OverDrive - OverDrive - February 5, 2025 - Hour 1

Episode Date: February 5, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Jamie McLennan for Hour 1 on OverDrive! The guys discuss the Maple Leafs' victory against the Flames, William Nylander's hat-trick in the game, Morgan Rielly's progression on the blue line and Sidney Crosby's injury status. They also discuss the Sabres' response to the team's support on the hit against Tage Thompson, Quinn Hughes' injury with the Canucks leading in the 4 Nations Face-Off and the Kevin Durant trade buzz with Phoenix.

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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. 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 Hasey

O'Doug Jeff O'Neill Jamie Noodles McLennan. What's going on? How we feeling today boys? I gotta tell you Bud like Hasey I love ya but I had the pleasure our return monitor I could see you doing some work before you came on the show and man, you love like you're just dialed in on all levels man. I love seeing it. Oh is that right? That's Stephen A Smith of it.

Oh man is this guy. We couldn't hear it though. Hey, hey, I guarantee what he does. Like before he goes on TV he sits by himself and he like talks back to himself to see if it works like I could just see it all I do actually do that a lot. I do I do the preparation Where am I gonna take this right? Like this is the thing about doing our show you get we all get asked this all the time It's is 100% spontaneous. Yeah, well like we're prepared, but we don't know where it's gonna go You have no idea where it's gonna go

You know, I don't know what you two are gonna say at any given moment and where it's gonna take us But if you do TV hits like we all do Generally, it's it's planned in terms of what the questions are gonna be where you're gonna take it What you're not going into a blind where you're like, I have no idea what's up here, right? Exactly. So I was doing some That's Hockey hits with Gino. I was doing a Hot or Not with Sarah Davis. And I was all over the place talking about everything. I got into a dangerous game when I first started out

doing TV on the panel. I wrote out every single word that I was going to say. I had to say the same thing. And it's, dude, but the thing is, once you do that, you are committed to each letter and each word. And if there's a bump on the road, you are so screwed. And it's like, you've got to pick up a paper and look at it. You're like, what?

I worked with Mike Johnson early on, and I'm like, dude, because I used to look down at his paper and there was nothing on it I go how do you know what you're gonna say he goes I just let it fly but I don't know what you think you're doing and I was like man that's impossible yeah then I started working with Pooley and Pooley had no one was more prepared than Pooley notes on this notes on that and then I looked at my grubby paper and there was nothing on it. Nothing. Rolls reversed over time. Roll reversal.

Yeah. I hear you man. It takes, you're right though. I was the same way. I first started, you're like writing every word and what you want to say. And if you don't get to it, you feel like you failed. So I got some great advice from our boss Ken Valdin early on. He said, get your bullet points out, like he said. Write what you want to say in a bullet point, like just a little nugget. You look at it and you go, okay, that's where you got to go. It's a work in progress as we all.

Hey, you're a veteran broadcaster, but on the TV side, you're still learning that. Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. That type of stuff stuff I'll say this too it is difficult being the other analyst when the other guys committed to script you're so nervous of throwing him off because the guy you can tell he's reading and you want to jump in I'm like that's his deal oh I look away you can't look at the guy because now if you if you stagger him he will look at you like what are you doing i'm really i'm on paragraph two but you can't ask me that question

i think that the overall of the you know that i think you will like have a real busy time and he'll be like looking around trying to and i'm like i make sure i look away so i'm like you're not talking to me dude cuz I'm not answering that so I'll literally look at Dregg's I'll look sideways. I'm like take it that way, but cuz I'm not I don't know what the hell you're talking about Once I'm done my thing I'm out to lunch But Dothiel like he wants you to bring it back to him like he'll point to like you'll say like okay done Or no, like you start talking. He's like it it's duffy time again man get that thing back i made that mistake remember when we did when we did the panel a couple months ago i had like a 90 second answer out

of the gate and i could tell i jammed him up and he had other things planned i had to apologize i think i was like sorry man i won't do that again i get it i understand where you're going with this, but Yeah, we've been hit. There's a lot going on man. There's a lot going on in pro sports, right? There's a lot going on Super Bowl week You get all these rumors in the end be everyone in the NBA is gonna get traded in the next 24 hours It isn't a crazy how the NBA of all the leagues It's almost like they look at their roster two weeks before the deadline and they're like, well, obviously we can't trade that guy. And then right up

to the deadline, they're like, that guy's out the door if we can make it happen. Yeah. It's crazy. Like it is Kevin Durant. Like we're on Kevin Durant watch. Yeah. This guy apparently is going to get traded and maybe back to go on stage. But I thought someone was on Durant watch going to Phoenix to add to Durant and Booker. Yes. Who was it? Well, it's Butler that's supposed to go there. Yes, Jimmy Butler out to Arizona to add to KD and Booker.

I'm like, no, that might be pretty cool. Now all of a sudden KD's on his way out. It's crazy, man. It's crazy. The NBA is bonkers, though. I mean, they swing big, though. A lot of times, though, the players drive the bus and that, but you are seeing with that trade the other day, it's ownership trying to grab some of the power back saying, no,

no, no, no. We write the checks here. It's our show, not your show. So it's interesting to see. Big time, man. Because yeah, Katie's name is out there. Draymond Green's name is out there. I saw someone post something that

from the last 10 years, there's only four players in the NBA that are still on their respective teams. That'd be an interesting practice in pro sports. In the NHL, obviously you think of Sid, you think of Ovi, Malkin, LeTang. There's three guys on Pittsburgh actually that have been there for almost 20 years. Well, two of them are on Golden State aren't they Draymond and Steph? Draymond and Steph and Yannis was in Milwaukee probably as a rookie a decade ago and There was someone else. I can't remember I think down in Dallas But point being is there's so much turnover like constantly and that's why I guess you're somewhat

desensitized to all the different rumors that could be out there because They do happen and once Luka got dealt, it's like, all right, anyone could be available and maybe anything happens. So we've obviously got that. We're tracking that. And it was a crazy night in the NHL last night. The Leafs pick up a win. That was a fun game in Calgary again, man. Like this, like staying in Alberta.

Excuse me. Pardon me. Except the first period with the nonsense that's been going on. So stupid with all the different... Dude, I'm sorry, I know you're a goalie hugger and I love the goalies too. And I don't want to see them run over. But some of this stuff is a joke, man. Like you fart on a guy in the crease and the ref's like, no way, interference.

Like give me a break. I do want to see that review. Give me a break. I want to hear see that break. I want to hear about that drag button through the creek. That I want to see. The ref just goes Ichiro drag bunt no goal. Jonas Siegel. West McCau that. That's the worst one of all. Jonas Siegel, if the ref points up to him in the presser and goes, Siegel drag butt. Yeah.

No goal. Was that West McCauley noodles that said, you can't do that, and then made the call. Yeah, you can't. That's a thing, yeah. He called our game last night, but it just, you know, if you need that referee that has the big personality to call a Jonas Seagull drag bunt for goaltender interference.

But it's just too much. Nick, there was a call in Washington this year that the Leafs, and I give their video guy credit because he seems to know what he's doing, he gets it right every time, but if like skates click and then there's a shot from the point like give me a break man and I don't want to go completely like slap shot old school on this where it's like you have to bury the goalie for a goaltender interference I don't think so but Jamie there was a game in Nashville the other night Drake Batherson got called for goalie interference I'm like what the hell is this call there's no way he could

have pushed the goalie in so yeah other than the first period last night, it was a great hockey game. Thoroughly entertaining. Thoroughly entertaining. Sorry Calgary, Leafs Nation invaded you again and they dominated the building. They're ripping through the West Coast. That was my whole point a couple days ago. To me, there was more fans in Calgary than there was in Edmonton. And I played there, I knew that, right? That was the thing. And I played there in the early 2000s when Calgary was still turning over.

It's a transient city, right? The oil and gas, so people moved there. So a lot of times we'd play Vancouver, we'd play Edmonton, we'd play Toronto, a lot of these teams. And half the building would be full of their fans because it just because a lot of people would move to Calgary to work. But watching that, it's an atmosphere. Again, you come back, you just remove it as a fan. It's exciting.

That's the one thing. You've got your rival chance, everything. To me, I thought it was a good game. You're right. The first period was nonsense. I hate the goalie challenges, all of that type of stuff. But there was some, you know, to me there were some good performances last night. Well, that's what sticks out.

And what there was was there was offense. You know, like that is the biggest contrast between this week and last week with the Leafs. When the Leafs were losing, they were losing 3-0 and 2-1 and they looked like they were skating in mud and they had no opportunities and they had just And it wasn't exactly accurate They had some chances but the power play was anemic the big boys just went cold and now they've gotten out to Alberta And they've come alive, you know, like they've they've completely come alive and you know, Nylander is up to 33 goals on the season He's second in the league. He's four back at dry subtle. This guy's in a rocket hunt. Like he's in the hunt for the rocket now. And the goals

he scored last night were all different. Like one was an empty net clearly. The first one he just, the power play got clicking last night. Fine. It was a beautiful play and pass by, by Knives, but he gets it off. Right. And that's what we've been talking about forever. Put Matthews on one side, Willie on the the other create space and let them shoot and then he's got a three-on-one and he it was like he was out there with himself to beer league players he's like I'm not passing to you guys just quickly at a complaint about the power play and I don't want to cause problems and I'm doing nothing doing anything stupid but Morgan Raleigh was back out there,

and it seemed like it clicked there for a minute. What do you care about moving forward? Because there's one guy that wasn't on it, clearly, and it was Mitch Marner. Yeah. But if I'm the coach, I'm like, we've been trying for a long time to get this thing cooking. It's going the same units that were in Calgary,

you're going out there in Vancouver. But there's a lot of red tape. Ooh, that's going to get spicy. That'll get spicy. But I'm just saying, what was wrong with what the power play was doing last night? It looked great. Thank you, Robert. It looked great. And the common denominator was Marner wasn't playing.

That's right. It wasn't just because he wasn't playing. It clicked. It should have clicked months ago. Right. But still. Maybe if you just, it's just one of those things where he's such a fantastic player and a lot of things run through him maybe everybody it was easier to accept what the role was on the power play because it's just like somebody else you know people talk about us when we walk in the room we

take up a lot of oxygen or possibly me or you Hayes but that's what like it's just he's such a guy that commands the pocket it's like it's got to run through it's almost like everybody just simplified and said that's what I got to do and it might work if we all put it together you know everyone just simplified yeah it was now let's keep in mind your every team is going to be different you're going to be playing. You know, Vancouver might have a different penalty kill set up than Seattle, then Calgary. I didn't think Calgary had much juice last night. That was their third game in four nights.

I didn't love their goal-tenter at all. He's been unbelievable. I didn't think as much as Nylander, that's a great shot. He's going to make that save. Same thing on McMahon. I know there's a two on ones and three on ones, but when you're a defenseman, Hayes, you talk about it, you're taking away the pass, so the shot's the goalie. You've got to make those saves.

I didn't think, but that's not anything to do with more just, I think the Leafs created these chances, they scored good on them, but on the other side, I didn't love Calgary's, you know, their push back, their effort, and maybe that's just a, you know, combination of the Leafs just squashed them that way. Yeah. But, that being said, the power play, I have a tough time with that. Mitch Marner is a power play specialist. I get it, and Joe from the Bridge just chimed in. It was just a one night observation.

Joe from the Bridge came off the top rope and he said, excuse me, but they were two for two and Edmonton and Marner was on it. But I was like I said, it was one night analysis. That's it. It was a one shot deal. Let's everyone just relax. We all love Mitch. We're all looking forward to seeing him get back in the lineup tomorrow night. All right. Well, I hope he's all right. Is that a sick? I don't like the center was. Yeah, they said upper body, I believe. Right. I get in the mixed up because Sid was upper body. Crosby's dealing with something and being evaluated and he got hit and left the game. But he returned last night.

Dude, if any of these guys can't play Saturday or whenever their next game is, I'd be like wherever you think you're going Monday, you're not going. Well, that's the whole thing. The four nations. Right. And same thing with Quinn Hughes yes when you practice monday last night yeah accused in the area so you get said hughes and mitch marner those are three monsters you know and and like sits the face of

probably the tournaments well i don't want to actually you know what i would say that the said because that what's there were they're going nowhere so it's like you go do it every one well that's that was one of the things I was talking about like it's a bummer for him because this is an opportunity for him to you know breathe some life into the season like Pittsburgh's not going if anything they're gonna dismantle more I think you know they could be in a situation by the end of the year where they might be tanking like that's kind of scary sit

hasn't had to deal with that at any point in his career, but it could be a reality based on where Pittsburgh is. I'm sure Sid was hoping to get there, and let's hope he still is. Nothing's been declared on what exactly he's dealing with or if he's going to be out long term or miss the Four Nations faceoff. We talked about Nylander. You mentioned Dustin Wolf. I want to play this clip from from Willie it's such a I kind of love I love the comment it's

such a swaggy like bold so it's cocky a comment I think it's incredible this is what Willie had to say about facing Dustin Wolfe for the first time what do you know about Dustin Wolfe he's a rookie go the first time you know that doesn't want to say rookie goaltender here you know much about you look at the way of the only for the first time uh... i don't really know anything about him and then he was asked to follow up like arrogant comment it is such an area government and that he was he was asked to follow up which i don't know why we don't have it

uh... while you get a go and look at what look about the said now i don't have it. Well, are you going to go and look him up?" He said, no, I don't think so. Then he goes and rips him too. A hat trick with an empty netter. That is a bold comment, but he backed it up and I've got to give him credit. That's the beauty of pro sports, man.

He looked at him and he was kind of smirking. He's like, don't really know him. Not going to look into him, but he better know who I am tonight and I guarantee you Dustin Wolf knows who he is now Well, I think some of those young players on Calgary it's like if they they probably caught a little bit of a glimpse if they want to be like Game breakers and like You know in a game where there's not much cooking in the first period and your team stinks, like those guys, like it was John Tavares, it was William Nylander a couple of times, Bobby McMahon, but that's why those guys make the kind of dollars that they do.

They're game breakers and they can change the flow of a game in 10 minutes and all of a sudden, Calgary, it's like game over. So Calgary got a glimpse of those younger guys. Yeah, I thought it was their top players in Calgary that let them down. I didn't love Cadbury's game. I didn't. They gave up. They were so loose, Jamie.

There were too many rush chances, the whole nine. Well, Tyson Barry getting walked by Ryan Reeves. I mean, there you go. Yeah, you don't see that every day. That one hurts. And really the game kind of closed to on the foot of Morgan Frost That was a tough play in the neutral zone You got jammed up a little bit, but you got to make that play like you have to and yeah

It went the other way that Matthews was chugging. He didn't score He could add a few last night and I thought Morgan Riley had himself a big night Like I thought Morgan Riley was skating last night and that that has got to be something great game for that continues exactly He was in the play. He's noticeable like we all know what he brings when he's on his game. He is so noticeable Yeah, we're like Tana would be the opposite. You're like I didn't notice that guy. That means he had a great game That means no one scored on him. No one danced him. No one pushed him off parks If anything, he just blocked every shot pushed you out and moved the play up Morgan Riley is a guy to evaluate in the simplest forms

You will notice him when he's playing well because he's up in the play and he's skating and he's using his ability To really drive plays which is a rarity in in hockey Like you don't see it that much from players on the point You got to really be an uber talent and he is one it just hasn't shown it enough this year But I thought he was dancing last night and that that was a big big plus Alright, Chris pronger coming up prongs to join us just after five We'll start looking ahead to the Super Bowl of course her medwards coming up later this afternoon We got drags on the show with updates on these injuries, right? What's up with Quinn Hughes? What's up with Sidney Crosby what do we what do we make of Mitch Marner you know

he could be in in the lineup tomorrow in Seattle maybe Anthony Stollers makes his return tomorrow it sounds like that is certainly a possibility so we'll get to that more still to come as well overdrive continues TSN 1050 and on the TSN app. Overdrive continues powered by FanDuel bringing you everything from the opening line of the final score Chris Pronger in just over half an hour we've got some roleplay level of concern we'll get to today around 530. We have been asking people for the who says no and some of the options are so outrageous but it is pretty interesting considering what's going on in the NBA right now, right?

Like it does seem like Kevin Durant is, his name is out there, Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler is going to get dealt. Like it feels like that's a reality in the NBA all the time. Who says no to almost every trade? I read an interesting Who Says No hazy and it was this. You get my alumni jacket jacket noodles gets your lasagna recipe and I get strutty as a best friend oh what a great great question who says no who says no first I gotta be honest I think it's me. Because Noodles gets the delicious lasagna recipe.

Yes. You get a Leafs alumni jacket that is so out there. Is it tailored to the appropriate size? Can be. That's an important thing here, man. I want to be able to wear that thing. And do I get access to the alumni box? If so, I'm saying yes to that immediately. I know. So those are the options. Delicious recipe, an unbelievable jacket that has incredible openings for you.

Right. Icebreaker galore. Oh yeah. And I get Struddy as a best friend. It's got to be me that says no to this. I think so. As much as we all love Strud, Strud, he'd be a great best friend. It's gotta be me that says no to this. I think so. As much as we all love Strud, Strud's he'd be a great best friend. But he lives in Edmonton, right? There's just not gonna be a connection for it. I don't think he golfs. Like, I don't know if it's gonna work for you. I know he sells weird stuff. Like, right. Facebook marketplace is really an important part for him. Imagine a text at 11, like 11pm, you up question mark and then a picture of a frame or something where he's like any interest and it just be like

No, no can't do that bestie BFFF best friends forever on Facebook That would be you and strutty on the marketplace out in Edmonton. Yeah, I think you would say no I would love the alumni jacket I'd love to wear it around there just to see what the reaction would be and I know noodles would love the I'd love to wear it around there just to see what the reaction would be. And I know Noodles would love the... The lasagna, he devoured the lasagna. He's got the pallet of a five-year-old and my lasagna is generally tailored for young people, right?

It's just, you've had it, you know what it's about. So yeah, I think you would say no. I think you would say no. And we've seen, again, a variety of different ones come in, like legitimate trades that could possibly happen and then pie in the sky stuff which I kind of love more. I like pie in the sky too but I will say one observation about the some of the ones that I looked at Hayes they're holding this Dylan Cousins on the highest regard like it's just

I'm like is this guy Kale McCarr or something i'm missing here like he hasn't exactly been dialed in offensively right in the reports are are out there the insiders are reporting i think your brunson pretty adamant about that and others cousins is either available or teams believe he's available they're making calls so maybe it's one of the same and i think there could be a jack eichel element to this. Not that he's Eichel, not that he matches the hype of Eichel. But you could use Eichel, you could use Reinhardt,

you could use O'Reilly. I wouldn't be surprised if other teams circle the Sabres and think, I get that guy out of there and I can unleash a completely different player. And he's got some size, he's got some ability, I hear you, he's not a superstar. Maybe it's not so much about the, well it's about the player. You have to know who the player is. It's the extraction and what can happen once he leaves there possibly. That's a scary thing for an organization if that's a thought process. Well that's the reputation, man.

That's the reputation because I just gave you three examples. And I guess you could use Allmark to an extent as well. Damn right you can. Yeah, you can. He's got one of Vezna when he left Buffalo. There's four guys. Allmark, O'Reilly, Reinhardt, Eichel. They all left.

Three of them won a cup. The other one won a Vezna on the greatest regular season team in history And they're all good players They were all good players prior to that like O'Reilly was good in Colorado before he got to Buffalo Reinhardt it's all he knew though. I call it's all he knew all mark for the most part. That's all he knew cousins This is all he knows. You know, he's he's not he's not an old. He's 23 years old. I'm looking at his stats He topped out in 22 23 had 31 goals 68 points Like that's a good that's a good player man, right? He's a piece of big boys 6 3 2 10

I could see why teams would be circling him thinking we can do this again To Buffalo, but the thing is for the Buffalo Sabres He plays center ice. Yeah, and he's the workhorse from White Horse, and I watched him play in the World Juniors. And maybe he turns his game around in Buffalo, but he plays center ice. Jack Eichel has left stage left, exited stage left in Buffalo as a center man. I don't even think their best player, Tage Thompson, is a center man. I think he's a big scoring winger with an incredible shot. I don't see him as a center iceman. I think he was a winger and when he got to Buffalo

they said try center. I don't know the back story on that but when I watch him play I'm like I really don't know if that guy is a center iceman. So your best player is a center iceman who I don't think should be playing there and then your second line guy Dylan Cousins it's like you're going to move him of town what on earth if you think you're gonna do anything next year is up the middle of the ice well that tell me that that's what doesn't make sense to me like unless there's something that we're not aware of something that they they've labeled by the scenes or there there's a work ethic issue I don't know I mean I don't know what the reasoning would be on why a team that is

Perpetually awful and out of it would trade a 23 year old center with size who has scored 30 already in the seat in the league You know, like maybe it's not your best players Always it's the other guys. It's the lack of depth it's you know the system the culture ownership and what they do in terms of building up the Buffalo Sabres. Maybe it's also gun-shy and understanding that if it keeps going south, at some point these guys are going to say, I've got to get out of here. It is the worst possible cycle in sports, the one that the Buffalo Sabres are currently

in. It's just every single year they lose every single year. It's disappointment and There's never a light at the end of the tunnel and it's it's it's not even close right now Like it's a crazy cycle that they have and I think they had some mojo cooking Maybe it was a lot was it last year where they started cooking a little bit and then it just fizzled out But other than that. In the last couple years they had that. I think it was at Granado maybe that was their coach at one point.

Yeah and they had a bit of a run but they fizzled out and they couldn't get in and then it was like, I don't know. It's a crazy juju they got going there because who the hell wants to be involved with that? Well, and that's what- Like Kevin Adams is a friend of mine. I can't imagine, he's a really competitive guy, he's a smart guy. I can't imagine what he thinks watching that some nights.

Well, and this is what makes it so difficult is you look at the players on the whiteboard and you can go through it and say, I like that guy, I like that guy, I like that guy. All of them together, no likey. Exactly, and obviously it doesn't work, but like Dave Thompson is a guy, like a guy all of them together no likey exactly and obviously it doesn't work but like Dave Thompson is a guy like a few years ago the guy was one of the tenor ten best players in the league like that's how good he was the

year I know up I know and last year it fell off a bit this year he's been about a point of game you know Paterka is pretty good you've you've committed to Dahlien you've committed to Owen Power those are two first overall pick defensemen that are supposed to be cornerstones for your team. One makes 11 and a half. He does. And he's your captain now. Like Dahlien's your guy.

You know, I get it. But how come you don't watch any nights and it's like, man, that guy Dahlien was all over the ice and dominated the game. I don't see that very often. No. And that's the question, man. You get the first overall pick. What is it gonna be? What is it gonna turn into be is it and what he says you're gonna pay me 11 or I'm leaving

What are you gonna do? Mm-hmm? And if you pay him the 11 you're gonna sit and watch it and it's like wow Even the power kids sweetheart of a kid big time potential, but What's it year three for him? Yeah, yeah it doesn't scream first overall pick. No, it's got to get better, it's got to get more consistent, it's got to be more impactful on a night-to-night basis and all these guys are like I never want to hear the excuse of well look at the kid's age he's 20, who cares you wanted the money at that age so you better play good at that age. Well and especially there's different levels of expectation and different levels of hype.

If you go first overall, you're expected to step in and play. It's not guaranteed. No one's suggesting you have to immediately be mature and be a man and be a leader and dominate, but you've got to show flashes and you've got to continue to grow as every single game goes on and every season goes on. That's an issue they're running into. They've got these guys, first overall in Dali and first overall in Power, other guys who have been top 10 picks, and none of them look as if they're going to be superstars.

Maybe you've got to give them more time. Again, it's not just that. Clearly, it's more than that. Clearly it's more than that. It's depth. It is selling people on coming to your market or selling guys on staying in your market. But it's just this perpetual cycle that is sickening down in Buffalo. And now they've got this reputation of being soft. And last night off the draw, some guy has to fight Olivier to prove that we're tough

now. Right? And we're not going to deal with this anymore. I thought that was so amateur hour. Like... Dennis Gilbert was his name. He's a Buffalo guy. I understand it was Gilbert, but it was like...

The last game was the mishap. Right. And the fact that you had to have a meeting to say, the Leafs had the same meeting a couple years ago where it was like, that's not happening again. I think it was. After Lillagran and Marchand, I think it was. Yeah. Marchand went into the corner and Lillagran blew out his ankle or knee or something. And it was like, yeah, we talked about that and that's never happening again. No one's like not standing up for a teammate. It's like, if you're in that spot where you have to have that meeting, you're in big time

trouble. Yeah, exactly. And it was very predictable that the next game, even though it's got no connection to the next game, like you got to go out there and who were you doing that for? What was it for? Was it for the fans? I guess. I mean, I guess maybe for the room, you know, like someone's going to just fight.

And I guess I credit Olivier and I felt for the Sabre because he was getting, I guess, I mean I guess maybe for the room, you know, like someone's gonna just fight. And I guess I credit Olivier and I felt for the Sabre because he was getting, I mean, Olivier is one of the three or four toughest guys in the league. Like he throws cinder blocks. He is a monster and Gilbert had to go out and fight him. And I'm guessing it was an old school, Evison, Lindy rough, wink, wink, nudge, nudge, I'm starting this guy, you start that guy because why would they be even starting the game? With all due respect, it's a big game for Columbus.

Buffalo's trying to figure it out. You've got two guys who are going to go out there and pre-plan a fight. It almost was as if both teams were in on it and it was understood it was coming. Crazy stuff. But it doesn't resolve anything. And yet, in reality, there was probably nothing they could do to resolve what had already happened. Noah Sinek got Thompson. There was still a lot of time left in that game. No one did anything. It was very predictable.

The Sabres were going to have to come out and try to prove, we learned from this, we're not going to do it again. But we'll see what happens in the future. We'll see what it actually means in the future. And that's the worst part you reference the Leafs At least the Leafs were a playoff team and had all this other goodwill that was coming with them And yeah, if you got all that and your garbage, it's a mess Yeah, it's a mess man And I feel for Sabre fans and that's the worst position you could be in if you're a fan that other fans pity you position you could be in if you're a fan that other fans pity you. It's the most insulting position you could ever be in where it's like I feel really bad for

you that your team stinks all the time but that's where the Buffalo Sabres currently reside. All right we got a roleplay level of concern coming up Chris Prauner in about 20 minutes and Drex is on the show today, Herm Edwards on the show today. We will sneak in some who says no's. Alright, we will sneak in a few throughout the afternoon. We'll kind of bring them in and bring them out and we'll see where we reside on all that. Overdrive continues, TSN 1050 and on TSN 4. Alright, Chris Pronger coming up in about 25 minutes, roleplay level of concern at 530. And a lot of games in the NHL last night, Ottawa, you were calling that game Noodles,

they finally ran out of steam, but they almost had it at the end, man. It was a good game. We had Vasilevsky made five saves in 23 seconds in this sequence, and it was, you know, Jonas would have been proud to put it that way. Well, Jonas might have a drag bunted him right in the yap. Yeah, he could have. It's a one-off according to Jonas.

It's a one-off. Yeah. No, honestly, it was a good game and you're right. Like Tampa needed it. They've, you know, they've been kind of in the ditch a little bit. They had won two of their last seven. So now they've got four games in a row against Atlantic Division opponents and we ran a board last night Which is interesting. I think I believe the Leafs were 11 and 5 against Atlantic

opponents Tampa was 3 and 9 so that's something they got to change if they're gonna want to make a playoff spot and and and make a big push there so You know know they're treating this they've got Ottawa tomorrow I believe they've got Detroit and who else am I missing there there's one in Florida I think before they've got the four nations so it's they got four in a row against Atlantic teams so they're here's a here's a who says no for you guys if jerry betman sat down in a room with chris dreury and and breezebois

said one of you two both of you better cause some havoc in the playoffs because we want you to cause havoc in the playoffs who says no to that so new york rangers or tampa bay lightning havoc in the playoffs who says no to that so New York Rangers or Tampa Bay Lightning those both of them got to make hay but one team is gonna say I don't know they got to say no I don't know if we can do it hmm that's a good one man

which one is willing to be honest and look at themselves and so I think it would have to be jury right now the Rangers I think because they've just had a tougher run you know and they haven't won anything before they've been in conference finals and they've been I know as much as the positive moments have happened for the Rangers like they're a bad week away from saying like that's it guys sorry like you're not coming out of it put that board up again aren't they what are they six points out and they're gonna jump over like five teams to know that like the rangers and the biggest challenges here you're playing against each other i still think

the scary part is if they do sneak in they could be one of those sent not cinderella stories because they won the president's trophy but they could be that's not a traditional eight if that makes sense like that would write a scary eight it would be that would be right up the lease alley if they won the division the like that would be a scary eight. That would be that would be right up the Leafs Alley if they won the division the Rangers would be eight.

Wait before you just start getting there. I don't know what I'm just trying to read them fifty four to sixty. Yes, you're six points back you know games no games in hand and you got to jump all these other teams. Now Columbus you know I think they I think they're a team that the injuries might catch up But that being said, you know the game I called last night guys Nick Paul left on Tampa side and Shane Pinto got hurt. So I don't know the status there

So now Ottawa potentially could be going into tomorrow's game without Josh Norris and Shane Pinto down the middle of the ice I think guys you're seeing we talked about last week sports science and how I think it's quite crazy how these guys think they're smarty pants. You're looking at a league that have said to these guys we're having this Four Nations thing and we're gonna shove a bunch of games at you down your throat and that's why you're seeing guys going down right now. Like the amount of games teams are playing, it's ridiculous. Like if you go through Ottawa's schedule the last two months, it's been insane. You throw in the World Juniors and the travel and out west and back, like it's just like,

it seems worse than ever. That's why guys are going down. And everybody, you can't make excuses, but I was chatting with Pooley yesterday morning and I said to him, I said, what time do you get in? He's like, oh, they went to bed at 2 a.m. They played in Nashville the night before and luckily it was a 6.30 local, so that's a 7.30 Eastern game, but then you got afterwards you jump on the plane, like they get in at 2 o'clock in the morning and you got Tampa waiting for you and you change in time zones.

You're losing an hour actually flying out. I get it and you know what? To his credit all he said is he goes, hey everybody gets a piece of that schedule at some point. So you just got to find a way to fight through it and I thought it was a very, as Pooley is, classy and rational way to look at it is everybody gets a bad piece of schedule at some point. You got to find a way to battle through it and get points at critical time. So listen, they've won five in a row.

Well, that's it. I mean, you're going to lose games and unless you're Detroit, I guess, who won again last night and I think the Red Wings are like 15-4 and one with Todd McClellan behind the bench. Coach, I hear. Yeah. I mean, that's an interesting question. It does feel like Carberry is the guy. How about, we'll get to Ovi in a minute. Ovi with.1 on the clock, sneaks one in.

But that was a great game. And Florida had it, and then Washington said, no dice. We're taking over in the third, and they won that game. But Carberry obviously has been at the top of the list. We mentioned Travis Green earlier this week. If Ottawa gets in, it checks a lot of boxes so i don't want to say if the red wings go on a heat skis well listen man they were they were dead in the water

but they were out of it that's what's scary about this we've been doing a lot of scoreboard watching because it it's reasonable last night autttawa finally loses a game tampa wins boston wins detroit wins it's reasonable last night Ottawa finally loses a game. Tampa wins, Boston wins, Detroit wins, Montreal wins. Montreal feels like they're obviously behind the pack and I think they're in real trouble in terms of actually making the playoffs but still you've got legitimately six teams in the Atlantic and there's only five that can make it right because of the wild cards like what would be crazy is if we went back to the East West one through eight

you might have six teams from the division make it. It's possible that Jersey maybe would get caught by one of these teams. It's doubtful, but that's how good it's been and that's how good these teams have been. You're right, O, about all these injuries and the amount of games that are being played. I think it's even more highlighted with the best players because they're playing the most minutes and they're under attack every night because the Opponents like you got to hit them. You got to smack them. You got a cross check I've got a slash them and like news came out today

I guess this hour that Quinn Hughes is not traveling with the team I think they're on the way to San Jose Vancouver not even gonna he's not playing He didn't skate today with the team are on his own like it's he's missed the last two games He's in one right now that Quinn uses is in one right now Yeah How could he's made like with a straight face just Monday morning say I'm gonna fire up for the USA guys Nothing to see here like that's a massive topic man over the next five days massive topic because if you're Jimmy Rutherford or

talk it you're like Dude, we like we if they win in San Jose They're like we're on a bit of a heater now and we're in crunch time We need you to be a hundred percent when this thing fires up again They're tied with Calgary like that's that's spots like you're also you're right. You bring up the owner You're right, you bring up the owner. Let's point this out. You make the playoffs, there's guaranteed two home dates. That's millions of dollars for your owner.

The owner is saying, I'm paying you how much to play for my team? Let's just take the emotion out of it. Put your business hat on. You need Quinn Hughes to try and help you to make the playoffs. So you do what's best for the team. Obviously you do what's... The player wants what's best for the team, but he also wants a little piece of that.

But if Quinn Hughes is missing games and all of a sudden he's going to be available to play in the Four Nations, that's tough. Unless we don't know the nature of the injury. That's the problem. Yeah, I mean, that's the thing. Like, teams are just never going to allude to what's actually going on. It's tough unless we don't know the nature of the injury. That's the problem. Yeah, I mean that's the thing. Like teams are just never going to allude to what's actually going on.

But it is circumstantial. Like Sidney Crosby, you know he got banged up last night. He's being evaluated today. Pittsburgh's desperate but I think they're reasonable. I would like to believe they're reasonable. They're not making the playoffs. Like the Penguins are not going to make the playoffs and Sid's a big boy and he's done a lot for that organization and it might be one of his last big hurrahs for Canada Who knows? We'll see maybe he looks at it and says like it he is a freak of nature Sid and he's a competitor

He may look at it and say I can't play at the four nations because I got to be ready for pit Because we can still do this. I think that would be a delusional Ain't saying that but I say it would be delus Pitt, because we can still do this. I think that would be a delusional opinion. He ain't saying that. He ain't saying that. It would be delusional, but you never know. I mean, you know how competitive guys are, right? Like Brady was down 28 to 3 and yelling at people, like, let's go, let's go, let's go. The best of the best have kind of freakish expectations.

But Vancouver, you could not come up with a more carbon copy. Wow, this is daunting Scenario in the league then their clear-cut best player their captain The guy who plays more minutes and is more important than anyone else on a team that is hovering around the playoffs and also Matches with like another thing with sid I know i'm rambling here is he's played for canada before Like he could do the Patrangelo and say, I'm actually ailing now and I've been there, I've done it. Let someone else do it, I'll see you in 2026.

Quinn Hughes has never done it, never played for the Americans. And he's gonna be their number one guy. Like that's another thing, if you're Jim Rutherford and Patrick Alveen and Rick Taukett, you know, do you trust that the American team isn't gonna play him 30 minutes a night? I wouldn't. I mean, because if he's healthy, that's probably what he's gonna do. you know do you trust that the american team is in a plan for thirty minutes a night i would have

i mean because of his healthy that's probably what he's gonna do on that roster with that the core you know i don't know if you need a ball maybe not thirty but he's the man duties that he's the best he's a man on a t korey steps on absolutely so why you it in in the heat of competition he's not gonna put his hand up a ghost sorry like let's just roll six back here sorry you just skip me on this this power player this scenario here we're playing for you know the copper that what is what is that what it's like for nations face off cup right like is it is it a copper it's a

belt I hope it's a belt wouldn't that be amazing if it was a belt? That would be so great. They all get to wear the belt for a picture. A belt. A hat. I want that. Or like a hat. It's like a specific type of crown. They should play for a crown. That would be a Four Nations Faceoff crown.

That would be amazing. We should post that up for a poll. What would be the most ridiculous possible trophy for them to hand out at the Four Nations faceoff? Yeah. It's a vital one. A lot going on in the league, man. A lot going on.

And again, with Sid being evaluated, it would suck if he's not there. But if he does have to pull out, does McDavid just naturally get handed the cap and see? It seems like it, right? You'd just probably be a fatality. Well, the same thing is going to happen in Toronto. Marner, like if Marner doesn't play in Vancouver, the same thing is going to come up. Yeah, that's coming too. Yeah, you're going to Monday, you're practicing with another team?

Really? Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it is. You've got to do what's best for your organization and yourself. Now, maybe Mitch is just a little nicked up and it's fine and he can play, but you'd have to sit there with Sid and Marner, question marks, like, is that Zach Hyman going, you know, waiting by his phone type of thing?

Yeah, but the GM's got to be thinking, how come Petra Angelo's nicked up and he said, I got to withdraw my name because I got to get better during the break. But the one thing I do love is that people really want to play for their country. I do have a ton of respect to that. You, Hayes, you've mentioned it a bunch over the last several years. We haven't seen this. We haven't seen a team with McDavid and McKinnon and Crosby. And this is going to be the first sniff, regardless of how many teams or who's there.

It's the first chance they're going to do it. And they all want to partake. What the intensity level is going to be another question. Like that first period of the first game will be very telling of what we're in for. Big time. You know what's funny though? I've been sniffing around a little bit talking to guys and that. It sounds like it's the guys are taking it quite seriously. I don't think it's, hey, we're going to a vacation in Montreal, Boston type of thing. like they're taking it seriously that's the way I look at it which is a good sign I think the true indicator could be Montreal at night that

actually might be the true indicator of how seriously we're taking things dude I've heard that Hayes like it's like yeah you got to come over here we're gonna try to win gold at the world championships. And you hear stories about guys going over there and they're absolutely creamed every night until 5 a.m. And it's like, how badly did everybody want to win the gold? I told you the story. My buddy played for the U.S. team and they brought one of his teammates home in one of

those valet carts from the hotel. They had to go to the hotel get one of those carts take it to the bar and put a dead body in it and wheel it home and they played at one o'clock the next day 1 pm like it just you know they go and enjoy themselves that's the point would they like to win sure are they obsessed with winning no you know you go to the olympic games you're going to bed at 10 pm.m. It's like the Stanley Cup final. But I've heard some stories about that. I have too. I've heard it specifically from from teams that didn't do so well. But I'm sure there's teams that did well that actually had a very

good time as well. But yeah, if I'm going there on a team that has no chance to medal at the Olympics, at 3 in the morning I'll be going down the loose like sled yes sons yeah naked I'll be naked losing at 4 a.m. plays for Czechia and he's on the skeleton right now that's the captain of the German team yeah exactly yeah that is very valid and also we've heard great great stories about the olympic village where if you know you're out of it it's a participation badge you are having a great time yeah i would just bring a plastic chair to the canadian fridge they had a big thing that opened up if

you just throw your passport and beers come out of it all that's the camera apparently it had a marker we had to put your passport in so they do how many times your passport and beers come out of it all that's the camera apparently it had a marker we had to put your passport in so they do have a time to pass for it was a stretch and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and this guy has been here every hour uh... with that passport analytics of his passport going through their absolutely

but that would be very enticing. Very very enticing. Alright, Chris Pranger, roleplay level of concern coming up in Hour 2, Overdrive continues. TSN 1050N on TSN 4. You've been listening to Overdrive, powered by FanDuel. FanDuel, bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score.