OverDrive - OverDrive - March 11th, 2025 - Hour 1

Episode Date: March 11, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Frank Corrado and Jonas Siegel for Hour 1 on OverDrive! The guys discuss the Maple Leafs' victory against the Utah Hockey Club, Mitch Marner's shootout winner in the game, Simon Benoit's punch in the fight and the team's goaltending choices. Bruins Writer for Boston Sports Journal Joe Haggerty joins to discuss Brad Marchand's departure from the Bruins, his return to Boston and the standpoint from the fanbase of the team.

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Switch to Bell PureFiber, Canada's fastest internet, awarded by UCCLA. Starting from $60 a month. Visit bell.ca for more details and to check availability. 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 up on TSN plus all afternoon Brian Hayes Frankie Corrado Jonas Siegel of the athletic how's everyone feeling today we all make it through the game last night yeah it got

a little wild there didn't it there were Superman punches there was Leeds blown that's uh it's a pretty wild building, hey? You see all the people standing, watching the game. It was pretty unique. I thought it was pretty cool to see that. Yeah, it had some like Islanders, Honda in the corner type vibes to it. You know what I mean?

The rink where there's certain sight lines where there's just a wall for some reason and like four people. And I guess the capacity is around 11,000 but Joseph Wall said after the game one of the louder buildings he can remember playing in like really kind of electric atmosphere and I think a lot of people are trying to figure out what's going on with a game and credit to Utah I guess for picking up a point last night because in the first period you're right three nothing leaves power plays on fire seaman ben was superman punching guys everything is going

the way the maple leaves everything i guess that was early in the second when that happened but uh... mandated they melt and found a way they found a way to hold on there's no other way to explain it i mean i think they got their doors blown off in the second and third period It was like it was four minutes of just Utah looked like the old Soviet Red Army team

And it was just like they had the pot they were flying downhill at them guys were wide open And then to their credit I'll give Toronto a little bit of credit here. They called the timeout Slow things down a little bit and then it felt like it was more of a sawed-off type of hockey game after that. There was four minutes where it was completely off the rails there. Well, it was egregious breakdowns was what it was. I mean, egregious defensive breakdowns. I think you're... Yeah, I guess it was somewhat even. You're being kind. Sorry. somewhat even you're being kind I think you're right I personally thought you know the second and third pretty look at

the shots you look over time numbers over time like they Joseph Wall had to kind of stand on his head Jonas yeah at times to get to a point where you're like can you get a point how about we get to the get to overtime and find a way to secure a point here can I ask you though Frankie like what are their schedule the last month has just been nuts? What would they be feeling in that spot where it's like this is kind of the end of the road a little bit where it's like it's your last game and then you finally get to get to go home? Like how much should I factor that in? No, I think it's a factor but I think in that game like and it's been the case for them when you have the lead. It's different

You're not chasing the game you when you have the lead you're able to dictate things to a certain degree And I think that's where like the biggest letdown has been with this group the last little while like you didn't have to chase it You could have you know got in your Defensive posture and said you know we're gonna clog things up or make it difficult for you But they haven't been able to do that. And so that's where the biggest disappointment would lie in all of this It's like yeah, if you were down early in these games sure you're chasing it It's hard like this road trip is really catching up to you But the fact that you've had the leads like you've squandered what what good faith that you had already in all these games

But yeah for sure. It's a factor all the road games all the travel you've you've squandered what what good faith that you had already in all these games but yeah for sure it's a factor all the road games all the travel but everyone's doing this condensed schedule everyone's got these road trips it's not unique to just the maple leafs everyone has had to deal with this you mentioned at them blown leads there was two nothing against san jose it was four two against colorado it was three nothing last night now they end up still getting three points out of those three blown leads. But it has been a pretty consistent theme since the Four Nations, where they found a way to rack up some points,

and now they're only two points back at Florida, and they got the Panthers on Thursday night, and we will talk a lot about that game between now and Thursday but since the Four Nations they have not put anything close to a 60-minute effort out there like not even close and I was going through the schedule today I'm curious where you guys would stand on it I thought the Vancouver game before the break was a look they were okay they were okay in that game was a low scoring game kind of low event but I think everyone was kind of thinking get me out of here I thought they played pretty well against

Calgary I think they won that game 5-2 Seattle when Stolas made his returns sales not much of a team but Stolas was tested a lot but he played pretty well but you know you go down the sked since the Four Nations they have collectively found a way to get points and keep in this race for first in the Atlantic. But there's been a lot of bad periods and bad breakdowns and again, just never a scenario where you walk away saying that was just a 60 minute game and that was what was kind of disappointing about last night, albeit they won the game to their credit, was that first period.

They dominated that period and that looked like a veteran team that had a team meeting that said, we gotta snap out of this, what are we doing here? Let's go into Utah, we're better than these guys. And their power plays clicking, they're out shooting them, out possessing them, out hitting them, everything's going their way. And then break down, break down, break down,

it's three-three and they're holding on for dear life. And I don't know what it is, Jonas. I don't know if it's that they're fragile, is it that that they're tired is it that they miss Chris Tana that much? No, but see I would argue in the stats would back it up that this has been going on for longer And this was kind of our argument a couple weeks ago It's like well, they're winning games where it's like are they actually playing that well? and if you look at like two things really concern me is Defensively they have not been strong for a while and they don't carry the play like if you look at like two things really concern me is defensively, they have not been strong for a while and they don't carry the play.

Like if you look at some of the possession, the expected goal stats since like the beginning of December, the beginning of January, I think they're like 26th, 27th. Like they're not they're not going into these games exactly what you're talking about where you're coming out of it and you're like they they own that game. They just they looked at Utah and it was just like Utah had no chance there haven't been a lot of those games like I think Calgary was a good game for them but like they've just found a way to win games that they haven't played especially well which credit to them but it just makes you wonder if there's that other level in there or if this is just kind of what they are that's what I don't know yeah and I don't think it's just kind of who they are personally. I do think you look at this team and the way that they're built, if everyone's playing

the way they're supposed to play, easier said than done, and every team would look at it and say, certain guys aren't going or certain units aren't clicking or whatever, that they're capable of being a much more imposing team. I think Tana being out is one thing thing but that's not an excuse for the veteran defensemen to be playing the way they're playing i i think they're since the break in particular riley mckay back to larsen are just not playing well enough like the three of them

that's veteran savvy mobile healthy physical defensemen that are making too many mistakes you mistakes every single night. I also think you look up front, like Austin Matthews in particular is just blending into too many games. He was just blending in last night. If you're a Utah fan that's never seen a game, you would have shown up and there's 36 players out there taking shifts.

I think if you ask them as they left the building, like where was 34 in Toronto on your list in terms of guys you noticed in the 20s last night? You know, like he had a beautiful shootout goal. He had some big hit late in the third, a couple of moves in overtime. But that can be a big part of it in terms of everything else filtering into place that Matthew's your best player is Just simply not been who he's supposed to be. Mm-hmm On a consistent basis the shot right now like he had that one where he's on his offside Last night, I think was in the third period and like man like I've seen you score that dozens of times and it's like it's it's

Over the net it there's something that the one-timer Frankie where I and it's like it's over the net. There's something- Was that the one-timer, Frankie? Where it's just- I think it's the one-timer, yeah. And it's just something about it where it doesn't have the same, I don't know if it's the velocity or if it's an optics thing, but it just doesn't look the way it does when he's scoring. And he's the kind of guy that he does things that take you out of your seat,

or you say, wow, and you're like, if you have the remote control near you, you can be like, I got to rewind that and see what this guy just did. He's not doing that, and that's part of it. But I would also say this. They have a three-goal lead last night and like the fact that Austin Matthews doesn't score doesn't do anything that wows you like that doesn't correlate to blowing a three goal lead. It more goes back to you know Oliver Ekman Larson looking like Vancouver OEL where like

he's just a step behind or he's getting beat or he's not you know reading things properly. And when Tanev comes back Tanev is going to play with McCabe and then Riley is going to play with Carlo and OEL then Riley's gonna play with Carlo, and OEL's probably gonna be a third pair defenseman, and guess what? That's what he was last year for Florida. So once Tanev comes back, there should be no excuses, but they are better, or they should be better defensively than what they have shown without Chris Tanev. Like there still is enough there where they shouldn't be doing what they're doing.

No, and again, it'd be different if there was a litany of injuries, then you'd have without Chris Tanev. There still is enough there where they shouldn't be doing what they're doing. No. And again, it'd be different if there was a litany of injuries, then you'd have to be reasonable. Right? If Simone Benoit was playing 24 minutes and Philippe Meyers would be like, what are you really expecting? Those guys shouldn't be in the position they're in. Or if it was just a group of players that again are just not capable of You know doing what some of these veterans are doing or if they were rookies and just hitting a wall But Morgan Riley Jake McCabe and Ekman Larsen they have what do they collectively got? How many games twenty three hundred games in the league or something? It's crazy the amount

Yeah, these guys are veteran hockey players in their th 30s who are just making mistakes that you can't collectively mistake or make on a nightly basis. They've got six weeks to clean it up. It'll be challenged on Thursday with Florida in town. I would expect they get up for that. Again, they're day off today. They'll skate tomorrow. They're back home.

I think it'll be an electric building on Thursday night. I think being back home and back in the East and playing Florida I think that's big for them and then Ottawa on Saturday night I think that's big for them. There's been a malaise kind of in the league not just them like post-four nations it's just been a weird year like and I think that's what you're pointing to Jonas like the scheduling and all that and and the bottom line is they're still in the hunt there are two points back in first place in the division they're going to the playoffs

and they just gotta get it going but the matthews one is is for me more at the forefront because you know he keeps collecting points is putting up you know sis every single night these all that all that but that's not who he is like that that's not what makes him a driving force and Last year, I think there would have been how many games 30 40 games where you walked out of the building He said that guy was the best player

Yeah, like that guy dominated tonight, and I don't know if he's done that more than five times all year I really don't I don't know if there's been five games where you can say that guy was i really don't i don't know if there's been five games where you can say that guy was clear cut the best plan is it's certainly is not happen post four nations and i don't recall it happening before the four nations so that's gonna be the story you know i thought they about that jonas like when when you're down there you're

around practice your your all the games you're in the room like is that ever is that one of those things we just don't talk about it right now Or is it just kind of because he went to Germany and he did the it's not something he likes to talk about Yeah, and it like understandably like he's not gonna want to make excuses You can just tell like you can watch him you can look like we have these Analytic stats like that the NHL has released this year You can see in like skating speed, shot speed,

all these things, they're down like he just he doesn't look as explosive and you know, it's it's it's felt like this for a while that it was just going to be one of those years where he's just going to have to like play through whatever this issue is. Like he's on pace, I think for like 31 goals and 60 odd games like staggering regular for him for him it's regular like if you just threw it like if you're looking at his stat page is like 56 points and 49 games I think that that doesn't tell the whole story there's a couple plays this season that have kind of stuck out to me where it's almost like it's a 50 50 confrontation yeah someone's gonna lean in on him and now he's got a decision to make stuck out to me where it's almost like it's a 50-50 confrontation.

Someone's going to lean in on him and now he's got a decision to make. Is he going to lean back? He doesn't have the puck or he tries to go around and do this like pickpocket thing. It happened way back in Dallas and he got roasted for the one goal against. Then it happened in Pittsburgh with Raquel where it's like that's a Matthews is a moose. Like he's a big strong dude. He can lean on guys without the puck and win those battles, but it's almost like he's a little hesitant to do that.

So he tries the pick pocket route. So like you're right. He's probably still not at a hundred percent. He's got to get through the season and hope that he can still have an impact while playing the way he's playing. Well, do you guys hope that he can still have an impact while playing the way he's playing. Well do you guys remember that game I can't remember what game it was but it was really early in the season he made a mistake in the corner and they got scored on he came back to the bench and Barube got on him and I was thinking I remember talking to Masters about this at some point it was

like do we ever see that with Keefe and I think Mark said no but like he that never happened. Those kinds of plays, you never saw them where it was like he made a glaring air like that that led to a goal. You just don't... You never saw that kind of thing. Defensively, if you look at a lot of the numbers, it's not just the goal scoring. That's where you can notice a change where he was just like that line defensively, they gave up nothing.

And now this year, it's like they're giving up Almost as much as they score Yeah, and that's a big concern and and that would indicate what we're saying here. You know these are all us Speculating, but it doesn't take a genius to figure this out watching them that if he's uncomfortable if he's not at a hundred percent Because defensively it really is a lot about effort and a lot about checking. Checking is going to put your body in a tough spot. Every once in a while you're going to get leaned on.

You're going to have to hit. You're going to have to stop a cycle. You're going to have to anticipate that. You're going to have to skate your way into a position where you're going to block a puck and move up ice. It's the slimmest of margins between a great defensive player and a good defensive player. It's the slightest of it.

The game is so fast. It's like, did you get your stick there? Did you get your body in the right position? And you have a millisecond to make that choice and do it. And if you can't, then you're going to get exposed at times. And you know, that has been clear with Matthews. And Hayes, his bar is so so so i think we that's what it's like

it's like mcdavid madison i've been saying the same about comic david like ninety nine percent of the players that have ever played the game anything to have the season is currently out ninety nine percent of any player in the history of the sport anything for the year he's having he He's part of the 1%. Not good enough for McDavid.

He's not playing anywhere close to the level he can play. He's not producing at that level. Same thing with Austin. The idea of Austin Matthews scoring 31 goals in a season. You'd think he played 25 games. That would be the thought. Something happened, he missed half the year or something like that. It not the case like he's playing he missed some time 40 is a down year. I thought he was a down year for Matthew It's based on nine last year exactly based on his standards 40 is a down year

And you know, it's funny you bring up McDavid. Did you catch any of that Oilers game last night? They look So regular and frustrated too many see him leaving the ice last night like they're not out of shape they should be frustrated because that was buffalo and then you went in there and you lost that game and it was sloppy it was sloppy from the goaltender on out the defense like the way they kinda played certain rush situations was really sloppy guys given each other grenade passes at terrible moments in terrible times in the game like that is

not the Edmonton Oilers that we saw for the majority of this season and the majority of last season after Nal Block took over but that is a that's a sloppy looking group and when that kind of stuff happens if McDavid is not superhuman if Dry Cytl is not superhuman

that looks like a very regular team. Well, that's it, man. And Atcom's not playing now, right? Like, Atcom's missed the last few games. He's not on the trip. He's not likely to play as they go through New York. And that is the sport, when you're dealing with 32 teams in a finite number in terms of a cap hit, it's a watered-down league, you need your top guys to filter in appropriately. Like, and that's why I do see an alignment here with the Leafs and the Oilers, where if you don't have Matthews playing at a like 60 goal jugger knot, top five player in the game type pace, then you're asking Scott Lawton to

do more, and Max Domi and Pontus Holmberg, they can't. They're not capable of doing that. The same thing with McDavid. Again, you look at Tanev out for the Leafs, Ekholm out for the Orlers. The Orlers, they have to get Ekholm and Bouchard playing like they did last year. You have to get that pairing. They were exceptional down the stretch last year and into the playoffs. You put them on the ice for 25 minutes in any scenario and you're breathing easy. As a coach, you're like, I got to figure out 35 minutes tonight. I can figure that out. You got Wolman here, nurses back, you can find a way to make that work.

Nurses played better too. He's been better. Exactly. But he's just playing within himself, right? Not trying to do too much. And a lot of that has to do with Bouchard when he moves the puck well and he's offensive. And at home when he's there Just kind of slots in you forget about a lot of trapelly But the longer at homes out the more nurse is gonna have to do and play and eventually it's probably gonna burn them

But yeah, it's an issue in Edmonton right now. I get really well and Hayes the difference I would say between the teams is The Leafs have had the goaltending where it's like their goaltending can mask a lot of this and like you go back to that five game win streak in the eight of nine it was like their goaltending was really good in stretches of that especially Stolar's and if you don't get that suddenly like that game last night like Edmonton like those aren't great goals right no no I mean that's there were a couple the one where Skinner's fumbling with the puck and his slot shot issues are pretty significant too.

His save percentage of the slot is not good. Skinner gives up one bad one for me because the other one off the rush, it's like the D completely sag back, you let a good goal scorer walk in. What's he supposed to do? Like there's a lot of goalies that are giving that one up. And then like Bouchard's going back for a puck. He's getting two on one. He got a grenade thrown at him at the blue line.

It's not one thing for them. And I would say for the Leafs, when you bring that back to what they've been going through defensively, it's a couple things for the Leafs. It's Matthew's not being the Matthews level of player he's usually. It's veteran guys making mistakes. At least the goaltending has been there to bail them out, but it feels a little different in Edmonton just because there's different areas that it could flounder, like not having that goaltending.

Big time. And also who you're competing with. In Toronto, you're going to be looking at Florida, you're looking at Tampa, and Edmonton, they're looking at Vegas. You're going to run into Winnipeg or Dallas or Colorado. All these teams are really good teams. If you go in playing the way you've been playing, Edmonton, and I would argue Toronto, the way they've been playing the last month or so, it's very difficult to see them going on a

run. But goaltending is definitely something with the Leafs lately that has leaked oil a little bit, yet I thought Wall battled really well last night. And I'm sure you guys saw this stat. I saw Chris Jastremski, who's from the NHL on TNT, he's a researcher for the NHL on TNT. He tweeted out last night night entering the game last night Lee schooly Joseph Wall has stopped all 42 shots faced during crunch time Situations the only goalie were the perfect safe percentage in those situations This is how he defines crunch time

final five minutes of regulation and overtime when the game is either tied or within a one goal margin and Like I hadn't really thought of that statistic and when it came up on my radar last night I'm like, okay, I'll make a note of that because Stolaris has been more consistent than him this year. When he's been healthy, Stolaris has been better. He's been great. Stolaris has been great this year. What we saw at a wall in game five and game six against Boston last year was this statistic coming to life.

He was phenomenal. He was a big game goalie. He did it the year before when they had to put him in right against Florida, I think it was. He played great in that limited, when he was a rookie, a pure rookie, he played great. I'm curious where you guys stand on that in terms of trying to predict what could happen come playoff time in terms of who they give the nod to do you look at the overall statistics and performance and what you think you get out of Stolar's compared to Wall you know from the first minute through the 55th minute or do you look at Wall and his you know ability to stand tall when it's crunch time down the stretch and

think that's the guy that we've got to go with. I just hope that Wal is there come crunch time. That's the thing that I would have a hard time getting over. When you're there and you're healthy, I realize that you're very able to, but I don't want you pulling the plug like he did last year where is this guy available? With Stolarz, I realize there's an injury history, realize that he's missed some time this season, but there's just something about the stature of him in the net, the consistency that he's had with the season.

I would be leaning more towards Stolarz just based on... I feel more at ease with him in the net. Even though Wall has made the big saves come crunch time I just I still feel like there's that odd chance that he's just not gonna be there for me and Stolarz might be. Yeah I just started I decided to start tracking this every week going into the playoffs like who I thought had the edge I think it's Stolarz slightly the last two weeks since I started doing this but I still think there's a world where Wall ends up being the guy, like for lots of different reasons. Maybe he plays better in the final 10 games, five games.

And like with both these guys, the injury thing is like, you just don't know. Like Stolar's, I believe the next start will match a career high. So like you just don't know how starts 24 to 30 go. Like, will he stay healthy? Will he stay at this level? Same with Wol. Like, I think it's like, I don't know how starts 24 to 30 go. Like will he stay healthy? Will he stay at this level? Same with Wall. Like I think it's like, I don't know what you guys think the percentages are.

I think it's like 55 Storrs, 45 Wall, maybe 60, 40, something like that. Yeah. Reasonable. Yeah, I'd lean, you know, 60, maybe 65, 35 Storrs, because I do think he has been better. But the only thing Hayes, like like I don't know if you care but Like he has never started in the playoffs and like you said wall He's been in and out and that's where the guy yeah

You have to take that into consideration and I would add one more thing like you said, you know What happens to on the stretch run? I would look at the specific games Florida and Tampa and stole ours is gonna get the first opportunity. He gets the start on Thursday night That's big because I think those games are just gonna resonate more with the team in terms of how they feel about their play What they think is gonna happen going forward like if Stollers looks really comfortable and plays great and gets a win on Thursday That's even more of a one-up on Joseph Wall fairly or unfairly because only one guy can play I think if Stollers gets the starts that will really show you how the Leafs are Feeling right like if he starts all three games against, Florida and plays well and they win two of them or all three of them

I don't know how wall can beat that or will be yeah, but if Stollers You know falls flat on Thursday And then wall gets in for the remaining games or plays the Tampa game and plays it well. That I think will hold a lot of meaning. Well, I think they did that in past year. Sorry, Frankie. Like I don't know if I'm remembering this right, but I feel like last year they gave wall a couple starts in a row against Boston. He didn't play well. Yeah. And who knows if that's why he didn't start at the beginning of the series. But I think that was very significant. I remember that vividly. I think they lost four one or something. He didn't start at the beginning of the series but i think that was very significant i remember that vividly i think they lost four one or something he didn't play great it was in boston yeah

and the team didn't play great either they didn't help him or anything but i remember having that chat like who who's kiki's gonna go to and i think who we go who he tips his hand out is actually a tell of who he wants to play but he wants wall to take the opportunity and run with it and he didn't uh... and as a result they went to samson oven the rest was history

uh... speaking of boston florida's in town tonight playing the prunes and brad marshawn was out there speak with the media and he went out for a twirl in panthers here you knew he was going out there nothing was going to stop him from skating around in that practice gear in front of the Boston media Joe Haggerty has been covering the Bruins for a long time. We'll head to Boston TF that game get his take on Marshawn what he had to say today His take on Brandon Carlo as a may believe there's a lot to get into with hags will do that

Mike Johnson still to come confirm a denial later this afternoon and some really tough Tiger Woods news that we'll tell you about and we'll get into as well as we move forward. Overdrive continues, Sheesh, that's got power. It's Canada's fastest and most trusted internet service. Cool if I give it a test drive? Promise you won't share the password? Switch to Bell Pure Fiber, Canada's fastest internet, awarded by UCCLA, starting from $60 a month. Visit bell.ca for more details and to check availability. Bell, internet just got better. All right, Confirm and Deny in an hour.

Brian Hayes, Frankie Corrado, Jonas Siegel of The Athletic. We got Mike Johnson coming up in half an hour. Florida, Boston tonight, Brad Marshawn will be obviously in the building, but representing the Panthers, which is wild because, you know, I would guess, you know, if you're injured and you're the Bruins, they're usually up in the media gondola, right? We've all been there a bunch and you see them kind of walking around, but the Bruins, like any other home team,

would have their own kind of office that is set up well for their own players. And then the opposing players who are injured or healthy scratches, they're kind of at times just left out there, right? Like you just find a place to sit and do your thing. Like what happens when you're with this? This was my life for a year and a half. At Scotiabank Arena, when I was a healthy scratch, I had a nice little booth up there, closed door. It was great.

On the road sometimes, you'll go to the PR person and they'll be like, yeah, you're in like press box seat 135, go ahead and find that you're probably like you might be sit next to hags right you just watching him get ready for what he's writing after the game absolutely i remember being in boston this was in thirteen and dougie hamilton i believe was a healthy scratch and he's walking around we go out get coffee or something that he'd dip into the

box or whatever that they had and the least healthy so we're just sitting in seats you know like it kinda like move a move aside or whatever I would love that if Brad Marshawn is sitting beside Joe Haggerty tonight like does not get access to a luxury suite is not in the obviously he's not gonna sit with the Bruins anymore, and he won't be playing, but he was out there going for a twirl. He spoke with the media for upwards of 20 minutes today. Florida, in Boston tonight, here is Joe Hagerty, writer for the Boston Sports Journal.

What do you expect to see out of Marshawn the press box tonight, Haggs? What is the plan for this guy now that he's representing the road team at the Garden tonight? Well, he won't be sitting next to me i can tell you that much uh... he would he would be crushing me uh... for eating gummy worms and sour patch kids uh... while the game is going on if i was sitting next to him uh... but i definitely will not be sitting next to him and that it won't be a situation like it used to be in the old days either where uh...

you know sean thorton when he was a healthy scratch would go get like ice cream sandwiches at the contest and bring them back for the media people uh... during the game stuff like that i'm gonna be a that marcia will probably be uh... hiding out somewhere not wanting to answer any more tough questions that are going to make a little uh... we probably won't be too much of a better in the game i'm gonna get well it's interesting how you know now reports are coming out what he was

looking for with the brooms are going to guess. Well, it's interesting how now the reports are coming out what he was looking for, what the Bruins were willing to give him. You know that Marchand, he himself broke through to I guess a meeting with Don Sweeney, I don't know if Cam Neely was involved or not, trying to figure this out where they could continue to be in partnership moving forward. And the Bruins just said, I guess, no, not happening. Is it your understanding it was either takes what they're offering or do you forward in the bruins to said i guess now not happening like what is your understanding it was either takes what they're offering or do you think in the end the bruins actually religious wanted to move on and wanted to rip the band-aid off

well i i think there was probably a notion of wanting to do that also you know marching can still play and wanting to keep them if uh... the price was right if everything made sense but uh, you know, Marshand can still play and wanting to keep him if the price was right, if everything made sense. But you know, the fact that they weren't willing to budge when it got down to, you know, not a lot of money, relatively speaking, especially with the salary cap going up, and certainly from all accounts, it sounded like Marshand wanted to meet in the middle in that final meeting.

And that really wouldn't have been a lot of money per year that we're talking about. And with the Bruins not wanting to budge, it tells me that at least on some level, they were ready to move on, especially with Charlie Coyle getting traded, Brandon Carle getting traded, Trent Frederick, I think they were in a mindset that it made sense

to clear a bunch of the decks, to amass a bunch of draft picks and prospects, clear some salary cap space and sort of use that to build it back up again. Now, maybe they did this with the calculated idea that maybe Brad Marchian will so much want to come back in the summertime and come back to Boston. We've seen how emotional he's been several times now talking about the Bruins, and he's still having a hard time even talking about, not saying we when he's talking about the Bruins

and saying they and all that stuff. And today even, he wouldn't close the door on coming back to Boston. He said he hadn't really thought about it, but it certainly sounded to me like he had not closed the door at all on that potentially happening. So maybe they are also taking a gamble that they could do this now, knowing the rest of the year

is kind of shot, get the conditional second round pick, and like, you know, it's a pretty good bet that the Florida Panthers are gonna win two rounds in the playoffs and that Brad Marchand's gonna play half the game. So I would guess this is going to turn into a first round pick and that turns into a really good deal for the Bruins and maybe they can even get them back for the number they wanted in the first place in the summertime.

Part of the reason Marshand I'm sure is emotional about what's going on is because he probably thinks, man, maybe I should have just taken the deal that was on the table because I really wanted to stay because it seems to me and talking to him and the way he's answering some of these questions he really didn't want to go. So Joe with all that in mind how is the city taking this like are they kind of okay with it with some of that you mentioned like getting some assets for the future are they like I don't know angry at management for actually trading them?

Well, you know how it works on social media, right? It's like the radical like 3% of people are on Twitter and are on social media making a ton of noise and very consistently it's been for a while now like trade everybody, trade Marcian, trade this person, trade that person and you hear a lot of that on social media, like all these Twitter all the stuff But like when the reality sets in when these players actually get trained especially The cup winner a guy that's been here 16 years a future Hall of Fame or a guy that's gonna be you know One of the best Bruins of all time when it's said and done. I think there's a lot of people They're upset a lot of fans were upset

You know a lot of people couldn't believe that they traded them especially for a second round pick even if it turns into a first and that's the kind of return they traded and got back it wasn't worth doing now Marcians hurt he seems like he only really wanted to go to Florida I think there were some factors in there that made it difficult for the Bruins to get a bigger return than they were going to get and I thought they Did pretty well with an injured player to get a first round pick a player that still seems like he's not going to be back much before the playoffs I think that's pretty good value

But I do think fans have been upset in general that these players get traded away because I think they were all fan favorites But especially with a guy like Brad Marshan who was the last link to that 2011 Stanley Cup winning team and let's face it guys Brad Marshan is one of the most charismatic likable great on TV players the marketable players in the NHL like he's one of the faces of the league and he's an iconic player That's the kind of guy that you pay money fans pay a lot of money to see play that they want to see play That's the kind of guy that you pay money fans pay a lot of money to see play that they want to see play The more the Boston Bruins trade away players and get rid of players that fans pay money to want to see play the worst It's gonna be for them

Well, you know you bring up like March and and the past and being connected to that cup team I think that the Bruins have a unique culture right where it's been Chara. It's been Bergeron It's been March and and now March and moves on. Would there be any worry within the organization that you're moving on from too much of the Bruins culture that's been built within that locker room? Well, when you're getting rid of the last piece that actually won anything, yeah, I would. You know, he's the last player that was on that roster that actually won a cup and could speak from experience about it as a member of the Bruins.

Would, I think at times, hold other players accountable and be hard on them at times because he knew what it took to win and he understood what it took to win. Maybe at times there were some younger players and players of a younger generation who kind of bristled at that accountability and some of the conversations that happened. I'm sure there were times when it didn't go smoothly and when players didn't want to hear what Marchand had to say, but I think that's part of being a leader

and part of being a demanding guy that wants to make players accountable. And let's not forget, some of the players in that locker room also uh... bruce cassidy they said was too hard on them and part of the reason he got uh... fired when he did uh... from the bruins job and then he went on to win a cup with the vegas golden night so like it i feel like

some of it you know maybe they they were looking for a change or they want they decided that they wanted to go down that avenue, especially when they had a lot of players tied up to big contracts and guys that want to be leaders and the next generation taking over. I think that was part of it. I think part of it could have been locker room stuff and maybe they didn't want to be held accountable by a guy that was a hard driving player like Martian. That might have been part of it too.

A lot of different things went into it. But in some ways I think that's a reflection on the players that are left that have to take over now and the guys that want to be leaders, guys like Osternak and McEvoy and some of the other younger players, that they really need to step it up now. They don't have Jim Montgomery to blame,

there's no captain to blame, there's no other things to blame right now it's on the management on the players that are in that locker room now uh... to step it up and if they don't they're going to take a minute changes that with joe haggard is so you've seen uh... i'm sure almost every game if not every game brennan carlos played his career and now he's two games into his leaf career and uh... play a lot of minutes lot of expectation here is going to team up with morgan riley

uh... in terms of the way he was playing on the stretch you know why do you think the bruins decided to move off him he's got two years left on his deal and how do you think harlow will eventually fit in here in toronto and bring the carlo was part of a Bruins team this year that broke way too many times late in games in the third period, you know, way too many times they could not close out close games in the third period, way too many times they let other teams come back on them and tie it up and get to overtime or win in the third period. Um,

the penalty kill, which is one of his big fortes and big calling cards really struggled this year as well. I just don't think he was a hard enough player in the D-zone when it really mattered when other teams were making a big push especially late in games and there was just too many instances I think when he was out there in situations and they didn't get the stops they needed and it was not like the old days. It's weird to see it, I guess, with the Bruins because they've always had defensive stoppers

and guys that would make plays in those late situations to hold on to leads, whether it was Zdeno Chara as the big bad defenseman around the net for so many years that was always playing the last minute or two of a game and only get down. Or Patrice Bergeron, another great defensive player that would win face-offs, would make plays that needed to be made and do things to help hold teams off. I think when you took those two players away and some of these other players needed to step up and really get stopped defensively, there were players that weren't able to do it. Brandon Karlo was one of them.

Usually great penalty killer. He kills a lot of place you big strong great guy and great leader like this so many things i like about brenda carlo uh... but i do think throughout his career i've always felt like he would have been more effective a little bit here a little that here that he is uh... for a sudden strength level and he just has not been that kind of player

and i think that the bru that kind of player and I think the Bruins decided they needed a change after seeing that one too many times. Alright, Haggs, we'll leave it there. Enjoy covering the game tonight and I'm sure we'll do it again soon. Maybe not in the playoffs because I'm not sure the Bruins are going to make it, man. That'll be the first time in a long time for you. You'll get an early spring. Oh, it pains everybody in Torontoonto to hear that let me tell you

uh... we'll make sure you guys hear us loud and clear all the way up here in toronto if that ends up taking place thank you appreciate it you got it boys i'm gonna go hit the golf course in april it's all good attaboy attaboy there's joe haggard in the Boston sports journal i remember sit down with him again in 2013 in boston in tor. Obviously that was 12 years ago, let alone in 2018, 2019. Were you at the game in 2013? I wasn't there in game... I was there for game one and game two, I believe. I can't remember. I'm kind of getting weird flashbacks. I know game one. Maybe I came

home for game two and I was in the building for the Leaf games because we were talking about that. I was talking about that earlier with I think Craig and Gino maybe before I was doing a Sports Center hit I don't remember how 2013 even came up, but Remember it was the lockout year and They played game six on the Sunday night the night before in Toronto Yeah, and they held on for dear life and that can they're down 3-1 in the series Jonas You remember it you would have been there for all of it. And I remember leaving the building I was at that game on the Sunday night and the emotion and everyone's going crazy

Remember that first time they've been in the playoffs in almost 10 years and it's like alright, they're going to Boston tomorrow night They're back in the series. They can do it and The next night a Monday night. They're up for one in the third like it it was less than twenty four hours later there up for one like it was just an amazing twenty four hours and that all of a sudden one shoe drops the next one drops and we know what happens and it's just it's a it's a

back-to-back game that I'll simply never forget you'll never be able to replicate it you couldn't script it like that. We talk about it so much too it's it's hard to talk about because everyone has their own like out of body experience that they had watching that like I remember exactly where I was thinking that the Leafs are actually going to do this and then they didn't do it and like I feel like there's amazing moments that happen in sporting history and you're like I know exactly where I was and there's not so amazing moments and you still say I know exactly where I was and that's one of them.

Absolutely. Can I ask you guys though? As vivid as it gets. Go ahead Jonas. I don't want to keep bringing you down with 2013 but I wondered when Joe was talking about March and in the reaction in the city were you thinking at all about what's happened here over the years like even dating back to like Sundine and no like in terms of what what do you mean I guess just them being willing to trade their captain and like a heart and soul

franchise player when I don't know like we've seen what's gone on here with some of their core players and like Boston's like we're not good. Teams are ruthless man I said it yesterday Jonas the the five I'll give you five teams all different examples all different circumstances yeah the Colorado Vegas Tampa Florida Boston have all been hyper aggressive and absolutely obsessed with winning for the last five six seven years they've all made what you could consider ruthless decisions to make people leave march and sent get out steven stamp coasts

jonathan huberdo you know we go ragged and mico randin and i wonder if boston had been contemplating something like this for a while now. The year that they had the unbelievable regular season and then they lost in the first round of Florida. There would have been a lot of internal dialogue on, okay, we're losing Bergeron and Krejci here. Are we going to have to flip this thing over?

Then they had, I'm not going to call it a flukey year, but they had that year where it's like they didn't miss a beat, but I think in their heart of hearts, they probably knew, okay, cupboards bear, we got to do something here, and then reality set in. So like that's, I don't know, is that a two-year lead up to this? Because I can't imagine that's a snap decision that you just make at a trade deadline. There would have been a lot of runway here. I think you're right. And I do also think that they looked at Marsand at the end and just so we got it.

We got it. Could just cut bait. That's why I don't think he's going to return. Like I think once you get out and you turn over the page and you're just like, let's just move on. We get, and remember there were reports early in the year that they were vehemently fighting against adamantly fighting against that Marchand and Pasternak weren't on the same page and blah, blah, blah. But he's a big personality that's been there a long

time and you know when it's not going well it can get awkward and he holds guys to standards that you know maybe young players new players are like man we're doing it differently now and it's uncharted territory for the Bruins. All right Mike Johnson in 15 minutes confirmed with an eye at 530 overdrive continues TSN 1050 and on TSN plus Wow, you've got the latest model nice. Oh, you should see it run Bell pure fiber. Yep Sheesh, that's got power. It's Canada's fastest and most trusted internet service. Cool if I give it a test drive? Promise you won't share the password? Switch to Bell Pure Fiber, Canada's fastest internet awarded

by UCCLA, starting from $60 a month. Visit bell.ca for more details and to check availability. Bell, internet just got better. All right, Steve Phillips this afternoon cn news out of done even at the blue jays in a pump max sure sir from a scheduled thursday start to do a sore right it developed after his last outing on saturday so here we go you know it's it's better than a forearm or an elbow or shoulder

like a sore thumb i i don't know what that means is it blistering is i'm not sure exactly i don't like hearing blistering when it comes to pitchers but this is is something that would have been half expected with Scherzer like just because of the age but regardless you don't want to hear it you want to hear everything go smooth and and hopefully it's it's not something that lingers closer into the season absolutely it you know they're the jays are going to say the right things.

They're being overly precocious. Again, there's no reason to believe this is going to completely derail his season, but I think it is something you have to be prepared for basically all year. You know, like you look at a guy like Barrios, where Barrios, I would be surprised if he doesn't give you 30 starts, if not more, 180 innings, 170, 180 innings. That's the expectation. He's kind of a workhorse. He's healthy.

Gosman, the same thing. Bassett, for the most part, the same thing. Like, sure as hell, I think most people are thinking, can he give you 20 starts? Can he give you 100 innings, 120 innings, 20 starts? And if that's your expectation going in, then when injuries flare up, you're never surprised. And again, it doesn't matter right now because they're still a few weeks away,

but you want to see them come out of the gate strong. You can handle over the course of the season making adjustments. You don't want your season to ever start with issues. And don't miss spring training time because we know that story. You miss time in spring training and of course it's going to affect your performance come regular season. It always happens. It doesn't matter how experienced you are. You're chasing the bus all year. I mean that's generally the way it goes. Alright, more on

that later this afternoon overdrive continues TSN 1050 and on the TSN app you've been listening to overdrive powered by FanDuel FanDuel Bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score The best of our great nation one song at a time. This is Justin Bieber. Hi this is Terry Clark. We are Nickelback. Made in Canada on iHeartRadio. Rock, pop, hip-hop and when it comes to country it's the true north all the way. Loud and proud. An all-new digital radio station from coast to coast. Made in Canada, played in Canada on the free iHeartRadio app and at iHeartRadio.ca. It's gonna get loud. on the free iHeartRadio app and at iHeartRadio.ca.