OverDrive - OverDrive - February 26, 2025 - Hour 1

Episode Date: February 26, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Jason Strudwick for Hour 1 on OverDrive! The guys discuss the Maple Leafs' victory against the Bruins, Mitch Marner's impressive performance in the game, Auston Matthews searching for success and Luka Doncic's matchup against the Mavericks. TSN Maple Leafs Reporter Mark Masters joins to discuss the Maple Leafs' massive win, Chris Tanev's injury status and the depth scoring on the team.

Lights camera action the 2025 Juno Awards are hitting Vancouver on March 30th and IHAR radio is your ticket to the stars Hosted and performance by Michael Pooble Plus a final performance by Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductees some 41 and more you can win an IHAR radio Experience with tickets flights and a three-night stay at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. Head online to answer the Daily Junos Trivia Question at iheartradio.ca. This Hour of Overdrive is powered by FanDuel. FanDuel, bringing you everything from the opening line

to the final score. All right, here we go, Overdrive off and running. TSN 1050 on the TSN app, your home smart speaker, and up on TSN for Brian Hazy O'Doug Jeff O'Neill and there he is Jason Strudwick along for the ride. Wow Hazy I have a question for you if someone from a far far land away flew into Canada and overdrive was up on the screen and they asked some person from canada and they said it looks like two of those gentlemen on the shower happy

and the one guy looks sad but why would you explain that to him hazy be how could you possibly explain that how would i explain it i think what you're leading to not this is why you know it's it's a little bit of a little mini quiz question to start the show again the exploration give you an explanation. One of these three gentlemen live in a city that has Stuart Skinner as their starting goaltender. You know what? You're doing it again. You are a rotten person because Noodles is gone and you're starting the show like this. 30 seconds in he's going goaltender hunting throwing grenades at the goal reds sorry strud I got it's not good Edmonton man for losses in a row they're getting

pumped they got pumped again last night yeah but look at that goal hazy and noodles would be the first to say that look at the blow up coverage from the Edmonton Oilers that one he's got to stop the hago around hear you. I hear what you're saying defense hasn't been I want to try to you can answer for it. I'm not it's not all skinner Let's let's hey we got to be we got to be honest the big guy not looking so good Right McDavid still at the Four Nations man. He hasn't been he's like dash 22 his last four games Something crazy like that Go ahead strut you guys plane you explain what's going on because people in Toronto very happy right now Very greetings everyone Jason strudwick happen to be here fresh off a prepped fish off pyramid

I did so I'm feeling good about my pecs or the pillows like my wife likes to call them nice So yeah, this is what I see I know there's a lot of hot talk about this new Skinner situation But when I played D this is I always felt when a goal went in I felt I asked myself did I do everything possible? To not have this goal go in so let's talk about the one you just talked with the reference the one where the player goes Around hey, go ahead. Yes Rattles around and wraps around now. Maybe you could show it again. I'm sure Snoop Dogg Maybe you can put it back up again. He wraps around. Now, maybe you can show it again. I'm sure Snoop Dogg, maybe you can put it back up again. He wraps around and so we'll have to wait for it to come up, but he wraps

around and goes to the backside. The D-man, watch the confrontation at the line. Yeah, that's seven, Boosher. That's awful. Sorry, you got it. That's awful. Now, if later in the game, Ryan McDonough, who's a really good defensive player, Armitzen tries the same thing. Now, it's not off the rush, but it comes out of the corner, he wraps it around, and who has a stick there to deflect that puck over the net? Ryan McDonough. So, I'm not blaming the loss on Evan Bouchard, but there's ways of defending and helping

your goalie out. Now, could he have made the save? Yeah, there's probably some goalies that make that save. But as a D-man, I look at it, he shouldn't even have got that shot off off I should have confronted him at the post with my stick on the ice and that's not even a shot It's not even a shot. I'm very valid. I would look at it this way though a five-minute oil fan or any part of the oil Organization they had the one playoffs where he was pulled four times two years ago It was four or five times a guy got pulled. And I'm actually glad Doodles isn't here because it's a perfect time to just go nuts on goaltenders.

Let's just go around the league and tee off on them. And they go to the Stanley Cup finals, but for a team that wants to continue to try to get this thing done in the next two or three years, what if he's an X factor where it's like he's terrible in the playoffs and they get pumped in the first round It's just it's the unknown and I don't know when the time would be To go all st. Louis and try to get the Ryan Miller or try to get this goalie or that goalie because you believe you have The team but it gets to a certain point It's like is he just gonna all of a sudden morph into playoff Skinner come playoff time

I don't know. It just doesn't seem like an automatic it could happen like is he just gonna all of a sudden morph into playoff skinner come playoff time? I don't know. It just doesn't seem like an automatic. It could happen. Maybe it's likely it happens, but I just don't know, man. There's some things you watch and you're like, can it depend on that? Is that like a, is that an automatic guarantee? I don't make David getting out of this funk as an automatic guarantee.

Stewart Skinner, I don't know. And Edmonton in general is. They're gonna snap out of this and win a bunch of games and you know it just it's ugly right now like coming out of the break they've they look like Pittsburgh almost they're getting pumped every night it's crazy strutting yeah the defensive play has not been good and let the quite on sets go back even ten games counting these three since since the break and their defensive details have not been good.

And when Knobloch came in, I believe that that's when they, not that it was bad energy, but they really got those defensive details and they've gone away from it. And they're not doing it. And defense play, defending is not a skill, it's a will. And I know that I'm using like the cliches, but that's the truth. You just have to want to play defensive hockey properly and a lot of it starts with puck management You know a lot of these schools are against are starting with poor puck management Well up above and we've seen breakaways. We saw a 2-0 on a power play for Philly

I mean, how often does that happen? I think both players are so surprised they didn't score So I think that it's it's that the players in front have to be better defensively aware, but then also you have to have the goaltender make a couple saves in there because he has made some good saves but when it's chance after chance you really got to be careful because I don't know what the chances were last night. I'm guessing they were like 15 to 3 in favor of Tampa. Yeah. They're in one right now. Yeah, they're in one right now.

They're in one right now and it's easy to poke and prod. We're having fun with it. But conversely, listen, you asked about the Leafs in Toronto and people being happy. I can tell you if they didn't get good news on Kristana today, that win last night would have been completely irrelevant. Completely irrelevant because he took a hit that was somewhat innocuous. I mean, it didn't look like anything. If you didn't leave the game, you never would have noticed the hit.

Never would have paid attention to it. And here it is up on TSN4. It's a nothing hit. It's nothing. And he leaves the game. And my head starts thinking, did he break his collarbone? Is it, you know, did he separate his shoulder? Because that can happen on hits that don't really look or feel like they're that powerful.

Also could have been like some kind of hip or... Or, exactly. He broke his rib or something like that. And so you're waiting on it and there were reports he left the building last night in a sling. So I think a lot of Leaf fans are sleeping last night thinking, here we go. Tanner's been so good. They've they've been defending pretty well Obviously him and McCabe have been a great great pairing and if he's out long term, it's big trouble

But Barube said they got really good news on it. He's not gonna play on Friday Who knows if he plays on Sunday, but it's not a long-term thing. It's a day-to-day thing. He's gonna return and he's gonna be okay It's huge and I didn't hear anything on Willie. We'll see Nylander obviously didn't play in overtime last night he was gripping his wrist or his hand or Thumb and mark Masters coming up in 20 minutes. They gave a lot of guys a breather today They're still in Boston before they head to New York tomorrow or tonight for the game against the Rangers on Friday, but ultimately it was It was it was one of those strange games in boston where the leaves kind of

reverse the roles where they went out and stole one from the brunettes where it's been the brunette in the past that have kind of ripped the hearts away from the maple is when they felt like they had two points ice tech someone today they're like uh... what you know somebody just text me a generic tag like house lease nation feeling today i'm like you know what to be honest with you a lot of years in a row They would have never won that game mm-hmm, and I'm not just saying like there is some luck involved You need some bounces you need a break you need some timely goal scoring

But it just seems like in the past there there would have been majority of the players That was just like we don't have it tonight check, please So let's just get to the let's get to new york and flush it they stuck with it so well those are fun games man those are games you gotta have over the course of of uh... a positive season

like you know that a page that's they would all kinds of way exactly back they come back in a shootout they just never die if you're gonna have that kind of season you got to do it a bunch of different ways It can't be just five one or meh. I'll tell you why you mentioned pit early. They got dummied again last night six six one to Philly I believe yeah, like not Winnipeg or Washington they got pumped and here's the crazy thing the Delkovich came afterwards and said It's gonna sound crazy, but i think we play pretty well

i can't stop anything he put it on himself which i kinda credit him for doing that do you have that? do you? we'll find it. find nedalkovich after the game it was crazy he gave it the old you're not gonna believe this but uh... i think we played pretty well but i can't stop anything and i feel and he basically owned the whole thing Which again, I think is a bit too much when you consider what's going on with Pitt and how ugly it is there

But yeah, I mean with the Leafs you got you got to find different ways to win and last night was a scheduled loss We said that you weren't all of us yesterday. Oh, but I said that at the end of the game It's your third game in four nights coming out of a break Boston's hungry They're sitting at home waiting for you but all of a sudden it's three nothing it would have been so easy to lose that five one and they just kept battling and battling and stole or has kept them in the game even though we gave up four goals on the night

overtime was incredible and there's mitch marner two times in less than a week where he he basically turns the lights on on boston hockey fans uh... he was that building all of a sudden it's kind of incredible that the term of events considering how that building is factored into his resume his career and what's happened with the least the last decade yeah and you know it looks like this play right here that the least get

really lucky because martyr sets a perfect pick on matthews and who is that mason laura i? I think drives around and doesn't get the goal then it goes the other way So they got lucky, but you know what when you if you're trying to do the right things more often not you're gonna get some lucky breaks But I think for for as you can see right there on the right they kind of pick each other But what I like about this is that you know I remember the first building I scored in But what I like about this is that, I remember the first building I scored in, in the Staples Center, right? That's where now it's whatever it's called.

Crypto.com. Yeah. All the stars show up in LA. Yes. And I don't know if I really like playing there or not, but after I scored, that became my favorite building. So now for him, Marner, he scores a huge goal in that place, and now that building is maybe quite so daunting for him.

He's had good feeling there. He scores a huge goal in that place and now that bill is not maybe quite so daunting for him. He's had good feeling there. Now he's done this two goals in a pretty big comeback for the team down three nothing. And you feel good about yourself. All of a sudden now that narrative changes what it's like in Bean Town, right? And think of the, you know, go back to the series they were up and then they lost, the Bruins came back. Like that can change things for an individual and a franchise.

And whether it's perceived or real or not, that's how the guys feel in that moment. In that bill. Bill commented on him last night where it's like, maybe, just maybe, I kind of got TV slash radioed a little bit. Maybe that contribution and overtime to Conor McDavid can give him a boost where it's like, hey, big moment, I can be the guy to do it. And then a week later in the same building, he does it again. That doesn't mean that he's just going to go and win the Con Smythe trophy as the playoff

best player. But who knows, maybe it could just provide a bit of a different mindset where he's like, I'm not here for regular season, Mitch Barner, come playoff time, come big moments in games. There's a select few around here that need to step up and get the job done and he's certainly at the top of that list listen it's there's nothing but positivity that can come out of this there's no negative there's no downside to winning and contributing to winning and obviously last night's game pales in comparison to the final on Thursday you know it's nowhere close to him scoring the OT winner

last night compared to McDavid scoring on Thursday. Obviously they're not going to be remembered the same, but there's no downside to Marner just continuing to build upon the positivity. And you know, Matthews figured it factored in last night. I thought he had a very quiet night. He's you know, through three games really hasn't done much. He had the empty netter to close the game against Carolina. He did make a nice play to send Marner off in overtime last night. But when you're winning, it doesn't have to matter as much. You know,

there isn't as much focus. Like, Matthews is in a very different situation this year because he's got his contract. now he's got his captaincy, last year he had his 69 goals, he's got his heart, he's got his rockets. As long as he's healthy and prepared to contribute to winning when it actually matters, he really can be defined, a season can be defined as a who really cares what he's doing on an individual basis. Now it would be different if they were losing or if they were fighting for a playoff spot of course if he was on the oilers right now you'd be looking right

at him saying you're not even close absolutely and believe me I'm guessing between now the end of the year something there will be a stretch where it will it will be focused on him and you got to do something and he's got to play better and he's capable of being better but I guess I'm just saying it doesn't matter as much when your team wins like when you win. He's just not moving around the ice at the same place. It doesn't look great. Yeah, I agree. It doesn't look like the same guy. The only way to describe it is he's missing, he's missing 25% of pop where it's just there's no explosion. I don't know what it is. Him getting to positions where, and when he's on top of his game, he's just getting there

no matter what. He's all over the offensive zone and it seems like nothing can stop him. It's like all the great players. It's just dominant offensive play and he's just not close to that right now. That's just, that's not, I don't even think that's a hot take. It's a fact. If you're watching the play. Yeah.

You know how to, like if you know about the game and you're watching and he's the one that set the standard the last six or seven years that he's been in the league where it's like he's a monster out there. He dictates and it's like come and stop me if you can and you can't and he just doesn't, I don't know if it's the the four nations But I don't know other than the one game at the war at the four nations He wasn't exactly a world beater in that tournament either so there's something guys That this is what I see it's like noodles on the dance floor, right?

He would control the pace out there dance to slow songs fast or know, fast song to dancing slowly to those songs. And when when noodles would dance to slow songs out of bars and stuff. Oh yeah. He'd be a fast song on he'd be slow dancing to it. Like I didn't want to get a whole thing thrown off the whole mojo. Yeah. I mean, it was like I looked over like what is going on over there? Like we got 225 China whites in the back. I've got to get back there right now. I can't worry about this. What I'm missing from Matthew's guys is that I always felt like I was thinking, how would I play as a Z-Man?

He's attacking you. Why is he attacking you? He's already setting up his shot. He's attacking you in a way that he's going to get his shot off. We've seen him shoot through D-Man or shoot shoot around D man or whatever and I don't feel like we're seeing that as much and again I just look through my eyes so I don't know what he's not doing but I know what I would not be feeling if I was a D man and that threat to create his shot through me or be or around me and use me

as that screen because he does that or he has done that obviously really well in the past. Yeah, he hasn't scored a five on five goal in 10 games. I think it is, which that's, those are Pontus Holmberg numbers. You know what I mean? Like this is Austin Matthews. This is the best five on five goal score in the game. So the stats would indicate that the eye test would indicate that I don't think he's cheating

them defensively. He's playing. He's out there. It's not an effort issue. And I guess that was my original point is that allowing other guys to step up and kind of drag you home here is not the end of the world. When it will become the end of the world is if come the playoffs, that's what is still being brought to the table and that has to be considered here where again three games in four nights he wants to play he says he's healthy he says he's good to play the Leafs are playing them like the Leafs are not giving him any time off he didn't skate today I'm not sure he'll skate tomorrow but I would presume he plays on Friday at the Garden and probably on Sunday in Pittsburgh

Like I don't think they're gonna let him take any any games off and last night. He played almost 23 minutes He went into overtime. That's a lot of time on the ice and he just when he's when he's on not every game is gonna Be you know 12 shot attempts six on net two goals that that's that doesn't that's not reality But last year and yes, it was lightning in the bottle 12 shot attempts, 6 on net, 2 goals. That's not reality. But last year, and yes it was lightning in the bottle, but this is a guy who scored 60 plus on multiple occasions. And pretty much every year he's on pace for 45, 50, 50 plus. Every 4 or 5 games last year he had a game where you'd say this is insane what he's

doing. Like absurd the amount of opportunities and hop and jump and pounce and I Don't recall the last time I said that about his game Where he left the ice and he said that's him like that's Matthews when he's on his toes and playing at his best Again in February atop the division. Okay, all good. Make sure the other details are there. It's just in spurts right now. But it's in spurts.

You see a couple shifts and then it just kind of goes away and you're like, he was almost there and he just couldn't quite get there for a period. We're not even talking about a whole game. Well that's it. Like when did, again, I don't want to put the car before the horse because they're not in the playoffs right now. It's not playoff time. So there's no point in panicking about what he and whether or not he's gonna find it But if it's still happening with five games to go in the season, you know, two or three seven eight

Where does it become a point struggle? You wonder? Okay, is he not gonna find it at that level? Well, yeah, so how do they react to it? Well, the challenge, like let's just be honest, if he can't provide the type of play we're used to seeing him do, the Leafs aren't going to win the playoffs. So that'd be true of any top player though, Barkov in Florida, McDavid and Empton, Dry Stout, like you go around. So I think the bigger question is, can they get him back? Is it a health issue?

Because if it's not a health issue, I've got to believe there's something going on with his health. Otherwise, what's going on there with him? It's not the same player. So if it is a health issue, do you pull him back and give him a break for however long it needs because you cannot win without him at his best. Yeah.

That is the reality. I mean, that's pro sports. If your best player isn't going to be your best, you can get through a round, maybe a couple of rounds. You need your best players to be available and they have to be playing even better than what you'd expect during the regular season. That's exactly right. You know, with that in mind, again, it was a fun game last night.

It was a win in a building that Leaf fans are always going to relish getting those two points. And you know, there's you mentioned Staples and crypto.com. The Lakers got themselves a win last night. And you see the the athletic there's every day there's a new report on why the Mavs hated Luka Donsic and this latest one is that his beer drinking and he loves drinking beers and smoking hookah hookah now hookah is a commitment I've never understood hookah guy it's a lifestyle thing it's an apparatus there's a smell that comes with it I never understood the allure to it

never got it the fact that that detail continues to come out to do that's called scrambling it's like i had a buddy that's trying to take down someone in politics and they're digging up every time he was out of the bar or or something like that they're scrambling to try to make it look like they had to get rid of them. But on the contrary, they're looking like morons making... I don't care. And the trouble that athletes can get into these days, if this guy's drinking beer and going to a hookah place to smoke... I don't even know what the hell smoking hookah... Like, do you get high from it or is it just like... No, that's the weird thing. It's's not in my experience anyway I haven't okay

so of all the things athletes can be doing these days and this is what they care about like give me a break man yes the guy could be more committed to being LeBron in shape he's not that could it be changed maybe there was something different they could do a different approach I don't know but to say that they didn't like the beer drinking and the hookah smoke. It's just come on It's crazy and you know on top of that reporting They also suggested they think he will completely deteriorate the next five years Like it's so bad that this guy is so out of shape and he's got such bad habits

And you know he likes beers and hookahs so much which I just don't see that combination taking him completely out of the league but that's their argument and that's what they're sticking to because the deal is done and you're right they're trying to sewer this guy as long as they can to make sure everyone realizes this is what we were thinking dude they must have got a private investigator to follow this guy for six months I'm not kidding.

Like to come to this conclusion, they must have followed this guy around and said, all right, this guy's, he's knocking back double QPs after practice that he thinks nobody notices about. I'm serious. Yeah, exactly. They must have followed this guy or something to say this guy's habits are so bad and not even in the same planet as an NBA player which if that's true and he's still Dragged you to an NBA final last year and has been a five-time all-in-b. So what he bearded hookahed his way to the finals

Exactly. That's that's the counter. It's like, okay. I'll grant you that. Good for you. Good PI work. You got the guy. He loves fast food, hookah, and pints. He's still one of the five best players. If you get him to cut that out, this guy could be Jordan. Well, that's the fascinating thing. Someone in the boardroom goes, so one person says, this guy when he leaves the facility, he stopped at McDonald's he grabbed 12 beers and he went to a hookah place and I think it's insane did someone else not put up their hand and say that guy took us to the finals right he had 45 points before he did all that last night he had a triple double then he went out and got you know but three burgers and a hookah and a six pack. But to be fair guys, listen, I get it.

I think they are trying to cover their asses here. Oh yeah. Honestly, I know why bother. Like you made the trade, it's over. You made, you lived your decisions. You won. But I always felt I was frustrated when my teammates weren't in shape.

Now, especially the guys at the bottom, if you're out of shape, you're gone. But the guys at the top, I felt it was a responsibility to come in shape. He hasn't quite found that level of conditioning yet, and I think that maybe LeBron would be a good influence on him, because LeBron is a freak. He is all in on his health. It's amazing to still watch him study. Watching him last night, it's amazing what he's still doing and the way he's changed his body kind of got really

Big and strong and how he's kind of got a bit longer leaner and I think that his impact could be good on this player because if he's able to Even get to 80% of LeBron is that's a big improvement what he's on now Where's that physically now? Listen that is valid I mean we got to be consistent because we've called out guys who are out of shape and this, that and the other. It is, there is a culture identity that comes with your best player smoking hookah instead of hitting the gym or whatever.

And I can't have a negative effect on things. I do wonder if like there's a conspiracy theorist in me that thinks for them to be proven right, that's why they focused on LA. Like if this guy loves to have a good time they knew if they sent to detroit's he would turn into a superstar like jordan you know i mean so that's got a little city's got nothing to do they like for this to really follow through

he's got to go to l a get this guy to l a the hookah capital of the world and he's gonna such a good time and so many distractions off the court that their theory will be proven right But you know again last night. He's got a triple double he got teed up early in the game, which that was what the math thought He's got a bad attitude. He doesn't handle the rest right he starts yelling at the rest. They teed him up quickly I thought it was a bit of a quick whistle, but still But LeBron like it's pretty like watch speaking of the rest I wanted to point this

out and we got Mark Masters coming up here in a moment. I will give credit to LeBron. We have joked about LeBron, we've credited LeBron, we've talked about him almost as much if not more than any other non-hockey athlete of the last decade. He's still yelling at the refs and I actually credit him for that because he's 40 and he still cares to do it. It's I credit him because it'd be so easy for him to say I'm not dealing with this guy, forget it, whatever, call whatever you're going to call.

He's still... Well, he's got it down to an art form, Hayes. It's an art form. Yeah. It never gets too deep. And he's saying to himself, if I don't get on these guys, they're not going to give me that call because they're not going to focus on it. So it's almost like a, it's like a, it's barking in the now for the future saying you got to

watch this and I don't know, but he's an art form for that. It's an investment. It's an investment. He's 23 years into the league and he's still investing. That's what I'm saying. Takes his mouth guard out, hand on hip, like he always had. Then sometimes he leans forward with his hand. He's got his moves, right?

The LeBron stances when he's working the refs are classic. It's incredible. He was doing it all last night and in the fourth quarter, the guy was just up and down, up and down, up and down. They ended up beating Dallas last night and the Lakers are red hot. Pretty incredible story. What's going on out there? All right, Mark Masters on the good news on Chris Tano sounds like he's just day to day will not be out long term

What are we hearing on Willie Nylander? Stolars in his play last night as we turn the page to the game on Friday at the Garden Bruce Boudreaux coming up today We've got a lot to get into again with the Oilers Seth Jones popping off postgame Luke Shedden Popping off postgame in Nashville last night lots to get into on both of those fronts And we're getting closer and closer to the trade deadline as well And more and more rumors are out there in terms of what could happen leaguewide Strutties in here struttered out the oven is officially heating up for 530 struttered out at 530 overdrive continues to us and 1050 and on TSN for

This February I her radio celebrates black history month Wow. Overdrive continues, TSN 1050 and on TSN 4. This February, I Heart 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 iHeartRadio app. All right, Overdrive continues powered by FanDuel, bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score. Mark Masters from Boston in just a moment. Bruce Bujo still to come there in Dreger later this afternoon

You got the Jets in Ottawa playing the Sens tonight big game big game in Ottawa tonight So we'll get into all that as we move forward this afternoon. You wonder how some of these teams are like Ottawa, Florida the Boston Bruins like around the Boston Bruins dude Like around the Boston Bruins, dude, with Charlie McEvoy's scenario, like who knows how much contact happened between USA and the Boston Bruins. Like, wouldn't you be pissed if your guy went there? As soon as I saw my guy, like as soon as Matthew Kachuck said on the bench in the first game against Canada, I can't go, if I'm Bill Zito, I'm like, charter home, see you at home.

I'm not kidding. Great for hockey, it was the four nations, but if one of my guys was there, one of my other all high profile guys, if I saw him skating off and I was watching it, I'm on the horn to Billy Garren and say, get him back to Florida. Thank you very much. Do you think Kachuk would have listened to him? Yeah, that's a tough sell. I don't think he would have.

I think he would have said, thank you for your input, Bill. Take a lop. I'm not leaving. Okay, so I got to pay you $9 million and I'm going to watch you piss your season down the tube. I hear you, O. I think you're being very sensible. By the way, I don't care. I don't have no skin. I know that. But if I'm a GM and my high profile guy, my star player is there least he says the words to the assistant coach I can't go all right I'll send a bird up for you get on it you're coming home I hear you but I think you look at what the Kichuk brothers have done the last two weeks like Matthew should not have been playing in that final game it's very clear now he should not have been

playing I think at the time that was there was two practices a morning skate and the game where he Could have been at home. There was no chance He was he could have played right and yet if he if he doesn't play is he on with Jimmy Fallon Are they going on with the Kelsey brothers and you know, I don't know I don't know if the profile blows up the way that it did if you said Matthew Kachuk home He's not in front of the media in Boston the way that he was that it did if you said Matthew Kachuk home he's not in front of the media in Boston the way that he was he's not doing Scott van Pelt show and going on with McAfee and like the Kachuk brothers clearly had a plan

Clearly had a plan. They're savvy guys get down there get crazy fight hit score and talk and get in front of cameras and They've done that and I think the game is benefited from it but I think the Kachuk brothers benefited as much if not more than the game itself. That's okay. Their profiles. But totally that's okay. Both could benefit the players and the league. Absolutely. You get more eyes on the game and I think that's what they did there drew a lot of eyes and if their profile rose as well, no problem. I'm all for that for sure

I'm just saying I think it's more by Extension that the game is getting more profile like the Kachucks are like we'll talk We'll do anything we can do right now to blow up the Kachuck profile and that's fine They're entitled to that, but I don't think Matthew was leaving that tournament Here's mark Masters our TSN may believe reporter How much relief mark around the leaves today with this positive update on Chris Tanev? Yeah, I mean, I guess some relief. I don't, you know, it's hard to gauge on these injury updates.

Obviously, day-to-day sounds encouraging. We've certainly seen some day-to-day injuries turn into longer term injuries but Barube says it's good news. We know they're going to be without Chris Tanev on Friday at least so his teammates didn't seem too keen on playing without him. I'll say that but yeah all things considered when you watch him walk out of the building with a sling in his right arm in a sling last night. Certainly it's positive to hear it's day to day and they see it and Barube sees it as good news. Right. That is a good point. Greg Barube has been positive in the past and guys have missed

a fair amount of time. So that is worthy of noting, but it doesn't sound as if Tana's going to have surgery or anything like that. No. You know, be out long term. I think there was some concern. You know, as he left the ice last night, that could be the case. I know Nylander didn't practice. Was there any update on Willie

and what's going on with him? Yeah, it's a bit mysterious. He apparently was gonna get this practice off anyway. Him, Matthews, Marner, they were never going to hit the ice today. It's part of the plan to try try and get a little extra red coming up before nation uh... bruby i have to you know what happened to the letter to get flash what

what exactly happened we know he was looking down to his wrist or hand or whatever you know if you can you could be out there in three on three overtime uh... you know that really future is is game in the ability and he's been a good finisher in the past. So you knew it had to be at least somewhat serious to keep him out of that situation, but Berube said it's more of a maintenance day for him today. Nylander, you know, historically I understand what happened in the playoffs last year, but that was more of a kind of fluke one-off. He's been really durable, really reliable for this team over the years.

He doesn't really miss time, usually plays in almost every game so they don't seem particularly worried about that although it is a bit of a mystery exactly what happened. Masters, at what score last night did you quickly start preparing your loss massacre TD garden type stuff? Was it 1-0, two nothing, three nothing. When were you fully getting involved in writing of the debauchery that was going on out there? Or did you kind of wait to see what was going to happen? I was not waiting to see what was going to happen. First shift, the Pasternak breakaway

that goes right through your shut down pair and then Tanev leaves with his arm dangling there and it's starting to feel like a lot of the bad Boston experiences over the years. So good on this team for finding a way and perhaps a sign that maybe this group is going to be different that they were able to dig her way out because uh... it was looking pretty bad there and i was totally my mind was gearing towards what i'm gonna have these guys afterwards that

you know what sort of context to put a loss like this in considering they had one of you gave uh... yeah yeah that was quite the turn i did not see that coming last night that did not look like they had it at all. Was there a turning point for you where you could say, I mean obviously getting down to three-nothing is ideal, but was it a goal, a hit, a change or just slowly change of momentum? Well I thought one turning point was Stolar's making those seeds at the end of the first

period on geeky day. I mean that goes in, it's game over it feels like. And Morgan Reilly pointed out that when that happens right at the end of the period, that definitely gets everyone's attention even more so going into the dressing room to say enough is enough. So Anthony Stoller, I know four goes in, go in the net, but I thought he was a huge part of them even having a chance to come back in that game. The Reilly goal at the end of the second period where it still felt like they were not really in it.

And then the Marner goal early in the third. Oh, there was a bunch of turning points, but those moments. And then you get the second six on five unit gets the goal to tie it after the big guys are exhausted and come off and you get Nick Robertson and Pontus Holmberg pulling off a magical play. I mean, a lot of turning points last night

They've needed a lot of things to happen to get them back in that game and to get that those two points and Really are a remarkable win for the team with Mark Masters Who's in Boston with the Leafs Lisa at the Rangers on Friday night? And that was the amazing thing that that secondary six on five unit you never see that and it's Pontus Holmberg out there driving the lane and He's had a good little stretch

He's had a really good stretch and so is Robertson Robertson scored again last night And those are two guys marked that I don't think they need to be told You're you're fighting for your playoff lives like you you two are not guaranteed to be told you're fighting for your playoff lives. You two are not guaranteed to be in the lineup. When Yarncrook returns, if they make an acquisition at the trade deadline, do you get the impression like Robertson and or Pontus Holmberg kind of understanding of that? And if so, might you equate this kind of hot start, second half start to the idea that they're fighting for their lives come playoff time? Yeah, I think obviously they you equate this kind of hot start, second half start to the idea that they're fighting

for their lives come playoff time? Yeah, I think obviously they understand that to a degree. I think Robertson more so than Holmberg who's earned more trust it feels like with Brubay on the defensive side and he's in the top six right now with Tavarez and Nylander, right? How many chances have we seen for Robertson up in the top six? It feels like he's just kind of stuck in that third line spot and we know the third line has just not really worked this season. Robertson has spoken about how much he's energized over the break. He went down to Florida with his big brother Jason Robertson. They had a good workout. They were on the ice quite a bit. He spoke last night about how he needs to be more physical. He needs to play a bit more physical in his

game. That's what the coaches have been asking him to do. And Barubei described it as more of a tenacious style today. That's what he wants to see. And he also said that Robertson can earn some more ice time here if he keeps going the way he's going. We saw him sticking his stick in there on Jeremy Swain and getting him upset doing a stick lift on David Pasternak and airmailing Pasternak sticking to the into the crowd and sawing at guys and doing some stuff that we haven't always seen from Nick Robertson and we were talking to Seymour Benoit today and he was loving it he was saying he told Robertson when I get hit by smaller guys and Robertson's five foot nine it goes right in my ribs cage and it almost hurts more than the bigger guys. So they're really pushing Robertson

to be a bit more tenacious. He seems to have understood that and it's resulting in some some great plays here. In terms of Holmberg, good on William Nylander by the way, you know kind of gets him those two empty net goals coming out of the break and gave him some juice. You know John Tavares was saying when you you see those guys scoring it you know goes to their legs it makes them feel better feel makes them feel more involved so give Nylander some credit for helping his buddy his countrymen get on the board early after the break and both guys feel like they got a lot more confidence right now.

With Mark Masters, Mark what do you see in from Auston Matthews up close and personal and his kind of, how he looks on the ice, how he sounds and feels and looks off the ice? Yeah, I mean, I've been thinking about this a lot because I've covered him obviously. We've all been tracking him his entire career and there's just not a lot of moments like this where, what is it now, 12 straight games where he hasn't shot a puck past a goalie, six before the Four four nations three at the Four nations and then the three coming out of the break and he I think he's got 12 assists in this stretch

So he's still producing and obviously playing important minutes and being good defensively and doing a lot of things and the Leafs are winning a lot Of games the US went to the four nations final and was in overtime and he did everything but score in that overtime So I think there's a there's part of it is definitely a snake-bitten to the Four Nations final and was in overtime and he did everything but score in that overtime. So I think there's a part of it is definitely a snake-bitten aspect of this where he's hit posts, he's hit a crossbar, it's not falling for him right now and maybe a bit of the fatigue factor creeping in. The schedule has been absolutely crazy.

Like Matthews, Marner and Nylander are basically going to be six weeks without being at home at all. Like they went from Vancouver at the end of the break to Montreal, they had like a quick pit stop, maybe a few hours to do laundry, walk their dogs and get back on the road to Montreal and then Boston back for a night and then a quick game and now they're here on the road for this week. They have one home game, Monday, they'll come home after playing in Pittsburgh on Sunday, play San Jose at home and then immediately monday the come home after playing in pittsburgh on sunday place and i think all that immediately the biggest the next day so

i think there's uh... an element of fifty obviously matthews is dealt with physical issues all season it feels like so i just see it as snake bitten maybe a lack of confidence now as a result of that they've been stretch and fatigue and it's all mixing together to have this

kind of weird stretch which we haven't really seen since his rookie season where he's gone 12 games without beating a goalie. When you look at these two guys and it will include all three of all the big three and now at Nylander too, did you in any quiet moments talking to them, do they talk about their experiences and being a part of that elite hockey and maybe what they took home or they kind of revisited through their own play during that time? I think Mariner is the guy who's been the most open about that and certainly he had the moment that is going to resonate. It feels like the most now Matthews did talk about how he can be motivated by what happened and how it ended and how,

how, how, how much he enjoyed the opportunity to wear the seat for team USA and be a part of that group. But Marner is the kind of guy who said right after that game, watching his media session in Boston, talking about how he can carry some momentum. And then the word that really resonated for me is belief, that he would take belief out of this after having that special moment in Boston. And then in his first media availability when he was back in Toronto, he spoke about how

positive everyone was on the bench and in the room, even as Team Canada went through some tough times in that tournament. Of course, they had to go to overtime against Sweden, they lose to the United States in Montreal and then they're trailing in that championship game. And he spoke about how maybe that's something he can bring back to Toronto for when the Leafs get into some tense, nervous times because we've heard it gets quiet around the team and the stress level is there. So he's the one who's spoken out most about it and that's probably the most encouraging thing for the Leafs is that he now has that data point and that experience that he can

reach into and find when things get a little stressful and tense come the playoffs because we know it hasn't gone his way in the way of the team at a lot in a lot of those moments in his time in Toronto. Big time, big time. There's nothing but positivity the last couple of weeks coming out of Mitch Marner as you would expect. He should feel good about himself and where his game's at, where his team's at and what happened with Canada last week. Great catching up with you, Mark. Safe travels. We'll do it again soon. Yeah, we're on the road now from Boston to New York, maybe dinner in Hartford. the last week uh... great catch up with you mark safe travels with the answer

yeah on the road now from boston to new york maybe dinner in hard for by any any any dinner spot in part for it why would you be going to hard for dude you're driving it it's a yeah we're driving where we're doing the drive delisa are expected to be off tomorrow and we we wanted to control departure so we're driving. Harper's kind of right in between and obviously the Whalers, you know, I don't know, we're

just... Yeah, hook them up. Oh, where's the place to be in Hartford? Come on. You're the guy. Let us come. Mr. Hartford. Masters, I got to be honest.

Yeah. I would recommend some places. A, they're probably still not there. Okay. Like they're not there and B even if they were you would probably walk right out as soon as you walked in so I might direct I might text you directly but okay I wouldn't count on it being that good nothing on the record yeah nothing on the record.

Alright well let us know man. Try Kahootz okay try a hoot so hard from I think I got an idea with that Cahoots is dynamite. All right Give it a shot. I'm getting into the GPS now. Thank you. Thank you. That is Mark Masters Yeah, Hartford is generally you go in Boston in New York. It's what a three-hour drive three and a half hours Hartford is not as it's just not necessary just get right to New York Like well the weird thing like playing in Hartford. I'd like I was 18 years old man, and it's like

Okay, guys. We got a road trip coming up Rangers Islanders Devils and it's like meet at the practice rank and I'm like We're not flying the NHL and they're like it's an hour away We bus right so hard for bus to all those and a boss and a Boston. Yeah for sure I mean you think about it. It is it's better pointless to have it in the lead better Like with all the respect what I'm saying is dude, you know know when people say with all due respect, it's just an ultimate kick right in the junk.

I know, but New York and Boston are massive. That was the problem with Hartford. Everyone was either Ranger fans or Bruins fans. There was not enough hardcore, like it was the little brother, man. There wasn't enough hardcore Wailer fans. That's what I'm saying. And kind of the role of Ottawa, but Ottawa, it's way bigger. It's way further away.

Toronto's four, four and a half hours. That's not an hour away. And Montreal's what, two hours, two and a half from Ottawa. And Ottawa's a way bigger city, way bigger market. But Hartford, I don't know, it's four teams within two hours. It's a tough spot. But honestly, like bussing is great. The best thing to do is take the train. We used to take the train and I love the train. It's so relaxing. You have your own car, that little shake, you know the little shake you get on the train. Oh man, you're out. It's like being rocked

by your mama. It's a beautiful thing on the train. The shutdown on the train is a great shutdown. Bruce Boudreaux in about 20 minutes, Overdrive continues. TSN 1050N on the TSN app. Lights, camera, action. The 2025 Juno Awards are hitting Vancouver on March 30th. And IHAR Radio is your ticket to the stars. The Juno goes to... Hosted in performance by Michael Pouble. Good evening Vancouver. Plus a final performance by Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductees, some 41 and more.

You can win an I Heart Radio experience with tickets, flights and a three night stay at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. Head online to answer the Daily Juno's trivia question at iheartradio.ca. All right, Bruce Boudreaux coming up, Strut or Dud at 5.30. This sneaky little devil, Tom Brady. There's a report out there that he was hosting Matt Stafford

at his house in Montana. I guess they went skiing. Convenient. Very convenient and now it's being reported that Stafford Probably wants out of LA wants to make more money. Maybe the Giants are in on him. The Raiders are in on him, but The question that allowed well, here's the thing The question is because he was recently given permission to seek out a trade But when did that happen when was he given? And when did he meet with Brady? Because if he met with Brady before getting permission,

that is tampering one-on-one like Brady's. But what if they're friends? But this is the, this is what's complicated because Brady will say, well, we're just quarterbacks, man. Or Hey Fox Sports. I saw him when I was calling a game. And the rest of the league is going to say, no, no, no, no, no. You're 10% owner of a football team yeah i don't know if he did it is it's not fair access yeah well that's what it seems like but brady

brady's dance in circles around all these owners man like he he's taken thirty seven million a year from fox he's dumped it all into owning this team in vegas you know he's gonna run everything in vegas mark davis has got no idea what he's doing. He just wants Brady to take over everything. He basically told that Davis, like you better run every, do not touch anything anymore. It goes through me now. Yes.

Like I'm, I'm the cool guy you've always wanted to be friends with. You just be Lloyd Christmas at PF Chang's and I'm Tom Brady. I'm Tom Brady. You're Lloyd, I'm Tom. I'm not Harry, I'm still Tom. And this is how it's going to work. So more on that with Strutter Dut at 530. Overdrive continues TSN 1050 and on TSN 4. You've been listening to Overdrive powered by FanDuel. FanDuel, bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score. This February, I Heart Radio celebrates Black History Month by amplifying the voices that define black excellence.

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