OverDrive - OverDrive - January 21, 2025 - Hour 2

Episode Date: January 21, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Jonas Siegel for Hour 2 on OverDrive! TSN Hockey Analyst Mike Johnson joins to discuss Connor McDavid's cross-check suspension, the Maple Leafs' win against the Lightning and Joseph Woll's role in the crease for the team. They go around the sports world in the latest edition of Confirm or Deny and Matthew Knies' season in Toronto.

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Alpine credits where homeowners get approved. Just for license 12 616. Our to overdrive continues powered by fan duel bringing you everything from the opening line of the final score Brian Hazy O'Doug Jeff O'Neill Jonas Segal of the athletic Mike Johnson coming up here in a few moments confirm with an eye later in the hour. Edmonton Oilers playing tonight, Washington in town, no Connor McDavid, three-game suspension from McDavid and you know it broke while we were on the

air yesterday. I thought he was gonna get two just based on the Matthews suspension a few years ago. I can't, I still don't understand, I heard the explanation, I still don't know why you would ever give him more than two based on the Matthews precedent. It's right there. The best player in the world. Give them two. No one's going to complain about that. This brought up a good point today, Hayes.

Imagine only one game for each and all the same players are back on the ice for Thursday night for the rematch. That wasn't going to happen. And that's it. I know. Because it's not 1985 yeah exactly think of the think of the build up to that tilt everybody be watching that game man I mean listen Karlit Connor Garland didn't do anything that

was like so greasy and nasty he just he's like I'm not letting McDavid score sorry exactly and there was ten seconds left in a one-goal game And he just clutched and grabbed but I don't think it it's gonna lead to someone like Corey Perry Saying you got a fight in response to something like that No, he's like I'm not letting this guy tie the hockey game and if I have to hold him and keep him pinned on the ground That's what I'm doing. Right exactly what he would have done He would have tied the hockey game and because McDavid is McDavid he's not gonna be in a position where he's gonna have to pay a price like I don't believe someone on Vancouver

the next time they play is gonna say I'm here to fight on behalf of Garland or Connor Garland's gonna he might offer him a tilt I wouldn't be shocked Garland might say I wouldn't you know do you want to fight I don't think I would expect McDavid to do that I do think Tyler Myers is gonna have the answer for it though because Myers is not in the same category as McDavid and and it's not exactly red you know retribution if you go up and just start sucker punching a guy that's five foot eight right it's like really you want to go after Garland exactly they're not gonna go after Garland no and and I don't think the Canucks will go after McDavid.

But I do think Tyler Myers, there's a chance someone might offer him a go. You know, like if Andrew Kane's not playing right now, if Kane was playing, he might say you got to own that. Maybe Corey Perry. Like Myers is a big dude. He wouldn't be an easy guy to fight. But I wouldn't be surprised if there was some sort of retaliation on him because of who he is and again who Bouchard is. But yeah, you're right. I mean, they play again on Thursday night and I would expect it to be pretty loud. Again, until JT Miller or Elias Pettersson get traded, Vancouver is going to be this radioactive team and radioactive market. Um, but Edmonton, man, they're not taking the suspension well.

Like they are, they are freaking out in Edmonton that there's no protection. There was a protest at West Edmonton mall. I know guys, he cross-checked someone in the head. Like you really thinking like, what are you doing? Yeah. I'm with you. The three games for me is me is a game too much. Yeah.

Two games. I'm with you in the protest that that third game is silly if you're the NHL. Give him two. He's McDavid. Get him back on the ice. But obviously he's getting suspended. Like what are we talking about? We have the Dry Cytl audio.

Listen to... I don't know what Leon Dry Cytl is thinking of here or what the dry saddle audio listen to i don't know what leon dry saddle is they can go fear or what the hell he's trying to relay to the masses but here's what dry saddle had to say about the three-game suspension today certainly think three games is a little little too much

uh... for either side uh... yes we don't overly care about having our best players in the league in the game. So we'll leave it at that. We don't care about having the best players in the league in the games. He's saying what you're saying. No, he's saying... He thought it was too long and like, why should it be three guys what are lies and i read that i think you should have to spend days like we're talking about a suspension that's one game more than it should be obviously and everyone just loses their mind about everything

and if it was only two games you have people in vancouver losing their mind that it wasn't enough it's like everybody loves to overreact to things for one reason and it's to bring attention to themselves. So just shut up and carry on with life. Like let's move on here. Yeah. Well, I mean, he's the big, he's, he's McDavid. Obviously it's going to lead to a reaction. I know, but all this overreaction about everything. If this happens or this guy's the president

or this guy's suspended, move on and live your life like it's just since saying the people's reaction out there freaking out does nothing so let's carry on here okay joining us here on the maple total hotline here's mike johnson what did you make of three games suspension for connor mcdavid i'm sure you get out about it break it out about it nice uh... so let them about it. I'm freaking out about it. Nice. So listen, I thought it is longer than it would be. I thought he would,

I thought he would get one and Myers would get two. I know the Vancouver people wouldn't like that, but to me, just watching it, Myers felt more dangerous, more violent, more, more likely that something bad could have happened. But anyways, enough about, you know, but what three is a bit happened. But anyways, enough about, you know, but three is a bit surprising. The fact that they're the same, not that surprising, but I would have done it a bit different.

And as far as Leon goes, I heard you guys talking about it, I think what he was trying to say, Hayes, was the league doesn't care about their top players being on the ice in as much that, well, the suspension's too long, but if you were to call penalties then he wouldn't get frustrated and he wouldn't do something that would get him suspended. Could there be an element of that to it where it's like you know if you just don't let him get

tackled then he doesn't have to punch someone in the head or cross-check somebody in the head which he warrants which more it's a suspension we all agree but it's more you know not protect us. The stars don't need an extra better set of rules. They don't need like the quarterback rules. They just need the rules, not extra rules, just the rules. And I sort of dug into this a little bit for McDavid. So he's always in the top five, understandably, in penalties drawn every year, right?

He has a pocket ton, why wouldn't he be this year? He's down like 47 Why is that did? Teams figure out how to defend him now, and they're not taking many penalties No He's just not getting as many calls and I wonder if the elbow on Johansson the high the cross check to Garland if it's Sort of mounting frustration that he's like I'm getting fouled more than ever Because he has the puck of the offensive bill more than any other player in the league

they have in the spot for a get out any of the open is not getting the same rate of calls it doesn't make a lot of sense so i think that third day of the day maybe the third game is the elbow tax in minnesota it's like there that's this this was from minnesota involved in writing about the federal before three years ago or five five five years ago and five three years ago Whatever it was who he has been on the carpet before but you're right like that elbow was pretty cheeky dirty as well I just wonder if it's like could this be if you're an Euler fan a

net positive Because yes, you miss it for three games, so that's not going to be good. But if it draws attention and spurs a conversation about, wait a second, are we calling fouls on the top players the way that we should? Or are we letting too much go? If that conversation happens and somehow the Oilers get

back to even the same rate of power plays that they had last year, that's going to help them down the stretch into the playoffs. So maybe, maybe this conversation that the league might be having about, okay, wait a second, should we call Connor Garland for the figure four leg lock before it gets to the cross check?

That conversation might actually help Connor McDavid in the long run. We have had some McDavid heart debates on the show over the last week, week and a half. If you had these two options Which would you choose he will 100% win the heart trophy or he will? 0% chance he wins the heart trophy which which would you side with I? Love your absolute

You have to you have to take one of other. It's far more likely that he does not win it than he wins it. Yes. Far more likely. That's correct. And I think missing three more games not going to help him. Nate McKinnon is not slowing down. We've got 74 points now. Like he's rocketing away. Maybe the Euler split between Dreisel and McDavid would hurt him. No it's it's hella buck. It warrants consideration this year like there's a lot of reasons why even if he played every game let alone listening I mean he misses three games left they only have what 36? What's your many Jerry's on McDavid? Many Jerry's on McDavid Hart. Many Jerry's okay 27. 27% seven percent too high for me man i'm i'm at one percent that's ridiculous no it's not ridiculous because

let me know here here's why first of all johnny you should be ashamed yourself you know what a many cherries is it i'm a first time long time come on man you talk about it i don't know but i don't know what a many jerry's is man you got a disease you gotta get a life man quickly quickly um the bar is set so high for him people come up with a mini jerry i don't know man i don't know very valid but he set the bar so high that he he just he has to have such an extreme season to

win it doesn't he's fifth in the league in scoring yeah that's not going to do it for yeah these first is he is not going to win if he's first by a point he's not winning the heart that's a ridiculous he's not gonna win the heart he's not going to score 45 goals right that's the problem because his goal rate is down that they'll give the heart to hellebuck unless it's a supernova. Hayes, I hate to admit it, has a point because he'll give it to a different guy unless he goes supernova or maybe... Now, if he had the same number of goals as Dry Settle or McKinnon and one more point and Hellebuck was having this year, then yeah, we could have that conversation. He might win. But he doesn't. He's not scoring at that rate. So I don't... I'm with you. I think he'd have to win the scoring race by

He doesn't, he's not scoring at that rate. So I don't, I'm with you. I think he'd have to win the scoring race by whatever. 12 points, 14 points. He has to lap the field. He has two more goals than McKinnon. Like I don't understand. Yeah, and he's, how many points behind him? Nine points behind him.

Yeah, I'm just saying like if he goes on a heater. But it's not just McKinnon he's competing with. He's competing with other players who are also in the chase for the hard. Like Dry Settle, who I think. All right, Jonas, how about this? Yeah. How much do you have to, this is think. Alright, Jonas, how about this? Yeah. How much do you have to,

this is an interesting conversation, just based like, value of goals versus assists. So let's say Dry Settle. How much do they have to outscore Dry Settle to make up for the deficit in goals? Like if Dry Settle has 10 more goals, does McDavid need 20 more points? Yes.

Like is it two to one? Is it 10 more goals, 15 more points? Where is that line drawn? It's probably around there. But as you know, so much of this is narrative like McKinnon. You don't really win back to back unless you're like, like crazy, right? Like, but he's a rock. He's in his prime and rock. Yeah, like I hear what you're saying. It's not easy to do. But

he is. It's the store like I hate to say it But the story goes into this. Yeah, that's and that's that's what I'm driving. I'm more than anything I'm not zero percent one percent. Come on Yes, because I think the narrative is too much of a climb for him because he's so clear-cut the best player and he's already won Three what's the narrative against him Nate McKinnon back-to-back? That's going, that's the wave against McDavid? Yes, I think the Hellebuck narrative is significant. I think if they win the President's trophy, never win the heart, never really win it. They've won it. They've won it before. Jose Theodore. Harry Price won it, Theodore won it, Haschuk won it. That's three people. Yeah, that's three in the last 30 years. Yeah, that's not a lot.

Okay, okay, but it's not like it doesn't happen. It rarely happens. Well, Jonas, when when they make up when they make up 10% of the roster and they get 10% of the awards It's actually probably Proportionally appropriate. Yeah, actually, that's a good point. Yeah, I mean listen It's not out of the realm of possibility the hell but could win it this year Right, I think just some and even dry settles case. I think absolutely at the expense. That's the one. Yeah, that's the one Where does it if you ever come on what i'm gonna do is you you better come on with noodles and tell us what's happening we were getting you on on friday and we're gonna talk you're gonna say exactly what you just

said the noodles and watch out dude watch out yet noodles has got mary line and winning the you better book jones on friday for a hockey talk how can i blurt that out with noodles and he's gonna get it how come there's never a campaign for defensemen to win the award why is it just goalies who would be who would be your number one defense well you'd say mccain but what about mccarr rewards here is any value yes or red ski for value if you want to vote by definition not just minutes yeah but valuable. If Columbus gets in the playoff, that guy scores 25 goals and gets 80 points and the next best guy on his team is 10, 15

points behind him. Give him all the trophies. Man, he plays almost 27 minutes a night. 27 minutes a night. Crazy what he does for that team. That team is not good, but they're playing well. And A, it's worthy because of how he's playing, B the narrative is so extreme exactly right and you've got to kind of tie the two yeah I just I and this three games a three-game suspension takes McDavid off the ice again he had the injury I just think it's a just like

if he gets two and a half points again or some crazy number the rest of the year he just run away with it. He will not run away with it it will not be unanimous there's nothing he can do between now number the rest of the year, he'd just run away with it. He will not run away with it. It will not be unanimous. There's nothing he can do between now and the end of the year that would make it unanimous. That I will say definitively. He'd have to score, how many goals does he have right now? 20.

He has 20? Okay, so he'll come back with what, 34 games left or something like that? I don't know, just standing there right in front of me. If he got 50 something goals, like he scored a goal again the rest of the way, and one scoring in the scoring race, okay, like he could win it then. But it would take something pretty, better than 1% Hayes is being a little bit over reactive.

But like, it's not a good chance. I'll give it that much. It's not a good chance. I am, I am seeking attention, you're right. That's what Josh said. That is very accurate. It's a very selfish look at me take but I've made a career off that so I'm gonna try to keep going here if I can stick with it who would be your top five for MVP right now

that's how you in no particular order or in a particular order it's too tough on the fly it's it would be McKinnon Hallibag dry side all Dry-Cytle, Kucherov, Varensky, Marner, Quinn Hughes, I guess I put Mc... I don't know, I guess McDavid, like he's been phenomenal, but I think Dry-Cytle has been more valuable to that team this year based on his stats, goal scoring, the importance of it, him being there all the time, McDavid again with the brief injury. I don't know. I mean you look at points like Marner's what? Fourth in the league in points. Fifth, I wouldn't.

It feels like, doesn't it feel like there's like sort of Hellebuck, McKinnon, Dreissel would be on every single person's ballot. Yes, that's right. And then it's like, we could talk about Wuranski, we could talk about McDavid. McDavid would be on most, I think. But then Kucherov, what he's done, you know, Kuchurov, Marner,

Moransky, Quinn Hughes, would also, I think that would sort of make up the next group. And you would split though, like you could make a case kind of for or against, you know, all those guys. For sure. And you know, you look at where the Leafs are at now, Johnny, like now they lost three in a row in regulation, now they win three in a row, all of a sudden they're they got a five-point buffer on Florida. They're five points behind Washington but they're second in the East and they're starting to score a ton of goals. Like everything's kind of coming together all of a sudden for the Leafs. So was Willie Nylander right the

whole time? Like what's the big deal? Relax. Like apparently he had it all figured out. Don't worry about three games without scoring. I think the most impressive and maybe the most important thing Hayes is that the way that they had been able to score these last few games because I'm watching the game the other night, whatever last night I guess it was, and how many rush chances did they create last night?

For a team that is one of the worst in the whole league at creating rush chances, right? Matthew's first goal off the rush, Nye's goal was off the rush, and Elanders breakaway is off the rush. That was what we used to see. That was reminiscent of the old Toronto Maple Leafs. So if you can mix that with the attention to detail and better goal-tending and all that other stuff, that becomes the dangerous team.

And the team with greater margins that can have an off-knighted net, can have a quiet power play, can give up a penalty-kill goal, and still win if they can mix in more often. That to me has sort of been the revelation of the last week. Where has this been and why is it coming out now? But that was impressive.

And they've sort of kind of been able to turn it up when they wanted to. And I think so much of it, and we've said it all along, right? Let's evaluate this team when Austin Matthew looks healthy. And like he's so good that he can make across the board sweeping differences to how the team plays, to how they look, their underlying numbers, their wins and losses.

And to see him skating through the neutral zone, flying like that, making plays, skating away from guys, it's different. And when he's different, the team's different. Johnny, can you talk on ice level William Nylander dialed in? I've been so impressed with this guy. And there were times early on, do you remember when there was Move William Nylander for Brett Pesci talk? That combo was out there. We got to get a defenseman and Nylander's the guy to go.

When he cranks it up and he's bogeying like that and he's got some kind of skilled physical physicality We'll call it. It's pretty damn good. Like as far as you played right wing too, like that's that's as good as you can play right wing Yeah, cuz you don't get it all the time right play on the wing no matter how yeah And so you got to pick your spots and I think that's what he is. So Brilliant beyond the skills you just talked about Oh He's such a good skater. Like did you see him shed Lane Hudson, who's a good skater?

He's like, get off of me, please. Don't even bother trying. See him pull away last night for a breakaway. The speed, the edges, the power. But to me, it's the timing. Where, even like last night one, probably not the perfect, geek, carbon-o defensive route.

But he recognized, I'm not the last guy back. I think there's gonna be a turnover. I'm gonna go, cause if there is, I'm gone. And I think the Leafs and every team in the league will live with that decision by that player. Now, Steven Lorenz can't make that decision, cause even if he gets it, it's not gonna be the same result.

But with a knee-lander he can, especially with Tavares out, when you're playing with Holmberg, McMahon, like it's not gonna be the same result but when he landed he can especially with tomorrow's out when you're playing with home bird McMahon like it's got to be quick strike stuff you're not gonna cycle guys and get chances but he knows this and and I think the ability to kind of time it and be sort of that lightning quick strike offense that the Leafs desperately need at times it's's really, really impressive. And he looks like he's not skating as fast as he can, and yet no one's catching him or stopping as fast as he has or closing gaps on him.

He's an unbelievable skater, and his timing, oh, is what really makes it so impressive, because he gets chances that other guys who he don't see aren't willing to take. So I'm glad you're on here, Johnny. I'm glad you're in here, Jonas, because I'm gonna say something here that I think, I know Jonas will disagree with.

Johnny, I've been told to be nice, so I'll try. No, no, no, hey, listen, I want honest, truthful Jonas here. Joseph Wall has given up three goals or more in five straight starts, and I think it's the best five game run of his career. Because he's playing and there's no question if he's playing and he's making big stops when he's supposed to make big stops and you look at it against Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday,

Monday, four games and seven nights, no questions, no who's going in, is it Matt Murray, maybe we'll put in whoever it's it's gonna be is it Hill the Beast is he going it no it's not it's Joseph Wall he's playing he's gonna battle for Pucks he's gonna make sure that if you give him a lead he's gonna close the door the stats don't look great they don't is a percentage is dropping goals against is going up that's more of a team stat so what's your statement yeah my statement is my statement is against is going up, that's more of a team stat. So what's your statement? Yeah, what's the hypothesis here? My statement is, this is an example of how stats are completely irrelevant at times.

What a ridiculous statement. It's not, because if I'm Craig Borubey... Listen to the man, Jonas. Hazy, you're on the floor. If I'm Craig Borubey, I feel better about Joseph Wall today than I have at any point all year, including when he had a 927 percentage. I love what I'm seeing. You are looking at the wrong stats my friend. Oh really? Oh. Give me the stats that Craig Beru never cared about. We have these stats called expected goals above. Oh saved okay.

Saved above expected. Whatever the heck you want to call it. Yeah. If you look at those in the last little bit they look pretty good. Yeah. Yeah. Because he's stopping high quality chances. There you go. He's facing a lot of shots, but he's stopping a lot of the good ones. Okay. We have stats for that. So we're proving the same point. You agree with my stance. And even though pucks are going in on him, he's doing what he's supposed to do. And the fact that he's playing and he looks healthy and he's reliable to me is way more important than any specific statistics. Mike, you can like, you can.

Go ahead, Johnny, battle me on this. Feels like what you're saying might not be entirely wrong, but the premise, one of the things is, this is what stats don't matter, but first of all, you're quoting stats like you played five in a row. That feels like a stat to me. It is a stat.

Like you're quoting stats that make you old school. We call it durability on overdrive. Old school stats. And Jonas is acknowledging that you can find stats that would back up what you're saying about making timely saves and whatever save percentage, whether they're down by one or up by one, whatever it might be. I do think... All that stuff, all that stuff. There's no doubt that defense hasn't been this tight the last four weeks, right? His numbers have ballooned a little bit, but the fact that he's been healthy is important. Now, is this the best he's played?

Absolutely not. Like, it's not the best five games he's played. There's no way. But the fact that he's playing five in a row, when you factor that in to the equation and he's picking up wins and he's gone up wind, and he's gone through some adversity, and he's playing in front of a depleted lineup at times. That is a positive, and that is something that I think he had to, that is what you're talking about, Hazer.

That's what I'm expressing here. He had to prove that he was willing and able to grind. Yes. And not just be a guy when everything's right, he's right, but occasionally when goalies play five games in a row, stuff starts to hurt. And you're banged around, and you're groin, or you're hip, or you're shoulder, or you're whatever,

your back's a little tight, but you've gotta get in there because they need you. And he hadn't shown that in his career. Not that he wasn't capable, but he hadn't shown it. And the fact that he has now, that's what you're talking about. Okay, that's a guy barring some fairly serious situation we can count on.

And I think that's what you're looking for, Aiden. That's what you're talking about. A guy that they count on. I love that you guys agree with me. Careful you guys all don't get your hearts broken. That's all I'm gonna say. I know, it's tedious, man. Well, let me ask you this.

All of you, he's at 24 starts now. What do you want that total to be at the end of the year? At least 40. At least 40. Yeah. Okay. Like how many do they have left? 34 games? I believe yeah. I think he starts 20 so I would say 44. 45 yeah. 44-45 starts. I mean I think basically once Stoller is back they're going be almost even you know, pretty much split down the middle provided everyone stays healthy, right? The store gets back just before four nations are just after They'll cut that down the middle and then they'll see it. But hey, I'll ask you this then you love Joseph Well, what stole our? undoubtedly

Second or third best goalie in the league the first third of the season right? Was great. You wanted him to add the Vezna. Did I ever say the Vezna? You did. Did I? You said he should be in the Vezna. Was that after the first night in Montreal? I don't remember that. Okay go ahead. So if they come back how do you factor that in? Is Wal the number one no matter what? If Stolar starts playing and plays the same? Like how do you factor that in? Is factor that is it just good to have options i think the i'm curious to see how they deal with this yeah i i still think it's up for grabs i don't think you have to make a decision in january early february you still have time to figure this out i think ideally you get to a point where you trust one guy or you believe that he is truly your number one and you have an answer on that i would think they would lean towards Wall being that guy,

but I don't know that definitively. And listen, Stolar is now has got to prove that he can get back on the train, right? Like you suffer an injury and you're out for a long time. That's tough as a goaltender. Will he trust his knee? Will he trust that he gets back into form? Those are all things that we don't have answers to,

but yeah, that's what I was saying about Wall. It's like you can look at, you can have your first shutout or your first back to back wins or whatever, and you can say, oh, that's your welcome to the NHL moment. But I think this is actually him having a welcome to the NHL moment. Like no excuses, you gotta play, no one else is coming in, and he's shown up and played and battled every single day.

But now you gotta keep doing it. Absolutely. That's like that's hell He doesn't deserve a parade because right you do it for a month But it has to start at some point for sure and that's what I'm acknowledging here is is I guess that's my tongue-in-cheek Point about the stats is I'm not even looking at those because I'm looking at a guy who's playing and he's battling and he's making big stops and they're winning games and they need them and That's it. You guys can speak to it in the room and if you get a goalie who's unreliable it's be very unsettling right now

well you just you get you get your hopes up and you're like you're just wondering i go god there's that guy again is he gonna play tonight is he not i'm sure there's been that situation last five or six years in that locker room with a bunch of different guys jack campbell freddie anderson it's like yep and joseph walsh of wall for sure man did what i got a game seven in the morning skate or in warm-up going to the ranks is by the way i'm not playing tonight uh... on that yeah it's a shock to the system and at the top one very tough tough one yeah everyone's like are you in or are you out

to natural reaction to say that yeah are you in or are you out? It's a natural reaction to say that Yeah, are you in are are you out and he's still got to prove that he's still got a damn right? He does no question about that, but the good news is that he doesn't really have to prove Is he good it's just can he be good all the time? I think it's not so much is he capable if now it's just in the sort of capable doing it consistently Yes, so at least that part has been answered, if it had to be, for Joseph Wallach. But Johnny, you know what the playoffs are like. You need your goalie in a hostile environment

to go in and get outplayed and steal a game on the road. If you're going to go on a run, there's at least a couple instances where you need that situation. Look at what Bobrowski did last year in the finals against Edmonton. Game one and game two, he probably stole both those games

that's the kind of stuff that's that that's way on a different level than you guys talking about a guy playing five games in a row in the regular season with the do yet the bars low man i get it to do i i understand the bars low but it's got to start somewhere and made maybe it is maybe maybe the light is gone on here for joseph wall will see uh... right johnny and maybe it is maybe maybe the light has gone on here for Joseph Wall we'll see all right Johnny good stuff lots of excitement a lot of fire I love it always good good stuff we'll talk to you later in the week there's Mike Johnson joining

us here on the maple Toyota hotline count on maple Toyota for the right winter tire package for your Toyota trade in your old tires buy a new set and get $40 back visit maple mapletoyota.com. All right, confirming the night coming up. I think every time we have Johnny on, we throw a mini Jerry at him. I like that idea. And he was on his toes, man. Dude, he loved it. Mike from Scarbro, he knows the show. He knew it was coming almost. He embraced it. Yeah. Well, he gave a great number, 27%. Right? Like that's a bold school vet Jerry like that's not something bold or rounding up or down 25 27 percent it's a great number it's wrong but it's a great number 27 for McDavid's heart I'm telling you guys

don't hold your breath do not hold what if I let you write my ballot oh you have a ballot oh see this is actually that's not allowed you're gonna probably put McDavid in out of spite now interesting you're gonna you're gonna put him in for the heart out of spite okay I got you Jonas I gotta work on you a little bit more you got 90 minutes here your bout going tonight all right confirmed the night coming up Jeff Saturday on the show you see an analyst and uh... super bowl champ jeff coming up in uh... just over half an hour

overdrive continues to use and and fifty and on t s and four i can either confirm or deny that uh... that this is in fact the same and the trial and to go it's been my honor and a privilege to serve as a Raycroft to Toronto in exchange for the rights to Tuca Arras. It's been my honor and a privilege to serve as the General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leagues Hockey Club.

It's time for Confirm or Deny. Do you regret giving all those gentlemen the no trades or no movement clauses? I can neither confirm or deny that. I can't confirm or deny that. I can't confirm or deny. Alright, Confirm or Deny. It's brought to you by DMX One Step 2.0, the high performance flooring underlayment that makes your vinyl or laminate floors warm, comfortable and mold free. DMX One Step 2.0, no mold, no cold. Alright, here we go, Confirm or Deny. Statements are are made we go around the table we confirm them or we deny them very simple stuff confirm or deny austin matthews

still has enough time left in the season to catch william neilander for the most goals on the team this season but you have any exact number please okay i will give you the exact number eighteen in neil underst twenty eight is that right william neilander is twenty eight austin matthews has 19 So he's nine behind Willie dude. This is This is a hundred percent. Okay Do you remember?

One year he won the rocket and at one point during the season He was like ten behind dry sidler one of those dudes And I made a statement on this show a hundred percent and this guy's just picking up steam. He's healthy. He's dialed in. Well, watch out. I mean, listen, William Nylander is not slowing down either, but a night like that's great. Willie is a 40 goal scorer who's on fire and he's got a nine goal lead and you're like,

Oh, absolutely. But dude, just look at that. I mean, that's create willies a forty goal score who's on fire any nine goal lead in your life i don't know i don't just think of this the capabilities let's just say two hat tricks in a row back-to-back nights yes i capability that could make you change your tune the very next day haze okay i think the question is like how many goals do you think he's going to score this year's he says that's not the question to get it is a question is can

you catch the new lander stop twisting it into the job they're trying to formulate and i think about it in a roundabout way because i give i think new yorkers getting but how do you think he's gonna get new yorker forty five i think around forty five sounds reasonable seventeen more like one every two games so then i think it's high, 65%. I've got a-

But we're not playing Jerry's here, can we? Like, idiots, both of you. We're playing, can either confirm or deny. We're playing confirm or deny, okay? Okay, I confirm it. Okay, I got it. I want a percentage. No, there's no percentage.

You either confirm it or you deny it. I will deny it. Can I ask you a bonus question here? I guess, sure. Matt Sundin has 420 career goals. Austin Matthews is at 387, so he is 33 behind. He will catch him this season? Confirm or deny?

I would say most likely next season. Deny, yeah I don't think. You would basically need to score a goal to go all the game the rest of the way yeah and stay healthy and he's going to go again right now here and isn't that 's the all-time leader he is yeah four twenty about to pass it settlers are what for like low for now he's only two more who goes behind focus or is going to pass them

probably this week the way things are going So those that doesn't include playoffs does it not just regular season. Oh confusing. Yeah It is very confusing the way the NHL does that I'm gonna confirm this though that Matthews does have enough time Which it's not a shot at this season. No, I'm saying the original the original not the bonus Not the bonus back to the original. I do think he can catch Willie I think it's gonna be very tough and it could come right down to the wire you also have to presume health on this which is scary because Willie has been healthy Austin is not this year but Matthew's he just looks like he's

back to form and he's scoring every single night beautiful goals we should get through he look up what the rocket odds are now dry side because if you're saying he can pass him you're saying he can win the rocket. Well dry sidles got like 34 goals doesn't he? 33 or 34. Right. I mean it's still a it's a bigger gap. Is it possible? Yes. Do I think it's gonna happen? Unlikely. I mean dry sidles again not slowing down. Now there's Willie but dry sidles gonna get to I think 55 goals in the year. That just seems unreasonable for Austin to score that many. 36 goals. Is that the amount I guess it would be 36 to get there in 34 games. If there's one guy in the league that

could do it. Literally add 51 and 50. One guy in the league can do it it's him and the crown is back like that's been established in the last three weeks other great goal scores in this league great goal scores nobody better than him again he has reestablished that this year or this this last month month and a half i confirm that i've beating patrick mahomes this weekend would be a bigger legacy building achievement for josh allen

then winning the mvp this season a firmer than I. Totally confirm this. You, everyone knows what happened that he went into this the last time he went into this barn in this situation how goofy that game was. Yeah. Wasn't there three lead changes in a minute? Yeah there was the 13 seconds Allen went down the bills then 13 seconds later, then in overtime it ended quick. It was crazy. It was one of the craziest games ever and he must have sat there and said to himself,

what on earth do I have to do to beat this guy? He's going to get an opportunity, man. And I kind of like his chances to be honest with you. I do too. They're underdogs. You know, it's a two point spread right now on FanDuel and that's not surprising I think the Chiefs should be favored at home considering who they are. It's just you have to ask yourself like Do the Chiefs have 35 points in them at all?

Like they haven't at any point really this season. No, they don't So it's like if the Bills can go in there and put up a 27 spot or something Mm-hmm. It just doesn't seem like they have, it's crazy to say this, but the firepower to kind of match it. But maybe they just find a way to do it. I don't know. Yeah. I mean, Chief Steve is really good. It's going to be tough to put up that many points. Well, can I ask you guys, do you think he needs, like Josh Allen, let's say Houston

beat Casey and Allen just marches the Super Bowl, wins the Super Bowl. Do you think like he still would need this? Well, he still can't beat Mahomes. I think it's built up to that point because of what Mahomes has achieved here. Like you got to beat the guy. You have to beat him. And I know it's a team sport. You're not on the field with him at the same time. It's just the nature of the discussions around football and pro sports. Now it's one V one all the time and he is the guy like he is Mahomes is the guy. He everything revolves around him and the only guy that's beat him. There's two guys that have beat him only one of them went on to win the Super Bowl.

It's Tom Brady. Brady got him twice in the Super Bowl and then in 19. I think when he was still with the Pats and they went into Arrowhead and they won that game. He got him twice. Burrow got him and then lost in the Super Bowl. You have to beat the guy. You have to man. And that's why I would confirm this.

The MVP would be incredible. I don't think he's going to get it this year. But if Alan beats him and then goes on and wins the Super Bowl, it's like you can't pay for that kind of press. Do you think this is it for Lamar winning the MVP? I don't think, he's still in his 20s, man. I know, but now this playoff thing, it's gonna be James Harden-esque.

Where it's like, cool, bro, like great. Yeah, I know, but it's a regular season award. I don't know how you separate the two. The votes go in after week 18, right? You don't even see the playoffs. And he has the physical capabilities to probably win two more. Like, yeah, exactly. The guy keeps chucking it and running it.

Yeah, this is it's crazy. They put up a crazy statue in that game where two turnover games for Lamar. I think it was 14 times in 94 regular season games, 14 of 94 in the playoffs playoffs four of eight You like That's the thing like sometimes it's not that deep man He plays better in the regular season than he does in the playoffs doesn't mean he doesn't have flashes of greatness in the playoffs He does and he has and he's won some games never won two games in a row though in the playoffs and three and three

Well, yeah, five. Yeah, he's got a losing record for sure i think he was two and four coming in yeah so he's three and five now and yeah you got to own that man there's nothing nothing you can do about it um all right let's come back and continue confirm with that i've got a few more left for you guys that i think you're gonna like i like percentages too you can do it I guess at this point is do whatever you want. What about one day when Jonas is back we do a Jerry's Confirm. It's like a hybrid mix. I love it. Yeah. And it could get real funky. There's a lot of potential there. Dude Jerry's Confirm. It's like those super bands when they come together. Yeah, that's right. Yeah, exactly

Like the traveling dog. Yeah, exactly. I love that idea. All right. We'll continue with confirm today. Maybe we sprinkle in a couple of Jerry's on the fly. Overdrive continues TSN 1050 and on TSN 4. All right, Confirm or Deny continuing brought to you by DMX One Step 2.0. Got a few left here in the chamber, all right? Confirm or deny? Not Jerry's, not level of concern. Who was it that was talking about level of concern today, Doogie? Nick Sirianni was talking about it.

He dropped the level of concern. No. Yeah, we gotta play that. He watches the show. We'll play that in the next hour. Dude, if he lose the next game fired No, he might be dude. That's the thing in Philly. They they love the guy But as soon as one little blip they hate that guy's guts and maybe it's the market, but it's I feel bad for that guy

Usually you kind of get what you deserve leave that guy alone, man They've done a lot of winning in Philly obviously bringing home the Super Bowl They did it years back with Foles and Dougie P But leave the guy alone man. Well, he did make the Super Bowls first year there last year They made the playoffs. They just folded remember they started they got crushed in Tampa. It was and it was awful They were it was really embarrassing down the stretch and this year They're the two seed and they're in the driver's seat a home game in the NFC championship I mean and they're big favorites so yeah listen Sirianni based on his record deserves a lot of love but

people really do they turn on him quickly like he just seems at times a kind of an unlikable guy I don't know if that's fair or not but why because of his face like is he have a face that's unlike he's got a face and a vibe, too And I don't know he's been chirping fans before after wins from everybody's that one a podium. It's like Bad look bad look Alright confirming that I Matthew Nyes and Bobby McMahon should be locked in as the top six left wingers for the playoffs Locked in those are your two left wingers in the top six I totally am confirming this they're young they're hungry they're big they're

strong they're fast they hit they score what the hell else are you looking for in some left wingers have at it boys go nuts I'm going to deny oh god why give you a reason are they too big and no it's nothing to do with them. I actually think, like, given their inexperience, like, they perform well. I think, like, Bobby McMahon was on the fourth line at this time last year. It's crazy. So what? So what? It's called, you know, it's called inner development. It is, but I'm not cropping it. I'm saying it's impressive. Sorry, that's what I was looking for. Internal improvement by the guy i think should be in the consideration for that is don't mean that's why i wouldn't lock it in because i saw that work

in the second half last year especially down the stretch didn't holy quick in the playoffs obviously matthews was in and out but that's the one that like i would want to keep open so if you told me i have to walk in nais in mcmahon that takes away the possibility question though jones is not a year you just you dug into different layers and you opened up different avenues it's about the now the question can you answer the now right now i was a question it's about the playoffs so you are projecting the

nature of the question is a projection of the projection when they trade for a center they will have to decide how they want to play their lines they may decide nice should play with the various lose the centerman you think they're going to get jones are you should stay tuned the athletic tomorrow we got a list here's all your put no list i'm writing about chris johnson i combined while

do you have a teaser package for us but he had a city so that people will be dying to go check this thing out those subscribe the second you give us a like you have to say something like the list is not who you think it is not you get probably not who you think at the top at the top it's not layers we're talking about you've ten centers you and cj is actually more than I thought that you could make a case for. Based on what? Are all of these available? I'm so fired up about this combo. That is a great question Jeff. Not all of them might be

available. Some might be available. Let me ask you a question. Is JT Miller on this list? He is not. That contract, I think that's too onerous. Onerous is the word. Thank you, Jeff. Yeah, onerous. Professor over here. Dude, I've never heard onerous ever. Dude, you work at the Athletic, man. New York Times. You got to know better than that. Onerous. Jesus, man. Yeah, the Domi thing, I guess I'll deny it from that standpoint I I feel like nice Matthews in Marner like Berube showing his hand he wants he thinks that's the line I've also gone away from it He has but he's he's reverted back to it pretty quickly the wild card is McMahon is is it like McMahon has

The most part been a bottom six winger. He's been given this opportunity recently. Where does Patioretty fit, if at all? If you move Domi to the wing. Like what we can definitively say is Bobby Mcmahon has played himself into the playoff lineup. That is not up for debate, he's playing. And that was like sneaky and important for them last year. He didn't play.

Right, he was out against the Bruins. And that's a good point though, is we may get to the playoffs and there could be a big injury and then all of sudden it throws everything out of whack but I would deny it as of right now but I think it's moving in that direction the way nice has been playing amic man's been playing all right confirmed tonight the Tampa Bay Lightning will finish top three in the Atlantic Division will finish top three because confirm this I just think that I think

Vasilevsky and I don't like saying this around noodles but he he kind of hasn't been Vasilevsky has he for a couple years I'm not saying anything dude I'm not saying you guys are talking you just said it I'm text I heard you guys talking yesterday about why he didn't play the Leafs isn't played the Leafs well no he hasn't I don't think don't guys don't tell why he didn't play the Leafs. He hasn't played the Leafs well. No he hasn't. Don't say that. Guys, he's going to clip this stuff. He's going to murder all of us.

Yeah, Noodle's will come in here and just start drop kicking people right in the head. Do you not think that if this guy starts cranking it up he'll scare the hell out of everyone in the Atlantic, the East, and the whole hasn't he doesn't do that right now was just seems and i don't claim to watch every single period of the tampa bay but what i do not want to put them on or i'm going through the highlights there some goals going in that never went in on vasel ask you for and and listen he had he had the surgery he had the poor performance

against the Leafs in the playoffs a couple of years ago he's also he's got a lot of miles on him he's not a young guy you know I think Cooper also isn't is cognizant of that like not gonna run him into the ground they're in Montreal tonight and if you look at it like it's a logjam again it's a bit deceptive because Tampa has not played nearly as many games but Tampa's at 53 points Ottawa at 52, Boston 52, Montreal 50. Like that's they're all kind of in the running like any of that I'm going to confirm it to answer it I still think Tampa in the end will rise above and end up in that three seed but it is a race right now.

It's legitimately a race. I'll confirm it 75% okay that's it it's that's valid he is up in not a man yeah he's up to 916 by the way say percentage as the noodles is right you're all it is Jerry's denying it that's the name of our new segment Jerry's denying it Jerry's denying it confirmed and I brought you by DMX One Step 2.0, the high performance flooring underlayment that makes your vinyl or laminate floors warm, comfortable and mold free. DMX One Step 2.0, no mold, no cold.

Alright, we got another confirmed that I have to dark will get to get Jeff Saturday coming up. Nick Sirianni's level of concern. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and on the TSN app. TSN Plus is taking game day to a whole new level with NFL Red Zone. Absolutely incredible! Subscribe now for every touchdown from every game every Sunday afternoon.

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