OverDrive - OverDrive - March 17th, 2025 - Hour 1

Episode Date: March 17, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Jamie McLennan for Hour 1 on OverDrive! The guys discuss the Maple Leafs' defeat to the Senators, the issues around the ice with the team, Craig Berube's perspective on the team's line and the performance of the roster. They also dive into the Eastern Conference landscape and the playoff picture, the Senators' red-hot stretch, the Maple Leafs' pursuit of a turnaround and Max Scherzer's thumb injury impact with the Blue Jays.

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Brian Hayes the odog Jeff O'Neill Jamie noodles McClennan happy st. Patrick's happy st. Patty's to all of us celebrate to all three of us none of us are wearing green I just I know I actually I was going to and I just said am I too old like it's just you get to under you had an age where I'm Irish My last name is Flanagan O'Neill right? I should have a green tie on yeah, I just said screw it I had a green like dress shirt. I was gonna wear that was kind of a darker green Yeah, I thought what's the point like what is it really gonna accomplish? I don't know I like is someone gonna acknowledge it and be like wait a where good job No, good job, but I mean

acknowledge it and be like way to wear it. Good job man. Good job. But I mean Flanagan O'Neill probably should have done something. And my mom like all my aunts all my family they have some green on today but I just didn't get any spirit. Maddie Nichol my old trainer with the Leafs we had we bought I got us green Irish suits for St. Pad Patty's Day and we debuted them in 2004 in Montreal. We wore the green suits in Montreal. That's where you want to break it out. Yeah. That's yeah, you got to do that. But I, what was the the cost of not doing business for this? Wasn't you supposed to get pinched or something like that? Yeah, my kids were doing that this morning. Like my youngest came in and pinched me so hard. And I was like, I guess that's the thing now.

If you're not wearing green, you're supposed to get pinched. Yeah. That's what I looked at her in grade school. 7.30 this morning, I'm like, what do you think you're doing? Because you're not wearing anything green. I'm like, I know I'm asleep.

You pissed the wrong person off with a pinch. Oh yeah. You might get just KO'd. That I could see some guy thinking he's being cool and icebreaker. Yeah, at a restaurant, breakfast, hey no green today huh? Just lying on the floor KO'd. Just suckers him. See you later. Knocks him out. Yeah, see you later. But yeah I would, you know, guess maybe some of the bars are filling up. It's a Monday, you know, we had this conversation on Friday, Monday night, it's a tough one. You do have a Leaf game tonight. The Leafs will be in their St. Pat's gear. Yeah. So, you know, and it

was a weekend thing. I was down there on Saturday. A lot of people in green and the St. Pat's gear, we talked about it on Friday. It is outstanding. It's mint, but it looks great. The thing is, I brought up some memories where it's like that green gear, there's been some chaos on those games. There was a crazy comeback on Ottawa one. I think there was another one. Maybe it was a Carolina. Oh, there was the Garrett Sparks one we referenced.

The Jerry. After the game. Jerry Sparks in a flat brim, going our team needs to be. We gotta play with more life and more structure and a little bit more. Like Babcock. Remember Babs right afterwards.

I don't know if he ever played again. He may have never played again. He might have been skating on his own March 18th. He might have. Because remember they sent him to another part of the building at one point at the end. They said, you're no longer with us. And then he went out to like LA or something.

Yeah, he jumped around a little bit. I think he's a DJ now or something. Yeah, he's still a DJ I believe. I'm not sure, I'm rooting for him, Garrett Sparks. All the best. But yeah, it didn't go so well. And Saturday night, I kind of sniffed out what was gonna happen.

I was down there and I saw something. We were out for dinner, my wife and I, and I saw something that was a bad omen. I knew it was gonna lead to a bad night. Oh no. I've never seen this move before. So I go into the washroom, we're about to walk down to the rink and I see a guy using the urinal as a stoop to tie his shoes. So foot on the urinal. Both shoes.

Leaf jersey. I'm like that's not good. No. it they're not winning tonight that is a bet that's probably the worst omen you could get a foot in the toilet I need to interrupt you quickly and just notify or inform you of my feeling I have no problem with that that's I'm sorry dude that's jail that's that's prison time if you're just putting the bottom of your sneaker up on the urinal it's a urinal take a look down if you take a look at elevation you got to go your sneaker up on the urinal. It's a urinal, dude. You take a look down. You gotta get elevation. You gotta go up to a level and the urinal's the perfect height.

How about go out? Walk out of your chair. You're acting like the hands, he's washing his hands in the urinal. It's close enough. You know those things flush out of nowhere? What if your hands are in there and you get an accidental flush and there's sprays? Yeah, you get the motion. Because you know what else is going on?

Your head's down there. Like you're not tying your shoes like this. You got your head basically in that urinal. And there are foreign objects. Absolutely. You guys looked at that. You would look at that with disgust. I would look at that and acknowledge.

Dude, I would look at them and do that. You know the head shake where it's like, I know where you're at and I respect your move? I would give him that head shake. I could not disrespect this move anymore. That looks sometimes like there's a beard trimmer that's been going on down there. Oh, it's absurd. It is ridiculous. There is nothing to see.

And you also know the way, like, some other guy could come into the next lane and be like, I don't care what you're doing. Yeah. You know what I mean? Like you're an old, yeah, no, like women couldn't understand this, but men go in, you find a lane and you target it and you go and then you're out of there. Yes. There's no like, oh, he's tying his shoes. I'll wait until he's done. Like that's another thing. Like there's, it's just, it was a wild scene and I knew it was coming on Saturday night. And I bet you we could figure out the top five omens. That's as, you know, almost as bad as it gets. But Doogie, get a poll going out there. I'll guarantee you 90% for more safe. Put in the toilet.

That should lead to a fine. Put in the toilet with a Matthews jersey on. Oh yeah. Big leap fan and I knew he was going down. I think everyone south of Highway 7 would say foul, everyone north would say nothing to see there. You think it's a cultural thing? Kazwick, you think Kazwick? People outside of the city, like rural people? Speaking of Kazwick, I gotta give a shout out to a fan of the show. I went and played, I was in Florida last week and I went and played golf at Citrus Cabot Citrus Farms., I've heard it's beautiful

This place is so sick. Yeah, and it was a beautiful morning And I went to the first tee with our caddy and on the first tee I turned around Good-looking dude standing there. He's all dressed up in the citrus stuff puts his hand out He's the director of golf Mike Johnston from Keswick, Ontario He's the director of golf Mike Johnston from Keswick, Ontario Yes, nice. Well, as I've heard you guys listen to you guys before I'm from Keswick, Ontario I love it. I had a ton of respect what an operation they got down there I've heard like it just check it out. But as I would stand yeah, you want to go on a trip down south They got cottages. They got all it's like a it's a paradise

Cabot is taken over like and it's a great Canadian company, right? And they started out East obviously another out west. I ran operation. He's what a shout out Mike Johnston Keswick MJ from Keswick, Ontario I love it while Cujo was in the house on Saturday nights also from Keswick, Ontario Right and Cujo was there and you get in grief though that you were in the house for a loss again or not Yeah, I had some people that were very unkind to me online and on the way out You know what? I actually I get a point like in a private box or were you and no I was I we were in the seats We're in the scene and of the people man of the people we were in the seats walking around

I'll say this leaf fans are not a good place right now like leaf fans Yeah, this team has has just jabbed at them for so many years and Leaf fans, I think understandably and quite frankly deservedly, are really unhappy with the way things are going because this team... They're not unhappy. Here's what they are. They're nervous. They're not unhappy. That how you would define it? I would. I would because they're like okay the playoffs and by the way in years past it's not like they started playing a brand of hockey where everyone was like

all my god these guys are ready for the playoffs i'm pretty sure if you're a span of the ottawa senators right now watching the ottawa senators play you would say this team's ramping up and they look really good on saturday really good so they're going to be a little bit of a watching them play watching them play and Jamie you do all the games you know better than anybody. I'm sure their fan base is saying man these guys are kind of getting jacked up for the playoffs right now. But I'm sure Maple Leaf fans are saying oh my god are they gonna are they getting ready to do it again? Because and Craig Marube mentioned after the the game on Saturday 90s like just the

key word is urgency like it was just like a couple pucks out that one play on the wall Matthews Marner losing his guy Sanderson it's like there was no urgency so it's like what like did you not see the urgency we've been saying you got to win the division and play do they have urgency for that that's and I get it there's a part of the schedule where it's just there's a lot of games and they might be out of gas there's some goofy things going on a league like I don't think Vegas overdrive is freaking out that the Vegas Golden Knights are heading back to Vegas after getting beat by Buffalo in Detroit mm-hmm so there's some weird things going on but I think the fans are just nervous like oh you guys are gonna

start doing this stuff again right before the playoffs. Which is fair. I, I, but it is like we've seen peaks and valleys. So I always try to be measured. The one thing I will say, and I want your, both your reaction is I didn't love the con the comments after the game. Like Matthews is like, yeah, everyone else is playing playoff hockey. Guess we better, like, I'm like, hold on a second here, like, you guys are a veteran team. You should be digging in, you should realize, the standings are on the wall in the dressing room.

Like these guys know what's at stake here down the stretch. So I was like, this isn't the time to say lessons learned. Why don't we play them? We have, do we have them both together here, JP? Or are we playing one at a time? Let's play Matthews. Here's Matthews' post game from Saturday night. I think the margins have been really small in the last couple games but I think, you know, just details in our game I think haven't quite been there and it's on us to figure that out and to just be better. I mean, we got to get it through our head that all these games,

you know, especially some of the teams are playing are these games are going to be playoff like and just teams that are fighting for their lives. They're trying to make a push there. They're desperate teams like the one we played tonight. So, you know, we got to wrap our heads around that and just be better all around as a team. Wrong. You know, what bugs me about that is like their last captain would come out and say We got to get to our structure

And it was just I would watch it all the time after playoff exits like you just got punted from the entire playoffs And I was I'd watch that and Duffy would say do you want to comment on that? I was like absolutely because it wasn't about structure It was about urgency and passion and playing for keeps and all that other stuff and then he then their new captain where you think the message would be a little bit different it's like the details what are you talking about the details it's playing with urgency and playing better that's all it is yeah there listen they're being outplayed every single game they're

playing right now like over the last six or seven games not over the whole season clearly in this but in this pocket in one regulation game the last seven also they've been blown a lot of leads but they have that was something they were doing very well earlier in the year remember a couple weeks ago i mentioned who gave the kiss at twenty seven oh when they're leading after two period one of the act as common it was factual it was just simply a fact and ever since then the

wheels have fallen off. They got the win on that. But Utah, they held on for dear life. Yeah, that right. Like there were a number of games, even the first game back after the break, they're up four, nothing in Carolina before you even turn the game on and they held on for dear life. And they've done that a lot in the games that they have won since the four nations. But really it's not that deep. They're being outplayed every game. They don't deserve to win these games. And Ottawa outplayed them. They came alive in the third, they put on a push, and then Olmar came alive and he made some great stops. And you know Ottawa, I thought Ottawa played a really really solid road game. The first period was awful. Both teams, Isings and Choppie

Park. It was a terrible first period. Yeah, both teams. Like it was kind of their reason into it. They couldn't figure it out. And then I thought Ottawa in the second period leaned on them, even though the Leafs were kind of, they were gifted the Matthews goal. All Mark just put it on a tee for them and they blew both leads. And you're right about urgency. And that's what the coach is indicating, right? Like Barube. And this is what Barube, Barube is a raw, raw coach. Like that's what he's got to get that out of them. And he mentioned on Saturday, he didn't like the way they played in the first period. and this is what the ruby ruby's a raw rock coach like that's what he's got to get that out of them

any mention on saturday like the way they played in the first period and this way had to say about the attitude of the team going into a big game tonight covries in a playoff on dustin wolf making his i believe is debut here in toronto raised but really good recently and here's what ruby said about the general mood and attitude of the team today this morning i think, you know, we went over a few things where we're at as a team and,

you know, talked about some urgency that we need a little bit. We need more obviously throughout the game, not when it's desperate time, you know. I think last game, you know, I thought that, I talked about it, that Ottawa was a little more hungry than us early on in that game. We gotta get that battle level and that urgency level up. Guys understand that, they're not very happy right now, which is a good thing.

And, you know, so that's really the message. The message too is like, we're right there. I mean, you know, we've got two games in hand here. We've got to take care of our business and start with tonight's game only and focus on that and go from there. Correct. I like the comments because it's not like panicky

and you can see a confidence but the urgency this isn't about Steven Lorenz showing urgency going into the corner and running somebody through the boards or Scotty Lawton or Max Domi this is about John Tavares playing his best hockey Austin Matthews Mitch Marner William Neal their best players riley absolutely and beyond that it's their gold tender like a good their goaltending is falling off jimmy i would know the numbers or whatever they're doing but like there is that save the other night on that perron goal where i thought he split across the ice and it was one of

the kind of a lot of came back the other way like those are yet and even the centers on the same side they're both right in the same spot so it's like the saves that they were getting earlier in the year well this a one thing about that coach right there there should be some artificial intelligence on twitter for anybody that's trying to take a run at craig berubi and i know you should put no stake in some dummy fan that's chirping the coach

that the artificial intelligence to correct in say same players but in players their coach and their back i saw some some people taking some pot shots at the coach. Give your head a shake for real. I think when it comes to Boruba, he's going back, he's reverting back to similar lines, right? Like they tried it on Saturday night. They tried to move Marner around and Willie around

and now he's going back to the lines. He's trying to figure out who he has and what he has. And I agree with that sentiment. And I do think like if you're not after nine years looking at the superstar players and saying they're the ones that have to drive the bus, to me, I think that you're starting in the right in the wrong position when a team is playing like this, and things are trying to be figured out. Barube, management, they all have skin

in the game, and they all deserve some criticism in some different forms but at the at the forefront of it is the players and that's why i'm very curious to see if they're actually gonna play pissed because i don't know if they can do it like that's the truth i don't know if austin matthews and mitch marner and william neil enter john to bars can play pissed yeah like i don't think they can start the game in the Puck goes in the corner on

the first shift of the game are you gonna drill that defenseman through the glass? I don't know if they can. And say this is how it's gonna set the tone? Because the reason that fight happened on Saturday night was because Greg took a shot at Matthews. Like that's why Lawton fought him. If you go back and look at the Drew goal I was watching, I was at that side of the ice. And Matthews was on it, and he's skating by him,

and Gregg looks at him and goes, I'm gonna chicken wing this guy. And he took a little jab at him, and Matthews, instead of saying, no chance, I'm gonna bury you for that, he just looked at him and skated away, and then five minutes later, Lotton's like, you gotta fight for that.

I think that's what happened. I don't know that definitively but that would be my guess. That was your interpretation. That was my interpretation Greg took a shot at Matthews after the Drew goal and Lawton the next time he was on said you're fighting for that. I think that's what happened and I'm not saying and I do this every year and I know I'm yelling into the abyss because it's never gonna happen I don't need Matthews to fight there I'd love to see him actually get pissed though like who was Ridley Greg to touch you need Matthews to fight there. I'd love to see him actually get pissed though Like who was Ridley Gregg to touch you?

Austin Matthews after they scored like Greg if I wish we could find the video we might be able to I don't know if they Had it on hockey night. Yeah, but he chicken winged him a little bit wasn't crazy But enough like turned around and looked at him like who are you? What are you doing where I would have loved to have seen Austin just say I'm burying this guy who are you what are you doing where i would have loved to have seen austin just say i'm bearing this guy two-handed to two-minute panini a five in a game if you have to buy some stalling and just like you didn't just about their last time you actually got pissed yeah exactly that outdoor game hamilton

bernie cross check brass miss delhi so now teams are gonna this no ryan rees around and people are going to be like i'm gonna chicken wing this guy what the hell's the world can happen to me and that's the thing like again reeves is a separate conversation and he's not going to play in the playoffs and he's not going to be on the ice to it had a in a penalty kill situation and he's not going to fight greg because greg's not a heavyweight like that's so the reeves thing is different but he is

a personality he is a presence and i thought i noticed that like i thought hammanek was really pushing back on Saturday He was going at Matthews and Marner like he was he was playing tough Hey, I thought she bought was playing with some some piss and vinegar I what do you think the recipe has when teams play the Toronto Maple Leaf exactly push them to the outside make their life this Difficult and lean on them and see what kind of pushback they have yeah And guess what they got back not much and that's that's what i'm questioning tonight if you're if they're pissed your point it can't be lot in in ponte's home

bergen dole me if the big boys aren't pissed everything else is a role well and you say you're not that we don't and when i said the fans were nervous saturday night playoff type style of game loss got pushed around a little bit didn't have the compete level, urgency, whatever you want to call it.

Vegas, Colorado, it's like they're finding ways to lose these games and my fans are nervous is... Which was it? Florida? Florida? Florida? So they're losing these games and my fans are nervous, they're like, those are four playoff type games with like big boy type hockey, all in different areas, like Colorado is not as physical, but a big boy type hockey all in different era colorado's not as physical but big boy hockey team a team that's really good news gonna have a chance to win and they're finding ways to lose and fans are like

but what's what's going on around the corner and i've said it in years past i don't mind a little bobble at this particular point because i think you can find your game right before the playoffs read someone brought a good i've brought up a good point today and they said that's a great statement everything jeff but you tell me as mister analyst this guy breakfast this morning is like what is their game define it yeah he's like you said they get to their game what is their game if they're on

their game and i had to think about it for a minute like what like what is it that they bring to the table well and is it much different than it that it has been I know they got a coach in a new philosophy but I guess they just have to play better is the end of the story this year then they're capable of playing a lot and that's right this year if you look at their identity it's been defense it's been tight contested games to your your point, which you said, was it two weeks ago? How long ago were you like, hey, 27 and 0. That's what they were. They locked it down.

I'm focusing in on that. When you look at the definition of the team, they're not the team that tries to open it up anymore. It's not, hey, we'll win 7-4 and we'll skill them to death. What they're trying to do is play consistent throughout the season. So really the identity of their team has been defense first, manage the puck, win loose puck battles. This is the thing that I, I'm going to be watching. Watch he gives a little checker wing. I was watching alive. I'm like, that's interesting that he just took his play that again, Joe.

And I know people are watching a little nugget as an analyst I thought that was a good I should have tweeted that out and I didn't but like Drew it's a lucky bounce it goes off yeah I go off to an F like Greg's and there's Matthews and he just jabs him yeah and I think that's what Lawton saw it and said you got to fight for that and Austin just kept going and he turned around and looked at because he noticed them he's like yeah I know you you did that to me but I'm just gonna keep going yeah and again Ridley Gregg's gotten under their skin a lot over the last couple of years

he might only get you ten goals a year but he's an effective player man yeah they signed that guy and I was like man that may be a little I think they're signing for four million a year oh I think it's less but it's he's he's they gave him a four-man deal at three something. But he is worth like he is worth just the pain in the ass factor. But I think he's at 12 goal. Like he's a good player, but he in a perfect world, I believe he's in your top nine. He pushes up to your top six. At the end of the day, Jamie, he's a pain in the ass. And yeah, they value that. Yeah. Like he's well into his credit, like in Lawton's credit, they fought, but he's like, all right,

I'll fight you, like let's go. In the end, I look at it, there's lots that can be improved in. I wanna come back to your original thing. It's not Lawton that's gonna drag him out of it. Like I said, Edmonton's struggling, it's gotta be Dry Settle, McDavid, your top players. Play better.

If your top players play better, guess what? Things all fall into place. That's really what it is. That's really what it is. And that's, you know, the identity of the team. The identity over the last few years that would strike fear in the opposition is that they have four or five guys

who can just bury you regardless of how prepared you are or how well you're playing. If Matthews and Marner and then into a second way of Tavares and Nyland, you might stop one. Maybe that top pair and that top line does a great job and stops them. You don't have enough to stop the next guy. When the zero are on top of their game, you got no chance.

Well, and that's it. And it's the same thing with a lot of different places. Like if, okay, you stop McDavid, go ahead. But Dry Suttles over the board next. You don't have enough to stop him. You might stop the one guy if he's cooking not the other guy right and that that's what this team's identity has been is that these guys they can strike fear in you because of their abilities and their

offensive proficiencies and if those aren't there and they're struggling to create the struggling to score all of a sudden you look at the rest of the lineup and you're like you know the third line is not going to scare you the third line's not going to scare you, the fourth line's not going to scare you, they're not big and tough, they're not overly fast, like it all starts at the top. The best players have got to perform better. And tonight's a big opportunity because Florida lost again. Florida's blown a couple of games recently. Like they threw away a game in Boston, threw away a game yesterday in New York.

Your four games back, like Barube said, are four points back with games in hand yet and you play them two more times and this is a lot of this but you gotta start out tonight that's really happy and worry about it themselves and it's not all on austin matthews like mitch marner ever since that you talk the last three years has been terrible but he he's fumble in the park he's he's really he really struggle on saturday night and i thought he really blended in the puck. He's really, he was, he really struggled on Saturday night. And I thought he really blended into the game

against Florida on Thursday. They got an opportunity. This is the thing though. Have a busy week. Play tonight, play Wednesday, play Thursday, play Saturday and that's after playing Saturday. Yeah. And that Colorado team on Wednesday is as tough

as it gets in the league right now. And they might be getting their captain back by the looks of a- You see him skating? Landiscaard cruising around. That'll be a long-term, I would guess, right? Like game one of the playoffs. I would think it's playoff bound, but I don't know.

But he was moving out there. That would be a great story, man. It is a great story. He hasn't played in two years. Great for the league. Captain, like really, really good player. It would be, because I just assume Landisgaard was done. Like wasn't.

Who knows? Maybe he's just skating around to be with the boys Who knows could be he's a great leader to every I have a buddy who's good friends with him apparently he is just an unbelievable human and The guys love him to death like he's and and when you took him out of that dressing room the dressing room changed So I think they they need and want him around to dude I think he's been the captain since he was 19 or 19. He was the youngest captain I think in the NHL before McDavid took over. I think you're right.

And he was the captain in Kitchener. Like there aren't a lot of European players that are captains in the Canadian Hockey League. Like I would actually be intrigued to see the list on that. I can't imagine it's lengthy. No. Like generally it's not like a european player that comes over and he was like some guy from sub-breed it's all about the guy with a mustache at sixteen

always from a he's he grew up on a farm and he's your captain and you just know exactly who he is and what he's gonna do Ridley Gregg 3.25 starting next year yeah he's at 865 that's a good a good deal money to auto wasn't a really good place like they've been one six in a row they deserve to win on saturday night they were resilient they battled thing is though and there's there is a race here while they're in the race that they've

been there five points up i believe on the rangers as we've seen all season long five wins five loss a Are you gonna stay? Their goalie is starting to do what I said he needed to do I'm telling you if this goalie had have been dialed in from the start of the season Yeah, it'd be on top of the Atlantic Division for crying out. I'll be they'd be pushing be right damn right They were and they're right there right now with him missing game So, you know in the end, you know the Columbus, Detroit, the Islanders found a way to get ... They're still hanging around.

I know. You're Pierre Engvall. Pierre Engvall, I inspired him. He said, he goes, Pierre Engvall led Islanders. Yeah, the Pierre Engvall led New York Islanders. Yeah, the Pierre Engvall led New York Islanders. Dude, did you see Patrick Waugh's face when somebody asked him about him last week? It was disgusting.

Like, what about Engvall? He sighed, he went... He had to take... He actually had to take, he actually took a deep breath. Yeah. He's like, I can't believe I'm being asked about this. He was in shock that someone asked him about Pierre Engvall. Dude, I can't believe Lou gave him that contract. I said on last week, that should have been a meeting with Gary Bettman. A league meeting. A league meeting. Bettman should have told Lou, you have to meet me at 830 tomorrow morning and explain this contract,

because this is bad for business. We have a reputation we're trying to uphold here. Dude, that should be, you know in the movies, there's an ejection button on a seat. Like, if you sign that paper, that Lou's ejection seat, like out of the building, like into Mars. Yeah, like what was the owner doing

when he agreed to sign off on that deal? That's something I would be fascinated by. It was like a six year deal, man. Seven year deal. Seven times three. Yeah, get the cap down. What was Engel asking for? If it's three years, it's gotta be six.

But if it's seven, I'll sign for three. Like what was the counter that made that? If there was a Jeremy Schaap 30 for 30 on that contract negotiation, I would download it. It would be my home screen. Imagine that. I would watch it. Eric probably got a call from his agent he's like I got you a seven year deal at three million he probably hung up the phone and said that's a good call. Oh yeah. Oh you'd say for who? For London? Like it can't be in the National League? Am I going back to Sweden? I might be having to go back to Sweden.

I will say he was. No that's what he said so he told him the term He goes so I'm going home Back home. Where are we going? I know the I watched him over the weekend. He was Noticeable I will say that listen they still I hear you it is still I mean they got Joking in the deep, Florida. No, we're not sure everyone's having a good time Alright, we've got Ray coming up Ray Ferraro just after five Because you know, we got the Leafs and Flames tonight We got a bunch of games going on a bunch of things coming off the weekend as well in the NHL

I think he played with Ilya Kovalchuk to write like his first year Kovalchuk in the league I think in down in Atlanta cuz Kovalchuk retired last week I thought Kovalchuk had retired 10 years. I thought so too when I saw the email that he was retiring. I'm like I haven't heard his name since the 2020 Olympics or 2018 Olympics. I'll look it up to see if he's played hockey anytime recently because if not Owen and I are going to sign our papers. Yeah you should. You guys should retire with Kovalchuk. I haven't signed any papers. You've signed any papers? Okay. We're going to retire. We could do an overdrive announcement. We are going to retire. I like that.

I just remember walking out of the Maple Leafs locker room and the team doctor recalls this because he told me it's one of his favorite stories. Somebody came up to me and they're like, you have a meeting coming up with Fergie and Paul Maurice and I said, you can tell them both that i'm never stepping foot back in the flock of them again at this the later i'm not coming back in and i was never heard from again that was your retirement was that i walked out of the building and they were like you got an exit meeting ago and i go this is an exit all right i'm never

coming back to meet me in the park yes i'm not like i'm never coming back yeah that is your exit meeting Well, we'll see if we can maybe doogie can get some ceremony going or something. We'll see about that But ray's coming up. We got johnson wagner as well coming up from the gulf channel We'll touch on what happened this morning and it was uh, It was quite the scene at the players And there's some trouble brewing down in dunedin. We'll tell you what news came out of Blue Jay Camp earlier today as well. We'll get to that. Overdrive continues, TSN 1050 and on TSN 4.

You spoke off the top about an outrageous act at a urinal where someone tied their shoes, just put their foot up. Yeah, used the urinal as a stoop to tie their shoes, which I declared no foul No, I would have given acknowledgement thing. You gotta dig gotta tie your shoe. So it's the bottom of your shoe You're not shoes. That's in your car. You're walking around your house your kids once a kids Can you go grab my shoes and your kids are bringing your shoes over to you? Okay, so you're walking out of a building all the grubby gum and cigarettes and all

The garbage hey listen that's trapped on that you can't control you can control staying away from the internal That's a good role. Would you do it in a porta potty? Let me ask you that porta potty at the RBC Canadian open on Sunday I would climb in at the time my shoe a poor party deserves no respect whatsoever Yeah, you remember the Canadian open port-a-potties? I've seen them and I've seen them get towed in and get towed out and it's a scene. Anyway, my point is nothing is more despicable than the pick I'm about to post. The Shea Weber jersey guy. That is the most insane urinal foul because he threw his nachos and Diet Coke at the bottom

of that, went to the can and thought nothing of it. And there was shrapnel. Yeah, man. There was shrapnel going on. Dude, that's a 10-game gross misconduct right there. Yeah, that's- And plus a $500,000 fine. Because there's rebounds coming off that, that you just-

Dude, that guy went and sat down and buried those nachos like there was no problem yeah you said if there's a pick up Joe yeah you're gonna how disgusting that we don't need that type of right now with AI and that there is somebody who knows that person oh yeah that's like that's Phil that's Phil yeah he knows the jersey the shoes the way he ties in the little nachos on the right foot on the right foot someone I guarantee you, look at the flex on the right foot. Someone knows that flex. I guarantee you, that person could be identified. I think you're right. Remember our buddy Kenny Pagan, like they had a picture on the front page of the Sun or whatever, like identify. If we put that picture somewhere on the Overdriver where it's who is this guy we'd like to interview him.

I think we probably track him down. He's probably done radio or something. Somebody knows who that guy is. Somebody. That guy's called into a post game on TSN 690 in Montreal. That guy on his way home. If you know this man, we want to speak to him tomorrow. There's a reward.

That guy's called into Melnick's show and you know, Mitch Gallows had to deal with them. All the boys out there. Exactly. Mad about you know, Lane gallows had to deal with them all boys out mad about you know Lane Hudson not getting enough ice time absolutely and listen to Habs had a big win over the weekend as well and they got Ottawa tomorrow night I'm doing that game that that's that's a big game man game but like I was trying to you know you tie into the Leafs and all of that when's the last time every Canadian city was on edge like this and playing meaningful games? Oh it's I'll bet you it's been 30 years 40 years honestly I

don't know the last time. Now they're all not gonna make it but there is I mean Calgary and Vancouver are right there battling with st. Louis now that's come up. And Utah that was a big one for them. So but you've got Ottawa battling Montreal battling you know the Leafs and Edmonton Winnipeg is where they are I mean Winnipeg's been right there the pace goes I don't want to jinx it and I hope anybody I know in the auto organization isn't mad at this Ottawa's in I'm sorry they're in well I don't they got a six point buffer right now but 16 games there's still there's still time

I would say that if there was ten games left. Yeah, my Montreal beats them in reg tomorrow night Then you know Montreal's four back. I think five back. It was in a great spot They're in a great spot. My whole thing is I I've just learned and maybe this is just doing the job for 14 years. Never say never on anything. This is, this is the way I feel. Noodles. I, I want you to look at that board and tell me who the two wildcard teams are and Ottawa is one of them. And I think it's going to be the two that are sitting there. The Rangers, I don't know, man. They've been inconsistent. All year. Well, yeah. You look at the games played. So they're, they're chasing that. I've been kind of bullish on Columbus just because of the

story and everything and they've been scoring at Will and I don't I mean you look at it I don't feel great about any of the teams quite frankly. For me it's the Rangers because I believe they're the best team on paper compared to the others. I would love to see Montreal just because it's a bunch of all of it and would be much real on eastern teams all in would be amazing i think whoever gets in the second while i like on was chances in the first round playoff by due to the way they're playing that they got away there balance reasons the bias and i hope i i called them automatic in

and i hope i don't regret that but i think they could cause problems for somebody whoever gets in the second wild card i think is gonna get their ass handed to them Well by whoever wins the Atlantic division. Yes I'm not it depends on who's at the top But you don't think that the Toronto Maple Leafs if they win the Atlantic will how can you possibly say that about the Leafs in the playoffs? Like how could you ever be? leaves in the playoffs. Like how could you ever be overly optimistic? Let me just let me just touch on this and I briefly touched on it in the last half

hour. We discussed the recent struggles what needs to change. I don't mind a bobble right now. No you can survive a bobble and you get a 10 point buffer. You can get it on track and go into the playoffs on a heater man. Well they haven't had too many bobbles this season what are we talking about look at the Rangers the Rangers have been on a bobble the whole year our team they had one early in the season they've had one recently and now they're kind of in a funk right now but if they snap out of it and they get dialed in right before the playoffs and kind of let everybody settle in there are some different pieces back there everyone's got to elevate and play their best hockey and play with desperation.

But if they can do that, they'll be right on track for the playoffs. It just honestly, oh, you make a good point. I think it's just my whole thing and I believe I'll speak and Hayes, you speak next, but it's, I'll believe it when I see it. That's just the way I think people are treating that around here. And that's the reputation that they'm sorry but that's exactly because i think that's what rattled people recently it's like okay big playoff game verse vegas saw that big playoff game verses

cool of colorado okay big playoff game against florida head-to-head alright so people have ptsd going okay this is being called a playoff game and and what are we seeing now tonight's the ultimate litmus test because the coach just went on TV this morning and he goes I basically told everybody the urgency is not even close and the way they're playing is not even close so the first 10 minutes against the Calgary Flames tonight let's see what your urgency level is yeah I mean that you got to have a hot start yeah but then you also you got a close I mean

they've had the Leafs have had a hot in Utah They they skated them out of the rink. Yeah, the shots were like 19 for they were up three nothing And then they fold it up their bags and said alright This is over and they didn't close and you know A concern is because the old saying has always been out there when you're running hot you at the end of it You win games. You probably shouldn't right and when you're in a slump, you're games you probably should win yeah they haven't hit that part yet they didn't deserve to beat Ottawa they didn't deserve to beat Florida they like that so my fear is dominate tonight but Dustin Wolfe stands on his head and then it's like okay but but that's almost where we're at right now it's not about just getting the two points although I get them look like the better team tonight right that's what the Maple Leafs it's that simple by the end of this game walkouts saying we deserve

the two points we were better than that team tonight and I think that's that's what they have to bring because you know walls going in it's a big opportunity for Joseph Wall because Stoller's got the last two games and they were the big ones like Florida that was big and then they went back to him on against Ottawa a divisional rival big game Saturday night and I don't think they lost because of him on Saturday no but he's come back to earth a little bit and that's a big part of their goaltending the first 45 50 games were it was spectacular and now that's not gonna get you out of Dodge so but they're an uncharted territory both of those guys as far as games played so it's the same situation Anthony Stolar's

over a full season has played in 28 games now he's pushed up against that and he still has what a month left oh just over a month 16 games yeah like this is this is a massive test for him. Same thing with Joseph Wall. These guys are in uncharted territory as far as games played. So I always believed there was going to be a market correction for them. But one of these guys, Jamie, it's not like they're playing Grand Pure 72 games a year. Like is it too much to ask for one of them to be playing Wall right now? No.

I get it, they're into some territory they've never been in. It's the big leagues, like... I get it. God, it drives me nuts. But everybody's got excuses for all these players. The thing is, too, when you look at teams that are struggling, you can circle a handful full of guys on the team that are playing to their capabilities.

Everybody else is like, OK, you got more. Like Ekman Larson, the star of the season, the first 45 games, I thought he was fantastic really really subtle looks his age right now for some reason like some of these guys are starting to look you know it's the the dog days not excuses but it's just the reality is what you're watching okay they're playing Saturday they play Thursday play Saturday play Monday play Wednesday like they can't get it going every night. So the team looks older on certain situations. They are a veteran team.

They are a veteran team. So it's hard for them to ramp it up every night. Younger teams are a little bit quicker on certain situations. But you can start by what you were saying. Be the better team. Like, hey, we're gonna play to our capability. And again, it's not Steven Lorenz who's gonna to our capability and it again it's not Stephen Lorenz who's gonna drag him out of it it's gonna be Austin Matthews or Mitch Marner or

William Nylander or John Tavares or a combination of them all and everybody on that roster can play better I don't I can't think of one guy Max Domi's had a couple one and a half nice games you know yeah well he had the big one against Florida right and and they're still like he might be on the third it looks like he's gonna be on the third line Santa night playing center with Robertson and McMahon and you know, Berube He's he's very Reluctant to to changing these lines up like we're going back to Knives and Matthews and Marner tonight And I know why he believes in that line. I get it

But that's the line that's gonna play a ton tonight and that's the ones got a drag them out of the last and i love him playing on the fourth line tonight you give up a first round and i got a play third line he's gonna play better again at the forefront of it is that he's got to play better for sure but let's ask the play out of i hear you i mean they get pontus holmberg on the second line left wing tonight where i wonder if maybe you move lot into that spot give him a chance to play with some better players and give him a chance to show some life tonight but you're right

I mean and David Camp's making two and a half million to be up in the press box again like he's not playing so they you know the deadlines gone they're trying they got to figure it out they get 16 games and you know but it goes quick like it goes quickly these 16 games great Ray Ferraro in 20 minutes. Max Scherzer speaking on his status and his thumb earlier today. We'll tell you about that and why it doesn't sound so promising at this point.

Overdrive continues, TSN 1050N on the TSN app. All right, Overdrive continues powered by FanDuel, bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score. So Max Scherzer, who has been dealing with injuries the last couple of years, obviously he's here on a one year deal. And Keegan Matheson tweeted out earlier today

that tomorrow and the next day will be big for Max Scherzer because he said his thumb issue flares up in his recovery. So his thumb is all good when he's out there pitching, but it's the day after and the day after that where it flares up in his recovery. So his thumb is all good when he's out there pitching, but it's the day after and the day after that where it flares up. And Scherzer said the danger is that pitching through this could lead to shoulder injuries. So he's working on this with a hand specialist,

doctors and trainers. And Scherzer said, quote, my thumb hurts. It hurts to grip the ball. The critical thing I've learned over the years here is that your thumb is absolutely critical to your arm health unfortunately this is what I've been dealing with since 2023 and quote my problem is did you not do a physical a thorough one before signing the contract or did you give this guy a 15 million dollar retirement gift how dumb can you

be well this is the concern. That's how it went for me. He got to spring training. He was like, I can't wait. We're going to we're here to win, man. Everything I'm revitalized. I'm here to win. I can't wait to pitch. Now it's yeah, my thumbs jacked up. And it's been like this for a year and a half. I mean, well, and he had the surgery and everything. Like he had those two starts against Philly where he looked good. He was throwing heat. He was moving stuff around.

And Trey Turner was messing with them and he was talking about umpires and AI and all this kind of stuff and now you knew this was coming right like you knew If you're just being honest and realistic you were hoping to get 20 to 25 starts out of it looks like five to eight I'm concerned that this guy now has been through the ringer the last couple of years. And if he has been, he knows his body, but if he's already saying, well, my thumb hurts, that means it's a matter of time before my shoulder hurts. He's not going to force it. No, he's not going to push through to make sure that he gets out there.

And this was always the issue. Like what are you going to do if Scherzer is a guy that's not reliable or can't pitch or can't be available? And you know today they announced Jose Barrios gets the ball opening day. It's a big honor for him and Barrios is a guy now been here for a couple of years. Signed long term. They're in the you know he's a good blue jay. He stays healthy. He's been pitching well. I think that was predictable in the right play. Give the ball to Barrios. Gosman will go the second game but after that they got to figure out what they're gonna do yeah because is Schurz are gonna pitch or not is he gonna break camp will it be on the IL they're figuring out what they're gonna do at Varsho it doesn't sound like he'll be

in a position to play center field to break camp and to start the season so what are you gonna do in center field you know these are all kind of dark clouds not dark clouds but they're question marks hanging over the team when they have to get off to a good start. Like that's at the forefront of what this team needs. You need a good start to the season. Very concerning though. And Scherzer, like Scherzer,

you're just hoping to go see him pitch. Like as a fan, you just want to be able to go see him pitch. And now- I want to see him pitch well. Now I just want to see him go out there and have three innings. And then it's like, yeah, thumbs acting up and it's turning the way where, you know, the season where it's like one great start and then the next one, the thumb flares up and then it's like injuries and then you never see the guy.

It's the team Elijah one man. That's what Elijah wanted when it came to the Raptors, like they gave him this big deal, like lot of money and he was coming in selling jerseys all of fame one of the all-time greats and he just it never he couldn't get on the court he couldn't play you gotta have a Jerry's of how many games are gonna see out of this guy I think honestly I think you'd take this is gonna sound crazy because it's March take ten I I gamble on more than ten but I probably take 15 starts right now

Like you'd sign off if the deal came across your desk, right? Give me 15 starts Yeah, I mean that means you're going to your bullpen every like second time through the rotation which is a million start Yeah, you'd be getting a million dollars to start. It's pretty good deal for him Especially if it just gets touched up early. Yeah, get him out. See you later. Thanks, Max. I don't know, man. I think you might take 15 starts.

That may be light. It might be worth a gamble, but 20, you pounce at that offer. You pounce on 20. Yes. You're in arbitration right now. They say we give you 20 starts. Max, sure is it? You're taking at that offer. You pounce on 20. Yes. You're in arbitration right now. They say we give you 20 starts. Max Schurz, you're taking it right now. Hour two coming up. Ray Ferraro will join us.

Johnson Wagner later this afternoon on what happened at the players over the weekend, what happened at the players this morning, and leaves flames tonight. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and on the TSN app. You've been listening to Overdrive powered by Fandual. Fandual, bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score. We all have questions about money, but questions about money are gross, right?

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