OverDrive - OverDrive - January 15, 2026 - Hour 2 - Darren Dreger/Chris Johnston

Episode Date: January 15, 2026

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Jamie McLennan for Hour 2 on OverDrive! TSN Hockey Insiders Darren Dreger and Chris Johnston go around the NHL's biggest headlines discussing the Maple Leafs' goaltending trades, Elias Pettersson's buzz and the Olympic arena in Milan. The guys discuss Mitch Marner's matchup against the Maple Leafs, John Harbaugh coaching the Giants, the Rangers' rough stretch and Bryan gives his FanDuel Best Bets.

Hour two overdrive continues, powered by Fanduel, bringing you everything from the opening line of the final score. Brian Hesiodog, Jeff O'Neill, Jamie Noodles, McClennan, and look who we have here. Darren Dregor and our Italian correspondent himself, Chris Johnston. Cristiano. Cristiano. Cristiano Johnston. Did you enjoy yourself over there, CJ, in Italy, or what? It was an interesting trip.

It was pretty quick there and back and a fair amount of work, probably not as much play fun, as you might imagine, but it was cool to get a sense of the city ahead of the Olympics, and then obviously to be one of the first people, I guess, in our business anyway, inside that arena, getting a feel for what is and isn't happening there. CJ, what is your one major takeaway if you had one with the facilities? It's not going to be up to a standard you'd probably expect in an HL behind the scenes, rink, you know, let alone an NHL one. but I still think there's going to be enough there for them to play.

And given how badly we know NHL players have wanted to get back to the Olympics and get back on that level, I mean, I certainly expect the tournament to go ahead. And, you know, at the end of the day, the men's tournament runs February 11th to 22nd. It's not even two full weeks. So, you know, I think that you won't hear any complaining publicly anyway. Once the guys get over there, I think that they understand it's not going to be what they're used to, but that the stakes are pretty high and that this is going to be a level of hockey

that most of them have been dying to get back to for a decade. Just to like follow up on that, CJ, like did anyone there at the facility or arena, like what is the excuse? Like, how did this just creep up on them and how are they so behind? What they told me is that, and this is, you know,

people from the local organizing committee, is that they've been behind since the beginning. And the arena is being built by, a private individual. It's not public funding. And, you know, one thing they said to me is they got going a little bit late in part because of COVID timing that, you know, between when they got the Olympics in 2019 awarded to them and obviously they didn't get shovels on the ground until spring 2023 that sort of the world had changed and maybe some of the financial picture had changed. So, you know, it sounds like they really just got going late and haven't been able to get ahead of it

and catch up. And so that seemed to be the main issue. And then, you know, beyond that, there's just sort of this idea that Italians are pretty laid back. And that, you know, they always get it done in the end, but they maybe aren't, you know, is get up and go as some other countries. I mean, I can't speak to that myself specifically. But I definitely heard that. I mean, that sentiment was in the air a lot that maybe they just do things on their own schedule here. And so right now they're doing a lot of work to get it done. So, CJ, we had a spirited debate about how you got the assignment.

to go over. Like, this isn't a scenario here where it's like, oh, you just acted like you were hard at work and, oh, you know, geez, I dreaded going over. Like, you're going to Italy, and I'm sure you had great food. You were able to go for runs, do whatever you needed to do. Do you believe in all of this information that you've been reporting back, they're still going to be able to have a great product. And the ice is still going to be fine.

And you're still believe that the men's Olympics is going to be fantastic from that facility. I'm pretty optimistic, yeah. I mean, they just got that ice. Like last weekend was the first games ever played on it. Naturally, when you're making ice, there's kind of a process to that. You know, but they have the guy Don Moffitt that's making the ice there, makes the ice for the Colorado Avalanche. So, I mean, they've got a lot of expertise on the ground.

And, you know, it looked, you know, if you just take the arena ball and ignore the scoreboard small and all that stuff, like it looks like a hockey rank. It looks, they have everything they need there. I mean, it might be a little different if you're a fan at those games. It doesn't seem like there'll be as many kind of amenities around the rink, we'll call it. But let's face it, most people experience this tournament through TV. And so I think the games themselves will happen, noodles. And most of us back home will be almost none the wiser once it actually gets going.

And we're just focused on who's winning, who's losing, all the things that are happening. So, yeah, I'm pretty confident about that. And I got the assignment because I have a nice boss at the athletic. where I do my written work that they suggested to me about a month ago, hey, we'd love to have someone go over there. Would you be willing to do that? And it took me about less than 10 seconds to reply with a yes. No kidding.

With Chris Johnston and Darren Dregor. So at least Vegas tonight, Dregs. Sounds like Aiden Hill is going to play for Vegas. Nick Robertson, are we hearing anything on him? Well, as of this morning, he was expected to be good to go as well. But, you know, as well as Nick Robertson has played, if Aden Hill is able to start for the Vegas Golden Knights, I mean, that's a huge, huge boost.

I mean, he hasn't played since October. And anybody who pays any intention in the Vegas Golden Knights, you can see that, you know, their goaltending, despite the addition of Carter Hart has been all over the map. So game one, we'll see how it goes for him, but that's pretty big boost. Yeah, and Hart obviously is on IR right now. So, you know, we'll see what happens with him into the future.

But Hill, that is pretty significant. Vegas is red hot. Like, they've won five in a row, and obviously we're, you know, quite intrigued by Mitch Marner's position on that team. The fact that he's playing center. Like that is a conversation we've had in a city a lot, like when he was a leave. It was Nealander that they'd try. They never really tried Mitch Marner.

Just a couple of games, I think. Yeah, maybe a couple when they really were depleted. Like if Matthews and Tavaris and someone else was out. But what is your impression of, you know, how he is kind of settling in in Vegas? Well, I think the settling in process is still underway, but more so maybe from a coaching perspective than anything else. you know, Bruce Gassidy looking at different ways that they can utilize much minor, be it on the power play or otherwise. But what's noteworthy to me and Leifes fans may not appreciate this,

but we certainly saw it in the first half of the year was the accolades of minor is getting in Vegas as for his defensive play and how strong he is as a defensive forward. And look, I mean, when he was with the Maple Leafs, he was a trust defensive player, right? I mean, he was on the penalty kill more often than not. But the question after that was, okay, well, how do they replace the points and the offense that Marner brought? And the numbers might be a little bit down, clearly, in Vegas from that perspective. But the feedback that I get for management from the coaching staff is he's arrived and he's played as advertised. Well, it's an interesting trip, C.J, that, you know, Anthony Stolars is on the trip.

And, you know, he was on the ice this morning. Craig Barubei indicated earlier this week, there's a chance he plays before the Olympic break. so that would mean the next three weeks, you know, next 10 games or so. Hildeby, I believe, is exempt from waivers still this year. So he can still go back down to the minors. But next year he can't. No.

So, CJ, I guess we'll begin with you. Then, Dregs, you chime in. You know, Stolar's, his deal is not even kick. It's just kicking in. I believe next year. It kicks in next year. Wall still got a couple years left. And Hildoby, as of next year, would have to go on waivers.

And clearly someone would claim them. how do you see this three-ring circus playing out over the next six to eight months? So much of it's going to hinge to me on what we see even through the duration of this season, right? I don't think this is an area of the Leafs have to do anything this year at all. And the biggest reason I lean on that is we just haven't seen between wool and between Stolars, give you enough confidence that one of them is going to be healthy for a long period of time. And so I don't wish for that to be the case. but I think the Leafs their team, like an increasing number around the NHL,

that think they need to have three goalies that they have some degree of faith in because they have had so many injuries at that position. And quite honestly, I mean, look, they're still in a battle to make the playoffs. But if they get the playoffs, I mean, it's anyone's guess at this point who's going to play those most important games of the year. So I think that for the time being, you ride it out with the three guys. You know, maybe it involves Hildee because he does have that exemption to be sent straight to the HL at some point,

spending some more time with the Marley's really just to get them games down there and keep everybody fresh and busy. But I don't think you make any decisions at all before the offseason unless something really unusual comes up. But, you know, I've seen some people start to talk. The Leaves trade a goalie before the deadline. I just think there's way too much risk in that, given their own history at that position, with those guys.

And so, you know, maybe in the off season, that's a more relevant to point of conversation. but right now I think they're just trying to get them all healthy and plan. Yeah, I tend to agree with that. And I can appreciate the speculation around the idea of trading one of those three guys, only because the Maple Leafs don't have a whole lot of tradable. It's an asset. Absolutely. You know, maybe it's too much of a luxury to consider, okay, well, let's wait until the offseason

and see what comes our way at that point. First, they've got to clawback fully into the playoff picture. They're in the conversation now. I don't think, to C.J.'s point, that they do consider a trade unless somebody blows their doors off between now and March 6. But they do have to get Anthony Stolars healthy. And despite the fact that he's with the team, the information I have is that probably best case scenario, unless something magical happens is end of the month, right? They'd like to get him back into some practice time, and they don't have the luxury of practice time.

It's few and far between. So maybe a whisker before the end of the month, but that's what they're projecting installers. Yeah, it's because we do talk a lot about the lack of assets that they have, right? Like Cowan, the way he's playing right now, I'm not trading him unless I feel very good about a return. Danford will see, but they don't have a lot. They don't have picks coming up. So, like, I could see them being enticed. And noodles, you can chime on this.

Like, who would have value around the league? Hildobie's younger. He's cheaper. Stollars, his deal hasn't even kicked in. He's older. You know, Joseph Wall, I don't think they'd move off wall. I don't think it'd be Stolars or Hilderby if they made a trade. Yeah, I think, I mean, for me it would be Stolars because Hilderby is still up and coming and he's cheap.

Stolars, they just signed. But I don't think they'll move either one of them. But I look at Stolars. Could you not put him for two weeks or maybe a week of conditioning with the Marleys? Get him some games there. Get him some practice time there. Like, I know you want to be around. around the team. Yeah, that's what I was thinking is, you know, there's a different schedule with the

HL. You could probably get him a few games and you don't have to force feed him in with the big club and get him feeling good. But it is a good sign that he's back on the ice, but I also do believe that they're slow playing it with him and there's no guarantee that he's going to be back. I think it's still a way farther away than it looks, put it that way. Yeah. Well, it's crazy with these goalies. Like, Lena Solmark now, I guess he's back in the locker room. You know, his stuff is back in the room and he's around the team. And yet I'm curious, you know, CJ, you can go first. Like, it's such a sensitive topic.

You can't have Travis Green asking him every day when he's going to play, right? I think next week is like, like he'll be back in the, they're hopeful that he'll be back next. Like around. He'll play. You'll immediately step in and play or just be around the team. Well, I'll be back on the ice next week. Like, I mean, with the team next week, now whether or not they believe he's available or up to speed enough to jump in in the crease in an NHL game, I don't.

know. It's crazy, dregs, because you obviously, like we saw with Joseph Wall, needs privacy, you need time, step away. But if you're Ottawa, it's like, if you're going to come back into this locker room and put your gear on, like, we desperately need you, like, we need you to be better. Yeah, you're not just not. Yeah, we need you, period. Like, they're in desperation mode where they need to save.

So it's like, it's a really difficult situation where it's like, you need your time, but if you're going to come back, how soon can you play? Because we need you to play. Agreed. Yeah, there's urgency there for sure. Yeah. He wasn't away as long as well, guys. You know, like, you look at Joseph Wall, it was like a month or more that he was totally away from the Leaps. I mean, Olmark was at games.

He was at a game, actually, with a goalie coach from Europe that he's used in the past. So, I mean, his absence isn't as long. And so I think that as a result of that, there's probably less of a run-up to get them back into the net. But it's, it's been an unusual situation really right from the moment he left, the sense. Right. And honestly, the reason they brought in James Reimer,

I mean, they looked around the league. There wasn't a heightened level of urgency from Stais's perspective, but they liked the idea, given the experience factor of Rimer, the personality of James Rimer, that on the short term, he can help Maryland. But longer term, he'd be a real good partner. They believe he'll be a really good partner for Linus Hallmark. So that put him, believe it or not, a notch ahead of, say, the Rambresois, whose injury history, I think, spooked the Ottawa senators. But it was more about the support role of James Reimer than anything that attracted him. With Darren Dregor, Chris Johnston.

So the Vancouver Canucks and Jim Rutherford doing an interview, I want to say with the province this week. And basically, in McIntyre. Okay. And I think he said, you know, effectively everyone's available right now. And I saw you on Insider Trading. drags talking about Elias Pedersen. We had a conversation about him yesterday. And we had Ray on last hour, and Ray's obviously very close to the Canucks.

And he said he's been playing fine. Like he's been playing okay. But he's getting paid a lot of money to just play okay. 11-6. Yeah. Like what would the market look like for him? Ben. I got to believe that.

It has to be. I mean, cap space is everything, right? And so there's been whispers around. Look, I believe the Carolina Hurricanes, as an example, still have interest in Elias Pedersen. They do. But they probably had more interest a year ago. Two years ago would have had more interest.

And what has to go back? Well, that's for me. You know, Vancouver wouldn't have interest in Yisperi Kaki Niami. Why would you? Right? I mean, at best, he's the third line center. At best, you know, even though they're still weak up the middle. He has two years remaining. But I think they'd be okay

taking Kocki Niami back from Carolina if Pedersen is going the other way because he's a boatload of years. and a ton of money remaining on that massive contract extensions. I think he's still going to be a tough sell. Yeah, that's what's complicated, right, C.J., like he is, you know, ever since Quinn Hughes left, it's basically him as the face of the franchise. Bessor's been there for a while, Demko's still there, but it was Hughes,

it was J.T. Miller, and it's been Patterson. And the idea of having to look at it, like, we've got to get out from underneath this as opposed to acquiring pieces. I think that's wise. I don't think people in Vancouver would want to hear that, but I think that's smart. Like if you're going to launch into a rebuild, it's going to take you years,

I think you've got to start there. Like you kind of got to get out from that contract and reset your books. Right, but I think there's also still a little bit of a thought in the back of management's mind that if we trade this guy, he's going to pop somewhere else, that he's going to get back. And that doesn't mean you don't make the trade,

but I think it's in their minds at least. Do we give them more runway to try to play a little better? like, you know, shine them up a little bit because, you know, exactly what Dreg says is right, right now. I mean, this is probably as low as his value would ever have been as an NHL player just because you've seen such a prolonged stretch where his production has been down. You know, he still has all that money left on his deal. You know, I do think that there's a bit of risk reward in there.

But when I look at some of the teams that have made trades for centers, I mean, the flip side of this conversation is we'll go and tell you about all the teams in league that won a center and can't find one. and sometimes you have to take a bit of a risk you know it wasn't an obvious choice when the capitals traded for pierre luke dubois a few years ago you know he was similarly not in a great spot i know he's been injured this year so it's maybe not a perfect comparison but he was a big part of the success they had last year in washington and that was kind of a trade that maybe had some risk there was a lot of money left on dubois's contracts similar to what you see with peterson and so you know I think that the Canucks can wait, but you're right.

I mean, look, if you're going to do the rebuild thing, you know, there's a couple pieces that got to go. It's the short-term guys with UFA status, like a Sherwood, who we've talked about. And then obviously, I think a symbolic move would be moving on from Pedersen and really closing the chapter on that book of the last five, six, seven years in van. Yeah, no kidding. I would take a chance on them as crazy as that sounds. I think I would, too.

Like I would just say this is going to make or break me from whatever team I'm working with, but it would be just so enticing to say if I get him out of there, maybe a change of scenery. But man, if it doesn't work out and he's that same guy, he kind of is right now or has been the last year. You're not trading him twice. You're not flipping him. There's no market the second time.

That's for sure. Yeah. I wanted to ask both guys, and you can both weigh in, at what point do you see a shoe drop? And what I mean by this is there's so many teams that are kind of hovering around the playoffs. Is there going to be a major move? Because I talk to teams all the time, and it just feels like they're waiting on something. Waiting another week to see if they're either in the hunt or out of the hunt and all of that.

Because to me, I'm sure you guys get it. Trade chatter, I feel like teams have three or four in the barrel, but they just haven't pulled the trigger yet. Yeah, I think that's right. And the chatter is picking up, and I think it's picking up because most teams are either in the middle, they've just completed, or just going into their scouting meetings, right? And, you know, I think of the St. Louis Blues, I know that they're in scouting meetings this week. We know how Sirly Doug Armstrong is right now with his group.

He's just flat out unhappy. Well, he's a gunslinger. So there's a general manager that undoubt. We know he's been active to this point. So I'm real curious to see what some of the names look like, aside from the guys that we normally talk about around St. Louis. So I think St. Louis is going to be a hot spot. Calgary, we keep waiting for something to happen there.

I mean, it's all around Rasmus Anderson, and then it shifts to Nazim Cogry. And I'm going to talk a little bit about Blake Coleman on insider trading, because you can appreciate why a number of teams are calling on Blake Coleman. I mean, he's a good player. He's got the pedigree of a champion. The problem is he's a high character guy that the flames value, and they might need to keep around. I mean, you can't sell off everything, you know, in their situation.

So I think one of those teams, St. Louis, Vancouver, Calgary, I think one of those three will probably be the first to make a splash and go from there. CJ, would you align with that? The other part of it, too, is when I was going to say, when you're this far out, there's a bit of a, it's like a waiting game. It's almost a game of chicken sometimes because the teams that have something to sell, you know, I think it's natural to assume the next bet, the best offer still to come. you get closer to the deadline.

That isn't always the case, of course. And so I think agreeing on a price on some of these players has been challenging. You know, that's certainly the case in Vancouver, you know, where, you know, they're even more open for business this week, as trades reported on insider trading on Tuesday, but they've been open for business in a smaller way since December anyway. And, you know, I think that they've engaged in an extensive amount of trade talk on their guys. But it just seems like there's not the urgency there.

They are waiting for that shoe to drop. And so, noodles, you're asking the right question. I just don't have the answer. I don't know what the sort of trigger moment's going to be. But let's hope it comes before the Olympic break. Because if not, it's a long wait until that roster freeze lifts at the end of February. Right. Well, and you look at the two Canadian teams that are pretty comfortably in,

Edmonton and Montreal. You know, like you talked about Calgary and Vancouver on the other end of the spectrum. Do we picture those two teams being hyperactive? Like I would assume Edmonton will do everything they can. know how much they have. Montreal's got a lot of picks, prospects. Yeah. You know, they've, they've done it right. Like, if you're in Vancouver, I think you look at Montreal and say, let's try to do that if we can. Yeah. The haves are in a position where I would think if they wanted to acquire someone, they could basically acquire anyone they want.

Yeah, I mean, Pierre has talked about this, and, and, you know, I'm sure that they are one of the teams that have that appreciation for Blake Coleman, right? But are you willing to overpay? Are you willing to pay a premium to get that piece? Because that's what it's going to take for Craig Conroy to consider it. They'd like some help up the middle of the ice. You know, is it even possible that they look at an azim coterie with the Calgary Flames, right? The market is thin at Center Ice.

It is, especially when you're looking for guys who can comfortably play number two. Kent Hughes has been looking for those type of players for months, for months, and he has the assets. I mean, they've got a good young prospect pool that they can dip into, but, you know, you can't be crazy either. Just because you have a want, you have the assets, doesn't mean you have to overpay, but I can see Montreal being active soon.

Yeah, they're an interesting team right now. There's no disputing that. All right, boys. Well, it's going to be a fun one tonight. Leaves School of Knights, a bunch of games in the NHL. Great seeing you. CJ, great to have you back on Canadian soil. We'll do it again soon.

Thank you for this. All right, boys. I'm good night. There it is. Chris Johnston, Darren, at TSN Hockey Insiders, as we continue to motor towards puck drop tonight. Leaves School of Nights. We'll get back into that, among other stories around the NFL.

Waiting on some Kyle Tucker news. Any minute now, any minute. I wonder if this weather affects him, right? If he's watching the news up here, although in the spring and summer, you don't have to concern yourself with that. And again, other news and notes as we plug towards the divisional round in the NFL.

Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and on TSN4. Introducing Brian Adams Radio on I-Heart Radio. Hosted by Brian Adams himself. Join me for an insider look on a wild-roids. through 40 years of global rock and roll. Brian Adams Radio.

Now available on the free IHart Radio app. Or ask your smart speaker to play Brian Adams Radio on IHart Radio. I was ready to rock. All right, best bet still to come. Powered by Fandu later in the hour. Again, the weather in Toronto is wild, but the PGA Tour is back. We're waiting on baseball signings. You know, the spring, summer, it's around the corner.

It's around the corner. And my boy, Nick Taylor, is seven under. He's tied for the lead right now. He's on 18 out at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Did you take him? I took him. Absolutely. I took him.

You took your boy, Ben Griffin. He's seven under. Oh, Benny. Danny McCarthy's in the hunt. Harry Hall's in the hunt. Where's VJ is a great question. A stinky old Harry Hall with that hat is in the the hunt? He's in the hunt. He's 5-under.

I knew you could do it, here. Yeah. Oh, VJ's just teeing off. We should go live to VJ teeing off. If we have access to that, awesome. Imagine a VJ sing tracker in Hawaii. If, Dugie, if VJ's putting for Bertie on the first hole, I want to go live to it. Yes. He's playing with Chris Kirk and Ryan Gerard. So, you know, Kirk's a name. Fienow's about to go out. Rainbow-colored honkas and a, and a, and a,

wide slack. Yeah. Got the glasses on. He usually rocks a visor. I don't know if he still does. Viser. The visor and the putter, the broom putter. BJ's going to be electric.

Yeah. Let's do what happens. I got a question. I got a question. Hayes, are you going to be Pete Rose tonight on the panel or what? What time's that game at? So the game's at 930, but because it's an ESPN game, it's going to start later because they have a, they've got a game first on the East Coast.

I'm telling you, if the East Coast game goes, to overtime. Our game's going to start at like 9.55. So buckle up for a pregame. They can join a live event. I'm not worried about me with Pete Rose. I'm worried about this cat. Because I see you stifling

yawns. Like you are going to war with a yawn in the 4 p.m. hour. You can be okay tonight? You'll be fine. I think you'll be fine. Tonight I'll be fine. Tomorrow, with two late games in the same week, tomorrow I'm done. I had

you know, because I wasn't calling games or anything, obviously early in the week, but staying up and watching them, Colorado and Utah. And last night I had a brutal sleep, brutal sleep. And my kids actually had school today, very rare in the GTA. They actually, and it was pretty greasy we sent them because other kids on the street weren't going. No one was going. No one was going. But here was my thought process. My wife had a hair appointment. She's like, I'm going. And I was like, I got to have a shutdown here. I had a brutal sleep. It's been a late week. And I got a late night tonight. Well, the only reason your kids went to school is so you could shut the mill. Basically, so I could shut the mill down. Yeah, and I, I shut it. And I haven't had a daytime nap in so long. And my wife came home and gave it to, roast out, was wondering, you know,

when they walk in the house and, hey, hello, where, and I'm like, oh, here we go. And I'm, I did the upstairs nap, too, like, right back in bed. It was like an old school lights off. And she came in and was like, what is happening in here? Just a little shutdown. Got a late game. ESPN could be a late start. I don't think a way to take anything more in life than seeing their man having a nap. I really don't. It's on a short list.

It is on a short list, especially if they're busy and just doing stuff, you better get up, man. Well, we got a tournament we're going to this weekend. So it was a big, you know, it was a packing. We got a lot going on. you know, we'll be fine. Like I got a couple of texts and a couple of, you know, emails from people that they're on buses like driving all over the place going to tournaments, you know, like old school, young kids,

you know, U-10 teams, like we're off to Montreal, we're grinding it out, we've got to get there. Like, got to do it, right? You're committed. You got a tourney this weekend, the old should we go the night before routine, which probably would have happened. That, again, can't happen because I'm doing the panel tonight. So we got that.

and it's going to be quite the scene. Quite the scene this weekend. Well, it should be all cleared out tomorrow. I think it'll be okay. You're probably good to go super late tonight, but your kids don't want to do. Well, I'm doing a panel and then we're doing the show tomorrow. We've got the show tomorrow. So I'll roll in late and we'll figure it out.

But big, big tournament, big weekend this weekend. Big hockey weekend. Where's the tourney? It's in Cambridge. So it's not a long trip. Didn't you already go to Kitchener? Yeah, exactly. We've had our two away tourneys are, this hotel.

how we're staying at is seven minutes away from the previous one. Oh, my word. But kids don't care. They don't care, though. You guys know what it's like. Like, you could be staying in Midtown Manhattan. They'd say, we got to swim and play mini sticks. It does not matter where you are. No. And they don't care about wins and losses. They want the mini sticks and the indoor pool. Mini sticks in a pool, right? That's what they're looking for and stay up late one of the nights. That's it. And the parents, the parents just want to drink, too. That's the problem.

You get a bunch of parents. We were on a trip last year to Buffalo. One of the parents, I think I told you guys this, one of the Italian parents brought a cooler and was cutting salami up in the lobby. He was cutting salami and cheese for everybody. Love that play. It was in the lobby.

It's unreal. I think it's a veteran play. Another guy you know, you know has a cooler full stack of light beer. There's that dad. And then there's the dad that has the brown. liquor in his room. That's when it gets dangerous.

And when he just kind of leaves for a bit and comes back and you're like, he's got more of a glow on than 20 minutes ago the last time I saw him. Yeah. Like the pit stop in the room. And his mustache goes yellow and he comes back. He's ready. Yeah. The pit stop in the room?

That's when it changes. But, you know, it's always early games. You know, there's a great meme I saw about the like 7 a.m. semi-final, which is what we had last time. We were in the semifinals. 7 a.m. So, you know, it's a big weekend, too. You got Leaves and Winnipeg and got football games on Saturday.

Like, that Bill's game is at 4.30. We are, I'm finding that game. I don't care where I have to be. I'm watching that game and I want to watch the nightcap too. Right? And this Darnold news, he said he's going to play. Like Sam Darnold spoke, he just, which concerns me more because of what you said earlier. He said he just felt something like he didn't need to announce it.

No. He didn't have to go on the injury. knowing that. Yeah, you don't have to. You could just, you know, and I know the NFL is strict with injury reports and all that, but a player, if he doesn't say anything, no one knows his oblique is feeling a little bit off.

No. So Sam Darnold Exactly. May not have had the greatest practice. Something tweaked and he's like, I got the game of my career this Saturday. At home, divisional rival against the Niners. You're the one seed. You're favored to come out of the NFC now.

And out of nowhere, a little oblique, throw me on the injury. list. It just concerns me a little bit. It concerns me a little bit. A lot for me. Yeah. But I'm still heavy, heavy, heavy on the Seahawk. You're still going heavy on Seattle. Okay. Well, Al's brother will join us tomorrow and we'll figure that out. And a lot of Giants fans in Toronto. I know Matt Caw's, big giant fan, the grappler, a big giant fan, very happy about John Harbaugh. And if he's going to New York, it opens up the door like who else is going to get hired. Mike McDaniel flying around, I guess he was on his way to Nashville and some

crazy suit and was spotted in an airport on his way there to test out the Tennessee Titans gig. Yeah, and they got a young quarterback, Cam Ward, we'll see. They took him first overall last year. But I think this Harbaugh to the Giants decision, there he is, that's pretty elite, man, that's South Beach, right? Like that's Mike McDaniel. He's dialed in and ready to go. That's a pretty, that's a pretty sharp suit. I actually like that. But Harbaugh basically is saying, I like Jackson Dart. Like, I think that's what he's saying here. I also like,

like $100 million. Yeah. But he had the pick of the litter for the most part. And I think they probably would have liked to see him in Tennessee with Cam Ward. They would have liked to have seen him with, you know, a number of different places. Don't you think $100 million kind of cancels out? Like we've been talking all week about the connection with the quarterback to the team you're going to. Doesn't a $100 million just put the blinders on everything?

Like $100 million, man. It helps substantially. I mean, this guy's been making a lot of money. 63 years old. This is it. This is your last dance more than likely. To get fired in three years, you're still stuffing 100 million in your jeans, and that's enough. But what it does is it puts pressure on Dart. Like he's got to be the guy because Harbaugh's, he's leaving before Harbaugh. Put it that way. You know, if Dart doesn't work in a year or two, he'll say get rid of this guy, I need a different quarterback. I need my quarterback. But I think the 100 million obviously

factors in, but I think him choosing New York would suggest he likes what he sees. And I can understand that. He's a big athletic. kid Jackson Dardt. He's got an arm and we'll see. They've got to get going. New York's been pretty ugly for a while. And like the whole New York sports scene in general, the necks are good, Yankees are good. This Rangers story is crazy.

Like they're chanted and fired Drury at the garden. Yeah. Wow. And I don't blame them. It's really awful in New York. Like they, because we're talking about the Jersey situation right with no trades getting out and the Rangers

did it first with Crider and with Truba. It wasn't their system? It wasn't their plan? Like, we're just going to put you on waiver.

Yes, and they did, but remember it got out how they wanted to trade them or they wanted them to waive it, and it really got ugly there. Yeah, it was Barclay Gudro that they started with that. Remember it was Gujaro that they sent to San Jose, and then it was into Crider and Truba.

Like, there's been a turnover there, but the team hasn't gotten better. And honestly, as we talk about it all the time, Shasturkin injury, that's it. Like you're, he's a superstar and he keeps them above water. I love Jonathan Quick. He's a Hall of Famer.

It was outrageous what he was given up last night against Ottawa. The goal that got him pulled after the sixth was a straight shot from the point. Like, just straight in. I didn't know what was going on. I felt bad for him because he's been hung out to dry here. That team, you heard Ray. That team stinks on the back end, like awful. And that Panarin, people talk about him.

I know he's a point leader in that. Dry hair again, just floating around out there. I'd be careful with that one. I agree. I think they took their last gasp when they went to the conference finals against the Panthers a couple years ago. They won the president's trophy, I believe. They went to the conference final against the Florida Panthers,

and they lost that game, that series. And it was like after that, it was game over. Lafran year was so good that year and in that series. I haven't heard his name once since. Well, that's the problem. Lafran year is. been a bust as a first overall pick, and they paid him.

That Capo-Caco was second overall, and he's not even there anymore. They took him with a second overall. But what was the rush to, like they just had to get rid of Truba. They had to get rid of Crider. It's like the guts of their team got ripped out, and it was like, okay, what do you got now? I think, you know,

when you get a new GM, listen, they, they ran Jeff Gordon out of town, which was, in retrospect, the dumbest thing that Dolan could do, but that's who we're dealing with James Dolan. And Dolan, who knows how he's going to react. You know, he might wake up one day and just say, you're out. But obviously, Drury, I don't know if he sold them on some plan, whatever.

But when you get a new GM taken over for a GM that had kind of already started that rebuild and was building them in the right direction. Remember, they sent that letter out. It's going to take some time. That was Gordon. I think John Davidson was still there at that point. He was. Yeah, Gordon leaves.

Montreal picks him up, goes, thank you very much. Like, we'll take this guy. He knows what he's doing, clearly. And Drury ends up getting a gig. I'm sure he's sold bowling on that. He's like, you got to get rid of this guy, got to get rid of that guy, got to bring in new blood in this area, that area, whatever. So once you commit to a plan and that's how you get your job,

you got to follow through on it, but it's completely falling flat. You know, and you got Mike Sullivan there. Who's a win now coach? Exactly. Like he left, he ran his course in Pittsburgh, very much like Mike Tomlin. It's kind of crazy, the parallels between the two. Cup winners, champion, revered, but it was like, it's time now.

We've got to move in a different direction. And, yeah, the Rangers picked him up. He's not interested in a rebuild or anything. And they went out and got J.T. Miller and just strapped the captaincy on him. Dude, that guy's taking some serious heat right now. That's where I was going to go, guys. Like, Vancouver fans can't wait to pile on the Rangers because Miller's the captain there. And he's a guy who either plays great or he has these, like,

memes were, watch this effort level. Remember, that was like a month ago, the effort level where the guy walked him and he just glided to the bench. And, like, he's got some outrageous plays out there. He's a good player. But you wonder, he's an Olympic player, correct? He's on that Olympics.

Yes, he is. Bill Garron went back to the well on that. Yeah, so you wonder if the Olympics maybe give him a burst or something because that team, there's no identity. When you think of the New York Rangers, like, what do you think of? I think of Shisterc. That's the only guy I think of.

Well, I believe Trochecks on the American team too. So you got Miller and Trochec and the Rangers are completely melting. And, you know, Bill Guerin, it's interesting. Like, they lost the four nations and he committed to the team more than I think the Canadians did. But Canada made more turnover than the Americans. Well, he's got to be thinking I was one goal away. I get it. Make a ton of changes when you're one goal away.

But how do you, like, watching J.T. Miller this year, how was he on that team? Like, he has been brutal. That's a fair point. Like, I have to think of myself, if I was kind of running it, I would say to myself, there's probably two guys I'm going to have to tell him that they're not making this team plainly on performance. I don't like their form that were going into this tournament. Right.

And AT Miller would have been one of those guys. Like Jason Robertson, not on the team. Cole Cawfield, not on the team. And Miller's on because he's a vibes guy that, you know, obviously has a connection all these players. but you already have the Kachukes. You got Eichael, you got Matthews, you've got leaders on that team.

You know, if you're bringing back veterans, again, Trocheck and guys like that, at some point I just feel like Bill Guerr may have gone overboard. We'll see. He may not even play. You know, 14 forwards are going. There's no guarantee he's even in the lineup. He might not be.

But they were pot committed to the four nations, and we'll see if it burns them. But yeah, it's getting ugly in New York, man. Very, very ugly. And James Dolan will make the calls. He will make the decision on what happens. But what are they going to do, fire Drury and then what? Exactly. Who do you go and get that's out there?

What is the team? All of a sudden, just going to go in a different direction with Mike Sullivan behind the bench? And you got Scherker on a long-term deal and he's a great player. So you have a great goalie and Mike Sullivan behind a bench. That suggests it's going to be a retool of some capacity. But I don't know. It's ugly down there. All right.

Least Golden Knights tonight. We'll come back and get to our best bets on national. game and tee it up one last time before we get closer to puck drop tonight. Marner versus the Leafs for the first time in his career on TSN4 this evening. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and up on YouTube live. Introducing Brian Adams Radio on IHeartRadio. Hosted by Brian Adams himself.

Join me for an insider look on a wild ride through 40 years of global rock and roll. Brian Adams Radio. Now available on the free IHard Radio app. Or ask your smart speaker to play Brian Adams radio on IHart Radio. I was ready to rock. Oh, go. Kids want to rock. All right, best friends coming up.

Don't forget to submit your audition tape to become TSN 1050's unofficial correspondent at the Players' Championship. We're not just sending you to the players. You're getting inside the ropes access. You'll be walking side by side with the players at the players. Maybe VJ Sing will be there. BJ probably planning the players. Got to think he's there.

Does he have a score update on him? I know the look has been looked at by you. Yes, that was sent in the group chat. We have that picture that we can post of Vijay. He's two over. Okay, he doubled the first hole. Yeah, he's two over through one. BJ's not off to a great start.

Come on. Disappointing. I picked you, Vijay. Yeah, come on. Come on, Vijay. Get cooking here. But head to TSN-1050. To submit your audition tape.

recreate iconic calls from the players, make up your own masterpiece from your own favorite moment, and someone's going to win a once-in-a-lifetime golf prize pack. That includes flights, hotels, spending cash, tickets to the hospitality house, 18 holes of golf down there inside the ropes access, unbelievable. This is your shot to be 1050s correspondent. Go inside the ropes at the players, courtesy of the PGA tour,

courtesy of the tour. So that's who's hooking this up here. Why can't we go with these people? That's the best part. Like, add us into it. That is something that should be considered. We do dinners, we play around the golf at a different course. That's a great call.

Like it's almost a grand slam. It is a grand slam. I know courses down there. We could have a great time. Okay. I think we might have to talk to the PGA tour about that. And 1050 and TSN. Yeah, we'll see.

Right. What is it? March, middle of March? Yeah. Perfect timing. It is the perfect time to kickstart everything. I like that idea. I like the way your head is spinning right now.

I like it a lot. All right, at least in Vegas tonight. And I'm curious, you know, we talk, there he is, there's Vijay. He's wearing a glove with the broom putter. And he's got a, like a flat brim cap on. Look at the shoes. Joe from the bridge is slowly moving south. Let's see the soles.

Look at those white honkers. That's three inches of soul. I love it. DJ's feeling it, doubling the first hole. The fans in Vegas, like, it's going to be loud tonight. I'm curious how the home fans support Marner, you know, if they're thinking about, like, it's a loud building. We've all been there.

Well, it's going to be interesting because not, this is not a shot at Vegas fans, but it's like, are they aware of all of this buildup in the vitriol and everything about Toronto? Like, do you think that they're fully aware of what the hell's going on? They have to be. I would think. I just don't know what the coverage is like down there for that. You know, like the Golden Knights are playing well.

Aden Hill is returning tonight. That'll be a big story. You know, Mark Stone, their captains playing great. So, Marner, you know,

it was a big story in the summer, and I'm sure it was a big story when he first started there. You know, you got to believe it's a, it's a story down there. I mean, for sure, but not to the same level as up here.

No. You know, like it's nowhere close. It's not front, it's not front page. It's not anything like that. played in L.A. last night. To me, it's a story, but it's 50 times bigger up here.

50 times bigger. Yeah. That's what it is. Well, the amount of media that went to L.A. to see them last night, like, there were a bunch of media members that got out in front of it, went to see him last night. It's going to be a bunch of them down there, not just, like, rights holders and that. This is something that the market, and I'm sure the team is bracing for because of the magnitude of the leaves. You know, like when Petrangelo went down there, I doubt St. Louis media.

was like we got to send a bunch of people down when he plays the blues for the first time. You know, Eichl and Buffalo, Stone and Ottawa. The Leafs and their media and the coverage is very unique. You know, and he's as well-known of a Toronto Maple Leaf and as a athlete and celebrity in the city

over the last decade as almost anybody. And a polarizing exit too. Big time. Big time. The way it went out, the way he might have been kind of circling it and thinking, I want to get out of here. The way they played in Game 7, himself included, you know, the news of whether or not they could have, you know, acquired rant and all that kind of stuff.

Like it just builds and builds and builds. And it's deep into the season. Like we're into January. They've played 40 plus games already. And we haven't seen them yet. Yeah. So it's a big one tonight. Joseph Wall getting a start.

Matthew Nives was not at the skate this morning, but he's going to play. I think the leaves show up tonight. Like, I think they're going to have a good game. I think they need to because of what happened a couple of nights ago. And Vegas is going to be ready to be ready to. play. Yeah, you've got to be ready to play against them. We've seen them go into that building. They have had some success in there, but they've also got their asses handed to them a couple times. Like, they will bully you out of a game. So we talked about it earlier. This is not the

Colorado Avalanche. They're not going to be zooming around a million miles an hour, but they are going to play a heavy game, man. Those guys are monsters. Gord Miller talks about it every time this game happens. Their defensemen are gigantic. Yes. And it's a big team overall. So you've got to be committed. Be ready. Got to be ready. Best bets powered by Fandole. Make your picks and assemble the same game parlay and seconds on the Fandole Sportsbook app.

Least paying plus money. I'm going to jump on that. Austin Matthews anytime goal score tonight. There's your parlay going into the game. Best bets powered by Fandual. Same game parles around the NHL are available on the Fandual Sportsbook app. Please play responsibly 19 plus physically located in Ontario. All right, boys.

Well, let's see what happens tonight. Give me a fun one breaking it down tomorrow. Thanks to everyone behind the scenes for helping out. It's appreciated. Everyone for tuning in today, TV, radio, podcast, web, and of course, up on YouTube live, every show up on TSN's YouTube channel. We're out of here. Enjoy your evenings. Enjoy the games tonight. We're back tomorrow at 4 p.m. We'll chat then. I'm Dylan Playfair. And I'm Tyler Smith. We're putting loneliness in the penalty box by talking to some of our favorite athletes about the importance of friendship. This is bromance. Bromance is brought to you by Charm Diamond Center, proudly Canadian-owned and operator. Charm has been part of your love stories and bromances for over 50 years. And you can find bromance on the Iheart Radio Network

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