OverDrive - OverDrive - February 18, 2025 - Hour 1

Episode Date: February 18, 2025

Join Michael DiStefano, Jeff O'Neill and Jamie McLennan for Hour 1 on OverDrive! The guys discuss Canada and USA's matchup, the brawls to start the game and the 4 Nations Face-Off Championship Game headlines for the matchup. TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston joins to discuss Canada and USA's game, Quinn Hughes playing for USA with Charlie McAvoy's status and the rash of injuries in the tournament and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. failing to reach a contract extension in Toronto.

Wow, you've got the latest model! Nice! Ah, you should see it run! Bell PureFiber? Yep. Sheesh, that's got power! It's Canada's fastest and most trusted internet service. Cool if I give it a test drive? Promise you won't share the password?

Switch to Bell PureFiber, Canada's fastest internet, awarded by UCCLA. Starting from $60 a month. Visit bell.ca for more details and to check availability. Bell, internet just got better. This Hour of Overdrive is powered by FanDuel. FanDuel, bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score. Overdrive off and running on a Tuesday, coming off a family day long weekend and it was a family affair Saturday night at the Bell Center.

A Mike DiStefano aka Al's brother filling in for Hazy B. We got Jamie Noodles McClellan and Jeff O'Neill the O-Dog. What's going on guys? How was your weekend? Not much. You were right about the craziness on Saturday and I've got a bunch of things to say about this Four Nations but whose ever idea it was bravo because like I don't know if it was Gary sitting in a boardroom with

Bill Daley or one of his people that came up with the idea but to see the people in Montreal with all the jerseys and to see how into it, obviously the game spoke for itself, the craziness, but I don't know why it took so long to come up with something like that, you can tell the players were obviously crazy for it but just to see the excitement of the fans, all the Sweden jerseys, all the Finn jerseys, the USA. I mean, I'll tell you what, the game, I mean, John Cooper wasn't kidding when he said the game is just better off that this game happened. The whole thing, the whole tournament's been incredible to watch.

It is. Honestly, and I was skeptical. I don't know if you heard me ever talk about it at AAB. Like I was like, I, you know, we kept saying best on best and I'm like, okay Russia's not in it You know dry side was not playing. Yeah, like it just you know to me, so I I'm I was wrong I didn't think guys would you know, this is a bad saying but piss a drop I didn't think guys would really I thought it was gonna be a glorified all-star game I don't know how you guys felt. Oh, you were expelled. I did not see three fights in the first whatever that was.

Nine seconds into the game, it was insanity. Absolutely insanity. I know, the first one happened guys and it's like, okay we got a serious deal here. These guys both want to make a statement, the Kachucks want to make a statement and then all of a sudden it was like, okay you got one fight out of your system that'll do it and then there's the other guy Brady was basically screaming at Sam Bennett to come on the ice off the bench and they're just standing there and all the players knew it was coming it's like they started a sword fight before the puck even dropped and then it was mayhem and then you could see Miller who was like I

need to get this out of my system too and that guy was running around like a crazy he would have fought the ref if he couldn't fight the regal he's like I'm not coming off the ice until I fight and it was just like nine seconds then you just watch all the guys in the penalty box and it's like I wondered how the game would unfold after that. Would it just be like a big lull because of that emotion or would it be a crappy game? And then on top of that, Connor McDavid wheels down the ice and scores the best goal of the tournament.

Oh, beautiful. And the crowd in Montreal, when they're amped up on a Saturday, there's no better crowd in sports. Sorry, people in this area, but that's just the truth. That place went absolutely bonkers. And when that guy scored that goal, I'm like, maybe Canada, they really needed to capitalize on that goal. Like if they could have piled on top and got one or two in the first, maybe it could have been curtains on the night.

But the USA, man, they played for keeps like the USA that hockey that's going on in Montreal and Boston, that is big boy hockey. If you're into what I call it, I said the guys in the tournament that play mini sticks in the hallway, like they're at a peewee tournament, they're not effective. Like you can tell who they are and they're invisible. There's no time and space. They get hit and they don't make plays and they're invisible. There's no time and space they get hit and they don't make plays and they're not effective And it's not hard to pick out who those guys are like it's big boys stuff like Sam Bennett a player like Sam Bennett I'm so glad that guy came in the lineup that guy's not that big of a man But he plays like he's six foot four incredible like that Jake Gensel

People think of Jake Gensel as just like a skilled guy a left-handed shot that's in june was spearing guys cross checking guys like two-handed guys in the back of the legs screaming and yelling at the wrap and i'll tell you the last thing that brendan hagel here in some be here in some points of my mind as that i i just thought of him as like the skilled guy from tampa gets his 35 and when he dropped the gloves on I had to look at him like who is that and it was Hagel and I was

like that is, I totally changed my opinion of that guy. What I loved about it was what he had to say afterward like you catch him in the intermission and he's like yeah I wasn't backing down from him. Like he was not going to back down from that fight. Then even today I think we have the audio of it if we want to play it. He's out here talking about like why we play here's Brandon Hagel today talking about you know fighting for the country. No I think it's gonna be the same way I think it's two countries I mean listen what happened

what happened the other night I think I did it for the flag and not for the cameras I Love that comment. I love it so much Well, I think it goes on to talk about you know We don't have group chats over here, which obviously is a reference to the group chat moment That was going viral with the Kachaks, but I love it and Brandon Hagel He's making big-time fans out here in Canada Isn't he with with the fight going up against Kachuk and it was a pretty good spirited tilt to really set the tone And then to come out with comments like that. He's making a lot of fans up here up north listen

They're playing for keeps and on both sides, so I got to give the US credit to like those guys I'm good. I mean like damn good. You know what there's not a lot of weakness in that lineup I will say this oh what you and I were talking earlier, like, I think Team Canada can win this. You know, you look at the injuries that US has, you know, it's tough, oh, you'd mention it's tough to run the table, beat the same team twice. Jamie, every time I've sat with Bob McKenzie and a lot of World Juniors, and he's always made one comment, it's difficult in a tournament like this to beat the same team twice.

So if you get your licks in early and you're going to face them again, it's difficult to close them out again. And it's just a Bob McKenzie comment. It's a really good comment and it usually proves true in a tournament like this. Can Canada pull it off? I would say there's still an underdog in Boston and the most important part of the game is Going to be how they withstand the first ten minutes of the hockey game Because the United States is going to come out and they're going to be absolutely try to run them out of the building

They're trying to try to gain momentum They started quickly again against Sweden yesterday, but they didn't get the job done. But they're going to come out, they know it's the rematch, they're on their turf now. How Canada responds in that first 10 minutes if they can break even, be up or down only one, it's going to be all the... If they get blown out in the first 10 minutes, the game will be over. And you know what? I don't think this is the elephant in the room. Like Bennington's got to make the saves that he should, right?

Like, that's the difference, right? You know, that game, Saturday night, you're one save away, right? Like, you know, we all didn't love the Gensel goal. I thought Hellebuck made a couple big, big saves, especially on the power play, in tight, jamming away, but that's, we're showing it right now. You got to make that save. Like that's through the body, even he knows it right now you got to make that safe like that's through the body even he knows it he's got to make that safe but that being said well you know can it only scored one goal so you got to find

a way to to to be better as well there was just so much to unpack I know and you're what there was big but that McAvoy like he hit McDavid twice but David was horizontal four times four times he got a four-time got across bt on our play behind i was sitting beside ryan rushog and he said i've never seen that guy hit like that once let alone four times macabre was all over him and now guys we have the circus going on in boston where it doesn't seem like macavoy can play no

they're flying in queen he was like are they get a tanya harding one of their other that's what i was gonna say i think that i would like how good is a player have to be to tanya harding one of your own defense and so they can play honestly though like why does it have to get to that like we're at a point here where first of all, Quinn Hughes was selected to the team originally, so why have to go through the rigmarole to get him into the lineup? Doesn't make sense to me. Thomas Harley, I could understand that.

He wasn't originally selected, and he would come in as a replacement. But Al's brother, it was all laughable. It was almost like they were making up different rules as each day went on. They seem to be doing that. Like, Dreggs was like, yeah, he can he can't I think drags found it humorous to he's like yeah Thomas Harley can't come from Boston to Montreal and then my car was sick and their drags is like Harleys in Montreal they decided that that was okay And then Harley was behind a door watching practice and as soon as my car skated off he skated on I'm like

How goofy is this they clearly didn't know what to do and they were making up stuff like as the days went on. Yeah I would just it's best on best hockey I mean like a guy like Quinn Hughes deserves to be there if he's healthy I mean the reason why he wasn't there to start the tournament is because he wasn't healthy you gave him that full week off he was able to rest recover let him fly in into this game like especially now that McAvoy is going to be out, right? They have to respond and they have to fill in that spot somehow. And there's no better way for the Americans to do that than putting in Quinn Hughes.

And you know what, like I've talked to a couple GMs already. I mean, they're holding their breath. I mean, these injuries aren't just like these these aren't fourth liners that are getting injured. Boston's in one, they're trying to make the playoffs and McEvoy, by all accounts, spent the night in the hospital last night. Kachuk's back, both Kachuk's are banged up. Austin Matthews, that kind of just flew under the radar.

I think it was the coach Mike Sullivan's like, yeah, McEvoy, Matthews, upper body injuries. Yeah, we'll be, I think everybody in Toronto's like what like because I read that I was like What are we dealing with here? And then they backed it off going all he's fine play Thursday And I don't read anything into Matthews not playing the other day because the game meant nothing like they were going to the finals They could have picked anybody obviously McAvoy seems like he's injured But isn't the latest report that Quinn Hughes is not eligible to play on Thursday night? Isn't that the latest?

They gotta wait to see if some injury occurs similar to the way that Thomas Harley happened. Well, dude, how greasy will it be if all of a sudden, like, James Sanderson... Sniffles. He's got the sniffles tomorrow. He's gonna wake up with a little pink in his neck. Wow. Like, that would be a greasy thing to do to the kid and I like I don't like that but I think if this guy's flying from Vancouver to Boston he's putting his gear on Thursday night yeah I agree like

but but he should be able to I know the these this is a made-up tournament they could change the rules on the fly like it's not like set in stone this they don't have to go to some massive committee and go, hey, we got to get this pushed through or have some hearing at midnight. They go, yeah, okay, like you've got four teams and four nations and this is a league created event. You can add it in. And Quinn Hughes, you've mentioned it, for these countries, this is their best so Quinn Hughes was originally selected to the team he should be able to play and expand the

rosters for the final game go yeah bring your 20 your best 25 your best 27 put 20 on the ice let's see if you can win that's the way I look at it I completely agree and I'm not sure why there's such you know red tape when it comes to this it just makes no sense Let's get the best players out on the ice and Realistically, I'm curious though because you watch that game Saturday night I mean this is gonna be a difficult game to live up to I guess now there's even more on the line with the championship But like how do you follow up Saturday with with you know an even better banger tomorrow night is that even possible?

I don't think that they're nonsense that happened on Saturday night. I don't know if you're going to duplicate that. I don't yeah I don't know if one team wants to risk like getting an extra two and starting the game short-handed as crazy and by the way it's I love how all the the rough and tough hockey fans crawled out from underneath rocks and said, oh, that's so amazing. I love that. Sock em hockey. All the turkeys that are like, that's ruining the game. It's disgusting.

They're all like, man, that was really awesome. It was like, I don't know, all of a sudden, all those guys are, all the nerds are back being hockey fans because of that. Anyway, I don't think that's going to happen again on Thursday night. Although, I wouldn't put it past these guys to just start the game crazy again, but I just don't think it's going to happen.

I think there'll be lots of scrums. I think there'll be lots of pushing and John and that. But the one thing that really surprised me guys was the intensity. I did not, what do you always say, else brother? I don't see that happening. I just don't see that happening. I don't see it happening I did I did not see that happening I thought this was gonna be intense But guys were gonna play hard and it was gonna be a nice snow hitter lots of speed and you know some skill on display Guys were playing for keeps and you know, and it wasn't just Canada USA Jamie

It was Canada Finland USA Sweden. It was like we're playing this we're not going to embarrass ourselves. I mean you see the mess that the NBA has got themselves in with this All-Star game that they tried to put on again. It's beyond embarrassing. It was even the players that come out and said like Jokic came out and said that's enough like we this is done it's over we have to focus on something else. So the players said we're going to make this worth everybody's one one of the Kachuk brothers said they waited nine years for that hockey game And it obviously showed on Saturday night. It's just a great

It's just a great exhibition for the game. I think Jack Eichel who's won a Stanley Cup mind you and it could be prisoner of the moment Comments, but I think Jack Eichel came out and said does he be the biggest game in my life? You know, it could be prisoner of the moment comments But I think Jack Eichel came out and said this would be the biggest game of my life Like guys want a Stanley Cup exactly and he's saying stuff like this now if you ask him ten years down the line Would you rather that that ring or your cup ring? He might have a different story a different answer But it's gonna be a hell of a game and I mean you look at it from a Canadian perspective Like yes, I think you look at there was definitely some things that they need to clean up

I like what we saw yesterday john cooper change up the lines you know marter dropped off that line you ended up putting uh... brain points up with karmic david you saw some offense start to generate they finally got the got a go and scored some goals but this difference that is going to be made here is kill mccarr is gonna play in this game saturday night her thursday needed not on saturday that would be a massive well addition to the team obviously.

100%. If you get McCarr back, they also know how to play. They know how the game is going to be played. So I think, oh you said you thought that Canada would be underdogs. I think Canada might have the edge. You got nothing to lose on the road. You go in and- I only said that Jamie because they lost on saturday night you're you're and they're

in the states you're right it was a one goal game though and to me i don't know what saturday night yes the building was electric it'll be electric in boston but these guys have played playoff games jordan bennington went into boston and won a game seven on the road like the Again, it was gonna have to do that. You're right because I thought he was just okay. I thought he made some good saves They made it interesting yesterday like that. I thought that was gonna be a shout out I tried to explain it on SportsCenter last night It was like the the empty net goals are score effects and you've got the odd man advantage and there's talented players out there

But it seems like the Lindell goal led to that craziness if he just yeah And I know the guy was on a sharp angle and he's a pretty good player But I don't know you don't see a ton of guys Defensemen especially score that goal and that leads to that craziness and it always seems like every game. He's got craziness and it always seems like every game he's got 92% of the game locked down and then there's just that one there's been that one goal against the Swedes it was Kempe against the States it was Gensel and against the Finns it was Lindell there and it's like it's it's he's almost got it covered and the players and the coaches have talked about the margins being razor-thin and

if you play your nuts off And you've got a 2-1 win, and he lets up a soft what it could cost you the tournament so I agree I keep saying great performance, but there was that one that one might cost them everything So he's got to lock it down And you'd have to think that hella buck is gonna be dialed in on Thursday night, so yeah, it could be that one play That's what's special about the game that's what brings out the intensity because every time you're on the ice and you touch the puck it could be a factor on the winning side or the losing that's why those guys are the best players on earth

I kept thinking and this is gonna be more of a conversation let's call it for next week you see this Sydney Kros Krosby playing for keeps and he closed the game out yesterday. That's the best empty net goal I've ever seen. And that's the way if you're a kid watching or listening, that's why you screw around and do little stuff with intensity. He hits the guy, he gets up, he grabs it with his hand, he throws it on the ice and he whips it down to the net. Like that guy's been amazing.

Sid the Kid has been unbelievable. So this is, and we can kick the can down the road. You have to think at some point, like he goes, I'm coming off this tournament and I'm going back to Pittsburgh and we've got no, like to me there's got, I don't know. Ignite the fire back in Sid? He sees his buddy, he just spent two weeks with mccann with mccannan in the car do you think he passed it to the slot yesterday don't you think he saw that was like all

you know i want to do that some more we will i'm telling you that they don't be uh... you know one of our segments in the future because they to me these guys are getting a little taste that there's the you know they get to know guys in other teams not that they don't know them already but a guy in Sid's position not going to make the playoffs he has to be looking and go maybe there is a sniff that I would move on.

I don't know. I'm not making the playoffs this year. He's not making the playoffs his second last year and he's not making the playoffs his last year. Why in the hell would Sid the kid want to go out like that? That's a crazy, we've been talking about it for two years. Why do you want to go down that road? Get him out.

This guy turned into Brian Hayes over here. Look at you, old dog. Turning into Sid to Colorado. I just, I don't understand it. I know he's gone to bat saying we got to try to win one more time in Pittsburgh. Enough is enough. You're not making you're not even making the playoffs in Pittsburgh.

No. And regardless of whatever happens in that situation in the future, I think that's why we're seeing Sid play at the level he's playing at right now. Like he this is his Stanley Cup this year. He knows he's not going to compete unless something changes. He has that change of heart and he has to get out and go to Colorado or whatever But like this is his chance to win something to end his career essentially, you know Sure a couple years at the Olympics. He'll probably still be good enough to play there

But this is where you can really make meaningful, you know be meaningful contributor and still win and be the guy like to me I don't know like if you're looking at the MVP of the tournament right now Canada goes on to win I mean Sidney Crosby's got to be up on the top of the list right now. I think him and McKinnon have been the best players. Yeah I mean Sid has been a difference maker every game and to me that's what you need is a guy who's a difference maker and Ty will go to Sid if people go okay we think it's McKinnon we think it's Crosby Ty will go to Sid that's the okay. We think it's McKinnon. We think it's Crosby Ty will go to Sid That's the way I feel I think he's been that good, but I will say I

think tomorrow night is Set up the table is set I It's a McJesus moment. I it's a yeah, I think Sid's just gonna say you know what I've showed you the way thus far I think Sid's just gonna say, you know what? I've showed you the way thus far. It's now time for you to take the torch. And it's one of those best player in the world moments. And it is the four nations. It's not the Olympics, it's not the World Cup.

But this is a moment where you can just let everybody know that you are the best player in the world. I truly believe tomorrow night is Connor McDavid's moment. Yeah, he's got to have it. You're right. I mean, is it? No, it's Thursday. Thursday. Thursday. Thursday. I was like, I keep why they're taking two days off in between. I don't understand that's a dumb, dumb decision. And then they're back to action. Like they got to be back and playing Saturday night hockey. So much momentum to right now.

So much momentum. They now. So much momentum. They could just be right back at it tomorrow night. I get it, but at the end of the day, everyone will be watching. This has been great for hockey. I was wrong. I think there was a lot of people that were skeptical about it, but it's been great. There hasn't been really any negatives whatsoever. There has been individual negatives like this Patterson in Vancouver

I'd like he's in one like he was no good in the tournament now the fans are we play nine minutes yesterday He was a ghost yesterday. I felt bad I didn't feel bad for him, but like you're I was like you're digging a hole, Jr Like you're digging a big hole like he didn't look like he belonged in the tournament yesterday And I thought he would be one of the spotlight players Jamie You know how I talked about that guy the last five years like yeah, just a great elite talent but he is in no man's land right now, and it's not good and now he's got to go back to van and What the hell they gonna do because I don't know JT Miller and Pederson

It was like they were tracking towards being a cup contender. They got the coach. They had the record last season. And now Miller's with the New York Rangers, and this guy's game is nowhere to be found. So everyone's like, well, maybe Jimmy will trade him too. Good luck trading that guy right now with that ticket attached to him. Why would you even want to trade him at this point? But he makes

11.6. He's still young. I mean, at the end of the day, you've got to hope that he finds it, turns the clock back. I thought this tournament was going to be that chance to do that, though. Like, get that reset, get out of Vancouver, get into a different culture, different dressing room around different people, and a winning mentality around some of the guys that just did it. There's only one place it looks like

that he needs to get into, and that's a gym. Well, yeah. Honestly, he looks like a little kid out there where it's like he gets pushed around, not effective. His game is completely gone. It is completely gone. He is a third line, well, that's that tournament's the best of the best. It'll be different in the NHL, but not much. He was a third line player where

it was like minimal, minimal impact. Well, the crazy part is when you look at, let's look at Saturday night's game, there was eight first lines when you look at it, right? Like every one of those lines were like a first line in the NHL and I had somebody say this to me yesterday Or two days ago the shots were like 25 24 and you had the best players in the world play That's how little room there is out there. That's that's because those jack but both coaches said You guys are the most talented players in the world But you will not win this thing if you do not commit to both sides of the puck and they showed that they're both committed and It goes back to the margins being raised within and it goes back to one turn Sidney Crosby one of the best players to ever

Play had the one turnover. That was the difference in the score Yeah Offed it up just inside the blue line both coaches want their DS to be very. If one player crosses the blue line and butchers a pass, you're gonna be screwed because everybody's going the other way. Yeah, and it was fast. Like that game was fast. Yeah, it was one of the best games I've seen. It started off with a bang, three bangs actually, consecutively and then it really settled in. Connor scoreded board got the title erupting in

and what a game it turned out to be a me get part two again on thursday i'm excited for go ahead oh quickly noodles you talk about fast that nathan mckinnon i was sitting beside little jimmy in montreal and we're watching practice and this guy started skating up the ice i'm not kidding the whole building started to shake yeah this guy's a freakazoid when he gets cooking on the ice it was like thunderous the noise it was making I'm like that's like a horse coming around the corner it was like the building was

shaking I couldn't believe that guy in practice it was insane there's just so much power they cover that was at the overtime game against Sweden where a couple of times he went coast to coast it's just like this guy's something else like the power in his stride is unparalleled like you may got the speed in in McDavid but you got the power in McKinnon both of which gonna I think play a big part in in Thursday's game for Canada so we obviously will continue to tee that up throughout the show. Chris Johnson gonna come up on the other side. Johnny gonna join us at 505 and boys there was some some Blue Jays news somewhat non-news no extension for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Our boy

Keegan Matheson gonna join us in the six o'clock hour to go through that situation. All that more coming up. I'm Mike DeStefano with Noodles and O-Dog. You're watching Overdrive on TSN2 and on TSN1050. Overdrive continues on the TSN Radio Network and also up on TSN2. It's Mike DeStefano filling in for Brian Hayes, got Noodles and O-Dog with me, CJ Ojonis and JustDominic get back into what's going on at the Four Nations tournament, but before we went to break we were kind of talking about the Nonsense that went down in the last 24 hours between the Blue Jays and Vladimir Guerrero, Jr

So for those who were unaware there was a deadline set by Vlad E that he needed or wanted a contract extension Done by the time that they started spring training today we had their first full player full team spring training workout and no deal was done so as of now it appears that Vladimir Guerrero jr. will be heading to free agency next year and I'm sure a lot of Jays fans not too happy about that situation. Guys's people are ranting and raving about it there's some people that are like this management since saying blah blah blah and then they're like well i

wouldn't have really paid in that money yourself uh... i don't they've decided that they don't want to give them that money they are the only question i have is why don't you want to pay them and if you didn't want to pay him why didn't you trade him? That's a valid question. What the hell is the sense of letting him play out his tenure and then he just walks for nothing?

That would be insane. It's not trade him this year, it was like two years ago or whatever it was. You knew you weren't going to pay him or you didn't want to but I don't know, we can get into it later. It's crazy business to have him walk. Yeah, absolutely know we can get into it later it's just it's it's crazy businesses to have them walk yeah absolutely and yeah we'll get into it later we're gonna be joined by keegan matheson of mlb.com but now joining us on the line is our man chris johnson tsn hockey insider what's going on cj i don't know much guys how you doing we're doing well cj you've covered a

lot of hockey in your lifetime like Where did that game Saturday night stack up for you in terms of excitement and hype? And do you think Thursday can live up to what we saw on Saturday? Man, I hope so. I think it's going to be a pretty high bar though, difficult to probably top the way that all played out. But this is such a unique moment in time. It's been so long since players have had a chance to play in these tournaments.

Obviously, most of the guys on the ice are doing it really for the first time and are best on best for their country. You've got some of the political tensions and things going on and the anthem being booed. You start off with those fights. I mean, you couldn't recreate that if you tried. You know, now that they get a second chance at each other,

I just think the stakes are probably a little high to think that it's gonna top it. But, you know, part of what makes me excited sitting here on, you know, late Tuesday afternoon for a Thursday night game is I just don't know what's gonna happen. And as much as I was, you know, looking forward to that one Saturday, I wouldn't have guessed what we

saw in the first period especially I I don't really have anything to compare it to I mean the Olympics in Vancouver is probably the craziest buildings I've been in and the level of hockey and everything we saw this this isn't the Olympics but it was quite a spectacle and you know you can be sure that Canadian guys are excited to get another shot at the US after losing on the weekend. So CJ, what is the update as far as the McAvoy-Quinn-Hughes situation? Like why in the hell would Quinn-Hughes fly from Vancouver to Boston and not play?

I think if he's showing up at Boston, he's playing. I agree. Not play I think if he's showing up at Boston, he's playing I Agree, you know, I don't think he would come for one game as much as Everybody wants to be in the building that night You know Quinn Hughes has been through a long injury absence obviously the Canucks season is getting up and rolling again it doesn't make sense for him to come in just as a You know just just to watch the game and be a cheerleader and you know Obviously his brothers on the team and all those sorts of things.

But you have to think he's going to find his way in. Where it stands right now is what the league and the players association have said is basically there would have to be another injury for him to actually be activated and join the roster and have a chance to play. I don't know if that position is going to change, Joe Doug. I know you were in Montreal. You understand the rules have been kind of fluid on this thing. Maybe the US has another injury beyond what's going on with Charlie's backboard.

You're saying that loosely, CJ. Are these guys making up a playbook as each day goes on or what? I don't hate it though. I'm glad Canada didn't have to play a game with five defensemen at 13 forwards. I think that would have been absurd. And they were potentially in that position with, you know, the, the situation with my car after the or got injured, you know, they were able to avoid that.

Quinn Hughes was part of the American team was, you know, had to miss this tournament was, was ruled out on the last day, um, in favor of Jake Sanderson because of his injury. I mean, you know, there's, there to playing in to as great a player as he is. His last game, I believe, was January 31st and he hasn't been part of the team. So, you know, we'll see how it all shakes out here. But I'm with you in O-Dog just without, can't report anything, but feels like he wouldn't come all this way just

to just to watch the game from the press box of the stands. CJ, how nervous is a bunch of general managers throughout the league seeing all these injuries or potential injuries go down right now? Well, the general managers are getting especially nervous because maybe some of their owners aren't happy either, right? I mean, you know, it's hard to get around the fact that the sort of counter side to the conversation about how great the tournament's been, how awesome it is that the players are engaged and they care is that, you know, guys are getting hurt.

And, you know, the US team, we see them, obviously players sitting out for precautionary reasons like Matthew Kachuk last night, Austin Matthews, Brady Kachuk was knocked out of that game. You know, Alexander Barkov went hobbling down a hallway in the finished game against Sweden the other day. Obviously, you know, Kale McCartmire missed Saturday's game. I mean, we're talking absolute all-stars players that are counted on for their teams. You know, who knows, you know,

who else might come back from this thing and be a little bit nicked up and might need some time off? I mean, especially the players that play in the final game Thursday You know Fridays are back with their NHL teams and most of the league plays again on Saturday some some teams on Saturday afternoon I mean the players are gonna jump right back into the season and it wouldn't surprise me if even some guys we don't know of right now of is injured after take a little bit of time off after this but personally I'm willing to trade it for for what we've gotten here but you know some NHL teams it's it's a different

kind of thing and we've seen in the past sometimes with these midseason tournaments that can impact on pennings I'm going way back but you know the Ottawa Senators were one of the top teams in 05-06 and Dominic Kasich was our starting role he got injured at the Olympics and it one of the top teams in all five or six and i'm a cat because they're starting only got injured at the olympic and i wasn't the same on the other side i mean i hope that in the case for any telpings coming out of this but you can't rule it out of the

possibility will see jr we we kind of brought up earlier how it went under the radar the austin matthews injuries kinda like oh yeah he's not gonna play upper body soreness and he's expected to play thursday but i think he did he's getting a little bit bit of a hall pass for how little is being talked about because I would imagine is just based on the way he's playing this tournament Sydney Crosby wouldn't have taken a night off here. Well you know I don't know about that I think really in Austin's case there was nothing

to play for in that game I mean it was just the last round robin game, didn't affect literally anything for the US. If you're not feeling quite right, I mean, what's the harm in taking a few extra days? I'm sure the Leafs didn't mind that. And my sense is the Leafs aren't that concerned about the medical file there, that this is something that they expect to linger. So I don't know that there's any criticism to be levied his way. I mean, Matthews was pretty darn good in the game Saturday, playing 200 feet for the US against Canada.

And they want to put him in a position where he's at his best to give them a chance to win the championship on Thursday night. And then we'll see where he's at when he gets back to Toronto. But the US had a bunch of guys sit out that game because they didn't need to win it it was a different circumstance for Canada you had my car come back in and play big minutes obviously Crosby McKinnon the star guys you know made sure that they found a way through that one yesterday and we all get the final we want. With Chris Johnson our TSN

hockey insider talking about you know Sydney Crosby and just the unbelievable tournament that he's having here made a massive play to kind of seal the deal with that empty netter. Just based on the way he's playing me does this kind of feel like this is his he realizes this could be his final moment to do something big for his country kind of like this is his final Stanley Cup almost. Well I'm sure he's got the Olympics circled for next year so we're not at to do something big for his country. Kind of like this is his final Stanley Cup almost. Well I'm sure he's got the Olympics circled for next year so we're not at the final final hurrah but obviously you get to Sydney's age he's the oldest guy playing in the tournament at 37.

You know he you know any any professional athlete understands that it's not a long career but he's he's getting towards the the real final moments of one and you know it's it's not a long career, but he's getting towards the real final moments of one and it's amazing he's still able to play at the level he is. Let's not forget that he missed the last two Penguin's games before the Four Nations event. I think it's pretty clear he's not at 100% here, but he's just had so much success in these environments. I think he brings something even more than we see on the ice to teams like this. I think he's a very important guy in terms of bringing

a team together and sort of keeping it together when things get stressful. And, you know, even for all the stars on these teams, I think it does get stressful when you're down to single elimination games and, you know, a lot of eyeballs on you. And, you know, for some guys it's still also on sort of new territory for them wearing the national team sweater so you know Crosby to me is still just such a lynch-kneed for the Canadian team and you know I I certainly hope he's there next February but you know that's probably it this game Thursday and you know what we see next year at the Olympics in Milan for him and at team Canada Jersey.

You know if anyone can pull a Jaeger and play into his 40s that's probably Sid but you know there's just not a lot of players doing that at this point and so we should savor all these games that you get a chance to watch him because he's still at a pretty high level you know compared to his peers. Do you think he's at least getting a sniff that things could be better elsewhere an important example is who he's playing with his linemate nate mckinnon do you think that could fester into anything cj

i don't see it happening in season you know i i think it's an offseason discussion and consideration for said i mean he he thought last summer, basically all summer long about his contract extension with the Penguins. He ends up signing it in September. Um, but you know, he's, he's a very methodical guy and I think the best way to answer that question, though, is that yes, his mind,

even just a little bit might be on the fact that that's a possibility. You know, I think that the writings on the wall in terms of what's going on in Pittsburgh doesn't guarantee he's ever going to want to leave there, but you know, I think if it happens, it happens in the summertime once the dust settles on a season when he can have more conversations with the people he needs to and his personal life with the organization and, and they go from there. But you know, I sort of feel like he's gonna get a chance

to write whatever ending he wants in terms of if he wants it to be in Pittsburgh, if he wants to be a career long member of that organization, they're not gonna force him out or anything like that. He'll get to do so. And if it's maybe having a chance to chase the Stanley Cup one last one somewhere else, I'm pretty sure that they would find a way

to get him to that team. But, you know, as I mentioned, I don't see that being a relevant conversation before March 7th. In this deadline, it's probably to be dealt with, you know, in the lead up to the draft and at some point in the off season. Any noise around Canadian goaltending heading into this last game? Well, always. I mean, my group text is full of buddies saying what are they doing and you know my only response is well Bennington to me hasn't lost in the game yet. I understand we can find goals or moments where you're not feeling totally comfortable but I kind of think that that's what this is now. I mean Canada doesn't have an All-Famer net anymore. It's not 2004, 2006, or 2014 with Carey Price.

This is a different deal and the assignment for Bennington is just not to let in too many. The one game they lost, he only allowed two and I think a Canadian team has got to score three goals to win a game. I think quite honestly if you could have them sign up that he's only gonna let in two on Thursday night The coaching staff would take it and would try their chances that you know with a lineup with me David McKinnon McCarr Rosby point Marner I mean that they'll find a way to get three goals in that game So, you know, I think the time to make a change if they were gonna do it was probably before yesterday's game

And so I don't think anyone other than other than jordan beddington is even under consideration to start the final all right cj appreciate taking time as always pal will chat uh... again later buddy enjoy the enjoy the festivities in a couple of days too yeah can we get some heat down here it's getting a little too wintry but other than that this has been an awesome event all the fire has been on the ice that's for sure all right CJ take care pal there he goes Chris Johnson TSN hockey insider yeah

Nudis what did you make of the decision like it does seem like at this point they have to go back to Bennington now right like well yeah to me if they would have made the change they would have gone to Aiden Hill yesterday yeah and then and then you know win the game and then go to hell in the finals I think there was an argument yesterday for Aiden Hill or no Or was it just a discussion? I think there's a discussion There's always a discussion the coaches the goaltender coach day. I see David Alexander's there, right? So he's he's a really good goalie coach. Now he is Bennington's guy, so that probably leans towards Benner anyways. But I agree with CJ.

He hasn't lost them a game. He hasn't stolen one, but he hasn't lost them. And their wins, he's been right there and and you know so to me I think they were just they're pot committed with Bennington they want to play a certain way I would like to see others step up other than just the ones we've been talking about McKinnon Crosby McDavid and you know who else's point has been really good he's been good they need a they need a Cirelli to bang in a goal they need a Re. They need a they need a serralli to bang in a goal They need a Reinhardt goal. They need a Marner goal five on five

Yeah, they you know yeah, they need a Bennett. They need something. I said it yesterday It's almost like to win this game like the stakes are so high. There's like a combination or Like there's a recipe for it. One of your star players has a moment. You get some kind of depth guy like a Sorelli or a Braden Point or a Sam Bennett to chip in a goal. There's a special teams factor,

either you get a big power play goal or you kill a five on three and then there's the goaltending element and whoever can get to that recipe first is going to win the hockey game. It's almost like those things all factor in. A legend scores where they stay a legend, a lesser light scores and they become a legend saying that's why he was on the team. Goaltending and special teams, it's like there's that recipe or that

kind of puzzle piece where whatever team could put in the pieces first is going to win. Yeah. No, I agree. I think you do need some special performances kind of outside the bubble, you know, in your from, we'll call it quote unquote depth, but you know, it wouldn't hurt for a defenseman to step up and be a difference maker outside of my car too, right? That Duvont Taves has had five chances. Like that guy's been in alone, man. And, you know, he hasn't really buried it. Like there are some guys that are sniff sniffing.

Morrissey, Morrissey, he can score, he can produce. He's someone who could come up with a nice time to go at some point here. I actually liked Thomas Harley's game the other night when he stepped in. A lot of people were like, why is that guy not like he should stay in? Yeah. This guy went from like Cabo to Boston to Montreal to people saying, should not come out of the lineup. And they took him out of the lineup. Well, they were forced to. That's the thing. They can't keep him in. Now it's they need

to wait for another injury to get him back into the lineup. No of the rules changed by the their rules said that he if they wanted to play a big and play them well that nancy erica is coming or whatever you call them tanya harding on your own i think somebody on the u.s. team i'll tell you that right now and i'm just an absolute baseball battle with dinner and quit use of the plan for a night. I can guarantee that one. Let's see if there's a hundred percent confirm at some point later on.

We have Confirmer Denied coming up in the 6 o'clock hour. Mike Johnson is going to join us at 5.05 and then we'll get back into the baseball talk too. Keegan Matson is joining us at 6. We've got some audio, maybe we'll play that on the other side. Ross Atkins saying some absolute nonsense. That's all coming up next on Overdrive. Overdrive is brought to you by FanDuel bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score Mike DiStefano, Jamie

Noodles-McClennan and the O-Dog Jeff O'Neil with you here and today was a big deadline in Blue Jays land. Vladdy Guerrero Jr. did not sign his extension and we got to hear from Vlad E. we got to hear from Ross Atkins we got to hear from Mark Shapiro and there were some interesting comments that were said by all three parties you want to hear some the audio? Fire away. Alright let's listen to Ross Atkins because this was quite the comment when asked if he and Vlad were close to a deal. ambiguous a word how would you characterize the gap between the two parties uh... not close enough you know in order to to reach an agreement like or not but why would he say stuff like that

regardless of what's going on here like if you don't want to pay the guy i i really don't care i'd would have thought long and hard about paying it too but there's that the p r spin to it where you just but leak the numbers are some that's coming yeah that's coming in the next couple of days i i i don't know if you're going to save because everybody all they see all they see is flat is not signed and then

blurbs like that where it's like well we don't want to use the word close with sister complicated i whatever the hell he said there his p are is just off Everybody hates that guy's guts. I'm sorry, you cannot deny that. With failing to sign guys and now this, it was like Vlad was the last thing for the fan base to hang their hat on, but they still decided not to do it.

And they got a PR nightmare on their hands going into the season. Dealing with this, they said the contract negotiation would be a distraction guys. Dealing with this the whole season is a worse distraction. Worse. It is going to be. It's a big distraction but I wish they can't do it because it's their own player. They see something that they don't want to give $500 US to or whatever the number is. I can't wait till the numbers do get leaked because they might be a hundred million apart. It might be 500 to 400 or 525 to 450 or something like that. But I mean, I don't think they're there because to me, if you're close, even if you

would have figured it out apart, find some middle ground. Yeah, no middle ground. Yeah, they must not be all that close. Keegan Matheson will join us at 6.05. I'm sure he'll have a little bit more on the situation. Mike Johnson joining us next to kick off our two of Overdrive on TSN 2 and on TSN 1050. You've been listening to Overdrive powered by FanDuel. FanDuel bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score. This February, iHeartAR Radio celebrates Black History Month by amplifying the voices that define Black excellence.

Select upon and celebrate history and culture. From curated playlists celebrating iconic Black artists to powerful podcasts. My grandmother marched with Martin Luther King. And Black History Month Radio. We're shining a light on the music, stories and culture that inspire us all. Black history is our history. Celebrate with us.

History to make it. Listen on the free IR radio app.