OverDrive - OverDrive - January 16, 2025 - Hour 1

Episode Date: January 16, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Dave Feschuk for Hour 1 on OverDrive! The guys discuss the Maple Leafs looking to snap their losing run, John Tavares landing on the IR, the mentality of the stars on the team and the matchup against Sheldon Keefe and New Jersey. TSN Host James Duthie joins to discuss Sheldon Keefe's return, Auston Matthews' impact to the team and the meaning of the name Forbes.

My name is Ashley and I am the owner and founder of 4 Generations Creations here in Kamloops, BC. The Canadian TikTok team has helped my business tremendously by giving me opportunities to create and share space with other Indigenous creators within Canada. 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 4, Brian Azeodog, Jeff O'Neil, Dave Feshtruck,

the Toronto star. Cheers. Amigo. Cheers. Cheers. There it is, the coffee's arrived today, Dave. I'm not sure if you're aware of that, but there was a public complaint made earlier this week.

Oh, I heard about it. If you worked with somebody and you have this favorite coffee and you always talk about it, and you had brought this person that coffee 10 different occasions. 10. Dude, it's 10. Double digits. 10 seems extreme. I don't think it's 10, but it's been a few of them.

Dude, if it's not 10, it's pushing up on eight or nine. It's ten. Yeah. Wouldn't you think that one time you would say, I'm gonna do something nice for this cat and I'm gonna bring in the coffee? I might think that. You would have to think that. And today, the worst thing is, it took me to say something.

You know I'm embarrassed of that. No, that's not true. That's not true because I thought of it the other day. I already I broke down my skid the other day I would have done it on monday or tuesday, whatever day it was I was in here early I was doing a an interview and then I had to do a sports center thing I didn't have time to go get them i'm not going to get them at two o'clock and have them sit out there and be ice Cold fair point what you don't know is I was around here the last time and I saw your skid

There was a lot there were were some wander sessions. That's preparation time. Stop and chat time. A lot of stop and chats around here. You try to get to the bottom of what's happening around here. I'll tell you one thing from last night. Hey, Seuss, my guy in Edmonton 97, he heard you and he is on a charge. Do you think he's emily now after a of of filthy disgusting elbow last night from connor mcdavid he should be ashamed of himself did you not think that that was some embellishment i thought it was definitely some there is no way

that you can inflict but that was literally like elbow moved half of a centimeter i mean joe hansen's His elbow moved half of a centimeter. Well, I mean Johansson's day-to-day. That's what they're announcing, right? That he is he is day to day This is the thing about modern technology if you slow it down break it down McDavid moves his elbow a little bit that was not Marc Messier in 1984 No, like that wasn't I'm trying to destroy somebody Could it have been a an interference call? Yeah, you probably could have called that

We saw the ticky tack calls the other night the slash on john taveras. That was an embarrassment that the league would embarrassment Absolute embarrassment a referee would call that Especially on a guy like john taveras and that's what berubit was indicating after the game like okay It's one thing if it's you know, it's ryan Reeves out there hacking and whacking certain guys even that bad call But you might be looking for more John Tavares. You're gonna call that I think the same thing with with McDavid Maybe you call a two-minute interference, but that was not some vicious Vicious elbow last night. It looked like this is what I think happened McDavid was like Oh, is this guy gonna get his hands up on me and he kind of flinched a little bit and that was all he did Right. It was like an instinct. Yeah, it was like, Oh, is this guy going to get his hands up on me? And he kind of flinched a little bit and that was all he did.

Right. It was like an instinct thing. Yeah. It was like, Oh, maybe, maybe I got a brace for this guy and all of a sudden, but that's good. That's embellishment. I'm sorry. And McDavid can, he deserves complete like hall pass, nothing there. No fine. No nothing, nothing. Well he's exactly star players, superstar players, faces of the league are always going to be treated a little bit differently.

But I'm sure he loved Biz Nasi after the game asking you about it too. He's like, yeah, you got the Gordie how hot you're a couple goals assists and you elbow the guy in the face. It was like, yeah, thanks. Yeah. Thanks for bringing that up. But it doesn't sound like the leagues, they're not going to do anything. They're not going to hold back.

That's for sure. I mean, they're Edmonton's in Colorado tonight. Yeah. You don't want him playing against McKinnon and McCarr tonight like get serious. Let's get serious Yeah has to happen, but that was an impressive win in Minnesota. I thought dry Sutter was great last night, too, man He they are in a they're in a pretty good place pretty good place pretty good place And I don't even like love the roster You know what I mean? Like it's it is so like those two guys drive the bus and other guys chip in and yes guys like Hyman and R&H are important Darnall

Nurse and Boucher are important and they got to get some saves but those guys get it done. Yeah they do man. On the regular. On the regular. I still like I guess if you're ranking Canadian teams for who you would put money on to win the Stanley Cup would you have Edmonton ahead of Winnipeg by a mile by a mile Dave by a mile mean because of their history in the playoffs because they've I understand that Winnipeg's been better than them if you're based on just play this year I'm taking Winnipeg but in the back of my mind I'm you're basing that on just play this year, I'm taking Winnipeg. But in the back of my mind, I'm like, I know what happened last year, but you can't do that.

If you're basing it simply on performance this year, you would have to take Winnipeg. I mean, in terms of falling flat in the playoffs, like Winnipeg is Toronto West. I mean, in terms of being an incredible juggernaut in various regular seasons. You know how many times I've taken them to win the Stanley Cup? That's what I mean. They've looked so good. Hellebuck in particular has looked so good. Heart trophy worthy goaltender.

Not just the Vezina, the heart. And yet, what's he done in the playoffs? Look at his playoff numbers. It's been ugly the last few years. They have not been good. No, that's reasonable. And listen, you get into where the Maple Leafs would fall in the pecking order. It's their history as well that stops you from really discussing it because I honestly think if you look at like the best teams in the league

right now, the path is easier in the East. Oh, my opinion, like from from a waiting standpoint, the Leafs you could make an argument should be number one in Canada in terms of whether or not you think they could go on a run because of who they're likely to play. Edmonton, Edmonton's probably gonna play LA in the first round. Again. Again, and they have owned them in the past, but LA looks really good. Like LA's been playing very, very well.

I wouldn't say LA would be just some layup. I don't think they will be this time. I don't think so at all. And then you're likely getting Vegas in the second round. Vegas is a juggernaut right now. And then you get like Colorado or Dallas or Winnipeg. Like I think there's more juggernauts in the west than there is in the east. By a mile. Yeah. So it's scary. It should be like you could make the argument. Let's say men in black, they show up,

they have their little thing and we forget about the past and you're actually looking at it based on what we have in front of us presuming health moving forward. You could make the argument the Leafs actually have the easiest path to a cup final of any Canadian team. That's what we said when it was the North Division. Absolutely. What are you discarding the Florida Panthers for? What are you? I'm not discarding them. They're included. It's not that there aren't good teams. Boston's down. New Jersey's unproven. Jersey's unproven. Washington's unproven. Carolina's had its ghosts. Yeah, exactly. Goal-tending issues. That's what I'm saying. Like, it's... I somewhat understand what you're saying, but I also

remember where it was like, all you had to do was beat Montreal up 3-1. And you know what was waiting after that? The Edmonton Oilers. And then if you squeak by Vegas after that, you're going to a final. I'm not saying they deserve the benefit of the doubt. I'm not giving them the benefit of the doubt. I would not put the Leafs ahead of either Edmonton or Winnipeg. I wouldn't because of their history. I have to consider their history and yes Winnipeg you have to consider their history but this year they've been better than Toronto. Like they, they are, they've been the best team consistently all year. Winnipeg.

Yeah. They have been a juggernaut. Not even a that's factual. Facts. I mean, based on points, based on just everything, top to bottom. Hellebuck has been the most dominant player in the league, separate conversation with heart and all that kind of stuff. But in terms of an impact you can have on a game, Connor Hellebuck is number one.

Winnipeg I think would be number two though I'd probably go Edmonton one Winnipeg two Toronto three question is who would be number four because I can't say Vancouver right now I would have said Vancouver in September I'm not gonna say that I'm not gonna say Ottawa I'm not gonna I don't I don't really have any faith in like a fourth Canadian team like legitimately having cop Aspirations, I think there's three as of today, but I think that's fair anyway. I mean Vancouver's just you know It's not good dumpster fire that doesn't stop burning right and now they're back home They've got LA tonight, and they've been very bad at home like Vancouver's got a three-game home stand coming up

They're they're below 500 in Vancouver yeah I hate it for the Canucks fans like they had their one year where it's like talk it comes in they were close to the president's throat didn't they they win the president's they just missed New York got okay the Rangers they almost win the president's trophy it's like you got this tandem with Pederson and Miller and they got the coach and everything's dialed in everything up top is solidified with Jimmy and Alvin and then they get one year and the next year it's all gone to hell like what the hell happened out there crazy crazy I mean it really is drama soap opera stuff some injuries clearly and under

performance and underperforming acid wonder well yeah goaltender not being around has been a massive fact that hurts they don't generate offense very easily like that there the sharks are starting to circle rick tockett now rick tockett hockey quote unquote ten you know it's it's norse sides craig berube like a it's a lot of them yeah i like we hear every every practice i could tell you if the leaves and i got to find that balance because if you just wing it and you get your given up five a night everyone's like man you gotta play r Rick Tauke at hockey and then when you're not scoring everyone's like why the hell you playing Rick Tauke at hockey?

Exactly and that's that's what Borubi is dealing with right now they've been shut out three times in the last month and a half they weren't shut out in years. And I got to talk about it tonight like I had to go through the game last night against the Dallas Stars they got absolutely zero on offense like yeah their second-chance offense their cycle game I think that's a sign of a tired team they just had no zip no energy they had like a couple nice plays in front of the net where he hit a post he had a backhand play but they didn't generate like they just had no zip no jump well it doesn't help that John Tavares is now

in the IR. Like, so the spill he took yesterday, working on the power play again, which is just poisonous, whether it's during a game or in practice, but the Leafs labeling him week to week, you know what that is. That could be month to month, the way the Leafs operate.

Well, partly. Or he's back tomorrow. I think they're going with week to week now because they got called out for day to day with one month of austin matthews right so they're going to go over the top and hope that he'll actually come back a little bit earlier it's probably close it might be three or four days we better call it week okay but he is on the irs so he's got to be out for a week retroactive to tuesday which means out tonight out against the habs on saturday out against

tamp on mond. So he's going to miss three games. They're struggling right now. They're struggling with offense. And John's been playing really well. And what this does now is it reshuffles your lines, but it's going to put a focus for me on two guys. The first one is Matthews, who has had the injury bug all year. It's a legitimate explanation, but he has not been dominant enough he just simply has not dominated enough this season to the point where you leave the rink and say that guy was clearly the best player on the ice and they won tonight because of him he owes them that whether it's tonight Saturday Monday whatever but Tavares has pulled his weight a lot this

year it's on Matthews to step up here. And the second guy is Max Domi needs to arrive in 24, 25, because he hasn't yet. Like, Max has done nothing offensively. And they committed to him, they gave him the deal. He's moving up. Now he's on that second line. Max Domi's got to start performing.

And he has to start producing. You would circle him on the lineup and say, time. man this is why I'm this is why you came back this is why we brought you back we gave you the money we love the energy we love the passion you know he's still hit fight and all that kind of stuff you you've got to be an impact player now you're a top six forward you're stepping in for John Tavares Max Domi it's Matthews and Domi now. That's the show. I got one more guy that had that list.

It was a year ago around this time that a guy named Willie Nylander got 92 million dollars from this team, okay? At that moment, he was leading the team in scoring on 120 point pace. Now he's got the money. And he is not leading the team in scoring. He is on 80 point pace now he's got the money. Yeah, and he is not leaving the team and scoring he is on 80 Point pace a year later and he's and he's the guy saying

Three games doesn't really matter if they boo. Yeah, you know, we're a good team. Oh really? Are you a good team? Well, look at those stats up on TV the last ten games for William Nylander one goal three assists a minus eight and He's playing still playing over 19 minutes a night It's not like Barube is not opening the door to him and saying get out there and play got to improve But going through the game you he stands out where it's like, what were you think? That's why video is such a dangerous game for players because you kind of you you're not going home as a player and watching it But when you get the second chance to run over, you're like... I fly coaches pull you aside in the ice and say, I don't know what you think you were

doing last night, but you're terrible. And Willie's been bad. Like Willie's struggled. And the key for him is, when he's getting the breakaways and the free-flowing opportunities, you ride it out and that's a hell of a drug. It's... Oh yeah. Now you're just like, I'm on cruise control, man.

I'm getting one-timers. I'm going to the net I'm doing everything pretty much at will and my dad used to call me sometimes and this would be the only Conversation because when you get to the NHL it's not like your old man's calling you're kind of giving you advice But he'd say Jeff can't stand around all the time and wait for the puck in the slot You got to go get it like you got to make that happen And that's what he's doing he's standing around waiting for it and he's just too casual like he's too casual He's like well eating around the neutral zone and I'll flip it over there and see what I it's too casual in his own End a lot. Yeah, dude. He threw a backhand sauce that if it got it. Oh, yeah

Yeah, that was wild the other night. Yeah, Johnny was like, oh, yeah Gordon that they were they replayed it Yeah, like it was a whistle. They were they replayed it. Like there was a whistle. I think he's like, what am I really doing? But I mean, I was I don't know, maybe I'm overreacting. But when I hear a guy say it doesn't really matter if they boo, we know we're a good team. What would give you the impression that you were a good team? Like, have you looked at the results you've had in the game? The matters in the playoffs?

They're the games that matter, Brian. I understand that. But that message is not getting through to these guys. I will grant you that. They are not a good team in the only games that anybody cares about. So how can they say, we know we're a good team with a straight face? And yet they do. On a regular basis, Mitch Marner, earlier this week, I thought we were really good when

they were terrible. These guys, they're living in a bubble that's not the negative social media that's always been a part of their ammo we love each other we got it we know we got the team we just got to go out like that's always been yeah they're defensive you know there or or they're overly delusional delusional at times I think they're delusional I think it is but I said yesterday Dave I think they're very confident the regular season and I think it is, but I said yesterday, Dave, I think they're very confident in the regular season and I understand why.

Because they are a regular season dynasty. That's what they've been for nine years. Like in January, I'll bet you Willie has a game tonight. I wouldn't be surprised at all if he's flying tonight and dancing and he comes out with a comment that's tongue in cheeks. He told you, you know, something like that, front page of the star, Willie's called it, you know, whatever. I like that about him. Yeah, no, me too. I like that aspect of him. Willie, and that speaks to whether you buy into this market swallows you up, I've never been a believer in that, like certain guys can get isolated and

it can be tough and we can think of examples over the year, famously Larry Murphy or boy Brian McCabe and, you know, guys that have been, you're in the spotlight, you're the one, people are going nuts on you, it can be tough, but for the most part it's very overstated how difficult this fishbowl is, yet the Leafs have convinced themselves, I think the executives down at MLSC, that it is this massive issue and you need the guys who are programmed properly to handle it and Willie is a great example of that because he's programmed to give off a vibe like he doesn't care about anything. Go ahead and boo, I don't care. Go ahead and do this. Don't show up. Throw

waffles on it. Whatever. It doesn't matter to me and I think within the building they're like that's the perfect attitude. I don't think they look at it as wait a minute that's not good. That's an issue for us because we need you to actually realize it is a problem that you're losing games here that you should be winning I just need to say one thing I I refuse To continually go back like teams go through a bad stretch Yes, exactly like the Edmonton Oilers started this season and they were red-rot like they were terrible for 15 games Yeah fair point

So I kind of refused to go back in a three game dip or do what you want to call it a two week dip but they won five in a row before the three loss okay so they want to have a great they won five in a row they lose three and i'm not going back to playoff losses because we love doing on this market affair are you the guys that are going to choke it away in the plastic we're talking we're going to go from a three game regular season

no well the bring outside of one of both that the whole document it's not about obviously you're gonna go through struggles how you respond to them and your attitude when they come right like you don't hear connor mcdavid said doesn't matter if it was that and that's a matter of that's very valid you know i mean that there when when when the whores are playing bad mDavid looks like you know his dog died and He says Bob again. Yeah, well and and listen that speaks to something

I've been driving home for years when it comes to the main players on this team and I will exclude Morgan Riley because I think Riley actually does quote-unquote get it or show it or what have you. He's playing poorly but other than that. Yes, he's not been great but in terms of his overall reaction and kind of his disposition when they're winning or losing you can see a difference. He's been the best of that. Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Tavares, they never change. On the ice, off the ice, they have the exact same disposition all the time. It's always the same.

Yeah. So I guess that this is actually kind of illuminating that that that's precisely what they are and that's who they are and that's how they operate and if you lose after game seven and say we know we're still a good team you know like that's just how they are if they win ten in a row we know we're a good team nothing changes and nothing will change and that's not the reality of it all is that once we get to the playoffs it's still the same guys you know that have to prove that they're gonna do it a little bit differently.

But as I said yesterday, even if they flip the switch and said something differently, I'm not gonna step away and say, you know what, I heard that so now I know they're gonna score in the third period of game 7 this year. No, you're right. Like nothing they say or do in January is gonna lead anybody collectively to really move the goalpost to the point where now I know they're wired differently. I think they've been in the league so long. These guys are who they are. They are what they are.

I will say this about the Nylander comment, tone deaf and all that. But now that you've said it, now you, you better prove that it's only three games because it can snowball, right? You don't think Sheldon Keefe is dying to make it four in a row in regulation tonight. You don't think the Habs want to tack on one on Saturday night? Exactly. And then Tampa Bay coming in here, want to tack on another one? Then all of a sudden it's five in a row, six, and then you're like, wait a minute, what

is, now what's happening? And John Tavares is hurt, and Stolar is now, you know, it's creeping out. It doesn't sound like he's in a rush to return. And our lead atop the division is shrunk, and now it's- Yeah. I mean, it can happen quickly, where you say it all the time, like good teams don't lose generally two in a row, certainly not three in a row in reg.

It better not be four or five, because then it is gonna get to a point where people are gonna start really poking holes. Right now it's a blip in the radar. You can allow it to be a blip in the radar if you start playing better and you start winning. But they got a tough sked coming up that's you know look you can poke the holes because you start looking at the numbers pre stole ours post stole ours

like a lot of the hay they've made the division lead and a lot of the wins they piled up have been based on elite goaltending and now that I'm not getting it you start to see a different type of team and a different type of result not on a nightly basis and that's another guy goes to walls gonna played tonight didn't have a great start carolina got the night off against vancouver not great against dallas it night you gotta get going here they get and if i'm if i'm craig berube i'm looking at him saying i need you

tonight saturday monday i needed to play all three of these games. Like they're big games. But to dig out of it tonight, what would you say is the most important guy on the ice? Like to turn it around tonight. Well I'd start with. And your options are Austin Matthews, William Nylander,

Joseph Wall, Morgan Riley, Fraser Minton. Well I don't know Minton's. I'm taking Wall immediately. I would probably go with Wall because of the nature of the position. Yeah, like if the same thing happens where they have a fiery start, they get one and then one squeezes through wall in front of the net again, you're just like, it generally is the position you can look at where you can say you're you have more power to stop

the bleeding than any other position, maybe in sports. Like you can just literally stand on your head and it's like hey we got to win tonight, see you later. Your point, the guy that impacts winning this league more than anybody right now is the guy in the crease for Winnipeg. Connor Hellebuck. But if I were ranking it I'd go wall one, two I'd go Austin Matthews. Like at some point you gotta get- That's gotta be a Matthews game.

He's gotta get going. Nylander, Schmelander, like Matthews- Yeah, like you scored early the other night then I thought he faded into the game again. He's gotta a buzz dominant doesn't that concern you though like if you're looking long term here like Does he even have the ability to dominate like that right now given what we know about you know? The way he's season has been interrupted by injury more than once I'm not sure it doesn't look to me like he does like it doesn't look I always say not put your same guy. I always say, when you put your sweater on, you're 100 percent, so if you put your sweater

on, you better be able to go out there and dominate a hockey game. One of the best players in the world. But I mean, have you played with an, you've played with an injury where you know you can't be the O-dog that gets 40? But I also understand that if I tell the coach and the medical staff that I'm playing tonight, there's no, hey, like, why didn't you get there? Why didn't you play? There's no, it's expected.

So as soon as you put the jersey on, there's no, ah, you, why didn't you get there? Why didn't you play? There's no, it's expected. So as soon as you put the jersey on, there's no, ah, you might have a bad, bad, you better go out there and be the best player. It's not like you get an exception and you can play less than what you're expected of because of a lingering injury. That's not how the deal works. But it just looks, I know what you mean, like, your heart should be in it the same way. You should be given, I'm not saying he's not given it.

I'm saying his body won't give it back you know he's not shooting the puck as hard like you look at certain things he's not skating as well he's not getting the pucks he's not as you know dominant on the puck and able to fend off guys like I've looked at a lot of that stuff it just he just doesn't look like when you look at who he was last year with 69 yeah we have only seen we've seen brief glimpses of that yeah but just flashes no and listen if he if it's not possible then I guess give whatever you can and then it's gonna be

on you know the collective group to step up here and Jake McCabe's returning tonight that is significant that's a big win for them that he wasn't he's not out long term like he missed a week and a half they get him back in the lineup that's that's a big big get. But you know he comes in Tavares goes out and Tavares is playing 18-19 minutes a night he's playing well and he's contributing like that's that's another hole in your lineup here so that's gonna be a it's gonna be an interesting game like it the pressures on the Leafs here like New Jersey's rolling into town Sheldon Keefe's all

smiles and laughs this morning with the media the Leafs have got to get one here tonight because the other else you know that the other thing hanging over this is what the crowd has been doing the last couple of games and I don't know if that will continue but I wouldn't be shocked they're down to nothing after the first tonight I would guess you're gonna hear some boos with them skating off the ice what was old Kiefer saying that he was he given the old a's eyes are out yeah he was he was you know shaking hand talking about the traffic in town that's always the go-to for everyone returning right everyone comes into town hey it was a

little bit of traffic there on the Gardner you want to hear his his traffic commentary here's Sheldon Keefe this morning. It was nice to get home last night and have dinner with the wife and kids and plot traffic and the QEW on the way to get here in the carter this morning. So all that's very, very familiar, but of course it'll be a little different on the other bench here tonight. Yeah, good line, man. I like it.

Fight it. everyone's fighting the fighting the traffic down there. Everyone's fighting the traffic. Well that was the that was the Canucks line or there's the Hurricanes line where they said we got we we got a police escort from the airport and we still it still took an hour right you know yeah we're the police escort. Only Taylor Swift gets there on time and only to include the roads for tailed yet teller everyone is all you peasant move and they'll use come get out of the way it is a ready again the right time slot

like where it's really cooking out there you're not going anywhere man like that well i'm gonna know where when did you stay away and now i'm going down there tonight january's pretty quiet where January I'm going down there I'm going to the game. Yeah, I'm going down to the game gonna pop into real sports. Yeah, I'm heading down tonight Hopping a real sport Here it's oh you got a parent I'm going down to see some people Yeah, there's there's people gonna be down there vandals gonna be down there. Oh good stuff Yeah, you were definitely on the email chain but

so good you're on the panel tonight couldn't make it i did not get an email by the way i i i i i don't mean don't know if they'll show you so good the hour going down and see some people you'll be down there he's coming with it is going to be time and i'm sure handler well do you know i do he gets down there and he does his own thing and then he kind of just brushes me off helpless you better sniff around to see if there's any penny pesto I'm going to I fully intend on doing that all right James Duffy one of

the most famous people in the country there's a James Duffy day yeah that was happened already yeah it's already happened but the mayor of Ottawa tweeted that out yesterday about you know I love how the mayor went to the rink to see Duffy. Duffy didn't go down to City Hall the mayor said I guess I'll come out to see you out in Kanata. Duffy was working hard out there. No I understand that but that's not even the mayor's jurisdiction. Lots of people say I don't have time you come to me. Yeah like that's when you know you're famous when you tell the mayor I have an intermission

You can come out to Canada if you want and I'll take it He's already got the key to the city like what else if not cancel the day What a legend James Duffy coming up Craig button will join us today as well overdrive continues TSN 1050 and on TSN for so I need to know what happens and 1050 and on TSN for so I need to know what happens and Is it like Family Day when it's James Duffy day? I get is everyone off on James Duffy. It is a national holiday Yeah, so you can do so kids in Ottawa

But as part of like you get your family together, but you have to celebrate me in some way shape or form So in Ottawa like what goes on on James Duffy? Nobody goes to school. People go on the canal, there's a parade, people have little signs with big heads of me, things like that. Yeah. They go to Blackburn Hamlet, make a pilgrimage to where I went to school, that kind of thing. Unbelievable. Well, Hayes was saying it is such a big league move.

When you say to the mayor, I'm busy, you come out to the rink and hand me the flag. I couldn't believe that. That is something else, man and hand me the fly. I couldn't believe that. That is something else. That is a bastard move. The lies that you propagate on this program. Why did he end up in Kanata at the rink? He just showed up. It was first of all very honored thank you Mayor Sutcliffe whatever I mean I think the whole city is absolutely sick of me. Like they're tired of me, they don't want me to come back ever again, because it's been ridiculous the last couple years. So we're over with it, except January 4th, where you will celebrate me every year. But he just showed up like in the middle of, I don't know if it was like the quarterfinals

or something, the semi-finals, and like in the middle of a period were you there? You were gone right Canada was out already Yeah And he just the game was on and he just kind of gave me the plaque and they took some pictures and and it was About quarter to ten like my day was almost over. I'm like well. I don't even get to join my yeah Hey, come on like why not? Oh, I don't know that was cool though like he posted the pics and obviously you you quote tweeted them and I I don't know. That was cool though, like he posted the pics and obviously you quote tweeted them and I just.

Which is I know the quote tweet, oh and I, we're not big fans of the quote tweet but I only did it to like make a joke at my own expense. No, you have to man, you have to and I thought that was really, I thought it was a baller move to have him come out to Kanata to present you with that. I know what you said, I'm busy,

I'm not meeting you at town hall or anything like that. So get your ass to the rink and maybe I got time in the third period. The whole key to the city thing, which you were kind enough to come up for, and you know, I made all my stupid friends and family members drive in for hours to come to this thing and there's a big ceremony with pipers and stuff, and then Brooke Henderson, like she just shows up at the, you know, the Canadian Women's Open was in Ottawa and they just handed to her before she walks to the tea kind of thing so I think I made a bigger deal out of this than I probably should have.

Absolutely. All right do you want to address like Joe from the Bridge has been labeling you as Forbes on the show like every time you're in here you know Forbes, Duffy, what is happening here? I've tolerated the lies that have been told by one of the cast members of your program for years now. Buddy I don't tell lies. I accept it. for stuffy did what is that i have tolerated the lies that have been told by one of the cast members of your program for years now body i don't realize i accept it i don't they're not lies their manipulations of truth of which he knows right so

my middle name is forbes i have the passports and stuff here from a can put my passport up on air but my middle name is forbes what's my second my best. What's the second one? My best friend. Tell the people the second one. Well I don't want to bring that up. That's a different story. Just say it.

How many middle names do you have? My second middle name is Ryburn. Alright. Is that your mom's maiden name? My two grandfathers, Forbes and Ryburn. Old school, you know, Euro guys. I like that. Old rich people.

Alright. So, no, they were not rich, definitely. So I'm actually James Forbes the sixth, which is really embarrassing. That's when I got married, my wife is like, it ends here. Right, that's enough. It's over. Okay. So my buddies call me Forbes.

My best friends call me Forbes. So one of them comes up at the game and he meets O and he said, he's talking to me Forbes and I was like, why are you calling Forbes? And I'm like, well, my name is James Forbes Duffy my best buddies just call me Forbes so then he comes on this program and says his name is Forbes Duffy it's not even James that's exactly what happened. I went for lunch with one of your friends and he looks at me and he goes where's Forbes and I literally my eyes popped out of my head I go why what did you just say and he goes where's Forbes and I'm like, what are you talking about?

He goes and this is how he said this is his other and everyone else calls him Jamie No one calls this guy James. He goes Jamie's real name is Ford and that's what I said Oh, man, we need to get to the bottom My name on my birth certificate is James Forbes Duffy if I had met you when I was seven I would have introduced myself as James my parents did call me Jamie, so most of my friends through middle school, high school, people would call me Jamie, but if I, like my girlfriends would call me James, because I would introduce myself as James. And then when I went into the broadcasting, I was James. Although I dabbled with Jake for a while when I was in radio, but that's

a whole other story. It's Jake Duffy? Wow, what a handle. That's a whole other story. Anyway, then I find out this guy, this guy's giving me this whole Forbes thing. Jake Duffy? Jake Duffy? Wow, what a handle. That's a whole other story. Anyway, then I find out this guy, this guy's given me this whole forcing. Jake was pretty cool. That's a great name. I did it for like, I was like, morning at the radio station at Carlton for like two

months. I said, I gotta change my name and spice it up. So I'm gonna go with Jake. Jake Duffy. Was it like a top 40 thing? Like, you know, I was just doing the news of the sports. Now it's time with Jake Duffy in the news. Jake Duffy.

But then I find out this dude's middle name is Finnegan like Casey and I like Finnegan better Flanagan and he's he's labeling with the Forbes. I know so Flanagan here I might go by Flanagan on our belief free game shows for the rest of the season. I like that. Yeah I like the multi I got multiple middle names I got I'm old school school I got some old school like Scottish middle name what do you got my full name is Brian William Figgins hey Figgins and Flanagan Figgins that should be the radio show if there's no offense to noodles but if he ever gets a promotion goes off somewhere it's the

Figgins and Flanagan show I love that handle all I can think about with Figgins Flanagan's flat festack there you go to the best truck in here everything's all good begins reeks of magnum p i sidekick with the dog his name is a good day yeah figs you don't hear often you know if the big ends is a muppet a bit of a muppet yeah it's got a shadow of my mom's maiden name so there are a lot of our is now you know that they had some weird

Right, they really do like have you heard Ryburn ever in your life? I never have in my life never have and so I no offense to my other grandfather I never met him he passed away before I was born both my grandfather's passed away before I was born But I kind of dropped the Ryburn and just went with the Forbes. Yeah, I like that, you know and just went with the Forbes. Yeah, I like that. You know. Jake Forbes. Man, if you were Jake Duthie, imagine how different it would be.

Guesting today on the Figgins and Flanagan show, Jake Forbes Duthie. Jake Duthie is just like 80s, like it screams radio guy. Doesn't it scream like Van Halen, like running with it, running with it. Well, you know, my wife's name is Brooks and nobody can say Duffy and people call me Dutchie, God love Dutch, even though they know that I'm not Dutchie, but they can't say Duffy. And so I was saying, I should have changed my name when we got married to Brooks, because like Jake Brooks, now we're talking. Now that's a sportscaster.

Great handle. Forbes Brooks. Okay. Figgins Brooks. There's a lot of opportunities. Finnegan. Finnegan, Flanagan, Feschuck. So you guys, we had, you guys had the game the other night, you got the game tonight.

How much of it is Keith's return? Like we were on the panel when they were playing in New Jersey, like is that still a storyline for you? He's coming home though. It is in our pregame show a little bit tonight, first of all because Masters gets to interview him and they've had some fun over the years. You guys did the interview with him on the radio and Masters didn't get to interview him the last time they played. I think Claire Hanna did it and Sheldon had some fun there. I think I'm with you. I feel like because they played already, you know, it's not a massive story. It'd be more fun if it was the first game. I think you should get a good reception. I think we're gonna ask that in the pregame

You guys have probably talked about it. Yeah, I wouldn't see why he wouldn't get no You know a decent round of applause coach respectable went out classy way. Absolutely that little speech He did on you know in Oakville or whatever the day after he got canned I think was you know as classy as it gets as far as exits. So more do you want yeah well maybe a cup and a few more playoff rounds. That would have gone a long way but he's not alone there. No exactly exactly. There hasn't been a Leaf Coast to actually win in a long time. I think he'll get a really warm welcome and that's deserved. Yeah and obviously the mood in the city a little bit a little bit unique recently I mean they get booed a little bit on Saturday they get booed the other

night you get the players coming out like Willie and Marner even Barube like Barube said, you know Hey booze happen and he liked their game the other night. Like he said that afterwards you like their effort anyway Does it feel like a powder keg to you? Is that too extreme like if they they lose or lose bad tonight does it start to get louder and darker? Yeah, and I think it's been unusual this season. I I don't remember a season where there really weren't any crisis sees Pretty much all year usually by now, you know It's the goaltending is a calamity or something's happened besides the Matthews concerns over his injury

There's really been nothing all year and that speaks to the fact that they lost three in a row in regulation or whatever for the first time all year and second time in three years which is a ludicrous stat really because in this league especially today like this league is more nuttier as far as you know predicting games like the wild will beat the Golden Knights for nothing one night and then lose to the Blackhawks it make the league makes no sense anymore So to go that long without a losing streak. I think is is a pretty impressive stat So I think because of that when you play I didn't agree with Perubia that they played well the other night I'm he knows more about hockey to me, but it was pretty terrible game to watch You know the way they've played I think is the more concerning thing and i think the biggest thing

and always going to get into on the pregame show and he probably did on the show already is just the offense the biggest question of the lease this year you know can they continue to play this you know more improved defensive hockey playoff type hockey but actually score because they're just the games are man just doing the games on TV there there's a

lot of low event games yeah it's different man which I'm not criticizing the style that's what you got to do to win maybe come playoff time it'll pay off but you got to find some way to just generate more while you are doing that right right well that that is I think what they're they're risking and it's worth the risk to put this put these new details and these new systems and this new approach into action so that it pays off in the spring there's an elite fan alive that wouldn't accept that 100 like i you know that is an example exactly do whatever you have to through 82 games we've had ups and downs and roller coasters and it's been fun and then they fall

flat in the playoffs find a way to make it work in the playoffs but if it doesn't you are risking it feeling so stale and it being such a forgettable bland season if it doesn't pay off. If they go out and lose games three to one right two to nothing in the playoffs and then you have to re-question everything. That's how they always lose in the playoffs right yeah it's always two right exactly but if that continues you know there will be a lot of questioning clearly and they're gonna face that anyway regardless of the style they're playing during the regular season they they're well aware of that. Funny thing is the Devils are going through the same crap right now right they've lost six of eight and I think

they've scored I don't know they've scored like two goals or less than two goals a game the last seven or eight. So again, just the reminder that this stuff goes on in other markets too. Yeah, that's supposed to be a really offensive team, like not the old devils anymore, and they're going through the same sort of scoring drought. The Leafs are going through over a longer period of time, so. Well, the Oilers didn't have an issue putting up goals last night. They beat Minnesota 5-3, they're in Colorado tonight and McDavid now has 62 points on the season. McKinnon's got 70. McKinnon's in the lead right now.

How would you handicap the Art Ross race? Every other year I would say I'd still put everything on McDavid. I just don't know that he cares about it at all this year, at all. Like I just don't know that he cares about it at all this year, at all. Like, I just don't think that it matters to him one iota. And so, down the stretch, if you know, if they get to first in their division or whatever and that's secure, does he, is he really going for anything? You know, it's the same thing that, you know, I felt about Matthews this year before he got hurt, that he wouldn't care if he scored 35 goals because the playoffs were all that mattered after after the year he had last year, so

That's a tough one. I think Nate's maybe hungrier So I think I guess I'd go McKinnon this year just for that reason Yeah, just because I don't think McDavid cares at all James. He talked about Forbes he talked about, or Forbes, he talked about... Ryburn. Ryman. Ryburn. Ryburn.

Sorry. RYE. Nobody did say Jake Forbes is a great adult name. It's a great adult film name. Jake Forbes? Jake Forbes. Anyway, go ahead. Jakey, you talk about Matthews, and I agree with you.

You've come to the point in the history of this franchise where nobody's impressed by the individual regular season stats, nobody cares if he wins another rocket. I mean, we won't report it, but it's not meaningful given that they haven't created any meaning in the playoffs. But with that said, like, when you look at this this guy, you've watched a lot of his games, you've done a lot of his games, do you see in his play the potential to be a dominant playoff player? Because I just, I haven't seen that kind of stuff

from him on a regular basis, and that's my eyes. How do you see it? Well, no, you're, I mean, and you're not wrong, we've seen eight years or whatever, but he hasn't been a, don't we always complain about them in the summer and then somebody puts out numbers to say their playoff numbers aren't that bad Matthew like points and Marner and such well technically but but not that bad is a low bar right for what we should he

should be dominant almost 50% of the players right score in the class yeah I mean I think it's a fair comment because we're what year is he nine year now they're all in my career yeah can you change it that do you suddenly become a playoff star I he looks diminished injury-wise doesn't he to me I mean to me anyway well he didn't look at like he does you're right I think with the first three games he came back he looked pretty good and that's that's the whole four nations chat again like if I'm a Leaf fan I don't want any part of him playing in that even if they say he's healthy

I get it. He's probably gonna play doesn't have an injury It'd be nice to see him play against McDavid and Marner and so on but would you much rather him? No, I go sit on a beach and get physio every day. Totally. There's a separation Like if you're a fan if you're a member of the team I don't think you you want you want maybe none of your guys to go, but certainly not a guy who's blatantly laboring here. But in terms of the greater good of the sports, if you're trying to make the the event actually significant, you kind of have to have guys willing to play through stuff.

But isn't this going to be the weirdest? Like the Olympics is different, I think, because we're all vested in Canada. But do you not think that all of these fan bases, so all the Leaf fans are going to be watching this thing, you know, cheering for Canada to an extent, but more so praying that Marner and Matthews, if Matthews is playing, don't get hurt. And if you're an Oilers fan, that's all you're watching is make sure McDavid doesn't get hurt and McKinnon and so on and so forth Yeah, I think that the fan interest in this tournament is going to be as much about Please don't let my guy get hurt as it is about can Canada beat Sweden. Yeah, and or whatever I think it's gonna be a very anxious and the most boarding highest anxiety. Yes Big time basically exhibition event that that you could see and again, I'm not trying to knock the event I'm looking forward to watching it's worth a shot much trying else and I think they're gonna try and these guys do care about it

But man if you lose one of those guys for the rest of the season in In that like I mean you can it's tough enough in an Olympics, but in that it's gonna be really hard to take It'll be very difficult. Yeah for sure. All right, we got we got least devils tonight on TSN it'll be a fun one tonight Figgins yes Finnegan Jake Forbes star you just Jake Forbes people are throwing up on your drive home right now hot coming in hot excuse me ma'am I heard your fridge isn't working I love love your mustache, Jake Forbes. Let me go into my truck and see if I have a screw. Enjoy yourself.

There he is. Jake Forbes. What a stunt! Overdrive continues, TSN 1050 and on TSN 4. All right Craig Button coming up into the next hour. Raptors were the win last night man we talked about that spread a lot yesterday. 14 and a half point underdog and they went out right last night. I find it crazy the talk after a big win though. It's happened a couple times this year where they'll get pumped

ten games straight and then they win a big one like that and they're like, our goal here is to set a culture. It's about, I'm like, what are you talking about, man? RJ Barrett a week ago said we have a problem with our work ethic and now it's about a winning culture and we're here to win and it's just, and you got to be happy after wins because they're not coming around that often, but man there is some crazy postgame stuff happening down there. Well, two in a row man, two in a row. One more they get the pizza party. That's right.

Darko's three game winning streak. I'm sure Messiah will make sure it's that Michael Jordan poison pizza. Yeah. Let's get the tank back on. Yeah, you can't start winning now man. You can't start winning now. You're halfway home. Ten wins is too many.

You got to 41 games. That bottom five has been solidified in the NBA all year. Brooklyn's chasing you. Brooklyn's chasing you, man. You started winning a few, though. Like Portland's there. Brooklyn's right there. That's it, man.

You can follow that bottom five. You don't want to follow that bottom five. Because you're not making the play. They're 10 games out of a playoff spot. They're not even close to the play-in. It's not like not like remember a couple years ago. They were in kind of a weird place But it was a scenario where you thought you know what they're still in this because if they and they ended up winning down The stretch they got in I think that's when they lost to the Bulls at home Yeah, and that playing game tomorrow's daughter and tomorrow's daughter was screaming. That was a crazy

There was a wild wild scene, but that's not what we're dealing with here they're not three or four wins away from being in it it's over it's done you've got to commit to the tank now and i think that's what miss i probably understands anyone starts playing too well i think you gotta stop playing like that or you gotta stop playing and send a little bit on

then this in some pecs on what you think jake for what you think Jake Forbes looks like yes Jake Forbes what would he look like like just based on his Dodd muffin our to coming up overdrive continues TSN 1050 and on the TSN app you've been listening to overdrive powered by FanDuel FanDuel bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score