OverDrive - OverDrive - March 18th, 2025 - Hour 3

Episode Date: March 18, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Dave Feschuk for Hour 3 on OverDrive! TSN Hockey Analyst Carlo Colaiacovo joins to discuss the headlines around the NHL. They discuss Aaron Rodgers' next steps in the NFL and TSN Baseball Insider Steve Phillips joins to discuss the Blue Jays' outlook for the season, the roster trajectory for the team and Vladimir Guerrero's contract negotiations with the team and Bryan hands out his FanDuel Best Bets.

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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. Bell, internet just got better. Final Hour Overdrive continues powered by FanDuel, bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score. Brian Hayes, Zildag, Jeff O'Neal, Dave Festrack, the Toronto Star, and here is Carlo Coliaccovo. You hear him every morning on First Up.

You're going to see him on the panel tonight. Is it Habs panel or Sens panel tonight? I'm doing Habs panel, but there's a panel for both games. Yeah, I guess you have to. We just actually recorded an SC hit and we had all four of us, me, Frankie, Lindsay, and Laura, do a Sports Center hit with talking about the same game. It's actually pretty fun.

Awesome. Hell of a game. I mean, when was the last time these two teams played a meaningful game at this time of year? Exactly. We said that Saturday going into the Leafs-Sens game. It was the same thing. And when the Leafs have played the Habs this year. I mean, Toronto's been in the playoffs consistently for a long time.

The other two teams, we've been waiting for them. But tonight is a massive, massive game. Especially for Montreal. Big time for Montreal. I know Ottawa has been hot and they've given themselves a little bit of a cushion here but Montreal has been just as hot there's seven one and two in their last 10 Montembeau has been one of the best goaltenders coming out of the four nations he owns a six and one record his goals above expected is number one in the NHL they're getting great goaltending from him and this is a bigger game for them than I think for Ottawa for sure man Ottawa's banked His goals above expected is number one in the NHL. They're getting great goaltending from him and this is a bigger game for them

than I think for Ottawa. Sure man, Ottawa's banked their points. Like they're having really good plays. And in Montreal it's interesting because that top line, which Marty St. Louis has just consistently kept them together. Like Suzuki and Caulfield and Slavkovski. Like it started last year,

even though they weren't winning anything,'t going anywhere he just put them together and said you guys are gonna stick we believe in this line and it was rocky at times earlier in the year but this year that line is like popping down the stretcher it has especially like you remember Slavkovsky last year after the all-star break great off yeah it was really good it's the same thing this year and he said during the break that he watched Brady Kachuk play a lot and he kind of wants to model his game around him. And he's come out and played with that same attitude as Brady. Like he's not not going to fight. Well, he did fight the one game. Okay. I mean, but again, it's not what we

expect to see from him, but the power forward type of game. That's what he has to be. He has to be a beast, man. Where did it go at the beginning of the year, Carlo? Yeah, I don't know. It seemed like he found it at the end of last year and you're like, you've got a prototypical 30 goal scorer here who's a monster and he's going to kill people in the four check. And then to start this year, he was on the fourth line some nights.

Like where did it go and how did he get it back I have no idea where when it's a it's a great question I think for him he probably got too comfortable you know he gets the long-term extension and he's like okay life in the end he's still young he's still a very young player and he learned a hard lesson to being in the year that's for sure yeah well they need him like and they need a line a to right liners up to what 15 goals on the season Yeah, 13 of them on the power five on five. He's a ghost at times But still that's every goal counts it doesn't matter it is the team that could not score goals in the past You want to know how important Patrick line has become to the Montreal Canadiens?

Like you talked about that first line. They've relied on them and they've been like You talked about that first line, they've relied on them, and they've been like, dying to find secondary scoring. When Patrick Lina scores, that team is 11-1 and two. When he doesn't score, they're 9-11 and two. That's how important Patrick Lina has become to that team, just because they're getting production from somebody else other than their top line. Yeah, that's huge, man.

Yeah, he's good scoring. It's like, oh, Doug, oh, Doug always used to say, right, oh, Doug, that you could be the designated power play shooter, and that's basically what this guy is. Yeah. Well, he makes it work, man. Hey, at least he's not bluffing it and he's staying true to himself. Hey, fire me out in the power play, I'll do some damage. But you would think sooner or later the guy would contribute something five on five.

Well, I mean he was playing, I guess he was playing with Kirby Dock at this like. Dock and New Hook. Yeah and Dock's been out for a while but. That's one thing that I was disappointed about at the deadline. That was a big hole for Montreal and now they wanted to play the young kid Owen Beck in that position. Now they've taken him out of the lineup They bought it they brought up Joshua Waugh to play the left wing and moved new hook to the middle. I wish Montreal

Would have been a little bit more aggressive at the deadline and bring in like a veteran type guy that could help fill that void not not take it over but help fill it because It's such a huge hole that they need to replace right now, especially if you want to keep up that that that balance scoring that they've that they've somehow found right now. Absolutely. Yeah, it's a big game in Montreal, big game in Vancouver. They got the Jets in town tonight. And you know, you look at their lineup and it looks like Bessers back with Pedersen tonight

on that top line. And Quinn Hughes is still in the hunt for the Norris. Like I think McCarr likely has, you know, he's certainly in the lead right now. I think Wawrenski is still in contention there, but Quinn Hughes, man, he kind of deserves that McDavid treatment where you look at it and say he's still got 15 games, man. He could poke his nose in there. Yeah. Like if he drags them in and when he's on the ice, they're a completely different team. So I heard you guys talking about goal scoring coming in. Kyle McCar might have 30 goals as a defenseman.

Yeah, he's already got 25. So if he gets that, I think it's a lock. He's going to win it. And again, I don't want to take away from the season Quinn Hughes has had. This guy's clearly not been healthy the whole season. He's grinding his way through it. And you just wonder how much more he has left to give that he need they need they need them they

need everything you can give because even even what he brings it looks effortless at times but he still brings to that's an important game that's all they it's almost like that's all they got right now though like that's it like yeah Patterson's been better lately. But now Bess is not being good. No, I know. I know. And yeah, I hear you. I yet it's right there. It's an opportunity for them. Like St. Louis got a pretty soft skid.

St. Louis is still in the hunt. Utah still in the hunt. They're in all they're in Edmonton tonight. Yeah. And drives out of Calgary 50. And between those 14. Yeah. Calgary like they they were not impressive last night. They're kind of starting to leak oil a little bit I think they might have a rude awakening at the Garden tonight. They're in New York playing the Rangers it

Yeah, Rangers have not been a great team or been consistent at any point this season, but I think that's a tough back-to-back I'm curious of Wolf will play after he got pulled last night. I haven't seen if he will or not, but Yeah, the rookie of the year is another race, you know with Hudson doing what he's doing He's like fourth in the league in points by a defenseman. Yeah, and he's leading all rookies. And he's leading all rookies. And then Wolfe, you know, we saw him last night. Don't use that as an example of the way he's played all year.

He's been phenomenal. And then you got Celebrini. So I'm glad you brought this up because if you watch the fan duel odds, Celebrini is still a massive favorite when the Calder. I'm surprised. I don't understand that. Yeah, I'm surprised. Lane Hudson is going to have possibly 60 or more points as a rookie defenseman. The last two defensemen that won the Calder was Moritz Seider and Cale McCarr. Both had 50 points. What about Eklad? And Eklad wanted to. He did win it

his year. Did he? Yeah, he won. Did he have 50 points though? I don't remember the points he had, but he won it. He won it, yeah. I just said the last two, right? Yeah, yeah, and those were the last two. Hudson has Montreal on a playoff rate. Exactly. He's playing a ton of minutes, man. Playing 23 minutes a night.

Yeah. Like, Celebrini's been great. It's not about taking anything away from him, but he has known from day one of camp. Not good. Winning and losing is not something that they're even thinking about. And I do think those intangibles don't come up enough. Like they do in other categories and for other awards.

Like if you're going to win the heart, your team's got to be in the playoffs. And the odds have Celebrini Hayes ahead of. Minus 220. Celebrini's minus 220 on FanDuel. Hudson's plus 200. Wolfe is plus 950 which is you know pretty wild it's just again wolf could get the flames into the play if he gets the flames into the playoffs like

That should put him near the top pretty good case to make if you're Dustin wolf Yeah, but yeah dry saddle going for 50 tonight sitting on 49. Do you think he could get to 60? How many games that last I got 15? I got 15, 16 games. You see him try to, they left them on the ice for almost three minutes last game in uh, with the Rangers with the goalie. I think it's better to do it at home though. Hit 50 and everything tonight. Yeah. Man, I mean that place would go nuts for him to. I mean, would you put it past them to get 60?

I wouldn't the way he's playing right now. And McDavid still has to get hot. Exactly. And if McDavid does and that power play gets clicking, like this guy Dry Settle, it's a down year for goal scores. You know, which is weird to say that because the Ovechkin story is so compelling. And Dry Settle's had himself a great year, but he's probably the only guy that's going to hit 50. And I was just going to say, because in the last couple of years, we've only seen, we've seen like what, four, five, maybe six guys score 50?

Yeah, but usually every year it's like, you know, Matthews and Pasternak and Dry Cytl and, you know, there's a number of different guys that might just creep over. Reinhardt last year, Reinhardt and Hyman both had 50 plus. Yeah. And I think Dry Cytl hit 50 50 last year and obviously we know Matthew said 69 Carlo Coli Acro in studio so the Leafs where we at with the Leafs Where you guys at in terms of your daily conversations everything's good in leaf line now, isn't it? Everything's positive big win last night. You know, I talked about that this this morning I couldn't believe the outrage that

Leaf fans had yesterday the outrage that Leaf fans had yesterday after pregame skate when the lineup, the lines were released and they saw Max Domi centering the third line and Scott Lawton centering the fourth line and everyone's like, what's Borube doing? There was some reason to be like, what is that? Like they gave up a first round pick for Scottie Lawton and he's on the fourth line in max domey hasn't really produced a whole lot of center he's there he is back at seattle but i i think it was less about the lotton

position in more about ruby recognizing that before the trade what deadline the lines that he had in the top three lines were going to click in this he's been struggling to score goals and i think that's what he's trying to re-engage with re-engage with this group is that, hey, we gotta find a way to score goals. He put that Domi line back together that had success with McManon-Robertson and it clicked again last year. Yeah. Now they've been hot and cold at times.

Right. And I guess it's the third line. You have to be realistic. Right. It's not gonna be a great line. But remember Craig Barube's message when he had his press conference when he was introduced as a coach? Yes. He said he wants to build a four line team. Right and he wanted a third line in particular that had an identity. Right. And we were talking to Johnny about this last hour and MJ brings up a very valid point that that line with its flaws is separate from the other ones because it's actually got speed like Domi can

skate yeah McMahon can skate and Robertson can skate up like where the other lines are not like they're more big and lumbering and there's you know it's not like Tavares isn't flying. But that fourth line has more of a feel of being a checking line because of their experience their size like Yarncroc is known to be a checker. Is he not? Yeah I mean, it's kind of incredible that yarn crocs on the on the fourth line deservedly So considering he's barely played this year and you got to give him some time David campers and even plan Yeah

like those are two guys that that are getting paid a decent amount of money with a decent amount of security, but It should be a meritocracy like you gotta you gotta earn your spot. I mean Barube. He doesn't care That Dubas brought these guys in or that tree-living decided to keep them like once you get post deadline It's on the coach to figure out what he wants. Yeah, right the manager can do what he wants before the trade deadline after that It's on the coach to figure it out. So do you think and look obviously? it's no secret Lawton isn't playing close to his best right now and whatever the reason is and the price to acquire him was the price I mean it was a center it was a low center market right I mean there

wasn't many options out there but when I look at the way Domi is playing right now you think that was a move that got dole means attention and said wait a minute that's an interesting point wait a minute i've been the guy that was paid to be the third line guy you go and trade for guys and take my spot because don't is elevated his games and i love you better the last week and i have a house of automation if that was the secret motivation cocoa props to whoever

decided that uh... that i don't know it wasn't intentional. Obviously. It was an intentional motivation but... He has picked up the message. Yeah. Yeah I mean that is a good point because like Domi's got pride, all these guys have pride, they're veteran guys, like this is a veteran team and they should be stable and confident and comfortable and at many times this year that hasn't been the case and I don't think that was the intention but Domi's not stupid like he knows the market's saying they've got to and many times this year that hasn't been the case. And I don't think that was the intention, but Domi's not stupid. Like he knows the market's saying,

they've gotta figure this position out, and what's gonna happen with Max? And Max hadn't been pulling his weight. Like he hadn't been playing well enough. And ever since Lotton's arrived, the guys had his three or four best games. You know, and there's a couple guys on this team, Domi's a guy that has a reputation

of kind of elevating the playoffs, Morgan Rielly Riley but I think you look at Brandon Carlo and how he has kind of stabilized that top four and specifically playing with Riley but he's been really good the last really good and he's killing penalties at a decent rate and he's played a lot of minutes and you look at the underlying stats they're very positive when he's on the ice you could tell he has a long way habits you guys are both defensemen can you not see the simple little things that he does out there Brandon Carlo on a nightly basis yeah that tells you he's from a winning environment and it's just there's been a standard where he's played to for a long

time yeah sometimes the best thing about being success in the defenseman is just watching a defenseman do the quiet things out there yes simplicity implicitly you know good positionally hard to play against in the corners in front of that good first pass doesn't fool around the park in his own and

simple game parks directed towards the net they're you're right i mean the the evaluation of the defenseman you know a lot of times you do talk about skating ability and can they get up in the play in that first pass very important but really it has to start with how they play around their own nets yes if you notice him he's very smart around his own now like he's carlson net no panic exactly no panic but reading the play in positionally in strong and pushing guys out battling now

and that's that's only an elevated has to elevate come playoff time. And the more comfortable you guys too right? But that's what literally is the definition of the position. You have to be able to contribute positively around your own net. What's the one thing that we've been begging for for the Leafs defense over the last couple years? Right hand is shot defenseman. Yeah.

Well that's what we saw. Now they have two of them. And physicality. Now they've got two of them and size and in the last you know eight months they've added Chris Tanev and Brandon Karlo to their top and or completely changed the best top four they've had on paper anyway in a long long time yep you know and it's also it's push Declan Larson into a better position where he doesn't I think he's played pretty well actually last couple of games like a little bit more aggressive a little bit more it like

realizing I got to stay in the lane games like a little bit more aggressive a little bit more it like realizing i understand a lane here he's much more comfortable there is that's what he did when he's in for that's a revitalized his career wasn't going back he can't get back to being close to the top parent and into the third parent he's more of a third parent guy yep and you know he's going to be playing with ben one ben was going to buy a sea at times and we're going to know i would be surprised if they gave myers a shot

i think they gotta find a way to keep in the net yeah in the next two games you get back to back put him in one and let him play and see which you've got all right carlo will see what we got tonight is a big game at the bell center me a fun game super fun man i'm i'm jack for the guy to do much rock a games for a long time now and lot of at this time of the year it's kind of like getting a debut tonight it's kind of like you know tough to analyze because there's not really much to play for and I think

Montreal had a goal to start the season and I don't know if many people pegged them to be a playoff team But they wanted to play meaningful hockey at this time of year. They've accomplished that Yeah, they really have but they've they've been impressive you gotta give credit where it's due to their they've had a lot of good stories the lane hudson story was big we're there for the president's cup that was he was the talk of the town

i have this case show off my way to you see him play any housing around you leave it in our own how many in the league and we even talked about it haze when a major four hours the golf course every day yeah on the way there and when we got there we're talking about the answer like men's kids impressive like let's see what he's got he's exceeded expectations and uh... you know it stayed relatively healthy and

very good place montembo your boy yeah playing very well all right carl could see him and we'll catch it when you do this no kuralnik a cause of Montembeau your boy yeah playing very well all right Carlo good seeing you man we'll catch you tomorrow you guys no Kuralnik a cause of the house tomorrow Aaron Caron brothers edition I love it 6 a.m. tomorrow first up Carlo Kolyakov on Matt cause overdrive continues TSN 1050 and on the TSN app overdrive continues powered by fan duel we'll get to our best bets later in the

hour a little confirmed with an eye Dark, Steve Phillips coming up. Still waiting on Aaron Rodgers to make a decision on where he's gonna play this year. If he's gonna play this year. Dude, like, that's a guy who has to have it about himself. Like, he's 41 years old and you're pulling the, I'm taking my talents to dot dot dot routine? Man, you know what's amazing? Like he has, he has just slowly but surely evolved into Brett Favre.

Like he is living the life of Brett Favre and I think he really wants to fulfill the Favre experience by signing in minnesota but i think i think that's probably what he's waiting for on the right one is that the jay-jay mccarthy like honestly you've got your young future quarterback and you want to bring in as a mentor and i know people send me all the time they like you're kind of bad melting rogers look at his stats from last year it's

not about that it's not about the stats or the ability or the arm or the playmaking ability it's about the personality like you really want to bring that thing in like on board well that would be my fear if I'm Kevin O'Connell who's a great coach look what he did last year with Sam Darnold why did they let you Darnold go? Well, because of the money, I think they were a little uncertain. Darnold really struggled down the stretch. Yeah, those last two games he was garbage.

It was pretty ugly. And they have McCarthy and they had to make a choice. And I think they were, I think, and this is where the Roger stuff still doesn't quite make sense to me from many standpoint, if the belief is McCarthy would demand out or something. Now he's got no power. The Vikings don't have to do anything.

But that was what was being reported upon. That if you bring back Darnold, then McCarthy's going to say, I'm out of here. Now he hasn't taken a snap in the NFL. And he was a good college player. He wasn't some uber talent at Michigan. Like he had Harbaugh and they were loaded on both sides of the ball. He's a good quarterback and a winner. But Minnesota, I wouldn't say they reached for him,

but he's not a grand slam, that he's gonna be some great starter in the NFL. Not by any stretch. No, he has to prove that he can play. And look, as much as Aaron Rodgers is a tiresome figure who wears people out and has clearly worn out his welcome in more than one locker room over the years. Like, you look at his stats after he got over the early season injuries, he had an umbr-o, he had an ankle, he had

a hamstring, he was coming off Achilles. The back half of the year, guys, he threw the ball awfully well. He really did. If you can protect him, he can still sling the baller. Yeah. You have to protect him. That goes for every quarterback in the league. Definitely. But even more so for a 41-year-old that I still think is terrified of that Achilles. OK, but what if you were?

Like, terrified of that Achilles. Let me ask you this. What is your main objective of bringing him in? Is he to be your starter? Yes. My thought would be, and it's actually kind of fascinating again how it's full circle with this guy Aaron Rodgers. The reason the Packers drafted Jordan Love is they thought it was over.

They thought it was getting to the end for Rodgers and getting to the end for that era and that they weren't good enough. Then all of a sudden he played well and they won and they said, man, we got to keep this guy. I think with Minnesota, they were thinking we got to kind of get to go get a new quarterback and we got to take our time here and then everything popped for them last year and now Minnesota's timeline has changed where they think they can win right now and they're justified in that thought and I would

guess they're they're thinking is we don't know if JJ McCarthy can be enough right now for us to win and we need to strike while the iron's hot because we got studs on both sides of the ball we got a great coach so that would be my thought is that you're like Rodgers is not going there to to be a he's not coming off the bench he's retiring wherever he goes he's playing he's not competing in camp either and that that may be a part of the sticking the stick up here is that's exactly what the stick it might be Minnesota might say listen we'll sign you we'll give you this but if McCarthy outplays you he's playing and if that's

the case I don't think Rogers will accept that like Aaron Rodgers is in a position and it's probably justified he's an all-time great player to say if I'm signing with you I'm playing until I tell you I'm not playing and dude I guarantee you money's a factor too. He's like, he's been making $45 million for a lot of the last 10 years, man. He's not going to show up there for $5 million. No, he's not. Because you know pro athletes, and especially guys with egos like that, he's not looking

around saying, wait a minute, you're telling me Baker Mayfield's making that money and I'm making $5 million. Yes. Or Kirk Cousins. He would have a like a chart, a Brian Hayes pie chart to say all the guys that he's better than and can play better than right now. Absolutely. As he should, oh, dog. I mean-

Oh, sure you should, man. You're selling your, you're like your own, making your own case. You've got to have those, that data available. But he might be selling himself more than he's ever had to sell himself in the past you know that's reasonable to you know what though this is the issue in the NFL like he holds something in his hands that is what every team wants which is the possibility it might not be a great possibility it might be sort of a distant possibility but it's a possibility that if he's at his best he can take you somewhere you wouldn't have it might not be a great possibility it might be sort of a distant possibility but it's a possibility

that if he's at his best he can take you somewhere you would be going to the other guy you know because it's just hard to find guys it is a control ball again rogers if there is also phone calls being made where people want to know really what goes on behind the scenes with this guy so anybody that knows i'm or anybody that knows a friend who knows of they want to know what the hell they're getting in bed with. For sure.

Because they cannot take the chance of it blowing up and being a disaster. It's unpredictable. And one of the things you have to worry about is how is he going to treat JJ McCarthy, right? Like he doesn't exactly have the greatest reputation of being a mentor to his younger teammates. Remember how he was throwing the young receivers under the bus in Green Bay? Oh yeah. I don't think he ever said Jordan Love's name once. I don't remember him ever saying this kid's gonna be dynamite, he supports... I don't remember him saying the words Jordan Love. Well he didn't want Jordan Love. He was bitter about... he wasn't bitter

with Jordan Love. He was bitter with the front office for drafting Jordan love and trading up together. Yes, of course. And by the end, the relationship was actually pretty smooth because Rogers, I think just accept that I'm out. And again, this is full circle. The same thing with him and far. They're close down. Like by all accounts, they're friends. Farve was way worse to Rogers than Rogers was to love by all accounts. Like far of looked at Rogers like

Don't even be around me That's what I've always been of the belief and that's always been the reporting that like you're not even allowed in the in the quarterback Room if I'm in here like get out and like he did not treat him well But over time Rogers as his age has realized I now I know where far was I know why he looked at me like that because he was a legend and he's like why is this guy here why'd you take him in the first round why would I help a guy why would I help I was trying to take my job exactly and it really is full circle because far went to the Jets and it blew up and then he went to the Vikings and

it actually worked out really well for him his first year in Minnesota and I think Aaron Rodgers is probably thinking I'm just going to go down the same road as Brett Favre and the exact same tour and the guy you know he's a compelling figure. Polarizing, feel whichever way you choose about the guy he's a very compelling figure and he knows it and he loves being in the spotlight and he's going to hold everyone up and who knows where he signs I can't picture going to the giants that makes zero cents it's either pittsburgh or minnesota

or he retires those are the three options i think bill cowers there i heard in this morning saying that rossel wilson was the best option for the steelers about that that's just crazy and not be true no no that's crazy that is crazy uh... free he sees a'm sorry that can't be accepted. I can't accept that.

Strike that from the dock. Yeah that's not acceptable. Best bet's later in the hour. Max Scherzer with his thumb right? He's basically furgated earlier today. I can't confirm or deny how I feel about my thumb. There's reports out there that maybe the Jays will circle back on Vlady and offer a little bit more money to get

the job done. Lots going on down there in Dun the jays will circle back on flatty and offer a little bit more money to get the job done lots going on down there and i need an baseball's back over the tokyo don't the dodgers beat the cubs this morning here's our tsn baseball insider steve phillips a two and steve i'm doing great guys could be with you good to be with you steve this is your time a year last year you were underwhelmed you warned us it was going to be a gong show what are you setting us up for from what you've seen in the spring training and

everything that's led up to this season about the Jays? Tell us what we're in store for. Well I think they have a chance to compete. For what? Yeah, for a wild card spot. I mean I think they have a chance to compete for a wild card spot. I mean, I think they have a chance to compete for a wild card spot. You know, there's no dominant team in the American League this year. You know, I think that right now, I think the Red Sox have the best team in the American League East. But I think that the Yankees and the Blue Jays and the Orioles and the Rays could all compete for wild card spots. You know, I think Texas is pretty good in the West. could all compete for wild card spots. I think Texas is pretty good in the West.

Houston's pretty good in the West. I don't love Seattle. I just don't think they're going to hit. I think in the Central, I think last year was a bit fluky. But the problem is that the White Sox, 141 games lost1 games lost, you know, 121 and they're worse this year. And so, I mean, they're literally worse this year. And so, I mean, it's, you know, it's going to be, you know, they were, you know, you think about Kansas City and Detroit, they were 12 and one against the White So socks and that's why they make the playoffs

in so you know in the white socks are going to be worse so i mean it's going to give them an advantage you know playing the white socks as much as they do but you know the blue jays are i think are going to be competitive you know the question is you know how competitive would they be and where are they at the deadline and do they make a push or do they sell? You know and if they're three or four out and in the in the race do they they go forward or do they do they punch? And I think that's gonna be a tough decision

they're gonna have to make when they're there. Steve you got to explain one thing to me and I found it frustrating over the years like just as a as a casual Jays fan and watching them on the daily how come the Red Sox can have a down year and it seems like they'll turn it around in the off season and you just mentioned them as the favorite to be the best team in the AL East, how come the Jays never do that? What is it about the two organizations where Boston does rebound and do that and the Jays do not? Well, part of it is, you think about the Red Sox right now, they've

got the best farm system in baseball. And you know, they've got three prospects that are absolutely elite, you know, in the top 10 in the game. And so, you know, they've got that and they traded away three prospects that were others in the top 100 to get Garrett Crochet. So they were able to land Crochet. They still have three of the top prospects in the game.

They have financial flexibility to sign Bregman. And they were able to close the deal on Bregman where the J's were in on a bunch of guys. And look, here's the difficulty, and it's real, is getting players to say yes to go to Toronto. I mean, it's a real thing. It's ridiculous, because Toronto, once players are there, they love Toronto. And players who get drafted and play there love Toronto.

It's guys who just don't know any better, because they make up, well, it's cumbersome because of immigration and customs and my family and this and that and then what they realize that they decide to go there that actually isn't bad at all for their family and and that they love planet a great city and it's it's diverse it's cultural it's it's got you know it's beautiful the summers are amazing the people are great

but i think that it's they've got more to overcome some of the other cities do and i think that that's in part so the challenge was the philips rts and baseball insider in order for them to compete the blue jays there there obviously going to need to be able to produce runs which has been an issue for the last couple years and i can tell you uh... basically a daily topic of discussion up here is who is going to clean up for this team? How are they going to get offense further down the

lineup because if it's going to go Bichette into Vladi into Santander, okay, you've got three guys that you feel if they're performing at their best can be elite hitters and can bring you a variety of different ways of getting on base and hitting with power etc. I don't know who their fourth best hitter is. I don't know who should hit clean up. That clean up position last year was dreadful. It was just a black hole offensively for them. Where do you stand on that Steve? Like if you're filling out this lineup, who's hitting fourth, who's hitting fifth, who can you rely on to provide offense throughout the year that is not named Bichette Guerrero Santander? Yeah, so they're gonna need, you're right.

I mean, you know, the dreaded, I won't say run prevention, the dreaded internal improvement is the other dirty word. We don't like that term up here. Yeah, I know, no, no, I know, I know, I know. But Bichette needs to give you that too. And you know, you're going to need Varsho to be a little better. You're going to need Kirk to be better. You're going to need Springer to be better.

You're going to need the combination of Arger and Clement to give you something. Jimenez is, Andres Jimenez is going to have to give you something as well. He's a better offensive player than what he's delivered over the last couple of years in Cleveland. And Lopofito is going to have to give you some production and some thunder with the bat. And you're going to have to mix and match a little bit with this. But it starts with Bichette.

If he can give you and get things going again, then it starts to, then Vlady, then Vlad, you start to get other guys getting better because nobody feels like they have to do something. But when it was only Vlad and nobody else was doing anything, then everybody feels like they have to do it, they all expand the strike zone, they all try to do too much,

and nobody goes out there and just performs like themselves, they're all trying to do more than they're're capable of doing so I mean you're not wrong they're gonna need you know guys to step up and deliver you know I still felt like they were another bat short third base was you know I thought they needed to add Bregman in addition to Sean Tondare in addition to Bichette stepping up and coming back in addition to the Jim, in addition to Bichette stepping up and coming back, in addition to the Jimenez deal and what they were able to do. So they're going to need somebody else from among that group of guys who need internal

improvement to step up and deliver, or they're going to need monster performances from Bichette and Guerrero and Santander. Now it doesn't mean they can't get it. I mean Kirk is a better hero than what he showed. He is. I mean we've seen it from him in the past, but you know the way you prove it is going out and doing it and he didn't do it last year and so you know there's some work to do for these guys to prove that they can be better and you know what none of us are gonna believe it until they do go get it done. Well, we still got the elephant in the room, Steve, and you've been in the seat of Major League General Manager, I'm sure, with tough negotiations.

And if you had to make a guess here, you know, between now and opening day, is it what's the percentage chance of Vladdy and the Blue Jays actually coming to terms of having a big celebration of a massive signing that's long awaited between now and the beginning of play? Yeah, I mean, I would say, I mean, I'll never say zero, but I would say maybe 0.1%, 99.9% zero. Yeah, they're not gonna get a deal done. I mean, they're $50 million apart. And everybody, I keep reading, well, just give them the 50 million. It's $50 million. Where are we with this?

We're just missing what $50 million is. It's $50 million apart. That's not insignificant. I don't care how many years it is, it's not an insignificant amount of money. And that is a grand canyon gulf between the two parties with where they are. I don't care how many years of difference it is,

and you're gonna try to spread it out, it is a pretty significant difference. And from the team perspective, that's after, it's a pretty significant difference. And from the team perspective, that's after, it's a $50 million difference after coming up 100 million from where they were originally. And so their mind is, it's not just a $50 million difference,

we just jumped 100 million and it's still a $50 million difference. And why is it that it's their responsibility to come up the rest of the way without Vlad coming down a little bit out of the way? And so, you know, and look, I understand both parties have a justifiable stance to dig in on their position.

And, you know, if your deal is gonna get done, they're both gonna have to budge off of that position to be able to do it. It's not gonna be just one party making a move and therefore I don't see it getting done because I don't get any sense that Vlad has any thought of moving off of the 500 million. Steve, how much is the general manager's position in a negotiation like this direction from ownership because as much as you might want to tell the player to go jump in a lake, it's

too much money. If the owner is saying get this done, I guess then you don't have the right to say that or will say that. How much contact are you in with ownership as far as these numbers and what's going to fly and what's not? Yeah. These deals are ownership deals. These are not child managers deals. Think about this. People kept saying, well, it's only $50 million difference. And I kept saying, no, the value of the franchise. I read Forbes said it's 2.1 billion and you're suggesting giving a player $500 million or half a billion.

So it's not a $50 million difference. It's given a player half a billion dollars for a team that's valued at 2.1 billion. That's the value. That's what you're talking about doing. It's not a 50 million dollar deal. It's a half a billion dollar deal and that deal like that is an organizational decision that is all about ownership deciding that. That's not a general manager. But in saying that, Steve, they were comfortable offering it to two other players that have never played for the organization well well but here's the thing the the offer to a tiny

was four hundred sixty million present value right now present value it sounded like seven hundred million but the offer the reality is the net present value of that deal because of the deferrals was $460 million. Their view is we're offering Vlad $450 million, which is just $10 million short of the net present value of what we offer to Ohtani. We think that that's very reasonable and very fair considering we think Ohtani is a better

player than Vlad is, and we still went to That number on it now. I don't know my understanding was that whatever they offered Soto had deferrals in it That's my understanding. I don't know that for a fact my understanding through sources on it was that whatever they offered So it oh had deferrals in it and then it wasn't a straight, like close to $700 million, but it had deferrals in it. So I don't know what the net present value was there, but my sense, my guess is that it makes sense that it had deferrals in it,

and it probably had a net present value under Otani as well. And again, if it was over the Otani net present value, then I can, look, I don't think Vlad's as good as Soto. So whatever it is, it should come in under the Soto offer that they made it. And now look, he may want more than that. He may want closer to what Soto got. And the team may say, we weren't willing to give it to Soto. This is what we were willing to give them. We see you less than that. And this is what we were willing to give him, we see you less than that, and this is why we're staying where we are.

You might not get Vlad if you'd stick by that decision, but at least you can justify it. You know, it's interesting, my sense of it is that initially most people sided with the team on this, and not with Vlad, that they looked at it and said, well, 500 million million net present value beyond Otani just doesn't make a lot of sense and so I don't know like they didn't offer Otani 700 million they offered him 700 million with deferrals

that was only worth 460 million and so they offered Vlad 450 million net present value which is in line with what they offered Ohtani. Yeah and listen it's a lot of money and as of now it doesn't get the job done and that's the amazing thing that all that kind of cash on the table, Vlad is still turning them down which probably has their backup against the wall that much more because they're really challenging whether or not this guy actually wants to be here And that I think speaks to what you're saying where a lot of the fans maybe were siding with the jays here Because vladdy keeps telling everyone I love toronto. I want to stay in toronto. I never want to leave

And I think he loves haze. I think he likes I think he loves the idea of being that one spotlight player next off season of being that one spotlight player next offseason. He wants to be the Soto, the Otani, where he's wined and dined and he's the focal point and he's moving the needle and people are gushing over him. I truly think he wants that. Yeah, I could see that being the case and listen it's also, yeah I don't know how much value is actually in it on a tangible, from a tangible stance, but it's a great marketing tool for an individual player to take over an off season. Yeah.

Like it's, you know, everyone knew Soto anyways, but Soto this year, like it's skyrocketed with everything he just went through. And Vlad is a name because it's a legacy name. He's a Guerrero and people know him. And if you're a baseball fan, you really know him. But I don't know. Like does the average sports fan in Arizona really know all about Vladimir OJ they may not they

will if this guy gets the winter meetings and every team in the league is begging him for a contract I mean that that could be a part of it as well for only only if he has a monster he's got to have a great year he does monster see he's got to have a great year yeah you know he's had a lot of peaks and valleys along the way and he had a great year last season. He's gotta have a great year. You know, he's had a lot of peaks and valleys along the way, and he had a great year last year, but he's gonna have to do it again to get the 500 million. And here's the thing, all it takes is one team,

and if there's one team, then there's likely gonna be two. And if there's two, the price is gonna go to 550. And so, and that takes the Jays out of it. I don't see how the Jays get a deal done in the off season. If they can't get it done now, it won't get done the off season because the price won't come off of 500 million because the likelihood is somebody will give it to them.

And if the Jays aren't gonna give it to them now, then I can't imagine they're gonna give it to them then because if they are, somebody else will. And if somebody else will, then it's gonna take it to 525 and it's gonna take it to 550., because if they are, somebody else will, and if somebody else will, then it's gonna take it to 525, and it's gonna take it to 550, and how many times can the owner say, you told me it was gonna cost 350,

then you told me it was gonna cost 450, now you're telling me it was gonna cost five, now you're telling me it's gonna cost 550, and at some point, you know, ownership's like, well, like, you guys keep telling me this is what his value is, and it's a moving target. I'm fed up with this, I'm out. Ooh, man.

We'll see, we're getting closer and closer to opening day for the Jays. I mean, baseball's already underway. We've got the Dodgers one and oh, what a shock. Dodgers off to a good start, Steve. I'm not sure you predicted that, but. Yeah, how about the Dodgers? They decided that, you know know what like we all did

We were kids you were playing and the teams are lopsided So we said, you know, how about this that that will play and you know We'll hit right-handed if we're left-handed hitters just even up the playing field the Dodgers said we're gonna tie our hands behind our back We won't play Mookie Betts or Freddie Freeman against you To start the season and just to make it a little more even and they still beat them 4-1. Yeah and they still roll the Cubs who are a pretty good team. Anyway great stuff Steve as always appreciate you doing this.

You got it guys have a good day. Steve Phillips our TSN MLB insider. Point one percent chance that Jays and Vlady reach a deal between now and opening day. Wow. That's a Jerry's you never want to hear. Like that's not a cross on Jerry's. I guess those reports that they're circling back with another offer. Yeah I'm curious where that's coming from like Hector Gomez is as a guy that has connections you know and especially with Latin American players. Yeah. Who's circling back the team of the player? Well the report report was that Vladdy's camp is expecting the Jays to circle back with more money.

And I guess you'll believe that when you see it. I'm not sure why that report would benefit Vladdy at this point. Again, any time, like if that were to be accurate, that puts more pressure on Vladdy within this market. A market that he's been in for ten years a market that he's by all accounts comfortable with by all accounts wants to stay in yeah you believe that or not if it if it's leaked that the Jays you know all right we're gonna

give you another 50 million dollars let's say they're willing to do that and he turns that down then then how could you trust them they actually wants to be I don't know I don't know what the hell you trade them or something I don't know what that ship is probably so the That ship is probably still there. The other question is if he doesn't have the monster year, he goes back to his pattern of one good year, one so-so, not so good year, then what do you do? Great question. Like if he hits multi-hundred, like hundreds of million dollars at stake for this guy this year. Absolutely. If he hits 28 home runs and has an OPS of like 805.

Yeah, pretty damn good, but not great. That's a really good player, but that's like a $280 million contract. That's not a $500 million contract. How do you come to terms on that one after you've been talking about 500 small? Well, and this is the conundrum that this front office has because they're under so much pressure to succeed. They need him to perform. He has to be great. Has to be great. They don't have enough offense here.

They don't have enough depth. He's got to be a big game player this year. If he does that, he's going to get the 550 million or whatever. It's going to happen. Someone's going to give it to him. If he doesn't, they may sit there and say, well, we knew it. We knew you weren't worth that Vladimir That's why we held strong. I would be a house drop. Are you gonna win the year Hayes?

I would drop the mic and say is anybody's wondering why we didn't want to give that gentleman 500 million dollars You just watch why but here's the thing dude if they if it's if it's on a 78 win team No one wants to hear from Ross Atkins and Mark Shapiro. Yeah, no Mike Drop. It's your audience. Like that's the thing. Great you won that. Vladdy stunk this year. Good for you. Your team won 78 games. I don't want to see you anymore. It's a lose-lose for them. Massive. It's a lose-lose for the phenomenal. Nobody wanted to see the period to begin with. It's crazy how the things have turned out here. Best Bats Powered by FanDuel coming up. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050N on TSN 2. Alright, Best Bats powered by FanDuel. Make your picks and assemble a same-game parlay in seconds on the FanDuel Sportsbook app.

Dougie and I were really crunching the numbers here, looking for a shots on goal parlay and I think we've cooked one up here. Nick Suzuki, two plus shots on goal tonight. Brady Kachuk, four plus shots on goal tonight. Alex Ovechkin four plus shots on goal tonight. That part of the opinion plus 420. Ovi I think he snipes. I just assume he scores every single night. And he is he is dumping a lot of pucks on that. Like Ovi is shooting the biscuit when he gets the opportunity. He's taking advantage of it. So I think that's gonna be a great game tonight though the Bell Center gives me a great game We got a big one in Vancouver tonight Edmonton back home as well

A lot of big games in the NHL today's best bets powered by Fandirl live same game parlays are now available for every NHL game On the Fandirl sportsbook app, please play responsibly 19 plus physically located in Ontario. Alright Dave good seeing you man Thanks for doing this Seeing you Dave festruck of the Toronto Star. Thanks to everyone behind the scenes for helping out We appreciate it everyone for tuning in today TV radio podcast web. We appreciate that. We're out of here Enjoy your evenings. Enjoy the games tonight. We're back tomorrow at dry sidle all day 4 p.m. More of a messier guy myself.

We'll chat then. Turn up the night like that radio With flights, hotel, and $500 included Be like that How we feelin' tonight For your best chance to win, enter daily at iHeartRadio.ca Thank y'all so much, yeah Kane Brown's new album, The High Road, is available now.