OverDrive - OverDrive - January 29, 2026 - Hour 2 - Ray Ferraro

Episode Date: January 29, 2026

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Jamie McLennan for Hour 2 on OverDrive! ESPN Hockey Analyst Ray Ferraro joins to discuss the biggest storylines across the NHL. The guys discuss Joe Brady's introduction as Bills' head coach, Artemi Panarin's possible landing spot and if Toronto would trade for him, the Maple Leafs going through a rebuild and the FanDuel Best Bets.

Hour two, overdrive continues, powered by Fanduel, bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score. Brian Haseo, Doug Jeff O'Neill, Jamie Noodles, McClennan, Ray Ferraro coming up in a few moments. Hasey, I just want to let you know. I threw a red challenge flag at my friend today regarding certain texts that were inappropriate. Okay. And he understands now. All right. I appreciate that.

Did Al's brother get involved? No, I've got... It's just like when you're interconnecting friends and then other friends, there was just a random thought that my buddy text that should have just came to me, but Hazy was looped in. So I had to throw the challenge flag, and I said he doesn't need to be looped into that. That's for me and you. Yeah, and I love him.

I love your buddy. I love him. He's a great guy. I've known him a long time. I know. But you know the rule where. And this would never happen with him, but I know where this could go. Because you don't want somebody texting saying, hey, tell your buddy to stop texting me.

Right. And I didn't do that. I hope you expressed that to him. I did not tell you to send the message to him. He needs to know that because I don't need that out there that I was, because everyone's done that every once in a while. Hey, the group chat that you put me in with your guys getting a little too carried away. Can't you just leave the chat? not when there's three people do.

I used to leave chats all the time. It's such an ignorant look, though. Leaving a chat? You can leave a chat if it's a 16-person chat. I think that's fine because it's getting too carried away. A three-person chat, you leave. You're basically giving the middle finger to both guys, right? I don't want to hear this.

But it sends the message saying, maybe I was not supposed to be involved here. I have no problem leaving a three-person group chat. And to be fair, again, the text, it was completely out of left field, the context of it. But it was harmless. Like, it wasn't totally reasonable. You want to know what the text was, noodles? It was how expensive hockey equipment was.

And I'm like, my eye had alarm bells going. I'm like, that's not for hazy. It was a weird, I was reading through it. I'm like, was this, am I in on this? Like, are we doing this stuff? Because usually we joke. The thing is, we already know it's expensive. Right, exactly.

We have kids that are playing right now. We don't need that one. You don't need that one. You imagine if it was something else, though, like how expensive is this or how, you know, why did he say that or whatever? You don't want that. So you're right. But I would have no problem just leaving a chat group.

No, I don't like what's going on there. You just excuse yourself and out you go, they might not even notice. That's the difference. They might not even notice. I think so. But I think you bring up a good point that it's the tip of the iceberg, because if this gets engaged, the next one is, you know, hey, what's the weather like? Okay.

You know, now we're getting a little too far here. Hey, have you guys been to Metro lately? No, I haven't seen. I don't know. You know, you got to stop it. That's why I leave fruit chats. It's like, oh, I went and had a couple beers. It's just like, I don't, no way am I getting involved.

No way. Wait until we get to San Francisco. there's going to be group chats going everywhere, man. The San Francisco group chat. Now you guys are going to exclude yourself. No, that's the three of us? No, being no group chats. It's at work.

I want to find a hockey sports bar and watch some puck and bed and work and out. Well, I mean, there's people there. Luke's going to be there. Kara Wagland, Duffy, all of them. You'll be there, everybody. We are included, I believe, on, like, emails, which I still challenge that, oh, never gets

those emails or never responds to them. Jamie, I don't. I don't have a company email. I don't. I know. But what I'll say, did you get that email about that? You go, no, I did it. Selective.

But I've seen your name on there. And I'm like, okay. To answer that, if it's an email about something else, like, hey, we got to, like, put it this way. You got an email that said, we're playing Augusta tomorrow. Hey, guys. I told you. I don't have, I wouldn't get it.

You would find, you would get that one. I think you have filters is what you have. Anything work related, that's X-T out. There's probably a word in there that says free or golf or something like that. And it allows him through to his phone. Outside of that, it's like, no, blah. Guys, we're playing Pine Valley tomorrow and it's a private bird. All of a sudden, the email comes back to Jeff.O.Neil.

I'm like, wow, he's on there. Gee, he does work. Man, he got a response. Is there any good courses in? San Fran. Are you guys bringing sticks or no. There's great courses, man. Well, okay. We're not bringing our clubs.

There's no time because it's like it's Western time and we're on the air at one o'clock. Yeah, one to three. There's no chance. But there's some great, great courses. Plus, pebbles like an hour and a half away. That's right. Right. It's just south of there.

But TPC Harding Park would be a, there's a lot of great places. Olympic Club. Olympics there. The 18th at Olympic is so sick. It's such a cool. The whole course is great. They just had the USM, I think, at Olympic last year. Yeah, they did.

What type of swag do you think we're coming home with? That's the one thing I'm thinking about is, oh, you know, somebody walks by from New England. Like, can I get that hat? I'm done. Tom Brady walks by. Let me get those shades. You're swagged out? I'll believe that when I see it.

Nothing. I'll believe that when I see it. Yeah. All right. Joining us now on the Maple Toyota Hotline. Here's our good friend Ray Ferraro. What's happening, right? You know, just catching up to what you guys are talking about,

which is always entertaining. Got a little bit of a, I do have to say, I do have a bit of a knee problem going here, which is kind of sucks and, you know, just getting some old worn out parts. So I'm looking for a new workout, like I can't lift as much. I'm looking at like some yoga or, I don't know, judo or Tai Chi or some. Do you guys, say, do you have any exercises?

Honest to God, like, I wear one shirt, one brand new shirt that I was very proud of, and I took shrapnel left and right. Like, oh, is, Chris Pronger is telling the Leaf Nation, take it down to the studs, you do this and that, and always going, what are you wearing? Are you wearing a karate outfit? It's just a sweater. I got to tell you, I called O this morning, and I said, I just saw some of the clips that were refreshed overnight,

and I said, I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. I said, the best part is Noodles love that shirt. And if he had, I said, if Noodles is on it, he'll wear that shirt again a day. That would have been the play. So good. Guess what, Ray? There's another one coming soon in a different color, so we're going to see lots of them. I ordered multiple shirts in different colors.

That's what I do. I just, I like something. I get it. And when you get a dynamite one like that, you get every color. This one has a slight adjustment. This one has a slight adjustment to it. But I got home, like, here's the thing. What's the adjustment?

Yeah, please. Enlighten us. What I was wearing yesterday was a beautiful sweater. that had a built-in tie. Like the tie was black on black, okay? Right. But the tie was a... Hey, have you ever heard of that before?

I have not... That's one step up from the clip-on we used to wear in the seven-three. Here's the thing, so I... The models were all like, you know, male models that were stunningly looking. Right.

And stuff. So, Steph didn't see it live. She saw it on Sports Center because she was at the rink with my son. So she saw it in one of the TVs. She goes, you look like Eddie Murphy from coming to America. That's what she said.

She goes, you're wearing some sort of like an outfit. And I was like, it's not an outfit. It's a sweater with a built-in tie. And the tie was kind of like a sashet. And she's like, that looks like you're wearing one of my scarfs. And I said, I know, you just mentioned like male model. Like, were you at a fashion show and you saw a guy wheeling down the aisle in that? I told you.

It was one of those things you scroll on Instagram. Oh, yeah, for sure it was. And all of a sudden, it was like this website comes up, and it's this glorious clothing. And I'm like, all right, I ordered one. I ordered some pants. They were so comfortable. They're great.

I love it. Dude, I can't wait to see it. It sure arrived yesterday, and I put it out of the wrapper on my body, and then I saw that, I knew right away when we went live. People are like, what is noodles wearing? Oh, it blew up, man. The problem with those websites is, sometimes they're like, if you've got stubby fingers, there's the cool website with the clothes and there's like Party City right beside it.

You might have got some clown outfit for Party City. It looks like something from Party City. I'm telling you, the models were way better looking and in better shape than me. But I love the sweater. I'm going to bring it to San Francisco. You better. I need it in San Francisco. Oh, that's a, that is a must.

Yes. I have to go. Could you imagine that? Like Carissa Thompson walking by noodles being like that, look at that guy's tarp. What a look on radio road. I got notes from people that I know and trust that wrote and said, don't listen to the haters. I love that. I saw that too.

I saw that too. To be fair, I saw a lot of support out there. You rocked that thing at the Super Bowl with a, nice jean short and a black boot tucked in tucked in and we are in business jean shorts in a black boot we need it

well um speaking of styles I'm curious where you stand on I guess Colorado's wearing the Nordic gear tonight against Montreal they're at the Bell Center like I think that's a like there's a it's like a shot at people It's good for the game.

It's a great uniform, and it'll bring back some feelings, and it'll bring some buzz. Just the people in that building, because there's a lot of old-school hockey fans in that building, and I think it'll just get the juices flowing in there, Ray. Do you not? I used to really dislike when Carolina wore the whaler jerseys, mainly because for decades, they did everything to disassociate themselves from the whaler lineage. And then I looked at them and I'm like, and you know it's a marketing thing. Of course it is.

And then I thought, well, so what? Like the NBA and Major League Baseball, they have multiple jerseys. Hell, you can't even tell what they're wearing half the time. Who cares? They look good. Those jerseys, the Hartford and Quebec in particular, they look. rate. The colors are, like colors pop. And people like them. So like, who cares? I, I, I'm all for it. I think, I think it's, uh, it's kind of, it's like a third jersey sort of deal, but I think

people like them. And they're, if they were really ugly and dull, I don't, I don't buy them. It's almost like when, when the, when the wild go, I think they're, it's a better jersey when they wear the bright green, the old Minnesota North Star. I love those. I think they look awesome. So I, yeah, I don't, I mean, it seems weird seeing Nathan McKinnon where Quebec Mourgit Jersey, but I don't know.

I think it's just fine. They look awesome. I guess I'm getting sensitive. I'm trying to put myself in the shoes to people in Quebec City. Exactly. That's like, really? You're going to taunt us with that? Like, I know they left 30 years ago, but you know. Still a source spot. I mean, what if, what if Winnipeg

wore the Atlanta thrashire? Well, right now, right now they probably should. They're playing better, but yeah. By the way, when we saw those jerseys the first time, I don't know how many of us knew that the thrasher was the state bird of Georgia. But we're like, what are we wearing? Like, what is this crest? And then you're like, oh, it's not bad, I guess.

But like the blue ones didn't look anything like the white ones. put it this way. The Thrasher era, if it was such a thing, was misguided from the very start. Right. Well, we were talking about gong shows in the NHL earlier,

obviously the Leafs are knocking on the door, and we'll get to that momentarily. I said I think the Rangers are at the top of the list. Just the way everything's gone, you know, writing letters to the fan base. And now Artemi Panarin is not playing. They're just, you know, keeping him out of the lineup, and with the plans of trading him, clearly.

What do you think his value is around the league? And, you know, do you have a spot in mind that you think would make the most sense for a guy like Panera? Well, value will depend on whether there's some kind of extension tied to him. I, as much as this is a health thing, you know, keeping him out of the lineup right now, to me, it buys time for agents, to get involved and to see if you can work out a deal

because you're only going to, if you're the acquiring team, you're only going to pay so much if you've only got him for the next five months, you know, potentially if you go through deep in the playoffs, or if you've got him for four more years, that's a whole different, full different game. So he doesn't want to move twice, and I think that's entirely his right.

The one thing the Rangers have to be careful of is that he says, okay, I'm not moving, twice. And I, you're not going to, I don't have an extension done, so I'm staying here until the end of the year. But he could easily do that, as uncomfortable as that might be. That would be his leverage point. He's got the no trade and really he's going to determine where he's going to go. What the cost is, man, he's led the Rangers in scoring seven straight years, this being the seventh.

He's a, he's a creator. If you've got a shooter, I would want. a player like Panarin around. Like he is a, he's a really, really good player still. And I don't think time will, I don't think time will really bite him because it's not like he's super fast right now. He's played the same way for the better part of his career, and he still puts up huge point numbers.

That's where I was going to go, Ray. Like, if certain teams that either have tremendous team speed, if you're going to add a guy like that, Like, my joke with him, and I know it's a little over the top, is most nights I think he has dry hair. Like, I think he just goes out there, and it's perimeter, and, oh, there's a rocket pass through the seam for a goal to Zabanajad. Or he's got a pretty good sneaky shot himself, but he's not a guy that goes and gets the puck. He's not a, you know, he's not a dominant guy through the middle of the ice, anything, like speed through the neutral zone. But he just seems to be cerebral and at the right spot.

And, you know what? Noodles, I agree with that. I call it a, he's a feel guy. Like he feels the game. So when I read that Carolina's interested, this didn't work with Rantanin when Carolina tried. Remember stylistically, it didn't seem to fit. Maybe his heart really wasn't in it as we looked through that he ended up trading

him again. I don't see Carolina as the right type of fit. before him. I see Los Angeles because they need offense and they need they need they need a star. Right. And Copa Tartar is retiring. They're going to have pockets of Cap room at the end of the year. And it, L.A. feels like a team that now do they really have a shooter, I guess, Kempay or Fiala. But, you know, like that, that would be one team that I would think of. Dallas makes to me the most sense. but how are they going to sign them to an extension when they got to sign Robertson, too? And then you have to decide between the two of them.

Right. And that would make that really tricky. Well, I know San Jose has popped up a little bit, and they're in Edmonton tonight, and, you know, this Celebrini kid, man, is he something else? So good. Yeah, like, what kind of impact do you think he'll have on the Olympics? This may be, I think he's going to be in the top half of their forwards in impact. I watched him the other night and I said he was in Vancouver.

He had the first time he was in Vancouver, you know how you get all jazzed up to play at home. The first time in Vancouver this year right after Christmas, now, you know, the Canucks are great, of course. But he had 16 shot attempts. Two nights ago, he had a goal and two assists. he had the puck on his stick the whole time. And I said at one point, can you imagine that there was actually a discussion about whether this kid belonged on the team or not?

Like on the Olympic team. Hayes, I think he's, I think he is an impact player on the Olympic team all day long. I know, I guess the one thing that gives me a little hesitancy is he's probably going to come out of the middle and go on to the wing. And maybe that's a little bit different for him. But he's got a, his personality is that he's not, he doesn't sit back.

It's not like he's going to go in there and be bold and make all these great, you know, loud noises and all that stuff. He'll fit in whatever the hierarchy is of the team, but he's going to play. I would say he's as bold a personality on the ice as, as you'd want your players to be. Like, he's not there to anything. Ray, if Braden Point can't play on that team, who would your replacement be? There's been a lot of armchair quarterbacking that one. Who would you put on it? Oh, I'm starting to lean a little bit to Zach Hyman

because I do think if you do pick Hyman and be the side for whatever reason he's not going to play with Crosby, or pardon me with McDavid, then at what point on your roster is Zach Heimann going to hurt you? Nowhere. Like he is, remember, he was a penalty killer.

I mean, he's really good at it. He could be on your grind line. He could do that. He can depend on the lead late. And pretty clearly, he's got great chemistry with McDavid. I didn't think that before. I wonder if they'll have a tough time going past Bennett. Bennett's played really well

and felt like he should have been on. that team for me anyway at the beginning. But I think it's probably one of those two guys for me anyway. Yeah, I'm with you. I mean, like you said, Hyman is just so predictable, you know, and McDavid's probably going to make it work. You know, they've got options. They've got a lot of good options.

You know, they're lucky to have that. Now, in net they might not, right? Logan Thompson banged up and day to day, I would assume he'll be on the plane right next week, Noodles. Bennington hasn't been great. I mean, you know, Holfer's playing ahead of them most nights. Like, it's just, you know, it is a struggle there, but you need somebody to be able to, like, I look at it.

I don't think the goalie needs to win you it, but he can't lose you. I know, but Noodles, hasn't Binner's numbers actually gone down since, like, the announcement? He's had a poor year, like, overall, for the most part, oh. but again, goal-tending was the problem or the Achilles heel heading into the four nations until it wasn't.

We're going to be talking about it, again, because it seems like it's the Achilles heel on paper until they get exposed or if it gets exposed. And that's the biggest challenge. Ray, I don't know how you feel about it, but all the other countries are better on paper.

Yeah, I don't think that's, God, there's no question really that somehow Canada's gotten to this place where for a couple of decades, we had all these great goalies, you know, stumbling all over each other. And now that's not the case. I remember back, of course, I'm sure we all do to 2010, where the guy that played the gold medal game was not the guy that started the tournament as the number one goalie, right?

It was Marty Broder in goal until Luongo took over. And then in the final, you know, Ryan Millie, was unbelievable and Luongo did just what you said noodles he didn't win them the game but he certainly didn't lose him it and there's got to be some level of confidence in your goalie and i i don't know how canada has that now if pompson is not in the mex and apparently got hitting the head with a shot so you know we're probably talking about some concussion like stuff i'd assume. And you've got, who's the next guy?

Is it McKenzie Blackwood? Yeah. I like him. I watched him last night. He is good. Six-four and good move. If he's on the team, I think he's the best guy. I think he's their best, like, the most talented goaltender.

Yes. But, I mean, Bennington has pedigree. Campers won. Thompson, statistically, has been really good. look at it, but if I had to build a goaltender from the Canadian side, Blackwood's 6'4, 225, 230 ripped

and can move like he's 5-8, like he moves well. But again, he would be a guy I would look at for sure. So I guess with the games on back-to-back nights to open or days whatever the timing is,

so they split the first two games probably and then decide for game three. Now that doesn't have to be your final decision, but I would assume that's probably part of the, you know, their planning meetings about trying to make sure everybody has their shot, has their place, and the plan becomes clear. Yeah. Ray, we're asking, or we've asked a couple people how they're viewing the Leafs and how they

would map out the next six weeks if you were running the team. Like, if that was the case for yourself, what would you be focusing on? with what you've seen the last 10 days and basically the whole year. How would you map out the next six weeks? Well, Drake said this morning, we were doing our podcast, and he said, you know, they're not ready to throw the towel in. And I said, well, I hope they've got it in their hand. Like this is like a timeout challenge when the NFL coach is walking up on the sideline

or the review challenge. He's got it in its hand, I hope. This is not a time for the least to actually. add anything. Like what are they going to trade at this point? Like their first rounder in 2047? Like you need some draft picks eventually. They're not good enough that one player is really going to pick them over the edge

into being a legit contender. They're eight points out of the playoffs. And the problem they have is that the two wildcard teams are also two teams from the Atlantic. So you can't even say, oh, they just have to get to third. Like they've got to get to fifth, but those are eight points ahead of them, right? Like they can't even make prog other weaker teams. They've got to fight through their own division still. In my mind, there is a time to buy and a time to sell, and this is a time to sell.

Whether they want to or not, I think there are times where managers get shoved on to the road that they don't really want to be on, but you have to accept that and say this is where we are, and this is legit what we can be. They're an inconsistent bunch. They've been that all year. You can say, oh, this homestand, they didn't have Nylander, which is a gigantic piece out of their lineup.

They're a way different team when he's there. You remember the game he got hurt. He had a goal and then the assist in the first five minutes in Vegas, and then he got hurt. And so I wouldn't forget that either, but I'm not buying at all if I'm Toronto. I'm going to bite the bullet here. And I think if you look at what Boston did last year, they traded five players at the deadline, including some very important ones for them.

And they ended up, you know, they ended up with Fraser Minton. and unbelievably the Leafs first rounder, if it's not number five. So if the Leafs finish six from the bottom, people are aware, right? If they finish six from the bottom, that picks Boston's. Yeah.

Like this is no time, no time to be buying. I would look at Boston and say, if I don't want to go into a full process of trying to rebuild this team, then I would look at what, Boston did. They identified what type of team they wanted to be. They offloaded veterans for younger players, including like a guy you never even thought of that, who's Nadinoff? And all of a sudden,

you're like, geez, I did a game two weeks ago. We got four goals. I know it's the game of his life, but still, not many guys get four roles in a game. But they became a competitive team again. Or you go further than that, but that involves into the off season. And you do, as Prong said yesterday you strip it way back. And they've done it before. They got lucky when they had the number one pick that Matthews was sitting there. That's not always the case. But I think there's a stark reality they have to face.

Yeah. And I think they're also deep enough into the season. It's not that hard of a sell to their fans. Fans aren't stupid. They've seen it. They've played 53 games. Like I said, Hayes, if the Boston Bruins can say it to their storied fan base, there shouldn't be any issue.

It's not like Lee Finch and be so offended where it's like how could you do that to me? Boston did it. People kept their jobs and they turned it around. The Rangers keep writing letters.

Yes. And so they're doing it. I totally get it sucks. And I totally get too that managers are really sensitive that if they go ahead into this process, what does that do for their chair

that they're sitting in? Are they touching? off one of the legs of their own chair. But it's the right decision. In a lot of cases, like, I don't agree with some of the way the Rangers acquired these players, like the team they

put together at the start of the year, but I think what they're doing is absolutely the right thing. And I think it stinks for them. It really does. I think Vancouver's the same thing. I think Winnipeg's got to get there too. I think the leads have to get there too. Like, you have to look, what are we in the game for?

If it's to be a middling team, well, then maybe you don't have to do that. If you're aspiring to be better than that, there comes a time when for the teams I mentioned, you're going to take a look at this and go, eh, now's not the time. Now it's the time to sell. Yep, for sure.

All right, Ray. Sianara. Sayonara, Ray. Hey, guys, good to chat with you. Noodles, bring that new, the new color. What's the other color? I can't wait to see that. Don't reveal it until San Fran, man.

Well, it won't be here. It won't be here for San Fran. I don't believe. What is it? Tell me it's like a baby blue. No. That would be awesome. On the website, it said khaki.

Caki, I don't know what that comes. Oh, beautiful. And the tie matches a khaki shirt. I love a khaki. I hope it comes cacky but camouflaged. That would look amazing. Cacky on cacky. Dude, you're in like the, the,

2050s of style. Like, you're way ahead of your time. Exactly. I'm ahead of my time. That's what's happening here. Noodles is a trailblazer. I love it. Guys, have a great trip out there. I enjoy it. And we'll talk to you, I'm sure, after the Olympics for sure. You got it. We'll talk to you.

Can't wait. Thanks, buddy. There he is, Ray Ferraro of the Rain Drex podcast in ESPN. Joining us here on the Maple Toyota Hotline, it's time the Toyota and the 2025 Prius. go up to 72 kilometers on battery alone, then seamlessly switch to hybrid mode. Check it out of Maple Toyota near Canada's Wonderland and the Maple Auto Mall. All right, best bet still to come. Raptors pumped by the Knicks last night.

Pumped. Man, they had that game early too, and I said it. I'm like, I'm going to lay the points here. They got to lose it by 30. They can't beat the Knicks. The Knicks just pumped them every single time they play. And maybe that was LeBron's last game in Cleveland last night. That's what he's claiming.

Maybe it'll be my last time. See the fake tears. The fake tears were always. He's landing on thick. I think he wants out before the deadline. I think there's a chance he might get dealt. That would be crazy. LeBron and Janus before the trade deadline.

That's a trade deadline. Yes. All right, overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and up on TSN4. The newest tracks. Let's go. New music. And the next big thing.

Always on the new music first. Your first place to hear it all. Because you're going to like it, love to want to play it twice. Playing now. I heart new music. Your digital station for brand new drops, fresh vines, and tomorrow's bangers. I think we need something new. Discover I-Hart new music.

Always fresh, always first. Stream now on the free IHart Radio app. All right, best bets later in the hour. See Joe Brady was announced to the media down in Buffalo today. And this new theme in the NFL, and I don't think any other sports do it, but possibly they have to do like the first day picture reel, and they had him walking in, and he had shorts on for some reason in freezing coal,

and they had him in his office, and he had like three different computers. Dude, I don't know why they don't. Why do you have to do that? If I was him, I would say, I've been here. Right. Yeah. We've got to cut the crap with this.

If you want to do a press conference, I'll answer questions. After that, it's over. I'm not doing the Brian Dable getting out of the pickup. wheeling in with his wrangler jeans on and his cowboy boots. And it was just like, what are you doing? It's every coach apparently has to do it. Like, I don't know if this came from the NFL. Like Goodell's desk, mandating new coach, you need a rolodex of photos.

Dude, what about Stinky Robert Salas? He's got 15 kids, I think. Yeah, he's got eight, I believe. Really? I believe he's got eight. I don't know what that has to do with anything. What is this? This is Joe Brady.

You know, bright and early walking up and he's in shorts for some reason getting out. But, you know, I like this one because this is, I'm so dialed in. I showed up before the sun came up. Dude. It's like, dude, you don't, but this is my favorite one. I'm going to smile in front of my new computer. It's like, is this a Best Buy ad or is this guy the new head coach of the bills? Like, what kind of, hey, I'm looking at something new on my laptop.

How does this help the fan base think, wow, we really hired the right guy? You know what I mean? I don't think that did a whole lot for the fan base. I think Buffalo Bills have the expectation. I think they're probably pissed out if they missed out on Harbaugh. I don't know. But I think this is when they got this. Well, not to ask Coco.

When they saw the news, he was probably like, what? Yeah, he would be happy. And the offense, you know, was okay this year, not great. You know, run game was great, but. Well, I've got a dear friend, Rhett Warner, who's a Buffalo Bills fan. And I talk to him and he's like, nope, he goes, like, you're looking for change and it's not change. It's like, hey, the guy to the left, you step now to the middle. Like, it's just, I don't know, man.

Like, I hope it works out for them because I thought the bills were going to win the Super Bowl this year. but didn't you and me Hayes predicted us out of the year? I thought they were in good shape. Felt great about the bills. Who do you think made ultimately have the biggest kind of hand in the selection? Because I know. I would assume Josh Allen, but they're pushing back. Well, they're pushing back on that.

I mean, Brandon Bean claimed today that Terry Pagula, after the second interview said, I think you're our guy and you're the next head coach. So I guess Pagula was impressed and Bean was impressed. I don't know. I mean, it's hard to take the fracker seriously after the, like, he's getting shredded still for that presser, man. Yeah, I mean, I get it. The presser was awful.

That poor, was it Coleman, 22-year-old? Yeah, you feel bad for him. He didn't do anything. You know, he's just taking. The thing is, you talk to people in Buffalo, Pugula's done a lot. Like, he's dumped a lot of money into that city. He's been patient. Look at the sabers.

He just keeps, you know, put a lot of money. hopefully it pays off for him, but 14 years, no playoffs and a lot of shrapnel, the bills he's hung in there. But still, that was a bad look for him. That was a bad, like from a PR standpoint, you wonder, what was Kevin Adams dealing with there? You know, was this guy's finger, you know, telling him to do stuff when he maybe didn't want to or whatever? Kevin Adams might win GM of the year if Buffalo goes on a run. Crazy.

Wouldn't that be incredible if a guy that's fired, got the GM of the Year award? And fired when in December? Yeah, he got fired, yeah, right around December. Yeah, it would have been around when Steve Sullivan got fired. I think Kevin Adams, like, I think he put himself in a position. I know it was like, think of all the GMs that are around for a long time, they don't do squat. Like, if I was looking for somebody, you got to look at that and say, he's the guy that put that team together in Buffalo. Yeah.

Yeah, he deserves a lot of credit for what they're currently going through. You know, it's his team effectively. It's all his team. They haven't made one transaction. I think Yarmos made a couple signings. He signs some, but he hasn't, I don't think he's traded for anybody. That's all Kevin Adams, like the whole crew. Now, you look at it, there's some stability within the organization.

I don't know, or it seems like it anyways. I don't know. Like, did it seem different with Adams running it than Yarmo? How would you know? Cast a character. Amy, you played in the league a long time. Players don't give a rat's ass. who's running around upstairs in those offices.

Like, you got a job to do on the ice. I know. I've got traded the Rangers. One of my first practices at their practice rink, Glenn Saler walks in in a robe with a stogie. He's wearing a white robe and a, like a cigar. And he's, you know, introducing him. Hey, how you doing?

Shocking. He didn't have success in New York. Like, that's a bad look, man. I mean. He had an, at that time. Keep in mind, this is like 04. They had like an $82 million payroll back then because he was paying whole leak and all of those guys were making $10 million a year. Oh, yeah.

Yager was there. Yager was there at one point. Lendros was there. Lange was still kicking around. They traded Leach a couple days after. I walked in the room. There was Leach. There was Barnaby.

I think they traded Barnaby. They were just fire sailing it. It was, and I stayed on the. the other and I was the guy coming in. Right. You know, it was a circus. And I feel bad. They've won a cop.

They've done all these things. But the Rangers right now, that's a storyline, Brian. Well, you know, it's interesting. Kevin Weeks, you know, tweeted out basically half the league is called on our Tammy Panarin. But he indicated the Leafs were one of those teams that called on Panarin. Of course they did. Well, they got to do your, they got to sniff around. Everybody probably called on them.

But here's the thing. Like, we've been saying ever since March, left got to find a way to replace mortar. That's kind of what Panarin is. He's not as good defensively. Nowhere close to it. But he's a, you know, you put him on the wing with Matthews.

Matthews is probably going to be pretty happy. You're back into something there. Yeah, you put Panarin with Matthews and take Max Dolmey off. That's probably a pretty significant boost. Big time. But again, eight points out, this market would go nuts if they were buyers. Well, the cost of doing business for that, Brian, would be.

even know how you could do that. And guys, this particular player, Hayes, I don't know what you guys think. I'm not exactly high on this guy right now. Dry hair, man. Dry hair, and it's like, what has he ever done in a play? I don't think he was a part of any of the Cups in Chicago. He came after that. Yeah, he came after.

So I don't know. It's just at his point in his career and his kind of approach to the game, obviously he's one of the most skilled guys that's ever played the game, but not for me. And it would be the last thing that this team needs. Do you know what he reminds me of? The guy they already have, 88. Like different players, but enigmas, right?

Like, you know, they leave you wanting just a touch more, but, you know, what we always do is focus on the negative instead of the positive. Like, Panarin is an elite pass or he's got a good shot. Unbelievable. Like, he can play. And same thing. Willie can play, but we're always going, just give me a little bit more here, a little bit more there.

But Panarin has that, like, kind of Willie feel, but he's been more productive. I believe points-wise. Well, he had 120 points a couple years ago, I think. And Willie's never hit 100. No. Like, 120 is a massive. Serious. Serious, yeah.

Like, that is, you're putting on a clinic every night offensively. That's a clinic. Yeah. You hit more 20 in the league. I just don't think he's a guy that is in the, he didn't go get the puck back. You get him the puck. Like, Kuturoff is a guy like that.

Kuturoff, I remember talking to people out of Tampa, and they said, watch him. If you put an ISO on Kuturov, you can count on one hand during a game where he's at full speed. And the rest, it's like he knows where to go. He's always in the right spot. It kind of feels like he's at half speed, but he's not. He gets there. It's really interesting to watch those guys work because they look like they're not trying,

but they're always in the right spot. It's anticipation, Jamie. It's like 99. Like 99 wasn't blazing speed, but he always knew where the puck was. going to go. He was just two steps ahead. And that's why they look so good. It's like, how was he standing there and the puck got rim there? And it's like, that guy knew that that was going to happen before it happened.

Yeah. Just anticipation. It is. They're great. Like, you're right. The reeds, their IQ, where to go on the ice. But like, Panarin's a great player. Just wrong timing. You know what? The same thing. It would be the wrong timing. But I was talking about, like, Ottawa would be the type of team that, you know, adding to. But they just, they're eight points out too. It's tough to justify right now. It's tough to justify, and you don't have, if you're trading for a guy like that,

you probably need an extension in the back of your pocket. 100%. Let me ask you guys, you just brought up a great point. How come in Ottawa it's, let's make a charge here, but in Toronto it's down to the studs? Well, here's the only thing I would say. And it's a great point. They're exactly tied in the standings, you know, all of that type. Same amount of games.

remaining. And if you look at the sites, both of the sites of quality of competition, the Leifes and Ottawa have, like, the toughest schedule, one of them, top five toughest schedules down the stretch here. The one thing I would say in difference, in Ottawa, like, you could probably circle one thing and go, if you fix that, that team looks different. In Toronto, what's the one fit? Like, I don't think they're one move away where, again, same standing, same everything. But Ottawa, you can identify what they need fixing, where the Leafs, there's a little bit more there. Yeah, well, I think it seems abundantly clear with the Leafs. It's the defensive play, but that's more than just one guy.

Right. Goaltending, you need one. Right. You get one good goalie who's going to give you 50 to 55 starts. Boom, you're in. Right. And they were planning on that with Allmark. With the Leafs, you know, we referenced the stats yesterday, 30 second and shot.

slot shots, slot shots, rush chances, you know, everything. Third lasting goals against, you know, they got to clean up their defensive play. You can't win. Well, and also, too, I don't know if you're at one defenseman added from like it being. No, I don't think you are.

I think you're two or three in and out. Men, men. Yeah. And listen, the forwards have to help with that too. You know, there's some forwards that need to take that into account. Like, if you've got, you know, McMahon and Domy and Robertson and Cowan and Yarncrook, like those guys defensively, it's not going to help you.

Well, one last thing, guys, I think the biggest question that we should be talking about or as it leads up to the deadline, they've got a couple looming unrestricted free agents that they've got decisions to make. Big time. Big time. And what are you going to do with those? Because those are assets or, you know, are you going to sign them and keep them in the loop? And that's, we will be doing that a lot. I think over the next, you know, number of weeks for sure.

All right, best bet's coming up. Powered by Fan Dual Overdrive continues up on YouTube live. I'm Dylan Playfair. And I'm Tyler Smith. We're putting loneliness in the penalty box by talking to some of our favorite athletes about the importance of friendship. This is Bromance. Bromance is brought to you by Charm Diamond Centers, proudly Canadian-owned and operator. Charm has been part of your love stories and bromances for over 50 years.

And you can find Bromance on the I-Harmine. Heart Radio Network or wherever you get your podcast. All right, BestBeds powered by Fanduel. Make your picks and assemble a same game parlay in seconds on the Fanduals Sportsbook Gap. Taking a bunch of favorites here in a same game parlay tonight or a parlay tonight. Avs lost last night. Bednor was not happy.

You know, he gave it the old, hey, credit to Ottawa, but we were terrible routine after the year. Yeah, well, yeah, exactly. Like, they got blown out. I think some teams had some big. Knights in Toronto, to be honest with you. Vegas definitely did. Vegas went out and got smoked after that game.

Yes. They got clobbered by Ottawa. Yeah, Sunday they got smoked. Yeah. And it's not saying if you, like, you know, it's just some shocker, but I think both teams, if you're looking at the behind the scene stuff, possibly some big knights in the T-DOT. I think you're right. It makes sense.

Colorado and Vegas, I think, did the old play instance. stay and then head in. That was probably trouble. Probably trouble. And they got wins, which, again, Colorado and that game was at 130. So that was the old bag chuck, your boy Hal Gill routine, back to the hotel at like 4, 430, and where are we going for dinner at like 5? Yeah.

That's rough. Or amazing, whichever way you want to look at. That's amazing. Well, the haves better be on their game tonight. Because they, Colorado will be pissed. That's why I'm on the afts tonight. Like they're paying a little bit of juice, but I'm on Colorado. I'm on Tampa and I'm on Pitt.

That's your parlay tonight for the games. Best bets powered by Fandau. Make your picks and assemble. Same game parlay on the Fandual. Sportsbook gap must be 19 plus physically located in Ontario. What's interesting, Salabrini McDavid getting a lot of hype, you got Bred and Sid tonight in Pitt, right? Chicago, Pittsburgh.

Bidar has been struggling since he returned. numbers have not been great. I think he's got one goal since he came back. You know, that shoulder injury derailed the season. He was playing so well. Yeah, he was great. He was playing so well. Chicago was in the fight, and they're just, you know, they're not anymore.

But anyway, all right, leaves cracking tonight. Let's see what they got on this roadie, right? Four games on this road trip. Turn the page. Let's see what the Maple Leafs have in store. Full breakdown tomorrow. just over a week away from the Super Bowl. We'll start looking ahead to that as well.

There's a lot to get into tomorrow. We're looking forward to it. Thanks to everyone behind the scenes for helping out. We appreciate it. Everyone for tuning in today, TV, radio, podcast, web, and of course up on YouTube live, every show up on TSN's YouTube channel. We're out of here. Enjoy your evenings.

Enjoy the games tonight. We're back tomorrow at 4 p.m. We'll chat then. Let's go. New music. And the next big thing. Always on the new music first. Your first place to hear it all.

Because you're going to like it, love to want to play it twice. I'm playing now. I heart new music. Your digital station for brand new drops, fresh vines, and tomorrow's bangers. I think we need something new. Discover I heart new music. Always fresh. Always first.

Stream now on the free IHart Radio app.