OverDrive - OverDrive - June 18, 2025 - Hour 1

Episode Date: June 18, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Jamie McLennan for Hour 1 on OverDrive! The guys discuss the Panthers winning the Stanley Cup, capturing a back-to-back championship against the Oilers, Florida's successful structure of play on the ice and the next steps for Edmonton with the defeat in the series. ESPN Hockey Analyst Ray Ferraro joins to discuss the Panthers winning the Stanley Cup, the winning roster in Florida and the further outlook for the Oilers.

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FanDuel, bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score. Alright, here we go. Overdrive off and running. TSN 1050 on the TSN app. Your home smart speaker up on TSN4. Brian Hayes, Yo Doug, Jeff O'Neill, Jamie Noodles, McClennan. What's going on? What's going on? Guys, there was a lot of breakdown last night like a lot of kind of it if you were going to the Euler side you could

do the blame pie that Hayes does like talk about different guys games things that didn't work out but you know what took the biggest beat down all last night do you know no but the hot i'll go to the heart of the law last night i'd swear i'm reading twitter and i'm like there is a stanley cop about to be handed out and people are attacking me and the hot like the hot turned into a port-a-potty last night. A messy one. One that hadn't been emptied in years.

End of a festival. End of a rave festival. And I'm watching this and I'm like, guys, guys, guys, slow down. You started at Hayes where you're like, ah, at home in Bouchard. And I'm like, all all at home all at home. Bouchard got punted from the hot last night. He was brutal last night.

And that first goal I mean, Nudos, you can speak to it because at home throws a an absolute grenade out of just a horrible play. He was horrible. The last three games of the series. He was. Yes, he was. You're right. Like, but this play alone, it's four feet in the air.

It's an awful play him and then he gets blocked outside inside like at home wasn't right I and again I'm not we're gonna break it all down I watch these guys live and you know listen well that's the thing at some point like there's there's there's room and I saw your tweet there was room for improvement on all three players there. Did he have a goalie tweet last night? Well, no, he had a tweet just going, at home to Bouchard to Skinner.

All three of them had blame. And 100% right. But I would love to hear, and again, there's no excuses. Florida was a master class. They deserve it. They're back to back champions. Lots of talk about them today. Ekholm obviously hurt, like playing like awful, that's the worst I've seen him play in a long

time. He looked decent in Dallas, I don't know if he had anything going on, but like they couldn't find that game five, I don't know if you guys, I mean I didn't get to talk to you about it, he got walked by Marchand, he was on the wrong side, like they were playing him on the right side because they put in couldn't play that stature Well, they chose to put stature in the lineup instead of Klingberg like just things like that small details But you're right like that was Bouchard The second goal was outrageous. Yes, right man. Like that was drop kick the heart but but it's it's it comes down to it like

That was, but it comes down to it like, yeah. Why does the hut have to get in full? Because he had given that puck away at the far blue line and he worked to get back but there was like no structure in their game. It's like, hey, we're going to chase this puck around. I know, but why does that shot, like Matthew Kachuk's a great player, but that was honestly like once again what I call a standard warm-up shot wrist shot yeah there was a screen in front but I I just you need a save like we're gonna what about the blocker it looked like he was putting one of my cat toys down on the ground in the kitchen for him to play with it was

the same that was that was curtains I'm sorry oh two nothing. That this this shot it goes off his shoulder It's not even the blocker. He shoulders it the third one was the that's the wild Sal's this box coming at you and it's just like anybody want this I'm like, what the hell was that but the context of it guys They had been trapped in their zone for a minute. Yes, Their top line is out there. They are straight legged. They are Forrest Gump with the stilts on and a wrist shot from the boards where Skinner can just grab that and go, I'm going to slow things down here and we're going to get a face off and we're going to get out of the period, maybe two nothing or maybe try and

have a push near the end of the second. That was the dagger. I'm sorry. That was the dagger for me. I agree. Yeah. Okay. So we're a few minutes in. We've mentioned the Hut. We've mentioned Bouchard. We've mentioned Ekholm. We've mentioned Skinner. We haven't mentioned the big boys yet. Yeah, they were quiet, too. Awful last night again. That's bearing the lead for me because there's a lot of different

things. The primary story that comes out of it is how great Florida is. Like they put on clinics against Tampa, late in the series against Toronto, Carolina was a waste of their time. Just move, get out of the way and games three, five and six in a cup final that's as well as a team can possibly play. Like just completely controlled everything. They are exceptional from top to bottom and they're worthy champions and they're the best team in the league and they have been the best team In the league I think by miles for the last couple of years And it doesn't feel as if they're slowing down. They're somehow getting stronger and in like fatigue I don't even know if it's gonna apply to them. So that's the first that's first and foremost Panthers get your flowers.

Right. But, Connor McDavid in those games I just mentioned, blended, you'd have no idea this guy was one of the 20 best players in the world. Forget the best player. Completely blended in. And I know that that's a large part because of Florida, because they did it to Kucherov in the first round, they did it to Matthews in the second round, they they did it to Kucherov in the first round They did it to Matthews in the second round They certainly did it to whoever was at the top of the mountain in Carolina in the third round and they did it Ajo, I guess yes in special Nickov and those guys for sure in the third round and again credit where credits do but you're the best player in the world and

Three massive games where he just completely blended in. Yeah. And you need help, you need your team. You know, I thought he described it after the game actually perfectly. He just said they're four check, they were on top of us, they smothered us. We had nothing. Yeah. And that's very difficult to break through. But you've got to break through, man.

You're Connor McDavid. And he also said we just kept doing the same things and smashing our head off the wall, which was kind of an interesting comment. I thought Dry Settle at least, like Dry Settle's more physical, right? So you can, I noticed him a lot more. McDavid, they were on top of him to the point where like every time he got on the ice, there was somebody two feet away from him. Like he couldn't wind it up.

He had one wind up down the wall and he ended up getting hit pretty hard, I think it was by Forsling. Like, then Forsling just pinched him off by the end. And you could tell, which was weird for me guys, I thought game five was just they were out to lunch and they had no legs or whatever. Game six, there were plays, they couldn't make a pass. Like I understand Florida being in the right position, being on top of things, but like go back to that first goal.

Ekholm fires a what, a 60 foot, four foot pass, like off a guy's shin pad. That's a D to D play with a little saucer in it. There was one little measly stick in there on a four check. Like these are, The second goal, Bouchard carries it up through the neutral zone. Put a little saucer on it when you're kicking it wide. I thought their details stunk. I thought their urgency stunk. I got lots of thoughts in watching them live.

Jamie, it's the same as what we said about the Leafs in games five and seven. We brought up the point, how could Craig Barube be losing it on their team in game seven where he's like, get going, or whatever he said. The Edmonton Oilers were described in game five as lethargic. Last night you just said that they had no energy, no zip, no poise with the pockets like I don't know maybe we're out of point and I'm not gonna like back off my remarks but it's like maybe it's just at a point that that's what Florida does to you like they're just so good they just make you play

like garbage is that possible is that too much of a stretch? It's fair but I I've got two things on my takeaways when it comes to Edmonton. These are pretty harsh things, but I think it's fair to say on two levels. One is courage. I use this word, and I'm not using it lightly. This can apply to anybody who plays against Florida. It's not about fighting but it's about 50-50 battles There were battles last night. I was witnessing that Was a 50-50 battle and a guy's bailing out

Turning away from the like you don't want to get hit in the Stanley Cup Game six is a Stanley Cup final you're worried about getting hit the Stanley Cup, game six of the Stanley Cup final, you're worried about getting hit? There was three or four, like I made mental notes going, that's a soft play, that's a soft play. And you're right, that's Florida to a T, they're physical, they're in your face. But I'm sorry, you need- Yeah, soft, imagine saying that's soft play. But that's okay, and we can go through Florida's opponents right through the playoffs, and

so maybe they just wear you down by game Five six seven you name it but secondly is IQ and Like Florida's a really high IQ team like you you and their two best players are Elite defensively like Sam Reinhardt, you know, we put a clinic on yeah, but this guy away from the puck. There's a reason why Barkov like but thinking the game, Florida out thinks the opponent. They go, okay, how are we going to get underneath the skin? Okay, we're going to agitate, turn away. It's Kachuk, it's Marchand. It's, it's, they, they're ahead of you. There's three steps ahead of you between the ears and they wait for dumb plays and then they

expose you and that's like that's where I think you can have and again I'm being harsh with these words you can have a few guys that don't think the game very well on your team if they're talented or whatever you can't have too many of them because they get exposed and to me going through some of these games watching you know throughout the playoffs smart players find a way to adapt and players that just have talent and kind of fumble around they just they they play into a game plan and Florida executed their game plan to a tee you waited for Edmonton to screw up and then they just went the other way and scored well and that is exactly it.

What Florida does better than any team I can recall is they just poke at your frustration and it builds and builds and builds to the point where one of two things happens. You just say, screw it, I'm done, we can't do it. Or you spiral out of control. And that is what is so brilliant about these guys. Because part of it is, I think you're overthinking it. You're so frustrated because it doesn't work the first time, so you don't even try it the second time.

Or the second or third time, you try something stupid. Because you're like, they're always there, they're in the right spot, like you said, IQ, and they're waiting for you. To the point where, again, it just, it kind of puts you in a bad place where you've built Them up like boogie that they're still just they're players like you know they're gonna make mistakes for to make mistakes But if you're not ready for more if you think they're never coming it's like you're not on your toes to expose it and that that I think is the credit of

Florida and how you know they're prepared and how they consistently play the same way and then the other one is the credit of Florida and how they're prepared and how they consistently play the same way. And then the other one is the frustration where it just spirals out where we saw it last night. Like game six of a cup final, the Oilers are smashing sticks and yelling and screaming and it's a Vander King gets kicked out, doesn't come back out. They just poke you and poke you and poke you to the point where they are who they are. In Florida, on top of it, they have all the talent that they have. They've got a great goaltender.

Well, that's the other thing. There's just a lot of different things at play that just make them very, very difficult to beat. I don't know how they're going to slow down. I know Bennett's up and Marchand is up and Ekblad's up and all that is true and you know what we've got a week and a half, two weeks to figure out how this is all going to sort itself out, but let's say two of them leave, let's say one of them leaves. You still have Barkov, Reinhardt, Verhege, Kachuk, Lundell. I think Bennett's gonna stay. Jones was great.

Forsling's unreal. Bob's got another year. Now Bob's not young. that is common at some point the brosky is not a young player east all thirty thirty four they cannot be thirty seven next season to begin a year so he's not young uh... lot of miles on him you know that that could be where it cracks is bob hits a wall

ran then that changes the whole complexion of your team in a way because the goaltender is so important. But you look at back to back Stanley Cup champs since 1970, there's not a lot of them. They went to the cup final three years ago and they completely redeemed themselves. And it's somewhat of a tragedy from the oilers perspective because you will your way back. It's like going through, it's like a a tragedy from the oilers perspective because you know you've you will your way back

it's like go through it's like a but gruesome injury of you blew your killings out and then you get back any upload out again you know if we get a restart the rehab and that's where the orders are like they've been blew through the west outside of the first two games against l like they just live steamroll vegas steamroll d, and then they run into Florida and they look

completely outmatched. They were just completely beat from top to bottom. Once again, we're not stats guys on this show, but the time lead in the series insanity. Crazy. Well, it was. And it got even crazier last night. Exactly. It did. The one thing, like I, you know, I try to, a few days from now, we'll probably, you won't look at it differently,

but you'll, I want to like get more information and not let emotions and, you know, it's fresh, all of that type of stuff. But I think one of the things, and I said this to Struddy, we were chatting, and I said, you know, that team, that Edmonton team, like they were, they've sputtered into the playoffs, the first two games, like that team, and I don't know if you saw Matthew Kachuck's comments saying like, we play like a team, they had, they played more like individuals. I don't know if you saw that comment. Yes. Which was, I thought it it was I thought it was a knife a dagger pretty good I think it's almost unnecessary like well this is the thing about Kuchuk that's like there's a part of me that loves it because he embraces

who he is and he's like this is what I am and I'm just gonna terrorize the whole league but that he's constantly jabbing at the teams that he beats like he jabbed at Tampa I don't know if it's a rivalry, I guess. He jabs at Toronto by saying the toughest series was going to be the first one and the last one, not the Toronto series. And then he's like, to your point, we won because we're a team and they didn't win because they're individuals and when they have struggles they just look at one guy and it's got to be McDavid.

And then on top of it, he goes, McDavid's just too good, he'll win a Stanley Cup at some point, wherever it happens to be, which is almost an indication like you got to leave Edmonton in order for that to happen. Well, I saw it, like what I got from his comments too, and this is where I was going, was like that team never played together. Like they, you know, you get Wallman, you get Ka that team never played together like they you know you you get wal-man you get capping and like at you know you off but they've they never played together as a group

and it showed like i i thought i i thought when ever jimmy it's on show when they dusted vegas when they dusted down here to hear me out hear me out against a very structured team like like florida Hear me out, hear me out. Against a very structured team like Florida, Edmonton's lack of structure really showed. So the familiarity of doing the same.

Like Florida, they just put Marchand in and we were talking to Seth Jones last night and it was unbelievable what he said. When I came from Chicago, he goes, I did weeks and weeks of video with the coaches because they play a different style than the rest of the league. They want their D to do this. He was going through it. It was unbelievable. He was saying, he goes, I was in the video room every day learning how they want to play,

how they want me to play, and how I needed to adjust my game to fit in with them. And I was like, okay, that's unbelievable insight because Paul Maurice is a really detailed coach. And I thought to myself, okay, define how Edmonton plays. Define their defensive structure. There's a looseness to it, right? Florida's just really buttoned up So I guess my point always is like that's what I was looking at was that team continuity

I know you saying Florida was a structured team Dallas is a structured team so Vegas Golden Knights are a very structured team Yeah, it just I don't know they got murdered man. They got done I mean, that's that's where I'm having a tough time flat on the middle ground, you know because it's you know one thing to tire pump the Panthers because it's deserved and Another thing to be like well the Oilers they just got like it's in a crazy way this they were worse this year than last Year they were down 03 last year like they were down 3-0 in that series.

And yet this one felt way more unbalanced, if that's possible. Like and they won game one. Well you can argue that Florida's better this year. Well I'd agree, yet Edmonton thought they were better, I think. I don't know if they are or not, and Hyman being hurt, maybe they weren't.

Maybe they shouldn't have felt that way, I not sure but Florida I do think was better yet again it was like Edmonton punched first they hit first they won game one and game two goes to double overtime and yet by the end of it it felt you know even more unbalanced and you know some of that has to fall on the Oilers like you can't the whole league can't just say well we can't compete with florida like that sportsman you have to find a way to break through you to find a way after in your second year

because everything you just said is i think fascinating from jones perspective but you know who also has tape the oilers the watchman that's my point you know what they're going to do that's the reason you couldn't find a way to stop it yeah that that was my point is like they've got work to do. That's the crazy thing. And you couldn't find a way to stop it. Yeah, that was my point is like, they've got work to do on stuff that, you know, should be ingrained. Now again,

maybe some turnover that wasn't ingrained. But that's that's that was my point is how buttoned up Florida is. Edmonton got by on hey, we can outscore we can do this and that. And when push came to shove and unravel because they didn't have that structure. They didn't have, you know, things to fall, habits to fall back on. And you know, it's easy to say, need better goaltending. They do. I'm sorry. 100%.

The goaltending wasn't good enough. They need better goaltending, but they also need, like there's holes in that lineup that they need to fill. That's the question is how can you fill all these? Like if you're turning over both goalies, I don't know if they will or not, but I would suggest I don't know how you can bring Stuart Skinner back. I'll just say that one. Guys, I don't know if you brought the if you brought the guys the players into the locker room.

I think you brought the coaches into and you were doing an unveiling and you just pulled like a tarp off and said, guys, this is the goalies for this year and it was Pickard and Skinner again. I don't know what the guys reaction would be. You're right, but it's also letting them off the hook too. Like's letting, like they made it to game seven last year and game six this year with that goaltending. So then, and McDavid zero goals in game seven, game six, game five. Dry Cytl I thought was really good. Like overall, I thought he was good through the series.

He scored two OT winners. Listen, there's a McDavid, yeah, no, over the course of the playoffs, I'm talking in the cup final. Okay, there's a there's a McDavid. Yeah, no, I over the course of the playoffs, I'm talking in the cup final. Okay, yeah. But if you look at like the McDavid story takes on a completely different complexion now, you know, like we've referenced it said his second time against the same team one gradsky second time one, you know, Mario and his prime went to back to back, they won both, like to be a player his status, who's already probably a top 10 player all the time, to lose back to back cup finals, and he's 10 years into the league.

The Four Nations, that's the biggest winning team moment of his career as an NHL player. And now he's got to chase it again. And now he's got to try to get back to the dance. His new deal will kick in next year, and Dry Settle's going to make more, and Bouch he's got to try to get back to the dance and his guy has his new deal will kick in next year and dry subtle is gonna make more and Bouchard's gonna make more it's gonna get complicated it's not gonna get easier and you're right the biggest biggest games the three or four biggest games of his career he hasn't played well enough and you know it may not have mattered maybe Skinner still doesn't get it done or at home throws a pizza or

Florida's just simply too good. But no one can leave game five and game six of this series or game seven of the cup final last year. You can't leave the ring saying McDavid was unbelievable. You can't do it because it's not accurate. Ray Ferraro coming up. He'll join us on this and more. We'll play the McDavid clip from post game for Ray.

We'll get his take on it. Struddy is coming up today, unfortunately after an Eulerther's laws but strutty will join us maybe chris parker steps in for strides press conference time at edmonton boy all i got a conference time is here at it we should have prongs so that's it instead of strutty prong steps in that is a possibility and one of the greatest videos i've ever seen noodles you, you sent it to me about a half an hour ago.

It is an all time great video that we will play and have a full breakdown of later this afternoon. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and on TSN 4. from the opening line of the final score the o-dog will be back later this hour we've got strutty coming up we got role play level of concern still to come and the cup was handed out last night in florida the florida panthers back to back stanley cup champions after going to the cup final three straight years matthew kachuk after the game said we have to be considered a dynasty now um that's a good question. I mean, historically it's generally three in a row, four in a row. But maybe in the Cap era, is it a Cap era dynasty?

Are we changing the language? I'm not sure. Here's Ray Ferraro from ESPN. Ray, would you consider the Panthers a dynasty. Yes, because I don't know that I've ever really seen the official Webster's dictionary definition of what it is. It's three finals in a row. Like, yes, I think so. And because it's kind of a made up thing, the way they've done it, I think elevates them over some of the other teams. Yeah.

How so? What do you mean by that? The way they've done it? Well, Loodles, you were there last night. Did that not look like a steamroller? Yes. They look like they could have put together whoever they wanted to play on Edmonton. And it wasn't going to matter.

I just think it's... they're such an impressive team. They win in a way that's not familiar with the rest of the league. They have stars, of course they do. Look at the awards that they win. They win the Selkie. They don't win the top scorer. They don't have a bunch of guys all over the Selkie. Yeah. Right? Like they don't win the top score. They don't win, they don't have a bunch of guys all over the All-Star teams. They they're big and deep and like I tweeted today like because it just came to my

head like that's the what I remember the Islanders like. Like the championship like that was a dynasty right? That was four in a row and I'm like it's the same sort of thing. Like they're just big and tough and skilled and I got a great goalie and a great coach and yeah I did that's why for me yes yeah I mean it I think Hayes makes a point even if we could call them the modern-day dynasty with the the cap implications Ray Billy is Zito said to us last night, he thought that there was a chance he could keep all three guys. Do you think that is, I mean, do you think he's talking out of the side of his mouth

or do you think that there is a way that he could keep all three guys on that roster moving forward? I don't know, like how, at the end of it, it's just math. And I'm like I like unless he's got a hole that he's got some other nickels buried in like it's gonna cost like what is it what is that black gonna gonna cost what is Marshall gonna cost what is not what they're gonna cost Ray it's what other to like some other team might offer like Aaron Echblad's got to go to them and say we'll give this guy

like someone's gonna give him 10 million or offer him 10 million. Okay, and what's a hometown discount? Is it taking 500,000 less a year, a million less a year, 4 million less a year? Like, someone's gonna blow one of these guys out of the water. Yeah. And I think it would be really hard to have, to be able to make enough room to get all three back. Like I would suspect they're not gonna have a backup goalie

making three and a half million dollars next year. Like somehow that won't be the case. It'll be it'll be that'll save a little bit of money there. How are you gonna fit if Marshann I'm reading this stuff four times eight, like how is that going to fit for a third line winger? Right. Like, how are they going to, how are you going to do that? I would think in priority it's Bennett, Marshand, God I hate to put Ekblad third, like, but it kind of feels like the reason they got, one of the reasons they got Jones was that

they were going to have to move past Ek blad at the end of the year like I felt that was a this year plus future trade and it certainly worked out like really solid I mean he was almost kind of reborn again to to play in a way that you know I think we probably thought of Jones before he got buried in Chicago. Ray, people get on our case about talking about Conor McDavid and his pending extension that can be signed on July 1st. I'll ask you so we don't have to really discuss it, but do you think it's a slam dunk automatic that he signs his extension July 1st?

No, not the first. I mean, he's eligible right there. I don't know. I think there's a lot of factors that would go into him signing again for the eight-year term. And as much as people can speculate, like what the hell do we know? him signing again for you know for the eight-year term and As much as people can speculate like what the hell do we know? like who knows what he's thinking what who knows if he if he and Leon have a Thing that when Leon signed it that kind of was yeah I'm signing too like you got to think they discussed it right like how would they not?

it's um, I I don't know I I wouldn't I wouldn't be in any great rush to sign if I had his ability is like what he what he is like he's different than everybody else so the cap goes up to what a hundred million next year and then it goes up So the cap goes up to what, 100 million next year? And then it goes up again the next year, right? I think they've announced that. So why wouldn't you wait until the next year? You can't sign an extension for two years from now.

If you're doing it on a percentage of the cap, why wouldn't you wait until the time that you can maximize the percentage you're going to take say he's going to take 18% not the max 20 but 18% well 18% on July 1st won't be the same as 18% next July 1st and so again it comes down to what he desires like you know where he wants to live where he wants to play what he thinks, like you know where he wants to live, where he wants to play, what he thinks the team can be and financially what he needs to make. And he never said boo about this. So he would be really the only one that could dive into it.

I, if, hell, I, if somebody offered me an extension one year out, I would have signed it like, you know, at 12 or 1 a.m. Like I would have signed it like you know at all the one a m and i would have been all over that he doesn't have to be he can be as patient as he wants to be yeah you can do anything like it deals gonna be there were every once whenever he's ready to sign it

uh... with refer let's play his clip post-games khan mcdavid on uh... what happened last night throughout the series. Lost a really good team. Nobody quit, nobody threw the towel and they're a heck of a team. You know, the Stanley Cup champions back-to-back for a reason. What's the difference in the series? I mean obviously their foretrip was great. They tilted the rink. They were able to kind of stay on top of us all over the place. Never really able to generate any momentum

up the ice. You know, we kept trying the same thing over and over again just banging our heads against the wall. and trying the same thing over and over again is being a headscan saw uh... that uh... players coaches management who's he sending a message to uh... at the big one is that like we said it

kind of you know what you have to listen to an interview and then if you sit up that's what that's what i felt like when i was listening to that like the paying the head against the wall thing um in i think they tried enough roster construction things that you could say okay they tried a different way but they still get the same goalies he's never ever ever going to come out and say that but that's they were the second best team

in goal in the finals skinner last year in the finals was really good this year Well clearly he wasn't Is it is it maybe trying to? Attack a different way a team that completely shut them down like I don't know what you guys thought but going to McDavid and dry Cytle that early in the game Given the finals that Nugent Hopkins was having, I thought was a mistake. I'm like, who, if they don't score, now Florida for the most part gets a three-minute break. Nobody else

is gonna score. And so I think there's a little bit of that sprayed around, like we're trying the same things with the lineup. But what else, at a certain point, what else are you going to do? You don't have Hyman, so you're short. And you're short, a really critical guy. They didn't get anything from their wingers. Like nothing. I wish Evander Kane though had of he have a high stock a few more guys that

would have been key for the lawyers well cut it i i thought he was the best and so uh... to replace highman could be bacon that was a pancake in the series like it if we even go back like

back it a year to will basically a year here they decided to sign Ardvitz and Skinner on July 1st and they re-signed Henrique. Like I don't know would they have not been better not to sign any of those guys? Yes. And maybe you've got Broberg and Holloway? those guys? Yes. And maybe you've got Broberg and Holloway? Like you would have at least one of them. For sure you would. There's no debate on that. Because St. Louis didn't prep that offer sheet and didn't offer it until the third of those three guys was signed. And then Edmonton was in the jackpot. So for McDavid you know the

bang in your head against the wall maybe there's some of we're not better. They feel I don't know what you guys think they feel farther away now than they did last year at this time and maybe that's because Florida was better or certainly performed better but it doesn't quite feel the same this year I didn't maybe that's just you know the fatigue of losing twice in a row whatever but that's what it felt like to me when I watched certainly games five and six well what else can be done like this is for all four of us but they've catered to McDavid a lot in a sense where it's okay it's your agent took over

as the president or whatever. What is Jeff Jackson's role? What is he president of the team? Yeah, president. Yeah, president. Yeah. Hockey ups or whatever. Yeah.

We've got your junior coach. We've got, you know, like, to me, like at some point, there has to be some moves here. Like I say, it starts in net because I think that you just need a different look. Like you can... Okay, Noodle's question, because you know the goalie so well like yeah, how do you change that? They don't have Oodle cap space well who the hell's out there like who would you get it's got to be a trade for somebody But I there's no free agent. That's gonna upgrade that tandem. That's the thing It's gonna have to be a trade, and I don't know who's available and who's not. It seems like every team is a buyer according to our insiders. There's no team that's going to throw the towel in at this point. But I think it starts

there. But then you do have to look at roster construction, get a little younger, a little quicker, a little bit different type of bite. We always talk about in this city, run it back because they made it to the finals or whatever. I think they have to have a different approach here. It has to start a net just because that's a definition of insanity, is it not? For sure. It's like the quarterback thing. insanity is it not all first for sure it's like the quarterback thing if you've got two quarterbacks that means

you don't have one if you keep telling everybody we got a goalie tandem even though there are no marty brodeur seventy game guys anymore but if you've got a tandem that you can't really decide who you want to start then you got problems like somebody's got to be a standalone you know 55 game guy and if you don't have it you're probably second best in a lot of a lot of series. I think you can get through that way during the regular

season because you know the way travel is and you can play a guy here you get a rest there. In the playoffs it's the teams that just can't rely on a guy and Edmonton can't I think they're on a they're on their back foot a little bit you know you and we all know it just like it erodes confidence it really does you're never really sure what you're you know what you're what you've got we've got these friends the guy is from the Netherlands they spent a lot of time in Edmonton he's a big Oilers fan so we're watching game five he goes the one thing I see in goal with the Oilers is whoever's in goal you want the other guy playing

I was like wow that's pretty easy that's well played, that is pretty funny, how do you say Dutch? it absolutely is, it's like whatever you got, we want the other guy. Yeah. Ray, I was looking at teams. It seems like, I don't know how Carolina vaults up there, but people are always talking about who wins the cup next year. Oilers are all like, Hayes, I don't know if you have the fan dual odds for next year to

win the cup, but how on earth is Florida not at the top? I see them winning again next year, and I know I say some stupid stuff, but who the hell is going to beat those guys, even if there's a couple pieces that leave? Well, don't forget, so like if Bennett leaves or Ekblad leaves or both of them, that's $13 million they've got to spend on cap space. And it's pretty clear they're going to trade every first rounder that they have for the next millennium because they're they're trying They're they're trying and they're in it right now like they'll they'll find if Aaron act blad leaves and

By the way, he had a really outside of getting his ankles broken a couple of times He had a really pretty solid series with with Fordling, right? Like really solid. Crazy Ray, his transformation, how it was like drafted as the number one overall pick, skilled, and then he's now just a beast, like competitive, big, nasty, power play, penalty kill, like what a transformation into like a complete leader and what you want when you draft a defenseman first overall Well, and he had to I think a lot of this stuff in Florida It all came together at the right time like Paul Maurice came there for him for Paul at the right time

Echblad was ready to transform his game right because we all know like we get told stuff when we're younger and we're not quite ready to hear it yet. And then eventually you're like, oh yeah, that's the right thing. And I think in Florida, they got a whole bunch of guys that it was just the right time. Forzling, this is his fourth team. Like, how the hell did Gus Forzling get through three other teams teams including one on waivers it was just the right time for him there and then they've

in their in their construction like everybody i think this is the most impressive part maybe nobody seems to care who scores or who kills a penalty it's just

that guy whoever it is they got they got all those guys nine forwards with 15 points right like it just somebody somebody scores somebody blocks a shot Nikol Mika that turns into a monster and you're like well where did that come from Nate Schmidt got bought out he was fantastic for them in the role that they asked him to play. And I think right now they're, to answer it, oh, I think they're about as perfectly constructed as you could be. And they're going to have some challenges, right, to get everybody or mostly everybody

back. But I don't think that we're going to look at them on july twentieth and go who they're way worse than last year i just don't see it what do you think's running through korey perry's mind right now all my god can you imagine this is a lot of games that never win who like a whole second five of the last six cup finals he's been in he's never one

any of the at least is one one and i don't know seven so he has a ring and this guy could legitimately be mark messier they give me one all he could be one of the old time like shan bell about types and it is going to want to add that like you know if you don't think he the lucky penny or the bad one? Right. Like every, every, like this year he was, I couldn't believe how good he was.

Like he was fabulous. Yeah. And, and so, okay. So back to noodles, you mentioned it earlier about younger, faster. He would be best in a role like where Marchand is playing. Marchand, don't forget, like Brad's not the first-line winger there anymore, like he was in Boston. He's not playing 21 minutes a game against the other team's best defenseman. He's in a position to take advantage of the matchups they have in

front of him. And Perry, they're asking him to play with McDavid. And that means you've got a score at the rate of a winger that should play with the game's best player and he's 40 like you can't it's just I I think he was unbelievable I couldn't if I were rating the Euler players or whatever I mean like how could you ask anymore but he wasn't in the right place and some of that time and injury but in in my mind they had a lot of people that were never going to score and they were asking people to do more than they had to do and eventually the you know the magic dust runs out there well now we shift to the draft and free agency and

possibly all hell breaking loose in the next two weeks. Oh, you got your, you got two weeks of Mitch Marner. Yes. You guys will sort that out I'm sure in the next two weeks. Or more. Or more. Or more.

He might do the tour and jump around and look at a bunch of places and you may not sign for a while. I did have a thought about that. When I read about he might be holding interviews on the first, second and third and all that. If that's the way it is and he ends up going somewhere else, is that the last step on the toll of this relationship being fractured? They can't even trade him for a draft pick. Oh, exactly.

Exactly. Like, you know, not even going to don't trade my rights because I'm not, it doesn't matter. I, it like, it's, um, it is, uh, when I read that I was like, it just, it, it almost fits around the circus that is, and eventually we'll get sorted and he'll go wherever he's going to go. And yeah, I mean, there's lucky he's a hell of a player but man it just whatever went south or whatever left turn here is Gonna continue to go that way if It's not it's pretty clearly not a very pleasant ending

doesn't sound that way Which I can understand between Marner and and the you know the leaf fan I don't really get it between Marner and the team. That's a different story. But ultimately that appears to be where it's going. Great catching up with you, Ray. We'll do it again soon. Enjoy the summer. I guess we'll talk before long. And Noodles, that was a quick turn, right? Oh yeah. What time was your flight? Like 11 p.m.? No, we were on the ice still like 11 p.m. no we were

on the ice still at 1 a.m. last night so I had this thought I thought it would be really funny to get a hold of James's phone once and turn it to Chinese because he's got all his notes on there and I think that would just be fabulous that he looks down when he knows they're running b-roll and it's something he can't read. Wouldn't that be wild if he changed the language on the phone? Wouldn't it be nuts though if he knew Chinese and he just rattled off? That would be amazing. I turned it on you and asked the questions in Chinese. That's me and Mandarin to noodles. We did have some technical glitches, as you guys know, live TV. They did a great job.

I don't know if you watch any of the... We had some unbelievable guys come. We had Sam Bennett. He was our first guest. Yeah. Came right over. They're all happy to do it. Sam Bennett, like Reinhardt, Seth Jones, Bill Zito, Nate Schmidt came over.

We had some great guests come over. I think it was Shaw, Dreggs, everybody, Mike Lane. They were just pulling people. It was pretty cool. When you're just standing there and you turn around, you're like, oh, hey, hi. Congratulations. I guess we're on. That's awesome.

Those guys do a great job. They really do. It really has crushed it, like always. All right, Ray. Thank you, buddy. Guys, be well. Great to chat with you. There he that's a cool night. It really has crushed it like always. Alright Ray, thank you buddy. You too. There he is, Ray Perot from ESPN. Struddy coming up in 20 minutes, possibly still looking his wounds. Get a vibe check at Edmonton today. It's crushing, man. It's crushing. I just couldn't imagine going through that a second time and you lose again.

So more on that role play coming up. Jays walk it off last night back in action tonight. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and on TSN 4. All right, we got some pretty massive breaking news here courtesy of Shams Charania that the Buss family is entering an agreement to sell the majority ownership of the Lakers to Mark Walter, the CEO and chairman of a holding company, TWG Global. But the bus family, man, they've owned the Lakers for forever, 50 years or whatever. That'll be massive money.

Oh, it's got, I can't wait to see the price tag. Like it's got to be, what is it? Is that $10 billion for the Lakers? Yeah. you said billion, right? Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah Like he's a billionaire billion. That's what I'm I don't know if it's ten billion I haven't seen the number but would it shock you if the Lakers to buy although if it's a majority stake It might be like 60% it may not be all of it But gonna be a big number that bus family like Jeannie Bus is the visible one there. Right.

She's going to stay on in some role, I guess. But as much as you love an organization or whatever, the time is now if you want to cash out. For sure, man. For sure. What did the Redskins, the commanders, didn't they sell for $7 billion? Yeah, something like that. Clippers sold for $2 billion billion now that was about a decade ago

So I would think the Lakers it probably comes with the stadium I would think You know, so you've got where the Kings play you got all where the concerts are, you know Ten billion might be a stretch, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was four or five billion if that more big number So we'll track that. We've got game six of the NBA finals tomorrow night. Jay's back in action tonight. Struddy coming up. Role play level of concern. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and up on YouTube Live. You've been listening to Overdrive powered by FanDuel. FanDuel, bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score. Hey, this is Ruby Carr, the host of the podcast Encore.

You know how some artists grow to kind of hate their big hit? This is one of those stories, but I promise, still a likable one. Tune in this week to Encore, the stories behind the songs you love, or the incredible story of Vanessa Carlton's 2002 hit, A Thousand Miles. I recorded the episode while riding a piano around New York City. Not really, that would be cool though. Listen to Encore on the iHeart app or wherever you get your podcasts for stories behind all the songs you love.