OverDrive - OverDrive - January 7, 2025 - Hour 1

Episode Date: January 7, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Frank Corrado for Hour 1 on OverDrive! The guys discuss the Maple Leafs' matchup against the Flyers, the team's performance in the first half of the season and the Atlantic Division overall views. RDS Canadiens Analyst Marc Denis joins to discuss the team in a playoff spot, Lane Hutson's impressive season and Nick Suzuki's leadership to the roster.

2025 is your year. 2025. Started right with New Year, New You on iHeartRadio. New year, new you. Good vibes playlists like party hits, chill tracks on lo-fi, and motivational podcasts to crush your resolutions. From wellness, finances, travel, and more.

Let's go. New year, new you. New you. New you. Explore it all. Feel brand new. At iHeartRadio.ca and on the free iHeartRadio app. This Hour of Overdrive is powered by FanDuel. FanDuel, bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score.

All right, here we go, Overdrive, off and running. TSN 1050 on the TSN app, your home smart speaker. And up on Tsn for brian haze the old dog jeff o'neill and there is frankie carotto making a name chapter a a k a chesco is that right you what what does that mean i just think it's uh... it's a short form i got another nickname that'll just absolutely blow your mind.

I think Frankie Francesco, and you shorten that up, and you got Chesco, and you've got an unbelievable handle. I wish I had that when I was playing. Chesco Corrado is really, that's 1,200 games in the NHL. And then you become like your share. You're just like, guys know you as like, that's Chesco. Yeah, there's Chesco. You walk into the room, and it's like an unspoken. You're a one-name guy. Dude, it's already you as like that's Chesco yeah there's just walk into the room and it's like an unspoken you're a one-name guy

yeah dude it's already up under your name Chesco I love it man I love it too if you don't do it whenever you're on Sports Center and they they font you if you don't roll with Chesco not even Corrado anything it's just straight like people with one name one name yeah and you're just straight up Chesco You're in the bridge. Oh, I know you're Chesco. You're a Brazilian soccer player. Yeah That's what I know It's a Ronaldo Million Instagram fault you have 10 million Instagram followers and you are a massive stud. We're gonna start this

This is what we're gonna do. We're gonna build this whatever you call it this brand. It's a brand Yeah, it's a Style it's a brand. It's every I gotta get I think with Chesco. You gotta have nice shades You gotta have tight pants. You gotta have some nice like sleek shirts. Yeah, you gotta change everything I think when you have a handle like Chesco, you can go dress coat and no shirt underneath dude if you pull that one off on a Sports Center late-night hit I will blow my top off watching what if what if there's a little gold chain just peeking through just enough just a little bit have to be but I think Frankie only gets you it's

like when are we gonna go to a rec foul or this exactly married with the kid it's gotta be rec foul when does doggy go to dog hamilton i think doggy gilmore is doggy gilmore for ever that's don't even touch that that's the one thing like doggy gilmore he is doing his thing right we had danny briar's not Daniel Breyer it's Danny Breyer but you're right about like Rick Fowler he's had a mustache for five years yeah he's a mustache and kids and he's on this TGL thing that's up tonight that's starting I guess it's so fine it's not the SoFi Stadium I don't

I don't know exactly where it is you guys know I go into everything with optimism and I love golf I don't know about this I'm not sure I'll be into it either I don't think I'll be watching but imagine guys going from Rolf's backyard to an indoor hitting area in Jupiter Florida yeah that's not gonna fly that's not you can't go from Kapaluwet to that. No. You can't, I don't care if the ground is moving. I don't care if they have real sand in there.

I don't care what type of production level is gonna come with this product. I don't think it's gonna land. I'm with you, I want to be optimistic, but I have to be honest, I don't think I am going into this. But I can't imagine I'll be watching. I might check it out, see what's going on. We got a Leaf game tonight.

See Ryan Reeves has been inserted into the lineup in Philly. I wonder what he's going to get up to, Hazy. I wonder what he's going to get up to. Wouldn't it be his first fight of the year? First fight of the year. He hasn't fought yet. Game 42 of the season, Ryan Reeves has not fought yet. Hey, maybe he hasn't had to fight like I can't if I go back and think

Of times where it was like did Reeves need to fight? I don't know I can't think of anything I can only think guys of by the way three guys in the league that would fight them One plays in New Jersey one plays for the Rangers and one plays for Columbus You got anyone else out there that would go Jack jack i would go back i would find out that sorry yeah or pack you're looking at a six-pack max you could probably you know i don't know what probably fight a man l a p you know although he got to know last year memory pop the last year uh...

yeah there's a lot of six dot many guys and i was in time you also would go on for chiles and probably would although Wilson scoring goals, man Wilson is a rock star right now and He's in a bit of a different category where he's playing on a top line. He's on pace for like 40 this year So I'm not sure Tom Wilson would do it. The question is will Garnett Hathaway do it? That's the question Hathaway will do it. He's a pretty tough. You think he'll fight tonight I think he's a tough guy, but I if Reeves asked him, he will fight. I would be shocked if Reeves didn't.

Like this is, it's complicated because it's 2025. We're in a different era. But this was Craig Borube 30 years ago, hadn't been playing and Hathaway got into a fight with a good player of the game before. And then Borube's coach said, you're're in tonight Barube would get the message immediately I'm not saying that Craig Barube the coach is doing that necessarily and I think he would have too much respect for Ryan Reeves he wouldn't have to tap him

on the shoulder or anything it's not hard to figure out it's not hard to figure out yeah like and I'm sure Hathaway knows the deal too he's been around a long time and he's played the role but he also has like I'm sure have to wait knows the deal to he's been around a long time and he's played the role but he also has like i'm sure i'm reason to chase this guy around the ice and say this is on my terms only he's probably gonna say i gotta do you wanna go on these halfway doesn't have to do it no he doesn't he doesn't and did i don't think he would be like that i don't

think it if we said look man we gotta go after what happened in the cave he's probably gonna say okay let's go yeah like that's what i was thinking warm up the conversation probably happens like that that's what happened with reason rampey uh... reese and a lori a lori a i think they can't yes that's right and uh... a few different guys around the world a lori a played DeLorey played the other night for Philly. I haven't, no, I didn't see him out there. Is he injured or is he, what is he?

I'm not sure what his status is right now, but he. Well, that could be another option. Maybe he steps in and says, I'll handle this. Yeah. There you go. I mean, again, I don't know if that will work for the Leafs. They may not feel like that's gonna be enough. Hathaway plays hard. He's not a rat.

Like he's not, you know, he's not a rat like he's not in you know he's not a heavy heavyweight but he will be willing to go. I would if I was putting money down I would say they're gonna fight. Yeah I wouldn't be surprised at all Reeves isn't gonna jump him cuz Reeves he doesn't really operate that way I think it will probably be if you're Hathaway I think you want it on the fly where you can grab them quick. Like the thing is with Reeves... That's what Reeves isn't going to give you. He doesn't want to go off the fly.

He wants the center ice square up. He wants off the draw where you have to try to reach in on him. And that's where it gets dangerous because he throws cinder blocks. And if he gets you and starts coming in hot, you're in trouble. If I'm Hathaway, like I don't know why we're overthinking this, but it's kind of like, remember Matt Cook? And this is not the same scenario at all. Like Hathaway, again McCabe wanted the fight. McCabe stood over him, kept pushing him and pushing him. Dude, McCabe pushed him twice, like you kind of know what's coming.

Yes, Hathaway I think got up and was like, this guy's going to start throwing, I better start throwing. Like Hathaway was in the right to start the fight and be prepared for the fight. But when you have a scenario like, it's one thing to fight McCabe it's another thing to fight Reeves and if you're Hathaway I think you want to you want to get inside and grab him as quickly as you can I think Hathaway would have got up you would have been fine there second shot he's like all right that's enough yeah like this you're not you can't take liberties with me and I think McCabe probably knew that but I think they're right the first shot he's like okay I can have the second one he was like dude get the hell away from

me now I'm gonna kill you yeah exactly and and I think you know the way he fell I don't know exactly how he got injured if it was that his head hit the ice looked like Hathaway kind of fell on him maybe his knee got him a little bit and I wonder if the Leafs are not overly happy about that. Anyway Reeves is going in tonight and it's in Philly it's old school. What I'm curious about is how torts will react to this because John Tortorell you know he's a hero. He's a hero in these moments right like you think were you on the team in Vancouver when it was Vancouver and Calgary? I just got sent down and we're watching that game on the

bus and we watched our buddy Kellen Lane get kicked out two seconds into the game right he got into the fight with everyone on that was Bob Hartley was the coach for the flames went down the tunnel he was gonna it was gonna choke out Bob Hartley right and he didn't even get in. Was he though? What like what was Torz gonna do like I know Torz is like a angry little dude but like is Torz gonna like it but the best thing was the guy that was staring right at torts was guess who is mcgrath mcgrath mcgrath was there brian mcgrath was like okay torts if you do one thing i am gonna strangle you right in front of everyone don't kid yourself there were guys on that calgary team that would have loved to see

torts strangle bob hartley oh yeah they weren't the biggest fan Calgary team that would have loved to see torts strangle Bob Hartley. Oh, yeah They weren't the biggest fan of Hartley. There would have been some guys that have been like Get one shot in towards and then we got to remove you We'll give you one free shot because stage was right there too bad stage in his right is like blocking Torts, I don't think stage wasn't gonna do anything stage would not have done anything He would allow McGratt to do it. But if you look at the video, if you could find it Joe, it's a wild scene because there's torts in the middle and they're all on skates. So McGratt is like 6'8 on skates. He's a massive human being without skates and torts is up to basically his waist and he's trying to get into the room and cabri. But the

reason I bring that up is if Barube, and I don't think he'll do this but if it's a scenario where he starts Reeves and then it's like Well, do I have to start half the way? He's not gonna yell and scream at Barube tonight. I don't think he might but I don't think like I don't think it would be a Scenario where torts is over the bench yelling at Craig Barube because I would suggest that's not in your best interest I tell so I don't know if Borube wants to start his like... Why would you want to do that? ... in a while, why are you going to do it? Like you're kind of...

All of school that would have happened if it felt like at least we're really pissed off about it. When you've got the glass in between, you can act like you want to strangle somebody. You think Torz would have the audacity to pretend like he's going at Craig Borube? You think he would do it? Absolutely. He would yell over and be like, what the hell do you think you're doing? What are we doing here? What kind of game are we playing here? Yeah you could be right. Well it would make for some great entertainment. It would be great

because Barube's a legend in Philly. Like as a player, as a coach, anyway I don't know. I'm anticipating some fireworks tonight. Yet you got Joseph Wall getting the start again, and you know the Leafs, it's a game where you're going there and you're favored. You're favored to win again. Like why wouldn't you take another two points on Philly? They're an inferior team, and what the Leafs have done very well through 41 games

is they have found a way to avoid losing the game that every Leaf fan is bracing for them to lose. Right? Hey, see, I think they've just found some consistency and they found, they found a different way to win, which is before I think they just said, guys, let's just skill the absolute wheels off of this thing and hopefully we can rip home five goals and hopefully our goalie doesn't give up six. And that was almost like their approach. It's more of a business-like, boring...

We were talking at the beginning of the year where people, some people that worked with us, they didn't like the way they were dumping the puck in all the time. They didn't like the way that they were creating off... I don't know. They're at the top of the division, near top of the league and it's a different look and It's gonna be a way more different look come playoff time and they're gonna give themselves a better chance to win and I said It to the first ten games. They've given themselves a chance to win against tough teams Against back-to-back situations when they're tired and they don't have their a game because the way they play and

Enables their B game to have success, and it should give them an opportunity to win come playoff time. Who on earth wouldn't want that? No, everyone loves entertaining hockey, but when you have entertaining hockey that has no chance to win, that's complete lunacy. And then when you get the results,

like they're top in the division, like it kinda it really invalidates everything that you're trying to take all the players in the bed dressing room would be going like going for beers are having dinner sand uh... maybe this guy's on the something this is the way to do it yet he's got the street cred because he's one of stanley cop well and they're more they're more comfortable in those kinds of games and that you're

right like it is a little less entertaining i think course it're right. Like it is a little less entertaining. I think, of course, we all agree that like it's a little less entertaining. It's a little more boring call it, but they're getting the results and they're more comfortable in those kinds of games. And one of the things that, that I think is, you know, I, I haven't seen as much. It's like the second period and someone's got to take some kind of weird risk that you don't have to do. It leads to an odd man rush or, you know, someone blows an assignment and it's in the back of the net

and it's like, why did you have to win the game with eight minutes left in the second period? They don't do that this year. It's like, we're okay just kind of doing the same thing over and over and then we force them to make a mistake or we take it into overtime and we win. And they've played some teams, the Islanders, Philly. Like it's like

these are boring games where they can kind of, they can force you to do some things that maybe you don't feel like doing or you want to try and force something and it doesn't work. They haven't deviated. They're comfortable. They stick with it. What also sticks out is when they do revert back to old habits or there is some sort of lazy play that it really sticks out now where it used to blend in more I'll give you an example the other night the lot and goal Willie like Nylander is really soft on the boards it gets rimmed around he just kind of stabs at it and then he stares at it then it's in the

back of the net that gets overly exposed now because you haven't seen it as much like guys it's not accepted and it's not accepted. That's another thing. It's understood that you can't play that way. Not that Keefe was wanting them to do that in the past. It just seemed to happen more often. There were more lazy plays. There was more of a,

ah, we'll get that one back as opposed to addressing it in the moment and realizing that can't happen. And you know, that was an example the other night because Willie was lazy. It was just a lazy kind of soft play on the boards and Willie's in one right now. Like Nylander is kind of in a slump but that's another thing that I would say about you know what how we've described the season through 41 games much more business like much more quiet at times boring yet not necessarily reducing the overall stats. Like Marner's on pace for 112 points. That would be a career year. So yes, they're

playing a different style and a different system. It is not stopping Mitch Marner from being, he's in the top 10 for the heart right now based on odds. I looked it up on FanDuel coming in here. I think he's, I want to say he's eighth. I think he's seventh or eighth. And that's appropriate. And that's absolutely appropriate. The guy's been unbelievable this year. John Tavares is going to score 40 goals and possibly have a career year as a Toronto Maple Leaf. This Barube style, it's not stopping these guys from putting up numbers. Matthew Nyes is on pace for 30. Bobby McMahon might score 25.

Austin is the outlier, but Matthews hasn't been healthy. So it does yes, it feels different Yes, it's not as if it doesn't feel like they're cheating necessarily or they're in these barn-burner type of games or they're giving up leads Well, they have to win an overtime yet. I would think if I'm Marner Nyland or Tavares Matthews, they've all made money They're all going to continue to make money. They've all been here for a long time They're still getting their cookies and they're winning and it feels and looks different if you apply it in the playoffs you're likely to have more success. Who wouldn't be ecstatic with that? Yeah.

Like they should be thrilled. The one thing that fans, I don't know what it is, I don't know if it's just Toronto or I mean Frank you played in Vancouver, I don't know what other markets are like. People are still obsessed coming up to me And they don't talk about man It looks like they have a good chance to win this year or things different blood You know what they go right to they go right to John Tavares as contract. What's that gonna look like? What do you think they're gonna sign and I'm just like are you? Why does that have to be the first thing that comes up?

I don't know and you know what I say to them when it comes to John Tavares I'm like, you know, he's playing really well There's also a guy down in Tampa Bay that ripped home 40 goals for the Lightning last year and their team decided to walk away from them for whatever reason it was. So it's not like you just have a good season and all of a sudden you're just owed something. Like the Tampa Bay Lightning said Stamco's great year, 40 goals, but we're just not signing you. And the other one is the Marner, which is obviously a hot topic.

It's a different conversation because of his age and his prime. The idea of maybe there's a better chance to win, and hopefully they sign some good guys at trade deadline at this, they go right to those two contracts. It's a programming thing, man. It's because when the team- Programming within the market. Yeah, when the team programming within the market yet the programming within the market because there's always you know there's

such a hyper focus on these players because of what they've represented what they've done but also you know the playoffs being a completely separate conversation we're not there it's a long season yeah I don't know it's a unique market that way I do think it's hard unique market that way i i do think it probably is hard about it is when they bring out how old is john thibault is he thirty four years old yes there will be thirty five when he talks about his contract they go in complete joe from the bridge mode they're like they better give this guy

five or six year deal i'm like are you on drugs man? I know it's crazy you can still say that he's having a great season and be like yeah it's up in the air as far as what they want to do with term and AAV, whatever. You can figure it out. January, man. If I was looking at any kind of contract for John DeVars, and I hate even going there because why not?

Let's see what they do in the playoffs. Term would be the biggest thing. It would be no more than one or two years, not one second. One second. That's an interesting question. You see it in other sports where veteran guys are willing to sign one-off deals like give me a one-year deal we'll re-up I want to see where I am yes you know I don't know

maybe John's not comfortable with that I don't know he's always had term well he's always to be attached to the deal when the wheels fall off and then you're paying like people literally say to me it better be a five or six year deal at five or six million I'm like well that's absurd I mean it is people are in they've gone nuts it's like that's a bit five or six year deal at five million this guy's not 23 years old yeah like oh you mentioned Vancouver like yeah I played in that market and I'm still kind of like up to date in that market they are like they'll talk about contracts two three years

Out like Hughes is coming up I don't know if it's two years like but he didn't use just sign He well he his wasn't as long as pettersons. So like he's gonna get a five or six year deal Yeah, and he's at he's under eight. So like that's coming in a huge money Dude, that guy's gonna be making 15 million dollars That's coming in a huge money dude that guy's gonna make a 15 million dollars Bessar's a ufa like that. I don't know what's going on there. They're talking about that the peterson deal They were talking about that when I'll host signed his extension with Carolina Well if I'll got nine point seven five like so I guess it is like it happens in in Canada like it's a Canadian

Do like what can a what does the team look like in six months? well guys I wonder when it comes up to the deadline and guys keep teams keeping talent. And I have talked a bunch on this show how I believe the league is watered down. And I believe there's 10 guys on every team that shouldn't be in the league, if not more. And I'm not the only one that thinks like that. But you wonder if teams like as opposed to just having fire sales because they're so desperate from talent, they're going to be like i'm not trading away these guys

because i'm just gonna spend the next three years trying to find another one of these guys well that's the truth is the discrepancy now if there's ten guys on every direction be in there the ten guys that should have real value in this yes good and they're going to be like if i get rid of that guy i'm just gonna spend two years trying to find that guy you know it's in that position montreal's going to be in that position because they got a bunch of UFAs and it's like they're

in a playoff spot so what do you do you just trade Dvorak and Armia because they're UFAs? You have to. You have to if you're in Montreal. Like you've got to commit. That's a stupid comment. You better go to commercial and come back because that's the most insane thing I've heard in 10 years on this show. Alright let's come back because the Habs got a win last night the Bell Center is absolutely on fire. The Habs got a win last night the Bell Center is absolutely the best team in the league right now on fire man did you see that sequence last night Gouli stepped up through a massive hit and then 30 seconds later Suzuki to coffee let's say my guy Gouli Mike I have always been a Caden Gouli guy always a Gouli guy of that I wanted yes I was pushing for the Leafs to take him the year of his draft. But listen to this guy Chesco

Big coolie guy. He wants to dump everybody in the middle of this run because that's insane. No because you have to be honest with what you really are and where you actually are in the process Okay, we'll come back. We'll get into it. Mark Deney will join us. Mark Deney. Mark Deney is coming. Mark Deney. We love Mark Deney. Love Mark Deney. I'm going to play Marty. We're going to play coach's interview. Remember when we used to play there? I'm going to be Marty St. Louis, and you're going to be Kent Hughes, and I'm going to walk in and say, what are you doing, Kenny boy? All right. What are you doing?

You need a little bit of a little stubble. You need a little beard if you want to be Marty St. Louis. Marty's got that victory beard right now. He's got that St. Catherine's vibe to him, man. That downtown Montreal core is rocking right now. He's got that St. Catharines vibe to him, man. That downtown Montreal core is rocking right now. They're feeling good. Marty St. Louis is on fire and so are the Habs. So all right, we'll get into it. Little role play and Mark Deneb will join us because the Habs are officially in a playoff spot. First time since 2021, this deep into the season, they were even in the playoff mix, let alone in the playoffs. Ottawa's in action, they're trying to leapfrog them tonight, they're in Detroit playing the

Red Wings. So we'll look ahead to a big night in the NHL and Mark Deneil will join us. Mike Johnson coming up, confirmed with a nigh later this afternoon. Overdrive continues, TSN 1050N on TSN 4. Is your year 20 20 25 started right with new year new you on iHeartRadio Good vibes playlists like party hits chill tracks on lo-fi and motivational podcasts to crush your resolutions finances travel and more new year new you

Brand new and iHeartRadio.ca and on the free iHeartRadio app New you. New you. New you. Explore it all. Feel brand new. At iHeartRadio.ca and on the free iHeartRadio app. Alright, Overdrive continues powered by FanDuel. Bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score. Mark Diney coming up of RDS. The Habs winning in overtime last night. The Habs are in the playoffs. The Montreal Canadiens are in the playoffs.

They're in the mix. I'll tell you what I want to do. Are you playing Marley St. Louis? I'm gonna come in the office. Hello Kenny. How are you pal? We're rolling here. Yeah. What do you plan on doing to my squad? Because I don't think it's fair to the young guys to just rip their hearts out and move guys out of the lineup when we're making a move here. What are you going to do big boy? Well I'll tell you what I'm going to do is I'm going to stick to the plan because I am the maestro. All right.

I'm the guy running this orchestra not you Marty. I brought you in alongside Jeff Gordon. You're doing a pretty good job. But the fact of the matter is this is still about the future and we have kids that have already arrived and they're putting up big big numbers. Kenny, Kenny, I gotta tell you. For starters, you start calling me Ken again, you're out of here Marty. I went from Kent to Kenny, but I just want to tell you this is where the analytics come into like the real-life competitive stuff where it's like,

you know how people had this fantasy world of drop down and let's get two second rounders and a first. We saw how that worked out. Sometimes you've got to have some feel involved. I'm sure, bring in Mark Denney, he'll tell you. They've got to just stay the course. You think Mark's going to commit to your statement on that? Absolutely.

Bring him in and ask him. Okay. Here he is. long time nhl are from rds branky you see him all the time i love chatting bell center we chatted up before every game all right here's mark denny how you doing mark a gentleman outstanding so who do i have to endorse and who do i send the invoice mark here's here's the scenario go ahead i said that are not bark here's the here's the scenario go ahead i said brian haze the host of the show said yet rid of everybody at the end of my did not expect i think he said i got a

stick with the plan and i'm dumping players to get draft picks blah blah blah and i said they've got a good vibe right now i don't know if you can do that to the locker room they've had so many tough losses and they finally get cooking and then you start ripping guys out of that lineup i don't think that's the right play at this particular time. Please weigh in with your thought process. Yeah, I'll tell you this. I'm glad we're having this conversation because a couple of weeks

back there wouldn't have been a conversation. Everybody would have been on board. You just sell the farm because nothing's working. Right now this is a much different team. This is a team that went into a very tough holiday trip. Coming out of it beating four Stanley Cup champs or the four most recent Stanley Cup champs, winning a big game against Vancouver last night. And not only are they in the mix, which a lot of people around here in Montreal have been making fun of, they're actually in the playoff spot as we speak with the next game being the midway part of the season. So listen, I'll tell you this much. I think Brian is dead on. If this show was being aired, hold on, Brian, you're not going to like me here. If this show was being aired, it was being aired 365 days

ago. This plan of, you know, of Can't Use and Jeff Gordon at this moment where they're at they're more competitive than Definitely expected after 25 games and now this plan now is is about signing You know Jake Evans and maybe listening and entertaining options But even the all army has become an option to come back next season. So this is a much different Animal than you know when first round picks were on the table for Sean Monahan. This is a team that's actually sent a pretty strong message. Unfortunately, I've been part of teams that haven't been in the race that don't send

messages and you know what's coming. But at this point in time, I think to some extent, sticking to the plan is maybe another Alexandre Carrier type of deal, but definitely not selling out or going to get a very expensive veteran player. I think part of the rebuild, I mean one of the greatest part of the rebuild is if you don't speed it up with getting an expensive veteran, is you get that team playing meaningful games late in the season and maybe even a playoff round and now you know that that rebuilds on fast-forward well listen I I appreciate that they're in a different position today certainly than they were a month ago certainly than they were a year ago I will say that

deadline is in March so let's see what happens between now and then right like if the wheels fall off a little bit I would think if they get a call on David Savard and the price is right Then they might make that decision to move on from him or but what would the price be right? Like if it's some kind of third-round pick does that make any sense like what the hell does that turn into that's a good question I mean Frankie you can chime in like Mark There was one morning where Marty was asked about the rebuild and he was asked about the veteran players and I never thought about it this way, but he said, you know, the veteran guys sacrifice a lot in a rebuild. They basically say, young guys, we're going to be patient with you and we're going to

give you guys a lot of leeway and be there for you. But then Marty said, at some point, the tables have to turn. The young guys have to repay it to the vets that sacrifice their individual careers and seasons for these guys. And now it feels like we're almost getting to that point, doesn't it? Where like the young guys have taken control and like the Armia, Savard, Dvorak, these guys that you're all talking about that are you know, UFAs, it's like maybe they can prosper a little bit here because of the the work of the young guys and then being patient. I don't know, like Mark, does that make sense to you?

It does. And if we're going to get into the very fine details of the different players we've been talking about, I mean, you know, I believe at this moment that Christian Devorak is going to walk and they're going to let him walk. Apart from that, I think all three other players are in play. Jake Evans, I do believe that Montreal Canadiens will start negotiating pretty hard eventually to bring him back into the fold. Now it leaves Armia and Savard. Armia, you know, is gonna be tough to replace. I don't see a player as of now and maybe Ivan Demidov comes over from Russia and he steps in but you know, we're talking about depth player here where David's on all, you know, maybe you need to move on from him. Although he's a local guy,

maybe you need to move on from him because Logan Mayhew was ready to step in and be your right hand third pairing defenseman. And you need some ice time for David Reinbach or eventually he was going to come back from injury and he was a highly touted high draft pick. The true of the matter is at this point though, why would you even entertain a third round pick when David Savant at this point in time and in the playoff race is a glue guy for your team?

He'll block a gazillion shots if he can. He will be there to make sure that the dressing room is united. He'll be an extension of the coaching staff and with a very Why I'm gonna use the word quiet not boring quiet leader in Nick Suzuki who scores the big goals He scored all three overtime goals this year for the Canadians. You also need a vocal Leader in their dressing room who's been through it and that in some is vocal and he's been through it and Everybody including the coaching staff and the management love him. I'm a big fan of David somehowad as well. So I'm with you. I don't know if that's enough to bring him

back but that's definitely not enough for me to deal him for a third round pick. Mark can you explain how I mean you're a goaltender like a goaltending tweak and we saw this last year where Jack Campbell went out the door and Calvin Pickard came in the door, all of a sudden the Edmonton Oilers turn into the 89 Oilers and they start winning every night. Montreal Canadiens is the same thing, it's like Primo went down and Patrick Waugh comes in, the new Patrick Waugh, and all of a sudden there are the 89 Habs. It's just one little tweak that just sets everything on fire, and it's hard to explain. It is hard to explain, and at the same time, I'm gonna try to really quickly.

Jakub Dobesz has been kind of under the radar. Kaden Primo in this whole Menage-A-Clois thing last year with three goalies and not wanting to lose them on waivers. And then Dobesh gets dealt a pretty tough hand. But you know what he made of that tough hand? I mean he made a five course service out of a can of tuna is what he did. He played way too much. They went out and got a veteran player to help him out of the AHL level.

And all of a sudden, it's months of October and November at the AHL level, coming out of the Ohio State University, being a very good college player, where I'm going to be very respectful, but where the straight ahead, direct linear game will get you good stats when you're a good athletic goalie, is not the same as the pro level, all of a sudden he settles down, becomes a very good AHL goalie, plays a lot of games because they're keeping three goalies up to up top with the Montreal Canadiens and now he gets lost in the whole Jacob Fowler is the next guy, Samuel Montalbos playing great which he has been and when it's time to step up he just does that and it's not about being cocky but it's

about being confident enough to say listen I'm not an underdog I'm gonna come in and I'm gonna beat the running pins I'm gonna come in and play the last game of the trip and you know what I'm gonna stand tall against the Colorado Avalanche and he did just that so I think you know confidence is a two-way street I don't know Frankie and Jeff if you guys agree with that but you know it's one thing to say listen we got a young guys back there we're going to protect them but he also needs to make the same i think both of these factors

i've been part of the montreal canada's turnaround in this late road trip where they've been protecting their boys better and their goalie have been giving them a chance to be better as a team as well with mark denier of uh... party as so we were is that a scatter of two markets while you know brian played Neal H.L. too. He knows all about this. I could adhere to it too, Mark.

Absolutely. But Brian, I didn't think you were gonna try to have a conversation with me since I totally shut down your idea of playing the Farms. So I was like, you know. It's all good. We're open for discussion here. You're selling me. You're moving me in the right direction here.

And we were in Montreal for three or four days I guess in September around the President's Cup and the Lane Hudson hype in mid September was out of control we showed up I think the first thing we talked about when we got on the air on the Tuesday was this Lane Hudson kids taking over the town everyone on board made the comment he was like I told the GM I'm like good luck sending that kid down if you that's what you choose to do people they were going to be in love with them and now is leading the league in rookie scoring a double to assist last night he's playing twenty five minutes every

single night uh... you're watching it up close and personal like the stats would indicate this kid is a rockstar how good is he look live and and how is the market reacting to him in January compared to what they were saying about him in September? Yeah, the craziness hasn't stopped and I'll tell you this, he looks like a rockstar as well. He's playing the part.

Listen, Frankie, you played the position and hopefully you'll help me out here and add to what I'm going to say, but the stats are the stats. And you know what? Just saying in the same sentence that he's ahead of Mischkov and Celebrini you know you guys get it but what I've been most impressed with is how combative he is trying to defend when he loses the box because hiccups will happen he's playing so much and the other thing I'll say is last night last night was a very physical affair and after getting hit a couple of times early in the game and I don't think this was his best game about midway through the game,

he got points in the three most important goals of the game. So to me, that's what impresses me because those are signs that it's not just going to fade away eventually. Those are signs usually of players not putting up numbers and saying the numbers will come because they're doing the right thing. Well, he's doing the right things and the numbers are coming. So I've been very impressed. You know, I'm watching him now closely as he's going to go a second time around the league and there are no signs of fading.

I mean, will it come eventually? I'm sure there'll be a lull at some point. The game won will be perfect but everything is brought to the table as we've very impressive for twenty year old defensemen i mean we're talking about the rookie scoring if you're talking about the defenseman rookies court and got twenty four point

lead both night it was a killer that no ridiculous so i was in the same stratosphere said when it comes to that you know what mark like i agree with you i think he's super, super, super competitive. Anytime he's given up the puck or he's had to deal with body contact, he works. He works to get it back all the time, but there was a game in Detroit right before the Christmas break. He had that really bad giveaway. Puck goes in the back of the net and you're like, okay, how does he react to that?

Is he going to kind of wilter a little bit? And he came back and it wasn't that he was stubborn. He was like, I just keep playing my game. And then he drew the penalty that ended up, you know, getting them the power play that Lyoné shot the puck and they won the game. And you're like, there's the mental strength of this guy to do what he does. I think that's also what really sticks out to me. Yeah, short-term memory. I think that's also what what really sticks out to me. Yeah short-term memory I think that's very important. I think Kane and Goulet is a good example

of what to do because he's he's that type of young defenseman as well. But yeah it's impressive and you know what he wants to be. He wants to be that guy. Like he's not worried. Yesterday he recognizes the situation there's a broken stick on the hog lander in front of him. He just attacks them dead on. The penalty is not against Hudson but it's on the hog lander in front of them. He just attacks them dead on the penalty is not against Hudson But it's on the hog lander because he's just got danced because he's got no stick and Lane Hudson just attacked him head-on I love that that You know veteran players will they'll just get nervous with the puck on their stick more than half a second

He doesn't so that's that impresses me. It's he recognized the situation he doesn't that's that that impresses me it's he recognized the situation up how many times it frankly we've been calling a lot of games and how many times he lost the pocket next thing you know are play-by-play men right beside us it is saying here's line up and you know you know give away a losing the buck and there is an initials on crawling at the plate already like he's already back there he's yeah he he doesn't let up he's fun to watch man is that he is he is one of them might be better than that's a scary thing is my brother i just

watched him at the world juniors call he's yeah on really he had himself here pretty pretty young in and and out there right how about that jersey ripping in the fans in the comment against you know he's too cow and while he's, yeah, he's more vocal than Lindy. He's not shy. No, he's not.

Not shy. And we've noticed, you know, Suzuki obviously has been playing really well recently. He's putting up a lot of points. Do you think there's something to him being left off the Canadian team? Like, is this a reaction? Is it a coincidence? What do you make of Suzuki and his place since not being named to the four nations face-off? That's an interesting question. I think is a pretty level-headed man. I think I

Think the Montreal Canadiens knew how to react and to surround them after that decision You know, I think right now Nick Nick Suzuki, as I said earlier, he's a quiet leader, but he takes this role, which I think is a huge one would be in, you know, captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs or the New York Rangers. I mean, they're, they're, they're tough gigs at the NHL level. He was a captain. He was just a young man still. And I think, you know, he, he was pretty upfront about saying he wanted to be a point of game player and he wanted to help this team win and scoring the three overtime game winners and being back to a point of game as of last night with a three point night.

He's true to his words. He plays big minutes. Uh, he's been playing a little less because Montreal willingly wanted to, you know, bring him back and not play so much penalty kill. But last night Jake Evans gets a tough penalty and who do you call to? You call to your captain. So he's been playing, he's got a very important role with Lina being out of line on the last three games. Pizzetta has a tough time getting the even strength minutes.

So Nick Suzuki gets double shifted and he answers the bell. I got nothing to say. I don't think it's a reaction. I think it's a great story. We've talked about it on our broadcast. I think it makes for a great story. I don't think it's a reaction. I think it's the right way to bounce back because he wanted to be part of that team. I think we'd all agree, but I think it's, it's the right way to to respond

after you know not be chose not being chosen and you know it will come he will be on national teams eventually if you just use plan the way he out absolutely the olympics obviously coming up and i wouldn't be surprised at all at all things part of that team uh... great stuff mark really appreciate you doing this will do it again down the road thank you alright time to get a good for you so much for having me on gentlemen. You got it, Mark Diney of RDS. Mark was I believe a world junior player twice. I think back to back years, world junior. I think he won a couple of golds too. That was in that like five-year run in the

mid-90s. But yeah, you look at you know Montreal, like Caulfield's been great, Suzuki's been great, Hudson's been great, but all their veteran guys are playing. Gallagher's played every night, Anderson's played every night. And Anderson's playing different this year. Like last year they would put them on the top line, they'd put them on the power play, none of that's happening this year. Third line, four check, energy, penalty kill, get off the ice. Couple big fights.

Yeah. Just roll definition. It's like you're not you, you, you kind of aren't a top end score anymore. Yeah. Like you just so, so don't try to act like it. Go out there and work your ass off and you got a different role now. Yeah. Yeah. Like that. And if any of these young guys take their foot off the gas,

you can go in and play a couple of games. Which is going to happen. You're going to need that, right? Like, especially if they're going to stay on the hunt happen you're gonna need that right? Like especially if they're gonna stay on the hunt they're gonna need those veteran guys. Well if they are injured, they get injured right? Like they've been, this year when they had Lina in the lineup I saw a stat that was the first time they've had a healthy lineup since like when Marty's took over that team. Like the first month of him taking over that team. Which in the grand scheme of things is not that long ago but still it's a long time to not have a fully healthy team. Yeah. They've had a lot of...

Before the Habs fans come at me and say, Cole Hudson, he's going to win rookie of the year now and you made this stupid comment early in the season, I want to circle back on the comment. And all I meant was if they continue to get their brains caved in every night and losing like they're losing and this guy's on the ice and it's just getting demolished out there. They might need to think about putting them somewhere else whether that be the miners or whatever. Things have changed and it's different now, but that's my only point because I know that that one's coming. Well, you know, I saw you on SportsCenter last night, Frank, you know, it was well documented. We talked about it a lot. They were horrendous defensively the first like 25, 30 games of the year. Horrendous. They're the worst in

the league. And I didn't know what that was going to do to the kid. Exactly. And that applied to a lot of guys. Like it's kind of like keep Mayhew out of here, keep, you know, this guy out of here. There's no point in bringing this guy up. Now things have significantly changed. You know, they're playing really well. They're healthy. They're getting very good goaltending. And credit to Montreal because I didn't see this coming. I didn't see them in a position to be talking

about the playoffs in January, but that is precisely where they're at. I'm pretty sure the defensive play helps out the goaltending. You ask any goaltender, you play with some kind of knowing what the hell you're doing in your own zone, it makes the goaltenders' life that much better. They would make one mistake and it's like, that's a great A, that's in the back of the

net. Now it's not like one, they're not as fragile. There's not one mistake that's a massive blunder. Yeah, it was a big one last night. For a Monday night too, like the Bell Center is such an electric arena, but if you get Hudson scoring, it's Suzuki and overtime and Caulfield and yeah it's a Canadian team you're playing it's a fun it's a fun place it really is. Mike Johnson coming up in 20 minutes more into the Leafs Flyers tonight and you know speaking of the Habs and the Sens I've got a question I'll pose the two of you will

pose it to Johnny and we'll get into it about East versus West and the playoff hunt. Get into that more still to come. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and on the TSN app. All right, we sent out's brother out into the world with a pair of leave tickets into the world. That seems a little bit overly dramatic. We sent him into the world with a pair of leave tickets. You have to guess where he's hiding for your chance to win them. That said, yesterday's clue,

he admitted he's not in the country. So I guess Al's brother, you know, yeah, it's a Carmen Sandiego vibe. It seems like he doesn't get out much. He doesn't. He's either in his apartments or is on a cruise that's it maybe at a card show card show apartment cruise maybe Niagara Falls for the weekend pit stop all right here's how his brothers second clue of the week hey OD fans happy Tuesday to you I've got another clue for

you to get you one step closer to those Leafs and Devils tickets on January 16th the location that I am at this week is in a warm and sunny destination with a great view of the Atlantic Ocean. All right there you go tune in tomorrow for another clue in the first caller through on Friday with the correct location wins a pair of tickets again to see Leafs Devils January 16th and Fine All's brother is brought to you by McAlpine Ford in Aurora our family the Ford family and you full details at TSN 1050.ca Is he in the Gulf of America? He could be yeah The Gulf of America

The Gulf of America, that's right that it was announced today high priorities right when Trump gets in office He's changing it. How do you can you do that? Like I guess you can but like if you're in Mexico, don't you continue to call it the Gulf of Mexico? I why would you just accept whatever you want? My concern is like he's gonna look at Lake Ontario soon and say that's Lake of That's Lake America of New York or Lake of America. That's coming next Like why if he's gonna take the Gulf of Mexico, are we gonna lose Lake Ontario because we do share it with the Americans I don't know right. That's coming man. Lake. Ontario is gonna be Lake New York. We got a hang on the Lake

York We got a hold on to that man. I know we got a lot of issues up here too. I don't know who's running the show right now. There's a lot of confusion. But you gotta hold on to that lake. He was talking about the Great Lakes one time and I think he said he goes I love the Great Lakes. They're very, he went like this, they're very deep. Always have. He's always been a big supporter of the Great Legs. Guys from New York. Why would he care about the Great Legs? We gotta get that clip. It's one of his best. Record deepness, right? Record deepness. The Great Legs. Always been a supporter. Always have. Alright, hour two coming up, Mike Johnson will join us. Leaves Philly tonight, we got confirmed with an eye coming up at 530 as well. Hour two up next, Overdrive continues TSN 1050 and on TSN 4. You've been listening to Overdrive powered by FanDuel. FanDuel, bringing you everything from the opening

line to the final score.