimilar?

Yeah, I think it's sort of a product that's been happening for a few years. like practice is less and less and we see it more frequently coach always complaining about it and struddy also think the league's getting younger so many of the guys in the bottom of the roster are 20 21 22 and they have energy they have physicality but they don't have experience so that when they are tired they can sort of figure out how to play to be safe and a bit more cautious so yeah it's it's an issue fatigue and no practice but i think it's sort of exacerbating what has been happy in the last few years anyways. Well, and I wonder how that applies to, you know, players on new teams, not having practice.

It's probably even more highlighted strut. And I'm, you know, leading towards where Mitch Marner is right now. Vegas has won four in a row. They're on the East Coast. They're playing well. But Mitch has five goals, 27 points and 28 games. He's playing less minutes than he has, I think, at any point, certainly in his prime. It's been more on the second line in Vegas than on the top line.

I've seen him play a few games. I have not seen him. Obviously, when he was in Toronto, I watched the large majority of his shifts. I can't say I'm doing that right now, but the numbers are somewhat staggering, Johnny. He's on pace, again, for 12, 13 goals and 74 points, 75 points. Like, that's not Mitch Marner, man. Like, what do you make of it? Why is it not popping for him?

So I think first off, he's not playing Jack Eichael. I think Jack Eichael is the best player. in Vegas. A lot of people assume well, he works so old. Matthews, another great player, he'll work well with Eichael, and it didn't really happen for them. So I think, you know, you're putting them in, with a less dynamic player to work with.

So that might hurt him a little bit. I do think they do play a pretty structured system there. It's not quite as freewheeling. Now, neither was Brubes for that matter. It had a great year, so maybe that's not as much. But I think everyone in Vegas has their numbers you know, stunted a little bit

by the style that they play. under Cassidy but the five goals is what's surprising like you know a point of game you can bump that up and get to 85, 88, 90 and that would be decent pretty good right he's not like a 120 point guy you're hoping it's a hundred point guy right but

if you're going to get 15 points 15 goals out of a guy I mean unless he's Joe Thornton getting 15 goals and 100 assists like that's not what you're acquiring when you're thinking you're getting one of the best offensive players in league like you got to score you got to score 30

goals-ish to be, you know, an elite-level offensive player, no matter how many assists you get, including Connor McDavid, right? Like, he can't get 20 goals and 100 assists. Like, that's not an elite, you know, elite, elite-level offensive performance. So that part is surprising. And I'm sure he's, he's aware of it, but he's probably not feeling it the same way as he. He's in Vegas, although there has been some rumblings, but he's not feeling it publicly and in the media like he would be if he was in Toronto.

Yeah, and, you know, I can't speak for people. in Vegas, but they've been spoiled. I mean, let's be clear. They went to the Cup final their first year. If you've been a Gold Knight fan, you've just expected greatness and competitiveness, and they are a competitive team, and they're going to be, I believe, a Cup contending team. But when you bring in a guy making $12 million, you're probably thinking, all right, let's see this guy rock.

I'm curious Hayes about the Eichl stuff. Like, wouldn't you kind of say when you're signing the deal like that, look, am I playing with Eichael here or what? And it seemed like they played together for the first two or three games, and then they didn't. But are they a match stylistically, Johnny? Like, do you see them? I see them as two guys that both have liked out of the puck on their stick. Yeah, that's the problem.

They're both transporters. And that's why Mitch was really good with Austin. Because Austin does the work, gets it to the wing, and then can come in late and get into scoring positions while someone else gets the puck up the ice in the offensive zone. In Vegas, Jack wants the puck. Jack is one of the fastest skaters in the league. He wants the puck through the neutral zone, into the offensive zone.

And by default, Jack Eichel is, is a pastor as well. He can shoot very well, but his nature is to be a facilitator as is Mitch Varner. So like I get why it didn't make instant sense, why Mark Stone is so good with Jack Eichael because he complements the stuff Jack Eichl wants to do well. And Mitch, their skill sets are maybe a little bit too similar.

But, oh, I mean, if you have that conversation, yes, you'd like to play with Jackie, you'd like to put up points. But at some point, you're like, okay, my team's rolling. We're, you know, coming up, I'm first in the Pacific. We're tax-free. I got the money. My kids and families

is in great space. I wonder if you don't grind on that he doesn't have 35 points instead of 28, quite to the same degree now given where his contract and his life and his team is. Well, I'm sure it's a very different experience.

I don't think there's any doubt. And it's some, it's not his team, quote-unquote. You know, you've experienced this. I've talked to people that have been around them. It's Eichol, it's Stone, it's Theodore. that's that it's their team so to speak and that doesn't mean marner won't have a big you know role in that especially if he's going to be there for the next decade but here it was him and austin like those were

the two guys really and there was a packing order matthews was probably a little bit ahead of him but the limelight is very different clearly and ultimately he's going to make it or break it with what he does in the playoffs right like that's where people are going to really determine was it the right if he goes there and they win and he plays great then he'll look back in toronto and say it wasn't me it wasn't my problem. And the Leafs are the same thing. You know, the Leafs, you look at that game last night, Johnny. Like it was a low event, kind of heavy game.

I thought the Leafs played well. I thought they checked well, defended well. They look comfortable in a role like that. Not that Marner wouldn't help them in those roles either. But, you know, it does kind of feel like now we're 28, 29, 30 games in. Like, last season is officially behind us. That makes sense. And it's time to turn the page.

And the Leafs have been doing that recently. Yeah, but you know what makes it easier to turn the page is? some Ws, right? Because like you're not so inclined to look back of the good old days. Oh, remember when Mitch was getting a hundred points? Remember when we were scoring a whole bunch? Remember when he was a great defensive winger? Because we remember the wins that he was involved in. Now that the Leafs have sort of righted the ship, they've corrected a lot of the stuff that was ailing them early, the rush chances against, the penalty kill bleeding chances,

the slot protection. They are so much more like last year's team in the last seven, eight games where, yeah, they get outshot a little bit, but the quality of shots is not the same. They don't give up much high-danger stuff. Natalie Kill's been solid. Goaltending has been spectacular. Like, that's what they were last year.

And that's when they won the division, and they were within one game of going to the third round. And they lost the eventual cup champion. So they're looking more like that. And now it is easier to say, okay, Mitch Barner, he's gone. We're not looking to see why we are good because he's not there. we are good and he's not here and now we just try to fix the things that we need to improve

like the power play which I still think they miss him on but yeah I definitely think sort of emotionally and just logically everyone can turn the page on that chapter and say all right like he's off doing his own thing and so are we Johnny how close do you think you can get we're having an Atlantic division pool

to guessing how it rolls out at the end of the regular season everyone's chunking in a hunch and you have to predict one through eight in the Atlantic, how difficult would that be? I feel pretty good at picking eight. Eight, well, let's just go one through seven then,

if we're going to play that game. Yeah, it's going to be really hard. Like, listen, I'm in, obviously. If it comes down to you guys, I like my chances. But, like, I think right now, like, you have to like Tampa to be good in the end. I don't think Florida given the injuries is going to maybe

threaten for first. So you start working your way down. Who could win? I think Tampa could win. I don't think Detroit, although they are in first place, is going to win the division. Montreal, if Ottawa could get some goals, they should be there as well. And then Toronto's a wild card. Like, it would be really, really, really hard. I'm just counting Boston, whatever they're doing, yeah.

Oh, it's going to be tricky. But I will say, if we're going one through seven, would it surprise anyone if at the end of the season one through seven is separated by less than 10 points 98 points to 88 points like I think that is entirely realistic well not if that's the case and I think it very likely could be the stretch run will be remarkable

you know and the pressure on it be great at the train deadline I haven't seen this in this division in seven years it's been Tampa Florida Boston Toronto and the other guys are the other guys. It's not even been a conversation. Yes, I know last year, Montreal and Ottawa made it, but that was the first time in a decade.

It didn't seem like there is much to think about down the stretch. Yeah, to think what all these teams, and the best part is, if you're Toronto, Tampa, Florida, you're probably thinking, we don't know we're going to finish, but we think we can maybe win a cup. If you're Ottawa or Montreal, you're thinking, we're not that far behind those other guys.

Like, why would we not be aggressive? Our future is now? Yeah, there's every reason for about six of those teams to go sort of be aggressive thinking they could do good things if they make it or when they make it. Yeah, trade deadline, down the stretch, be two months of intense, intense games and scoreboard watching and standing watching. What's your mini jerrys that Quinn Hughes is playing in the Atlantic Division by the end of the year? oh atlantic division so i would say it is 95% he's not playing in vancouver that feels easier

okay but i would say in the atlantic this is an inside is in the atlantic segment i think that he's in thelantic's only about 37% okay and then 60% chance that he ends up in the metropolitan so like i know detroit is aggressive and it's and it sort of makes sense for Detroit in that they have the assets they have the need and maybe they have the belief that even though he's not saying Detroit is priority number one he does have the Detroit ties University of Michigan they can convince him alamico ranted like come here you'll like it enough we'll give you the 50 million dollars and we can give you an eight-year contract that you will not be able to get when you change teams in two years

you're getting a six-year deal from Jersey. You're going to leave $30 million on the table by not extending with us next fall. That's a lot of money for anybody. I know he has a lot, but that's still a lot. So I would say it's about, yeah, 37% or so that he ends up in the Atlantic. About 60% he ends up in the metro in Jersey or maybe in Philadelphia. Ooh, that's interesting.

Team up with Rick Tockett again. Blockbuster comment. I love this. So, Johnny, you don't think that he has said it's either Vancouver or Jersey, that's all I'm doing? You don't think that's his approach? Well, he doesn't, I mean, he can say that for the extension, but he's got two more years without trade protection. So Vancouver could say, well, you can say Jersey all you want, go there in two years. Because right now, Detroit's giving us Edvinson, Nate Danielson, and a first rounder.

And that's better than what we're going to get from Jersey. So go enjoy Detroit for two years. Then you can get to Jersey whenever you want to get there. He doesn't get to really control this to the degree that you might think he does because he has a two years. And there will be teams, we've talked about this, that see the value in making that deal for a two-year window with him on your team, maybe playoff dates, maybe tens of millions of dollars in playoff gate revenue, as well as the chance to convince him to stay there with the extra two-year on the extension kicker. Like, we can't act like $30 million is not a lot of money. So there's a lot of incentive for a team, like Detroit, if they trade for him, to say, we got a pretty good case to make that he stays with us and not just goes to Jersey eventually.

And maybe, maybe the greater tell might be if he goes somewhere, extends there, does Jack end up joining Quinn as opposed to the other way around? Now we're talking, man. Now we're talking. Although Luke just signed a long-term deal in Jersey, but maybe he's the third brother. Like, maybe he just doesn't count. But he's the run to the litter.

Little brother gets the run the short end sometimes. You never know. You never know. You stay in Jersey. You can come meet us when you're older if you want. Yeah. That's an interesting thought. I mean, it does, like, it sucks from Vancouver.

At the core of this, it sucks if you're a Kinnock fan, because that team is a mess. They got blown out by Detroit last night. Yeah. There weren't even booze because people just left. You know, like screw it. We're out of here. Yeah.

apathy is kicked in. If you're a fan, you just want Hughes to stick around, because if he leaves, what is left? I know Canucks fans have a connection to Pedersen. I understand that. They want to believe he will revert back to superstardom

and it's going to happen. I personally think that ship is sail. I just don't see it happening. What else are you loving there? What else are you connected to? It can't be Demko. He doesn't play enough. That sure is Hell Lane. EP40. That's what I'm saying. Like, what is. If you're a Canuck fan and Hughes, he's gone.

And he leaves, and you're like, why did we extend Demko? Why do we extend Besser? Why do we extend Connor Garland? Like, these moves were made with the intention to be good. And if you lose your best player, and he is miles in a way, their best player, and you look at the old with and without Quinn Hughes on the ice, they're like different teams. Right?

When he's out there, they're good. When he's out there, when he's not, they're not so good. And even with them, they're in last place. So all those contracts, all that future planning doesn't make a lot of sense. They would have been better off trading Demco, trading Garland, letting Bessor walk, whatever. If they were going to go down this road, those contractual commitments to the other players to surround Quinn Hughes to make it palatable for him to stay make no sense. So yes, it's a brutal situation. He's done nothing wrong.

He's been very upfront about what his wants are and how he wants to go about doing them. He's given them years of warning that it might go this way so they're not blindsiding them and they won't be prepared. But yeah, it's a tough situation for Vancouver because he's that good and he can control when he leaves and then they're going to be left sort of high and dry. And that team is sort of stuck in not good no man's land, which is a bad place to be.

Johnny, before we get you out of here, are you on some type of small aircraft or something? Where are you right now? Bell Center. Bell Center. Classic. I love it. Tampa and Tampa.

I'm on the Bell Center. Okay. There was someone chit-chattering through that whole interview. Who else? You have a stats guy up there? Brian Moodrick. Brian Moodrick was here.

He was talking. Muddy was talking. Well, he's got a big voice. Yeah. There's MP. So she's. she runs the show. Yeah, like this is, you know, you get me at the rink. There's going to be background noise, though. I'm sorry. It's best I can do.

That's the way it works, man. It does kind of look like it's like overhead. Yes, overhead bins above his head. Yeah, it's like a weird kind of look there. No, that's the bell center. Bell center, man. That'll be rocked at night. There we go. Best booth in the league. Best press box in the league. It's high. Without fail. It's high up there, man. It's way up there. How many dogs do you, how many dogs do you down at the internet?

I try to stay away from that. Oh, sometimes you get guilted into one before. I'm going to go eat now. And like sometimes you walk by, you can't help yourself. They're just sitting there, just waiting for you to grab them. And like, you grab one, you always grab two. Like you never have just one. If you're disciplined, you don't walk there during the intermission.

You stay away from that. But tonight, you know, I probably have two. I'll probably have two. I'm wondering what the NHL record is for someone that was a healthy scratch. that was really hung over from the night before and was a monster. I bet you somebody's had 30. 12. No.

I bet you're some monster that was healthy scratch, maybe a tough guy or something, who was 270, has had 30 dogs during the game. Third dogs. Oh, like, when they would bring in the tray, when they would bring in the tray after the game into the visiting room, how many dogs would be on that tray?

60? 80? Like, they'd bring a box. of them in for people like there'd be a hundred for the 35 people in the dress room so yeah you can do big numbers they're very small like little one-timers oh yeah i think back at the forum it's more likely though wouldn't it like i don't know about modern-day athletes but you go back 30 years ago yes is true that must have been something like then that's when you really had big nights too and he didn't worry about cameras or anything it would have been crazy between cigarettes they'd be

having their hot dog post game absolutely and it just blend into the building so no one would know. I bet you some guys left the Shea and talked about breaking into the Bell Center to get their hands on some of those. Someone thought about it, breaking into the Bell Center to make some shots. Fire up the grill. How do you get in there? All right, Johnny, well, enjoy yourself tonight.

Say how to money in the whole crew. We'll do it again later in the week. All right, fellas. Have a week. There he is, Mike Johnson, joining us from the Maple Toyota Hotline. Get in and go where adventure takes you in a new 2025 to be. coma from maple Toyota near Canada's Wonderland and the Maple Auto Mall visit maple toyota.com confirm with the nice still to come rappers nicks tonight and again

leaps back in action later this week we got Tampa and Montreal tonight we got the Oilers plan you got Colorado and Nashville tonight like that could be destructive that could be point night for McCar and McKinnon so more on that still to come overdrive continues up on YouTube live every year it's the same I get socks. You get socks. We all get socks. Not me. This year, I got more. More socks? More for less. Virgin Plus hooked me up with an affordable

phone plan and member benefits on food, fashion, and entertainment. So while I'm knee-deep in snow and novelty socks, you're unwrapping deals all season? Exactly. It's the gift that keeps on giving. Get more for less this holiday season with affordable phone plans and member benefits you'll love.

Virgin Plus, obviously. Visit a Virgin Plus store or virginplus.ca for details. Place an extra plate at the Christmas table for unexpected guests. Norwegians hide Broom's Christmas Eve to avoid being taken by witches. European holiday traditions are many, but one is shared by all. Authentic European foods. This Christmas, bring the taste of Europe home for the holidays. Shop yummy market for rare European groceries and freshly prepared dishes made in store from scratch.

Yummy Market. In North York at 4,400 Dufferin Street and Vaughn at 1390 Major McKenzie, east of Dufferin. Visit yummymarket.com for their holiday menu. I can neither confirm or deny that this is in fact a segment. Austin trades Andrew Raycroft to Toronto in exchange for the rights to Tuka Rask. It's been my honor and a privilege to serve as the general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs Hockey Club. It's time for confirm or deny. Do you regret giving all those gentlemen the no trades or no movement clauses?

I can either confirm or deny that. I can't confirm or deny. All right, quick confirm or deny on the fly, because we haven't mentioned it yet. Confirm or deny Bobby McMahon will get suspended for his little high stick last night. He better not get suspended. All I would do is play a tape of Jacob Trubo going to Top Golf on Trent Frederick's head in New York, Madison Square Garden. And I would say, that's a suspension. It's a good hack.

It's a high stick. I mean, he got kicked out of the game. We got a match penalty for it. I think that was sufficient for it. Like, I don't, the way they're handing out fines these days, but I don't know. It seems like when you get a call from George, I think you're getting one. Yeah, and it's going to lead to that. Where do you stand on it, Strud?

Yeah, no, I don't think he's going to suspend it. I think he's lucky because I think he had intention to pop him on the head, but he missed. So I think for that reason, I'd only suspend him. But with a very, what was it, five grand? And his fee, buddy, be very careful with your sick. because I don't like stick work at all. Now, if you slashing the legs, no problem. But slashing to the heads, I've got a real problem with it.

Yeah, he knew what he was doing. Like, he missed. Yeah, it's not an accident. No, it wasn't. Like, he was reacting. He popped the guy. If he got suspended, I would not be shocked by that. I wouldn't be overly disappointed, but it's a gray area, man.

It's really close. And it's so tough to get a read on the league. It's like anything they do, you know, goaltender interference, what's this? You have no idea which way it's going to go. It's a complete crapshoot with the NHL every time on kind of big events. All right, confirm and deny one of the Maple Leafs or the Oilers will finish first in the respective divisions. I cannot even believe that I'm saying this right now, but I'm going to confirm it because I think the oil, I don't know how the hell they do it every year.

They really got me to, and I just lost all credibility on the quiz. Because two weeks ago on the quiz, they were playing so bad, and it was warranted. I said zero percent chance of making the playoffs. They were that bad. What? I said zero percent chance. They couldn't get a save. They really looked like they had just packed it in.

I know it was early, but it was strutty. You have to admit, it was tough sledding watching those guys. It was as bad as it's ever been. And I had no idea the headspace of Stu Skinner. I still don't, but they feel like they could just start. ripping off some wins here and climb up to the top. And the same for the Leafs. It's a crapshoot, man.

And I think it's either one of these teams they can maybe do it, which I'm shocked. I'm even saying the way they were both playing. Yeah, I think both teams have lottery balls. So I'm going to confirm it as well. I think they've got a chance to do it. In the case of the Leafs, I think it's a little bit more inflexible what they're going on in their division. With the Oilers, I think it's them in Vegas.

But the older, he's got to remember. They got Jack Rossovink. This guy is not playing right now. and he may be the top six forward they've been needing. He may be, right? I'd like to say a little bit bigger body. You know, a guy I think they could get, that would make a lot of sense, Alex Tuck.

Obviously, that'd be very expensive. And then they're also without cap on it. And what are you thinking? He's a big body. They can skate, add speed to the lineup. And then on the back, and they've got Jake Wallman, who's been out for a while too. And really hasn't really had a chance to get on track.

So there's two, maybe three important players of their lineup. And they're finally playing. better in front of this. Puck management, defending way better. That's not just the D-Men. It's everybody. So I think if they continue this on,

you guys are positive. You guys are positive guys. I can't get there quite yet because of a week and a half of good play. That's a smart answer. We're idiots. I'm emotional and I'm recency bias and it's stupid talk to even say that.

Well, listen, they both have a shot. They could backstab me and just start playing like garbage again, both of them. Yeah, I'll deny it. Like the goal tend to, whoever wins the division and listen Vegas is goaltending I don't know what's going on like Carter Hart's actually

been very good in the two games he's won but I don't know what that's going to look like all year Aden Hill you know I don't know I feel like in the Atlantic whoever has the best goaltending they're going to win the division right if it's Vasilevsky comes back healthy heater if Allmark plays well

if Montembow or Dobish now at Toronto you know they're on their third string goalie but Hildaby he's got some Jordan Bennington vibes right now right like shows up when they're in the dumps red hot kind of a guy that came out of nowhere not someone you're expecting it's probably a little bit premature to officially label him the next binnington but you know same kind of vibes in 19 barouba behind a bench um but there's just there's other teams that are right there the leaps are playing much better edmonton's playing much better

in two weeks i may confirm this but i can't do it quite yet when they're still not even been there yet. Edmonton's barely in the playoffs. The Leafs are still on the outside looking in. I get it. 50 plus games to go. A lot of things are going to change. But too many tickets the other way. Like Anaheim continues to be pretty good, Strud. Like you said Vegas, and it very well

could be Vegas that wins it or Edmonton, but Anaheim keeps rolling. Yeah, they're not slowing down. They're not slowing down. They're not slowing down. My concern is that they've got some good D, but some of them are taking on quite a bit of water back there. And I'm a little bit worried about that. Lots of firepower,

Categoche, great story. Carlson, man. He's in a heart race right now, that Leo Carlson kid. He's, uh, worried about the Dia bit. We're all in Zellbiger, though. That guy's a player, man.

I love the way he plays. The Kings are picking up steam a little bit too, right? Like, they're, anyway, there's races. And it's great that Edmonton and Toronto are even in the conversation. All right. Confirm to deny. Shadour Sanders will be the Brown's starting quarterback week one next season.

Not a chance. I totally deny this. I think they're just trying to get by and they're telling everybody and making a statement saying they gave them a chance, but I have no idea how they move forward. He played great this past weekend, in a loss, but he played very well.

He's going to start the rest of the year for them, but I don't know. Like is Gabriel the guy or like Watson's never playing for them ever again? You don't think Deshaun Watson's ever coming back? Never. He'll come back because he's guaranteed money. So he's going to cash checks, but I don't think he plays it. How could you trust that guy?

Like, how could you ever put him back on the field? It's a disaster. Probably the worst trade in the history of the NFL, maybe in the history of sports. My favorite thing about that guy is him posting videos last year when he was on vacation. Oh, all the time. Oh, he loved it, man. Yeah. I just wanted to say to him, do you not have any idea?

He's rehabbing. He's just, he's rehabbing. I ain't rehabbing. You know, the Red Sox might challenge you for the worst trade. right, getting Babe Ruth to the... Yeah, that's true. Maybe the mokey pets deal. Maybe that's one I would take over, a do-over.

Possibly. Listen, the Browns seem to do things their own special way. And I have really no idea what they're going to do. I couldn't believe they drafted Shadour in the first place. I think he comes with a lot of noise around him, and I think it's difficult when you're a team like the Browns or you have a player with a lot of noise around. Is it worth it?

Well, let's find out. Let's take a look at the rest of the year. Let's say he does play well. The Browns may still find a noise. other option they think is better than him. So I'm going to deny it just because the unpredictability of that franchise. It just seems like he's going to be a kind of

a James Winston type of quarterback where it's like he's going to buy you some time. He's going to get you to a certain point. But the whole league is a quarterback league. And if you don't have a guy to get you to a certain promised land, you're just, you're wasting a bunch of years for the organization, putting a guy behind center like that.

That's possible. Again, it's so early in his career where it's difficult to project if he's even going to get to that point. Like a guy like James, James went first overall, too, right? And he's been in the league a long time. But I'm actually going to confirm this because now they've given, they're going to let them start the rest of the year. It's not a ton of games. Got four games left or whatever.

But they don't have, like Watson's not the answer. Dylan Gabriel is a guy he'll compete with, but Gabriel's not a guarantee. He was a third round pick. He's a project. And if Sanders plays well down the stretch, I think the market will start to kind of back him up. a little bit and that is an ownership like you said strud that i think buys into that i think they listen to the mob i think they listen to the crowd uh which would probably benefit him all right confirm it then i matthew nyes should make team usaa 14 forwards can go right

i just need some type of idea who's on left wing you're talking about Kyle connor one of the good Chuck brothers Connor probably Jack Hughes would play left wing I think well he didn't he didn't play very well

no and he's coming off an injury do you think he's a lock I know that's not what we're talking about here but I really don't know if he's a lock I don't know you have to look at past performance

and say can I really trust that guy is he going to be like a they put Chris Kreider in the lineup in the last game I don't know if Chris Kreider's playing pretty well is he still an option for billy garron i don't know yeah but i'm going to confirm that he's going to make that team jay gensel's a guy that will make it for sure yes um but then yeah you're looking at i don't know is j t miller make it get pushed to the left side does matt boldie does boldie make it overnise jt miller has had a very underwhelming season yeah i'm not sure i don't

think he's going to make the team like he he's been disastrous at times now the rangers are playing better you know and he's a captain of of that team, but I don't know. I'm a little bit biased, but I will confirm it because I wonder about the Matthews conversation, which isn't nearly as prominent because Matthews isn't playing at the same level. But we have the Hyman-McDavid chat all the time. Sure. You know, make them comfortable.

They know each other. You know, is that a scenario where Team USA could look at it and say, okay, who else can we put with them to connect on that line? I don't know. Like, does Trocheck make it again? Does Brock Nelson make it again? It's a numbers game. but he's had a very good year, and he's a young guy.

Yeah, so listen, I'm going to deny it, and that's not, it's not, I get the player, I like the player, and I'm assuming everyone's healthy. Everyone who named, let's just assume they're all available and healthy, just so we can't, we can't get into that. I think when I look at it, I wonder, where does he fit in, right? What's his role? Well, where does he fit in? It plays with Austin Matthews every day.

I don't know, but is he the best option to play with Austin Matthews in that moment? That's the question. And that sounds like a slight on Nyes, and that's, It's not my intention here at all. I'm just, when I'm building that team out, is that the guy I want beside Austin Matthews, who I'm probably hoping or expecting to be quite offensive and kind of dominate lines? So that's where it gets tricky. Well, let me throw out some other names here.

Cole Caulfield. Again, forget left wing, right wing, just players. Caulfield's been better this year. Like, for me, Coffield's played his way onto this team. I think it would be a difficult explanation as to why he wouldn't be there. I wouldn't say that he has played his way on. of the team based on what his size or based on i don't know if he's just an afterthought in previous years and like just it's just not happening billy garron has a certain idea for the team i i don't

think his excellent performance just assures he's going to get on the team i really don't okay um what about jason robertson who's having a great year wasn't at the four nations like he's having a great year robertson i i don't think he would be a guarantee either look they were one goal away do you think they want to make a bunch of changes i don't know is jason going to take over for a guy like j t miller i'm not sure that's the debate like right there that's that that's brought nelson make it again who's played pretty well decently this year team yeah he's been great you know on a very good team uh does clayton keller make the team does alex de brinket make the team you know those are guys they weren't on it four nations yeah i i don't

I don't think Billy Garron wants to deviate too far off the roster that he had. They're one shot away. Well, I would agree with that. And again, with Nyes, what he has over Caulfield, the brinket, guys like Keller, he's big, man. It's a big guy. If you're looking for a guy that would fit the mold, he would be the guy. Right. You know what?

You've actually maybe talked me into it. I think you've talked me into that one. So I'm going to switch my vote to confirm. The size does make a difference. So I think back to it, now the rings are going to be slightly smaller, not that that is a massive difference, but it does make a little bit of difference, right? Especially depending where those feet come out. Is the neutral zone or the end zones?

All right. Well, with that in mind, let me get to this final one here, Joe. Confirming to deny, Connor Bedard should make Team Canada over Tom Wilson. Comes down to those two guys. Only one can make it. Is Sam Bennett in this team in this world? I can't really give you that answer. Let's say he is, sure.

Well, I think you're Conor Badard or Wilson. It comes down, it's like we can take one of these guys. We're looking for the 14th forward. It's one of these two. That's unfair, man. It's a legit debate, though, I think they'd be having right now. I'm going to confirm it because Tom Wilson is unlike other players on this team.

We just talked about Matthew Nice. He's huge. He can hit like a truck. I think he's trying to show that he can be physical and still be disciplined. He can score, whereas there's other players like Conner Bedard

on this team that are highly skilled. So if I'm looking for something different, I'm going to bring Tom Wilson. I personally have Tom Wilson on this team for sure. Now, I don't know if it's going to be at the expense of Conner-Badar and Mike. And that's the nature of this bit, but maybe they're both on it.

But yeah, Wilson, I mean, he's having a great year again. He's a leader on a winning team. He's, you know, he's tough as nails. But fight, like we talked about, today. Fighting is not a factor. You got to trust he's not going to throw a hit that leads to a five-minute penalty in a big game, right? Because he's prone

to that. These are all debates they're having right now. Who are you taking? If you're sitting in an office and somebody that came in and said you've got to take one of these guys, who's it going to be going to take? I would take Bedard. Let's say Celebrini's on the team already. I think Celebrini's there.

For me, Celebrity's a lot. The way he plays, the way he's playing. Move him to the left wing with one of your best players. It's just a I don't understand why people are saying Celebrini's a lock, but Baddard isn't. Because I just think Celebrini plays, he's a better checker, in my opinion. He's more dogged on pucks. Like, Bedard, you know, like he, Celebrini, you've watched him play.

He's got a Sid Motor, you know, like, and I just think he can fit anywhere where Badard, it may be different. Like, it may, they may not trust him fourth line, penalty killing, you know, taking draws. Not that I would expect either got to take draws on a team like this. But, you know, they might. It might have to, but you know what I mean. Like, it's going to be McDavid. It's going to be McKinnon.

McKinnon. Yeah, guys like that. If Suzuki's on it, he'll take a draw over those two guys. Pointing points in there. Yeah, end point, exactly. I don't know. I think it's a great debate. It's a great problem to have.

Who's coming? Wilson or Bedard? I said Wilson. I'm taking Bard. I'm taking Bard. Because of the nature of the Olympics. I'm never turning my back on Tommy Wilson. He's one of my favorite players in the NHL.

I can't do it. I hear you. somewhat rich recently he's going to be mad at me so well listen they're all great players and we just talked about the Americans like there's like there's a chance Cole Koff who he could score 50 this year

or close to it and he can be at home may not make the team you know um it's it's not about it's not an all-star game and you got to brought up a great point it's amazing how in that tournament how good those players are on their own club teams and how ordinary everybody looked

was like past check hit no space in the neutral zone dump it in get off like there was not a lot going on out there there were some exciting stuff clearly but don't make a mistake don't so fast don't be one of those guys to give your opponent like that one gift like a pizza up the middle a miss check well they can kill you one just he kills you right it's incredible how fast it is i can't wait to see it it's going to be great now was john cooper's famous clip he was miced up someone go out make a play someone like he's yelling at the guys who make plays in their sleep begging i don't imagine a play you know like try something that's what it was going to win

it somebody had to make a play and Mitch marner sniffed out that rim and he got it and passed it and then macjesus did the rest david ended it absolutely all right there you go confirm it then i best bets coming up overdrive continues tsn 50 and on tsn4 every year it's the same i get socks you get socks we all get socks not me this year i got More. More socks? More for less. Virgin Plus hooked me up with an affordable phone plan and member benefits on food, fashion, and entertainment. So while I'm knee-deep in snow and novelty socks, you're unwrapping deals all season? Exactly. It's the gift that keeps on giving. Get more for less this holiday season with affordable phone plans and member benefits you'll love. Virgin Plus, obviously. Visit a Virgin Plus store or virginplus.ca for details. European flavor. How would you describe it? Rich, savory, hearty? How about it? How about it? How yummy. Yummy Market is your destination for authentic European foods.

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game parlay in seconds on the Fandu's sports book app. I hit on a overtime prediction last week. I'm going back to the well. Tampa, Montreal, overtime tonight. Tampa's lost four in a row. John Cooper, not happy. Back to back, they're on a third string goalie. The haves are sitting there waiting for them. I think

the haves will play well. I think Tampa plays a lot better tonight. Close game. Someone scores late, pushes it to overtime. Overtime at the Bell Center tonight. And I would parlay that with Tampa winning in overtime or shoot out. I think Tampa gets on the board tonight, but screams three-point game this evening.

Best bets powered by Fandu. Make your bets and assemble the same game parlay in seconds on the Fanduil Sportsbook gap. Please play responsibly 19-plus, physically located in Ontario. All right. We got Edmonton playing tonight, Colorado, Habs, Tampa. We got the Rappers playing the Knicks, NBA Cup quarterfinal down at Scotia Bank. And Philip Rivers might be back in the NFL.

We'll get to that later in the week at 44 years old. Pretty incredible stuff. How about that? If he can make a comeback, you guys got to at least think about it. It's possible. He won't be having any more kids. I think the guy's got 10 kids. I think he might have a grandchild.

Yeah. What's more incredible? I'm pretty sure Philip Rivers is a grandfather. No, he has 10 kids are coming back. It's insane, man. 44. Grandfather, he's slinging it, man. Slinging it.

It's incredible. All right, Strutt. Good seeing you, man. As always, thank you for doing this. Noodles will be back tomorrow to address what could be a concerning development. We've got a clip for you tomorrow. Noodles, we'll address it. What?

It's from Rob Ray. All right, that's what we'll say. We'll address it tomorrow. All right, we're out of here. Thank you to everyone on the show and everyone behind the scenes. Everyone for tuning in today, TV Radio, podcast, web, and up on YouTube live. We're out of here. Enjoy your evenings.

Enjoy the games tonight. We're back tomorrow at 4 p.m. We'll chat then. The lights are twinkling. The playlist. Sparkling. I Heart the Holidays is here. Canada's home for Christmas music with non-stop festive favorites, 24-7.

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