OverDrive - OverDrive - June 18, 2025 - Hour 2

Episode Date: June 18, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Jamie McLennan for Hour 2 on OverDrive! Got Yer Back Podcast Host and Former NHLer Jason Strudwick on the Oilers falling short of victory of Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final, the decline in the series and the future of the roster in Edmonton. The guys go around the sports world in the latest edition of Role Play Level of Concern and Connor McDavid's future on the Oilers.

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Get over a thousand dollars off amazing phones with eligible trade-in. Switch to Canada's fastest 5G plus network today. Visit a Bell store or Bell.ca slash Blue Dot Days for details. Bell, getting a new phone just got better. I'm not sure this is appropriate or necessary. I mean it's a greasy play to play this song. Ever since Duthie was on the toilet for Trade Center and he was singing this, I've hated this song.

Not because of Duthie. I hate this song. Well it's so associated with the Orlers winning. Like whenever they win, this is the big song out in Edmonton, Struddy does his little dance. And I thought it was, again, just a dagger, man. I guess in the Panthers' room last night, while they were celebrating, they were playing this.

Man, they don't hold back. I kind of respect that where it's like, yeah. Like it's crazy. Pink Pony Club and these guys were at the bar at 10 in the morning and just the oiler suck chance, like it was just like, they didn't just, like when they get you down, they wanna kick you in the junk.

I'll tell you what though, man. I've waited an hour to do this, but I'm so sick of Florida because like Jerry got 100% cheers last night, which is so pathetic. and I was watching, we don't have to get into it, but I was looking at the ratings in South Florida. Horrendous, nobody watching.

Literally nobody cares in South Florida. People were watching La Crosse. La Crosse was getting better ratings. These guys are in the cup final, and nobody's watching down there. And they're at the elbow room elbow room is like twelve people kicking around the nuisance they're bothering people in in fort lauderdale because you know they've one and people like who are you sorry what is what's happening here

uh... is just such a shame that and such a loser thing to say i'd know what i'd know i sound like a loser i'd know i do i'll i i have self-aware to sir but like Edmonton is the epitome of a hockey town it's a Canadian town and like the idea that Florida's won it twice and Tampa won it twice and Vegas has won it you know it's coming Atlanta's coming and Houston's probably coming and there's gonna be more southern teams And gotta have them gotta have them and and it just it's It sucks. It sucks that Florida like no one is going to appreciate what the Panthers have done Because it's not the Dolphins. It's not the heat not college football and

That's not the Panthers fault. It's not the players fault, all that kind of stuff, but it's a reality. It's, you know, back to back cups at dynasty and there's no one watching. Well, no one's paying attention. I'll be honest. The vibe was like, I felt the vibe yesterday in Florida, but I was shocked to see what you saw to those ratings. Like that was, that's outrageous. Like that said, what, like 96% of the state didn't watch the game.

Right? Is that the set? What I saw TNT specifically in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, like South East Florida. Like that's where the Florida Panthers market, they're basically like 97% of televisions were not watching the game. Which is weird. There's just no one watching.

Yeah dude, it's like a side sport. It's not like football where everyone will be tuned in saying, the game's on tonight. It's like a side sport. Yeah. It's like, yeah. It's TFC's one back to back. Yeah, it's Frisbee golf. It's basically Frisbee golf kind of water on skates

there's fans and there's the dot there's the fifty thousand people that love it and a couple other people that obviously like all get it on this this is amazing and cool and i get a ticket i'll go but uh... like betman san you know this is proof that it works in the sunshine no actually it's the complete opposite that you have a team this good and no one's watching and they're partying through the streets of Fort Lauderdale and I wall you got to get like the buildings always

full with the cup fine in the finals and through the playoffs and stuff just couldn't stop yourself by taking that shot like yeah it's not about the team it's not that's and I make that point clear it's just a player so we have the clip nobody cares what anybody in fundamental you're actually a i you preface that saying i sound like a loser saying i understand it's that is exactly what it sounds like loser loudmouth canadian hockey guy her saying why can't it be us i know that that's what i i sound like and that's what i'm saying it was a let let me be clear if that's in Boston Detroit Pittsburgh Buffalo, Minnesota That's not the same right?

it would be 50% of households would be watching and the streets would be if they were at a local bar and If they're at the anchor bar at Buffalo doing that at ten at the place would be there'd be 10,000 people outside. You're right. You're right. It's just, you know, it's the reality of the sport and its roots there and where it stands in the pecking order. I also think it's the reality of the demographic there.

You know, there's just so much to do. You guys have been, you know, you go to Florida Hays all the time. Oh, you used to live there. Like it just, there's just so much to do. You guys have been, you know, you go to Florida Hays all the time, oh, you used to live there. Like, it just, that's on. Like I say, I'm at the hotel yesterday, it was everywhere. And every, you know, I went to 7-Eleven, the person at 7-Eleven was wearing a Panthers jersey and stuff, like, it either was a buzz, but it's not.

Like, it's not the same. Because I was in Edmonton four days earlier, and you can't go anywhere without, you know, oilers and all that. Canadian cities, I was in Ottawa, I was in Toronto during that battle of Ontario. You feel the buzz, right? You feel the energy. You just don't in certain situations.

In Florida, you're right, the building was packed, their attendance, they've got a real loyal fan base, but it's not as big. That's just the difference. They're very far down in the pecking order as far as level of importance in the state. Yeah, and that's the nature of things. That's the way it goes. And that applies with some basketball teams, some baseball teams. It's different everywhere you go, but it's just going to get bigger and bigger as they

expand. They're not expanding to Quebec City. They're not putting another team in Toronto or going to Saskatchewan or something like that. It's going to be southern teams, probably in good weather, good state tax setups, and that's what's coming. That's what's going to continue. It felt like the Canadian Cup drought surely was gonna come to an end at some point in the last two hours or two years

But it didn't and now I don't know when it when it's gonna stop Like this this run could be a long long run because I don't feel like the Oilers I don't see how they get back to a cup final next year I just that seems very difficult to envision at this point. Why does it seem so much more difficult than the winning side? It's like, I feel confident Florida will get back but the team that lost twice in the finals I'm not even as confident as yeah, I don't know. Well, let's head out to the the scene of the crime. Here's Jason Strason strudwick joined us press conference season to ask how does season in the in edmonton struddy what is the purpose of our our our our party

later little bit later this year yeah i think i think the guys i have a lot of things tomorrow at their exit availability so yeah i mean to be there front and center yeah i know what it's it's tough you know like you last year felt like they're shot away from when the Cup. This year it didn't feel like that at all. Like, you know, they won two games, but Florida, they got to a level I don't think was possible. They were so good, so dominant, and they just played their game, played their system, didn't change their minds, and they just forced you to make a mistake. You know,

look at the first goal. Echo was a good passer. He throws a puzzle over to Bouchard, boom, it's in his net, right? Like, that's a play he doesn't make, but you just keep, Florida has kept doing the same thing, same thing, every shift. They were literally relentless. And the orders weren't able to figure it out. Shroudy, what do you think they take from it? I mean, Carolina, Tampa, Toronto, everyone kind of had to walk away. And I don't, I mean, you played in the big leagues, you know that not everything is like,

oh, let's take the positives from this. Other than looking at the Florida Panthers and saying they were way better than us, what are the Edmonton Olders walking away from this, taking from it? So they're a good team. I mean, I think that clearly makes it a final twice. And they had their way with Vegas and Dallas, really, you know, and those are, you know, two teams that many people had projected to get to the final. So I think they've realized that they have to be a better team and get deeper on that group. Florida in many ways had three first liners, you know, you think about the lead scorer of the playoff was on the second line and

then the guy who scored the most goals in the finals on the third line. You know, the owners didn't have that and most teams don't. Their D was deep, a lead goal pending. So the owners are, they're a really good team, but they're not as good as Florida. And that's what it looks like when you just dominate in the Stanley Cup finals, what Florida did. So, and this isn't so much in the Stanley Cup final, what Florida did. So, and this isn't so much on the players, although they can all improve, you know, you give it the same, same Charlie effort to do it.

But I think that the team now, how do you, how do you get to another level? And how do you add more pieces to this puzzle? Because some guys, you know, they're not going to be back. It's always changed. But how do you get better? And I, the same, my priority number one for this group, number one more than the goalie, another demon, anything is finding someone who can play off Leon. Putting Connor and Leon together, I don't think it works.

I want to find a winger for Leon. They tried to last you a Skinner and an Arbiton, didn't work. I'm searching high and low for someone who's going to be him, be with him, and that way you have two separate lines that are both good, that can roll out there and play against the likes of what we saw this past 10 days with Florida. So Stretty, I wouldn't call it a lazy narrative. I think it's a front and center topic that is throughout the league, and I know it's a front and center topic that is throughout the league and I know it's a topic in Edmonton But what are the chances that they come back with the same goalie tandem?

You know, it's These the goalies didn't lose them a series but they also didn't win them the series and you know They I think that there was times they could have been better like the first goal yesterday I like to seem that safe on on Reinhardt on that first goal I talked about at home making that pass. So they got to figure out what they want to do. Do you go out and get another number one and then Skinner's out or do you find a 1B situation and that means Pickard's out?

But I don't think they're both back. The challenge for the owners is that they have such a good deal on their goalies. It's 3.2 million. And so they have, you know, compared to Florida, they have, you know, seven, eight million dollars they can spend on players to, to, to, you know, make their lineup deeper or stronger. So the problem is, you know, more than who is, who is the guy? Like who, who is the goal?

Is it, is it the guy in St. Louis? You know, is it Gibson in Anaheim? You know, you're just like, yeah, okay, yeah, I could see that. Then what's the cost to get that if you pay that price? Are you able to bolster the rest of your lineup? You're right. I just think, you know, we talk about it at Nausium in Toronto all the time, running it back.

And hey, like, you know, something to me, there has to be a different look. Even if it's a lateral move. I made a short list here, guys, and we can all get into it. But guys like Merzlikin's, you know, you mentioned John Gibson, you mentioned Bennington. Vancouver's got three goaltenders, Demko, Lankinen, and Sheloff is going to need waivers next year. Tristan Jari is probably available.

Philip Gruubauer in Seattle. And here's the other one. And this is going to be an ugly comment, but Carter Hart might be available to play, right? Depending on what happens with his situation, a lot more serious situation. But I'm looking at it, yes, a lot of those guys outside of Bennington, maybe Demko like Those everybody else is kind of a lateral move, but they're different that's my point is sometimes you do need different to advance because You know as as Connor said banging your head up against the wall with the same, you know same thing It doesn't work. So to me you do need change in all facets to see if you can inch forward

Well, and yet they're in the cup final back-to-back years, that's the amazing thing Yeah, inch inching forward one win last year and two this year With Jason Strudwick where does McDavid come into play in terms of how people are feeling about what? What I guess went wrong in the Cup final. How much of it is on his plate in Edmonton? Well he didn't do what we maybe expect. I think at times we have high expectations for a Connor or Leon or like a Superman to come and just save everything. Well Florida doesn't care and I think the owners actually played into the hand of Florida by putting Connor Leon

together because guess who's up against them? Two of the best defensive players in the world as well as offensive in Reinhardt and Barkov. So I didn't like that. And so that's why I go back to my idea they got to get a player to play with Leon and someone that can really a true legit left or right winger, you pick it. But I think for McDave, I think he's frustrated because, you know, they're so close, but this was so far. Like Florida to me was the best team in the playoffs for sure, wasn't even close. And so they're, yeah, they were second, but they're a long ways from first, just like everybody else was. So Connor will have reflection, he'll go and work on what he needs to and all that.

But I really think this is about the team sorting out what they need to do to have a more balanced set of lines that are consistent. You know, the changing of the lines all the time, it means you're not sure what your lines should look like. Florida didn't change your line once. I think maybe it was Greer coming in and out just because of an injury. Do you stay the same? Go away, stayed the same.

And there's something to be said for having the same line mates more consistently than we saw here from Edmonton. Well, it is gonna be a fascinating couple of weeks in Edmonton. And like Dry Suttles deal kicks in next year, so that's 14 million. Bouchard is an RFA.

He's gonna get paid possibly what, 10 million, I don't know, 11 million. That's another kind of part of this is that, let's assume McDavid stays and signs, that'll kick in the year after next, but he's not playing for less than Dry Cytl. So they're getting close, even with the cap going up, to having a big three where they're all gonna make a lot of money You know, they might be spending

40 million on three players a year from now and That's another thing that that ranked true here again a team with no one's made more than ten point Five million dollars on a cup winning team at any point in the cap era $5 million on a cup winning team at any point in the cap era Barkov makes 10 Bob makes 10. I think I call made 10 on Vegas. No one makes more than that and You know the least we've been talking about it for years study that all these guys make all this money We keep talking all I've heard all day and I agree with it depth depth depth got to find help Well, how are you gonna do that when guys are going to make a fortune for the next seven or eight years? Dude, you're going garbage picking like you did with Skinner and Robinson.

Yeah. I don't see how it can change. How can you find guys? Well, the other part of that is that two of their good young players are playing for the St. Louis Blues now. So you look at... and I don't know the order of who was at fault or whatever, but, you know, how would Dylan Holloway have looked as a player I talked about playing beside Leon Dreisel for 82 games? He was under three million, I believe. I believe he was under three. And yeah, he's going to get bumped up for sure.

But Skinner was three million. So he could have had him. So that, you know, that would have made a big difference in this, I think, in a healthy Hyman. Would that be enough? I don't know, but I would have liked to find out if I was another player, right? Because you're looking, you're always thinking, who's leaving, who's coming? So it will be a challenge now. When they get these players locked in, that money's there and the cap will hopefully continue

to go up. The problem is the cap's going up as soon as they're age. You know, like these guys aren't over the hill, but you know, it's eight years from now, the cap, let's say, it's 140 million. Well, those guys are gonna be 35, 36, whatever, 37. So, you know, there is some urgency to try to build this team around them.

But that's Stan Bowman. This is his first two off-seas. I like the acquisition of Wallman. Sounds like Trent Frederick's gonna sign. I don't think you've got his best year obviously uh... but let's see what that looks like after the summer where these numbers left quickly because you mentioned frederick it any strict with the reporting it's going to be eight-year deal

possibly for a thread red rock that's what he said eight-year deal worth about four million a year Does that sound right to you strut that seems excessive for Frederick? Yeah, it's getting into pure inkball territory. I know that Huge fan. Yeah I remember when that deal came across appearing ball I I was clearly I had to double-check that maybe there's two pairing balls in Canada uh... i remember when that you came across appearing by i i i would agree i

had a double check in the pictures to carrying baltik and a very good our only thought there was four because we all went nuts here from ramsky quebec not the guy from sweet out he must have been a public shape their name it did that make a change of name right but uh... so

listen i i thought you guys Boston, they really like him. They think he's an effective player and he can do a lot of things, but it feels like they're trying to do like the Nick Paul, right? Sign him to a long time and develop. But what I'm really interested in, guys, is I want to see him play center. I really do. I want to have him have a chance to play center. The challenge is there's quite a few centers including Adam Henrique who's 35,

one more year left on his deal. Does Henrique move shift to the wing? And then maybe you have Frederick at center and then on the third line and then you have the young guy, Matt Savoy on the other side. Like they've got to get some youth into this lineup and let them play, let Savoy play, this young player they got from Buffalo.

But those are big numbers, but I don't know, I'd love to see a big center, kind of like an Adam Lowry light, if you will. Yeah, I think you're right. What they did with him is, and you'll see a lot of managers do it, is you stretch the term out to keep the AAV down if a guy is going to play in your top nine type of thing. It just, I think nowadays and rightfully so, when you see term on guys that aren't your inner core, you know that that contract at some point isn't going to match what the player's worth and you're going to move away.

We've seen it here in Toronto, like Tanev we love, I mean Chris Tanev's a rock star but I think Tree rightfully so to get him gave him extra term to keep the number down because he had to fit him into the structure you know Frederick, eight years, that's and why would he want to though? Why would Trent Frederick want to sign other than the security if somebody's handing you thirty million you're not

going to say no. It's a big commitment and you know, Dry Suttles here for at least eight, like maybe McDavid's here for eight. You're like, hey, I'm gonna pair up with these guys. Not a bad play. Yeah. I can't reason, it may not be the case,

but that's what's being reported. I cannot reason an eight-year contract for Trent Frederick. I mean, he's on your third line. That's what he is. Yeah, that's the Brandon Tanev. It's Brandon Tanev, you're right, it's the Nick Paul, it's the guys, who just signed Yanni Gord. But he got it down to like under three I think. You know, that's another thing. If it's four million a year, is that a big discount that you're getting for that kind of term? If it plays out that way, I don't is that a big discount that you're getting for that kind of term if it plays out that way I don't know but money's gonna get splashed around like Bouchard's gonna get paid You know, what do you think that number is gonna be is he gonna say don't even think of me showing up for less than 10 Well, I was on you know, you guys we talked a bit about you know

Is he one of the best defense in the league and I think in the hot? He has but yeah, he's in the mix. He has been. He's in the mix. In the mix means, what does that mean? Minimum 10? Yeah, it's minimum 10. If Darnell nurses make a 9-2-5, it's minimum 10. That's another problem they have. His nurse is a barometer and he's making 9-2-5.

Bouchard's going to look at that i would presume and say well will start there plus a million five and now we can start negotiating yeah we can go out after your wife yes that's the idea probably i mean the challenge to fill it is that i think it's a conkulak and i want to say wal-man for the biggest one more year they're all up after that one year old

when you're away they're not they're not getting those guys are getting younger and more year they're all up after next year. One year away. They're not getting, those guys aren't getting younger and I'm not saying they're old but who's the next group coming in? Is it Emberson and Stetcher? I think we know what Stetcher is. I think Emberson is probably a bottom pairing guy. There's nothing wrong with that. I know he's trying to win now but if you have Conor for eight or nine more years, there's got to be someone from the play with right you got to try to keep filling

that back filling don't draft picks so they've gone to Europe they've gone to you know the colleges trying to find players that they can hopefully grow and develop or middle age jumped in so it like I think Stan Bowman's got a lot on his plate here the here and now three years from now five years from now I know no one wants to hear that we you have Connor Leon, but you got to keep adding pieces to this group on the low on the cheap. Stradi, what was wrong with Echo in the last three games? I know he was injured, but it looked like he had a knee replacement the day before the finals.

You know, I mean, when you hear about how bad the injury was, it sounds like it was a groin that was really, really torn badly. That's what I heard. I don't know if it's true, but whatever. It was a bad injury. He probably came back sooner than he should have. Then you're limited. When you can't trust your strides, it's a scary feeling.

I was like I didn't have a lot of groin problems, but I didn't take very many hard strides so it didn't really matter but I know shoulders and backs, I had those issues. It's scary when you're not sure like when you have shoulders sore and you're not sure if it's going to hold up and you go and hit someone, that's a scary feeling so translate that now to a push where you're not sure if you have a hundred percent push or maybe a stride shorter. He was off. He was off for sure. And then they're trying to get people going, not to mention the pressure that Florida put on. Like, I think coaches around NHL need to study what Florida did.

Paul Maurice, give him credit. He had that team so dialed in. You know, the D-men, they skated so hard to get up the ice that if the owners tried to go up to the wing, the D-men were up there and pinching on those wingers right away I mean it was insane how fast they're getting up there and they're not exactly as fleet as the foot the DMA But they worked hard to get up there So coaching clinic 101 by Paul Maurice two claps and a move for him. No kidding. Yeah, it was clinical man It's been clinical for the last couple of years in Florida

Yeah, it was clinical man. It's been clinical for the last couple of years in Florida We'll see where it goes from here strategy You got to tell us quickly before you leave about subbing in for the autograph session how much people hated your guts well, you know people are trying to be nice, you know, but I Saw I got the call like hey and I was supposed to be noodles I got the call like hey prongs or did sorry a player can't make up the autograph session can you do it I'm like out do it like who is it for they're like Chris Pronger I'm like oh my god the fans are gonna hate me like they're literally gonna hate me so then I don't think I saw the tweet they put up about it and like the chirps like

people said we can meet Strudwick at Safeway we can meet Strudwick at Safeway. You know, like, just with me. So, I walk in there. Strudwick at Safeway? Yeah, we can see Strudwick at Safeway. Or like, my favorite was, this is the worst thing Pronger's ever done to this franchise. So, like,

it was so bad. And I wheel in there, I can see right away, people, like, they can see you walking up in their faces, they're like, oh my god But was there any dad and a son or something that like didn't know pronger wasn't there and then they just like oh Yeah, appeared right at the beginning of the line and the guy dad was like here son. Here's Chris Pratt And they were like, come on man

No, there's three young guys like 20 years old wheel up there like Chris. It's so great to meet you I'm like action Jason like what? I feel like did he pretend to hide it? Do you want a card autographed? It was so humbling guys and I have a fairly sick skin but that was so brutal. Chris Pronger, why do I have to fill in for like laddie's need or someone like that but one of the greatest defensemen of a generation I got to fill his shoes like laddie's sneed or something like that but we're the greatest defenseman of the generation, I got to fill his shoes, no thanks. Maybe as an opener or something. Like Struddy's coming out first and Prongs will be out later. You got the fluffer.

Yeah, exactly. Get the crowd worked up. I had to laugh. I was telling the guys yesterday, you text me and say there were some disappointed people and I could even like read the disappointment in the text. There was context in the text. I was laughing so hard. The worst part is my sister came with her. We got tickets for going to the game. We were

both excited. I got the call. I didn't really know until I got there. She was like, ìWho are you subbing for?î I'm like, ìChris Pronger.î She's like, ìOoh.î I'm like, ìDo you want to come with me?î She's like, ìNo, I'm going to get a drink.î She left me. She didn't want to watch this, the people's reaction, right? Like, well, that's not good. Honestly, like outside of Gretzky or Messier or something, it really couldn't be worse than that. No, that's the worst.

It couldn't be. It was like all coffee. You know, anybody, like, and I know where I rank. Like, I don't think I'm better than Pronger or Coffee, but just give me a fighting chance. Even give me someone out, like together, maybe me and Lattie Smead go together, me and whoever. Anyone just to soften the blow. No, they just send me out there with a blindfold and a dart. And I'm just kicking punches. Well, you're a good man Strudy, and you love the Oilers, and you love Edmonton, and that's

what's important. Right? You performed your civic duty, and I think you should be committed for that. He didn't love me at that moment. He didn't love me then. Yeah, he does owe me one. He owes you one, big time. Big time.

Alright Strud, thanks for doing this buddy, appreciate it. We'll talk to you guys after the pressers. Yes, presser season, officially on in Edmonton. Thanks, Struddy. There's Jason Strudwick joining us here on the Maple Toyota hotline. Yeah, I love his sisters. Like, I'm outta here, man.

I don't wanna witness that. It's the loam. Like, that's basically plumber to the loam. It's Strudy to pronger that the i think of the eight to ten-year-old kid who pronger was their favorite player than just seeing struddy's baldhead and the decision struddy be crushed

well and they don't know plumber you see him you know pronger's to any sbn he's doing hockey night he's everywhere now too yes so it's like man i want to talk to about the current game in the media landscape what he plans on doing with his future you know there's a lot of different things that come with the meet-and-greet with chris pronger but strutties uh... he's a beauty

strutty stepped up uh... i roleplay level of concern coming up we've got our picks for the travelers as well we gotta get to that to that. You see Rory, now Rory's excited. He's so happy to be in Hartford, Connecticut. He can't wait to get things started at the Travelers. So we'll get to our picks a little bit later on. Steve Phillips in an hour on the Jays with a walk off last night. Barger's been great. Bichette was great. Vladdy was great, Jays are rolling, so we'll catch up with Steve and Darren Dreger at TSN Hockey Insider for the first official primer of the offseason. What do we have in store the next couple of weeks?

Overdrive continues. TSN 1050N on TSN 4. You can never, never ask me to stop drinking? Do you understand? I do. I really do. Alright, roleplay level of concern. God, that guy was a booze bag in that movie. Oh, yeah, he had a He really really got after it and Nick Cage is of course the most Extreme level of concern right now pine on the patio is no concern whatsoever

And then we've got everything in between oh dog you're playing the role of Stan Bowman the GM of the Edmonton Oilers What is your level of concern that McDavid will not sign an extension this summer? I'm not going to lie, I would be Stevie Caldwell. A couple of whiskeys and five or six beers. Because just of the unknown, that possibly you go to him and he says, because with this type of player it's kind of been an automatic scenario where it's like July 1st, it's long term, it's locked up and it's done concern of like, cause you would think he's gonna stay with his best buddy, they made a deal that they were gonna stay there for a long time, but just the idea itself would be horrifying of going up to him and saying, you ready to get this locked up and done? Or contact with the agent and he says, we're gonna wait this out. And then you kind of get a, no matter what happens, if it's not done July 1st, there

will be John Tavares type vibes when he left the island where it's like, yeah, he was like for a long time, he was like, this is between my agent and you know, they're going to work this out. It's business, it's business. And then all of a sudden he had his pajamas on. Well, I mean, I don't think July 1st is reasonable, but before they started next season, you'd want some sort of an indication.

Now it's not going to matter. They're not trading McDavid or anything like that. Yeah, but dude, it's McDavid. Like, they want this deal done yesterday. Of course. Of course you want to and you're hoping to, but he can do whatever he wants. And I'm curious, like, you know, we've discussed the NBA and the way that they work and operate and whether or not that's going to come to the National Hockey League and I don't know what

kind of power McDavid can really wield here in terms of roster construction. You know I'm not sure if he can pull LeBron and you know hold their feet to the fire and say I'm not signing until you do this or that or the other. I'm not sure that's how he's wired. But if anyone was going to be capable of doing it, it would be him. You know, if he's like, in other words, I need two new goalies here, they'll go find two new goals. You know, I need this, I need that. But I think he already had don't you think like I was his agent is the president is

not anymore. He was but Jackson isn't anymore, clearly. I know, but my point is they've done a lot for Connor. I do believe they go to make a move. Like any top player, I'm sure the manager would talk to your leadership group and go, hey, we're looking at this, we're looking at that, especially're going to bring in you know players that they believe could mesh with them Jamie in this day and age if I was making transactions and I had elite players like if I was Billy Zito I would have Reinhart, Barkov, Bobrowski, Ekblad, Jones I would have them in on all the meetings screw it like you might as well have the players familiar with what the hell is going on.

I think it just depends on what type of move you're making. That's the biggest thing. But I would be Rick Bush would. Not worry. I think they're going to get it done. It's more about does he last the contract? Because I think he're going to get it done. It's more about does he last the contract because I think he's going to sign. But you know, are you going to finish eight years there because I don't think he's going to jam that organization up and go, I'm waiting

to become an unrestricted free agent. I think the signs for 18 million a year or whatever the number is going to be. But the biggest thing is if he at some point, you know, are you going to finish your career there? I I still think that that that would be more I would be concerned about and that listen that He's given them ten years, you know He's been there for ten years now and if he gives them another four or five, it's an unbelievable commitment and run and Maybe signs a short-term deal, you know, man and this will never happen because again, they're just it's not the same

But I I referenced LeBron powering, you know using his power in the NBA What if he thinks I got a pull of Kevin Durant? I gotta go somewhere. I gotta just go to Florida I gotta find a way to get to Tampa on a one or two year deal Like that would be crazy start chasing it though, then you know how that works. I know, then you're a step behind, right? Hockey's a lot different than basketball is for. I understand, I understand, but Durant was like, I gotta get one.

I'm going over here and I'm gonna get two, and he got two and he left. Yeah, I'm going to the team that just beat me. Would that be insane if McDavid's like, I'm going to Florida next year for a year Do you think they would? They would trade for like that. I don't know. I don't even think know if they would it's a great question That's a general read. I would be in a bikini down in Florida for that waiting outside of somewhere

Do you think Bill Zito would put a package together to acquire Connor McDavid? But obviously weak in your team because you'd have to put so much on the table. Why would he want any package for any player? Everybody that talks to Intercess is what they were doing, Brian. Like I've heard former NHL players say, Strati just said it. I cannot believe how good they are or played or did this or did that. Like who the hell is going gonna stop them next year? I guess that's what I'm saying is like and I get every sport is different and it's a hard salary cap

But I don't is there a team in the NFL that if Patrick Mahomes was available. They wouldn't Say take anything you want. Yeah, because we want make my homes. Is there you know if you could get Yokage or Shea or whatever I think and even one in the NBA would be like what is it you tell me you could get yokage or shay or whatever i think it can be one of the nba but what is it you tell me you can have anything you want yet i think for and i think twenty teams in the nth l would give anything to get mcdavid maybe i would be twenty five maybe thirty probably thirty maybe it's only florida would say no not interested because we don't need them

and he would throw everything out of work and it'd be out of balance yet they they would they would certainly be weakened because it would probably start with something crazy like Barkov and Reinhardt would be too much, but you know what I'm talking about. It would be Barkov and somebody else. Or Haggie maybe or something like that. Yeah, Barkov and Jokes. What's the deal that would make Edmonton say yes, I

Don't think there I don't think there is one. I'm sorry. I like you know, I'm talking yeah from McDavid No in Florida talking to Panthers in particular this team's gone to two cup finals in there I know they've lost or not. We're talking about no, but we're not like you you still have to give them the respect that they got They're like, okay, but we're speaking hypothetically noodles I'm just asking it doesn't matter. I'm not saying it's gonna happen. No one's gonna hold you to it Yeah, what's what's the deal that Edmonton would say yes to if Bill Zito called and said we want McDavid You tell me what it's gonna take off our team to get them. What what are they? What would they ask for if McDavid's going the other way?

Barkoff Jones and then Barofsky. That's too. Barofsky, I mean, that's what it is. But that's how idiotic this conversation is. Yeah, I love the way you dream this up and then you yell at us for some reason. No, I'm not yelling. It's just, you gotta, it's a two-way street.

I mean, Florida is a great team and Florida, it's a hypothetical, but that's, I don't think, I think that's too much. I mean, I a great team and Florida it's a hypothetical but that's I don't think is I think that's too much I mean I think it obviously is too much because they're not going to do it and the thing is I don't want to do it I don't want to get going trade these guys and it's a headline and we get radio we radio ourselves and who cares it would go viral I can see the TSN Twitter account. Boys are discussing a McDavid trade to Florida. McDavid could be the next Durant. Maybe it's Kevin Durant. Although Durant signed as a free agent. Yeah, I just, I think if we're talking that silly, that's how silly

the trade would look like. It would have to be a goalie defenseman and a forward and it'd be their three best ones. So that's, that to. I don't think it would be that much, but it's not gonna happen, I get it. But McDavid, you gotta, again, the elephant in the room with McDavid is that he's not a kid anymore. He's been in the league for 10 years. And I talked about it last year

and you guys jumped on me and all that. I'm not sure he wins the heart again. I don't know if he went like just the history of the league is You do a lot of that damage your first ten years in the league like that's kind of what happens And he's probably gonna play in the league for 20 years I think he'll probably be the best player in the game for another five or six, you know seven Maybe I don't know like maybe gets to maybe he's 35 36 and still doing it. But the window's closing on his prime.

He's not a young kid anymore. No, I mean, when they're 28 and you've been in the league for a long time and you're still chasing it, but that's... Unfortunately, McKinnon and all of these guys have done it. Matthews, they're all trying to do it. Like it's rare. Like we were talking about it last night on the way home. Like a guy like Matthew Kachucks won back to back Stanley Cups. This guy for the rest of his career, if he wanted to, he won't.

He's a competitive guy. He could put his feet up and go. Like there was Hall of Famers made last night. Don't you think? That's a great question. How many were made last night? Last night. Like Barkov's in if he just keeps playing another seven or eight years. I think Reinhardt might have put himself in. Possibly. It's like, well, I don't know if Reinhardt's in yet. He's not. Reinhardt needs to string together a bunch more years.

Here he is. Here's the crazy thing. We've been talking now for an hour and 43 minutes. Sam Reinhardt had four goals last night. Four! Like we were talking about that yesterday. We were saying it's going to be one of their nights. Like one guy is going to step up and it was his night. I read the headlines saying is it McDavid needs a night. Sam Sam Reinhart puts four Yeah, and two beauties and then two empty netters fine doesn't matter but like Ridiculous and the beauty of it was is he knew exactly what he was doing on that goal on the back door gets inside position on Darnell nurse and directs it in because his stick is is being lifted but it was a beautiful play by bark off to

reinhardt an awful play by steward skinner to just lay that rebound there but the first goal was one of the best goals you can see imagine in it game clenching yeah you know stanley cup was really you talk legacy man four goals in a in a cup clenching game and he scored the game winner last year game yes

like that's all ryan are does man uh... all right we got more role play sure we got into hypothetical trades and how the thing that i had a set up uh... but i don't know if you're playing the role stewart skinner what is your level of concern you will not be a starter in the nhL next season?

Yeah, I'm Rick Bushwood plus... Six Bushwoods, six Buggswoods, and I love them, tall boys. I've never heard of the Cobbles. I think Cage is above that. So it's just below Cage, but in between Bushwood and Cage. Okay, so that's why I put steve caldwell in there confused Just go massive massive nice. It's not quite Nick cage. Yeah, I think that's reasonable I mean I which is wild because last year he started all those games this year

He started a lot this year, you know just his numbers. He did not have a good season you know his numbers his numbers. He did not have a good season. His numbers were not good. Where this will change is if he ends up getting traded. If he gets traded to an organization that I brought up names and I'm just, you know, hypothetical. If they trade him to Columbus for Elvis Murthlykins, okay, he'll be the starter in in columbus and with terrace off you know the two of them will play but that's the thing if he goes to another organization of it'll be different

just if if everton wants to change the look in that that's that's my point so he could be it just if you're specifically talk about the ebb and twine or i think they do have a different look next year whether that skinner pickered or combination or both of them Yeah, well the people are talking about goaltending at Edmonton. They're like they're gonna have Skinner and I know the value of it it's like two and a half or whatever the number is but it's like It would scare the hell out of me if he lit up the regular season and then all of a sudden you went to him again

And it's like oh, yeah, just like like this. It's like, yeah, he's our guy again. He's the guy that's going to do it. And then you had those episodes in the playoffs. Like that whole idea would scare the living hell out of me. Yeah. Yeah, it's the new Leafs. Are they different this year? That's what I brought up earlier is you can't, you know, you can't, as McDavid said, kept

banging your head against the wall. You've gotta find a way to break through. Now, some of the moves they make in the off season, it might take a step back, because it's, hey, the team isn't as good, or the team isn't as, but you have to take that chance, don't you, to be aggressive and go, what we have, we've got to the Stanley Cup final,

but we haven't broken through. And that's the difference. And to me, that's where it starts and then you build out from there. Yeah, man, it's a conundrum at Edmonton because you've got a great, great team with great players. Again, you've been to the cup final two years in a row. That just never happens.

Who loses two years in a row in the cup final? Nobody. And you ran into the same team in their juggernaut uh... and honestly if you played any other team maybe you got one or two rings the last two years like really you might yet uh... again you compare it in every every situations different clearly

but i look at said i look at the penguins different time i was where they're at all that kind of stuff and the cap and everything. But they went to back to back in 08-09 and then they waited seven years until they got back. I don't think you have seven years with Dry Settle and McDavid where they are in their careers. You know, they're not sitting there until they're 34 to get back. But what if it is a reset?

A couple years? It might be, it might be a two or three year reset. It's not intentional, it's not your plan, but it just, it takes you a little while. You gotta get a couple of kids through the system, you gotta win a couple of trades. I don't know, McDavid, the way, the mode that he's in, he doesn't have a couple years.

Well, I'm not saying that that's how they're gonna go to him and say, you gotta give me two years. They're gonna keep trying every year. I'm just saying when the dust settles, we're two or three years down the road before they're gonna go to him and say you got to give me two years they're gonna keep trying every year no I'm just saying when the dust settles we're two or three years down the road before they're actually back in the hunt or back in a cup funnel and it could be injuries we don't know like you know like the list of injuries gonna come out I think R&H had a broken hand all of that like you could have this amazing team and everything's going good and

then all of a sudden you you know Zach Hyman was was flying for Edmonton breaks what it breaks his wrist whatever it was later done like yeah that's you these are opportunities that are missed so you know you you can say coulda woulda shoulda doesn't matter yeah you didn't you didn't get it done and you didn't get it done to me you have to have a different look next year on at least some of them. Dregs in 15 minutes, Steve Phillips on the Jays walking off the Dbacks last night. What else is going on in baseball? Game six of the NBA Finals tomorrow night.

Best bet still to come. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and on the TSN app. All right, Dregs coming up. We got our picks for the Travelers as well. Is anyone going to take Rory McIlroy? That is the question. Will anyone have the courage to take rory mackerel that is the question will anyone

have the courage to take rory mackerel i'm quite comfortable every uh... we were already made an agreement if there's a chance he gets got it's your guy rory is my guy so you want to really you want to just establish a right now i'd take shepherd you get rory right out of the gate i'm trying to always this far whenever we're doing these pics and he's available

you get scotty i'd get rory i'll take that trade-off all that re all day how all day for me no not all day for you all day for me uh... okay so they go first picks have been established to get to that Steve Phillips coming up We've got video try to work Trump was today, but there is a video we will play in the next hour That is I have such a great appreciation for

As a guy who likes to nap from time to time there there is you talk about the Scheffler of napping Tiger in 2000 there. There is a guy who put on a napping clinic in front of Trump. I must have watched that five times in five minutes. I can't stop, I have a mental image of this guy. We'll play it, we'll get into it in the next hour. Couldn't care less about his surroundings. All right so that's coming bold, vibrant, and diverse as you are. I Heart Pride Canada, from dance anthems to pop icons, let's celebrate diversity and love, and hits from 2SLGBTQ Plus Canadian artists. Be yourself and stand proud. It's your soundtrack for Pride and beyond.

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