OverDrive - OverDrive - May 12, 2025 - Hour 3

Episode Date: May 12, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Jamie McLennan for Hour 3 on OverDrive! TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston on the Maple Leafs' line reconstruction against the Panthers in the second round, the lack of depth scoring in Florida and Craig Berube's calm demeanour. Former Edmonton Oilers Executive Kevin Lowe joins to discuss the Oilers shooting for the top of the league, Stuart Skinner's mindset between the pipes and using experience as leverage. 

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here to help you every step of the way. If you're a proud pet owner, shop at Global Pet Foods. Support local, shop Canadian. Global Pet Foods, helping pets thrive since 1976. Daisy, you rattled my chain a lot going into break. So you're telling me that Bill Belichick's girlfriend sold those on purpose to get that ring? I'm not saying anything.

What are you saying? I'm saying there's speculation and people are wondering. Exactly. How does it get out? And there's speculation and people are wondering. Wow. Exactly. People are wondering how does the ring exactly, a Bill Belichick all disheveled with no shirt on, how does that get out? How does that get to TMZ or wherever it was? And I would think that's video that's pretty valuable. Dude, if you're Belichick, that's the first question you're asking after the next day you're like, excuse me, how did the footage of your Ring door camera get on TMZ?

Because you're the only one that has access to it. So what kind of Mickey Mouse games are we playing here? Exactly. That's what I'm wondering. That's all I'm saying. And other people are saying, many people are saying. Put it this way, This guy's enjoying life because he's doing He's doing the exact opposite. We all thought he would do this guy's gone into college

Now he's got a 24 year old girlfriend. He's trying to be hip. He's allowing her on the football field and all these things where How he ran the New England Patriots this is this is opposite Bill this is literally opposite George yeah it's time this is opposite Bill he's doing this everything that we all thought he would never do he's doing it and he's saying the hell with the system I'm 76 what do I care what live your life Bill right I am I mean I hear you go live your life Bill go do what you're gonna do. You see it was announced also today that it'll be Eagles-Cowboys on opening night and

Doogie said the spread's already been placed at Eagles minus six and a half, which I Don't think is respecting the champs enough. I feel like that line's gonna move the opposite way. I love that there is analysis on a football line in May when the game is five months away. But yeah, the Cowboys get to go into Philly opening night, start the NFL season. I don't think you want anything to do with that if you're Jerry Jones. Like the Eagles are so good, you presume everyone's healthy coming out of camp. I just feel like Philly's gonna destroy Dallas on national TV to start the season. Could be wrong. We'll see. We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Destroy is an understatement.

Yeah, it feels like that line should be seven and a half, eight, eight and a half, and I wouldn't be shocked if it is come kickoff. But Chris Johnston will join us here in a moment. CJ was down in Florida covering obviously the two games by the Leafs and the Panthers, and we got a we had a tight series you know we got we got a best two out of three and it's been very physical and florida's leaning on the lease i think the lease have done their best to match that physicality i think the leaves have

been pretty physical as well cmo benoit just destroyed reinhardt last night that was a great hit and there's been a couple of other big hits and police had a chance is believe set a chance Leafs had a chance to put them in a real bind and go up three nothing and they got that game to overtime and they gave them life and it seems like now they have confidence it's not like I don't know for whatever reason a lot of people in hockey don't believe in momentum game to game they don't believe in momentum at Paul Maurice was like momentum any of these just like I'm not into it but confidence is massive when they won that game it's like okay guys now we can just get back to our game and be the Florida Panthers who

we've always been and they did it last night and it's just now it's punch counterpunch what do you the Maple Leafs gonna say on home ice tomorrow because they got to say something because if it's another kind of suffocation job it's like there's some code cracking by the Panthers and it's dangerous. It's dangerous going back to Florida if they win the next one. You know what I thought about guys and it's weird and I don't have the answer. It was just more of a throw it out into the universe. Sam Reinhardt's a 50 goal scorer, but really, 40, whatever, we'll call it, but he

had 50 what, seven last year. He got crushed last night, absolutely crushed, and got up and played. Barkov got crushed last night, got up and battled. Like when's the last time, not that these guys should ever put themselves in that, but like I've never seen Marner ever get hit really hard. I've never seen Nylander ever go anywhere near getting crushed. Matthews puts himself, because he's a center man, he's asked to be in the... But it's weird because you can get hit and give hits and still get up and play.

It's just like Reinhardt got destroyed. I wouldn't have been shocked if he laid down there. Ben Wong destroyed him. He got up and played like you just I I don't it's weird I don't know if they don't go near contact or if it just really good at avoiding it or guys they're good at eluding it because they're quick on their feet like it's just I can't remember ever seeing William Nylander ever getting hit like that yeah I can't recall that either and like Marner got clipped with a chicken

wing but that's what I was talking about That's a dirty play. Yeah, I'm not talking I'm talking like behind the net, you know having to absorb a check or you know Take a hit to kind of make a play. Yeah, it just did and and it's just weird like I thought about that last night I don't have the answer to it, but it was just a you know All the other stars get destroyed and get get hit and they're targeted and all that It's just I don't know. I don't see those guys in in the getting hit that much Yeah, which again, I don't think is a compliment like at times It's gonna be crafty but at some point you need to be so in the mix that you it's like you gotta take that exactly You gotta take the hit to make the play, right? Here's our TSN hockey insider joining us here in the Maple Toyota hotline

Here's our TSN hockey insider joining us here in the Maple Toyota hotline. Here's Chris Johnston. T.J., can you recall any points in the playoffs where Nylander and Marner got got crushed to either make a play or just were in the mix of making a play and got hit that hard? Nothing jumps to mind. I mean I have to think over nine years it happened at some point. You know being in the building last night and obviously Noodles is highlighting it there like that Reinhardt hit that was one that almost brought me out of my seat because it was you really noticed it. I don't recall that. It seems like with Marner especially I mean the guy he's I don't

recall him being hit too hard too often ever in his career if not just playoffs so you know I would would take that some of his agility in his skating and then yeah, you're there obviously not going out there trying to get hit either. Yeah, in terms of, you know, Barube's approach to the game where there he wasn't happy with everyone's effort last night. He indicated that last night that some guys need to be better. What was your read on on his impression, Craig Barube, of the effort his team gave last night? Well I think he liked the aspect of the game, you know, the physicality, the way they did battle through the night. What he didn't like of

course is all those penalties they take in the first period which he felt really disrupted the game. And you know, he also didn't like the second period when they had some power plays of their own and they didn't make good on them, not just scoring, which you know, obviously he would have liked to have seen, but he didn't feel that they got enough out of those in terms of, you know, looks or opportunities where, you know, they had a chance to apply some pressure back on the Panthers But you know, I got the sense big picture, you know, he looks at that is, you know Back in like see bum Venois eight hits in that game including the one you're mentioning there on Reinhardt

I think that there was he likes that the compete level of the team obviously likes what he sees from Joseph Wall and that but needs to see more going on the offensive zone and was kind of ruining some of the, I think what he felt was like the team's impatience in that game because the Panthers are frankly a team that can frustrate opponents. That's what they've done in winning eight of their nine last playoff series. And I think it's something that you'll be looking for a little bit uh... more commitment uh... you know come game five cj a lot of

praises has been heathen austin matthews complete game is faceoffs and two hundred foot whatever people call it these days checking and all the other aspects of his game if you could give Craig Barubey some truth serum, like what do you think his honest answer about the evaluation of a star player would be? Well I think he likes those things. I mean they're all

there, they're undeniable. I mean they reflect to the stats but you know Austin Matthews is who he is because he scores goals and so you know I think what Matt to me it's Matthews and Marner both did we lose CJ I think we lost all right we'll see if we can get him back I think he's back in Toronto as far as I know yeah do you think for Ruby like we discussed it earlier oh you threw it out the idea of splitting them up Matthews and Marner I'd give it a shot for a period. Yeah, just like, Barube's been so committed to those two playing together,

Nylander playing with Tavares, he's barely gotten off it all year. And when he did, instinctively, he went right back. It felt like after a shift or two. Well, maybe both center. I don't think John Tavares had a good game yesterday either. I didn't hardly notice him. No, he scored two goals in game three.

I liked his game in game three. I liked a lot of guys' game in game three. But you're right, I didn't notice. I thought T was going to go as a game three i'd like this game in game three i like a lot of guys game in game three but you're right i didn't notice i thought to marches really quiet last night i don't like what i think he'd take moves obviously but i would hate to have the same roster same lineup in the same thing happen again where i was like man we'd well i had to make a change too late i'd i did

idea would be to throw something fresh at it and just see what happens okay let's let's bring in cd uh... chris johnston back with the cd you could you picture scenario or group berube splits up matthews and marner for game five i think it's got to be on the table on because it just before the call dropped out there i i think for me both those guys

you're you need a little more offensively out of, um, and, you know, it's not something really throughout the year we saw happen too often. You know, they, they, they spent most of their time when they were both healthy, uh, you know, playing together under Craig Brubay, but yeah, you get to this stage of a playoffs series, you're looking for a little shot energy, a little boost anywhere you can get it. And you know, maybe it's in rearranging those chairs. You know, there was a shift early in the third period when the Leafs actually started pressing

where he simply flipped Marner and Nylander and had Nylander up on Matthews's right wing. Maybe that's the switch. But you know, I do think that I'm expecting something, a little different look for game five. I mean, the Leafs, other than Anthony Stolar has been pretty healthy. They've been rolling with the same lineup and the same lines, but it feels like we're at a moment now after getting shut out, not really sustaining much in the offensive zone in that last game that he's going to be looking for some kind of

spark and that might be where he goes. You know, a quick follow up on that CJ. Any updates on Stolarz? Has anybody spotted him skating or anything? Have they been a little forthcoming with it? Because it's been, obviously with the team down in Florida he might have been skating, obviously working out or doing something back here have they been willing to update or have you heard anything on Stolar's? No if he skated I'm

not aware of it you know as the days are blending together as of Saturday he hadn't yet skated and really the expectation seems to be that that we're probably not going to see him in this series. I don't think we can rule him out a hundred percent, but you know, I, I think at this point, obviously there was, there was a head trauma there. And, and, you know, let's face it, you know, head to head related injuries can, there's not always a clear path to recovery.

Um, but you know, the fact he wasn't skating, you know, almost a week after that injury, you know, there's, there's going to be a timetable here and I guess you get to a point and, and some of this will probably depend on, you know, how Joseph wall builds on what was clearly a pretty strong start from last night. You know, if he is healthy, even say for a game seven that might happen, would you, would you want to put them in there? And, you know, it's, it's hard to know if that option will be available and how they'll view that but I think at this point you know you're looking at the least likely need to win

this series in order to give Stalars a chance to come back but you know I'll put a slight asterisk on that because it's the playoffs and you never know what's going to happen game seven wouldn't be till next Sunday but that doesn't appear right now that we're likely to see him against the Panthers again. With Chris Johnston Sam Bennett with the he wasn't a game winner last night but it ended the game effectively and as I'm watching him and I'm watching his role on this team and thinking that he's a UFA at the end of the year like how can Florida possibly not keep him? Like how do they possibly let Sam Bennett go? Can you picture a scenario where they just can't come to terms or is

this just a formality it's gonna get done? I don't think it's a formality because I know they've they've tried throughout the season to sign him and so obviously the fact they haven't been able to do that suggests that Lee's possibly walks away but he brings such an important element to their team that I don't think the door is closed on those conversations just yet. It comes down to how the Panthers are going to spend their money. They have both Sam Bennett and Aaron Echblad up as potential UFAs. Given even with the cap jumping up, it might be tough to keep both of them. There might come down to a decision about how they're going to navigate keeping one or the other of those players. But Bennett will have a lot of suitors if he gets to July

1st, largely built frankly on what he does in the playoffs. I mean, it's hard to say he's not an effective regular season player, but he's a 50-point guy in the regular season. And there's a lot of forwards that are in that kind of class in the NHL. What we don't have a lot of is guys that can make the sort of difference he does, the play with the edge he does, you know, we, we don't always celebrate it, especially when, when you see the stores injury, but even the way you can get under opponent's skin and, and, you know, find a way to, to, you know, operate in the gray, we'll call it, um, when, when the physicality of a playoff series is so

important, I mean, this, this does add value to what he is. I mean, even in that four nations tournament scored a gorgeous goal in the championship game for Canada, you know, playing with the best of the best in the country was able to find a spot in that lineup. So I don't think Florida will willingly let them go. And we saw them go right down the wire last year with Sam Reinhardt before ultimately extending him. I mean, no mystery, players like living in the Fort Lauderdale area, they love playing for the Panthers, it's a great team.

So, you know, I think they've still got a shot at keeping them, but they're gonna have to up their offer from where it was earlier in the year to make it happen. So if you look at, you know, a potential roster change for Wednesday, I mean, we were talking about maybe flipping lines around and that but is there is there anything more you could see happening maybe at the bottom of the roster you know I don't know Nick

Robertson coming in you know moving bodies around me the guy like John Crocker you know somebody else maybe that hasn't had the the series that they've wanted and maybe Chief decides to change things up for a different look? I think it might be time for that. I mean, look, we saw Paul Maurice do something I don't recall, you know, for game three, switched out his entire fourth line and, you know, they wound up getting a goal in that game. You know, last night when Rodriguez was injured, you had Nocek moved up from, he went from

scratch to start the series, the fourth line, that deploying some shifts on the top line, uh, because that injury situation, you know, I think one of the strengths the Leafs have now is they, they do have some depth and, and you know, it's, it's both a reflection, maybe some players that aren't giving you a ton, as you say, like a Kelly Yarncro, and, but also just why not get some fresh legs in there if you have them. I mean, um, this, it's kind of a normal thing for, for

teams to do. So, you know, I, they, they had a nice little run going, you know, when the first three games against Ottawa, like I could see how they got sort of locked into this lineup, but you know, I would think that there's a good possibility maybe David Camp comes back in I realize these are just moving pieces around the bottom six but you're trying to get a little bit more out of the team and you know really the biggest question is would they ever consider doing with Bobby McMahon you know he's I believe 21 games now without a goal and then was a 20 goal scorer for them in the regular season. I think they've tried to be, you know, hold on as long as they can with him because, you

know, clearly he's a great skater, a big guy, he can score, you know, they're thinking it's coming at some point. But you know, we'll have to see how dramatic they want to get. You know, my read on Craig Brubay is he's very much a settle things down kind of guy. He doesn't get too excitable when maybe the pressure goes up. I think, quite honestly, that served the team well, but maybe this is the moment to send them maybe a little larger message and get everyone's attention with some of the moves he makes line-up-wise.

That's kind of the reason why it's so important. It's one of the main reasons, not just because they're the best players, but you mentioned some players there, like Kelly Yarncroke and Bobby McMahon, they seem so far away from scoring a goal. Like it doesn't seem like it's gonna happen. I don't remember the last time

Kelly Yarncroke's had a shot on net. And I'm not being a jerk. They're nowhere near the net. They're not anywhere near it. So some guys that are getting the puck near the net, they're going to have to make do with it because some guys are so far away from it. You look at the depth players on that team. They are so far away from scoring a goal or it seems that way yeah that somebody's got to step up this weekend in

particular was really exposed like the bottom six last night never got close like never not even like it's just cycle in the corner chip it in chip it behind out well and and with Bobby McMahon I think you just got to be I think maybe collectively everyone's lost sight of the fact that a year and a half ago this guy was still in the minors and he's never played a Stanley Cup playoff game prior to this year.

It's like what were we expecting? Bobby McMahon? I expect more, cause we're gonna pump his tires all year and say he's becoming kind of a power forward guy with great stride and he's really strong So if we're gonna jack up his tires during the regular season It's not like you just get a hall pass that just disappear and say oh last year I was in the minors that is garbage. Okay. All right

Well then but at the same time if you don't pull your weight, you don't pull your weight Like if he came out of the line, that's what he's doing. He's not pulling his weight. Yeah playing it simple It's not like he's still growing. He's 28 years old. Exactly. This is what you got. I guess that's what I'm saying though. And CJ, you can jump in. He's had some magical hot streak runs, but I'm not sure exactly. Bobby McMahon's probably closer to a fourth line player in the league. That's probably around where he is. and if you're on the fourth line in the league there's chance you're gonna come in and out of the lineup right so yeah I mean I don't think it should be off the table I think that they're worried about losing him a little bit by by taking that tack but you know might get to where they have to

mean look last night's game even as poorly the least foreign stretch is it's it's one nothing for most of the night, right? I mean, one goal from anybody would have been so big in that game, it didn't come, but I think that that's how the Leafs are looking at it. And let's not shift it too far away from the big guys, though I'm sure you've all been discussing it for four o'clock an hour. You know, those guys need to'clock an hour. I mean, you know those guys Need to score a goal at some point and look I think back to game six in Ottawa, right?

The game five at home here was no good Didn't have enough pressure at all. And then you know Matthew scores that night. Nylander gets a couple They finish off the series. I mean, I think you got to be looking at that kind of bounce back from the top players, you know, on Wednesday that they're going to need those guys to set the tone and lead the way. And look, they've done it before already in this playoffs, but you have to keep doing it again and again and again, if you're going to play for another five or six weeks. Yep. Absolutely. That's, it's always the same breakdown, man. You need your best players to be the best players they have to lead

that's the expectation on wednesday night all right cj will do it again soon thank you for this all right boys action chris johnston joining us in the maple toyota hotline drive the built-in canada fuel-efficient fun to drive toyota rav for gas or hybrid models available visit maple toyota dot com uh... yeah i mean there may be some land changes will will see the promise david campers and put a playoff games here ideas not in the lineup at all nick robertson after game shoe of the

previous series they just said that's enough you know i i don't know and nick robertson against the florida panthers that seems like a different i don't know for him but i'm just saying if there is something adjustments like you know every team is Doing stuff yeah If you're gonna throw guys out there that continue to struggle to create offense you got a fresh and something I'll throw a different. That's right. Yeah, you're right like Hayes just said like the Oilers are doing You know too small one capping in on the fourth line in stature as the sixth offenseman they're trying to do some stuff

paul marie switched out the fourth line didn't want like that every i'm not going to hold line but you know if you have those types of players that you feel comfortable with you just it's plug-and-play i don't know what's washington doing tonight i didn't look at their game notes but i'll guarantee you there's somebody there for their trying to find a spot for this right now and some energy they were ran montreal out of the bed and they I didn't look at their game notes, but I guarantee you there's somebody there. They're trying to find a spot for Yes, trying to get some energy. They were ran Montreal out of the bit and they got nothing. They got no job Carolina Carolina they play good but they got nothing right now wash and their goalie is stumbling a little bit

Well, you're right and full credit to Carolina for playing Well, the goaltender is settled in your boy Freddie. Freddie's yeah Freddie's back and he's looking good out there. Let's be honest that's a scary it's a scary scenario as soon as you just start falling in love again he'll just give you the high heater right in the pills. You know what I mean by that one. Yeah well he's going tonight it's game four tonight. Washington's got a chance to tie the strings up. Like everyone in the organization is like, this Freddie's

going to take us to the top of the mountain and he could do something so greasy and egregious where everyone would just put their head down and say, damn it, again. Yeah, let's hope that's not the case. We're pulling for Freddie tonight. Yeah pulling for Freddie and Again, you mentioned the the changes that look like they're coming for the Oilers Kevin Lowe will join us in about five minutes get his take on game four tonight out in Edmonton what he would expect out of Skinner tonight He was playing defense on this team. You know, what's your reaction to what happened with one second left the other night? And again, it's going to be fun to catch up with Kevin Lowe. So we'll catch up with him. We got our best bet still to come as well. Overdrive continues TSN 1050 and on TSN too.

All right, best bets coming up a little bit later in the hour. Kevin Lowe will join us here in a moment. Don't forget TSN 1050 is giving away tickets to see the Leafs and Panthers game five this Wednesday It's Kosha van Carina And all you have to do is listening listen to us on the iHeartRadio app for your chance to win them to enter Download the iHeartRadio app create an account listen to TSN 1050 for at least 15 minutes straight You can enter twice per day So listen to first up between 6 and 10 a.m.

And overdrive between 4 and 7 p.m. And the more times you listen the better your chances listen to first up between 6 and 10 a.m. and overdrive between 4 and 7 p.m. and the more times you listen the better your chances of winning. First up we'll be calling our game five winner Wednesday morning. That's a big ticket man. Wednesday night game five second round. Leafs Panthers the definition of a swing game. Yes. The definition of a swing game on Wednesday night. Now that will not be the way the game is defined tonight necessarily in Edmonton, but if the Oilers win this, you got to feel very good about them closing the series out. Yeah, big opportunity for sure. Huge opportunity for the Oilers. And one got away from them the other night. They had a lead early. Corey

Perry just keeps scoring, man. It's crazy. Dude, that ending was so bizarre. There's been a bunch of moments in these playoffs where you're like, this cannot end like this. This is like out of a movie. Yeah, it's been so dramatic. When you think of it, like they back-to-back game sevens in the first round, and then what Riley Smith scoring with a second left. .4 seconds. .4 seconds left.

Off dry-saddle sticking in in just a crazy turn of events. And like you said it was like an 80 slash 90s you know goaltender charging the puck type of thing where we now Fears he used to do it all the time in Edmonton he'd be 10 feet out his outside his crease I mean that was Stuart Skinner aggressive play but man he was like he was far out he again like Smith Smith makes some bite on the shot great play does it's a great play it's like like I said it was like Darrell Sittler back at the is that the 76 Canada Cup where he fakes the shot goes wide dude he's got to find a way Hayes to find like to give his team some confidence in their own team because they're out of point guys aren't

stupid they'll sit in the bus and have a beer and say there's no way in how we can win with this guy. He's brutal tonight there he is it's trouble. They're a mess because it doesn't look like the other guys coming back anytime soon he might be out for a week so it's like this guy's got to go in there and do a job. Well and he's been their starter this is the guy that they went to game 7 of the Stanley Cup final with us last year So it you know, he's battle-tested. He has to do it though. Like there's no excuses and I thought he was just okay the other night I thought he made some really good saves, but I also thought that You know

There's a you could have come up with a save here or there to be a difference maker And I think the team has to play better in front of them at certain points the the Oilers have you know when they make a mistake it's glaring and that's the problem is the glaring ones end up in the back of the net and you've got to find a way to limit those but you know at the end of the day Stewart Skinner has an opportunity right now to change the narrative for himself. That's right. Redemption, man. That's the beauty of the playoffs. Like two nights later, you're playing again.

And it's go time tonight in Edmonton, the city of champions. And that's still the name, right? Noodle's New from Edmonton? It is. I mean, well, Struddy calls it all the time, but I, you know, yeah, it's the city of champions. It's been there for a long time. I think they took the sign down, though. I can't I can't really kidding me. Why would they ever do that? Well, when they say they haven't had a Well, I get is there a statute of limitations though? Like if you go a certain amount of time without a champion, I guess the outside you pull their weight

Are you gonna say that hockey town in Detroit? They got to take that down. Yeah exactly. You're never taking that away It's hockey time forever. You can't take that away down yeah exactly you're never taking that away it's hockey time forever you can't take that away well one of the guys who helped basically establish that name joins us now he's former Oilers Stanley Cup champ he's been a GM he's done it all in the game there he is Kevin Lowe did you know that Kevin that allegedly they took the statue down in Edmonton what's that all about can you believe it fellas like shockingly I think that was the beginning of Wulkness, you know, when Wulkness really began, and we were the first thing on their agenda, like,

take the City of Champions sign down, but you know, Mesa's got a commercial, I think they want to put it back up, so I think we earned it, and it's a great city, great people. Yeah, you can't take that down, man. Who's that offending? That can't be offending anybody, unless there's some other city that wins a bunch. I guess Boston, maybe. Maybe Boston complained, and then Edmonton had to adhere to that. I don't know, but it's a big one tonight, Kevin,

and I'm curious, like if you're in that room, and Riley Smith scores with.4 left, and it's kind of a circus, and somehow Vegas walks away with that win. How do you regroup? How do you expect Edmonton to regroup for the game tonight? Well they didn't play very well for starters, you know, which is sort of understandable. I hate to admit it.

You've won six in a row, you're kind of cruising, you think you're a little invincible and they look that way and not for a minute am I suggesting that they underestimated the opponent but it's just a natural instinct to sort of drop off a bit. Yeah, you know the playoffs are all about having your back against the wall. So the good thing is they won two on the road, deserved the wins, they win tonight, they're in the driver's seat but the sad part is they've given Vegas some life. So I think they believe they're the better team. I think they are the better team.

They just have to limit the mistakes. And as Jamie was suggesting just prior to me jumping on the goal, he's got to make one more save. Don't think he played poorly, but he needs to get a win for them and to get the fans sort of back on side and to get the team in a good position. How do you explain that? What's going on in that, Kevin? I mean, it's just crazy that Pickard goes in there and is 6-0 and this guy can't buy

a win. Does he need a break? Does he just need to steal one or does he just need to be a solid NHL goaltender to get out of this? Yeah, good question, Jeff. He, you know, his year wasn't as good. I think he had to battle a lot. I didn't think he played poorly in the first two LA games, to be quite frank.

I think LA was just, they were hot on their power play. They got a few fortunate bounces. The team wasn't as good. But all the critics see is an 0-3 start and they see Pickard doing what he was doing. Now having said that, Pickard's been very good since the day he arrived here in Edmonton. I think his save percentage is one of the best in the National Hockey League. But he hasn't had to carry the load. Skinner proved it last year, Stu

proved that he could be a top goalie, got the team right to game seven and he's always been able to rebound. He just you know I thought the game for him to rebound would have been the other night. I'm hoping it's tonight. So Kevin you played with Fierzi. I was lucky enough to play with Fierzi as well. I mean the demeanor was obviously the talent and everything he brought to the table, but a lot of it for me was watching Grant and his demeanor in the net. Now, Stu is a very calm guy. He looks to be very composed for, we'll call it a young goaltender.

You know how noisy that market can be. All Canadian markets are. We live in Toronto. It's a noisy market as well. How is the balance of blocking out the noise of the market and just going to play? Would he be anxious today? A lot of times as a player, it's about getting to puck drop because there's so much noise leading up to it.

That's the biggest challenge. Do you think that's a challenge for Stu right now? No, no question. I mean, he hears it. I would hope that he's not paying attention to that. I mean, the last thing I did was pick up a newspaper when we lost the game. You know, you just, you know what's going to be said. You know, it's going to be written. If you believe in yourself, just go out and do it. I suspect his teammates have seen enough of him that he can do it. You know, think about that last game. They get to overtime, they maybe win the game,

and it's all, you know, it's over. You know, and the fans want to criticize Skinner for that goal. Well, at one point, that was a one-on-four with 12 seconds left. You know, and all of a sudden it ended up in our net and I think he did a good enough job to sort of keep the guy out. But yeah, there's going to be a tremendous amount of pressure on them.

The good thing is that our top guys didn't play well, so they're going to be highly motivated and the team as a whole, they don't want to give away the great work they did in Vegas by getting up 2-0. So they have to win the game tonight just to justify the good work they did. So all those things are heading in the right direction. Now Hill could stand on his head tonight. The Orders could play unbelievable. Skinner gives up two goals and they don't win the game and he's 0-4 and things don't look good. But he proved it last year and I believe he can prove it again this year. We're chatting with Kevin Lowe.

Part of the discussion in Toronto is comparing the Leafs in their hunger compared to the Panthers in their hunger. The Panthers have won and maybe that means they're more satisfied or at least it's one of those things where they can always go home And there's you know the rings there and their names are on the cup Where there's no excuse for the Leafs to ever be anything, but as hungry if not more hungry I'm curious where you stand on that as a guy who's won Six Stanley Cups like how did how would you how would you classify or quantify your appetite for winning?

After you had already won? It was every bit as great as wanting to win. The only difference is you know how to win, and you know how to sort of get through situations. I can't really speak for the Leafs. I would think that those guys want to win badly as well. Lord knows they've had enough disappointment. I mean, they've been a great team for a bunch of time and they look like, you know, getting up 2-0 on Florida. It looked like I was thinking the Leafs-Oilers in the finals, but you got to play the games. But relative to being fired up and wanting to win a cup, the one thing I really, one of the reasons why I have a strong belief that the Orders can get there is that their

two main guys really want to win. And they can bring it. They can bring the physicality when they need to, and they can bring the skill when they need to, and they can eliminate the mistakes when they have to. And so that bodes well for the orders chances. Well and again with your experience, you know there's those famous stories that came out after the 83 cup final where the Islanders gotcha and the Islanders that was their fourth cup and you know Gretzky always talks about walking past the room and they got ice bags

and all that kind of stuff and that inspired you guys the next year. Do you see a similar mentality in terms of McDavid and Dry Settle in particular but not only them Hyman still there, Nugent, Hopkins, Bouchard, Nurse, etc. They were so close a year ago and this year you know the regular season there were some ups and downs and they came into the playoffs not playing very well and they lose the first two games against LA and they were awful but what have you seen recently that might suggest to you that you know they're starting to realize okay we're back in the dance we went through what we went through last year and we're not going to allow it to happen again. Yeah that's a good point and

and you know shame on me to discount guys like you mentioned you know Zach Hyman and and Darnell Nurse and Nuge. I'm just trying to think of the roster right now, but there's a lot of guys that, they've been in the playoffs for a number of years. They got to game seven last year. They know they can do it, having been so close last year. And that goes a long way. It's a big difference when you get in the playoffs

for the first few years and you don't really know. I mean, you think you're playing good, then all of a sudden you're out of the playoffs and you go, well, maybe we're not as good as we thought. The Oilers, the team they've assembled that Stan Bowman put together when he finally got healthy with Kane back in the lineup and Trevor, Trent Frederick rather,

they got the needed size up front that they hadn't had in previous years. And the other big point is the two puck moving guys on the back end, Klinberg and Wallman. I mean, when you can get the puck up the ice to the top players and you can get in there and lay the body when the skill isn't, you know, when the skill isn't taking over the game, I mean, that's the one-two punch that you need, and those are big differences from the year before. And I think guys like McDavid and Dryside will know that. They know the pieces are there,

and it's on them to deliver. With Kevin Lowe, when you consider the heater that Miko Rantinen is currently on, where it seems like it's three points every single night, if not more than that in a single period you would have witnessed some real heaters like when you're in Edmonton what's some of the grossest heaters of all time what would that be like take us into that world where you're watching a guy like Gretzky or Massey and you're just like I can't believe these guys keep doing this every night in the playoffs.

You know, to be honest, we kind of became immune to it, right? We, you know, no one really, it was for us, it was wins and losses. I'm sure Gretz and Yari and Paul Coffey and those guys mess with it. They were keeping track. But having said that, I don't think they were. I think it was just all about wins and losses. It just turned out that we played against some inferior competition, particularly Chicago that one year where the scores were ridiculous, when Orval Tesse said they all had to go to the Mayo Clinic to get a heart transplant on his own guys. I mean, yeah, but the irony is with a little bit

with Rantanen is that, I mean, for a while there, he looked like he'd lost his game. You know, when he was in Carolina, then even when he first got to Dallas and then all of a sudden, I mean, the shackles were off and it's great to see because, you know, obviously the guys having fun and, but I, you know, I would say Rantinen would obviously the guys are having fun. I would say that ranting would be the same as those guys. It really is about the wins and losses and trying to win a cup. So Kevin, the parody in the National Hockey League now, anybody can win on any given night. Were there nights where you guys were playing and rolling where it's like hey we're in you know we're in Hartford we know this is a scheduled

win just based on who's on the on the ice of the other one was it I mean was it in the room did you guys go hey this is going to be an easy one or you just felt like hey we're gonna flick the switch or did you prepare the same way we always prepared the same way Jamie Jamie. We never, you know, you're just maybe subliminally you're thinking it's, obviously it's not the Battle of Alberta or you're not going in the Montreal Forum or the Boston Garden or the spectrum where you better have your A game or you get your head punched in., we always respect our opponent. Um, and, and, you know, regular season for sure, there would have been nights

that maybe, especially for a guy like myself, I mean, who am I to, to go into another NHL team and think it's going to be easy night, I had a hard night every night, uh, but that's the way I prepared. But, um, I'm sure that the top guys, um, they knew that some nights would be easier than others, but come playoff time, it was never easy. We ran off years where, in one year we only had two losses in the playoffs, but a lot of those games could have gone either way.

Within the context of one 60-minute game, it was just never as easy as the series outcome appeared. And I love, I think there's even more balance in the National Hockey League right now. I think really of all the 16 teams that got in this year, I can't really, Montreal was a little bit green, but for a while there looked like they were gonna give Washington a run, but otherwise,

there's a lot of contenders, and that's great for the game of hockey. Kevin, we just need to clarify one thing with you before we get you out of here. We have Jason Strudwick on this show and on a weekly basis he claims that he gets recognized in public a bunch by people. Do you think it's possible that people would recognize him as a former NHL player in the city of Edmonton of all places? Do you think people go up to him or is he lying to us?

Stretty's a great man, as you guys know. He was a great NHLer, like a really deserving NHLer. He gave everything he had. He's got a, I think they probably recognize him for his wife. She is just a wonderful lady and I'm really happy to see that they've settled in Edmonton. He's got a great thing going on the radio and he's on with you guys and he's worked at it and I'm happy for him. I enjoyed when he played for us and I still I see him quite often When I'm in Edmonton and yeah, there's a guy that deserves what's ever, you know any of the accolades and I'm sure he does get recognized here Jeff, you know Edmonton loves their hockey players. Oh, yeah

Sure, man, whenever like that's mr. Spangler cup and Jason Strudel Hey, you know, he's got a defenseman camp too oh yeah sure whenever like that's mister spangler cup and jason strudel hey you know he's got a defenseman camp too if you ever want to learn how to rip it off the glass just sign up get your kids and whatever involved in his camp that's right the best of the best uh... alright kevin good luck watching the game tonight it should be a fun one thank you for doing this

hey anytime guys thanks there and i kevin low six times stanley cup champ crazy six six six time he was on that that rangers team in ninety four men i would have been a party as we've mentioned but they get the five and in edmonton and then uh... one i was in new york i was going to bring it up my one only start in the playoffs kevin scored like i was really is the I lost six nothing I'm pretty sure Kevin scored that game. Oh man. And it was Islanders Rangers? Islanders Rangers it was a bloodbath like we got we came in third in that series like the Rangers just dominant I think Ray and I have

talked about it. Was that 94 when they won the cup? 94. They won the cup. It was Islander Rangers first round. Hexey started the first game. Hexey started the first game. It was 6-0 halfway through the second period. They threw me in. I shut them out the rest of the game. It was back to back to start the series. I started the next game. We lost 6 nothing again I think I had like 48 shots They just dummied us and then it was like five two five two like they outscored us like 22 To four in that series and we it was like a dummying but that team was a rockstar team and Kevin was on that team

Yeah, they were good. Yeah, they had Glenn Anderson that year, right? They had a bunch of the old Oilers. Mac T, McTavish was on that team. Well, that's where Dougie just put Messier, Lowe, and Mac T also scored on me in that game. Oh, there you go. I think Glenn Anderson finished with 499 goals. Oh, just missed the 500 code.

I don't know. I just remember thinking that hearing that's crazy that Glenn Anderson do you check that he I think he finished with 499. He he took a suspension every two games by going to the net running the goalie or yet this has what he run over a goalie. Chop people over the head with a stick. It would be like an errant stick like he had the best, one of the best cut-in moves to ever play in the national hockey. He'd stick his left knee out coming off the off wing and the guy just couldn't get around and he would take it right to the cage. He was unbelievable at it. 498 is where he ended. 498. Best Bets powered by Fan Fandu we'll get to that next all right today's best bets powered by Fandu bringing you everything from the

opening line to the final score I'm gonna be on the caps on the puck line you're pay I think it's a close game tonight I don't think they're just gonna get blown out you know I know they lost for nothing the other day they they didn't look good but I think they have a response I wouldn't be shocked if they won tonight but I think it's a one- I wouldn't be shocked if they won tonight, but I think it's a one goal game tonight. And I'm on the Oilers. I think the Oilers, I think they're gonna respond.

I think they're gonna get this series. I think they're gonna win tonight. Pan that parlay is pan plus 225 for those two plays tonight on the FanDuel Sportsbook app. Right, we got one game in the Stanley Cup playoffs tomorrow, we got Winnipeg, and actually we got the draft lottery in the NBA, so who knows? Maybe the next hour, fortunes of the Raptors

are gonna be completely changed forever. You know, we'll see what comes of it. And the Jays will be home tomorrow, and they just won, swept Seattle, they've won four in a row, they're back to 500. Back to respectability, like what I see. Are you back on them? What did I say the other day? The Bats were red hot over the weekend. 500 back to respectability Are you back on them?

Red hot over the weekend. Addison barger was unbelievable all weekend. They're getting a lot They're getting they're getting hitting from basically top the bottom of the order right now So, I don't know but you'll take it back to 500. You know, you squeeze through the first six weeks. It's been a tough schedule Let's see. You got tampa here for a few for three games starting tomorrow. You got Detroit on the weekend. See what the Jays have in store. So we'll figure that out tomorrow. And PGA picks coming up as well as the PGA tour heads to Quail Hollow for the PGA championship this weekend, the second major of the year.

It's going to be a fun week. All right. We're out of here. Thanks to everyone behind the scenes for helping out. We appreciate it. Everyone for tuning in today tv radio podcast web we appreciate that enjoy your evenings enjoy the games tonight we're back tomorrow acts a goal cannot be scored by enough

packing player who's using a distinct kicking motion to propel the park into the net with the skate or foot will chat tomorrow at four p m will check the pal from hell wrong wrong We'll chat tomorrow at 4pm. We'll chat then. Propelled. Propelled. Wrong! Wrong!

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