OverDrive - OverDrive - January 29, 2025 - Hour 1

Episode Date: January 29, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Jamie McLennan for Hour 1 on OverDrive! The guys discuss Auston Matthews playing at the 4 Nations Face-Off, Alex Pietrangelo withdrawing from the tournament and Brandon Saad and Blues agreeing to terminate his contract. The Athletic Maple Leafs Reporter Jonas Siegel joins to discuss Anthony Stolarz's timeline to return, John Tavares and Matthew Knies being close to playing and Andrei Vasilevskiy's stature in the crease.

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new you, new you, new you, new you, new you, new you, new you, new you, new you, new you, new you, new you, new you, new you, new you, new you, new you, new you, new you, new you, Off and running TSN 1050 on the TSN app your home smart speaker and up on TSN for Brian Haseo, Doug Jeff O'Neill, Jamie Noodles, McClennan. What's going on? How we doing? I wish I was as good as Brandon Sod where he could just say no to $8 million just to be free. I think that's what Brandon Sod did today. Yeah, mutually agreed upon

buyout, right? Like it was the end of the road for him in St. Louis and I don't know what the market's going to be like for him. I'm assuming he wants to keep playing, but yeah, and I'm assuming somebody's interested in them. It's, I don't know why it didn't work or where he's at, but to say, no, I'm not riding the bus for eight sheets, you must be in a pretty good spot. Wow, I mean, there will be a marketplace for anybody who's a good player on a start over contract. That's really what it is. You know, like, eight million, no.

No bueno. Is that what he was making? That seems rich. No, I think it was like, the rest of of this year and he was owed five next year and somebody I mean Obviously, I'm not an insider and I should have fact-checked the numbers But somebody said that guy just said no to eight sheets to say no to a bus so I I don't know if those are factual but You got to be you got to have some in the tank to say I'm just not going down on that bus

Yeah, he's he definitely he's making like four four and a half a year and had some term on it I find it hard to believe he would we'll find out we got drags coming up later this afternoon Yeah, I think it'd be a mutual agreement like the blues I don't know if you're allowed to do that like we'll let you go But we'll pay half or whatever the cash is I don't know if you're allowed to do that like we'll let you go but we'll pay half or whatever the cash is I don't know you know the ramifications of the CBA and all that but at the end of the day because it just happened like it happened over the last hour I believe yeah he cleared like today and then they had this agreement where it's like

terminate the contract and you're afraid rather I'd rather just not do that I cannot be on a bus in the American League. Well, I think years ago it was like Wade Redden where he had a lot of term. And I think he went down and played it out. He did. He absolutely did. He was in Connecticut or whatever with the Wolf Pack or whatever. Yeah, that's what it was. And he was making more money. You know why? Because he didn't have to pay escrow. He actually made more money going to the miners than he did in the National Hockey League.

Now escrow is at a positive right now, so that's a good thing for the league. But at that time, escrow I think was a decent chunk. We'll call it 6% or something. He made an extra 6% on the 8 million he was making by playing in the AHL that year. Crazy. Like, listen, it's a difficult pill to swallow. You guys have been there. Everyone's got an ego, especially when you're an everyday NHL player for a long time and

someone comes to you and says, now you're in your 30s, you're going to the minors where it's just not the same world. It's just nowhere close to the same luxury and the same attention to detail. Not even close. It's not even close. Unfortunately, I mean, it's not, of course it's not close. I mean, there's a difference between professional and non-professional. But when you're in the NHL, you're playing, if you're a the NHL you're playing if you're a rock band you're playing stadiums in the American League you're you're playing

You know you're playing maybe a bar with 250 people cool Awesome call them carnivals or maybe your festival carnivals and some festivals But it's small towns right not not this isn't the world's fair, and I'm not trying to be disparaging It's just a reality. It's a totally different lifestyle the lifestyle is what stings right hockey's hockey you go out there. Maybe you dominate I don't know. Maybe you don't but Like you guys know in the NHL the buffet is incredible the staying out of four seasons maybe on the road private Yeah, it's it's it's it's very I mean Now if you play for the Marlies it's a little bit different because they get a lot of, you know, the Marlies get a little bit more of the NHL treatment and you got a bunch of guys on there that are making money down there like you know guys are on one ways and making... Hey, what's your financial breaking point where you would say? I'm not going down to ride the bus

What do you need in the tank Wow? I think you need I think you need What do you need 20 million American cash in the bank? I think I mean, I don't know what sods made in his career He's been a really good player. He's made a boatload. Do you think he's made over 50 million in his career? Yes. Yes Po load do you think he's made over 50 million in his career? Yes. Yes 50 millions a lot. Well, you got to cut that in half too. It's not like he has 50 million That's what I'm saying with taxes and escrow living agents and you got to live exactly and all that So, I don't know maybe you need 10 million cash 10 million cash American in the bank for me to say I'll just mutually part ways here. I'd prefer to go somewhere else.

So he's made 57 million in his career. That's a lot of money. That's a lot of money. Estimate. So, hold on. Estimated career earnings. So that's if he played up the whole time and all of that. Let's round down to 50.

Let's just say he's made 50 in his career. Fifty million American. Let's say he's he's had very good financial advice and he's well invested. Maybe that's maybe I don't know what that's worth. You know, let's say you get 8% of your money every year, 10%. You know, if he's really pumping it into the proper markets, maybe he's got 50 60 million. Maybe he's got that. And he said, screw it, man. I'm not doing this. Or he'll regret it a week from now. Or he just decided because he's so emotional and he's pissed off, screw it, I'm not doing

it. And then a week later, he thinks, maybe I should have kept that money because that's not coming back. Brandon Saunders is not getting a $5 million contract. Because clearly St. Louis saw something here in Noodle's too. They're like, we don't really want you around. You're not going to help us right now. Well, even the comments from Doug Armstrong saying like, we're going to have somebody

else try and take that spot internally. So there was, he said, we're going to put Brandon on waivers. We've already let him and his agent know. We have somebody, I think internally they want to give an opportunity to. So you know I think at 32 years old he could probably add depth to somebody and again it's a 750. What's the league minimum right now? I don't even it's 800, 850, whatever it is, 900. Call it a million. Let's round it up to a million bucks. So he's gonna go play somewhere for a million bucks for a team that is going to want to bring him in, either that is injuries or debt issues. And they go, Hey, we'll take

a flyer. And if it doesn't work, we're going to put you on waivers and you're going back to the miners again. And we'll mutually agree. That'll be if he gets, if he gets bought out, signed, and then back to the, then it's probably game over. But I don't know. I think a death guy, third line center man, I think he could help a team. Never know. Never know. You never know.

Are you sniffing around the leaves? Is that what you're suggesting? I see him more as a winger though, isn't he? He's a winger, like a fast... Regardless, I think he could just be a good death player. I don't know where he's going to end up, but I would guarantee if he signs up and puts a new jersey on and they say after a week you're going to the minors he says you'll never see me again and this league will never see me again.

You had 26 goals last year. Yes. That's pretty good. It's one of those things where maybe Monte came in there and he's just like people get a hate on for a certain type of person. I just said Yeah, like there's a defenseman where I think Monty just went out the army this perun avich or whatever his name is Yes, like that. I'm not playing that guy. Yeah, just trying to find a spot for him somewhere in the league. That's right Yeah, yeah I mean Doug Armstrong's been doing a lot of that Babs was like that Babs with this. Oh, yeah

That's an unfortunate set of circumstances. Yeah, will tell you baps has not playing frank caratto right now like he basically said to lou don't bother bringing him in years i'm not playing on any got him in there and he's he said i'm not playing them yes i think that's one of that things we sign that contract was the final roster i'm doing it and nobody's bothering me and no one's interfering with it. Well, I think what he did is, I'm playing the guys I want to. You can put them on the roster.

I feel like Lou and Patrick Wah are going to have that at some point here. They've already kind of been dancing around it, but that's kind of where it's heading is the coach plays the players that the GM puts in front of them, but the coach is basically saying to the GM, don't even bother putting that guy in front of him, but the coach is basically saying to the GM, don't even bother putting that guy in front of me because I'm not going to play him. So you're just wasting a roster spot. And you heard Patrick, was that about a month ago where he was like, hey, we're working real hard with what we have type of a backhanded comment, right? It was more than a backhanded comment. It was rather direct from Patrick Waugh that this team just doesn't have it and I guess

we'll keep trying. But yeah, Saad's won a couple of cups. Obviously he's on those Chicago teams in 2013 and in 2015. So the guy, he's got a lot of playoff experience. Like you said, Noodle, he's always been healthy. He's been healthy this year. Like he played 82 games last year at 26 goals the year before 19 the year before 24 Like this is there's got to be something deeper here. There's just there's got to be more to it than

Just we've had enough of you and you're out. He's obviously having a down season But the whole team is the st. Louis Blues. They just don't have a lot of fire firepower they're not a very good team they're not a very deep team someone will someone will take this guy like this this may be more than he's not gonna make a lot of money clearly but there will be I would guess a fair amount of teams that would kick tires on them and there may be a bit of a bidding war you know it's not gonna get out of hand no one's I love that one what a lot of money just gas is a guy a team that's not like a cup contender gas is a guy It's just like who did we interfere from Dallas? Do Shane? It was like do Shane's like see you later

Yeah, and there was a bidding war. It's just it was amazing Of course there is but it's like one team says no way and they have bunch of other teams are like we got to get That gotta have that guy have to have him and you're right're right like you Shane's landed on his feet and been unbelievable He's one of the best players this year. Well, that's the question. Why wasn't the bidding more even more significant, right? He sure he signed a was it a three-year deal like three million a year or something like they didn't give him anything down in Dallas No, where was the rest of the league saying? This is a great play and maybe do Shane wanted to stay in the central maybe wanted to go to Dallas I don't know the whole history there dude when you get bought out like that. You're you're you're not looking for specific locations

You're trying to get a spot in the league. I get it, but in retrospect clearly Barry Trotz Didn't really know what he was doing. Let's call it what it is. Barry Trotz hasn't been- You're telling me like, yeah, Duchenne couldn't help out Nashville right now as a centerman? Exactly. Barry Trotz, an all-time great coach and an all-time great guy, great interview, all that kind of stuff.

But as a GM, he's still got to prove that he knows that he can get it done. Look what's happened to them this year. Look at the signings they've made. Made a lot of splash. He went in there and just decided, Duchenne you're gone, Johansson you're gone. Johansson I think he got right. Duchenne he didn't.

And it doesn't mean that the contract wasn't onerous. And I understood the philosophy that they were gonna try to reset and restart and take it in some different direction. But Matt Duchenne was not the issue. Clearly. I mean the guy, the guy's a point of game guy still on one of the best teams in the league. Yeah. I mean, he's, he has to be bought out in Nashville. I also, why did that have to happen?

I don't know. And you make a great point. I also think that the setting for Duchenne is probably different. I think in Nashville, they were counting on him to be the guy. I think in Dallas, he happens to be one of the guys. I think there's Henson, I think there's Robertson, and some other. So he's a great player and maybe more of a support style top six guy. Where in Nashville, they were paying him to be the guy. Him and Forsberg were the guy. And I think they just needed an overhaul. Sometimes they were looking at addition by subtraction and they felt like, I'm not privy to it. How's that worked out? Well, that was their version, Hayes. That was Nashville's version of cleaning out the right side of the dugout for the Blue Jays where Teoscar left, Gary L left. And then you're

looking back and you're like, really? You needed to get rid of those guys? Look at the production. So that was Nashville's version of what the Blue Jays did where it's like, you know I had said like he is basically he was done So like it wasn't he wasn't the player that he was paid to be not even close No, but they they missed on do shame like it was a mistake clearly yeah, and the thing is to you you you swing and mistake clearly. Yeah. And the thing is too, you swing and you get Marchesot and you get Stamkos and neither one of them have been world beaters, right? It's taking them. Wow. And you can be like the tough guy or not the tough guy, but you can say we need a total kind of personality overhaul. But when the team keeps losing and losing and

some people are looking at you like, personality overhaul, huh? Well what about the W's? That's where probably the analytics were weighing in saying, oh wow. But analytics, they brought in some skilled guys, point producers, and it's been a mess in Nashville. It just hasn't worked out exactly. And the reasoning may have been sound in the moment, but the fact is it hasn't worked out. And if you're Matt Duchene in the Dallas Stars, you're ecstatic. There's a guy falling on your lap and I don't think Brandon Sauter is gonna have nearly as much of an impact on his next

team but someone's gonna go grab him. Philip Grubauer on waivers today up in Seattle remember he could have been in Colorado on a long-term deal and he took the money which was right in Seattle and that was one of the first things Seattle did in the league, was said, we've got to give this guy money. We've got to have Philip Gruber. And like three years later, the guy's on waivers. Yeah, Joey DeCortes is the guy.

And nobody's going to take him at that. I think it was 585 he signed for. It's a big contract, man, for a few more years I believe noodles yeah yeah it's just got a while that these big contracts are on waivers out of nowhere and teams are trying to maneuver and figure out what they're gonna do this is what I'm hoping is that do you think that's a precursor to maybe some other stuff coming down the pike throughout the league like you know Maybe Vancouver starts to make a splash. I don't know.

What happened last Friday night- Don't you think, Jamie, people want to get their business done, wrap some of it up before this four nation stuff? Sure. You can treat the four nations like the trade deadline, going, we want to get our house in order before this all happens. You come back, it might take a week or two to get back into the groove for some of the players and all that, and that's when the trade deadline is. You might want to get all of this done before.

Not all of it. Like if you do that all before, I'll have a, like, I can only imagine, I'll have a Borat mankini on and trade deadline and I'll be running around. I know. There needs to be some juice for that. Save some of it I don't think think of this though. You trade for somebody right before the foreign nations They can get their life in order. They can go find a house They don't have to do it on the fly while they're playing the next night in a different city

And if they have a family like they can actually take two weeks to get acclimated in their new city, practice with the guys, get to know them before you actually have to jump into a game. I would argue that if I'm trading for somebody that is impactful and I want them to be there the rest of this year and maybe with some term, you do it right into this Four Nations where they can actually get acclimated into their environment yeah i hear you that that sounds all good you know the guys got a trip or already and he's like now what am i supposed to do it's like you can still do the trip you can still get you know back and not

playing uh... i hear i don't know can you can you get a house can you get the kids in school can you do all that with it like i a m it screams member of the mat sunday issue in Vancouver they had where yes I remember it he got he went out there and then after the first week there was like all-star break yeah people were pissed that he didn't stay and skate in Vancouver right he went to Whistler he was up there carving up Whistler and having a great time.

And people were like, maybe you want to get in shape, dude. And he's like, hey, listen, it just so happened. I'm a veteran, this is what I'm doing. I hear what you're saying, dude, as it makes sense. I just can picture the mentality of the player being like, what am I supposed to do now? The GM has called me in, he said the owner wants to have lunch, I'm supposed to be in mexico

i don't want to go there right now i'd i guess i'll hear is that that's what i think about it but i don't want to like speak out of school but i think malik off was injured in montreal all yeah he loves i know this so we all go or so i did at like mount trombloch trombola suits this guy was harry and loyed up there and like it orange one-piece suit. Yes. Just loving life. Vladimir Malikov and Lyudmila, his wife, who's the supermodel, like they're flying around up there, not a care in the world. He's got a bad knee. He's on the slopes

flying around. And then the other one, the Montreal media got involved. Remember he bought this like $50,000 watch in New York City and Customs was waiting for him when he got back to Montreal. I don't know how he got it through. Because he publicized it, I think. Yes, he's flapping around with this big watch and they made a big deal about it and all that. They're like, you've got to pay duty on that.

That's right. Anything to declare? No, not really. No, I'm good. Oh, really? You just did an interview about your fifty thousand dollar watch yeah i could just they're there was a reason that his i played with him

i think it played a couple years of them he may have said five words to me barely spoke english is doing his own thing and a man was he a good player though all i love those stories i love those stories about that like as you see them the most recent one over in Europe with the Costa Rican drug kingpin The cops caught him because his wife was posting on Instagram She was posting pictures like from their balcony like yeah, and the cops just came and knocked on the door and said hey

You're gonna be coming with us now We've been looking for you and you can thank your wife and her public account for posting pictures with that landmark right behind her. Like him, yeah, you can see him in the mirror in the background. Right, he's taking a picture, like she's like, here, get a picture with the Eiffel Tower in the background.

They're like, okay, this guy's in Paris, we'll just go grab him. Like, it's just crazy, the amount of stuff that happens because of social media or because he just started talking and next thing you know it burns you. Anyway, we've got a game tonight in town. It feels like the Leafs haven't played in forever. They've got tonight, then they're in Edmonton on Saturday and they're going to have a lot of road games coming up. Tonight's a big game because Minnesota hasn't been playing great. We talked about it yesterday Kaprizov's not in the lineup. He's had surgery. He's out. You got to take advantage of tonight. You got

to get after one tonight. You haven't played in a while. You lost on Saturday against Ottawa. You've got teams behind you that we talk about it every day. Boston got smoked last night. Tampa lost to Chicago. Like these teams are not exactly on your heels. So if you take care of your own business, if you're the Maple Leafs, you're going to put yourself in a very good spot. And it really seems like you're losing track if you're not playing that much and then you have a game and you get dumped and then it's just like, Oh, then the teams are piling on games and it's like you're treading water going down.

And if you look at that schedule, they play a bunch of those teams down the stretch once it's you know, there's a Florida Tampa trip in there, there's Detroit, there's you know, the teams that you're in your division, you're going to be playing against it. So you're right, take care of what you can control. And you know, you go out, is tonight their 30th home game? So they would have 11 more after tonight, I believe. Yeah, they've got a lot, a lopsided road schedule the rest of the way. Yeah, home game number 30.

I'm looking at it right now. They're 11, 8, and 2 on the road, 19, 10, and 0 at home right now. So this is their 30th home game. So you've got 11 home games the rest of the season. So you've got a big chunk on the road and you got to make hay and regardless of the teams around you whether it's Boston Or Tampa to loss, but then you know, somebody else would be winning Columbus or you name it, you know, Detroit Montreal Like there's gonna be teams chasing you though the whole rest of the season, Florida You know the pace car though like it's the least you've done the heavy lifting you put yourself in a position with thirty two games left where you're a great

spot you know it's but we talked about with the bills on sunday a ball in hand twenty two twenty one fourth quarter that's all you can ask for you know it's the same thing you you've got a one point lead on ford with thirty two games to go find a way to take advantage and uh... you know some news that that i just came out today we're speaking with bill garrin yesterday the gm of the american team and he was down there speaking with matthews and i

guess brad tree living was involved in pierre lebron reporting its he's going he's going to be at the four nations face off like it's unless something happens between now and the next ten days to two weeks well i find that's not always plays tugging along and it's not like the question every day, is he going to play, how's he going to look, he's laboring.

I think he's proved to everyone that he's cooking here and obviously if there's a setback, you know, people would be saying this is just not going down. People have talked it out and it's full. What would bother me is if he's hurt and, you he's not playing he's out of the lineup and then he just wheeled out with this USA gear I'd be like hang on a second here what the hell you doing because I'd be like what do you think you're doing like yeah you need that time to rest because he flew out there in his USA gear and he was not played the game before and been injured,

I would go nuts if I was the coach. Yeah, that is kind of throwing it in the face of your organization to do that. And that will be coming. Guys will be working in their gear and whatever it is, pants and gloves, and I don't know if they have to worry about helmets, but that kind of stuff is likely to happen.

But yeah, I mean, listen, I have adjusted my initial viewpoint a month ago when he was still out, because at that point it was raw, and at that point he had had a really struggling season, like a very laboring season where he never looked comfortable, never looked like himself. And at that point it felt like he couldn't possibly put himself through that or put himself in his status like a possibility it didn't look like a possibility but to

his credit and i would say to the credit of the training staff down the maple leaves he is looked great the last three weeks he's look like himself he's looked like he did last year he he he doesn't look like he's laboring he looks like he's found some sort of rhythm here either his body is recuperated or he's found some sort of plan here that allows him to be in a position to play. And I am sensitive and I do empathize with these younger superstar players who have not

had the opportunity to go to a tournament like this, whatever this tournament is. And again, I don't know what it's going to be. We've talked a lot about it the last week. I'm not sure what to anticipate. I really don't. I don't know if it's going to be great, if it's going to be awful, if it's going to be Mickey Mouse, I don't know. And I'm not sure the players know.

But he is the face of American hockey, he obviously really wants to play for that team and I greatly appreciate that. And he's playing great right now and he looks like himself. So it's three, maybe four games, he's gonna do it. And it's his call. But what he is risking is if he goes there and he leaves the game and he's grabbing whatever he's grabbing, he's going to have to answer

for that when he comes home. Like he knows that, he's a big boy. But that's that and if he gets through the tournament and they when he plays great all good you move on there's no risk there there's no issue. But he's taking somewhat of a gamble that I'm sure he's obviously he's prepared to do and I'm sure he's aware of it that if he goes and something happens and this guy misses games down the stretch and never looks like himself i don't know how he would dig himself out of that in terms of explaining it

to people. There's no digging out of it Hayes, you just had, like it's the cons, the question is going to just, especially in this market, like why on earth did you have to go there? Exactly. Yeah, but there's every John Tavares went to the Olympics and blew his knee out. Let me clarify. If he goes there and takes a shot off the foot and breaks his foot, totally different story.

Knock on wood. I'm saying he comes out and goes, the same injury, I re-aggravated it there. Like I'm in trouble now and Germany's calling me again. That's what I'm saying. We don't even know what that is. We don't even know what the injury is but if that's if he reagravates that Again at this tournament, then people are gonna go crazy in the city I mean people are gonna go nuts and

That's just the reality and they're gonna cite Alex Patrangelo and while he didn't want to go or he didn't have to get potential Play 23 minutes again last thing just keeps chugging along doing his thing but if it's a different injury totally different story you can't bubble but bubble wrap everybody but if it's the exact same one that gets re aggravated that that's gonna be impossible for him to explain it'll be tough yeah fact Petra Angelo I think explained or and like yeah I think he spoke on it and just said notice I said it's some nagging I got to take care of yeah, come on guys. I'm not do I'm not come on. He played 23 minute he's played

47 minutes in the last three days of NHL professional hockey Against Florida and Dallas Joe from the bridge has this sound it let you want to know i was here here you are let's hear what's out i want to have one hazy data athlete speak with this media that's not all i had to travel after the gap uh... i wasn't going to be a decision is just been deal with for a while now i just think

in my head and talking with the team and the doctors, it could be the best chance to stay on the ice healthy, especially in the second half of the year. You have nine days, or is it nine days off? If I need to take more days before the first game after the break, that's a long period of time to get some rest, to get of get rid of what I'm feeling. How hard was it for you, ultimately? It sucks. I mean, a representative country is an honor, right? My kids were excited and my wife was excited, but it is what it is. Sometimes you have to make tough decisions.

Yeah, okay. So that's him saying I'm putting the Vegas Golden in front of the tournament uh... how else do you read it very sad i had been a drive my return we don't get me wrong i'm i'm not i'm not yelling and screaming at the tranchal i'm just calling it a spade spade i think you look at this tournament said no thanks i need some rest i want to be on my best and in available for my team to chase a stand-up and i don't think there's any quite like guys get treatment all the time and there could be there is something there where he's like guys get treatment all the time and there could be

there is something there where he's like i'm gonna take that time to make sure this is a hundred percent sure and i respect the guys decision like he's allowed of course and a great player great canadian but he's doing it for the for the benefit of the vegas golden yes that's why he's doing it a hundred percent and that's what you said right like he breaks and i said difference noodles if it's the olympics said Brian like he right and that's the difference noodles If it's the Olympics, I believe he put Canada before the Vegas Golden Knights personally. I believe you maybe yeah

I mean it is I know you say but this tournament doesn't mean anything like it's for four countries I'm sorry. It's not even the best on best because Russia is not in it and and our Drysidles not in it and and are dry sidles not in it he could win the heart this year like i i i've said this all before people get mad at me for saying it it's four good countries playing against each other that's what it is yeah but it's it's there's it's not best on best because the best isn't playing there some of them are but not the rest of the a lot of the best are playing but not all the best right yes. 90% of the best are playing. Jonas Siegel coming up. Jonas is going to give us his A game in terms of preparing

for this game tonight. We got to ask him about Vasilevsky. We'll get to that take from last week now that Noodle's is here. Just get him to explain where he stands on Vasilevsky. He's not going to win that argument. Also not going to be in the tournament of course. And we got Jerry coming up in an hour Jerry's percentages overdrive continues TSN 1050 and on TSN for all right Jerry's percentages in an hour overdrive continues powered by FanDuel bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score Leafs wild tonight Raptors in Washington there are five and a half point favorite on the road that

is uncharted territory for this Raptors team but yeah, the Leafs are in action and They're they're they're starting to get some guys back patch already has been activated He'll go tonight Matthew Nyes has been placed on the IR, but it's retroactive feels like Nyes is close to return Tavares close to a return and Here's our good friend Jonas Siegel of the athletic what do you make of all the news that at skate today Jonas and what are you preparing for in terms of possible ads to the lineup as of Saturday night in Edmonton I don't know if it'll be that soon like you never know

with injuries with this team like when they say like it'll be close it could be like another week like Tavares like still needs to get into a practice like he skated with the team but he hasn't practiced with the team and I think the next practice will be Friday in Edmonton so like is he going to turn around and play Saturday like maybe but Patcheretti like I'm interested to see just because they they need something like they're they're I don't know like it you don't want to overreact, but they're missing a little something in that bottom six and could use him kind of getting back to where he was. There was like a really, it wasn't a long stretch,

but that stretch when he was playing with Tavares and Nielander where he was giving them something, he was physical, he was providing some offense, I know from talking to him, he thinks he can be more offensive than he's been, like I don't think the production is where he thinks it can be and if you look at their lineup like it's six guys who Basically score all the goals so they get someone else who could maybe score like the odd goal once in a while That would really help them and obviously getting nice back will eventually help with that I like I've been I don't know about you guys

I know you've been talking about Brandon Saad, but to me that's something I would think about just because of the issues that they've had lower in their line up with offense. Hayes said they should be really interested, agree or disagree? I agree. He hasn't had a great year obviously. I don't remember saying that, but I'll take it. Put my name on that Jonas, go ahead. Hayes was like, no this guy's done maybe. No, you didn't? No, he didn't. I don't remember saying that, but I'll take it. Put my name on that, Jonas. Go ahead. Hayes was like, no, this guy's done.

Maybe he was like, hey. No, you didn't? No, he didn't. No, because I'd be intrigued by it, but I don't know what he's got left. But go ahead, Jonas. Go ahead. Sure, I'm all in on this guy. Go ahead.

I just don't see a downside for them. You look at what they have on the wings in that middle six territory, it's like Nick Robertson hasn't been a great fit obviously for Craig Barube and you look at it to the playoffs and like is he gonna play in the playoffs? I don't know. No he's not. Barube himself would maybe be a massive factor in that because he coached the guy. He knows all about it. 100% and that's that's a big part of it and then just like go down the list like Cal Yarncroc hasn't played all year.

He didn't make the best first impression I don't think a training camp gets heard. Like it's not going great. He hasn't played. He's a question mark. We don't know how he fits under Barube. Patrick Reddy, you know, the health has been an issue. He's been out of the lineup. It remains to be seen like what his second half is going to look like.

Max Domey hasn't had a great year. Like you just look in all these options and I look at Brandon Saad and it's like he scored 26 goals last year. This team could use a little bit more offense. He's played in big games obviously, has two cups. I don't know, like to me it just makes sense. He's free, like you just sign him. Like you don't have to trade anything to get him.

And I was even thinking like just about their deadline and what they could do. And obviously we've talked about center, we've talked about the fence. They could kind of use another winger just like him. And if he hits, great. And if he doesn't, you play someone else ahead of him. So to me it makes some sense. Go ahead, O.

I was going to ask him about Brandon Sod, but you just answered it, Jonas. Like it's a guy, he came up and I'm like, deaf player? I don't know. I think you got to at least think about it, but we just answered it Jonas. Like it's a guy he came up and I'm like deaf player I don't know I think you got to at least think about it but we just covered that. Yeah no I with Jonas I where I was gonna go is Joseph Wall because I want to get into eventually Vasilevsky but would you play Wall right through yeah well we're getting to the Vasilevsky nonsense after but they Joseph Wall would you play them right up to the four nations face-off? So no other games for the backups Well, I mean

Although I guess you gotta clarify Stoller is gonna return like if Stoller's isn't gonna return. Why would you not play wall? Every single game Saturday Tuesday Thursday Saturday, like why would you not I mean? I have different news on this I'd like I guess you could squeeze in one game for the backup like if stores isn't gonna play like stores Has had one full practice like he's obviously not gonna play Saturday is he gonna play next week? You know Calgary Seattle Vancouver like I guess I don't know I'd mix in a start for Matt Murray I guess I don't really see the downside in that. No? Why?

Why would Matt Murray get a start when you have all this time off in between? I can't battle that. I totally agree. It's not like they're coming off some crazy schedule. They haven't played since Saturday. They played tonight. They don't play again until Saturday. And then Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and then two weeks off.

Like it screams you play Joseph Wall. We just see the world differently. until saturday and that tuesday thursday saturday and that two weeks off like it is a three easy play joseph wall we can see the world differently as we do play here we do i could never agree and i don't know i don't know what is your reasoning like just the really useful or science guy now and i wish he's already passed a career high for start of the season already like we're in we're not even in february yet i don't know like why

i don't know why risk tuesday like saturday tuesday it's very tuesday thursday or saturday i don't like it i i'm just we're not going to agree on that i i i i i i i were talking about, Jonas, is if you're going to build them up to that, how are you going to manage them in the playoffs if you want to play every second night and try and have a run? It's a fair point, but I think a little bit like starting pitching in baseball, you don't

just ramp up from, I don't know a hundred innings to two hundred in one season you probably go like a hundred and then 125 and then one fifth don't you like I know yeah thing but do you actually do you guys actually think he's gonna play every other night in the playoffs like I guess maybe but that seems, I don't know. If he's playing well, he better be prepared to do that. I mean, what could mitigate all of this is if Stolars is ready, then you give him starts and go, hey, let's get them going back as a tandem instead of just a guy who's a standalone right now.

But if he's not, like I think Stolars is going to probably, Jonas, you're around. Do you think that Stolars is going to get a start before the Four Nations face off? I think it's possible. I mean, you could, again, if you talk to the sports science, they obviously have all the information on this stuff, but I don't know, would you rather just give them the extra two weeks and just let this further heal? The timeline initially was four to six weeks. I believe today is exactly six weeks, or we're basically at six weeks, so we're right at the end of the timeline initially was four to six weeks. I believe today is exactly six weeks or basically at six weeks or right at the end of the timeline.

So yeah, like it's conceivable. He's not going to start, I wouldn't think Saturday in Edmonton, but maybe he starts that next game in Calgary. Maybe he starts the Seattle game. I don't know. Like I would just continue to be mindful of the workload thing with respect to Wall and with even respect to Stolar. It's like you saw that stretch when he was starting to play a lot, suddenly he gets hurt.

And obviously he's never been a guy who's been used in the way that he's been used this year in Toronto. So this is new for him still. So like when the poor nations come back, like I would just, I don't know, split them. Quick follow up then. So in a one game playoff, would you take Joseph Waller or Andre Vasilevsky? And start, see here's the thing, like you. I'm just picking up second hand information.

They're like, Jonas was mother of you know whating Vasilevsky. I was like, oh, okay. I didn't know. So I need to know what you said and, you know just some logic to back it up here What what did you say and what do you believe put it that first up? I don't remember what I said, but I know that what those guys are Misremembering now Jonas. Holy smokes. Are you? He is not the goalie he once was

I think that he is not the goalie he once was. It's accurate. I know what I said. And it was basically like if you looked at his numbers last year, he wasn't good. Like he had a 900 save percentage and this year he has bounced back. But he's still not, you're not talking about him like he should be the MVP of the league. You're not saying he should be the Vezna. Are you even talking about him as a Vezna finalist right now? No, but I mean, are we talking about Panarin as a heart finalist right now? He's a pretty damn good player, right?

Well, we can't just start doing that. I think what he's saying is it's a fair statement. He didn't say the guy was garbage. He just said his numbers are down and he's been off. That's all we're saying here. we can we could pick any other just saying like that it's not you just even admitted that his numbers are better last year coming off a three munch in injury he was he was hurt and came back wasn't great this year he's been better correct correct but remember and Jeff just reminded me when we were talking about this this was that game he didn't start against least and we're like that's kind of weird why is he starting against

the Leafs and then you remember the the recent games he's played against Toronto he's not been very good and so I think that's how we got into the conversation it's like why is he suddenly like giving up all these goals to the Leafs then you look at his numbers last year I don't know like it Jeff made the point he's not so it's all like he didn't have a belt anymore. I think it was a is that mention the not now that everyone's pass of the bible and i think that i have a everyone else's plan i think that i was just pointing to uh... that i'm wrong is that the leaves broke fast a lot of skin the playoffs

two years ago your argument that they broke him and that now they kind of own it is that we're suggesting the lease Leafs own Vasilevsky? Those are aggressive terms. Yeah, that is really... You're not willing to go after him? I think we were. I think we were.

Getting them. All right. The team that won, the guy that's won two cups and went to three straight finals has been broken by the team that beat him in the first round. They did torch him that series. We all can recall, it's not like Samsonov was, you know, Patrick won 86. Like Samson off wasn't that good series like that I know they didn't

march to the cup that year yeah yeah it's it's all right put it this way I still believe he's an elite goaltender and you know you can't have your best season every year that would be my my argument you know look at Bobrovsky I think Bobrovsky is top tier Russian goaltender you know Florida's right there they're giving Spencer Knight some more starts this year you know giving an opportunity can I ask you noodles top five one game goalies is he in the top five for me yes absolutely okay so do do the top five who's the top five right now I, yes. Absolutely. Okay, so do the top five. Who's the top five? Right now?

I don't know. I mean, you're off the top of my head. I mean, does Hellebuck deserve the love, given that his playoff track record? But I would give him that, because I think Hellebuck is... You don't go back to back Veznas, and he is the Vezna winner right now, arguably, correct? Oh, it's unanimous right now. So why would you not put him in one game and believe that he can get it done? So I think Hellebuck has to deserve that love.

I mean, who else am I? You know, I love Vasilevski. Wow, would you put your sturken in there? I think you have to. I think you have to. I mean, what you're doing is asking these top tier players to play to their capabilities for one game. I think that's really what you're looking at. So I mean, really, who are the best goalies in the league? That's what I would go in in a one game scenario. Yeah. So that's kind of like talking halibut Shuster can I guess Vasilevsky Bobrovsky I'll say one thing about all those guys

were talking about if they were going through a Western Canada's and had breaks between every game they would play every game they're playing a hundred percent oh yes they would unless they you know had a big night at the Roxy or Cowboys or something like that they're like we got to give this guy a night off Maybe yeah, maybe even then they might play and play guilty and play well. Yeah, you're right. All right, Jonas I don't know what we've established here, but I like it. I like where we're at and we're pointing fingers Well, yeah, I love it how it's just Jonas is like well, this was actually Oh Actually, hey, oh my god like we all love that guilty of why i love it how it's just jones is that what this is actually all of us have actually has a lot of my

god like well that's a lot of steve jones who are the blue jays gonna sign that that you're gonna be happy with you mean where they're not gonna try and i think that they were close yeah next up right this is that's what's coming to you on so back to the mats in the jays were right there desperately wanted to sign in Toronto.

He just couldn't pull the trigger on it. You can feel it. You can see it coming. All right, Jonas, we'll catch you again soon. Thank you for this. Later, fellas. There's Jonas Segal of the Athletic. Corey Schneider coming up in 20 minutes.

We've got Jerry still to come as well, Darren Dreger and Leafs and Raptors both in action and the AT&T at Pebble Beach starting tomorrow We got to do some picks today, man. We got to do some picks We have to start doing some picks. Do you think Scottie Scheffler is like prime Tiger as far as a pick? I don't think he's winning this week first week back on after his surgery Tiger Woods was the same thing that guy would be gone for like six months and then just wheel to a tournament and win. Yeah listen he's coming up in the picks it's a matter do you see a first overall pick for you is he the first overall pick lock? How are we gonna decide who was gonna do that? I'll figure that out. Do you or noodles can flip a coin? Yeah I'll do that.

Noodles are flip a coin. Okay that's still to come as well. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050N on TSN 4. Alright we sent Al's brother out in the city with a pair of leaf tickets and you have to guess where he's hiding for your chance to win them. Here is the third of four clues this week. Hey Overdrive fans it's Wednesday and I'm here to get you one step closer to finding out where is Al's brother get you those Leafs and Canes tickets on February 22nd. Here is your Wednesday clue. Now there are a lot of rinks in the GTA, so this clue should get you one step closer to narrowing it down. I'm hanging out in the junction neighborhood chaos brotherhood old-school rake

somewhere in the junction area of the city i live near the junction and i have no idea what the hell he's talking about i'd know where he is and i i never thought of the junction when i thought of this rake i know where he is so he's but you're the clues well not necessarily a man's it is that end of the city. It's the west end of the city. But anyway it doesn't matter.

Listen we're giving away tickets. You've got to throw people off every once in a while. Are people going to get it though? That's the thing Hayes. You know where it is and his clue doesn't make sense to you. So are they going to get it by Friday? i don't know i can say again i i'm saying this is so i've been here in twenty five years i don't think of it as the junction

personally it doesn't mean it's not technically connected to it or or whatever within the region of it but it's an old break that's all you need to know i've uh... i think by tomorrow people gonna know what it is and tune in tomorrow for another clue the first call through on friday with the correct location with the parrot takes to see the lease take on the hurricanes

february twenty second finals brothers brought to you by mccall pine ford in aurora our family the ford family in you uh... carolina beat the rangers last time we go ranting and pick themself up an apple last night and yeah i guess he was talking about the idea that carolina can give him that eighth year that no other team can give him and maybe that's a benefit to sticking around in Carolina long term. Other than that there was a bunch of tough losses for some at Eastern teams and you know to get one. Boston got pumped by Buffalo. Yeah, was it Th Thompson with a hat trick last night?

Yeah, yeah he was he was on fire. Yeah, Boston got beat up, Tampa got beat up by Chicago last night, Conor Badard scored a beauty. There's a lot to get into. Corey Schneider will join us, Jerry's percentages coming up as well. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050N on TSN 4.