OverDrive - OverDrive - March 13th, 2025 - Hour 1

Episode Date: March 13, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jason Strudwick and Jonas Siegel for Hour 1 on OverDrive! The guys discuss the Maple Leafs' matchup against the Panthers, the Atlantic Division race between the teams and Chris Tanev's return to the lineup. TSN Host James Duthie joins to discuss the Toronto and Florida showdown, Mitch Marner playing through the contract buzz with the team and the overview of the Eastern Conference standings.

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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. And up on TSN 4 Brian Hayes Jonas Segal of the Athletic and there he is Jason Strudwick. What's happening gentlemen

how we feeling this afternoon? Jonas how are you bud? I'm great it's good to see you. Likewise always good to see our relationship at a distance long distance relationships can be hard but I think we're managing it, buddy, pretty well. We're doing great. Yeah. Do you guys generally see eye to eye or how does this generally work? Can I pick the two of you against each other or are you going to team up on me?

No, I think it's going to be... I think we're going to team up on you. Yeah, that's you, Chi, how it goes. Okay. You have such bad opinions, it's really easy. Well, if you want to challenge me out of the gate, throw something at me, Jonas. You guys can team up and you can... Hot take. Ready? You got something? Ready? You got something?

Go ahead, Strud. What do you have for me? I'm nervous for the Leafs tonight. I'll just call it as I see it, right? Yeah. I think this is a big one. You got a D-Man coming back, hopefully that'll help, but he's going to be a little rusty, kind of like your golf game hates when you hit the floor in early April. So I'm nervous, Leafs fans. Listen, I'm nervous about the others as well, so I'm not picking sides here, but Leafs fans, I'm nervous about the others as well. So I'm not picking sides here, but least fans I'm nervous.

I think there's something to that. I think, you know, it's a beautiful day here in southern Ontario. Lots of sun. It's starting to warm up shorts weather for Jonas. I hope you got out for another run today in shorts. Jonas was running in shorts the other day. Really? Yes. He's a big shorts guy early in March, which I didn't have you pegged as shorts guy. I'm not. it was a mistake it's not a recall uh... no but like

immediately when i stepped outside is just like gale force winds right and i was like okay you made a mistake right you can go back or you can just keep going i just so you're a trooper that's why that's why you are who you are you just continue to four eyes i know where i kept it really tight as you should as you should but yeah, how short's tight? Is that the old dog five kilometer run? I you look tighter than that ways. I could I did not I think it was like three and a half

Three and a half kilometers. Yeah, that's that's that's a twirl like that's enough. That's around the block sweat Get a sweat going for you. Okay That's three andirl like that's enough around the block sweat get a sweat going for you. Okay Running uphill No sprinting No, okay. Hey, it's more than I've been doing recently. I will say that so in terms of running getting outside I'm not a big outside guy in March your treadmill guy I'm more of a try to get on the treadmill and get moving and the thing is about the treadmill is I find I have

To start with a walk Like you guys start with a walk, right? You get to ease into the treadmill You can't just jack it to like speed 10 and start like you got to ease into it a little bit and I have difficulty figuring out like when I'm supposed to transition, you know what I'm saying? like you do a walk is a five-minute walk is a two-minute walk is it a 10 or 15 minute walk and Sometimes I just continuously walk and say that's enough. I'm not in you do a walk is a five minute walk is a two minute walk is it a 10 or 15 minute walk And sometimes I just continuously walk and say that's enough. I'm not in the mood to run today but uh Is it different if you're at the gym like do you feel pressure to start going? I would say pressure necessarily but um Like I go to plan of fitness a lot

There's one out by me and and what is interesting stride and you guys can both appreciate this, is a lot of times it's determined by what the other people in the row are doing. Oh yeah. Right, like in other words, if you go in the middle, if two guys are running, I'm like, I don't know if I'm walking this one. Like I don't wanna, there's a mojo going here. Where if you have walkers,

then you feel a little bit more comfortable like easing in with the walk, and then picking up and then looking down on people that they're walking and you're running. Because that's what I'm looking for. I'm looking for other walkers in my lane. I don't want a hero that's like doing sprints and stuff like that. I don't want anything to do with that. So I usually try to pick my spots where there's other walkers, I'll walk and then I'll start

running and then I'll look over and be like, oh, you're still walking. That's interesting. But that's... Jonas, let's be honest. Lazy. I know what Hayes does. Hayes, you're the kind of guy that decides to do... I don't want to work really hard.

So you walk it, but then you use the side shuffle technique on a bit of an incline to make people think you're really working hard. The side shuffle at like slow doesn't do anything. Yeah. And I see people do it and I look over and I'm like, buddy, just go home. You're wasting your time. You're taking up a machine, get out of here. You're wasting all of our time.

It is quite the fascinating, like, people watching at the gym is pretty wild stuff. Well, and you must feel guilty how long you're on it. You're like, 10 minutes enough? Or can I get off now? Well, that's another thing. Like, exactly. Is this just wasting everybody's time? You like I don't know and in reality people probably couldn't care less what anybody else is doing at any point but it is it

is good to get out and it's again good weather and you said it Strud there's some nervous energy you mentioned Chris Tanev like Tanev's a game time decision which I find that a little bit hard to believe right like I we believe he was dealing with a shoulder he got hit something to do with like shoulder or ribs you know he left where was it in Boston he got hit yeah he got hit in Boston he left in a sling but then the next day they said they got good news he's been skating and they said he's a game time decision but I find that hard to believe. The only thing I would say is like I was at the skate Myers was out longer than a guy who is for sure playing. So it's maybe like, maybe it is game time decision.

I've just never, I don't know, Stroud like. Your read was that Myers didn't like bag skate to the point where it's like, you're definitely not playing. Yeah, but it was on the line of like, you might not play, let's get some extra work in. That's how I read it. Okay. I mean, like Stroud, like I've always been dubious to the game time decision, but. Yeah. Well, I'll say it this way, Johnson. I think your point is well made, but I think

that when it's a longer, because how long has he been out? It's like two weeks. Yeah. Two and a half weeks. I think when you get to two weeks or longer, you kind of have a sense of where it's at and how it's feeling because you may have been skating for a bit, you've worked out. But like, let's say the injury happened last night, then I do believe the game time. So I think a short window is different than this long window. So I would be floored if he doesn't play tonight. He'd have to have bad sleep on it in his afternoon nap, slip or something.

It doesn't make sense. So the longer the period is, I believe you do know when you're coming back and you're like, I'm ready. Because I never was a game time decision when I came back from long time injury and they're like, you're just playing. I'm like, okay, I'm playing like that's the way it was. Yeah. And he wasn't out long. Like he didn't do any of the extra stuff that you would do if you're not playing. And like, I wonder if in his mind, like this game, he doesn't want to miss this game. If he can play

as big of a regular season game as, as as you're gonna get until they play them again down the road. Like it's pretty clear here. They have three against Florida, one against Tampa. Those are the big games the rest of the way. Like you're trying to avoid those teams and Florida's got a two point buffer on you right now. You have a game in hand. So you gotta find a way to get this tonight

and ideally in regulation. And it's not gonna be easy for Tana because Florida you know they four check very hard obviously they're one of the better defensive teams in the league they're coming in a little bit ornery considering they blew a two nothing lead in Boston a couple of nights ago and they've got something to play for as well like you know everyone's we'll play the Max Domi clip here in a moment I'm curious how you guys feel about it like Like his approach to winning the division as if it's some sort of outlandish goal to think winning the division would be beneficial

or whatever, we'll play that momentarily. But it's a tough spot for Tanev to walk into, yet it's an important one. Because I think his presence strut, like this should be an elevated game. This should have the feeling of an elevated game when you know who you're playing, you know what's right around the corner, you're beyond the trade deadline now, you insert Tanev into the lineup.

That is a big, big boost and they need them. They could really use them because they have been playing at times horribly defensively recently. And if you get him back back then everybody's healthy and you take it from there and I think it's a big opportunity them coming home they get a home home stand here they've been on the road a lot they've been playing a lot of games they haven't been happy with their game you put Tanev in Stolars gets the start you come out of this with two points tonight like that's a big

momentum swing big for the Leafs and this is like pretty close to what actually it might be if he plays, that could be their game on lineup. Like it's not, I don't know who last. Is it gonna be Benoit that's playing instead of Myers? So he'll play on the right side with Ekman-Larsen tonight? Yes. No, I would think Ekman-Larsen plays the right side.

Yeah. That I'm not sure Benoit is a lock for game one, but we'll see. Okay, yeah, that's fair. But that's the sixth defenseman. I I mean that's going to possibly change every game in the playoffs or multiple times between now and game one. But I agree, this looks like it could be a game one lineup tonight. But let's just say, I think what might happen with Toronto is they might kind of have a five man rotation in the playoffs and then that sixth guy guys kind of spotted in because the top five is pretty solid

and as far as tan of guys this is why you got it you brought him in for these games but he's he's he's been a big games before I mean he played for the one series against orders for the flames yet he literally couldn't hold the stick he went in there and played like this is why you have you want to these big games these big moments so I think I'm coming back right now. It's a perfect time to come back Well, I was just gonna say Hayes like I went back and looked so they lost to the Panthers earlier in the season It was late November 5-1 and if you look at that lineup that they dress they just had no one So this is one in particular. Yeah, like it like Matthews is out Nies is out like they were camp was out like

They were dressing a bunch of kind of like a hell guys ish So now like you get to kind of see what your team is Right, you know what? I mean like coming out of the trade deadline. This is your this is your full lineup What does it look like against the class the NHL? Yeah, and Stoller's got that start was not he wasn't happy with his play But at the time Florida, I think had lost three or four in a row, too. Remember, they were not happy either. I remember Paul Maurice kind of calling out his team

and saying, we've got to show up here. And they came out hot. Florida was up 2-0 pretty quickly, and they never kind of looked back. But that's a game in November. And to your point, now we're into mid-March. We're closing in on the playoffs. You're going to play this team a few times.

And I think Tanev returning, having a full roster up front is certainly a litmus test for the Leafs but I think also for Anthony Stollers because he didn't like his game against Florida and that that was the first time all year he had really said anything of the likes because he had been playing so well and been so consistent that he wasn't happy with his game and this is a big opportunity and big platform for him to prove that you can go up against Bobrowski and the Panthers and in a big game at home where there's going to be some electricity in the building. And as of now, I think he's got the upper hand on Joseph wall, but that is not a

hundred percent certain either. And I think games like tonight's strut like like Stolas has got to prove he's got what it takes under the brightest lights because this is going to have somewhat of a playoff feel to it tonight. Yeah, it sure will. And he knows that team pretty well, obviously. And I don't like using the word statement game, but for no one else other than himself,

he's got to know what he can do in these moments and be that team. Let's be clear though, Florida's not a fully loaded team either missing arguably. I don't know Jonas or first or second best defenseman They're missing, you know, they're two most irritating players for sure. Yeah in that lineup I mean, what is that Jones play that I think he played 28 minutes or something a ton him and for playing a ton That's crazy. 28 minutes and you know, I'll be interested. I interested to see what Seth looks like tonight. That was a big acquisition for them. You want to win the game obviously, but if you're the Leafs, you just want to come and play your game and show them that we're the same as

you and we can beat you anytime. Full lineup, minus lineup, doesn't matter. Yeah, and you're right. Akpilatov could chuck out Marshaun out. That's big. That's big. Those are three player. Marshaun out. That's big. That's big. Those are three player. Marshaun still hasn't played at any point for Florida, so you don't know exactly how he's going to mesh in and what his impact is going to be. But if he's healthy, he's a guy, he's one of the only guys in the league, maybe the

only one that would push like Matthew Kachuk out of the way if he were playing. Like in terms of, or Sam Bennett or a Barcaut. Like the idea of Marshaun playing for any team and the history he has against Toronto he's the only guy might be the only guy still in the league from that 2013 team you know obviously he was on the ice a lot when it was 4-1 licked Komarov or not that's yeah that would have been because Komarov or not that's it? Yeah, that would have been because Komarov, unless was Komarov still there in 18? In 2018 was he still there? So gross.

Or had he moved on? By that point. He was in Long Island. He might have been gone. So then it must have been, it must have been in 13. That's something that happened. That's something that happened. That happened.

We're looking up a reference of when someone licked somebody else during a playoff series. We licked Callahan too. Yeah, I was gonna say, he did it to Callahan. It's disgusting. Oh, that's disgusting. I don't even like licking popsicles, much less another human being.

If he makes the Hall of Fame, that should go on his Hall of Fame plaque. Yeah. Bottom line. Which one? Won a cup with the Boston. Like, he's done it all. He's licked, he's been accused of biting, I believe. So it was 2018. It was in 18. biting, I believe. So it was 2018.

It was in 18. Yeah, so Komarov still was there. And then Callahan was like the next round or the next year. Like it was within the same range. I think it might have been the same playoff. Look that up, I think it might have been in the second round. They played Tampa and he did it to Callahan like a week and a half after Komarov. Did he get suspended for the Callahan one? Because I know he didn't get suspended for Comber. I don't think he got anything for either one. Oh, God.

I don't even know if he got fined. Because I guess they never thought of this in the rule book. Should we have a rule? Well, why would you? Yeah, exactly. If someone licks you, you can do whatever you want back to them. That should be the rule of the book. If someone licks you, you have two minutes

to do whatever you'd like to that person back. Because it's just wrong. That is just absolutely disgusting. Yeah. Grossest thing. What is what is the deal here? Hold on, Doogie. Come on the mic and explain.

Come on, Stoop. Figure it out, Stoop. Come on. Come on, Doogie. Step up here with Brad Marsham. What was the licking, you know, timeline? So Komarov was game one of the first round. That was in 2018.

2018. And then the Callahan was game four of the second round between the Bruins and Rangers same playoff same year in 2018 well I think he had a great response to the Komarov one if I recall I don't remember what he said but it was funny he's like he's perfect for that role right yeah I mean that seems a little bit extreme he took his glove off and tried to choke a guy this year Remember that who was that cousins? I think it was you guys were very outraged. Well, I thought it was absurd

He didn't get suspended. He didn't get anything like the league did absolutely nothing. They must be just charmed by him Well, listen, he's a big personality. He's he's one of the One of the great quotes in the league. Oh, yeah. And he's gonna carry that over to Florida. If anything, I wonder if when he plays, they're gonna have to reel him in a little bit. Like you gotta settle down a little bit because he's gonna try to impress them. He's gonna try to stick out.

He's gonna- I think so, man. I think so, man. He's like- Yeah, but that's the point. He's never been anywhere but Boston. Like it's a comfort zone thing when he's in Boston and and now he's not necessarily gonna have it in Florida and

He doesn't have much rope left like in terms of how much more of his career He's got so if he if he can't do it at the same level in terms of you know Offensive production and skill set and skating and all that It's more than likely if he's gonna be stuck, if he's gonna stick out, it's because of the other stuff. Agitate? Yeah, agitate. And I think that's what Paul Maurice and company

are looking for. Like you gotta keep it within the lines. You can't be stupid and you can't cost your team. You can't be licking people. But I think Marchand has a real chance of getting a little bit crazy here. I gotta tell you, watching that game, the Panthers-Bruins game the other night, I am

now rooting for them to play in the first round. So Boston obviously has to do some work, but can you imagine that? Yeah, the idea, like, with their history from a couple years ago, what would be amazing is the roles would be reversed. Right. Where like two years ago, Boston was a massive favorite, Juggernaut and Florida got them. If it went the opposite way and Boston found a way to beat Florida that would be pretty incredible. With Marchand. And I will say that about Florida that I think they're the best team in the East

like I think they deserve that respect if they're healthy I think you look at the way they're built what they've done the last couple of years but they've played a lot of hockey the last two years and it's very difficult in the Stanley Cup playoffs to just consistently win. Like with, and to keep your foot on the gas, right, Strud? Like that's the crazy thing. You look at some of the, like Tampa did it, three years in a row, made it to a cup final.

The Islanders back in the early eighties, and it's just crazy. Like five years in a row, they were in a cup final. It's absurd. But it is tough to show up and always be ready and always get the breaks and you know. Like the Chiefs this year, right? Yeah, exactly. Now they got to the Super Bowl. Right, but they ran out of gas.

But eventually they ran out of gas and they got smoked. Yeah, it's pretty crazy. And I guess when I look at this Florida team, you know, they play a really emotional brand of hockey. So, you know, you look at Kachak, you look at some of these other guys that have in that lineup. Can these guys keep that up all the time? Now, Marchand's coming in, he's not going to be tired like the other ones, although this isn't Marchand from that run we talked about in 2013. Can they get that emotional connection to this like they have in the past couple of years? Because they're not fun to play against. When I look at them just up against the Leafs, when Kachak or Marchant or Bennett raise that up

and bring that physicality, who's responding for the Leafs? And I'm not talking about fighting, I'm just talking about pushing back and getting hits. Through this lineup, I don't know who it is. Maybe Scottie Lawton gets in there, he's one guy, but Carlo maybe, he's not, no one's a real hammer guy. Carlo's not overly edgy.

Like that's the thing. He's big. There's a pushback. Again, I'm not talking about starting a brawl like we saw the other night with Zdorov grabbing Bennett. Yeah, and Bennett. Like that, Zdorov loves that and Bennett loves it too. But who, because it's going to happen.

And if I'm in Florida, I'm like, guys, let's pound these guys. Let's hit them get in their face and are they gonna respond? So, you know Matthew's is a big body. Can he hit back? Can some of these guys, you know, just stand up you don't have to fight them But you can't just take it for seven round or for seven games straight Yeah, the names off the top of my head Matthew Nines the guy that can't he's proven he can hit he sure push back The names off the top of my head Matthew Nines the guy that can't he's proven he can hit he can push back Bob I like man's got to do that McMahon's got to do that Domi's got to be play the role of a Marchand type like he's you got to keep it within the lines, but you're tough enough. You'll get in there

He's got stones. He's got courage to get in there McCabe can do it to an extent Ekman Larson to an extent can be greasy, but I hear what you're saying strut I mean that that's what it's gonna be in Florida's wave after wave after wave. And you know, tonight is about proving yourself, you know, when the puck drops against Florida, but also about trying to pursue that top seed in the Atlantic, which is a big discussion

outside of the dressing room of the Leafs. But here's what Max Domey had to say when he was asked, I think a very reasonable question. Like, what do you make of trying to win the division? Seems like it would be beneficial for the Leafs. Here's how Max responded to that. We don't... That doesn't matter to us. We were just trying to beat every team we play against and every game is

just as important, so focused day by day and game by game and contest tonight against the defending champ so it's gonna be fun. All right well my thought on that is that he is echoing the words of his head coach who that's a classic Craig Barube we don't we're just thinking of each individual game. I can promise you the division matters to them. So why is he saying that publicly then? I don't know just to I don't know be contrarian. I don't know like well I think it's about messaging. It feels to me it downplays the game a little bit.

Also if you miss it's not a panic like I think what he's trying to express your whether you believe it or not and I don't because you'd be silly not to look at this and say obviously you want to win the division you should want to anyway it doesn't matter who you might play or not play sure it gives you a home ice right like every team in the league obviously you're trying to pursue that but I think it's about if they don't get it that doesn't mean that this guy is falling a be a ruby and through Domi you know hockey lifers and all that. The cliche is we take it one day at a time.

And that's what I'm hearing there Strudy is thinking about the division means we're not thinking about this game tonight, if that makes sense. Sorry, they're connected, right Shred? Yeah, but you know what I'm saying. Yeah, I do. Like the point being is we, you know, we're all we do is we get up in the morning and we work hard that day.

It's just like the Babcock thing. If you do it right every day and you do the process, that's all this sounds like to me. It's cliched. It's not truthful to your point, but I understand why he's trying to express it the way he is. But I do agree with him that you have to just worry about the day by day improvement and all that. But let's be honest, would you rather play Tampa or Florida or Ottawa or Columbus in the first round?

Come on. We all know the answer to that. Yeah, no disrespect to the Sens who I think are going for four or five tonight or Columbus who are an unreal story. I don't fan tell you the way he's playing but come on like let's just be honest for a second because that's a way hard to Road if you have to play Tampa and then Florida and then I don't know guys I guess is it gonna be Washington whatever. Yeah, that is three hard hard series just to get to the Stanley Cup final Yeah, you got to play someone out of the East here or west I should absolutely and like I'm assuming a similar conversations happening in Edmonton strut where all of a sudden

It's about home ice in that first round like LA is a point behind The Oilers with a game in hand Edmonton's in Jersey tonight but they're still within striking distance of Vegas and You're gonna play the first seed though. If you win the Pacific, you're going to play the first wild card, which I think is likely Minnesota. If you're in Edmonton's shoes, would you prefer to play LA in the first round or Minnesota in the first round? Well, I mean, how many times can you beat the same team in the playoffs before they

get you? I think LA is a pretty good team. I didn't love what they did at the trade deadline I mean, I'm sure there's a few kuzmenko fans in that studio there right now, but Jonas I'm not talking about a line But I'm not a huge but I think there are a pretty good team they're big they can get around But I think the bigger thing for the others guys is I'm not even thinking about who they're going to play. It's the way they're playing right now. They're not playing very well. They don't have, I think their puck management's been a struggle

for them. The way they defend, their net mind has been a bit inconsistent. Conor McDavid looks like he's kind of getting his groove back at that Conor McDavid level, but there's still quite a bit of time left. But I would feel more comfortable having that conversation knowing that they're playing well, rather than right now, I'm like, I'm not sure the way they are presently playing, could they beat any of those teams you just said in a seven round series? I hear you. I mean, that's the truth.

And it's going to be a tough game tonight because Jersey's in a similar spot. They're struggling like they've been kind of leaking oil here for a while. And you know, then you're going through New York, you get the Islanders tomorrow, you get the Rangers, you know, they've got three games here in the greater New York area, the Oilers at Combs, not even on the trip, you know, so it's, it's going to be a big few games here in a big few weeks for the Oilers. More on that as we move forward this afternoon. James Duthio, join us in studio. Leif Spanther is on TSN4 tonight.

So JD is coming up in studio. We'll get to that. Emily Kaplan of ESPN. I've got my list, Hazy Bees list. I got five players playing on Canadian teams who need a great stretch run. Non-goalie edition. All right, because I've taken out the goalies, because you could say Skinner and Wolf and Stolarz, you know, there's a number of goalies. You could probably make the whole list goalies. So five players that need to have a great stretch run for a variety of different reasons, but we'll get to that a little bit later this afternoon. Jonas is in here, Struddy's in here. I'm Brian Hayes, Overdrive Continues, TSN 1050N on TSN4. share the password? Switch to Bell Pure Fiber, Canada's fastest internet awarded by Ucla, starting from $60 a month. Visit bell.ca for more details and to check availability.

Bell, internet just got better. All right, Overdrive continues powered by FanDuel, bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score. We'll get to our same game parlay for the game tonight. Leaves Panthers, which you can see on TSN for Which means James Duffy will be on the panel and he's in the house and he joins us here in studio What's happening JD? Not too much. How are all the boys? We're doing very well. We got Struddy out in Edmonton He's Jack for the Leaf game tonight. There he is. Hello. He's setting up shop. There he is. Struddy one of the stars of Certified beauties the sequel to beauty Popular book coming out next fall. Okay a full chapter on study. Oh, I love it I love it how much of it is about his he may be on the cover

It may just be him on the cover from the Spangler Cup his spangler cells. I don't think I don't think the Spangler made it. No, the Spangler years did not. Pretty much every, well, a lot of great Struddy stories. Okay. Very lucky to have him. We look forward to that. Had to hassle him for about six months. He's tough to get.

I had to go through his people. Who's that, Rashog? You have to go through Rashog to get strutty these days? Rashad wants a piece of everything these days. Absolutely. He is a businessman out there and he runs a tight ship. But this is a good one tonight. Like every, you know, what is it? September I guess? It comes out like the different games we're going to have on TSN every year and you look through it and this one is as good as it gets with the dog days are over now.

Yeah, it's go time now and not just you know, it feels that way starting to feel like spring outside and we're past the deadline and you know, you always get those games in Jan and Feb and early in March. But now it's I feel like this is kind of the official start where it's real. of the official start where it's real. And these three games, I mean, they may not decide the division, but if one team was to get five of the six points, they probably win the division. I'm not a good odds guy, but don't you think they probably win the division?

Yeah, it's very significant. And it's interesting if they would, like who would be more comfortable just splitting the points? Like if each team. Well, so I was looking at schedules. The strength of schedules? Strength of schedules. Florida's is a lot easier.

No, I shouldn't say a lot easier. The Leafs have an easy schedule compared to like the rest of the league. Do they not? They don't. This is tankathon.com. Tankathon.com. I don't know how accurate this is. Okay. But the Leafs are 22nd and Florida is 13th.

Okay. The strength of schedule thing though, because I've been quoting it nonstop for for the past few weeks and then we've we put up we put up a board the other night i was doing the sense game and you know the difference between like the third hardest strength schedule in the easiest rank schedule it's like you know you're from facing a five twenty two points percentage to a five oh one points percent right by what's not like one team has all dogs and the other team is playing colorado and tampa and the ad sort of back to back but if you look at florida

it it zeros in on their toughest matchups their toughest matchup is basically the leaves and tampa and the leafs have started three times carolina colorado l a tampa not yet spell yeah there yeah right well i mean all ultimately if you're either team i mean these three games are colorado l a camp and i'll that's fair yeah there they're right

well i mean all ultimately if you're either team i mean these three games are incredibly important to you to do what he did is is more important to try letters to florida would be something i think we focus in on these three games and they go battle battle battle in the temple in cities which is also a little bit of best-of-seven yeah we need to. Which is possible. And we get a best of seven between these two sides. Which is possible too. And in Florida, listen, Florida's got more going on.

Uh-oh, Tankathon. It's the opposite. They have the strength. They have, it's the other way around. That's what I was thinking, Jon. Who do we know who to trust anymore? Never trust a guy who runs in shorts. Runs in shorts and trusts the internet implicitly.

Is it the opposite. It's the opposite. Is it the opposite? My impression was that the Leafs did not have an overly difficult schedule, but what they're going to do is run into a number of teams that are fighting for the playoffs, right? Like that's the reality as well. You've got Ottawa on Saturday night. Ottawa plays them incredibly well. They always have.

And Ottawa is in a really good spot. And like Vancouver, that was a big win for them last night huge win right in Is that an overtime or shootout last night? Did Garland win that in a shootout? I think it was Garland wanted Yeah, Garland wanted to shoot out last night but You know kind of feels like we're gonna get five Canadian teams in there JD Yeah, I feel like and this is this is probably disrespectful to the

Canucks in the flames but I kind of feel like that that wild card is gonna be fodder first round fodder a little bit. Although they're playing Winnipeg in the first round. Yeah but I think that's disrespectful to Winnipeg just because they were bad last year they've been great this year. I think that I think Winnipeg will win whoever they play if they win the division. Yeah. Gets a little dicier if it's Colorado or Dallas. That's very, like the Central and the Atlantic are very similar. Don't you feel like? Mm-hmm. Like how critical it is to win the division, because the two versus three in the Atlantic and the Central, I think, are gonna be the two best first-round

playoff series. Now of course we know it's hockey, so any second wild card could. Now we were saying the other night with Ottawa, if you win the second wild card in the East, this is, now this will sound disrespectful to Washington because I think Washington is a wagon, but they haven't really been there recently. And Carolina is kind of damaged by the whole Rantanen thing and Jersey is damaged by no Jack Hughes. And you feel like the second wild card team whoever that is if it comes out of the East you know might have a decent shot to go through the Metro. Big time. Yeah. I think it's a great spot to be in if you're Ottawa because

they played Washington very well this year too like they've played them really really well. But then you get the first wild card and you probably get Florida Tampa Toronto and then you get Florida Tampa Toronto in the second round. Although if you're playing Toronto in the first round it's the same reputation. Right. Like whoever gets the Leafs in the first round if it is a wild card they'd be like, I wonder if you did a straw poll like in a Senators dressing room, would you rather take you know Washington in the first round or the Leafs in the first round? That's a great question. Might be split. That's a great poll question. Who

would Ottawa prefer to play in the first round? I think they'd just rather play somebody else. They just want to get in there. After the last seven years they're bad. They want to punch a hundred tickets. That's no guarantee. They want to get in, but don't you think you want to be the spoiler if you're the senders to play the Leafs? You know you're gonna be on the road. I mean, I think that the pressure would all be on the Leafs. I don't think for the senders there'd be any pressure at all in that series. It's not a drop. Wouldn't even be close. have to rebuild up this will as long as you win the atlantic your degree uh... that they have a void

you know they finally avoid florida tampa in boston and then they would run and lose to the senators that will not be so it would be the disaster of all the sad be sickening by the way i have to start my head they can't i can't get out of my head since ready said uh... running in shorts with jonah's running in short my first Stanley Cup final was the 2006 Stanley Cup final, Carolina and Edmonton. And you know, I was still, you know, go to the suit on the off day, wear the suit on the off day, you know, go to the practice for availability. I was stunned one day when Ken Campbell and Al Strachan both ran to the rink. And so they were in the scrums in those little,

like, you know, the kind of shorts we wore in gym class in grade eight, the ones that went like well above the thigh, like halfway up the thigh, kind of like Daisy Dukes, but Adidas shorts. That's not a good look. I'm leaning a mic in. For those two guys, two in particular.

Strachan and Kenny Campbell, sweaty in these little tiny shorts. And I thought, what world have I joined here? Yeah, that's Larry Bird. Old school, man. It did. It looked like two Larry Birds right next to me. Only they're each like 5 foot 4.

Like they're not 6 foot 9 like Larry Bird. I just didn't know you could run to the rink for availabilities. I guess that's the writer's world. We had this conversation the other day. For me, that is completely unprofessional. Do You ever show up at the scrums in the shorts. So no, but here let me ask you a Question here. So in the playoffs, they don't really you know this James. They don't practice so on off days, they usually do their availability at the hotel and When you're in Florida

You don't really want to be in is that okay? I don't think shorts throw on a pair of pants in a golf shirt. What about like nice shorts like you would wear to a golf? Are you tucking in the golf shirt? Are you laying stand? Is it a tight tuck? You will not tuck in a golf shirt. I refuse. What are you a hippie or something? You refuse to do that? Why do I need a tuck? Are you a tuck? A tuck is a professional move. If you tuck in your shirt, it's lame. That's the job, Jonas. No, that's a loser move. I think you need to get with the times here, Jonas. That's a no. Well, I think it goes a long way. I think if you're going to wear shorts, you got to tuck in the shirt

at a minimum. I think you got to put in man I'm out in his last years at some cup finals would show up in sweatpants for those avails But it was Bobby Mack. Yeah, you could get away with anything where are we talking like Lulu lemon like somewhat stylish? Yeah, Bobby always point Bobby Bobby always had stuff guys. So that that wet pet I guess so I mean and listen Stracken and Campbell like that Stracken cover the game for a long time I'd Also you know I'm in the Hall of Fame. Fairly legendary writers. Yeah. But I wanted the shorts to go a little bit further down the thigh. I think that that is reasonable. This will be Mitch Marner's first game back home since the wave no wave. What do you expect tonight? Like do you think I think the crowd

has any acknowledgement for him or is it even on the radar? What do you do? I Like do you think I think the crowd has any acknowledgement for him or is it even on the radio? What are they gonna do? What do you do? I don't know I mean if anything I suppose you give him a warm ovation because they want him to stay sort of thing and that the fact That he I mean, what does it mean? What he did? Does it mean he wants to go to free agency? Or does it mean he never want to leave the lease? That's the thing I think the average mass fandom would interpret it in a positive way that he didn't want to wave that he wanted to stay here and ride it out with the least but I don't think there'll be any more or less reaction okay don't shake it changes it it changes a little bit it's like for

the relationship and someone says you just stay here for a second I'm gonna go over look at this corner and hopefully to find someone better then you bring it back like I think it changes the relationship between Marner and the team I'm not gonna change the relationship between him and the fans though. No, no, not the fans, but the team. I mean, because it's like you wanted to take somebody else over. We love you, Mitch. We love you, but we love this guy a little bit more. And when in fact we want to trade you for him, I think it changes it. I'm not saying he's

leaving, but I don't think it's as sweet as it was two weeks ago, guys. And that angle hasn't really been talked about a lot like how Marner is supposed to interpret beliefs Asking him to wave like is is that? No, they would say we tried we want to sign you that's our priority, right? But if we can't sign you we'll take this guy who's better than you basically well I don't know wasn't there's been was it was our obligation to come to you because they asked. Which is completely bogus. No of course if they didn't want to. They just said we have to bring it to them. We love you we're not trading you for anyone. Right. Well exactly like what if Carolina called and said we want Austin Matthews. Well we better go tell Austin.

Someone called us. Yeah like it's our obligation to tell you obviously that is complete You know what though might be different is like the perception that they want to sign him and he's saying We think I'm not ready to sign so it's like does he want to stay as well What about the equation like as a guy who's in that scrum all the time? Like do you how do you think the scrum in Toronto is going to? Respect his wishes to not talk about it the rest of the way? He hasn't spoken since he came back and they just got back. I don't know like he Clearly he saw it on Saturday. He did not want to talk about it, right and answered as best he could without talking about it

So I think he would do the same. Well, I just got a Messaging but like not as much media was in Colorado on Saturday night as there will be tonight after a game like this. It's an awkward thing to ask in a scrum too, like to really, if you actually want to get what's going on. Especially after a game if something crazy happens during the game. This is the thing though about the way the room works now, there's no just pulling a guy aside. Not.

Like it used to be 20 years ago, three you just sit there maybe talk to him or whatever like the Leafs aren't going to allow that Marner's not going to allow it but yeah I'm curious what kind of you know how that story kind of hangs over him the rest of the way and then the team and then the fans you know because like a game like tonight he's got to have a big game like Marner's got to perform tonight and I think there's more pressure on the Leafs obviously with Florida you know doing what they've done the last couple of years and what the Leafs are trying to achieve and we mentioned it earlier James that like Stolarz this is a big one for him because he's played his former team once they lost 5-1 in Florida back in November he's got to get after

it tonight. That's a big stretch for both of those guys because we spent most of you know before the Four Nations break talking about how this was the best one two combo in the last whatever decade 15 years for Toronto something like that and though they've been you know they had that five game winning streak coming out of the break but they've both been kind of I think they're both sub 900 save percentages since the break and so look Craig Borube says he's gonna keep the rotation going there's no urgency to pick his guy yet but you want it you when he's gonna pick his guy let's say if he's gonna pick a guy because that's still I suppose debatable but he's

probably gonna pick a guy with a couple weeks left in the season and you would want to be making it a tough decision on which guy to pick because both are rolling. Right. You don't want to have a default pick or oh my god which guy do I pick. I don't think that'll be the case. They're both good enough goalies. I think Stolarz will get going. But you're right. This is like for both these guys it's time because you know I don't know what do you think like what would you want to know you're starting goalie by the playoffs this year your defenseman in front of them would you like to know five games before or something I think that the players don't know who they like to start so in my head I'm like I think it's this guy and then you're just hoping the coach goes along with it and

I think I think a coach has an idea this far out guys I really do I just can't believe that you wouldn't know right but he wouldn't know for sure right like he would have stole ours is like right ahead right now they can stole ours right but it's not like it's like it's it's a layup like Vasilevsky Johansson fair point right fair point Jonas yeah and that's what comes with with a tandem but he can't have an idea of what he wants his opening night lineup to look like. Like now that we're through the trade deadline, there's nothing else. Like yeah, you might run into injuries or slumping players.

I mean, that's something you might possibly have to adjust to on the fly, but no one is coming through that door that isn't available to you as of tonight. And Chris Tanev possibly returning tonight. That's pretty, that would be tonight. That's pretty heavy. That would be nice That's big man Like they've really really missed him which said something about the way the other guys have played But also the way he's just settled in like he's just been a great addition to this team like that's to see those two together Too he and Carlo together. Yeah, like I think that that's something I want to see

That's what they've been looking for right these big guys that can do those things So I think the two of them together will be interesting. Will they put them together though? No. Or not together. You just mean like, right? Yeah, sorry. You're right.

To get our first look at what a playoff defensive core would look like. Yeah. That's right. Yeah, so not together. Just in the same line up. Build there's Oliver Ekman-Larsen into a position where he should be. Like a third pairing veteran. You know, get him in better matchups.

Maybe start him in the opposition zone more. and just everything's going to filter in properly. And that is significant about tonight as well. Carlo makes his debut and Scott Lotton as well. And I'm sure Lotton's going to have family and friends and everyone. Those are always cool stories. Like how thick do you lay it on? Yeah, everyone's going to be there. I mean, I'm sure.

Yeah. The other thing is you should be able to pounce on these Panthers. There's no Kachak. they don't have Brad Marchand yet they don't have no I had blad I mean Seth Jones is you wonder if they knew about the eclad thing when they got Seth Jones like filters true right wasn't their little negotiations behind the scenes on these suspensions sometimes I'm always I'm always thinking that there's, the team has a few day heads up on this. I don't know if that

would have been about a week heads up, maybe more, right? Well, yeah, so they probably didn't know. But like if they came back and said we got to test that guy again, that's when you're like maybe we should get South Jones. Yeah, hey, can we see Aaron Ekblad for another test please? Anyone else? No, just Ekblad, please. Who's that guy that's mad at please? Anyone else? No, just Ekblad. Who's that guy that's mad at Chicago? Let's see if we can get that guy. Yeah, let's see if we can find that guy, right shot defenseman.

But yeah, that's a good point. Listen, Jones plays a ton of minutes. He plays a ton of minutes. He played a lot the other night. He'll continue to do that. Ian Forsling is a top parry and that's going to be tough. Tough not to crack, but the Leafs have gotta do it. I saw, I don't know if it was FanDuel,

that Florida's odds of winning the division are listed at like 51% and the Leafs were 34%, which I found interesting with what you said about strength of schedule. But I was wrong. No, but you said the Leafs was an easier schedule. Yeah. Yes.

I still don't know if that makes sense because I'm looking at the teams they played. Are you gonna flip again? Yeah, well the teams the Leafs play are harder than the know if that makes sense because I'm looking at the teams Are you gonna flip again? Are you gonna? Yeah? Well like the teams at least player harder than the teams that had the tariffs drop the tariffs Who are you? That's who I really want to follow. I see that plan. It makes a lot of sense. That seemed like you're wavering a lot Right roller coaster on the players. Give me a players update. Yeah Well, you know what the scoreboard or the leaderboard was not exactly chock full of big news. Yeah I was like, Vejegas was 6-under when I left my

little room to see you. Yeah, Aaron Smalley and Bud Colley. That's a very typical first day at the players. Yes. But you always get scared and usually by Sunday there's some combination of Scheffler, Shofley, McElroy, something. Well I'll give you a few big names so. If Scottie's like 3-under then you know he's gonna be up by 3 of Scheffler, Shofley, McElroy, something in there. I'll give you a few big names. So if Scottie's like three under, then you know he's going to be up by three comes up. Lucas Glover's in the clubhouse at six under. He's got the lead right now.

He's got that, what are those putters called? I don't know what they're called. The lab putter. Yeah, because he... All my buddies have them now. They're like a grand and they apparently balance everything out so you can't open or close the club. Rich friends. Yeah, I've never used one before. I've seen them. They look much wealthier than I am. They don't look comforting. They look, they're

too big. I tried my buddies last year because there's a lot to them but the science says they're great. Anyway I wasn't trying to get on a lab putter to some extent. Lucas Glover knows, obviously is very supportive. He has one, yes. Glover's doing well, but McElroy's three under, Fleetwood's three under, Scheffler's two under, he's still in the course. Did any of you watch the Creators Classic yesterday? I guess you were on the air. No, I didn't see it. So YouTube golf has taken off. So they actually had a tournament with like the most popular YouTube golfers. Right. Which was pretty fascinating.

tournament with like the most popular YouTube golfers right which was pretty pretty fascinating you know some of them are really good but there's one guy on barstool Trent Jones or something I think his name is and I guess he won a barstool playoff to play he was twist they played eight holes and then a one hole playoff to win he was 28 over yeah so and it was fun to watch a guy they had real commentators right and they're playing from the backs that's the players and this guy's making an 11 he put five balls in the water on 17 and he kept hitting yeah which was kind of icing the guys who were in the lead group behind him but it was I've always said there's a there's a place for the everyman golfing under normal golfer circumstances especially at

these type of fascinating to Fascinating to watch. Yeah, I don't want to see him at some course in Florida that has no affiliation with the tour. I want to see you play a place like this. Now, do you think Augusta will ever do that? No, no shot. It would be the best, but they will never do it. Come on in Trent, come play Augusta National and let's see what you got.

I probably got his name wrong by the way. I know it's Trent, I don't know his last name, but I saw him on 17 just like don't he show what do you have a 13 or something like that yeah and there's one hole that had like a 230 yard carry and you can't do that so he didn't do it he just hit it to the side like where no other player would ever try he had about a hundred yards to the side so he did his second over it but it was I don't know I find it oddly fascinating I think it's it's really like watching clowns like you and me golf. Exactly what it is and then you have a greater appreciation for how much better the professionals

actually are. Yeah 100%. Yeah it's just exciting to be close. They were in short shorts. Yes they were. Okay well that makes it even better. Alright JD we'll catch you on the panel tonight. Little pregame at 630 and game at 7. Marty BeRoll in for Jeff O'Neill. Are you getting his daily updates on golfing? He claims that he's had six birdies every round. Yeah, that's like writing it today. I'm like, dude, please stop That's like the epic time I don't know his last summer two summers ago where he came in and said he shot his career low 66 that At Weston and then came up with a story about a lost ball that he just took a free

drop. Yeah, I remember. Yeah, well, I mean, we knew it was around here. Yeah, so I got 66, but I, you know, I couldn't find my ball once. So I just dropped it. It was, I would have found it. Right. White steak and I should have reteed and actually I shot 73, but nevermind.

All right, buddy. We'll catch you on the pre-game tonight. All right, thanks guys. James Duthey, Least Panthers on TSN4 Overdrive continues TSN 1050N on the TSN app. Wow, you've got the latest model, nice. Ah, you should see it run. Bell Pure Fiber?

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Bell. Internet just got better. Alright, Hazy B's list coming up in the next hour. Emily Kaplan of ESPN as well. Bunch of games in the nhl tonight the rafters winning last night will touch on that like there's nothing they can do they're playing it at g league roster and they won by thirteen last night uh... it's really astonishing to see what's happening at the bottom end of

the nb a right now uh... so get into that in flighty grow junior not talking to the media now released not today requested to come out and speak they were in Dunedin he was in the lineup playing and everyone's like well these new reports are out there about what you're looking for and what the Blue Jays were willing to offer and now Vladik is not speaking so we'll touch on that and whether or not he's got an obligation to and what about the front office where do they come into play on all this as well Jonas Siegel in here of the

Atlantic Jason Strudwick. I'm Brian Hayes, Hour 2 coming up Overdrive continues TSN 1050N on TSN 4. You've been listening to Overdrive powered by FanDuel. FanDuel bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score. IHR Radio is taking you backstage with Kane Brown in Quebec City. Y'all get ready.. Let's go put some Need him interview him an I heart radio experience. You'll never forget With flights hotel and $500 included For your best chance to win enter daily at I heart radio dot CA

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