OverDrive - OverDrive - June 19, 2025 - Hour 1
Episode Date: June 19, 2025Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Jamie McLennan for Hour 1 on OverDrive! The guys discuss the Oilers' end-of-season viewpoints, Connor McDavid's comments on his future in Edmonton and his next steps... in the franchise, Matt Duchene's extension with the Stars and John Tavares' incoming contract value. Panthers Director of Player Personnel and Former NHLer Bryan McCabe joins to discuss winning the Stanley Cup, the foundation of the Panthers' roster and the celebrations for the team.
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And up on TSN4, Brian Hayes, Zodog, Jeff O'Neil, Jamie Noodles, McLennan.
What's going on?
What's going on? What's going on? Just another day in paradise fellas and
McJesus has risen and spoken out in Edmonton. Yes he did speak and we got a
couple of clips we're gonna play and everyone's got a different
interpretation of what's going on out there with Connor McDavid and the Oilers and you know I
appreciated how they he said you know felt it was heartbreaking last year this
year you're just you're more pissed off that you lost like that that seems
reasonable you know the first time you lose you can't believe it the second
time you're like I it would just be gut-wrenching. But yeah, you're talking about the contracts,
and it's gotta be an awkward situation for any athlete
where you just lost the biggest game of your life,
and you know what's coming.
The next day, two days later, three days later,
naturally the media's gotta ask,
and they're gonna ask in a million different ways.
Are you gonna sign?
What's gonna happen? It's like the best player in the world? You know that those questions are going to be asked
He knows that was coming. Of course. I mean, it's fair
I mean they they didn't even what Mitch Marner at his his end
Like his media after the game people were like do you feel like this is your last game is a leaf like yeah
Now his is different. He played it out
This one is still got lots of time and all David's got a year left on it, but but but you're right
It's fair like you're gonna ask him. How do you feel? What did you think went wrong all of that type of stuff?
Oh, which where's your head at with the contract? You know what I mean?
Like that's the that's the next big thing for him personally and for the empty noilers
So though they've got you know, they got to deal with the roster and everybody breaks down sound
bites differently and there was one word
that got my attention
okay do what are we which clipper you talking about are you talking about when
he he says winning is the priority cuz i have that clip
and i'm i'm gonna play that clip for you
and i'm gonna want to play that and then we will circle the wagons. Okay
Here is Connor McDavid on his future in Edmonton and what he he
Deems to be a priority moving forward
This core has been together for a long time
and we've been building to
to this moment, you know, all along.
The work that's gone on behind the scenes,
the conversations, the endless disappointments
and some good times along the way, obviously, as well.
Yeah, we're're holding this together trying to get it over
that finish line. With that being said ultimately still need to do what's best for me and my
family and you know that's who you have to take care of first, but of course there's unfinished business
here.
Yeah.
You know, winning would be the...
It's the most important thing.
If I feel that there's a good window to win here over and over again, then signing is
no problem.
Okay.
So this isn't TMZ. I don't want to... Noodles, don't get mad at me.
But the only one thing that got my attention is that he said,
if we're set up to win over and over again, which made me think he doesn't think
that that's the case right now or he would have said that.
You know what I mean?
Like he would have said, we're set up to win, so this shouldn't be a big deal.
He was almost leaving it like, we better be set up to win come next season and years after
or maybe it's an issue.
That's the only thing I took from that.
I don't want to.
That's fair. That's not TMZ. I think that's fair. But the thing is,
is they're, you know, he said disappointment, this crew, like I think
it's fair for him to take his time and see what the plan is moving forward.
Like there's nothing wrong with that. No, I was joking. I'm more mad
about our clip yesterday. I had people reaching out to me going, you guys
are three idiots talking about a McDavid trade already and I said, of course we got we got radioed
By our by people I don't know who the idiots that do the the headlines
We're sad you can hypothetically but here's here would be my response to whoever those people are
How about you watch the thing and then you realize that it's not about what the actual
clip is.
How many people do that?
Well, how about the people who do our headlines get their head out of their ass and stop radioing
us?
That's the problem.
Or actually read the articles instead of just looking at clips and thinking the world's
coming to an end.
I understand that.
There's far too many people in society that don't actually read anything or watch anything.
They look at a clip from somebody or a headline and then say, oh, the world's coming to an
end because someone tweeted something.
Actually watch it and read it and realize that we came upon that spontaneously.
Some 20-year-old who writes our headlines did that to us and made us look like idiots.
I don't think we look bad at all.
I got another proposition on those. writes our headlines that that to us and made us look like i don't think we have that personal i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i
i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i
i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i
i think everything
he said today was true you've got to take the time if you can assign
you're going to sign an eight-year deal or four or five or whatever
You got to make sure you got a your understanding
What if he goes in there to sign a deal and they go that we're running the exact same team back next year
And he goes hold on a second. They probably aren't gonna do that
But how much can they reasonably change like that?
Like let's be honest here when you look at what's of and this applies to every team in the league let me clarify that you look at the free
agents that are available there's not a lot of like groundbreaking players and
transactions now trades are obviously possible but then everyone's trying to
improve no one's just gonna take your four or five guys you don't want and
give you stars so like I just I
don't know what Stan Bowman can even say to him or Leon like let's face it, Dry Settle
deserves to be in the room too to ask what's going on and how are you going to help me
win? What are they going to possibly say? Like how can you possibly make make date and
again you can apply it to Toronto. Let's say Austin Matthews goes in, hey Brad, how are you going to help me out?
What's he going to do?
Who's he going to get?
I mean, you've got to work, you've got to find pieces.
It's immense pressure on the general manager.
Absolutely.
Because even their performance or not, it's like the general manager, if it's like on the straight up it's like
well you got to perform too. I can't control how you play in these playoff
series and you're gonna come at me and say you better put the best foot forward
to put the roster together. It's like help yourself. I think a lot of
that is fair. Your top players do have input and they should because they are
the guys that drive the bus and that's
not just in Edmonton or Toronto, that's everywhere.
Nathan McKinnon, we saw how that worked out.
Nathan McKinnon wasn't very happy that his right hand man got dealt out of nowhere and
that didn't work out well for Colorado.
I would never ever take a shot at Colorado for trying to change things and that's what I you know
I've been trying to you know bang on the drum yesterday is is
They've they've gotten to the final and they've reached a certain point
Something has to give there with their thought process
It might be simple as like we're gonna change our goaltending out or we're gonna do this
We're gonna do that like that's I think Connor McDavid would want to know the plan moving forward but you know Bill
Zito took a big swing but three years ago Jonathan Huber that was a
president's trophy winning team that was very very good well I'm not gonna ask
you hypothetically who that would be on Edmonton because heads are gonna explode
I'm not saying I'm not saying trade a big player. What I'm saying
is it starts with the mentality. I'm not saying trade a big player. What I'm saying is having the stones to go, this is where we've made it so far, but it has to look differently. It might
just be a goaltender. It seems that's the simplest way of doing it. I mean the goaltending, if you look at the stats, which is never 100% accurate, this
is where you have to marry the two, stats and high test and context and all that kind
of stuff.
But if you looked at the stats of their goaltending in the playoffs the last couple of years,
you would say it is an absolute miracle they were a win away a year ago and two wins away this year
You'd say that's impossible to have your starting goal. They pulled multiple times and go it's impossible
and yet they were and they did and
like we spent weeks talking about the Leafs where
it's such a a small, you know like
incremental amount of growth
a small, you know, like incremental amount of growth,
but it's so tough to get it because you're not going from Chicago to the cup.
You're not even going from like Detroit or Montreal
to the cup.
You're going from being, you know,
Edmonton literally couldn't be closer.
Literally could not be closer.
Like they're in two straight cup finals,
game seven and game six.
You literally couldn't be closer.
One went away and two went away.
But that's- Yes, but how do you change Like they're in two straight cup finals, game seven and game six. You literally couldn't be lesser. One win away and two wins away.
Yes.
But how do you change and get the fourth win?
You know, it's tough.
You're right.
Like that's the, the margins are small, but that's, like I always say, like I don't blame
somebody for trying to change a different look.
Like that's, and again, they've got to figure out.on, collectively, is a management group with Conor McDavid.
Anybody who has input in that organization has to figure out.
Same thing here in Toronto.
We've said it right when the Leafs lost out.
Damn good team.
Can't get over the hump.
Trying to get over the hump.
That's why they kept running it back.
It's like they're this close, margin of error, all of that type of stuff. It's not wrong. But, you know,
Toronto went one way. It's like, we're not changing it. We're just going to, hey, eventually,
the numbers are going to do it. Like, it didn't happen. With Edmonton, they have to have a thought
process too, is what are they going to do? Because there's no guarantee of health. There's no guarantee
they're an older team,
they gotta figure stuff out.
I think you've gotta identify one or two things and go,
yes, we like the framework, we know what we have here,
but look different in this position, look different in that.
That's to me what they're trying to do right now.
Goaltending is the most significant one,
and to me, I don't know how they're trying to do right now. Yeah, goal-tending is the most significant one, and to me, I just, I don't know how they're gonna do that
to appease McDavid in this case, or Dry-Cytle.
Yeah, goal-tending and then everybody's numbers piling up,
like somebody sent out a tweet the other day,
it's like, is Edmonton now gonna be the new core four,
where they've got Nurse and Bouchard,
and Dry-Cytle and McDavid,
and you pile it all on top of each other, other and you're like that's a lot into four
players
and what do we talk about with the florida panthers depth
like that have a bunch of good players making five million four million six
million i don't know
i don't know what the breakdown is but if you're just gonna if you're gonna
have that that many guys
and everybody's a good seller i don't care if the salary cap is going up
Loading up with that much money invested in those players. It really kind of takes a dent at the depth
well
yeah, it does you do it does but you do have to factor in the salary cap going up because
Where the Leafs got jammed is a cap was flat for three or four years
So those guys ate up the most amount of percentage the The cap going up does give some flexibility for another five, six, seven million dollar player.
And if two years from now, if the cap is at 105, where it does, but if you're spending
50 million on four players, which is very possible that Bouchard gets 11 million, something
like that, that would make 20 million between him and Nurse.
Dry Suttles gonna be at 14.
We know McDavid's making 15 or 16.
That's literally 50 million.
And you're right, Noodle, the cap goes up,
but it doesn't for the other teams who are locked in,
who you're competing with.
And what I mean by that is, you look at Florida,
Reinhardt's deal's done.
Forestling's got seven years left on his deal.
Jones has five left and Chicago is eating money. Barkov has locked it. Florida is going
to look at it and be like, you're right, the cap is going up. And guess what we got? We
got 12 guys making that money. You got four. And that's the issue that all these teams
are going to have. And that's why, again, you look at the market.
Like today, news broke this morning, Matt Duchenne has signed an extension with Dallas,
four years at 4.5 million, which I think is a great deal.
Honestly, I would say for both sides, because Duchenne clearly wants to stay in Dallas.
Yeah, and they probably told him, you want to kind of hit a home run here and make seven
or eight or nine.
Not going to happen. Do the Brad Marchand numbers thing. Yeah, and they probably told them you want to kind of hit a home run here and say seven or eight or not
I do the Brad Marsh and numbers thing then it's not gonna happen here
So make it make a choice. So that's a great and I know where you're heading this. Yes
It's forwarded right to John Tavarez. That's our offer. That's our offer. Take it or leave it
Right like that simple. I don't care about state tax either. Let me clarify that right now
Four by four point five if you don't like it. No problem. We'll move on you've got to start winning negotiations
You got to start because what do Shane did there?
Okay, and let me let me rephrase that maybe state tax is five million or whatever
I'm saying from a leaf perspective, but do Shane clearly looked at it and said I want to stay here
I got a young family that likes it here all these things
We've heard from John. Yeah, I think I can win here. It's a good team. I'm a good player at a great season
Just as good as John Tavares like oh basically the same season. They both came into the league at the same time
He went third overall John went first very similar and
I'm sorry if he's going to take four by four point five if I'm the leaves if I'm broad tree living
How could you possibly justify?
Any more than that with the exception of maybe a hundred, you know 500 grand 750
It can't be seven million for four years if Matthew Shane's getting four point five
Yeah, it's got it's got to be in the same neighborhood
What it has to be it has to be or you're simply cutting yourself out of the knees
yeah you are if you're the least you just admitting we can't we can't win
negotiations are players will never take a discount
and yet the rest of the league
has a massive advantage that they apply to their players in their players
accepted we don't have we can't
i don't think for years
but you guys know what I think of this
scenario. I know I understand that. The changing up the personality and I'm not gonna use we're
done with the DNA word by the way we've just that's the that was the 18 wheeler like heavy
for about a month here so that's over with the DNA just why is it four years? I don't know. I think what you're trying to do is keep that number down.
Like you're seeing managers...
Maybe, Jamie.
I get it, but we're just talking about every dollar being so important.
So when you're constructing your team and going,
okay, I'm just going to look at this next year in a vacuum.
If I can get my 2-slash-3 centerman or or left winger depending on where these guys are going
to play with something with a 4 in it or maybe a low 5, that looks a lot different.
Yes, you might have to kick the can down the road.
You did it with Tanev.
You've done it with who else got the long term deals.
We were talking about it with Frederick.
You're seeing i think term
is the currency
right now with some of the players that are on the look at it
let me tell you how i look at it
what did you guy how would you characterize john to borrow his play
and the series against the florida panthers
a lot like the rest of them invisible
i'm not sorry about the rest of them I want to focus on him individually.
Okay, yeah he blended into the series. He didn't make an impact on the series. So if the Florida Panthers aren't going anywhere to your point Hayes, how they've got all these guys locked up
and that's the bar and you're looking to get over the hump and topple over them, why is it a
priority for a guy that blended into a series if you're looking
to get over the top is it just cuz you need a guy is like is that what we're
well that that would be my assumption i mean listen they they respect john i
like john john's a good player like it's not a lot of respected years in the
league but they're just not handed contract i had to not respected i
totally agree with you and i i would guess yeah i don't know this but my
assumption would be there's a fear
can replace them now i'd i don't think that's my assumption would be there's a fear can replace it
that now i'd i don't think that's a smart way of managing if you're
managing out of fear your you're probably losing before you start
quite frankly
if you're if you're
move is why just gotta do this
because what else am i going to do then you're it's probably going to be
malpractice it's probably not going to start like
uh... and that's where
again with john what's a little bit different
again it's kind of similar to dishing a little to be even more extreme because
this is a small town and he's been here longer
frederick has no allegiance to edmonton
to the american kid i got traded there
you know he's he's probably like i mean you have to get a pay me to stick around
like this is the way it works
that's fair you know john again
and it's easy for us to say,
but if I'm the Leafs, I'm playing the role of the Maple Leafs, I think you have to put pressure on
him. And we've said this for a month and a half, but you got to, John, you got to prove how badly
you want to win and be a Leaf. If you really want to win and be a Leaf, you can't make six million a year that can't be the cap it
it's got like and literally it's matt du shane
he wants to stay
he'd be wants to be in a good spot he wants to win ensure the state tax stuff i
get it maybe that again maybe a tack on
five hundred grand a year
it can't be three million more
it can't be
while the player needs the money
then he doesn't he doesn't get go post Amcos
I told you they gave him 80 million dollars already. Yes, and listen
He deserved it as a free agent and I signed it to us like it wasn't charity
The least but the return was to playoff series with us. So why is there more of a reward here?
Why are we circling back? And that's what's more extreme even about the stamp goes lesson
He gave them two cups face of the franchise for like 11 12 13 years and they said Matt Duchenne going in a different
Well, yeah, they probably said Matthew Shane deal and he's like no way. I'm out of here. That's alright
So you're like in the end? Yes moving on but we actually started the show just like this though
You got management that was, you just pointed out Tampa,
willing to be hardline and go,
we're gonna move past our captain face of the franchise.
Here, it's been different.
It's like been core four, core four, core four.
Now this seems like the first year
that that's not gonna be the case.
Mitch Marner is forcing that issue,
but you do have options of how you want
your team to be constructed if you're Brad Tree Living. Because right now, technically, if he
lets this walk to July 1st, he's got $11 million extra in his checkbook on John Tavares' contract.
And Mitch Marner's will call it $11,000, too2. So like Brad Tree Living has an opportunity to really
reconstruct this roster if he wants and if he deems. Now he might deem John Tavares' value at 5
million. That's a hell of a bargain and we like him and we know him and we think with the other
players were coming in he would be fine with the again that word you don't want us to say but that's the of the group so you know in the end like there is flexibility here
that's and a lot of it Hayes what you're saying Brad tree-living owns the
flexibility right now it's not John Tavares if he wants to play here it's
what tree puts in front of him puts it in office yeah that's kind of what you're
saying I do wonder I'd like to be a fly on the wall on this to shane
dealing even how how it affects the conversations
you know because both parties
have been talking you know it's been well reported that john of the leaves
and you know it's been last six weeks it's been like what's could happen any
day now it never happens
and i'm curious if there was a deal close and this has some effect on it one way or the other. All right, we got Brian McCabe coming up.
Caper is back on the program.
God, for a guy in management, he couldn't have gotten closer to the front of the picture.
He was right in the middle.
First time, the first thing we got to ask him her like what a creep isoid move to get that far
He basically was one of the players holding the cup on the bottom
I think he was blocking Bobrovsky out of the picture. He was blocking guys an idiot. I love it
He's listening to time cup cup winner, man
He's gonna have his day with a cup again
We got to ask him like when you had your day with a cup was Prichard you're offering him drinks is he like what's the story what happens
here so we're gonna know if Richard commented on the capers bald spot that's
what I want to ask well I think he's facetiming it so we're gonna meet in
front and center I think his salad is glory I didn't see it ask I thought he
looked great I don't think it's unprofessional to say, ass, can you turn around and show us your
bald spot?
Well, this is the thing.
We got to be careful here.
This is a two-time cup champion.
Yes, he's a dear friend of ours, but we need to show him respect.
You can't...
He deserves it.
First of all, remember, is it ass face or ugly face?
Ugly.
We'll go ugly.
We'll go ugly.
Okay, but it's still...
We cannot joke on the going to don't you dare
fontan is ugly fat the end i'm gonna say ugly can you show us your your
small spot
i hope he's where his copper is what he should be wearing
right uh... he's he'd be bracing for a second one
uh... so capers coming up
they got to a craig on the show today
tracking the j's we're game six of the NBA Finals
tonight, Overdrive continues, TSN 1050 and on TSN 4.
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We've got Craig Button coming up in just over half an hour.
We've got game six of the NBA Finals tonight, our best bet's on that.
Your boy Rory McIlroy with a pretty decent first round.
Wow.
Dan at the Travelers, everything's all good.
My guy Jordano Spieth though, he was... now he's got a back problem and it's a mess, like...
That's it.
That's it for you, You're not doing this anymore
If I take Jordano's speed again, you have to say actually no, you're not and I'm selecting a guy for you
Okay, I'll cut you off. I'll cut you off. Yeah noodles and all you have to step in and pick a guy
I don't care. But if I say Jordano's speed, it's not it's not a real pick. Okay. Doesn't count anymore.
No.
It comes to an end and we'll pick somebody else.
All right.
Brian McCable will join us here in a moment.
And I was talking to someone about the elbow room today and the amount of free press that
they have got in the last two years.
Where everything's elbow room.
Are there any other bars in Fort Lauderdale
and Miami-Arna?
There are, but it's just.
Zillions.
I mean, you go back.
I was there in 06.
That was the place we went as players.
That's been the hockey bar since hockey got down there.
I don't know why that is, how it happened,
who was the original guy that started hammering beers
in there in the afternoon.
Yeah.
But, Hayes, you were down there.
Oh, yeah.
You know what's amazing?
The draft.
Yeah, the draft.
Every hockey person went there at night.
Of all the nice places in Lauderdale, everyone went there.
Do you remember whose draft it was that we were down there for?
Mitch Marner, McDavid.
Connor McDavid.
That's how it came up this morning.
I'm like, you know what?
I was in that building when he got drafted and he's been in there twice to watch the
opponent skate around the ice with a Stanley Cup.
Kind of crazy.
What a building for his memory.
Yeah.
What a wild building in his history.
That's right.
Like you think about that.
I forgot.
Like, yeah, we were there.
I mean, the proximity of that bar is just perfect, right?
It's, you know, right on the corner, right on the beach the beach like every but it's just gritty and it great it gets great
Gets great pub because everybody goes there in the league used to go there as players, but yeah
97 man he's had man
Great moments there to get drafted first overall and then now since coming back and I think even regular season
There's a stat where they haven't gone in there and won like it's been a house of horrors for the the Oilers
Yeah, it does propose like an interesting question next year like that. It'll be a build-up when they play
They only play each other twice, but yeah, you know
It's a it definitely is gonna have a different feel this time around for McDavid and the Oilers. Yeah
But yeah, the elbow room man. That's where the players are. They've been there the whole time
I don't know if the staff is kicking around like to the players allow I bet you like a caver
You can around there. He's probably in there in a pair of khakis and a tight
Tight polo shirt can't keep all
Here he is two time Stanley Cup winner
with the Florida Panthers, Brian McCabe.
Yes, Caver, how you doing buddy?
The boys, the band's back together.
It's been a minute, fellas.
Great to see you.
Now that you won back to back cups,
we're allowed to talk to you, Caver, we love it.
We wanna ask you first, we wanna ask you first off, were you contemplating getting on the ice front
row in the pick because you were in tight?
Oh, well last year I made the corner of the book there, right on the edge where the last
part of the pitcher was just my face, so I had to kind of squeeze in a little closer
and get this big fat head in there this year.
I love it man.
It's got to be incredible.
What has your last 48, 72 hours been like?
How much can you remember?
How many people are asking you what it's like down there?
What has life been like for you the last couple of days?
It's been crazy, a little surreal.
It still hasn't sunk in.
I honestly cannot believe we just went back to back. All know, all the credit goes to this group of guys, man.
What a team and I was a different feeling this year. You know, last last year we're
on the edge of our seat to one game game seven, they're all over us, the goalies pulled so
it was different emotions, anxiety and stuff. And this year, man, the boys just you know dominated like it was like they just
freaking willed their way to this thing the last two games and it was obviously special um had my
whole family here this time which means a lot had my mom or brother fly down all my kids and wife
were here this year so it was nice to be able to enjoy with them this time around
So Kaber you just said the domination especially games five and six where you really took control was there a point where?
Maybe anywhere through the playoffs that you you had a little bit of doubt We were like god
I don't know if it's all gonna come together even maybe near the end of the season where you guys were resting and had some
Players that you know you had to move around and all that type of stuff was there any doubt at any
point until obviously everything came together against Edmonton? I was
nervous the whole time because obviously you guys know it's worse sitting up in a
frickin press box than it is being on the ice so I'd say there was some
definitely anxious nerves after the Leafs
came in here and beat us in game six. I didn't know what was going to happen going back there.
Obviously, they have a good team too. But like I said, our team, man, they just go about
their business. They figured it out. They know how to win. They're well coached and
they obviously love each other. This has been such a special team to be a part of the
last few years
ugly when you say they know how to win can you explain to a viewer somebody
driving around what that means
like what does that mean to a guy that
this place purely
i'll tell you what like
memory here we want the president's trophy and then lost?
We were winning games like six, four and seven, five and you know, you can win games like
that in a regular season, but we didn't know how to win in the playoffs because you can't
go out score teams in the playoffs.
It's just muck it up and do what you do.
And you know, I've just felt like since the last, I guess, probably three
years like that, they've known how to buckle down and we can win games any which way you
got to win them, you know, close games, tight checking games, physical, you want us to score
goals, the guys can do that too. So I just think that they have just turned a page and
they just know how to do it against different types of opponents and it's just like old hats to them now.
It's really awesome to watch and be a part of.
With Brian McCabe and you're in player development, so I guess a primary role for you is to try
to find those characteristics in players.
Now that you've seen it twice with your own team, how does that apply to younger players
coming out?
You have that Charlotte team that's been unbelievable too.
Is there a characteristic you feel like you've found as an organization that has helped you
here?
Because there's a lot of talented players in the world, but you guys have winners, talent
with the winning pedigree.
How have you managed to find that ingredient in so many players?
Well, I just think from the top down, it's just a trickle down effect. And, you know, I give Jordy and his staff in Charlotte a lot of credit for basically playing the same way that
the Panthers play. It's like we don't really have one genuine superstar in Charlotte,
and we're playing for the Calder Cup right now. And they've done that from sheer will and structure and just outworking teams and grinding
teams down in series just like our teams done here.
And it's been a lot of fun to be a part of.
I couldn't be happier for that team in Charlotte.
That staff there worked so hard.
And as you guys know, we haven't had a ton of draft picks over the past few years trying to build this team up and they've had to sign college free agents and develop
guys and they've done a fabulous job and we're in the mix to hopefully win another championship
big game tonight in Abbotsford so hopefully they can tie that thing up too too.
With Brian McCabe, you look at what the panthers did the superstars throughout this
run like completely neutralize kucherov in the first round point the first round
matthews and marner in many ways in the second round all home the third and then
mcdavid and dry subtle games three five and six you know effectively were kind of blending into
the series
uh... like how how kind of blending into the series. Like how impressive is that to watch it live and to know like what's going on with the
secret sauce behind the scenes to prepare for it.
But like beating McDavid in dry subtle back to back cup finals.
Like how is that even possible?
It's a total group effort and I know a bunch of the guys spoke on this during the interviews the other night but the depth that we have in this team and organization is and everyone
playing the same way and there's no drop-off and no one cares about accolades or points
and stuffs they're all in for one goal and it just shows like the way they played and
just shut the best players in the world down as a group.
It was really, really special to watch.
Kaber, you've, you know, you're in that managed group with Billy Zito.
You know, you got, as you mentioned, you win the president's trophy, but you didn't get to the,
you know, you didn't get to win that year and you have it's a build. But Billy Zito has been a guy who's been not shy to be proactive and think outside the box and take big swings.
I mean, you feel like that's a recipe as well to, you know, to not just safe as death type
of thing.
Like he's made some big trades that have been organizationally changing.
And even you add at the deadline this year, you gotta bring in a guy like Marshand,
who was a difference maker.
Do you feel like Billy's found an aggressiveness to him
that pays off?
Yeah, like 100%, he deserves a ton of credit here.
He showed some serious balls in some of the trades
that he's made, like the two truck trade,
obviously started this whole thing bringing him in and then
you know we got freaking Jonesy we got Rhino we got Marshy at the deadline like those are
some of those trades weren't easy to make like you're getting rid of a lot of really
good players or draft picks and stuff and it it takes some go hunters to to like put
it out there and actually go through with it.
We can talk all we want in the rooms about it, but he's the face of the franchise and
at the end of the day it's his call.
He's put a lot of these pieces in place to make us successful.
As you've seen, the proof's in the pudding.
Everyone's clicked and gelled together.
I think Marshy was just the icing on the cake. I think everyone agrees like he fits the way we play like it was like a
seamless transit. I don't think there was any better fit in the history of the world
than him coming to our club and the way he embraced and our guys embraced him I think
it just you know it was spectacular.
You mentioned started with Kachuk like what what about him coming to Florida other than his hockey skillset
was so important in the development of the team?
The biggest thing for me, like as you know, there's a lot of different, hockey players
a little different nowadays and stuff.
First thing Chuckie did when he got down here was took the whole training and equipment
stuff out for a big dinner and night out.
Old school style like we grew up doing.
He was brought up like that, you know, big wall and did a great job with those boys and
I think he just brought that energy and that old school mentality and you treat everyone,
especially those guys, you know,
the heart and soul of every team,
the trainers and the guys that are hanging bags
at five in the morning.
I think it started with him just bringing
that group together.
And I think it took a little pressure off of Barky.
You know, Barky's a quiet guy,
but he shows up every night and leads by example.
And I just think that their personalities
meshed well together.
And the other group just jumped right on their
backs and just kept going from there.
With Brian McKay, we were talking about the elbow room prior to you coming on.
What's the rules, regulations with management in the elbow room when the players are there
partying?
Were you jumping in on that or what's the deal?
Well, as much as God knows, you guys know I'd love to be there.
I kind of feel that it's the players' time.
They did the work.
They went through the grind.
Yeah, we're a small little piece of that, but we got to enjoy it, obviously, the night
out with the group.
Let them go crush the elbow room.
They deserve everything the next couple weeks.
Let them have their fun.
I'm sure we'll have some staff fun here on the sides, but you know, I couldn't be happier for him
I love the fact that they were there at 9 in the morning and they're doing it up right they deserve it
Yeah, absolutely and we always talk about
You know days with the cup and I know you had one last year and you'll have one again this year
What does it deal with like the Philip Pritchard or the keeper of the cup while you're having your day?
Are they involved?
Are you offering them drinks?
What comes with the cup when it shows up for your day with the cup?
Oh my God, those guys are unbelievable.
You think looking at it looks like a great job to have, but when you've been to a couple
of these cup parties, it's a tough job, man, dealing with a bunch of hooligan friends from
Canada. parties. It's a tough job, man, dealing with a bunch of hooligan friends from Canada that,
you know, like, it's basically they're babysitting every day. But those guys are unbelievable. I had
Mario and Glenn for my cup day and Mario made himself breakfast and cooked a family breakfast
and they hung out with us all day. They are unbelievable guys, that whole staff, the keepers of the cup.
Just to be a part of having those guys around.
That cup day was really special.
I went, I think I had 200 and some people.
I didn't leave any stone unturned because it took 50 years to get here.
We did it up right.
It was certainly special.
Those guys are the best, man.
Honestly those guys guys they go
through a lot naked to see a lot but uh...
they're the salt of the earth crew and i can't wait to see them all again
uh... he said your brother was
at the celebration who has possibly the best nickname in the n a chile
how did this snake
enjoyed the cup
snake snake enjoy it it was nice to have me here this year like last year
was kind of a gong show with
i had in their game for we got pumped eight to one and then
unfortunately june in the process of the couple final lost my father-in-law
before game six so
there was all that to deal with the funeral and stuff so none of my family
could be here so it was special have snake and bar, a funeral and stuff, so none of my family could be here.
It was special to have Snake and Barb, my wife and kids here, and he was on the ice
and got to have some fun with all the festivities.
We actually had a laugh.
We had dinner last night with my mom and brother, Noodles.
To this point, we were talking about this because I said I may go on with you guys tomorrow.
The most my brother has ever laughed in his life, we're at STEMP week one here and Noodles went on the dance
floor and pretended he had a club foot and I've never seen my brother laugh so hard.
I think he almost peed his pants and we were sitting at dinner last night and he was laughing
his head off again giggling and I said I'd give him a shout out today.
But Noodles, I'm sure you remember that night.
I do remember something like that.
It wasn't late night.
It was something like Stampede night.
I know those types of stories.
Stampede, I've gone every year since I was 16, so we've done some things there.
We talked about even Jason Strudwick dancing on the dance floor.
Yes, we've all had our moments on the dance floor at Stampede.
As you should.
Oh, no, I haven't seen you guys in a while, oh dog.
I got to say something sincere, buddy.
You look fabulous.
Like, you look unbelievable.
Like playing weight, oh dog.
So cheers to you, buddy.
I've never seen you look so good.
Can you do me a favor for like just what I've done in the gym?
Can you show the boys your salad like did you go full mess?
Hey, I'm riding this till she bucks I'm going 90s Messier we just went back to back
Hey if it ain't broken, don't fix it.
I'm going to ride this wind wheel right until she stops working, boys.
As you should, man.
That's a salad that's won two cups, Kaber.
Do I get the leather straps on the hat now or no?
Should I get the old wind wheel leather straps?
Cone it in a circle.
Just comb it in a circle.
It'll work.
It'll all blend together.
It'll be perfect. It'll all blend together I love it. Odung's getting younger better looking and thinner I'm just kidding I just
turned 50 balder fatter just I'm going the opposite direction. It's all good.
You're the best pal thanks for doing this. You look like a winner. His teeth look great too. Your teeth look great.
They look phenomenal. Yeah they're phenomenal yellow anymore and they look awesome
there are beautiful now
you guys are the best for us great catching up with you care for congrats
man thank you for doing this
our boys thanks chairs you got it there is prime k
uh... mister government is we have some of the funniest chapter ever have around
the draft with caper back in the day.
I'll never forget you guys met him for a beer one night. I don't know what they were. And
you guys came before we had to work the next day and you were both crying and laughing
at the stories that you guys were telling. And you said that guy's so funny.
Oh, it was so good.
Remember how happy he was? He showed up to meet you and me, Brian, and he was wearing khakis and it looked like he had padded underwear on he was just jammed into these pants
And he had a tight tuck with the Panthers golf shirt on yeah
He looked like a free Panthers golf shirt and he came in motoring like James Brown
I just was on fire immediately. It was the best what a night. Yeah, it was the best man.
And that was uh, that would have been a great party and he's gonna have another
one I guess this year. Like that's the beauty of it right? One that dust settles
and you see they did some damage to the Stanley Cup too. Like there were there
were some chips taken. I like that though. I know but I my mom calls me and she's
first thing I don't even say hello she's like do you see they broke the cup? I'm like it happens every year mom
But these guys are animals
So I honestly think that when Prichard comes down on a different flight later that day
There's two other replicas that follow it around for the case something like this. You're probably right
It could be because they're like we're not wheeling this thing around and it's gonna come back to Toronto cut in half
It like that original if that was the original and who knows do you think the players are looking? Because they're like, we're not wheeling this thing around, and it's going to come back to Toronto cut in half.
Like that original, if that was the original.
And who knows?
Do you think the players are looking?
Because I was at an event one time where it's not like, you do these things with a Stanley
Cup there.
It's not the original Stanley Cup.
There's replicas.
Like there's other ones floating around.
So who knows how they handle that.
But I'm sure when they see that damage,'re like, okay guys the replica is out now
Have fun with that one exactly like the the most famous one. I think was the dallas stars one where they were at vinnie pantera's house
and you know the
And somebody threw it from the second window
Tried to throw it in the pool and it missed the pool it falls short
So it bounced and then went in the pool and that missed the pool. It falls short so it bounced and then went in the pool.
And that rattled a few people. I have a few buddies that were at that party and said that
was insane.
That one would look and feel kind of bad.
That would give a horse eye from Philly Pritch.
Yeah, that one might snap someone out of a stupor and say that's enough. But the whole
thing is, guys in their 20s and 30s who are drinking non-stop for 48 hours
What do you think is gonna happen? You can hand them anything a water bottle you can hand them
It doesn't matter what you hand them. It's not gonna survive keep in mind in the 80s
There was no Phil Pritchard like a grand fear and messy those guys have told me stories of what they used to do
Messy it was famous because he's from St. Albert
where I went. There was a strip club called the Brewin Inn downtown St. Albert. The Brewin Inn,
the cup would be at the Brewin Inn. They'd leave it there. Like that would be amazing. We're all
leaving and everyone's you know black out at that. No one even takes the cup. It's just sitting there
at a peeler in St. Albert, Alberta. Yes, like that type of stuff is only imaginable.
There's a reason why it has a chaperone and I think it was those 80s oilers that did that.
Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised at all.
That would be a great, maybe one of the all-time great, you know, you give me a documentary
where you show me the greatest, you know, weak run with the cup, you know, like whatever it is, whichever team it is, and, you know, 30 for 30 where you're going to break it down from like five to one or 10 to one.
And, you know, because it could be any, like, it may surprise you. It was actually the 1964 Detroit Red Wings. You wouldn't believe what these guys did or you know whatever it might be but uh... right craig button in about fifteen minutes were tracking the j's
we have bobby marks coming up later this afternoon on the lakers
uh... ownership change the amount of money that is going into the lakers
it will be a game six of the nba finals as well overdrive continues to use that
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Alright, Craig Button coming up. Best bet still to come as well.
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It was great catching up with Brian McCabe.
He's obviously a happy guy, as he should be.
It's amazing the juxtaposition between watching Panthers people speak and do stuff
and watching the
Oilers today, you know, it's just like it's so demoralizing. You're that close
twice. Yeah. Like it just... He talked about even as an executive, like there's no
like comfortable moments. Like when that was four-nothing, you want it five and
you want it six and you're like make this over. Interestingly too, he said after
the Leafs went in their game six and played the way they played and that's again
We don't have to keep digging that up, but that's the crazy thing
They played so poorly game five and then game six they were outstanding in Florida. Yes completely shut them down
Completely pushed them out of the game
Matthew shows up big Marner shows up big and
I felt the same way. I'm like, you know what?
They're ready to play Game 7, and we all know what happened.
Hour two coming up, Overdrive continues.
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