OverDrive - OverDrive - March 5, 2025 - Hour 3

Episode Date: March 6, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes and Jamie McLennan for Hour 3 on OverDrive! Got Yer Back Podcast and Former NHLer Jason Strudwick joins to discuss the Oilers' rough stretch, Connor McDavid's rocky run and Jack Hughes' impact injury. NBC Sports Golf Analyst Brad Faxon joins to discuss the headlines around the Arnold Palmer Invitational and Bryan hands out his FanDuel Best Bets,

Women run the charts, lead the conversation, and make history. This International Women's Day, iHeartRadio celebrates them all. Turn up the Women of the North playlist for iconic Canadian artists. Lock out with queens of every sound and take a trip with hits through herstory. Plus empowering podcasts by women for women. Stream now and celebrate the power of women everywhere with the free iHeartRadio app Final hour overdrive continues powered by Fanduil bringing you everything from the opening line of the final score Brian Hayes, Jamie Noodle's mclennan leaves in vegas tonight Trade deadline less than 48 hours away

Trade deadline less than 48 hours away. Jason Strudwick will join us. Struddy coming up. The Oilers not in a good place. Got beat up badly by Anaheim last night, but they picked up Trent Frederick yesterday. What else could they do? Right? What are the Leafs going to do?

And I think a lot of people are waiting to see what Brad Trayliving has in store because again, Lightning acquired Oliver Bjorkstrand and Yanni Gord today. Yanni Gord was a guy that was kinda connected to the leaves yeah right some people thought he would be of interest he was there for the two cups in tampa they bring him back so tampa's all in

they're all in their seemingly all in every year they traded multiple packs a couple of first in the future to go get these guys and their gm julian breezeball said quotes i'd rather have a lineup full of good players than a bank of a ton of draft picks, because I think ultimately what we're trying to do is win hockey games end quote. So I solid quote, it is a really good quote, I will say, and he's earned this, they have the luxury that they've won before, right?

When you've won, it's and I said the same thing earlier this week about the long-term IR stuff. If you've won, Florida's won, so go ahead Kuchuk, we don't need you back for five games. We'll trust you come playoff time, we'll see you later. Vegas had won the year before, Mark Stone, just go, we'll see you later, we don't need it. Kucherov had won the cup the year before, just take your time, we'll see you in the playoffs. When Kane did it, I want to say it was in 15 15 they had already won multiple cups right so like Patrick can like just sit there We'll see you like well They know they they know what they have they know what they have and they know they've won and they're willing to

Gamble a little bit more and I think it's the same thing with Tampa and Florida Where they're like, what are we we're just gonna keep riding this wave We're in the midst of something here where we know we have the guys that can win So why not continue to help them? Right and that's what I think is frustrating from away from a standpoint of the Leafs if you're a leaf fan You're like they have won anything What is your plan gonna be? Well, we don't know exactly what they're gonna execute over the next two days. We don't But Tampa knows that eventually it's gonna look like Pittsburgh. Yes

cycle in and out they'll cycle in and it's you know Tampa's gonna have Kuturov that is 37 and not moving and you know Vasilevsky is gonna be you know banged up like they know what's coming hmm but these guys are still right in their wheelhouse of playing amazing hockey and top tier players. So why not? The league players are going to do the same thing. Oh, I understand. Like, that's like, you know, it's, it creeps up on you quickly, but Austin and Mitch and

Willie, like these are not young guys. Next year's year 10. Yeah. They've been there nine years in the league. Like that's a long time. So, um, like look at LeBron. LeBron hit 50,000 points last night I know I'm getting off the NHL track, but I just it just dawned on me I'm like we're talking about guys in year 9 this guy's in year 23 or whatever it is 50,000 points combined in regular season and play Let's try to get a number of the gram that he did he put out an incident

I haven't seen him right about yeah, hey his former self writing to his current so I didn't see that on Instagram, but he's re-invigorated They won big last night man. Yeah, like Luca he's starting to hit shots I think he had like 30 points and 15 assists last night eight boards like his love and life Luca looks very happy I would lay so so he goes and such a great place and then brony goes you and i are going out to that's a great question do you think it's more likely luca would go out with the broad or with brony

or no it's the broad broad brady like but brony's younger like brony's closer to his age brony's twenty But Bronnie's younger, like Bronnie's closer to his age. Bronnie's 20, Luca's 25. No, no, it's like LeBron's 40. LeBron's an old guy, man. But LeBron James is gonna show Luca LA. You think so? Not the way his son does it and they go to clubs

and he says, hey, I'm LeBron's son. You're going with LeBron. You're not going with Bronnie. The bigger baller move is LeBron obviously but I think LeBron he looks reinvigorated he's taken Luca and say you're coming with me now Ronnie might be there as well because the son of you know it's the butab on her son father and son but they'll go out to a club or go out for dinner I might be completely wrong on this, but I think LeBron is showing him the city that

he is, that Luke is going to take over. Okay. From a basketball stand. Yeah, I think without question around the facility and stuff, it's LeBron. Like Bronnie's not even really around the team, but if you're a young guy, like LeBron, you know, I'm,'s he's almost my age Like if you're 40 LeBron's probably like I want to get out of here. That's pretty loud in here, you know He's an old guy. I know but like brawny's probably can party. I would think I'm sure he can

But it's his dad who has to make the call to get him in because you walk out understand It's the Caprio and it's whoever else. Yes, Bronnie's not getting the red carpet treatment like LeBron. LeBron walks up and goes, we're coming in and I want the best table in the house. Do you think LeBron wants to go to a hookah joint? Do you think LeBron would be comfortable at a hookah joint with Luca? These hookah joints are really unique. I've been to a few and I went to one in Paris randomly. It feels like a Paris thing.

Yeah. Like just a weird, yeah, it feels like a Paris thing. You're supposed to feel anything. It was just a very unique experience. Feels like an Amsterdam thing. Yeah, well, that's where you don't. But hookah's not like weed. No, you just, yeah, you don't put weed in there, but it just.

That would be a wild scene. Hookah's, if that's the kind of stuff Luke is into, that's a completely different story. Yeah, he is enjoying, I'm telling you, he's going out going out there winning in LA and LeBron is taking about cuz brawny He's not first in line. No, I understand that I but I don't think Lucas got a wait in line anymore either No, like he's the king LA now like they are they welcomed him with open arms, right? So it depends on what kind of party you look you go out in either way You're good Jason Strudwick to the sidetrack cafe you walk in the side VIP

oh yeah you get me the good fellas through the kitchen routine handing out 20s had a kitchen there I think they did I'd love to see Struddy like Henry Hill handing out 20s the people getting into the grittiest place in Edmonton handing out toonies that's what it would be. You have change? Pocket full of change. What? You're tipping me. He's tipping a guy asking for change. I only have fives. Do you have change? Do you have any tunis? Here's Jason Strudwick. Do you tip in cash or in coin? I take emails and e-transfer later. He's got a Crown Royal bag full of change. That would be great. You e-transfer later. Got a Crown Royal bag full of change. That would be great, you e-transfer late. Sorry, what's your Venmo? I'll get to you a little bit later. I don't

have any cash on me. Anyway, good catching up with you Strutt. It's too bad we're catching you after the oilers are all of a sudden, what are they, tanking for a draft pick here? What's going on out there in Edmonton? Yeah, yeah, it's been tough. I mean, tough all around, right? You got the Tampa Bay Lightning there loading up. I think the pills got a little tight there in Ontario. I heard them squeaking. Yeah, there's some concern.

There's some concern. I'm concerned. Oh my God, just pill on pill squeaking. It's all I heard for the last two hours. I had Florida too, right? Was Jones and Vanechek the modern day noodles. Yeah, I know. It's not good.

I do. You don't want to bring that up, but no, you know, I'm sure, I'm sure it doesn't matter. You just got, you got to play your own game, right? Don't worry about other teams are doing obviously. Um, but, uh But no, you know what the owners, they're in a tough spot, you know they didn't really, the best defensive game for let's say part of that is over the break so that the timings maybe a little off but you know I

think that since Knobloch come in they've been very respectful and fully aware of playing a good defensive game. If you look at last night you know with some of their top end players, they were kind of getting touched up for what I'd call some poor defensive play. And it's been others too, but, you know, specifically last night. So you know, Nalbork's got to get those guys back dialed into that. Is it, you know, is it fatigue? Is it, you know, a bit of a long season of dog days? Well, it could be any one of those things, but reality is they've got a really good chance to have getting first place in Pacific,

but defensively they got to dial it in because playing defense isn't really skill. It's about just the desire to do it and to be attentive to it the whole game. So Strahd, say you walk into the dressing room tomorrow and you know where did they start in in in even let's go a step further is there moves to be made to help this group uh... maybe round out we saw the frederick trade yesterday and i'd i'd thought it was a good trade as far as

the you know what's coming in it's a good top-tier player who's who's really hard to play against and it's pennies on the dollar. It costs him what, $575,000 or whatever on the cap. But if you had your choice, is there more to be added to this group or what do you think they need to get it back on track? So I really like the Frederick move and they need a guy like that a guy that he's gonna bring right now because he's unable to play and then that's that's a big concern you know a they don't have it right now because they could sure use them against my child just to kind of get the party started when I when I looked at this team I

don't think there's I think there's a lot of good professionals good professional hockey not eyes enough get going and we'll light up a room or light up a, you know, just run someone for no reason. I think that Frederick can bring that. So I think that they need to solve that. And until they sort out this Savannah Kane situation, they probably aren't really sure what they can or can't do. I don't think John Klinberg, you know, I've been on here before saying it was a big, it was a risk to take and it was a worthwhile risk. And I don't think John Klenberg, I've been on here before saying it was a big risk,

it was a risk to take and it was a worthwhile risk. And I don't think it's worked out. When the puck's on his stick, everything seems to be okay, but then defending and the skating has been a challenge for him. And he hasn't been able to get up to speed yet. And I get it, he hasn't played for whatever, it's 400 days. You're kind of chasing the game.

So I'm still focused on that spot beside D Darnell Nurse, the second right pairing defenseman. But you got to sort out Kane first, because if Kane thinks he can come back, then the money might not be there. Money in, money out. And not to mention Jeff Skinner. How is he feeling? He really hasn't been embraced by his coaching staff. He's got 11 goals.

Does he want to stay here and be you know, I think today was on the fourth line I you know, you gotta if you're not gonna get a chance Do you want to go somewhere else you maybe get a chance and then the problem is to someone else wanted give you a chance And then try to get that money off of the orders books on to someone else's With Jason Strudwick Connor McDavid scored a beauty night, man. He was flying through the neutral zone and scored a beauty but couldn't celebrate because they were losing 6-1. That was the 6-2 goal. So he almost looked at guys like don't even skid over to me. It was kind of a wild scene but you know we've been talking about Austin Matthews here clearly in Toronto and he hasn't you

know he's on pace for 33 goals. That's unheard of for him he just he isn't scoring at the rate that he has been throughout his career and Connor McDavid the idea that he's you know battling to be in the top five for points in the season is unheard of for him I mean he's just always it's been a formality he's gonna win the Art Ross what is your read on him is it is it he's tired is he slow playing it for the playoffs like what what is your read on what's going on with McDavid is it he's tired? Is he slow playing it for the playoffs? Like what what is your read on what's going on with McDavid? Well he sets such a high bar you know he like fitness you're doing it 200 calories burned a day. He was 10,000 stepping before it was cool. But he's far so high for him that you mentioned he's still putting out points, but it's not

what we're used to. We're used to him just tearing the league in half, right? Three, four games with multiple points, each game. I do think he's tired. You look at his last three weeks there on the on the road and the four nations cup and then on the road again and then home, you know, I hadn't seen his favorite dog there, Lenny for a long time. Um, unfortunately, you know, he's not going to take one.

I think there's others on the team. I can call him, could use a break as well. He's been, you know, sick, it feels like for a month. Um, so, you know, for, for McDavid, I do feel like at times he puts a lot of pressure on himself to do it. You know, I've got it. I'm going to do this. And when Knobloch came in, I think one of the best things he said was that we don't

need 29 and 97 to win by themselves. We have other players. So I think that'd be a good reminder for both Connor and Knobloch to tell the other players and tell Connor and Leon that it's okay. You know, it's okay. You don't have to do it all. Let's just take it deep to help you because you know last year when they were rolling everyone was... and right now we're not seeing that as much and then the pressure Connor's put on himself to skate and just to do it

himself or to force stuff, maybe it's not there. So I think it's a good chance for both coach and captain to maybe have a talk and kind of review what worked well for them in the past. Strutty, I know you're at a Motel 6 on the road, so maybe try and stick your head out the window because you've been in and out on the phone. They might not have service at these poor hotels that you stay at, but I wanted to follow up on the goaltending situation. It's obviously the hot button topic and you know I've defended the goaltending to a point because you laid it out. Like last night you can't lay that on goaltending because that was just poor

play being connected defensively offensively all of that type of stuff. But the noise is there and and it's been earned because Stuart Skinner has not had a great season. He has been up and down he's been inconsistent it's a guy who they relied on a lot I think Pickard's been up and down as well but he's been more consistent what do you make of it and is it something that they believe in and they're just gonna power through and let him find his form or do you think that they will you know at least grab somebody here before the deadline even for depth because the number three goaltender is Oliver Rodriguez. Yeah, no it's not ideal. It might be the e-bug. So this is what

I believe. I think that he needs time to get his game in order. I would have actually started Skinner, so I wouldn't have started Skinner last night or tomorrow night against Montreal. I'd go with Pickard and allow him time to have time to goalie coach. He hasn't had that. You need to keep your game sharp as a goalie. And then the defensive play in front of him hasn't been good. And I think Skinner thrives under more consistent understanding where the shots are coming from. Kind of like Marty Boudreaux, he knew where the pucks were coming from.

When you don't and it's unpredictable, it's harder to read. So I, truly, I would have given Pickard the starts both games and let Skinner find his game in practice with the coaching that they have there because that's what goalies need. They need tune-ups and refining every now and then. With Jason Strudwig, so Jack Hughes done for the year shoulder surgery today. If, you know, we asked you if you're in the room in Edmonton, what if you're in the room in Edmonton what if you're in the room in Jersey like how do you possibly overcome an injured your best player with 20 games left to go? Well it isn't Dougie Hamilton he's he's did we say far he just got her last night too wasn't he? Top 50 Dougie.

He is a top 50 guy but he's out week to week he's out too yes. So that's a big issue. So, you know, they're further now. We're looking for two centers. And it's a challenge, right? I think I've challenged the devil's about the size up front. You know, you need size and that play with Jack Ica. I don't think it was that dirty. I know Sheldon Keefe didn't like it, but it's hard to overcome. And now not one, but twomen you're looking for. So is that even possible? And then quite frankly, is it worth it?

If we do get, you know, let's say whoever said they try to get Brock Nelson another center, are you as good with Brock Nelson as you would have been with Jacquees and someone else? So it's that I really feel bad. I feel bad for that type of situation. But I've said it before, I mean, size matters up front. It really does. And you've got to be able to move that puck quickly and then not get touched up heading

into the playoffs. So when you look at this group now, down the stretch, I think they're at home, they've got a pretty favorable schedule. They've been out east a few times, they had that five game road trip, they ended with the win in Carolina, which I thought Pickard was fantastic like that that that game really wasn't a huge win by the Oilers from a team game standpoint because Pickard made some huge saves

but if it's a reset if it's rest I'm not only looking at 97 or 29 like is it Hyman is it RNH is it you know guys that are depth in this this team How do they find their game? How do they get to that next level and back to the what they're capable of playing and that that's the biggest concern I think for a lot of people outside of Ableton Yeah, it is and I listen I mean again a lot of you guys. I wasn't the most offensive players Yeah, I don't think my stats lie, but I know what I, I hated when I played against

players of dry, the blue paint all the time. And if you're watching the owners, are they getting to the blue paint enough? Uh, whether that's it. And it's not just the default passing it back to the demon and letting the demon shoot it, what I like about Corey Perry is he'll take it from below the goal line, attack the net and as a demon, I hate that because now is he passing it? Is he attacking the front of that? What's he doing? I'd like to see more guys do that. So I'm looking at Henry, who's really good around the net. I'm looking

at Brown, who definitely has that in his game. Hyman, uh, Nugent Hopkins, who may not be naturally in, you know, inclined to do that, but he's got to do it as well. So, and that's just a few of the forwards I'm thinking. Kapanen, uh Paul Colton drives the puck from below the goal line to the net and create chaos and then you get into that habit of going there. And I think you'll score a couple more goals that way and maybe get a bit lucky and then maybe unlocks the game for 29 and 97. Well Strudy, we'll see what comes of it over the next two days. Getting closer to trade deadline, you mentioned Montreal's out there.

Montreal's won five in a row. Like they're only a point out and we're curious to see what they're gonna do and all these Canadian teams and we'll see what comes of it Struddy. It's always great to catch up with you buddy. We appreciate you doing this. Leafs fans, don't worry. What Florida and Tampa does, it doesn't matter. You've got this. They'll figure it out, right? They got someone coming to help. Yep, they deserve the benefit of the doubt they really do and I have no doubt they'll figure it out they'll be fine I'm sensing sarcasm but

I don't share it literally at a motel six yeah yeah motel eight motel eight you know there's no shampoo I've've been washing my hair for three days. There's no shampoo here. They didn't put any in your room. They saw you when you walked in. You can save a bit there. He doesn't need it. Just, I gotta go down the front desk and ask for some. Like, just a dab. Just a dab for the reason I have to lie. Okay, come on. Come on. Send an email out, Stroud, please. CCS if you have to. We'll follow up for you. I'm tweeting. I'm tweeting at Motel 8 right now. Good luck with that. Keep us posted. There's Jason Stroudwick. There is a difference between a Motel 6 and a Motel 8.

What is the difference? Does anyone know? Is it the same chain or is it just like there's eight rooms for parents? Like there is a difference between a motel six and a motel eight. What is the difference? Does anyone know? Is it the same chain or is it just like there's eight rooms? I don't know. Like you're right. There was a motel six and then there's a super eight. Right. Yeah.

Maybe it's not called motel eight. Maybe it's super eight. Right. It's motel six and super eight. What came first? Like was motel six there and then super eight said, watch this, we're coming over the top. I think so. I felt like motel 6 was like

Outdoors you walk to your room and all outdoor and you park your car like an Ozark vibe. Yes Motel or Super 8 is in there's actually there's like the third floor I see and you know, there's still a serial killer a lot of stuff like that. Yeah, Motel 6 100% came first. That was established early on. I've stayed in Motel 6's. I have too, yeah. I've stayed in, I've stayed every, like you, back in the day, you guys wouldn't be doin' this

because you were in the NHL, you had some money, but like when you were young, you'd go to Niagara Falls for the night, you're like, give me any place I can stay. Well, I- Like it was the grittiest, disgusting place on earth and there'd be eight guys in their sub four of them on the floor you're like what are we doing in here i remember buddy everyone pissed in like ten bucks i got an opportunity

to i went to team canada's your training camp like justin calgary at their i think it was the summer camp i got invited i was sixteen so i was living in lethbridge at the time, my family was there, and my parents couldn't go so I just got my driver's license. My dad gave me the car and I drove to Calgary and I checked into a hotel when I was 16. It was like a hotel 6, right by McMahon Stadium.

It's a scary neighborhood around there too. My dad called and I had to bring some cash up because I couldn't put a credit card. I stayed in that hotel for three nights by myself. I was 16. Yeah. That's crazy. That is crazy when you think about it. Like that was, I mean, keep in mind, I'm, you know, 53. Like this was an age.

Different world back then. Yeah. But also no way to track you, keep up, you know, just, hey, call us when you can call. I called Collect like the second day I was there. And maybe they weren't home, didn't answer. Yeah. And I was like, I no way to track you keep up, you know Just they call us when you can call I called collect like yeah, and maybe they didn't work home didn't answer He's all right. Give a message Just leave a message machine. Yeah, the answering machine. Remember the answering machines like kids these guys would have no idea

No idea what it was like no idea that like we we existed in a world before there was like call waiting You know what I mean? Like they're originally you had one line there on the line it was just and there was no like ringing out i know you had to pay extra for call waiting absolutely that was like absolutely a choice you could you'd pay like three bucks a month for call waiting for sure call waiting was big remember you get someone would be like here i'll be right back and then you're like man it's five minutes like this guy's not coming back. You know, and you're like, do I hold out or do I hang up and call back? But then if you hung up and call back it would be busy because the phone wasn't

sophisticated enough to realize that you would drop the line. This is just old school tech. Yeah. All right, we've sent Al's brother, you want to see new tech? Wait till you see the intro on this. We've sent Al's brother out into the city with a pair of Leaf tickets and you have to guess where he's hiding for your chance to win them. Here's the third clue of the week. Hey OD fans, happy Wednesday to you. I've got another clue to help get you one step closer to finding out where is Al's brother to get yourself a pair of leases and tickets for march fifteenth your wednesday clue while i'm at this particular establishment i might want to practice

some of my own stick handling miles brother working on his meds i love it okay tune in tomorrow for another clue in the first caller through on friday with the correct location again wins a pair tickets lease Leafs sends March 15th that's a Saturday night Battle of Ontario that's a big game finals brother brought to you by McAlpine Ford in Aurora our family the Ford family and you full details at TSN 1050.ca Leafs in Vegas tonight we've got deals we've got big news in the NHL

today Raptors with another win last night LeBron said 50,000 points in his career playoffs in regular season. Just a staggering number and it's not going to stop. He's still going now. Like he's going to play I think a couple of years. So we'll get to that. Brad Faxson coming up. A big, big part of the schedule on tour. We got the Arnie Palmer this week, the players next week and we're inside 50 days of the Masters as well. And there's a lot of news out there on Capco, DeChambeau, what's gonna happen with Tiger, we'll try to get to the latest. Overdrive continues, TSN 1050 and on TSN 2. All right, best bets powered by Fandor later in the hour, Leafs in Vegas tonight. Here's how

many Leaf fans will be there. You know, it's a great place to watch a game. We've done it, we've been there, but we talked about Vegas early in the week. I was just not... Quietman. It's quiet Yeah, it's a weird time of year. It's well. I economy. There's a lot going on in the world right now I could see some goons going down though and go let's let's stretch this out into the weekend That's the play and but there is a lot of deals I think it's like Sunday to Thursday in Vegas you could do that so. So you could catch the game tonight, be back tomorrow type of thing. That's the play.

I go down on a Monday and stay until the exactly Thursday. And the Leafs travel well there. More buildings are more pronounced, obviously. But when we were there, like if there was 16,000 people, you could notice three, 4,000 fans wearing blue for sure. I think I think it's you know it'll be a it's an interesting game I think they'll play well tonight. I do they they they raised their levels against good teams. The 10-22 start like your body clock is a little messed up. Oh yeah. Guys are

younger and I get it they'll have sleep sleep all day and whatever but there is maybe 5% of a layer going God they'll be looking they'll be sitting in the dressing room in the middle of the second period or after the second period and look it's like 1230 yeah 1215 Eastern time I got to go out and block shots or whatever like there will be a body clock where you know again dangling a carrot going we got one game to play till Saturday and we're in Vegas so maybe we can you'd like to think there's something on the line for them tonight thank you Joseph Wall get the star Chris Tana was skating today but he might return on Saturday that's what they're hoping for you'll believe it when you see

it with the Leafs you know in terms of injury updates they're never going to be completely transparent. It's not gonna happen. But yeah, we'll see what comes of it. We'll get to our best bets on that a little bit later this hour. And you might have to sneak in a couple of Arnie Palmer picks as well,

because it's a big, big week on tour where you got this elevated event down at Bay Hill. Then you got the players next week. We're inside 50 days of the Masters. Like it's really starting to get going. And we're into March here. And Canadians are like, let's 50 days of the Masters. Like it's really starting to get going and we're into March here and Canadians are like let's get rid of the snow, let's get getting it up here and whenever we get a chance to catch up with the next guest to set the tone on whatever's going on on tour we take full

advantage. He is a long time member of the PGA Tour. You see him and hear him on NBC and the Golf Channel. Here's Brad Faxon. How you doing Fax? I'm doing great you guys. Great to be on with you. Always love having you on and you know this is such a cool tournament. You've got Scheffler looking to get back into the winner's circle and it was this time last year right where he got red hot he never really cooled off. Do you anticipate that that'll be the case again this week? It's Scottie Scheffler versus the field. Yeah, I don't know if it's versus the field. He hasn't won yet this year. He's coming off a surgery on his hand after cutting himself trying to make some lasagna or ravioli. I guess it was. If you ever saw this golf course, I walked around today with Rory

McIlroy in the Pro-Am and The wind was howling today 25 30 mile an hour winds the greens were Sunday firm and All the players were talking about how tough it was and the fairways are the firmest and tightest looking fairways You could ever imagine. So it's world class right now. They were expecting a bunch of rain this afternoon that they never got, which is good because the greens won't be softened or slowed down at all by the rain.

Tomorrow the wind is supposed to blow exactly in the opposite direction and be a little bit cooler. So it's like yesterday's and today's practice didn't won't make a difference for what they see tomorrow. Yeah this course is it's nasty it's funny how like you look what happens at Memorial you know Jack's tournament and obviously Bay Hill with Arnie Palmer and you know that I did the players take pride in that because there was a lot of a lot of you know chatter last week with the 59 at PGA national and was it being played too easy like as a as tour players

what are what are they how do they balance that facts like knowing that some courses are going to be a real challenge and they're going to burn you and others and you got a shot to shoot 59 every once in a while and maybe the winning total is going to be 22-23 under you're right I think what we don't want is every week to be exactly the same, that's for sure. And last week was a big surprise in the scores seeing Jake Napier 59 and of course it's usually notorious for high scores, but a couple conditions changed there. They had no wind at all. And you definitely like, I think everybody likes kind of seeing the players struggle with all those water holes that the bear trap finished in. And they, they over seeded with a rye grass. It really wasn't

that difficult for the players to play out of whether it was from the fairway or around the greens, but they're not saying that this week. And I like this prelude, like you guys said up to the masters, you've got these two events elevated signature events this is a small field only 70 players and they actually they do make a cut to 50 over the weekend and it's you know when you get a small strong field like this you'd be embarrassed if you missed a cut here so that's another story I kind of look at but it's the first time Xander Schauffele's played since the start of the year. He went out with a little rib injury and I saw him yesterday on the range.

His caddie said, this is as good as I've ever seen him hit a ball. And I've had a few players say that and a few people say it that watched him. So watch out for Xander. You know, it's interesting to see how he starts off after missing, I think, five or six weeks. So you've got the top three guys in the world, Sheffler going out, Rory's playing with his buddy Shane Lowry today, tomorrow, excuse me, in the first two rounds, and he loves playing with Shane.

So I think Rory's up for the challenge of this golf course and no matter what you do, you're gonna see some silly mistakes. McGreen's got got some speed and I think this is really the first time this year that they're in perfect conditions but you'll have to think about how much these balls are going to break across the greens there's so much slope. Can't wait for it with Brad Faxon of NBC and the Golf Channel down at Bay Hill Arnold Palmer Invitational tomorrow started tomorrow in the players next week

There's been a lot of you know chatter in the golf world about you know Brooks Kapka Bryson DeChambeau their deals Could they be up could they return to the PGA Tour? What is your understanding of their situation? And you know how how have tempers cooled to the extent if those two guys young guys great players still in their prime If they return to the PGA Tour Will it be kind of bygones will be bygones and we move on with life for what are you anticipating on that front? Well, I think that would have been a wish up until a couple weeks ago and everybody that is in tight with

until a couple of weeks ago and everybody that is in tight with the PGA tour and the negotiations said there was a kind of a lockout. Yasser Al-Rumanian, who's been running the Lib tour for the Saudis for PIFS, he got pretty upset at Monahan and a couple of the guys on the board, including Adam Scott. And I thought we were really close to announcing some kind of deal. Now I don't know that there's ever going to be a deal. And I think the Saudis, they're in a little precarious position here because all of a sudden the TGA Tour has a little bit of leverage. They've got the better players for sure, the better tour.

They're on network television, they've got the backing of the Fenway Sports Group, the strategic sports group, so they've got $1.5 billion in fusion. And all of a sudden, I think the PGA Tour players think they've got a stranglehold on Liv because nobody's really watching those guys even though they have Brooks, they have Bryson, they have John Rahm and you know I don't think that those guys want to just play Liv. I think they want definitely to play their majors and have their cake and eat it too. Brad where are you at with Tiger Woods? You know do you feel that he's just just gonna play in this sim league or is he gonna actually play again?

Well it's funny, Monday was that kind of world renowned pro member at Seminole. I always play with a friend named Tom Ryan who used to run the CBS pharmacies back in the US and the caddy that I had in the afternoon, caddy for Tiger Monday morning, and I asked him how was it, he goes, well it was amazing. I said, well how did Tiger look? He goes, well he explained with Keegan Bradley, captain of the upcoming Ryder Cup team at Bethpage, and he said, Tiger drove it out there

with Keegan on every shot, he walked 18 holes, it was not even a limp, I don't think it's an issue. So he's certainly in condition to play. But he hasn't played in the players in a while. I think we've seen Tiger when he's come out to play say he's not competitive. But if he's going to make the Masters his debut, I would hope he'd come play a tournament before trying to get his feet wet and hopefully for us, for NBC and for all the fans that would be on the Players' Championship.

Yeah, no kidding because funny, like he's at the TGL, he's saying, I feel my age and he's not sure what's gonna happen in the future. It's just tough to get a read on the guy because there's so much going on in the golf world He still moves the needle so much and like you said you look at him bomb drives Even if it's into a screen, it looks great. He's walking around I just I don't know like would it be the fear of a short game that goes arrives

He worried about getting out there and you know shooting a 77 78 Do you think that would be in his mentality that he'd be worried about playing poorly and he just couldn't handle that i think you know when he at the end of last year when he didn't play in the hero of his tournament the bahamas i just think he was competitively uh... not ready to play uh... he had had another surgery and maybe physically it wouldn't have worked

but i see charlie woods his son lives in the same development where i live in to play. He had had another surgery and maybe physically it wouldn't have worked. But I see Charlie Woods, his son, lives in the same development where I live in Florida. Tiger comes out to play with Charlie. He's been in great moods. When you watch Tiger hit a ball it looks like the Tiger you'd want to see. But in the few times we've seen him play he hasn't potted like or chipped like Tiger of old and I think that's a stop from anything that he doesn't know how to do it that's just from lack of play that's lack of competition and and that's why you know I would love to see him get out there and at least get his feet wet play some practice round with some of the guys and so his first shot he's hitting on Thursday at the Masters isn't the first shot he's hit in a

year. Absolutely yeah I mean you speak for all of us I mean we're banking on that but it's gonna be a fun fun you know a few months let's call it what it is now that we're at the Arnie Palmer we got the players and the Masters and then the three other majors there's there's gonna be a lot of golf coming up and you'll have it covered like always and it's great catching up with you facts we appreciate you doing this. Look I love coming on your show I feel like I've been doing this forever and I would say one thing that's that's kind of maybe goes a little bit unnoticed now you know

Arnold Palmer passed away in 2016 I think he was 85 or 86 years old. But when you come here to Bay Hill, you feel him. You know, you sense him. And I think he'd be pretty proud right now of what his family, his grandson Sam Saunders, how this golf course looks. Because he was a guy that wanted it to be tough. He was tough himself.

And whoever wins this tournament at the end of the week, they'll be a real champion, because this place is really, really gonna be difficult to play, whether it's the T's. Yeah, yeah, and I love that. And being strong out of this rough, and being mentally strong, because everybody's gonna have some shots,

go places where they don't want to want to play from but the rough around the greens everything about this thing is the way Arnold would have liked it. It's going to be awesome. Enjoy it down there Brad. We appreciate you doing this. All right, Chad. It's good talking to you.

There he is. Brad Fax in a long time. Remember the PGA Tour and Golf Channel, NBC. We saw him in Montreal, right? Of course, a personal great catching up with Fax and yeah, this course, it looks great, man. It looks great. They're saying the rough is crazy and he said tight fairways, tight greens. He believes that Tiger... He said, you know, Tiger's looking like everyone in the golf world. It's, you know, you know what it's like.

You get a guy who's just different from everyone else. You're like, what are you seeing? Yeah. Like, what are you seeing? Yeah. Like, what do you see? What was LeBron looking like? What is, you know, what did McDavid look like? What did, that's probably Tiger. Like, everyone on tour wants to get a peep of this guy. He's walking well and hitting drivers well.

You know, hopefully he plays. I don't think he'll play next week of the playoffs. It doesn't seem like it's going to happen. I feel like it's good for the game when he plays, but it just, when he plays, it's like, okay, that's not the Tiger Weed. No, and remember. He's 49 now.

Yeah. Like, you know, it's just, I think you gotta be realistic. It's not gonna return to form. It's just a matter of, are you gonna see him three or four times a year? I got caught down a rabbit hole yesterday or two days ago on Instagram of him doing a walking up the fairway and getting a phone number.

Oh yeah, the sneaky little. He had like a handshake and there was a phone number exchanged. It looked very suspicious that there was a female. Good looking woman just all of a sudden did the old handout and old tiger did the I'm not nothing to see here grab. You know what I know it's world famous. Yeah he was walking to it from like this 15 t to the 16 t box you know or green to t or whatever and yeah he snuck in a quick uh that means on the front nine he said there's

a walkway between 15 and 16 be there and or be square and she was there Yeah, Tigers a piece of work What is life for tiger run is that around yeah, yes All right our best bets powered by Fender will come back and get into that Leafs Vegas tonight overdrive continues TSN 1050 and on TSN 2. All right today's best bets powered by Fandu make your picks and assemble a same-game parlay in seconds on the Fandu Sportsbook app. I'm gonna play the under tonight six and a half. I think the Leafs have got a... I think they'll play

better tonight. Joseph Walsh in net he didn't look great the last time he played in pit. I think he bounces back. I do. I do. Aiden Hill in net tonight.'t look great the last time he played in pit I think he bounces back I do I do hate and Hill and that's my acro you you look at the opponent and go we have to play well yeah feels like a 3-2 game tonight I do for two empty more to empty net under Matthew Nyes to collect a point paying plus 347 Nys is just kind of been around it right and he's first power play and he's he's playing was up to 24 goals on the the season as he said a really good your math and i was going to reach thirty and and more more you know if he has a heaters a big number of fruit second-year player

absolutely uh... plays in a great situation is embraced that exactly he's an r f at the end of the year and he's he's good they're gonna get some more came out though they'll bill signed but today's best that's powered by fando liveil, live same game parlies are now available for every NHL game on the Fanduil Sportsbook app. Please play responsibly, 19 plus, physically located in Ontario.

So we've had a deal, the Tampa Bay Lightning made a trade today, we got news on Jack Hughes, he's done for the year, which really sucks. Yeah, that hurts. Because he's such a good player, and Jersey's had a good year, they've had a good year,

but they're gonna be in tough now. Like now you look at it. Dougie Hamilton, sir. And, you know, they've they've had some real issues down there. And Columbus is four points back. They get two games in hand like Jersey's not guaranteed to avoid the wild card. Yeah, right now. I mean, it's even New York.

The Rangers are six back, but they get two games in hand You know, I watched that Columbus team play last night they There's a reason why they're there like we sleep on them because you're not watching them every night But they've got some skill. They got some speed that were Renske's having a Norris season The goaltending has held up like, like they're not an awful team. Like, you know, we thought with the tragedy that started the year, it was going to be, Monahan's been injured, like they, you know, to me, I could see them missing the playoffs and they would have every excuse to do it.

It's been the exact opposite. This Dean Evison, he's a hell of a coach and he's got them playing really well. Yes, they lost to Tampa, but I thought they were right there in the game it was really good game. Yeah no they're there we've been saying it like they they're scoring at a pretty high rate. Yeah like they're an offensive. Marchenko or whatever he could. Marchenko has been really really good. Yeah they've got some players there but I don't know if there's gonna be a drop-off or not but they're right there they could be the surprise team of the year. Yeah right well absolutely there's going to be a drop off or not but they're right there they could be the surprise team of the year yeah right

well absolutely it's tough to say like we've been on to the daily occurrence would come in here and you update the the standings in columbus got sixty eight points the ranger sixty six detroit sixty six auto on montreal sixty five auto was in chicago tonight that is a must we have to beat them they have to win to get you have to have two points you would like that it's not a goatly i get the washington you got a point out of it but you know

your twenty two games love that find a way to for them if they're going to be a playoff team you can't have any like a take a step near two steps forward three steps back they've got to find a way if they're going to be a playoff team this is this is meaningful minutes and in games for them but if they are going to be a playoff team, this is this is meaningful minutes and games for them But if they are gonna be a playoff team playing against Chicago I know it's a road game, but you have to have a win. Well you look at Ottawa's schedule they have a fascinating schedule because

They play a lot of these teams are competing with they play the Rangers on Saturday. They've got Detroit on Monday Those are two teams. They're fighting with like they're in the wild card race. They're not catching Florida, Tampa, Toronto. So if you're getting in, if you're Ottawa, it's wild card. That's the Rangers, they got Detroit. Billy, they've got Philly who I don't really think Philly's in the middle.

I'm just saying points of teams that you're playing against. Yeah, right in that you got to, yeah, you got to try to get, you know, Boston still technically in the mix, but they have they have Columbus three more times That's three more times exactly and you've got Detroit twice Yeah, so That's that's what it's gonna come down to if you're Ottawa like you you've got of those five games Collectively between Columbus and Detroit ten points up for grabs. Like you've got those five games, collectively between Columbus and Detroit, 10 points up for

grabs, I think you got to get seven, you know what I mean? You got to find a way to get seven points there. And you could be in the driver's seat. Yeah. But it's it's that's what it's going to come down to. Well, and listen, you we say it every every day. Your top players have to be your top players. The trucks injured coming out of the four nations Norris in and out Pinto stepped up the other night like they need their players To be healthy and to play well and we'll see we'll see what they do at the deadline They might be a fascinating team. I think they probably should be I would think they got a

You know a piece or two. Chicago might be moving out some players Well, why wouldn't they like what the hell hell are you holding? You know like Donato is he gonna stick around? Is he like Connor Murphy? Murphy, right shot. I like him. I'm talking for the Leafs. I understand that. Yeah he's a guy that I could see them showing interest in. Big, long, mean. Yeah okay we'll find out. I would guess by tomorrow at 4 p.m. we'll see another trade. Another, is that another Jerry's? I'm gonna go even higher. Yesterday I went.

70% didn't you? Yeah, I'll say 90% chance there's like a substantial trade. A seven out of 10? At least a seven out of 10. Okay, I'll hold you to that. Yep, we'll see what happens tomorrow. All right, 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 outta here. Enjoy your evenings your evenings enjoy the games tonight we're back tomorrow at 4 p.m. we'll chat then on iHeartRadio. Rock, pop, hip-hop, and when it comes to country, it's the true north all the way. Loud and proud. An all-new digital radio station from coast to coast. Made in Canada, played in Canada. On the free iHeartRadio app and at iHeartRadio.ca. It's gonna get loud.