OverDrive - OverDrive - May 15, 2026 - Hour 1 - Jason Strudwick

Episode Date: May 15, 2026

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Jamie McLennan for Hour 1 on OverDrive! They discuss Mitch Marner's dominant performances with the Golden Knights, the perception from Toronto, how his tenure is different than with the Maple Leafs and the Canadiens' win against the Sabres in the second round. Got Yer Back Podcast Host Jason Strudwick joins to discuss Kris Knoblauch's dismissal, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl's approach and Marner's solid run with the Golden Knights.

Springs finally here, and Julie is making the most of it, going for long walks, escaping the city and reconnecting with nature. Hey, girls. And reconnecting with her besties, one of whom is having a baby shower on the other side of the country. Switch to Canada's best 5G network and never miss an important moment. Plus, get all the data you need at a great price. Visit a bell store or bell.ca. slash rate plans.

Bell, connection is everything. This hour of overdrive is powered by Fandul. Mandool, bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score. All right, here we go, overdrive, off and running. TSN 1050 on the TSN app, your home smart speaker, up on TSN2, up on YouTube live. Brian Haseo, Doug Jeff O'Neill, Jamie Noodles, McClennett. It's going on today. How are we feeling this afternoon?

I have some questions for you, but before I do that, there's golf on TSN, the PGA Championship. and my boys, I want to show you guys something. I didn't plan on doing this, but it just came in the mail. Dormy head covers made an overdrive edition. No way. Very cool. Noodles is rocking the hoodie right now. I know.

I know. But I want to show you these head covers how cool they are in the format that they're in. Okay. I'm going to show you number one, Ontario license plate hazy. Wow. And this leather is so sick. Wow. This one is hazy yours to discover.

I like it. And now here's the King Daddy Topper. Alberta license plate. Noodles. Epic. I love that. I love that. So if you're looking for like a guy 4D.

I know you have a driver in your garage. This is going on your golf. That is beautiful. I love that. That's amazing. I love that. They do amazing stuff, and there's license plate, O-Dog, yours to discover. Check them out.

They make this cool. They have really cool stuff. That's cool. I've got a question, though. And you have to address this, oh, because I was told 48 hours ago. Brett Fav. I'm not Brett Favre. Yes, you are.

What is he? Because he's like done all of that. I read an announcement. You're Tom Brady. You left a picture. Is he coming? Is he going? Remember Brady had that picture of walking into the tunnel or out of the tunnel.

That's right. And everyone was trying to decipher what exactly he meant. And it turns out, I guess it didn't mean anything, which is equivalent of what this guy was saying earlier in the week that he's done. Not only is he back on Twitter, he's responding to people, he's making requests online. See, this is the thing, though. Why didn't we have a pool? We should have had an overdrive pool as to, you know what's like a Super Bowl pool?

So Friday at 11 a.m., that would have been the $10,000 price. As when the first T-1st, he went in the ground at the PGA championship on Thursday. And he technically was over the number. He was past that T-shot, right? He was whatever Garik Higo was supposed to be there and hit that ball in here. This Gary Higo is a disaster. Yeah, Jerry Higggo is a mess. He's a mess.

He's a mess. He's a mess. Somebody put a clip together of all his, like, pressers. He's a disaster. sent that to you guys and I said this guy has to smoke weed like he does look like a guy that like literally woke up from a stupor's like I got to get down to the course like like legitimately and he's saying I was there on time but not on time because he was trying to say like 718 and 30 seconds or whatever so basically you're 30 seconds late but here's the thing they nailed them last night I was

watching on tsset because yes there's camera there's a camera of him yeah Van Pelt was doing a full breakdown the guy's still on the practice screen at 718. He's rolling the rock on the practice screen. And that's his time? He was 718 was his tea time. And they're like, we're watching the clock. He's putting on the practice screen. So he was not even close.

It wasn't even like it was. It's stupid on him, especially at any golf tournament when it's your job. But I blame his caddy, too. Like his caddy, what kind of like dreamland was he in where he's like, very well, we'll just hang out here. Like, I guess it's a part of your, I'll have to ask Scotty Vale, but isn't part of your gig to say, okay, guy, like, we're up here soon, get your stuff and get over here. 100%.

And it speaks to just, you know, there is. This guy shows up early today, yeah. Showed up very early, sitting in the weeds watching people. But listen, you're, you know, we lose sight of it a lot, that these are human beings. And you guys have told the stories of playing with guys. They have no idea what day of the week it is, what they're addressing. is like he asked them their postal code. They have no idea, you know, and they're just going through life.

The crazy thing is that's like a team sport where you can kind of rely on other people. This is an independent contractor. You know, if you're a professional golfer, nobody is helping you. Maybe you're catty. That's about it. But we're tracking the PGA. And I think that's it for Michael Block. I just want to quickly say that.

I've had enough, I think. It was a fun ride. I've had enough for the Block Party. Really fun ride. But, Judy, it was three off to lead you. Yesterday. Right, but now I think he's going to miss the cut. He had a really tough day. But he just, like, this guy, he knows, like, he, it's incredible playing, but, like, he had all these comments before about his rise to stardom, and he was like, this makes these comments where he was like, even Blocky was tired of Blocky. And I was just like, oh, my God.

He gets so much press. And it was an incredible story, what he did at the PGA a couple of years ago. At Oak Hill. Yes. One of the. most amazing sporting stories, I can recall in a long, long time. I know. A local professional chasing down the PGA, got up and down on 18 in miraculous fashion, hits a hole in one with Rory McElroy beside him. Incredible.

But I jumped on ESPN 10 minutes ago to track the leaderboard. They got a story on the main page. Block, likely going to miss the cut, but vows to return. I'm like, what about Schaeffler details? What's that guy doing? What is Macaroyd doing? Bryson's slashing it all over the place down there. So you think he's Hock Tua?

His time is up. Well, yeah. I mean, and ultimately, yeah, that's probably a good comparison. Now, he earned his way in, and maybe he earns his way back there in the future, and he seems like a decent guy. But stop treating the guy like he's some kind of contender or a guy. Like yesterday, they were like, you know, you're three back, and he's like, nothing to lose. You know, I got nothing to lose. I got my family here.

I got so much support. and it's like, dude, you might blow an 87 on that track tomorrow. Right, exactly. Like, you're not winning. You're not coming close. I know. But for some reason, he just keeps feeding the beast, and they keep eating it up, and I don't get it. That's a big part of it, right?

Anyway, I got to get to my question because I was asked, and I've been thinking about it all day. And I need both of you, Hazybee, especially, because you will have the angle from the Toronto perspective. but I was asked very early in the morning, how on earth is Mitch Marner the Kahn-Smith leader in the playoffs for the Vegas Golden Knights? How did it happen? And I've been thinking about it all day. Like, what is it about this city? Because I sure as hell know it's not what we say.

Everyone says, oh, the media there, it can't be that. So what is it about his play? And, you know, our jobs are to watch him play. Watch the Leafs play, anybody play, and make analysis after that. But these plays just didn't happen in Toronto. Oh, the playoffs there. It's one of the all-time playoffs. Yeah, like it's one of the greatest goals you've ever seen.

And that type of stuff, the game, Jack Eichael said it, and Jack Eichael loves throwing Toronto in there in his comments, too. He's like, he's got all these critics and this and that. Well, the reason he had critics is because every time there was a big game, him and the other stars didn't play well. But I just don't understand what it is about Toronto. Phil Kessel goes to Pitt. I told you guys, jokingly, a couple of weeks ago.

Fold the team then if nobody can play here or want to. I just don't understand how he goes out there. And first of all, let's acknowledge it. It's incredible play. And somebody says, oh, you hate Mitch Martin? I don't hate anybody. I don't know the guy. I don't hate anybody.

My job is to watch people play and make an assessment of what I see. I just don't understand how it can go from one thing here to the best player in the NHL there in the playoffs. I explain it to me. I think there's a lot to unpack there, oh. I like how you acknowledge. Like the guy, he's been awesome. He's the best player in the league right now. He's better than McKinnon.

He's better than anybody. Been unbelievable. So that's first and foremost. Different setting, different team, different everything. You know, another year of experience. All of that type of stuff. The guy's gone through the Olympics. Austin Matthews won a gold.

They didn't have success here deep into the playoffs yet. But that's the type of stuff. You have a career that you continue to build on. Mitch Marner, he's gone to a different team. That's just a different team than the Toronto Maple Leafies. Toronto Maple Leafs are a very good team a year ago. Calendar year ago, hell of a team. Took the Stanley Cup champions to game seven.

If they fell short, it wasn't like they were a garbage team. It just unfortunately unraveled at the wrong time. But Mitch, I think two things can be true at the same time. He didn't have the success that you wanted here in Toronto at critical times, but he's certainly having it right now in Vegas. Well, and that's not answering, I guess, what you're asking, is there is no answer. That's the truth.

There's no true explanation that is going to allow anyone to look back on nine years and say, oh, okay, now I get that. Right. You know, could it be that there was so much, you know, pressure on him, or he put pressure on himself. I'm not talking externally, that he put so much pressure on himself in Toronto as a Maple Leaf because he built it up over nine years with Matthews,

with Tavarres, with Nylander and Riley, et cetera, all his family, friends, understanding the history, everything that came with being a Maple Leaf. And, you know, you look at the way he played game seven last year against Florida and compare it to what he's done basically every night throughout the playoffs. It's two completely different players. I know. I know.

You wouldn't even, if they had different names, you'd say that's not the same guy. Exactly. And maybe it's as simple as, like, we're just overlooking the idea. Maybe the team is just that much better. And it doesn't have to be Mitchie's got to do it or Matthews has got to do it. Say, he's gone to a different setting. It's a different team. Yeah, but a couple things on that.

First and four, I think one thing got to acknowledge, and it's not putting down anything. They've played Utah and Anaheim, okay? I'm not even going there, Brian. I'm going there. Everybody, I'm not. I'm going there. Go ahead. Because, like, we've got to point some out.

Mitch's goal was phenomenal. Jackson Lecombe should be embarrassed with himself. That is horrendous defense last night. Like, he's waving his stick out of him. You got to bury that guy. I can't believe he played it that way. Like, he obviously didn't think that he'd get cheeky and go through his legs. But that is a horrible defensive play by Lecombe.

But Utah is incredibly raw. They're high flyers saying, let's go point night and try to win six-five. Like, look at Lecombe. It's like, dude, you got to. a battle there. Taking away from the greatness once again. No, no, no. I'm just acknowledging something.

Do you know what he did against Ottawa, game one last year? He put on a clinic. He put on a clinic last year, game one. You know what Ottawa was last year? The Raw's team in the playoffs. That's my point. They showed up and they're like, we don't even know

what we're walking into here. Same thing with Utah. They have no playoff experience. And this Anaheim team has none. It doesn't mean he's not doing it. It's that it's not Florida. It's not Boston. So you're saying, wait, wait to see.

Do it against Colorado. Yes, and let's see. And I'm not going to bet against him because I think Vegas is good, and he's clearly breathing easier there. Like, clearly he has, something's come over him where he said, I'm just going to play the way I've always played the regular season. Because he's made plays like that as a regular season play for nine years. Yeah.

He's a magician on the ice. He's a brilliant hockey player. He didn't have the ability to step up and do it in the playoffs. And that doesn't change because you can't go back. now. He's left Toronto. And, you know, it's funny. There's a couple things that I was thinking about as well. That last night, that's the marquee moment of his career. Year 1 is a Vegas goal night. It surpassed everything he's ever done as a leaf. I can't recall. A bigger

moment as a Maple Leaf than what he had last night. Right? He led his team to the third round. He's in the conference championship for the first time in his career. That is the pinnacle goal of his career. That's the top highlight of his career. Right. there what happened last night i know i've been listening to jack icos speak after glowingly clearly of of mitch marner and deservedly so he was like that's why this guy was brought here he was a game changer and a game breaker and that's what he's doing right now and i had to say to myself yes that is what he is and supposed to be and what he's paid to be but in the playoffs he didn't do it here no but here's the

thing iko was truthful last night he did have a ton of critics and he is shutting people up He is. Like, I go didn't say anything that was wrong. He said he had a lot of critics. He did. So did Matthews. So did Tavarous. So did Nielander.

They all did. Like, and you can argue one had a little more than the other. I think in Toronto, Marner had more than the others. And my theory has always been going back to his contract because he's a local guy. I've been saying that for seven years. He got treated differently by myself and others because he didn't grow up in Scottsdale. He didn't grow up in Sweden. He didn't, you know, he was a Toronto guy.

And the expectation was you should know better, you should be dying to play for the leaves, just get the contract over with and move on. And ever since that point, a lot of things changed for him over the preceding six years as a Maple Leaf because of the contract negotiation, because of how sticky it got, how ugly it got. And that's the reverse of hearing, like Cellios was on TNT last night talking about, ah, the Toronto and the media and the market and the critics and all that. it's funny because listen it's a loud market and it's never going to change never going to change the media is always going to cover it people are always going to have different viewpoint there's a lot

of people that cover the team that don't like the team don't like the fans and they love poking at the least because that gets a ton of attention but the reason Mitch marner got his contract seven years ago is because of the exact same media and exact same bogeyman monster of a market that now on the flip side they're saying I don't like. What I mean by that is he never would have got a six-year deal at $11 million a year if he was playing in Carolina or playing in Vegas or playing anywhere else. And he didn't complain about that. He didn't sit there and say, man, people are just a little bit too crazy here

when he got overpaid by at least $2 million. And they walked him right to free agency. That's management, though. They screwed up. If Lou LaMarello was here, they would have not have got that time. Possibly. But Lou LaMerello had a boss-o, noodles. So I think it's Shanahan you can talk to.

Shanahan wasn't going anywhere. Fair. Lou, Dubus, I don't care who it is. It's Shanahan that did it. And I think Shanahan bought into the Cellio's theory. Crazy here. Got overpay him. We paid Matthews.

Just get it done. It's going to get too loud here. It's too crazy. You got to pay a tax. And I don't remember Mitch complaining about that because Rantanin got $9 million. And Point got six and a half on a bridge deal. And Matthew,

you could choke, I think got $7 million or something. And Mitch got overpaid. And they walked him right to free agency. Why? Because of the boogeyman Toronto market. No complaints then. But then at the end, it's out. This place is too crazy.

Can't have it both ways. No, you're right. And it did, I think probably did get crazy by the end for him. And that's fair. And he made a choice and he left. Exactly. And he did so. You know what he did, noodles?

He just said, give me the rant and deal this time. And I'm done. And I'm moving on. Yeah. No negotiation. didn't go through August with Vegas and say you better give me $14 million. Caprisov just got 17. He just quietly said, I'm leaving and give me a deal like this. And the truth is, maybe if he had done that seven years ago, who knows where he'd be today?

Maybe he'd still be a leaf. Maybe he'd look at the market differently. We'll never know that. But he's playing phenomenally well, and he deserves all the credit in the world. He's been unbelievable. You're right, Brian. But here's the one thing we'd come back to. If they didn't have success, we're seeing how cutthroat things are.

They probably should have broken up that core four years ago. It took until last year for him to leave for the core four to be broken up. So that comes back to what you just said. Management, money in the door, all of that, belief in the core, you know, stake my career, core four is going to win here, eventually all of that. Other teams are like not working. Coach is fired, players out, all of that. that. They held on too long to the core four here, unfortunately, and, you know,

Marner chose to leave. It's his decision. He's playing great. Three years still left. One is on a very value contract. He's not even part of the core four. He'll be 36 and a very good player, and John Tavares has done nothing wrong at this point. But the point being is, they held on to those guys too long. It could have been three years ago that he left, or they traded him before he had a decision to make because he didn't have that no trade until two julys ago was that correct yes they could have moved him and listen maybe maybe they should have you know move somebody else three years ago maybe they never should have signed to varus you know there's a lot of different hindsight you're right you're right hindsight hindsight being 2020 they're going to look back and

i'm not i'm not disagreeing with you that the core four it wasn't going to work like even mitch was here this year they still it wasn't going to change something they weren't going to win a Stanley Cup this year. It wasn't going to happen. They tried. They tried for seven years. They gave it a shot with that core four. Seven years with Tavares and all of them.

And they just kept going back and stubbing their toe. It wasn't going to work. And honestly, I kind of think he's smart enough, Mitch, to realize that. And he was like, I'll put my hand up and I'm out of here. You know? Yeah. And he made a great decision personally because he's in a very good spot in Vegas. They're a really good team.

I think they're in one now against Colorado. Well, Colorado, so. Yeah, like, we'll see what they can do here. But, yeah, he made that choice. Yeah. They tried to sign them by all accounts. Did they pay him when he was willing to? It's another thing.

I think they offered him more than eight years at $12 million. He said no, but he took it in Vegas, which he's entitled to. He's allowed to. It's his life. It's his career. Yeah. But, you know, it's going. to be a constant thing with him.

And the reality is it's just it's going to slow down over time because he's just going to be a Vegas school nice. Like that's what he's going to be remembered as because he's likely to play there for a long time. I didn't want to bring this up and it's probably not the right time to do this. But when we were talking about, you know, if Matthews moves on, would he be a legends rogue guy? Is Marner?

Like, you know, that's a, it's a very, I think over time. He's got to be. Brian, you would know. His stats are top 10. Yeah, oh, he's top 10 and, yeah, points. So that's a conversation for when he's done his career, all of that type of stuff. Yeah, the dust will settle, right? The dust will settle.

And really, the Leafs are going to have to, it coincides with a couple of things that are going against, you know, Leaf fans right now. One, they just had a dreadful season, obviously. You know, their longest standing rival appears to be on the brink of, like, building a dynasty in Montreal. Man, they're good. And they played well again last night. And I think they're now going to get past Buffalo, and we'll see what happens against Carolina. How about the atmosphere there tomorrow night? It'll be Bedlam at the Bell Center on a Saturday night chance to close long weekend.

It'll be absolutely incredible. I'm sorry Buffalo Sabers fans, but that's automatic win night. I don't know who the heck they're going to bring out of the tunnel, but figure out who's going to blow the top off that building. And we talked about some potential. I don't think you need anybody to blow the top off. No, I know, dude. It's going to go, it's going to be blow the top off anyway,

but just find that one guy. You know how there's like different cheers, right? Yeah. Like if we go to a function and we get introduced, Hayes, you get more of a cheer than doogie or JP. Maybe not. You never know. I think you'd be surprised.

You do. Here's the counterproductive vote. What could send a little bit of like a downer? Somebody walks out of the tunnel. You're like, I didn't want to see that guy. I'm not even going there. I'm not even going. But you know what I mean.

Like it's just the equivalent, they're Akiberg. You know what I mean? Oh, they've probably got some Aki's over there. They've got an Akiberg or they've got somebody who's a, you know, somebody may not have been the most fan favorite. Right. If that guy walks out with a torch. Malikov out there with like a knee brace and ski.

And skis. Ski walking with the torch. Laddy Malikov walks up with a Rolex on. Skies. I would love that. Cross country skis. Like a fluffy hoodie over his head and goggles and just raise the ski pole. That would be phenomenal.

Not even a torch, a ski pole. with a fire on the end of it. You can hear a pin drop in that place if that happened. Just absolutely takes the air out of the balloon. It's so funny. But, yeah, listen, it'll be wild tomorrow. And the haves are in a really good place. And I guess Fraser Mitten, I think, was the player of the game today.

And, you know, there's a lot going on. There's a lot going on right now. Fun topics. Fun topics. It's hockey. And we love it. Listen, the Leafs are going to have their day. Here's what's going to happen.

And here's one more thing I was thinking of today. Is, you know, at some point they're going to win. I know that's going to sound crazy. Don't post that clip because that's the one that'll go viral and I'm just going to get destroyed all weekend. It's likely going to have to be an out-of-left-field miracle one-off. Because if it's a slow build, I don't know if the organization can do it properly. I don't know if the media, I don't know if the fan base. because we did that with the Matthews and Marner and Neeland.

And that's another thing. You go back to three years in and the contract negotiations, there was so much positivity. They're in the playoffs every year. All these great players, Matthews chasing hearts. They're on the cost. It's like they're going to win. And then all of a sudden business got in the way of it,

and it got a little bit nasty, and there were splinters, and it just didn't work. I feel like that's the way it's going to have to happen here. It's just an out of nowhere. Jay's run at 25. They're like, oh, they're a decent team, and they just keep getting hot, and a red-hot goalie stands on his head, and they find a way to do it. And maybe that's the only way it can happen here.

But anyway, listen, we've got a big show today. Struddy's coming on because they're probably even more bitter in Edmonton than they are here in Toronto. I mean, the Oilers are not in a great place. Brett Kulak's scoring OT winners to close out series, and, you know, people are wondering who they're going to hire. So we'll get into Strud or catch up with Strud. He's just thinking about the, like, the coach being fired before his extension starts is Bizarro World. Yes.

Like, before it even. Three years ago. I get it. I get it. But just the idea, two finals in a row, and then an off year, and he gets let go before his extension fires up. Unreal. Chewing money, man. That's chewing money.

Well, yeah, we've got strategy. coming up. We got Keegan coming up from Detroit. Big series starting tonight down to Detroit for the J.C. Savage on the Mow. We get some updates on Barrios and others. And then they're down at Yankee Stadium on Monday for four. So a big, big seven days coming up for the Jays.

Catch up with Keegan in just over half an hour. And Johnny coming up from the world's overdrive continues up on TSN2. Springs finally here, and Julie is making the most of it. Going for long walks, escaping the city, and reconnecting with nature.

Hey, girl. And reconnecting with her besties, one of whom is having a baby shower on the other side of the country. Switch to Canada's best 5G network and never miss an important moment. Plus get all the data you need at a great price. Visit a bell store or bell.ca.

slash rate plans. Bell, connection is everything. An epic rock adventure with Iheart Radio and shine down. Live in Toronto, intimate, an invite only July 6. You and a pal with flights and hotel from trips,

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menu. See you for Puckdrop at your local BP. All right, overdrive continues. Powered by Fandul, bringing you more ways to play your game your way. Kegan Matheson from Detroit, Jays Tigers. Coming up tonight, Kegan will join us in half an hour. Mike Johnson from overseas in about an hour. We've got our best bets still to come. The over in that Habs game was a lock like two minutes in.

You could just see it coming. That was a bizarre beginning of that game, man. Like get up and go to the back. bathroom come back it's two one three two two it was crazy what a start people are blowing me up going you you gave dobish the hex and i'm like i can give him the hex and i love the fact that he battled out of it good on him i mean upl good on trevor letowski jami i sure you you talked about the exchange it's like the horse i you know marty st louis was just waiting for him to say yeah get him out and somebody decided not to and that was the reward of the coached so it's it was

the goalie coach apparently they wired up to him and said what do he want to do he goes leave him in and that was it and marty talked about it afterwards he just said listen that's not my expertise i empower my coaches he goes the coach radio down said leave him in i didn't think about it twice but that horse i've seen that he was thinking about it because that third goal is terrible well we have some guests that come on regularly where coaches radio down and say get them off and don't put them on here's Jason Struddy. Take 34 off.

Get him off there. How are you doing Strud? Yeah. I got that call one time after warm-up. I've seen enough. We'll put him out again. Just a bad warm-up or what? But I was even on the ice floor.

It was just doing my ladder drills off the ice. I've seen enough. You're not playing tonight. My ladder drills. Pretty robust ladder drills. drills, O'Dowd, getting these pins going every day. I guess, man. Tom Gilbert did it to him in New York.

That's what happened. Still, Tom Gilbert, minus four. I'm like, I can live with minus four. He comes around the net. Mary and Gabrick, I think he had like seven goals. He throws a pizza right up the middle. And I just skate right to the bench. He's going to score, and then the coach comes down.

You're done. Yeah, I'll talk to Tom for a minute. He sucks today. Yeah, that one sting. while we were talking about the habs keeping Dobertson last night. You know, that's one I'm sure you can speak to it strut when you're on the bench and the guy's struggling early and you can feel like it's going to be a crazy game. Like you're, are you just eavesdropping on the coach?

And are you pulling this guy? You're not pulling this guy? Like, what's that experience like when you're on the bench? It is tricky because I always felt bad when the goal he got yanked, you know? And you're like, you know, especially he's played really well for them. So it's not like he's been the reason that they're losing. He's many nights been the reason they're winning. So, you know, you just don't want to see a guy suffer or get embarrassed as a player.

After that third one, then I'm like, oh, they're going to give him like a mercy pull. Not that he's been terrible, but like, as you guys just mentioned, that's their goal with a tough one. And then he could see him and Letowski talking and, you know, whatever. Okay, we're going to leave him in. I was like, all right, I get it. And maybe for the goal, it's all good noodles. But you do know usually, you get a sense of kind of which way your coach is going. And I think I would have thought he was getting pulled in that moment.

Yeah, I'll just chime in quickly on that. I agree. And listen to Dobush afterwards, he's such a refreshing interview because he just kind of shoots from the hip. And he said, I wasn't feeling good, but he goes, they came down after the first period. So I'm assuming the goalie coach came in and gave him a little bit of a reset. And he said, I needed a reset, and he came out. He made a couple big saves at 3-2 where they were down 3-2. and then the Thompson breakway, for me, was a difference in the game.

Because if Thompson scores to make it 4-2 for Buffalo, I think that would have been curtains. But instead, he makes a big save. And then Montreal just dummied them after that. So that was my comment on that. He got a reset, and this save alone, I thought was the difference in the game right there because that makes it 4-2, and I think Buffalo rides to a victory then. But Montreal, man, they're resilient. Yeah, they can't push.

And, Truddy, being like a, you know, you're a big, strong, tough guy, you're a stay-at-home defenseman. Like, what are your thoughts watching that Lane Hudson? Like, I think he's fantastic. And I always wondered, can or will he be able to handle himself? But he's just pretty fascinating to watch a guy. Like, he's not a big guy at all. Like, there's Quinn Hughes, and then there's Lane Hudson. Like, he's just not very big, and he's an unbelievable talent as a defenseman.

Yeah, and so like my gut would say that maybe he's a little too small to participate, you know, in the playoffs, but he's doing fine. You know, I mean, he's so skilled. He's such a good player. And he just, what I like about it, and, you know, very few players can think the game like he does. You know, what game was it the other night where he gets the puck and the power play, drives it off the blue line, and just throws it back to someone back door for a one-time ride. Yeah. Was it Caulfield's power play goal? Like, that's, I know people think, oh, that, that's.

That's easy. It's not. There's people all over you. They're trying to shrink the rink on you. And you come through, look like you're going to shoot, and you slide it back, back door. That is so beautiful. And maybe a lot of me, part of me is just, I'm fascinated because I can never even think about doing something like that.

But he makes it look easy. And that was just a beautiful play. And he does those things routinely. So, Struddy, place yourself in Jackson-Lacombs skates last night when Mitch Marner's going one-on-one and dangles him and goes through his legs and scores the goal. of the playoffs so far. How would you have defended Marner last night?

I mean, he's really playing well right now, and I'm sure that's going over well in Toronto, but he's really got it going on. You know, unfortunately, as a D-Men, everyone's going to wear one. And, you know, one of the greatest team men of all time, Maryland, Maryland, you made him look pretty bad in Ray Bork.

You know, and that's, I can't believe that I'm to Ray Bork, or even, you think, of Brad May on Ray Bork again, you know, another guy. so, you know, and no disrespect to May Day, but I don't think he's quite at the level of old Mitchie or Mary Louie, you know, so it does happen, but, I mean, that was such a, just what I liked about that for Mariner is just the body control and awareness. When you get in that tight, all of a sudden,

just pull it back through your legs and tap it in, knowing that's where the lane was. Like, it's just next level things that these high-end guys do. So, you know, for Lecombe, it wasn't, he didn't play it terribly, I didn't think, but it was a guy made a really good play on you. and unfortunately you'll be on the highlight reel. You know, it's the E-Man's worst nightmare. You're on the highlight reel for the next number of years.

Strattie, we were talking and we spent about 10 minutes talking about Mitch and his success. He's basically the best player in the league right now, which is very impressive. There's no denying it. What's your explanation for his success? Because we didn't see this type of play in Toronto. I think you could agree with that. Maybe you don't, but how does he the best player in the world right now? and he didn't get it done in the playoffs here.

Well, I mean, this season I didn't think went really well from, right? I think that there was times there wasn't quite rolling. And then, you know, you've got to give Tororello, I think, a bit of credit. Not that it's all because of him, but, you know, maybe he's found a way to unlock something in this guy to kind of be more consistently that high, high-end player that he is. And I think you're right. He is the best player in the playoffs. And he's flying around there making plays and he looks very confident.

and he's not sacrificing at either end to create that both defense and offense. He's really fun to why. He's always been a really talented guy, and now here he is doing the playoffs. And like I said, it's hard to see your old girlfriend killing it on another team. That's tough. So, Stradi, let's transition to Edmonton where Bruce Cassidy is being asked for, or Vegas has been asked for permission. to talk to Bruce Cassidy and Chris Knoblox laying on his couch watching that on TV.

I mean, you know, what do you make of all of that? Obviously, the firing, they had to fire him. If they had made the decision to fire him, don't you think they should have fired him first before you start, you know, looking for other people at the bar type of thing? While your girlfriend's on the couch type of thing? Yeah, well, I'm just taking a peek at another place. No, you know what? It was really unfortunate the way things came out, right?

Like, Chris Oblock is a really good guy, and he's been a very good coach for the winners. Make no mistake about it. This guy, he didn't win the Stanley Cup, but he came into a situation where this team was really underperforming and seemed just ready to explode as far as, like, frustration. He came in, calmed him down, and took him to two finals. I didn't win. All right, that's fair, but, you know, he did get him there. And in this year, it seems like the team defensively on the PK took a step back.

couldn't, they just couldn't get that figured out. And ultimately, maybe that's why they, they, they moved off from him. But, you know, he deserve a cleaner exit than he was given. Now, he does have a golden parachute that I think has about $8 million stuffed in the backpack. So I think that maybe cushions the blow a little bit as he sails in his golden parachute out the door, but he deserves better. And so now I look, I'm like, hey, does he have a chance to go coach somewhere else? Like, you know, I think he's a good coach.

I think he's calm presence. You know, he's had some really good things with some young players. You think of Savoy or Pod Coles in have taken steps forward while he was here. You know, at times that the three agents they brought in, for whatever reason, he couldn't get them plugged in,

like an operatin or Bonjipani, you know, Skinner, who is in the league anymore. But like, for whatever reason, they had a tough time with that. So I would like to see him get another chance, but no, he didn't, and really no one deserves that kind of a messy end. after a good run with a team.

So Strud, what do you think McDavid is, like, really thinking right now, and what do you think he really wants to see happen this offseason? Well, you know, he wants to win. He always talks about it. That's all these guys talk about, and I agree. I think he truly does want to win. So they do have to make some decisions, and the one thing that I'm starting at, and noodles will appreciate it,

is the goaltending. That is my number one thing I have to sort out. you know, can you bring back Jari and then do you sign Ingram to, you know, to have some, a bit of a duet there in the back? I mean, goalies can change and they can, you know, bounce back after, you know, a year or a half year in Empton with struggling Jari. But there's going to be other opportunities for other goalies around the league. You know, there'll be guys that there's teams of three players, three goalies,

some of their own three agents. But then the problems, the voters want to trade for this guy. They are a guy. they don't have a lot to give up. And then if a guy has a big salary cap, while you're already paying Campbell, I think it's $3 million in a buyout. You've got Jari at 5 and a half.

They're going to pour another $6 million into this and assets to do something you've tried to fix a number of times. So that's number one. Then after that I'm looking at Murphy, the D-Men, and then I see what I got left after that. You know, and that feeds up a lot of your salary cap. Just those couple, I know, those two items would chew up quite a chunk of the stuff

they have free already. Struddy, when I've talked about the Leafs kind of turning it around and handicapping it, I honestly don't think it's possible the way they're set up to kind of rebound and be some type of elite team next year. How do you handicap the chances of the Oilers flipping the switch and like, you know, tidying up the goaltending and like really shoring that up and getting the right pieces so everyone goes into the season, you know, the coach and the right players and all of it. Like, how do you handicap all of that coming together where it's like, okay, these guys are going to be dialed in this year? Because I honestly don't think it's very likely to accomplish all those things at once. Well, no, and that's fair. I think they'll listen.

I do think this team looked like they were just bagged the whole year. Like, they never got on a heater at all. Like, not one time. Did they ever get on a 7, 8, 9, 10-game heater? Because they had the high-in skill to do that. And even, you know, I don't think their death players are that bad. They had a lot of players that scored close to 20 goals. this year. So they were putting it up. But they just didn't look like they had that extra gear

that was required. They look tired. I know people who say, well, I work a 9 to 5 job and I get tired. I get it. I get all those things. But it's different than those experiences you're talking about working 9 to 5 and going to play your men's league at night and you're still able to perform at a decent level in Division 7. It's just not the same. And so what I'm looking at here, I'm looking at a team that's going to be fresh for the first time in a long time. I'm looking at a coach that's going to come in and probably demand more accountability away from the puck and the way to defend.

That's everyone. And I think he's going to request the top two players on the team and Conor Leon to really come and say, guys, I need you to buy in and I need you to push your teammates to do the same thing. You know, then yesterday San Bono was asked a question about, you know, is there too much internal pressure from the players themselves to win the cup?

And he said something that I really liked, and I thought it was so much. Brown, no one's really talked about it. That's why I'm here, though. I hear these things. He said, we've got to get back to the process. We're so worried about winning the Stanley Cup. We've forgotten about, like, just get better today. Let's just get our game in order today and then kind of build, build, all the way to the final. And I thought that was such enlightening and a clear picture that he gave as a GM. And I hope that that is a message you give to whoever the new coach is, for all-haters fans, but also gives it to the core. Because I think the core, like,

wow, we're so focused on the cup. And I get it. But you don't win a down the cup in September, but if you don't keep improving, like we saw this year, then you're spit out pretty quickly in the playoffs. The teams are our little more process focus. When you say the words Connor and Leon buying in, are you implying that the two best players in the world, and Connor is for sure, and I think everybody can agree, Leon's just right there with them. When you say those words, them buying in,

are you bringing up the idea that they need to somehow change their game and not be 135 point players and possibly try to be 95 point players and play differently? Or do they still have the responsibility to try to go out there and just dominate and load up points? Like what does it mean when you say Connor and Leon buying in? Okay, so a couple of things. Number one, I wouldn't even let them watch the penalty kill. I don't want them on the penalty kill it all. Don't waste your energy, killing penalties.

Put the beat market out there, they can block shots. They can kill themselves on the block shots. So by doing that, that gets me to point number two. That takes their ice time down. Right? You just, a couple reasons. Like, they're lead athletes. I get there in shape.

But there's other players on the team that need to play as well. And not that it's not always ice time, it's opportunity. You know, how do I, if I'm on a secondary score on the orders, and I never see the power play, How do I keep my confidence up? Right? How do I, you know, Arvinson scored 16 goals for the owners playing not much. And this year he played in Boston, scored 25 goals, right? So, you know, would that have looked in the older jersey?

Yeah, I think it would look pretty good. So that's it. And then number three, yeah, you know, change your game a bit defensively, but demand it from your teammates. Right? Ask everyone to play a certain way. And that's what the leaders do. You know, when you're on a really good team, the leaders are challenging everyone to be a better version of themselves and as a team in your team game.

So I'm not asking Conner with David to block shots. You know, towards the end of the game, do you maybe, you know, if I want to do you re-evaluate, maybe taking a risk or which side of the puck you're on, but it's not just Connor. It's Evan Bouchard. I'm thinking of a play against L.A. where he tried to tow drag

Panarin. Panarin hasn't been that happy since he shaved his head. He couldn't believe that this guy was trying to tow drag him, and he pokes the puck off, goes in, goal, and like, that's an unnecessary risk. There's no need for that risk. And that is where, when the coach comes down to say, hey, Bush, that's not a good play. Okay. But when your captain walks down and says, hey, that is not

how we do it anymore. That is what I'm talking about getting everyone on the same page. So those are the three steps, I think that whoever it is, whether it's Cassidy, I don't know who it's going to be. Those are the things I think when I talk about getting them to buy in on that. I think that those are three ways they can make a pretty big impression for their team, but also for their own individual play. Big long weekend here in Toronto for us, Struddy. We're excited. Very excited for the long weekend.

What do you guys have going out there in Alberta this weekend? Pretty big deal. Smitty decided we're going to try it. We're going to try the long weekend. We've got a nickname for it to May Long. We've already got a nickname here for it. Wow. That's amazing.

That's great to hear you guys are joining Southern Ontario. It's a great holiday. We've had it here for a long time. time my whole life that's an amazing holiday well finally it never made it across the prairies of manitoba and yet it finally did there's a long journey but we got it you got it thank you well i take credit for that enjoy yourself and make sure everyone knows it came from me okay all the people are topocopopicans are ever called obogobigans at toboogans yeah that's so he lives out that way out in that direction of the city thank you strut have a great weekend have a good weekend

Jason Strudwick, for those of you not familiar with that reference, last year, it was easily the dumbest thing I've ever said. We have a long weekend here in Ontario. What about you guys? Anything out there? Yeah. I don't know why I... You know what it is.

It's time change. I think that's what you're thinking about. It's time change. It was a brain cramp. It was ridiculous comment. To suggest Victoria Day is in a national holiday, it was really ignorant. It was a really ignorant comment. Listen, look, we've been talking.

have you seen this news that come across the wire this this Vegas sanctions this is this is unbelievable what are you talking about so it sounds like the league just slapped a hundred thousand dollar fine but a second rounder they forfeit for torts not coming out okay so let's let's get back let's get into it later like yes because we got to give all the details of like what happened last night why they're pissed why they're pissed okay so why they're pissed we'll get to that kegan matheson coming up up and Mike Johnson as well as we head into the long weekend where jack milling and Friday continues overdrive continues tsn 1050 and up on YouTube live springs finally here and

julie is making the most of it going for long walks escaping the city and reconnecting with nature and reconnecting with her besties one of whom is having a baby shower on the other side of the country switch to canada's best 5G network and never miss an important moment plus get all the data you need at a great price. Visit a bell store or bell.ca. slash rate plans. Bell, connection is everything. An epic rock adventure with Iheart radio and shine down live in Toronto, intimate, an invite only July 6th. You and a pal with flights and hotel from tripcentral.ca, the smarter way to book travel, plus $1,000 cash. Download iHeart radio, listen to iHeart Heavy Rock for 10 minutes and click enter for your chance to win.

Plus, May 29th, don't miss the IHeart Radio Shineddown album release party of 8. Mail it on Friday, brought to you by Boston Pizza. This playoffs BP is summoning the hockey guys to tilt the ice in Canada's favor. Join us and feast like a hockey god on our new playoff menu. See you for puck drop of your local BP. All right. King and Matheson coming up. Gotta give a shout out, Hazy.

Not at Copponwood guys, but there's a bunch of guys at Hamilton Country. club. Hamilton Golf that love overdrive. So shout out to Chapie and the boys out in Hamilton. Apparently there's a group of them. There's a group chat, all of it. They love it. Love a group chat. Love hearing that stuff. How many group chats

do you think you got fired up? Total. I have no idea. I mean, we got a lot of work ones, right? Between the three of us and then there's you know, Duke and Joe and yeah, I got a JP one going. Yeah, there's a lot. It was a lot.

You have an individual chat with JP cooking that we're not aware of. Actually, I wrote JP earlier today because we had Richie Lurraya come in and I wanted to post on my Instagram like a picture of us with Richie and JP came in and took the pick. So I sent him a text earlier today. I said, hey, send me the picks, please, JP. And he was on it. I got one of us. JP, why not? JP's the man.

Yeah, JP is running a tight operation. I love it. I love it. All right. So we'll get into what the league is doing here to the Golden Knights. So we'll talk about it more on the 5 p.m. hour. But long story short, they knock out Anaheim last night, and Tortorella just didn't come out to talk to the media. Typical buffoonery from John Tortorella.

Insane. It's just so insufferable, this guy. It only took so long before he returned to Torts again. Right. And then he'll get fired and then be right back at ESPN. Hey, how are everybody doing? I love being in the media. It's the greatest place in the world.

world. So he was being a hero last night for whatever reason. And they also didn't open the room to the media. So they had the podium guys, which was Marner and I want to say McNabb. And one other player came out and that was it. So the league has hammered them. Totorella's been fired 100 grand, but they've lost the second round pick in this year's draft. That's massive.

It's a big, like you lose a draft pick after you won a series last night. I'd fire a guy whoever is responsible for it, but you don't know if it came from above. You're in the conference championship, though, now. I mean, you're not. I know, but that's insane. He's also got no term on his deal. He's coaching for his life effectively and costing them picks. But that's, they don't have a second rounder for the next three years.

It's crazy. We'll talk about it later. All right. Next hour. Kegan coming up. Johnny coming up. Overdrive continues up on YouTube live. You've been listening to Overdrive, powered by Fandul.

Fan duel, bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score. I'm Cynthia Lois. And I'm Josie Dye. And we're done pretending we have it all figured out. Each week we laugh, cry, and talk our way through life's messiest moments. The things you think about but would never say out loud. The questions you are always too shy to ask. Relationships, regrets, awkward moments, and the stuff no one warns you about.

It's honest, it's funny, and sometimes it gets a little uncomfortable. But that's kind of the point. This is Cynthia and Josie's unmentionables. Listen on the free IHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.