OverDrive - OverDrive - March 10th, 2025 - Hour 1

Episode Date: March 10, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes and Jonas Siegel for Hour 1 on OverDrive! The guys discuss the Maple Leafs' performance against the Avalanche, Mitch Marner's contract stance in Toronto, Carolina offering Mikko Rantanen in the deal and the outlook of his tenure in Toronto. Maple Leafs Radio Analyst on Marner playing through contract noise, Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll searching for consistency and the team's performances.

Given five days or less to accept a severance offer, you need EmploymentLawyer.ca. You actually have two years to file a claim for a severance package, which can total as much as 24 months pay. Call your Sam Firu and get what you're owed. EmploymentLawyer.ca. This Hour of Overdrive is powered by FanDuel. FanDuel, bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score. All right, here we go.

Overdrive, off and running. TSN 1050 on the TSN app, your home smart speaker, and up on TSN 4, Brian Hayes and Jonas Siegel of The Athletic. Look at us in here working. What should we talk about? Well, there's a lot to talk about, isn't there? What a weekend. What a weekend.

What a wild 72 hours. We're on Friday, it was so positive, everything was great. The Leafs go out there and get hometown boy Scott Lotton and Brandon Carlo becomes available. You're taking him off the hated Boston Bruins and he's rolling into town at a reduced salary cap hit. I thought. And he's going to pair up with Morgan Riley and it's going to be an awesome game on Saturday night. And the rest is history. And now they find a way to blow another two goal lead against Colorado.

They got outplayed for the majority of the night. Now they're having team meetings and Austin Matthews has taken optional skates in the morning and they're in Utah tonight. It feels like a borderline must win because florida never loses and news up next florida on thursday night and that's the thing like perspective prior to these three games they had won a lot of games they want a lot of games and it to go lead against san jose that's the point that burns and you

cannot piss away a point against san jose nobody does it they did it at home losing the vegas not at all unexpected. Losing to Colorado, not that surprising. Should have held onto a point. You're up 4-2 late into the second period, I believe it was. You got to get at least a point there. You have to. You're a good team.

You're a veteran team. You got to hold onto a point. Turns out they don't. But now you turn the page over and you're in Utah tonight. Florida again doesn't lose. You got three games left against Florida the rest of the way. Now the Mitch Marner stuff's in the air.

There's a lot going on with this team. Where should we start? Well, I guess we'll start where we have honestly not talked a lot about Mitch Marner's contract this year. Like I think he should be very, very happy with the way the media has handled this personally. I can't speak to fans. I can't speak to what his everyday life is like. I don't know if people are yelling and screaming at him as he walks down the

street. If people are asking him constantly, what are you going to do? But for the most part, you know, he showed up early at camp. He said, this is my plan. I'm not going to talk about it. I'm here for the year. And at times it's flared up, but not significantly. And this is a massive report that comes out on Friday night that the Leafs asked him to wave and they were looking at Miko Ranthinen. Naturally, he's expected to speak on it. He spoke on it to an extent on Saturday after the game and then continued with the same approach.

I'm not going to talk about it. This is where I am. I'm not going to get into it. And I think the media asked him a few questions and then my guess would be no one's going to ask him again until we get to the playoffs or maybe until the end of the year. So as someone who covers the team all the time. Yeah, you're the you're the best guy to ask. Tough thing about it is like you're always asking yourself like how can I advance the story? What is there new to say about it? And for most of the year, it's felt like there's not a lot new

to say about it. You and I have had our conversations.'s felt like there's not a lot new to say about it. You and I have had our conversations. You and I, I think are aligned on this, a rare point of agreement between us that we would wait until the playoffs have been determined. We see everything happen before signing him or not signing him. And I think that's where it kind of laid,

where it's like, okay, I guess we'll see, but it seems like the Leafs were different where they're trying to get a deal done No deals getting done for whatever reason which is One of the many questions with this whole thing like why is a deal not getting done? And then all the other questions are well, why did they decide to do this? What was the chance of it actually happening? Like there's just so many parts to this that I think are interesting and worth picking into. Yeah, and we'll get into it throughout the afternoon. What appears very clear to me, you tell me if I'm wrong,

is that Mitch Marner and his camp determined last summer that they are going to be committed to a plan that they are not going to negotiate and they are not going to waive. So the first point I'm not sure I understood until now because... Do you agree with that though? Do you agree with my assessment that that was their plan? The Marner camp and I think you got to start with Mitch Marner because... I don't know I still don't know about that go ahead. Mitch is going to play the

every athlete plays the role I'll leave it to my agent. No it's your life it's your career. Your agent will execute the plan but it's your decision to go forward with it and and my belief now more than ever and I think it was always the case my belief was that Marner determined last summer I am not talking with the Leafs at any point all year and I am not waving for anything I am going to play out this whole season as a Maple Leaf and then at the end of it I'll let you know how I feel. I don't know if the first point is true. It might be, but we

had never gotten the message until now that they weren't... like it doesn't sound like... I think there were talks. I know there were talks. I think the Leafs were trying to instigate talks. Right, but I think that's part of the problem with this whole thing if they had come out in the first day he had come out and said I'm not talking about much like I'm not negotiating in the season and that was a message that management got the media got fans got I don't think any of this would be happening but because it was like wow they're talking throughout the season and now it's like well it seems like there is no contract to be done. And the Leafs, I would assume are they've been through and he's been through, it's like he wants to stay.

And like you and I talked about, we're like, why? But he wants to stay. And like, that's cool. Like it's his hometown team. I get it. But why they thought he might wave in this case with 20 games left in the season? Like, I don't understand. And I'm not really a believer that that was actually their plan. Like I think what has happened here is at the crux of this is Brendan Shanahan, who's the guy who's been here for it all. And he was the one that was there at the draft table in 14 when they took Willie, in 15 when they took Mitch, and in 16 when they took Matthews.

And that was the beginning of a world that he never wants to see come to an end. Brendan Shanahan I don't believe is comfortable in living in a world and operating in a world as the president of the Maple Leafs that doesn't exist with the likes of Matthews Marner and Nylander all playing for the team. I think he's completely uncomfortable with it. I think he dreams of them all retiring as Leafs and rewriting the record books and hopefully winning. But really that's the world that he lives in and I think he's always operated that way. So what I see happening here is the ranting and okay well he's available will you wave as more of a passive aggressive bluff to try to push Marner into negotiating and I think he called their bluff and then a

day or two later Brad Trey Living's got to come out and say we love Mitch Mitch we want him here forever we're in line with Mitch and I think what has clearly happened here is what you and I agreed upon a few moments ago that we've agreed upon this whole year is not what the Leafs want to do and I agreed upon a few moments ago that we've agreed upon this whole year is not what the Leafs want to do and I think it's because Shanahan and now Trey Living and prior to that it would have been Dubas and prior to that it would have been Lamarillo because the guy at the top makes the call with the biggest decisions does not want to get to a point where the Maple Leafs exist without Matthews, Nylander and Marner all on the team. So what I think has happened is the Maple

Leafs have been poking and prodding at Marner, begging him to negotiate, begging him to negotiate, and he keeps saying no because he and his camp came up with the plan last summer. We're not negotiating, we're not waving, we'll talk at the end of the year, and the Leafs just keep coming back and coming back and then they're frustrated and they're like we're gonna poke at them we're going to ask them to wave as a bluff hoping that Mitch would say oh wait a minute then let's negotiate I don't want to do that. You think that's it? I think I absolutely believe that's what happened.

That seems like a huge miscalculation then. Well what would lead you to why would you have faith in this front office finally putting their foot down with this guy of all guys? I just don't understand why after all the times where you could have traded him especially two years ago. But he's had a full no trade full no move. Two years ago he had nothing. Yes. Until July 1 he had nothing and to your point like they've never really I don't think wrestled with it seriously enough. Now they would say well we looked at it but the type of offers that were out there were not commensurate with the player that they have if they ever even actually existed

Right if they actually really poked around which I don't know no and I don't and I I'd given everything that's happened It's hard to believe I don't believe they have and I remember talking us talking after last season thinking like this has to be the Time when you go to those guys you go to Mitch or whoever and you say you know what we need a list of teams They never did that like they never and so that's why I find it so odd to those guys, you go to Mitch or whoever and you say, you know what, we need a list of teams. And they never did that. Like they never, and so that's why I find it so odd. Maybe you're right. Why now you're like, what about now?

You want to wave again? I, I, but I just don't know that that was going to force him into negotiating because he can just say, yeah, no thanks. Exactly. And you risk so much of this gets out and it was going to get out. Like this is no thanks. Exactly. And you risk so much if this gets out, and it was going to get out. This is too big. Exactly. And listen, from a managerial standpoint,

it would be malpractice not to consider a guy like Miko Rantana. And that's why when you hear what Brad Treloving said yesterday, that now we're aligned with Mitch, and we're only thinking about this year. You have to say that now because you're past the trade deadline. You can't think that way say that now because you're past the trade deadline. You can't think that way before it because that's not the role of a manager. You have, you can't be thinking in 19 game increments. You have to think about next year, the year after that

and the eight years in front of you, 10, 15 years in front of you. And obviously if it's presented to you where the Leafs are uncertain, what Marner's thinking right now, and that's my read on the situation I could be wrong but I think their their their head is in a Blender right now because they're like we don't know what this guy thinks and what he wants and if he wants to stay and If he's gonna demand a certain number and if he's gonna accept a certain number I don't think they have a clue and so their minds are racing and they're like well if he leaves and Ranton is there should we pounce on it?

And again, they went to him. I guess they said this is presented to you. He said no, thank you. And now they're right back to square one trying to figure out what they're going to do at Mitch Marner. How do you think this will affect the season if at all? Well, I will say this. I thought he was exceptional on Saturday night. Yeah, I thought he was he played brilliantly he's been great all year it has not affected him whatsoever all season the way he's played like mitch marner has been great but but he's been great in every regular exactly it's where it's every it was always going to come down to the playoffs in terms of the way the market

responds and what bothers me about this whole scenario and these reports that the leaser you know they're trying to get them to negotiate and they're trying to bring them to the table, is that clearly the playoffs do not matter for them. Which is fascinating. It doesn't matter because I believe based on the reporting and based on what I've heard, you've heard a lot of different things, that if you were to call them up today and say, all right I'll sign, whatever it is, you give a term, give it, yes, the rant and a deal. Let's just use that. Sure.

Let's say Mitch Marner and then Kemp say, I'll do eight years, 12 million. I think they would be dancing in the streets of Salt Lake City tonight. So I don't think it's about waiting for the playoffs. I don't think, I think they could get swept in the first round and Marner's pointless and does nothing and they'd still sign him what do you think has this changed your opinion of what he wants to do no not necessarily because because I would say like it has increased my I had always just assumed he's gonna want to stay and now I don't know well I put a little pie chart together to the yeah yeah I put a little pie chart together today. Did you? Yeah I put a little pie chart together. You want me to get into the pie chart?

Well I figured you know what the graphs this is this is something. Playing around in Excel? I want to get involved. Now I had to rely on Doogie and Joe from the bridge because I had no idea what I was doing so I must be honest I haven't quite seen the pie chart yet so I don't know what it's gonna look like. But do you want me to run through my pie chart? I love it. Okay, there it is up on the screen. The way I see it, there are four outcomes here when it comes to the Maple Leafs and Marner. The two ends of the spectrum are the Maple Leafs walk from him, they determine we're out of the Mitch Marner business. Regardless how he feels, we're gonna walk. The other end of the spectrum is Mitch Marner saying,

I gotta get out of Toronto, I don't wanna be here, I don't care what you're offering, what your pitch is, I'm out. Those are the two ends of the spectrum is Mitch Marner saying I got to get out of Toronto I don't want to be here I don't care what you're offering what your pitch is I'm out those are the two ends of the spectrum the two in the middle are Leafs win the negotiation I'll get to that in a moment and Marner wins the negotiation I'll get to that in a moment so my definition of a Maple Leaf win of the negotiation is actually just a fair contract that's how much the goalposts have moved because it's Toronto and because of the way they've negotiated with these guys forever. So I would say anything between anything under Matthews is a win and anything to them to the look of like seven or eight

years on term. So if it's like a seven or eight year deal at 13 million that would be a win for the Leafs. Not for any other team in the league. That would just be maybe a fair deal or actually really beneficial to the player for a lot of different reasons. But for the Leafs in their goal pose, that would be a win. A Mitch Marner win is six or less years at Matthews money or more.

Here's how my pie chart would play out, okay? 10% chance the Leafs walk from Marner. I think it's the lowest amount, the lowest number, is that they just determine we're out, we're walking, we're not doing this anymore. Like they determine that without knowing what he'd accept. They come to that conclusion. They watch the playoffs and they're like watch the playoffs, see it, and say this core four philosophy's got to come an end i think there's a ten percent chance that happened there's a chance but i i think it's a i think it's a very small chance

based on history because again you know what you know george bush would famously say for me once shame on game on you for me twice like a kitchen but you know fold right? That would be what I would say. It's all these people, I hear all these Leafs fans are like, oh, it's changing, it's different. They have operated the same way with these guys since day one. I'm not, I'm not over with that, that this is finally going to come to an end. So 10% Leafs walk from Marner, 20% chance the Leafs win the negotiation.

They actually hold strong and say, it's got a, it's an eight year deal at 12 and a half. Take it or leave it. And if you don't like it, you can leave. 20% chance that happens. I think there's a 20% chance Marner leaves. I think a one in five, he decides, you know, I got a young family. I want to, I want to get out of here.

I want to be in a different, in a different city, different state, I maybe wanna move to the US, I don't know. And it's the fish bowl, it's just not working for me. He determines, regardless of what the Leafs are willing to give him, 20% Marner leaves. That leaves 50% Marner wins the negotiation. And that's what I think. I think it may be even a higher percentage.

So why do you think that's the highest percentage? And now let me just say, by winning, you're saying I'm saying he gets more than Matthews. It's a five years, 14 million per. Okay. Like something like that. That's what I'm saying. Or, you know, six years, 13 and a half.

What if it's eight times 13.5? That would still be a win for Marner in my opinion. Cause it's more than Austin Matthewss that means the Leafs had to pay a guy more than their best player their captain there's no internal cap and they kind of held to it the last time this time they said forget it Mitch you're the you're the guy you're getting more than than the big dog up the middle so what do you think your percentage this is a great I, I think this needs to be a new thing. Hazy's pie chart. I think Hazy B's pie chart could be a Monday staple on this show. I love it.

What do you think your percentage for he walks was at the beginning of the season? Because I would have said like... Just because he wants out? Like I don't want to do this anymore. I'm good. I would have said like five percent. Yeah it was it was probably lower than the 20% I allotted him. And so that's what I like I spent Sunday wondering like why does he want to like why might he want to leave? He might not like there's no we don't we don't know. Yes. He has said I want to stay But if like you want to say well, then why is why not sign maybe like maybe the negotiations are going differently than they are They seem I don't know but I just I'm struggling

with that because I had always assumed hometown guy hometown team he's like a legend in the franchise already yeah place here the rest of his career he's like I don't know he's got a Legends Row black absolutely you got it all even if he doesn't win he's gonna happen yeah right collectively all of them if they don't win so maybe like maybe it's just what you said, it's a fishbowl thing. Well, yes, it could be a combination of a fishbowl. It could be something internal with the Leafs that I'm not aware of, I can't speak on.

And yeah, and it could be, this is a lifestyle thing that you have to determine. Now, it would make sense to me, he's from Toronto. I believe his wife is from the area, I believe. He keeps saying, he talked about it on Saturday they have a great support system off the ice mm-hmm you know young family this would seem to make a lot of sense that you would want to stay here you're comfortable here but it's a big life choice because ultimately once you start having kids

and the young family wherever you go next you could live there the rest of your life like realistically that's something he's gotta consider and he's not alone, every pre-agent could. Let's say he goes to Vegas. You may live in Vegas literally for the next 50 years. Like you might spend the summers in Muskoka, but your kids are going to school, your kid, you know, all that kind of stuff.

Well, and the pressure would be just different, the spotlight's different. Like he walks down whatever, King Street, Queen Street, he's getting stopped everywhere. He does that in- He He's one of five or six biggest celebrities in the city. Right and if he goes to LA nobody will know who he is. No one would have a clue and that might be something that is very, and I can't blame him for that. No me neither. Like it's his life, it's his choice. I'm not even, like I see a lot of people going at Marner and we'll get to that angle of it you know how I why I think people react the way they react

and I think there's a few different reasons for it but ultimately he was given this contract it's a no move no trade he can make that choice. Yes. He can do whatever he wants to do and and and you can't say he hasn't been pulling his weight this year he's been great for them he's been their best player like he's he's been arguably their best player all year he's been great for them he's been their best player like he's he's been arguably their best player all year he's been outstanding for them and judgment day is always gonna be in six weeks but that's gonna apply to Matthews and Nylander all of them wall stole ours all of them this season will be remembered based on what they do in the playoffs that was always gonna be the

case but again I look at the 50% of the pie chart, Marner wins it because I think the negotiating tactic is, gets back to my original thought, he knows they're very uncomfortable in a world that doesn't include Mitch Marner as a Maple Leaf. If that's the case, that's a brilliant turn of the tables because you would have thought it was the other way around where it's like you have to prove to us that you can do what you and I are talking about, but clearly that is not the case. Well, it's the other way around.

And that's why I go back to two summers ago when they had the chance to turn this, if they wanted to, and there was a reason to, and they have this organizational shakeup. Tree Living gets hired a month before Marner's No Movement Clause kicks in. They decide not to act. They decide we're going to stick with these guys and you get locked in. Like for two seasons, he has all the control.

If he doesn't want to get traded, he doesn't get traded. He can just walk this right to free agency and hold you over like he has all the leverage. Yeah, he can do whatever he wants. Now he's supposed to fulfill his contract and again, based on the regular season, he has. And in the playoffs, hasn't been great, but neither has Austin, neither has Willie.

Like those guys haven't done enough either. So it's not like he's on his own. But I think what's different for him and where there's always been this undercurrent of he gets criticized too much and like that is swirling around. And I think there is an element to he gets more criticized than they do,

perhaps too much. Like if you want to do a little pie chart for who gets the most criticism, he's like 75%, 60%. I think it's a very easy explanation on that. He's from here. I don't think that's it. Why do we not talk about Tavares? Well Tavares I think a gets enough but be a Okay, but do your pot. I want you to come back later. I explain that but the Tavares thing I understand what you're saying, but when he got here, he jumped on a moving ship. It was already established

It was Matthews Marner Nylander's team and he was the fourth guy I always looked at the fourth Beatle yeah for sure he was always Ringo for me I know he got paid 11 I know he got the captaincy but he was always the second-line guy you get who Austin doesn't want to play with pull your weight and he has and he's done the right things and said the right things yeah and even the contract negotiation in retrospect you look back and say man they paid him a lot in the cash. But at the time, it was just a celebration. John chose to came home. So from a PR standpoint, he got such a head start because it wasn't about

contract. It was, wow, he chose to come home. He was the chosen one that did it. That allowed him so much goodwill. Like he got such a head start on all these guys. So I think that's a part of it. And now I would argue at the end, there's a lot of people that are split on this in terms of whether or not you need Tavares to be a part of this in the future. And if he is, he better take a huge discount because, and I think that's coming for him.

The, okay, you're a local guy, don't be silly here now. Like now you're up again, don't be silly. But I think with Mitch, it's all, my impression has been Leaf fans And specifically people from the greater Toronto area have taken it more personally when it comes to his because he's from here Because he's from here And the the understanding is Austin didn't grow up here. Austin didn't grow up dreaming of being a Leaf He doesn't know the history. Willie didn't grow up here, Willie didn't dream of being a Leaf, Willie doesn't know

the history. His dad played all over the league, he never played here. Mitch should know better. Mitch was one of us, quote unquote, before he made it. He's living the dream. And it's like, how dare you hold your status over Leaf fans? I think that's always been cutting at the edge of this. So I think one dot that needs to be connected to that

is 2019, when Matthews is negotiating another contract with the Leafs, and so is Marner, and Matthews gets that contract done in February. Five year deal. Overnight, out of nowhere. 11.6. Quietly. On that same day, Marner's agent, Darren Ferris,

talks to Dave Festchuk, I believe it was Dave Festchuk in the Toronto Star, and says that Marner is being lowballed talks to Dave Feschuk, I believe it was Dave Feschuk in the Toronto Star, and says that Marner is being lowballed in talks with the Leafs. There's a super contentious negotiation. And I think that's when something shifted with the fan base. Like I'm not a fan, like I don't know. That's how it feels from that point.

It was like, oh, he's gonna get more than this guy and this guy and this guy, and he's not gonna take less, and he's not gonna take eight and he's not gonna take eight years he's gonna take ten point nine on a six-year deal and Then the playoffs change because remember in 2018. He was awesome He was the best player in that series against Boston Remember the Bruins players were like talking about him in a handshake line and Cassidy was doing they're like this guy's unbelievable Yeah, then the contract happens then some playoffs happen the team doesn't do well

He doesn't do well. He doesn't do well. And suddenly it's like, well, Ranson is making nine and a half and he's making 10.9. He's not as good in the playoffs. And suddenly like, this is just boiling. And now it's, he's getting more criticized. And he feels that like he's from here. People around him are from here. And so suddenly it's just like, this is boiling more than it ever did with William, ever did with Austin, ever did with John. and I think you're right to connect it to the hometown thing because it's like... You should know better. But it all connects even further back to what you talked about with Shanahan where he has that press

conference that one day way way way back that the teams he played on, the good teams, those players always took everyone took less and none of them did. Well you've hit on two things there. the connection of Matthew's which is a big part of I still believe is a part of this right and again gets back to where it's the quote-unquote Marner wins the negotiation I don't know what he's asking for I don't know what he's looking for we don't have those answers his they've declined to talk about exactly it would I be surprised if he looked at it as well you

He only signed for four years and got that so I'll do four years at the same or better Because the cabs going up now like I fully expect that like I expect that and secondly and I think this is more important in terms of where the fans view all this is clearly that PR disaster from five and a half years ago has not affected him at all when it comes to the next time up. I don't think it's been connected and I think that's a mistake because now I think this is the same the same thing is happening again. Right. But where they're not realizing this is not good PR this is not. Or they don't care. That again gets back to the core issue

of what I'm saying local guy leave, leave fans, take it personally. That it's, and again, it's a business. I don't want to sound naive and goofy like we're living in a fantasy world. This is a business. Yeah, if I can get the most money, I want the most money. I totally get it. But there was a lot of reporting on that five and a half years

ago, how it was tough on Marner. You know, that a lot of people started turning on him. Like, what are you doing? Why are you holding the team hostage here? Why aren't you showing up at camp? Why are you demanding this? What do you, you should know about it. And meanwhile, at the same time,

all those players in Tampa are taking less. Everybody's taking less. Different situation, but that doesn't come into it. And then five and a half years later, again, we're not at a breaking point yet. So Marner's argument could be, guys, I'm just playing out the year. Like I have another year left and we'll figure this out.

And maybe it's simple in May or June, they just sign and they move on. But I don't get the impression that that perceived PR nightmare that was so difficult to go through, actually may be affected in the way that we all thought it did or that it was going to apply to some sort of different negotiation tactic in the future, because it feels like we're trending in a very similar direction.

The difference being he's a UFA as opposed to RFA. RFA couldn't go anywhere. UFA, you hit July 1, it's a totally different story. That eighth year is completely off the table and then it becomes more and more likely he leaves probably at that point. Man, there's a lot to get into here. And Jimmy Ralph coming up, Ralphie and Bonesy with the call tonight. We just lock off the whole three hours and just keep... Well, CJ's coming up. We'll get more into CJ's reporting on it. I'll get, I gotta get another pie chart

going for later today. Yeah. I think we need a 6 p.m. pie chart. What was the one I was going to ask you to do? Well, it was... Oh yeah, pie chart and blame pie chart. The blame pie chart. What was the one I was gonna ask you to do? Well it was uh... Oh yeah, pie chart and blame pie chart. The blame pie chart. Blame pie chart. From the from the fan base I guess. From the fan base. I could do a blame pie chart. I like that, do that. All right I'll try to come up with one. This is a new bit, you got to go with this. Yeah pie charts are the they're the new craze. You're gonna be doing like tables and you're gonna have graphs. Here's why everyone loves a pie chart because it's so easy to follow. Yeah. Right? You start getting the squiggly lines and the goofy stuff or the dots all over the place.

People can't follow that. A pie chart everyone can follow. Everyone loves a pie chart. Everyone loves pie. That's valid too. All right, Jimmy Rolfe coming up. Chris Johnston will join us. Craziness in the NFL as well. We'll touch on a lot of news in the NFL. We'll get to that a little bit later this afternoon. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 in on TSN 4. Let go from your job without a severance package? You need employmentlawyer.ca.

Your employer is legally required to give you as much as 24 months pay when you lose your job. Call your Sam Firu and get what you're owed. Employmentlawyer.ca. Alright Overdrive continues powered by FanDuel bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score. Brian Hayes, Jonas Segal of The Athletic, Jimmy Ralph coming up here in a moment. Leafs in Utah tonight. Where's that on your list of must-see cities? That's the one place I don't think I've ever

gone to for a game. Obviously it's the first one. Yeah's the one place I don't think I've ever gone to for a game. Obviously it's the first one. Yeah, first one tonight. I wonder how many Leaf fans will be there tonight. They go everywhere, so probably some. It'd be a good trip, like ski. Salt Lake City, like who? I don't know.

It's not, yeah, it's a Monday night in Salt Lake. I don't. Happenin'. Think someone could find a party there? Ralphie probably could. He could? Ralphie probably good he Ralphie probably played there in the miners but she tore up Salt Lake City like noodles always talks about it used to play there you'll hear him with Joe

Jim Bowen tonight leaves in Utah playing the hockey club Joe Bowen what did I say Jim Bowen Jim Bowen this is Joe Ralph Joe Ralph Joe Ralph and Jim Bowen with the call tonight for the hockey club in the Maple Leafs. Hey Ralphie. I probably played like Jim Bowen in the mining. You ever get to Salt Lake? Ask Noodles if he remembers there was a bar called the Green Parrot Yes.

in Salt Lake City if I recall that correctly. I don't remember games but I do remember establishments in a lot of cities. I've heard of that one he's mentioned it many times he needed like a membership card or something to be able to drink there because of the booze laws I guess in Utah or whatever yeah I've heard of that place he's been there a few times. Well that was a pretty big name I didn't need that. Yeah that's true they let you skate on all that kind of stuff I'm sure back in the day. It's interesting times here with the Leafs because you know prior to these three games they had won a lot maybe weren't playing the greatest of hockey. Jonas you and I have had

different viewpoints on that but they kept racking up points and now you lose three in a row. Florida doesn't lose and all of a sudden you got this four point buffer I can't say it's a must win tonight but it feels like a pretty significant game doesn't it yeah if you want to set up for the game against Florida later this week is a an important game I think absolutely you've got to win tonight and I mean I think one of the big concerns going through it coming back from the the four nations break is six of the eight games say they've given up multi-goals in a period and you know at the start of the year we were talking about how they were winning the three

one four two games and how it was brew Bay hockey and they were playing tougher and they've gotten away from that I mean they've had you know even you know the third period against Carolina they got a, nothing late and then it's four, three late and you're scrambled and get a win. But it's the, uh, the two, three, you know, and against Colorado, four gold periods against that are absolutely destroying. So I think they were, uh, you know, Harry Neil always had a line when you're coming out of a winning streak, you win a couple of games, you should have lost. And when you're coming out of losing streak,, you win a couple of games you should have lost. And when you're coming out of losing streak,

you lose a couple you should have won. And I kind of look at that, the Pittsburgh game especially was sort of a sign that things were starting to turn the other way. Now then you give up two in the third period against San Jose and the losing streak is on. Well, so Ralphie, what you're talking about there with the team's defensive play

Where do you think now the goalies fit in all this and I'm gonna ask you to do a mini Jerry's percentage Is this I like stealing their bets. Yes, please do Where I'm gonna say it's 40% gold in it That wasn't the question. What are you doing? That's a great answer though. Go for it, take it from there. Yeah please run with that. Well what percentage are you asking? I don't know, now go up it's on you now. I would say they're now asking their goal centers instead of

two or three big saves in a game uh... we're going to the six to eight mark and i think that's the uh... uh... that's the top part. You're, you're seeing, uh, the leaf goalies that we didn't see a lot of early in the year getting beat one on one shots, you know, no screens, no tips, uh, not off the brush, um, but just one on one, uh, they're getting beat on shots. And, uh, you know, what, uh, I think, you know,

even the McKinnon goal and now you can still say it's Nathan McKinnon that was on the power play but those were the saves that were getting almost every game to a hundred percent. So like I said, I would say it's 40% because you know, even the game where Stoller's gives up four in Boston, arguably he was one of the most valuable players in the game, you know, that know, that he kept Boston to four. So I just think that's where they've been trending.

And you know, if it's related to Chris Tanev, then you got to start giving them our trophy consideration because there's certainly a different team without them. But you know, there's still four other guys on the ice when he's out there. Do you want to complete your Jerry's question? Do you have a different viewpoint? No, I changed my question. From Ralphie or? But yeah, actually, so I was going to ask you about the competition between the two starters, but now I'm going to scrap that and ask you how much do you think workload now starts to

become a thing for both guys? Both are like, Stolar's next start will match a career high, Wall's already blown past a career high. How much do you think that factors into some of the dip? Uh, well if it does, then you might be in trouble for the playoffs. You know, if you're going to try to ride one guy, uh, you know, and get somebody hot to go. So I'm gonna say a very small percentage, Jonas, with that, that these guys have played most of their careers wanting to play 50, 60 games. So they, and I'm not gonna make an excuse with their schedule the way it's been for them

because tell that Calgary was on the road for two weeks. Talk to LA or Vancouver about how tough your schedule is and they'll laugh at you. So, but it is a stretch where they played a lot in a short period of time. And it might be overall team fatigue, but from a goal center standpoint, I don't think it should be a factor at all.

With Jim Ralph, Leafs Hockey Club tonight in Utah, right here on TSM radio Mitch Marner, you know, we all know what happened late last week and you know him speaking on it after the game on Saturday But his contract and him not getting into it and he doesn't sound like he wants to negotiate or really talk about it much You know throughout this season you're around him a lot. You're around the team a lot You've seen him play basically every game of his career I haven't noticed any effect on the way he's played I think he's been outstanding this year I thought he was great on Saturday night have you noticed anything tangible about Marner and the

way that he's going about his business that would suggest him in the final year of a contract is affecting him negatively, positively. Where do you stand on that? Uh, no, I haven't seen anything that's a factor this game. He had a depth of about four or five games ago where he had a stretch for the, the points weren't coming, but I'm going to take a different take on it. Uh, than most people, I think this might be an outstanding situation. I mean, you go into the playoffs, take them to the finals on your back, win a cons, my trophy. And you know, whether it's three sign in Toronto or, or write your own ticket anywhere else.

Uh, I think that's the best case scenario. No, you want to have the, have the ultimate bargaining chip, uh, do that. And, uh, you know, and carry them to where this team was expected to go in the last four or five years. I think where it becomes a concern, even if they only win a single playoff series again, I think then it becomes a concern. Now is this an opportunity to say, okay, everybody's got to go in a different direction. So I think from the Mitch Marner scan point and, and hopefully benefiting the leaves, this is, you know, take them,

you know, win, win three rounds, get to the finals and be the best player in the league and get paid accordingly when it's done, whether it's in Toronto or anyone else. So, uh, I, I think it's, um, you know, a better situation than say you signed them in February and they're out in the first round again, then, then what's, what's the conversation going to be? So I think it's, uh, you know, an opportunity, um, you know, both for Marner and, and for the Leafs that, uh, you know what you, uh, you take us to where we want to go and you know, you're the, the best player we've got in the

team and the best player in the last two months of the playoffs I think everybody can be happy with what the result is gonna be you know especially if you think you've got to give them more than Matthews or Nathan McKinnon you know it's a chance for him to show that he deserves it. Yeah it's the ultimate betting on yourself scenario he's not the first athlete to do it, won't be the last. And it, you know, from a lead perspective, it sounds as if they want to engage in negotiations, but it may free them up to make a different decision

or feel better about a decision. That always should have been the play anyway. Like it's frustrating to continuously get back into this. If Mitch wants to do that, that would have been in the best interest of the team, because you see it with all these other teams in the league that have to make tough decisions, ruthless decisions to change up the makeup of their team. And you know the Leafs have largely been

adverse to it in the past and sounds like they still are when it comes to Marner. They'd sleep easier at night if they could just get them locked in. But if he doesn't want to do that To your point Ralphie. Let's play it out. Let's see what happens Well, and I will say to Jim. Can I just add to your point? I don't if you guys remember this 21-22 season He gets hurt. I think it's like December ish Daniel Reyes I don't remember what the injury was and there was all this talk about Marner's not shooting enough. And he comes back from the injury. Do you remember this, Jim? And like suddenly he's just like,

I'm gonna score all the time. And from like, I think it was like January 15th on, I think he was like third in the league in goals, tied for first in the league in points. And he's, to me, he's never looked better. And so I wonder, Jim, if you get something like that where he's like kind of ticked off. I think that'd be, again, in his his best interest to because fans are fickle and

everyone just wants the Leafs to win. Like that's at the core of it. It's all it all is somewhat irrelevant. You know it's all different pieces to a puzzle and it's a part of being a fan but really if you're a Leaf fan you're just so desperate for them to win and there will be such an appreciation for him to do that. I'm pissed, watch this, I'm dragging this team to the promised land. People will be raving about that. Yes. But he's got to do it. That's the thing. He's got to deliver it. You know what's funny about that Jonas is I don't remember him shooting more when he came back but for some reason did he not get bird off the face

off at the start of the second period you remember the specifics of that was it a tuesday and it might have been against philadelphia right it was just off the draw where oh yeah that's when he got hurt i think it was a high was it a high ankle sprain well that was last year he had a high ankle wasn't it or the year before maybe it's a couple it was a high ankle last year before the boston series you know i mean it looks like some of the up with my with my memory and i remember the injury but not without the dot today's monday by the way and i got you

i ralphine well just make sure you have you know make it to the studio to watch and call the game tonight it should be a it'll be an interesting one you know losing three in a row and we'll see the hockey club up close and personal. We'll see what comes up. By the way, this is I think the fourth time they've lost three in a row this year and the combined games after the losing streaks are like 13 and all. So that's, I'm going to stick with that.

Okay. I'm looking forward to it tonight. It should be a good one. Enjoy it, Ralphie. Thank you for doing this. All right. Thanks, boys. There's Jim Ralph. He and Joe Bone will have the call tonight. Leaves in Utah right here on TSM radio and

Ralphie brings up listen this is also a part of it that from a lead perspective I'd love to see and we don't know all the details of what's going on behind the scenes but if Mitch just wants to play it out then say fine we're not calling well let's play it out it's not a bad thing it's business you got a year left that's the way you want to play it we can breathe we can puff our chest out we can have faith in who we are and what we're gonna be and let him along with the other guys drag this team somewhere special and somewhere different because they've never done it and it's long overdue and up to this point they haven't proved collectively that they're capable of doing that and that's the most

astonishing thing I think when you talk to people outside of this market this is year nine of Matthews Marner Nylander going to the playoffs nine years in a row any other three pack of stars slash superstars if they were going to year nine and at no point drag this team to the promised land or even to a conference final. It would have been over years ago. Mm-hmm That's what so here's a modeling about like that. They're already just ready to do it, right? And it's not that you don't love the players individually. No, they're not stars are great. That's not the point I think that's one of the it's about the philosophy of team building and what is the goal of the organization? and I think that hits that an interesting question for them because they've always taken the

stance, which I understand, that we couldn't make the team better by removing one of those players. But I think the part that's missing from that is could you make the team different and maybe different in a way that leads to better playoff success and they just haven't explored it and they don't want to explore it. That's always been the point and that's the thing it feels to me like they're just not comfortable with exploring the other option right because they didn't do it a year ago two years ago three years ago. Well and like you see

so many teams coming to Toronto like you go on the road and they just don't have the star power and they can't win games and like they're just missing what the Leafs have and so you take one of those guys out and Tavares getting older and suddenly maybe the Leafs aren't as, I don't know, potent in the regular season as they have been. Maybe they don't win as many games and maybe you don't make the playoffs or maybe you're right on the line, you know what I mean? Like maybe they're just freaked out about that. And that's clearly what is very intoxicating. I feel like I say this every spring after they lose and they determine they're bringing the band back it's very easy to understand

why that is a sales pitch that flies around Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment these are stars everyone loves them they sell jerseys they sell tickets they're gonna be great during the regular season and we're going to the playoffs every single year hundred Yeah, 100 points every year. And hopefully it changes some point in the playoffs, obviously they hope that happens, they don't know it, they couldn't possibly know it, you can't, I mean there's enough sample size now to make you have to debate that internally whether or not you think it's ever gonna work, but everything else, that's a

that's a great sales, that's a great life, man. Well, and other teams have not made that choice. Other teams have said, you know what, we're gonna swerve right here. Yep, exactly. And Tampa has done that many times. Yeah, it's exactly what it is. It's like gambling, it's like having a very steady,

great career, where it's like, you're gonna have a 30-year career, you're gonna make a few hundred grand a year, it's brilliant. You wanna do that, or do you wanna gamble, and maybe you're gonna make, few hundred grand a year, it's brilliant. You want to do that or do you want to gamble and maybe you're gonna make you know a million five, two million a year, five million a year, maybe you retire when you're 45. But the opposite is it doesn't work and you're working the rest of your life you know and it's you're chasing it or whatever it is. All right Chris

Johnston coming up in 15 minutes. Overdrive continues, TSN 1050N on TSN 4. Given five days or less to accept a severance offer, you need employmentlawyer.ca. You actually have two years to file a claim for a severance package, which can total as much as 24 months pay. Call Leor Samfiru and get what you're owed. Employmentlawyer.ca.

All right, Chris Johnston coming up. employmentlawyer.ca. Alright, Chris Johnston coming up. A lot of NHL news and notes. Raptors. I don't know what the Raptors are doing, man. They found a way to lose one over the weekend, which was shocking. But, um... It's either them or Philly, Brooklyn.

Like, it's a big race now, because Philly's just gonna lose every single game. Feels like they're never gonna win again. And Brooklyn's kind of been committed to the tank,'d say for the last couple of months. You're looking at either the fifth, sixth or seventh best odds. Philly's really interesting too. I believe their pick if it's not in the top six it goes to OKC. Yeah it's top six protected. It's like OKC just needs another pick. Just like the Raptors with Pertil and the Spurs. It's a little like that Kessel season. Well there was no protection on that though. Right. I guess. Like that changed the

whole leaf. That Kessel, that Phil Kessel maple leaf debacle, which was not Phil's fault. No. Now you'll notice every trade is top 10 protected, top 5 protected, for the most part. everyone puts in a- It took so long for the NHL to be in here. It took so long because the Leafs had to get burned. Of course it was the Leafs and they weren't alone. But for the most part, I think that Kessel deal changed anything, everything, because it wasn't just Sagan

that year, next year, Dougie Hamilton. They gave the ninth overall pick. Yeah, it's tough. The second overall pick and the ninth overall pick. And it was Tyler S. The second overall pick and the ninth overall pick. And it was Tyler Sagan and Dougie Hamilton. Yeah, pretty good. Who both turned into really good players, both local guys. Both win a cup.

Yeah, both, exactly. Anyway, CJ coming up, Least in Action tonight. Lot of news in the NFL. We'll get to that as we move forward as well. Jonas is in here. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050N on TSN 4. You've been listening to Overdrive, powered by FanDuel.

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