OverDrive - OverDrive - March 27, 2024 - Hour 2

Episode Date: March 27, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Jason Strudwick for Hour 2 on OverDrive! NHL on TNT Darren Pang joins to discuss the biggest headlines around the NHL. The guys discuss the Blue Jays' start to the season and the performance on Opening Day, Alphonso Davies' injury with Canada Soccer and LeBron James' clash with Stephen A. Smith in the NBA.

Let go from your job without a severance package? You need EmploymentLawyer.ca. Your employer is legally required to give you as much as 24 months pay when you lose your job. Call Leor Samferu and get what you're owed. EmploymentLawyer.ca. Power 2 Overdrive continues powered by FanDuel bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score. Brian Hazy or Doug Jeff O'Neill, Strudwick leaves in San Jose tonight. Leaves a big favorite but it's a tough one because you played two nights ago at home somewhat of a cakewalk against the Flyers now you get a flight of California you got a team is the worst team in the league that beat you two weeks ago but you're playing you know

this game is gonna start at like 10 40 p.m. Eastern Time dude so you just brought in a bunch of factors that should not be a factor okay you go in there and smoke them that's what everybody else does you got to go get your licks in there too everybody else does it they get crushed all the time that's just what they are. Yeah, you got to win this game. You got to win this game. Dude, you got to smoke San Jose and then smoke Anaheim. And I do understand and appreciate that Anaheim, I think they put up a six spot on the Bruins, but the Bruins stink too. But those are games where it's like, it's like, my only comparison is playing the Atlanta

Thrasher's and damn did I play those guys a lot. All you had to do was get through 20 minutes because that's how long they could... Sometimes it was 10, but you had to prepare that you were going to play 20 hard minutes against Ray Ferraro and the Atlanta Thrasher's and the drop off in the second period was outrageous. It was like, that's all we got, man. We can hang with you for 20, but that's all we got man. We can hang with you for 20 but that's all we got. Missed assignments, terrible goaltending and you'd win the game 5-1 every time. Every time. But you had to show up man like because you never know what could happen. Kovalchuk could rip a couple breakaways, their

power play. You had to play that 20 minutes like you were playing the New Jersey Devils back in our day but at the end of that you get five one you get a five one win man some cookies some apples and you get on the bus and you're out that's how you do it the Kings aren't easy at home right so you got the Kings is a coin flat up each other so at best you lose this game noodle said they've only lost three times at home Yeah, I never lose at home They never you're walking in and all that game on Sunday is the desperate one against the Ducks You try to get your attention. I know you guys are probably gonna end up playing them in the first round

I don't think it's gonna be like I don't think Edmonton is gonna be like they might be a heavy favorite But I I like LA in that series right now man. They're good I really like them I like the way their teams built. Well you don't have the stones to say you like the Euler or you like the the Kings. Kings in five Strud just say it Kings in five. Say it out. You know what okay I'll say this. Kings in five. Let me take a look at the game lineup for game 83 because right now I have no sense that you know Trent Frederick it was said yesterday by the head coach of the orders that he might start to skate in one to two weeks How much time is left in the year? That's just skating. That's not playing games. What was his injury? Is it knee?

I heard it was I thought it was foot. I don't know but there's there's an issue Then he get down to Kane not to the playoffs Connor and Leon, maybe not too long, but I don't know who's gonna be healthy. And then give me the Skinner situation too. So right now, if some of those guys aren't playing, you gotta watch different series. Kings and five, man.

Kings and fives, Trev. It's a lot different series. Yeah, I mean the Kings. Kings and fives is an ignorant comment. I just, I don't think it's gonna be oil all the way. The Kings, if they can get some goaltending from Kemper. Yeah Watch out. Can they beat them four times in a row? Like will the same team lose to three three times already in four times?

like I know it's a coin toss and all the stats but Still like four times in a row beat the same team in the playoffs. Yeah. Well, that's it, right? That was the battle of the of Ontario back in the day. I would bet it's going to come down to seven games. That might be a seven game series against the Vikings. Yeah, and it's been that before. That's when McDavid had that big game. Was that three years ago when he scored game seven in LA,

and they won 2-0, I think it was. And that was like the big kind of closer, like he's arrived in the playoff. Like that was his first big playoff moment or felt like it and that seems to be where it's trending I mean Vegas has got a five point lead on LA and then 7 up on Edmonton Edmonton's in Seattle tonight and I would assume Pickard's gonna go right Strud like he's got it he went in late he's got to play tonight yeah I think he'll be in there tonight and they called up a younger guy Olivia Rodriguez I don't know that he because others play Calgary on Saturday and

Calgary's desperate you're rolling they're rolling their comeback kids right now so I'm not sure you give a young goalie that game either the battle of Arboretta so you're looking at next week for his earliest chance okay but yeah we'll see what this Leaf team on you know on the road and in San Jose and then in LA like we said and then Anaheim and it's a quick trip. Then you got Florida on Wednesday and Tampa's in action tonight. I think they have Utah at home and that's a big game for both teams. Utah's trying to pretend as if they're still in the hunt.

I'm not sure that they are. I don't think they can keep up with St. Louis. And you mentioned Calgary winning, Vancouver won again last night. So it could be curtains for Utah, but the race, I mean, Tampa wins tonight, Florida's not playing. If the Leafs find a way to lose somehow and Tampa wins, you're gonna have three teams tied with 89 points

and they're all gonna have 10 games left to play, you know, give or take. So it's gonna be a crazy race, you know, right down the stretch here. And a lot of it will be determined on how your goaltenders play. You know, how healthy are they? Are they red hot? If you're chasing a wild card spot, if you're chasing first place in the division, if you're chasing the president's trophy, whatever it might be, a lot of it can be based on goaltending. And that's the nature of the position, and

that's the position our next guest happen to play throughout his career here he is from the n.h.l. on tnt joining us on the maple toad hotline here's darren peg what's up panger hazy i'm doing fantastic i mean you brought in the right guy i mean the guy that won twenty seven career wins and have zero shutouts i can't i'll break this down with the best of them how you doing their old dog and strutty good to see you guys good we're doing good it's nice to have another former professional athlete on I'll break this down with the best of them. How are you doing there, old dog and strutty? Good to see you guys. Good, good.

We're doing good. It's nice to have another former professional athlete on the show, Panger. I give you a salute, pal. Thanks, pal. I appreciate that. I just got back from Atlanta where we had a nice little studio show last night. Oh, yeah. You know what, Panger?

I was just talking about the Atlanta Thrasher's and I was talking about dealing with bad teams in the NHL. And the approach with the Atlanta Thrasher's always I was talking about dealing with bad teams in the NHL and the approach with the Atlanta Thrasher's always was you got to be prepared because they can usually hang with you for 20 minutes and then after 20 minutes they just they fall apart at the seams and I don't know why that is whether it's lack of talent, lack of coaching or lack of discipline but after, they're all over the map, their goaltenders collapse, they take penalties and it's a zoo and you get a 5-1 win every time. And that's when you went and played Peachtree Country Club or something and you cashed in on two and one, you had three and you were plus one.

I know that story, oh dog. Buddy, three hat tricks, two of them are in that building. I feasted on those thrashers. See, Struddy, I knew where he was going right there. tricks two of them are in that building. I feasted on those trashers. See, Struddy, I knew where he was going right there. Yeah. Well, I would say this, that the non, I mean, listen, that's scary right now when you watch some games and you go, oh boy, like Jersey last night was in Chicago and although Jersey

kind of ran shotgun and went to the net hard and had a lead, next thing they know it's a one goal game. And it's like, whoa, we're supposed to come in here and win. We're going to Winnipeg. We're going to Minnesota. These are the two points we're supposed to cash in on. And that's the funny thing about the NHL right now with the lack of discipline and lack of structure, how easy it is for teams that are so desperate for points to take their foot

off the gas for three four five minutes and check out and you check out that quickly bang you're back in a look at dallas last night i mean i never didn't think for a second that edmonton was going to be a little climb back in that hockey game and all it took was the gold to get dinged in the head and left the game and that next you know is a different hockey team for i think about

twelve minutes i was like what where we're at the beginning of this hockey game but that's why a lot of guys say that in the panger it like they say it's just chaotic like you think it's back in the day where you're up to one in the beginning of the third period lock it down get no it just it's chaos it could be four three for the other team in fifteen minutes and people don't know what the hell's going on

it must be awfully difficult to coach well that's why you i mean how many times we heard towards in a lot of people take some of his quotes out of context but i've heard you in a game last year is in philadelphia and we had towards on uh... via the headset you know in one of the locker rooms uh... around the flyers locker room and the studio asked a question and all you could hear was yet the players are the players are young and dumb and that was the quote.

But what he was saying, you know, what he was saying and the substance behind it was very accurate and it's exactly what you just said, oh, Doug, it's kind of freelance, checked out, chaotic, you know, Strati would come behind the net and make a pass to the left winger and he knew a hundred pass to the left winger and he knew a hundred times at that left winger was and you have a strong steps and make sure you got out of his own i'd i swear nowadays a defense and wheels around the net it looks at the right winger egos like where did you go like it's like a sandlot sandlot

football sometimes you know there and i think you're going to prop i think part of the problem is all that kids do and i know struddy has a defenseman camp at Edmonton and I'm almost positive that the proper philosophies would be implemented in things to do that are game ready. Almost. Almost. All kids, all they want to do is get plastic sticks out and do Connor McDavid drills and

fly up and down the ice and try to rip it under the bar. The idea of coaching to win in simple things and getting pucks out and do I talk about it in the world juniors all the time. I'm like that guy just dangled down the ice and then toe dragged and this and that and got a shot on that. But look at this goal here. He could not get the puck out. It's like it's not taught.

It's not even an essential to move up. You know, we talk about in broadcasting and the great john davidson was one of my mentors early on but he said there's always cause and effect go find it you know and and and you're right i mean only goodness uh... great rush chance uh... primary assess but you know it's the little things behind the play that uh... that we we really have to focus on that's why there's a team right now i know we're gonna say we probably some of the team right now

i think that has done a really good job in in developing some young character players one of them is from Edmonton and that Jake Neighbors I think when I first saw Jake Neighbors go into st. Louis and be brought in by Braden Shen where he lived at his house and now I'm seeing some of the other guys like maybe it's a Zach Bolduc or maybe it's a well now we see Dylan Holloway you know that's why the st. Louis Blues are rolling right now because they're playing hockey the right way they're playing playoff hockey they're taking hits to make plays are

getting pucks out that come up there is a team with speed so those are the ones that you got to look at here as we get closer to the playoffs because they're the ones that are going to make a mark in my opinion we're darren pang and yeah it's interesting like we you know you talk about culture and you talk about certain players sticking around and you mentioned Braden Shenn and his name was out there a lot leading up to the trade deadline. And obviously, Doug Armstrong and company are happy

they kept them, you know, or never approached him with the idea of trading them because you look what's happened since and they're in the playoffs and they look like they can make some noise, but you take, you know, who was taken out of Boston, out of their locker room, out of their dressing room, you take, you know, Scott Lotton and others out of the dressing room down in Philly. Those two teams are a disaster. Like Boston's quit.

Like the Bruins have flat out quit. Like they are done. They are a disaster. And Philly is a mess. Like they just rolled through town panger. We watched it with our own eyes the other night. It is brutal. And I guess Danny Brearer's like Tortoella got fired today,

we'll get to that. And Danny Brearer is speaking with the media right now. And I just saw a quote come across saying, you know, quote, we really hope this is our rock bottom, end quote. Obviously, you hope that, but it better be if it's not like if there's more of a bottom here, that's got to be very, very anxious, man, that's got to be very very anxious man That's gonna make that's gonna lead to a lot of anxiety around that team and that's very unsettling the idea that you really there's no Guarantees it's it's going to get better Maybe it gets worse in Philly in Boston and other spots where they're trying to kind of retool on the fly here Whoa, it's it's hard when you're watching

and you can tell that a team has lost its soul. And that is really disturbing just to watch the checkout part of the game. And you're right, this happened very fast with the Boston Bruins in their 100th year of the National Hockey League. Philadelphia came through Chicago, Chicago put seven on them.

They played Fedotov after he gave up two on three shots against in Dallas the night before. They played him again. He gave up seven. Yeah, there's a I have a great faith in Keith Jones and in and Danny Breyer. I think that there's they've got some old-school positivity about them and I think maybe the next head coach for a number of different teams are going to be, you got to hit it right out of the park, don't you? You have to. I'm looking at a team like Washington right now.

I don't know. I know I really speak highly of Washington, but I've done a ton of games there and I just love that coaching staff. I think there's, maybe we're going back to something else here. Maybe we're going back to great spirit in the night, as Bruce Springsteen once sang, and the positivity or the, you know, getting everybody on this, pulling on the same rope and all that kind of stuff, strutting this,

like maybe that's where it's at right now. And maybe we can't teach the old school way all the time because the kids, or not all of them, I shouldn't say that, you're not gonna put them and cast them into one little basket here. There are so many of them that get it, they understand it, they've been taught hockey the right way,

but boy, if you don't pick those players right too, you're, wow, you're in it for a ride, and it's dangerous at both ends. You know, Pangra, Dallas Stars are an interesting team to me. I've seen them play quite a few times, and I like a lot of their players, especially since they added Miko Rantunen. As I watched them, especially the last couple weeks, they don't seem to play fast. I don't know if it's because they don't move the puck quick or

they don't skate fast. I mean, they get the odd breakaway, but just coming out of their zone and maybe they're missing high-skidding. Is that a fair comment about a team that has tons of talent in their top nine and tons of goals there? Yeah, I think it is story. I thought you were gonna say they added a player at the deadline. His name is Jason Robertson Yeah He scores every night He turned it up and I we had him on on the air after the game and I didn't realize that that foot Surgery that he had was was so severe and that you know missing camp and you know he's not the fastest guy

anyway but but it does explain you know besides the pressures maybe of trying to make team USA that that he struggled early on but you're right I think you know I even watched them last night the Edmonton Oilers with that lineup which I would say was a pedestrian like lineup. And if you took that roster or that line combinations last night from the Edmonton Oilers, they're not a playoff team. And that's why you, that's why you pay $5,800 million for McDavid and Dry Settle because it was bland.

It was, you know, it didn't have any pressure up ice. It didn't have anything to the game. And then, you know, and then I know they, they know they turned around a little bit, but they had 14 really good shots in that first period. If not for Oughton-Jerr in that first period, it probably would have been two or three nothing if they had any finish whatsoever. So yeah, I was watching the game too, being a little concerned with the defensive lapses and the type of quality chances that they gave against Jake Oughton-Jerr.

And I said it last night, I said, hey, if they're going to win the Stanley Cup, then he's going to be the constantly trophyer. And I said it last night, I said, hey, if they're going to win the Stanley Cup, that he's going to be the Consulate Trophy winner. That'll be it. Like Jake, Jake Ottinger will be the Consulate Trophy winner if the Dallas Stars beat Colorado, beat Edmonton, beat Vegas, whatever. And they end up winning the Stanley Cup. So yeah, I think there's a part of their game that that Pete DeVore's probably not happy with and either of the players.

But if you look at them like, I don't think Wyatt, listen, Wyatt Johnson's got those quick little spurts. Jason, I mean, Ben's, Jamie Ben's not fast. He's got to move the puck quick. You mentioned Robertson, the same thing. You mentioned Ranton. There's not, that's not a, that's a big horse, but that's not a, that's not a quick fella. It's not, it's not Seabiscuit getting around the track. It's, you know, it's sometimes, sometimes it's one of those. And I say this with a great compliment i love i love them but i say like he's uh... he's the budweiser clidesdale that sitting over there and in the st louis area is plowing through things that he's and he's gris grabbing

on to people in their hang on to his hip and and he's dragging them along so i love randin i think that the mix there is is going to be very good but i do agree with you straight if they could move that talk a little quicker and play a little bit more of a faster game. That ranton has got to be the guy that needs to do that. I know you mentioned he's a big dude but he just whispers and you just look at the comments on Twitter he's starting to hear it a little bit out there in Dallas now too where it's like is this guy going to start dialing it in here because it's everyone talked about

him the proper way Which is one of the most dominant offensive players in the game But he didn't bring it in Carolina clearly was not happy there and then in Dallas It's kind of been of a bit of a shaky start. So he needs to really get it going Yeah, I do not disagree whatsoever. I do not disagree I think in the playoffs when you're hunkering down low and you're moving the pucks down to the goal line I think you got got to get used to the way you're moving the pucks down to the goal line, I think you got to get used to the way players play. And once he goes down to that goal line, the puck has to go there.

For me, that's it. You know, he's not gonna transport it through the neutral zone. He needs the speed through the neutral zone, then he can get it at the down low game and wear you right down. And that's where he's gonna be great. With Darren Pang, and you know, Ranton was the guy that ran into Skinner last night. And he's not even in the crease, he's in the be great. With Darren Pang and you know, Ranton was the guy that ran into Skinner last night and he's not even in the crease. He's in the white paint and Skinner drops. It was fluky yet Perry was, was not happy with himself after the game that he didn't see it, didn't address it. You know, you speak for the goalie for, you know,

fraternity here, Panger in terms of like, what is, what is reasonable to expect in terms of goaltender protection, but furthermore, how your team is supposed to respond to it when it was clearly a fluky play? Yeah, this is a nothing play. And I think the goaltenders like like Skinner, he makes the save upwards lunges up, which is a classic, you know, a lot of the goaltenders kind of do it, but Skinner does a lot. So he lunges up, when is a classic, you know, a lot of the goaltenders kind of do it, but Skinner does a lot. So he lunges up. When does the, when does the body turn this way

and end up, it's his head, right? You know, you don't usually make a save and end up on your belly. And that's, that's a technique that I, I don't like that for, for a lot of reasons that Mike Smith was like that, that looked like a Mike Smith kind of save right there. If you guys recall, right? And now he. And now he's going forward. There's nothing that Ranton is doing right there that's wrong for me. He actually lifts up his left leg trying to get it around him I thought. So it's a really unfortunate one because I've had those stingers or burners before and they're bad. You guys probably have had them the same way. You don't expect it. You're looking one way. Your head just gets clipped. It could be the pants. It could be the shin pad

It could be the thigh pad and it's and man it it sends a ripple right down your neck for sure And in fact, I'm getting goosebumps just thinking of that because I could you know, I mean but but what Cory Perry Afterwards so there was another little bump in but Cory Perry also The worm does what the worm does. You know, he goes, do you remember what he did? He went right to the net. He put on the brakes and he went skates first, you know, right into Ottinger. And that could have been a pretty dangerous play too. And that was right after a couple of sequences right there. So, I mean, that's part of the game. That's, you know, we've been around it forever. Glenn Anderson was

pretty darn good at it. We've seen Chris Kreider, that that's a know I with we've been around forever going Anderson was pretty darn good at it we see Chris Crider that that's a little accidentally on purpose stuff as well but at the end of the day I I didn't think that there was motive you know to go go over and have a five-on-five brawl with with ranting because of that one particular play it is unfortunate but there's no way there was this was an intended play in my opinion no I think we're all with you on now with Darren Pang so the Leaf... they're in san jose tonight and you know as of right now they're there and in first place in the

division and it's it's a tedious lead because florida's technically tied in points in tapas two points by them uh... but we're eleven games out and you know it's been a pretty consistent discussion all year in terms of who should start game one of the stan Cup playoffs for the Leafs. Should it be Stola or should it be Wall? I mean, it's subject to change between now and game one, clearly. But if it were to be going down tonight, if game one was happening tonight, who do you think should be starting a net for the Leafs?

I'm still leaning towards my guy from St. Louis. I'm still leaning towards Joseph Wall. I really think that he's a rhythmic goaltender. I think that, I think in relief, I think Stolarz can come in and because of his lack of movement, his good puck handling and the size of him, I think if it doesn't work and you need to make the switch, I would rather, this is just me, I would start with wall and I would, you know, if you have to make that move, I think it'd be an easier transition getting stole ours in there rather than the other way. Cause I like to get Joseph wall into a rhythm. I like to get them into, into these games and I, I have found that, you know, the more he plays and the more that he's, um, that calmness in the net, everybody feeds off of that as well.

So that's just what I would do, but not being there every single day and not seeing every single movement or practices, it is hard, but that would be just my outside opinion on that. That's an interesting thought though, the idea that you'd have to consider if you're a Baruba company,

who is more comfortable with possibly being replaced or being the one that will replace the other guy. And like if and and that's very I don't think that's overly comforting the idea that you have to plan for possibly replacing a guy I mean they're not doing that in Tampa they're not doing that in Florida you know there's a they're not gonna do that in Winnipeg right it doesn't matter what happens in game one hella bucks going back in but the idea that you can I interrupt you for a second for a second go ahead. Go ahead. Can I interrupt you for a second? Just, just because I'll forget what I was going to say.

Um, that comes with age, you guys. Uh, that's what happens. We got it. But, but I, the luxury of all, all the teams that you said, they can't go to number two, most of them, the depth and the depth in the net, the quality of the second guy. It is. I mean, so, you know, that's the luxury that they have. And that's why I wouldn't mind talking about it.

I believe that if the Toronto Maple Leafs type of thing are gonna go all the way to conference final, they're gonna use both goaltenders. I don't believe one guy is gonna run the table anyway. So it's just the way that the quality of chances, the pressure on the goaltenders, the scrutiny of every goal against, I think there's going to be needing some relief and I think that's fine. I mean, I don't have an issue of if I'm the goalie coach or chief and you know one guy's

running out of gas a little bit and it's wearing on you, this is still Toronto. This is still, it's not like they're playing out in in another cities that don't demand it don't have an eye on every single little thing you do and every coffee have in the morning big time he is the guy that you put in second has got to be dynamite there you go well that's because you've got a good tandem yeah but if you put a man you're generally under distress or it's after a loss the other guys got to in there when the game in the unbelievable because if he's not then you just got two guys that are getting it done

pretty simple comment well yeah but that but it's true and i can i wonder if that was solid that was rock solid about that was there's a lot of doubt that i like it and it's right i appreciate that place but i wonder if what what we're saying here is that instead of focusing on who starts game one it's right. I appreciate it. It's accurate. But I wonder if what we're saying here is that instead of focusing on who starts game one, it's more importantly who would start game seven? Like who do you have more comfort in when the lights are the brightest? Strudy, we're jump to game seven already. It happens every year up here.

It happens. They start having one playoff round win in ten years. You got to think ahead. Game sevens man you can usually pencil it in for the Leafs they don't go well but they get there. You know when the Leafs won that playoff series in 04 against Ottawa right Steve Levy and I were on the call for ESPN, O'Doggan Struddy were still playing and then I was on the call it was the last two two years ago, for their first round playoff series win against Tampa Bay.

Crazy. I've seen both of them since 2004. That's it. I'm there. Those are the, those, in 21 years there's been two of them. There's been two rounds, two wins. But don't you think guys, I can't make that decision, or can you, Pang, or make that decision now.

I think it depends what happens in the series. How the guys are playing, like if one of them is running the table then you leave them. So I can't say running the table, then you leave them. I have a hard time making that. I maybe think who I'd want, but I think that changes in the moment, doesn't it? You don't think in that back door hot stove when after a game having a nice cold one, morning skate having a nice brew of Tim Horton's coffee, and the boys are sitting there without any cameras and going, okay boys, what do do you think of course they are well what do you think who do you like and I bet that room is like you know it could be split it could be unanimous it could be a what happens if we get into a game seven who's our

horse no question that's what I love about hockey is hot-stovans throwing things around I would love hammering a beer in the back of the bus saying that guy sucks, that guy stinks. Never been a good player at Cointreau. Except you in Atlanta. It's funny, oh dog, I usually slide a couple of cold ones in the back of the bus. I don't know if there's a better, there's lots of good beers out there, Panger, but a victory and maybe a couple goals. I was always about the team success though.

A victory and a cold one on the bus, there's not a better beer. There's not a better beer. Do we have time for my best beer story, Pazey? Absolutely. Always have time for that. I just found out from Bob Pohlford, he said that I could get an apartment. We were on the road and it was like early November of 87 made the Hawks but it wasn't sure if I made them I was staying at this old Bismarck hotel that the works is owned

finally finally he said we could you can get a place so we're on the road we're playing Detroit we're at Joe Louis Arena and it's my first time playing a game against Steve and which we've grown up and it was you know it's my first time playing a game against Steve, which we've grown up and it was quite an exciting dream to play against Steve in Detroit. And so we won the game. So I'm in the shower and I didn't, you know, we hadn't won very many games. So, and I wasn't part of, I don't think any wins

or maybe one. I go in the shower and there's a nice cooler in the back and there's all this cold beer. And I'm sitting there with this cold beer and I'm thinking to myself, the hot water, a nice crisp cold beer and I'm 135 pounds and I'm just soaking wet and I got this nice cold Pilsner and this is a bad thing but it's warm water there, cold beer there and something's warm hitting my leg. Steve Thomas at Stumpy says great game spank

so I've got you know what's going on Stumpy man come on that so you had three different temperatures all at the same time is that what you're saying panger that was your introduction to the Joe Lewis arena and that that was my introduction to a win cold beer in the shower and and celebrating and then and I just a one of those team moments you guys yeah there you go that's what happens behind the scenes it is a thing of beauty we appreciate that as always and we appreciate you finding time for us Panger we love having you on thank you for doing this it's always my pleasure take care you got a dog be good out there. There it is. Darren Pang at the NHL and TNT

joining us here on Maple Toyota Hotline drive the built-in Canada fuel-efficient fun to drive Toyota RAV4 gas or hybrid models available. Visit mapletoyota.com Yeah I mean Pangor sounds like he's somewhat like he's very confident in the idea that if the leads are gonna do anything both goals are going to play i guess that is uh... i guess you know that that seems reasonable considering the way things have played out all year but i just like i can't remember the last time we had a team going to run where it

was a tandem you know i get you might have one guy start and then the other guys easily you know it's easy to go then the other guy steps in. It's easy to go to the Chicago Blackhawks where Crawford didn't have his ace stuff against Nashville and Darling, the six foot eight monster went in there and he won them the series. And then the next series Crawford went back and I believe they ultimately went on to win the Stanley Cup. There's one other example and I'm just not sure what it is but it's been relatively recent. Well there was Flurry and Murray and you know like. Flurry, Murray even like

Bobrowski a couple years ago. Yeah. I don't think he started it was like Alex Lyon. It was but then by game four or five Bob got in and Lyon wasn't getting back in you know and that's that's what I'm saying it's like if fine Wall starts game one two and three then Stollers gets in and theon wasn't getting back in. You know, and that's what I'm saying. It's like if, fine, Wall starts game one, two, and three, then Stollers gets in, and the rest is history, it's Stollers the whole time. That's one thing, but. I almost don't like talking about the idea, Hayes,

because it's like, why can't, for this organization, one guy go in there and be good for a playoff run? Like, why can't Joseph Wall just be dynamite for two months and, like, not have to worry about a tandem? It's like we're always just thinking negative thoughts where it's like, oh yeah. Like even Panger, he was just, that was his professional opinion, but he's like, you're going to need a tandem.

It's like, yeah, but why do we really need that? Like why can't one guy just do the job one time? Like one time, can we get some saves? Can we remember the Samsonov performance in game seven last year? It was like, it was just, it was not good. They just need a goalie performance man. I do understand. I think what he's saying though is it maybe won't be like ABABAB, but it might be a bit of a run. The guy gets a break, then someone else goes in there. Because

I think ultimately someone takes control of the net. I truly feel that way. At some point, someone in the playoffs takes it over. Yeah. And for a lot of the season study, I was like, this stole ours. He's big, he's kind of reliable, he's performing. But sometimes I watch Joseph Wall play and I'm like, man, if that guy's dialed in and he doesn't get hurt because that's a massive factor, i look at his talent and his capabilities of doing the miraculous

i'm like maybe that's the guy that could steal a game or a series or or be a dominant factor in a series i don't know i'd i'd change my mind every day after one of them as a good performance on like that that's my guy i literally flip-flop after every good performance sure

uh... well and that's again a positive because it's not going the other way where they're both blown up you know where like again in edmonton as we circle back you're not really confident in either guy right now where with with the leaves you know if there is if you if you're confident in both you still only one can play but it's better than the alternative or someone has to play and it feels like you're forcing it. You're basically closing your eyes and hoping it works out

Alright, Pierre Lebrun coming up in in just over half an hour. We've got we're gonna do a draft on the show today I thought of this the other day when I was watching Quinn Hughes play There's so many talented players in this country that are playing for the seven Canadian teams. We're each going to have five picks. I think we'll build it thinking of the next three to five years. So you're not building a team for the next decade, 15 years. It's basically a three to five year window. And I'm curious how these picks shake out because we'll snake it and there's no rules

or regulations. It's not like you need a forward, then aman then a goalie because there's so many good players in this country and I'm curious how things have maybe changed from where it would have been to start the year which we'll tell you more about this we'll get into it in about an hour. How many guys per team are we? I think we each pick five. I think there's 15 total players in the country and I'm just you know I'm again we presume McDavid's still gonna go first overall, but who would go second third fourth You got Hellebuck playing the way he's playing

There's a lot of really good players who are having really good years and different stages in their careers So we'll get to that in about an hour and the Leafs are in action tonight You can hear right here on TSM radio will tee it up Overdrive continues TSN 1050 and on TSN. Giving five days or less to accept a severance offer? You need EmploymentLawyer.ca. You actually have two years to file a claim for a severance package, which can total as much as 24 months pay. Call your Sam Firou and get what you're owed. EmploymentLawyer.ca. All right, Pierre Lebrun still to come. Leaves in action tonight. Get to our seven Canadian team draft. We'll touch on that a little bit later this afternoon as I'm watching another baseball

fly into right field down at the Rodgers Center. Chad Green just gave up a three run home run. Jay's again smoked nine too. Barrios gave up three home runs. Remember Barrios a couple years ago started opening it was just miserable from there on out yeah yeah I was right it was his first I believe like full season with the team after you'd signed the big extension the ball opening just got rocked and he never got it back on track he never did and I don't get ugly down there man I don't

want to go off the rails it's one game it's a plan so I see I have a couple series in a row where they get dummy down there. Man, will those people start losing it. It's a lot of pressure on that first pitch, like the first day pitcher. Do you think that there's that much like there's 161 games after that's having perspective. You're right. Strutty. But when you're in the moment, opening day is it's just got a different feel to it and vibe to it there's there's opening day and then everything else basically through the regular season there's all this build up in the the buildings packed there's 50,000 people down there

yeah it's a new version of the first impression right exactly pile all those people into that dome and just get rocked and then everyone's like screw this I'm not coming back here you want a 6-1 victory then everyone's like screw this I'm not coming back here You want a 6-1 victory where everyone's like I don't care what happened I watched the Expos when we played Montreal in the playoffs. I went to the Expos home opener really rams They got crushed next night 4000 people That was near the nearing the end the end. It was their last season.

It was the end of the line. Yeah, that was, they were not going to get any support. And the Big O, the stadium sucked, and the team, I don't know. But this is also a scenario where you have a fan base who is on edge already. You know, they're on edge, and they want to see the improvements.

And you know, Barrios has been here for quite some time. And you know, if you're a smart enough fan, you understand it is one game, but they can still come back and win the series. And maybe they come back and win the game, but we talked a lot about it yesterday. The first five or six weeks, the schedule is very, very tough.

Like very tough. And they play Baltimore twice, Boston twice in the Yankees you've got five series against the big boys in your division within the first month of the season so you got to set a tone immediately like you can't you can't get to May 1st and be five six games under 500 and chasing it like I just don't think they're built to do that. And again, this seven innings of opening day does not mean that that's what's going to happen.

But this was the discussion before the first pitch today. And it's going to be highlighted, you know, with whatever happens the rest of the way here, because they need something out of the rotation. They need the bass to come alive. Him and I sit a home run, which is big. He's batting clean up today, hit a home run. There's a first impression, right?

There's a guy that's going to be here for a long time, one of the acquisitions they got out of Cleveland, and he's obviously off to a pretty good start, but they're just getting rocked. Like that's four home runs Baltimore's hit today, and that will quiet a park down pretty quickly. Oh my God. It'll empty a park. Yeah, it can. It can. Like when the opponents are just mashing and it's yes basically batting practice for the orioles that that is really difficult to chew on if you're a fan

uh... we talk about the alfonso davy story a lot yesterday and i guess is is agent nadal who say has tweeted out just read it out twenty minutes ago over the past twenty four hours i spoke spoke with Jesse Marsh on several occasions. I have a lot of respect for him as a coach. We had positive and productive discussions and laid down the groundwork to ensure we are all aligned and working together to continue to protect the best interest of players. Moving forward, everyone involved focused will be focused on prioritizing Fonzie's recovery."

That sounds like somebody got in his ear. Well there's a couple things I would say on that. One, yes, again as I said yesterday I think it's imperative that Davies says something here. Like I know he's in one right now, he's probably very emotional, it sucks because now he's going back to his club team and he can't play, just had surgery, it's really really tough for him. You can't have your agent speaking all the time.

That drives me crazy. You're the captain, you're the face of the program you gotta speak you had to come out and say something here and i would be a bad thing if you said under no circumstance with my coach put me at harm and make me do anything i'd make the call whether i play or not exactly i would be very helpful if he came out on one side of that of the other yes instead of having the speculation out there and all the other nonsense going on.

Well, exactly. And furthermore, like, I don't know who this guy, the agent thinks he is, but like, now we laid the groundwork to ensure we're all aligned and work. Like, who are you to be involved in the program? You know, like, this is the men's national team that's on the way to the world cup i understand agents have power and they've got insight and they're hovering around but the idea that jesse marsh has to run things through you to me is is outrageous

that's just an agent that's pisses trying to be a hero high-end exactly and that's got an a c l that's blown out right now and he's trying to act like a hero and act like he's got his clients back. He's trying to get follows. Yeah, at some point the players got to step in and say, dude, I'm injured. I'm going to take care of this. Just please shut your mouth. Yeah.

But when he went out, do you think that he was asked by Davies to say something? Like why? Because I wouldn't want my agent speaking on my behalf without me saying to go for it. Well, I agree with you. because i would want my agent speaking on my behalf without me saying to go for it well i always had a really when the agent comes out with a comment is through the player because he would have just learned something out without going to his player you would think

the representing the player how exactly he says a lot and and i always want to believe the players ask when do it because i like person i would never want major say anything on my behalf nothing right always come to me because then it's my words and I'm saying it. Everyone knows it. But when your agents go through it, I personally don't like it either, but I'd have to believe he'd said something to him to say it. Absolutely. Well, and again, the original comments to one soccer and to Christian Jack were indicating, he was saying, it's my belief this is what's happened and that he would have gotten

that up you assume from Davies you know like Davies would have been telling him what was going on and you know that that's what kind of lit this whole thing on fire what sucks is Davies heard and now the program there's a cloud over it and Jesse Marsh is trying to push the positivity forward here how mad I'd be if I was Jesse Marsh? I would be mad, man. Oh, yeah. If these, if exactly, if he did not, and I can't picture it.

Like I thought the guys last night Luke and Stevie and Kevin Kilben did a great job of kind of breaking it down from their perspective. And, you know, Kilben and Steven Caldwell both played on international clubs in Scotland and Ireland and you know Gilman said like in all of his time he's never heard of a manager forcing a player to play like it just let alone someone of this caliber you know like if it's a scenario where you've got illness and you got injuries and you got someone further down your depth chart we say man I need you to step up and help us out here that might be one thing. If it's in the World Cup, a World Cup final, that might be one thing. It's always just a question.

The coach will leave it final with a question. Can you go? Can you go? Exactly. And the player says yes or no. Right. But the trainer is also the guard keeper here or the gatekeeper because he wants to make sure his name's on the line as well.

But then a high profile player, if they are really injured, they'll just say no. They'll say no. They'll say no. You know what I mean? Like it's not, I don't know. There's something up with this story that I'm not getting. I'm not understanding. Yeah, I'm with you exactly. And without obviously being there, we're not going to know. And you know, Canada came out and issued a statement and supporting Fonzie and you know, this is big though. Like Marsh has got to get to the bottom of it. It doesn't doesn't matter how he and Alfonso Davies agents agent is going to interact he's got to interact with Davies like the two of them have got to be on the same page like you're 15 months out of the

World Cup. It's the biggest moment in Canadian soccer history that's what is 15 months away and this guy you can't have the head coach and the star player at odds like it's a potential recipe for disaster absolutely and the player is gonna win in the end like that's the truth Jesse Marsh is not gonna survive over Davies Davies is playing so if he's got an issue with Marsh Marsh is in trouble right like Marsh is the one even again, I find it hard to believe he forced him to do anything or anything of the sorts, he's got to straighten it out here, because if Davies doesn't see eye to eye with him, or if Davies isn't on the same page, that's trouble

for Marsh. It will not be trouble for Davies. Davies isn't coming off the bench because Jesse Marsh doesn't like what happened here. Or he's not getting cut. Because, you know, like that's not happening. Davies is playing and the worst scenario for Marsh is if Davies is pissy and wants to act like a petulant child when this is resolved and they would probably cost him his job. Oh, like Marsh. No kidding. I don't think he'd survive that.

I don't know if he would survive it because Davies is who he is. And he's so important to the program He's the best player is their captain the face of the program They're like, you know, they need them That that's that's kind of what it's that what's at stake here Like you you got to make sure both parties are cool with each other and hopefully they will be and everything will blow over But it's not a good scene right now All right, pure Lebron in 20 minutes. We'll get to a draft in about 45

The steven a smith versus LeBron James there is just Out of controls even a smith is completely making an ass of himself. Like it is so pathetic There is one other twist to the story that I found to be I don't know why I got my attention But little things like this amuse me Kendrick Perkins Get but I guess he's a shoe dude like he's got these Nike Jordan shoes. Mm-hmm when he came out and said Lebron's the goat I Read this today They stopped sending him Jordan shoes

You're kidding. I do nice look on the awful announcer Twitter account that they published that story today Kendrick stopped getting shoes after he said LeBron is the I just looked at that. I'm like What universe are we living right now? So that would suggest Jordan and the Jordan brand are so petty So that would suggest Jordan and the Jordan brand are so petty So if you don't know you're out don't even think about asking for well We've been hooking you up with these Jordan shoes which cost us a gazillion dollars and I mean perk was in the NBA Long time works for yes A big factor, but no matter how much money you have when you get free stuff. It's a nice thing It can be yeah, it can be so i read that i just said to myself

like what universe are we living in when this guy's but steven a smith comments like just to get back to it to come out and said if that man had to put his hands on me i was there so i do love ron would have stuffed him in a garden and so that and and it's it's a hypothetical that didn't happen you know i'm saying like what it's almost our body can come out and say you know what i like if that guy did that i would kick his that really right it's it's not taking anyone's ass to do making yourself look like an idiot it's the barbara there's

only one role for him to take steven a smith i make a living about talking about lebrron on a daily basis. I hope this ends because I want to continue talking about him in his career. End of story. Well, he stepped in one today too. He said that LeBron was in at Kobe's memorial. Dude, you want to go there, man. And he was. And that's crossing the lines. It is, man. That's really crossing the line. Because you want to talk talk about the player you want to talk about even your personal relationship

That's engaging and I'm what a son though, too Yeah, well and again you talk about the player as a father But that's that and that's what LeBron is claiming that was the issue he took and yeah I think there's some broken tele you know telephone. He said LeBron wasn't at Kobe's funeral Yeah, you started going on about like I could have brought up stuff i could have talked about why you were not colby and he was in the brown ones and he had to retract the statement and he tweeted something out about it's an a apologize that's

that's what you're doing a complete idiot that you can sit like that and that's that's colby bryant you're dealing with their to like that's just unnecessary in terms of the the conversation that we're having right here are the two of them are having right now. But it, man, LeBronce, he stirred it up going on McAfee. Cause now all ESPN's gone crazy and it happened on ESPN. Like it's wild what's going on down there. All right, Pierre LeBron will join us in about 15 minutes.

Overdrive continues, TSN 1050N on TSN 4. Given five days or less to accept a severance offer you need employment lawyer.ca you actually have two years to file a claim for a severance package which can total as much as 24 months pay call your Sam Firu and get what your owed employment lawyer.ca all right here look I'm coming up on John Tonorella being let go in Philly this morning big games tonight you let go in Philly this morning Big games tonight. You got Montreal in Philly tonight Ottawa Detroit Edmonton in Seattle the Leafs in San Jose tonight

Leaves tough travel these East Coast team strut. It's it's a grind for them to go out to California The grind for these Coast teams. Yeah, it's it makes a difference I they have short travel when they're at home, but it's hard. Playing the west is way different. Yeah, it's not going to be easy for the Leafs. Only the tough survive out west. Only the tough survive. That's right. We're gritty.

We're just gritty. Yeah. Well, we'll see about that in the final hour. We'll see what kind of steam you got left there, Fred. Best bet still to come as well. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and on the TSN Up. Introducing Brian Adams Radio on I Heart Radio. TSN 1050 and on the free iHeartRadio app To love you Or ask your smart speaker to play Brian Adams' radio on iHeartRadio

I was ready to rock Everywhere I go, kids wanna rock