OverDrive - OverDrive - May 2, 2025 - Hour 2

Episode Date: May 2, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Jamie McLennan for Hour 2 on OverDrive! TSN Hockey Analyst Mike Johnson on the Maple Leafs' first round win, the mindset against the Panthers and the winning mentality of the team. Florida Panthers Analyst Bill Lindsay on the Panthers' championship pedigree, Matthew Tkachuk and Brad Marchand's imperative role and the Maple Leafs' matchup in the second round.

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Hour two overdrive continues powered by FanDuel bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score. Brian Hayes, the O-Dog, Jeff O'Neil, Jamie Noodles, McClennan. The Leafs are off to the second round. We got game six in St. Louis tonight to see if Winnipeg can punch that ticket. Edmonton's already in. so we got two Canadian teams, right? We got two we got a chance at a third here might get a third team into the second round I think that's what you guys were calling for. I think the peg they're getting is it that I read correctly today They're getting Ealers back. He's a game time decision Time decision in the Stanley Cup playoffs you're in I can't wait to watch that game tonight

Monte man, he's His pressers man. He's just PhD he's got a go on huh PhD Monte. Yeah, he's an MD and he knows he's a doctor The best thing about X and the internet and stuff is the memes So there's him talking about you know 55, 55 and the hit on FASTA. He just couldn't call him Shifely either. That's what gets me too. 55.

He could not say Shifely. And he's like, he got rocked by FASTA. And so, or FATSA or whatever it was. And he goes, there's somebody, there's an old song called Rock the Casbah by The Clash. So somebody put that in there and he's, instead of, you know, Rock the Casbah, it's him rocked by Fasca

Fasca is so funny like I was watching 20 times. I'll try and send it. I watched it 20 times today I was laughing out loud because it's just you know him over top his voice singing that Clash song It was pretty good. Well I remember he was singing behind a bench. Yeah, too I think it wasn't Winnipeg. He was having a great time. The Blues were about to go down to nothing. They're losing and he's singing. Yeah. Is that when I saw that one video where he liked the song and he started singing? Yeah, it was during the game two against the Jets in Winnipeg. Guys having a blast behind the bench.

And listen, that's kind of the way they operate. You look at your boy, Peter DeBoer, last night. That would love the one game six but what are you gonna do back to home for game seven all it does is win game sevens to peter de borre never loses game sevens never straight loses them what what did the board i'd like his media last night was pretty sharp though he talked about

you know the bad goal that was an insane goal against. Like insane. Oh my God. Blackwell. Somebody ripped it off of Blackwell's arm in front of his... He shot off the shoulder and it goes in. It was insane. That goal.

That was the go-ahead goal too. That was the 5-4 goal. But he's like, yeah, it's a weird goal against... And even Autinger was kind of chuckling about it afterwards he's laughing about it's like I had nothing you can do and like they were very poised but then DeBoris like he got sharp about like there were some bad calls and somebody asked like what what it calls he goes you go look at the game tape and you know maybe he's politicking for game seven as you might as well man right right you kind of have

to if you're Jared Bednar you're probably doing the same thing for Colorado. Well that other goalie in Colorado He has not exactly been a pillar of strength back there either So I think hot and sure just has to stop the nonsense and just say nothing's getting by me I'm the better goaltender and I'm gonna be the difference maker in this game seven Yeah, because there's been some just goals fill in the net that ranted And I think he had four points in the second period last night points Yeah, yeah, and they lost the game Well, I was thinking how brutal that ending would have been with like ranting and skating off the ice in Colorado

And I would have gave a Roger Clemens up to the press box and fired up remember when Clemens went back to Boston at Fenway Yeah, he pitched and then he had that glare up at I don't know who it was Yeah He was a blue jay and he looked up to the press box and he just gave someone an absolute death stare And I'm like ranting it's gonna get that moment tonight And then they didn't win Crazy and it happened quickly to your point like in the third period before you know

It was four three that it's five forward and you're like, okay, I guess Colorado's going to survive. It's been a great series. That's the one you expected to go seven, and now it is. So you got that on Saturday and possibly a game seven. I think we're going seven, Winnipeg, St. Louis, personally. Well, St. Louis has won 14 in a row at home. Right. And just missing Shifely's massive, man.

Like Shifely not being in the lineup is is a real like this Robert Thomas been playing really really well and Shen is gonna be feeling it cuz he got out of it you know he didn't get suspended so he's still alive and he's ready to play so Sarah Leske will join us in about an hour from the rink Sarah's down there in st. Louis we'll get her take on what we can expect from that game and Mike Johnson will join us here in just a moment I'm get Johnny's take you guys were doing your thing on YouTube last night I saw that the hot zone you and Duffy and drags

it's great to see you guys are crushing the postgame man crushing the postgame yes for the Leaf all the all the Leafs stuff and noodles you'll be doing it tonight for the Jets doing the Jets and yeah i mean it's it's good that we talk about a canadian content and all your you talked about johnny in the numbers I i laughed last night when i was watching he said something about mike's is pretty smart guy you have the numbers but you

do you went back to at you know what you saw basically your instinct in you know in seeing a guy like matthews being physical you know i it's weird and i agreed with you, I didn't think Willie had his goods, but he had a brilliant shot. He had a Glenn Featherstone moment last night. He was keeled over with his stick on his knees

on the front of the net, and I couldn't believe I was watching it. After an awful turnover, lazy middle of the ice turnover, and then his remote control got unplugged and he was just Did the Eric Lindros pose in the slot with the stick on the knee pads and keeled over and I was like he's not doing This right now. This is good. Did anybody clip that video like do we have it like because it was now that you look back It's funny, right? Like there are I didn't know what was going on like it it usually Lee fans are on top of everything going

Hey, take a look at this. I didn't see it like no I saw it and I couldn't we all saw it because we were laughing about it in the group text But I I nobody clipped it was like what is this guy doing the beauty of it is when you win the game You don't have you don't have to talk about what they lose last night oh yeah there would have been a revisitor's plus the game sheet could have been revisited and that's not mr. chuckles having a good time hey Alex Nylander was possibly gonna play last night might not have been able to play correct like yes the yes that is a massive all right let's let's bring in Mike Johnson our TSN hockey analyst so Johnny the story goes

I guess Peru Bay or someone from the Leafs staff You know electronically you put in Your roster and then the league is allowed to notify you if they feel you've made a mistake and that's what happened It wasn't the Leafs that saw actually we put in, you know 92 instead of 88 And the league gave him a more hookup i mean that can you imagine if the lander wasn't playing last night well i have a second to get a little cup or do the least notice of the story out of the night i was i was of the impression i could be wrong i was of the impression the league

was like a just to clarify its william right and i don't think so okay i don't think the writing i think it was a little obviously and then someone to leave like not right we made a mistake i don't think it. I think, I think they put it in obviously. And then someone from the Leafs like, no, that's not right. We made a mistake. I don't think it was the league bailing them out. I think that was on the broadcast. When it's happening real time, they were sort of trying to figure out what went down.

But I think a Dreg suggested that the Leafs were the ones who have caught it, even though they made the first mistake themselves. But I mean, can you imagine they dropped the puck and William Nylander and then what Alex got to come out of the Raptor. He's there having a beer with his dad watching the game with the black aces He's kind of cuz he'd be allowed to play right? Yeah, you know, they would have told them don't even bother They would have just like forward this 11 6 See get an injury. I mean you might have a body waiting around if you're going anyways

It didn't happen all as well that ends well But that was and I guess part of the people, sort of the mechanics of it, it used to be you write it in pen. Yes, I used to have to do it. Yeah, you were in the coach's office, you saw this, right? You write 12, again, 22 Conrad, whatever it is, but now you type in NY and it self-populates

to the Nylander in your team. Alex comes before William and they just clicked on the first one. And it just populated for Alex because it's alphabetically it was earlier. So I think that's sort of how it went. They make lost over it not ever having to think about it for the last four months when Alex wasn't in NHL. But yeah, it's one of those things when you win, when he scores two goals, it's all sort

of a footnote in a good story as opposed to what would have been, I mean, leafiest is a word I'm getting to use a lot now with oh, and that would have been one of the really leafiest moments if they're on the run of bad luck. That would have been awful. That would have been crazy. Like truly one of the craziest sports stories ever. Forget the Leafs, like just sports in general. Yeah. sports stories ever forget the leaves like just sports in general yeah uh... rights at least get through in six when you look back on the series what what sticks out

to you what will you remember most from from the battle of ontario uh... i will remember is that the least got through this series playing exactly the same way they played all year. Like they stayed true to their identity and that identity sometimes doesn't look great. That identity sometimes plays their own end. That identity doesn't always run and gun and trade a ton of chances or shots but they find ways to win because they believe they have superior goal-tending. Their power play can be good and they got stars that can be difference makers. So if that's your identity that's how you do

it, that's how they did it all year and in game six the clinching game that's how they did it. You guys imagine William E. LeVetter, he didn't have a great game. There was moments that Schiff was oh and I'm like are you watching what I'm watching? This is insane what he's doing right now. What is going on? He like, and then when he got the puck the second time at the neutral zone and then didn't change, I'm like, this is ridiculous. But that recipe worked.

And maybe the other thing I'll take out of it is that, man, I think Craig Barube, give him credit. He's got a feel for his team. He made a lot of right calls and his demeanor was Beneficial to the team Finding a way through a stressful tight series that they haven't always found a way through so that's kind of takeaways I would go with Johnny rapid-fire some questions regarding the series for the Maple Leafs. Who is the MVP? Oh Good question good question Like and have McKay partnership, I don't even know is it I mean a poll could question good question yeah it's like an advocate partnership

I don't even know is it I mean I'm you know that the top guy have a lot to point our play point I want it's either a deep airing something for the I'm going to have a kid that's what they do that who they are okay about pleasant surprise before flying finding a role through a light and would you know complain about that and i know they didn't get a ton of point or even chances but they

territory did what they had to do he could trust them they play with energy to put physicality in the office of the only thing around it at the table for the other guys you know a lot and get the game park after last night after actually eating that one timer with 30 seconds left and You know, it's so cliche in that moment because I believe just about I remember Mitch Marder They have a playoff game diving four times in front of a puck Remember that one so it's not like he would be the only guy to do it

But it sort of symbolized why they wanted him specifically because when it gets tough and somebody has to make a game-winning play he will do what it takes. So the fourth line to me was the pleasant surprise because you didn't know what you're going to get down there. Who would play with who, how it would work and it worked quite well. What about Benoit? That's my guys. Benoit, listen that guy's a breakout star, they play us like honestly. Not just the the I mean he set up an overtime winner he scored an overtime winner that alone exceeds anything you could ever expect out of him for the entirety of the playoff those two things alone but it was more than that it was the stuff he's sort of supposed to do well defend play

with physicality pulls up on gaps kill, be at the end of the game in high leverage situations. He did all of that and what I loved about him is two things. One, sometimes the Leafs get running around, they can look fatigued or maybe a little slow. He's got lively legs. He can like take a puck and sort of skate away from guys a little bit and then get it out and do whatever he wanted. And the other thing, Noodles, he looked fearless.

He did not seem to have any sort of stage fright about the moment, about screwing up at the wrong time. He just let it fly. And I think for this team over the years, they haven't had enough guys like that. They were just sort of could wire themselves to just let it go. And he was really good to the point if you were watching the last three minutes last

night obviously and Ed McCabe go out there. Carlo and Benoit. No Morgan Ryder in the last four minutes of the game last night. It was Simone Benoit who deserved to be out there because he's played that well. Yeah that's a good call. He was a pleasant surprise for sure but he was excellent. And there were times let's's be honest, like down the stretch there were times where I didn't think he was gonna play. I just, I didn't think that, you know, you got Yanny Hockenpah and that would just never materialize. Maybe Yanny Hockenpah will be the biggest, you know, star of the second round. Who knows? But I'm, there were times where I just felt like Benoit was

rotating himself out of the lineup, down the stretch, or you know, maybe before down the stretch. There was a pocket there where he wasn't playing well, and that has changed. Like it seems like he's a staple now. And I love the word that you said, like fearless, like he didn't seem overwhelmed by the moment where, you know, it's not like this guy has a wealth of playoff experience. You know, that's a guy who on that roster doesn't have a ton, but he played like he did. Yeah, he was outstanding. And OEL, like give OEL credit, who I think as well, the Leafs got great value from this year, but there were times he looked a little fatigued. I think on the third pair it works with Benoit. I guess Ottawa it works. We'll see how it works against Florida

because it's a different kind of challenge. But I thought OEL also elevated sort of the cleanliness, the execution of his game with Benoit to just provide reliability and that was something that the police were looking for. Johnny, the last category I have is who can give more. If you were talking to someone from Florida and you were going to fill in the blank to this question or the statement and the statement was, watch out for this guy on the Leafs because he was okay but he's got a lot more to give in the next series, who would it be? Second line.

Second line of five on five. I know he underscored a goal last night, but they did not have a lot of great offensive moments in flurries. Tavares, Nylander, and I mean they tried everybody. Everyone else. Like literally they tried what? Six different wingers, McMahon and Domi and Jarnkrook and obviously, Pachauretti in the end. they tried everybody there. So I would think the second line has more. Because when, now a lot of that falls to William Ulenna

to drive the play, to have the puck to carry it, to create for his wingers, whoever, or the center man and the winger. But oh, I think they got more in them. Statistically, power play, they all picked up points, but I think the way they played, they'll have to be more effective. They'll be better against Florida, and they can be.

Well that's the challenge, right? You turn the page pretty quickly and you've got the Florida Panthers waiting for you. And they're a favorite. They'll be a favorite on Fandel and Vegas. The expectation will be there that the Panthers are, in my opinion, the team to beat in the sport. They're the cream of the crop. How different do you believe the Leafs, if at all, have to play in order to have success

against Florida? I don't think they have to play differently, and I think that would be unwise to think that they have to do anything different. They'll have to be physical, and they'll have to play hard, and they'll have to battle, and all those different things that, to think that they have to do anything different like they'll have to be physical And I'll have to play hard and not the battle and all those different things that of course they need to do the real challenge is is that How will they find space when Florida plays? Well, they are better than anyone at just compressing the the rink so there's nothing Nothing out there can't even breathe out there. There's no space for you anywhere they have to deal with that pressure oh

we talked about the wall play last night and when the puck comes around the boards it's not always clean Toronto's got to do a good job sort of moving the puck up the ice to give themselves a chance to go play Florida play on their own end where they're good but they're not you know they're not incredible what Florida does well they don't ever let you get there right they they sort of check you before you have a chance to put them in there on their heels So I don't think different just better and and it's a big task and obviously and and you're gonna need Moments where your goal is better than theirs. You might need a moment

Their goal is not very good You might need a moment where your power play goes three for five and wins you the game Like you're gonna need a moment where your power play goes three for five and wins you the game. Like you're going to need a couple of one-offs. I don't know if they just played 60 minutes, five on five straight up. I don't like the least chances of sort of winning that series, but with all the other elements, they give themselves a shot. Yeah.

And all those ingredients showed up, you know, against Ottawa where the core four, they put up points, you mentioned five on five in some areas that could be better, but then you got big moments from Domi and Benoit, and Patcheretti and the goalie played well. And, you know, I look at this team in 2025 compared to the one in 2023 that ran into the Panthers. Um, I like the goalie better installers over Samsonov.

I love the defense bearings compared to where it was two years ago. I think it's, it's night and day, quite frankly. The rest, you know, you can discuss. Not to take a shot at Sheldon Keefe, who I think is a very good coach. I don't know how much coaches matter, but Craig Barube, he's got something going on. I agree. He's got a feel, and he's done this before, and a calmness to what is going on when the world around the Leafs can be very noisy. He doesn't let it bother him and

he does a good job trying to not let it bother his players so that also I think is a pretty significant difference relative years past. Yeah there it is. I mean the coach the goalie and the defense you know. Other than that. Yeah and that's significant. That's big. The Leafs should be more confident i think that there were two years ago even though two years ago if i want to series and florida was the eight seed who found a way to get past boston but we didn't know exactly what they were yet

it's very different complexion this time what do you guys make of plan against the player that played with you so stole ours knows them they know him all with that you know if you knew a goalie that you played with but that goalie knows where you know where your sweet spots are you know where

his weakness i i i think it's all generalities generalities a word haze yet it is that i don't have a like you're talking about day this guy i used to just torch him top glove. So you got a split second if you get a one-timer opportunity to say, if I get this top glove, I'm going to have a good chance to score.

Or you get a breakaway and you've scored a bunch or you know weaknesses. You're talking about a split second about deciphering what you had in the memory bank and applying it to a split second decision. So can someone over a series take advantage of that and say I know that guy and I'm going to continue to do this? I would say it's highly unlikely. Johnny, just before you get to the only reason that made me think of it is last night Warren Fogle had a breakaway on Pickard and I guarantee you those two probably had 5,000 breakaways.

Pickard being the backup. You know, and like so, you know, now it's Florida and Stolars where a lot of these guys probably worked with Stolars before practice, after practice, because the backup spends a lot of time with the, with the grade A shooters, right? Because they, they want to work on stuff. What do you make of it, Jon? I always thought, and I've had this conversation, of course the goalie is always like, no, no, it's advantage shooter. And the shooter's always like's always like no no it's advantage goalie but to me I think I'm the shooter I think it's advantage goalie because as O said it's a lot for

a player to process all those different things but I wonder if instinctively Stoller reads the stick reads the release reads the eyes comfortably because he's seen it so many times. Maybe he gets a slight half second, a tenth of a second reaction benefit by, oh I remember when he puts the stick like this, he just sort of recalls what it felt like to see those shots because he's seen them so many times. As a shooter, they're just not, you know, maybe on a breakaway, maybe on a two on one or on a power play where you're kind of stationary for a second But you know too much going on for the player to do it

But the goalies I don't always felt that they would have a better read on what I was wanting to do because they've seen it With Mike Johnson We've put a post up or a poll up on Twitter asking what Panthers player is the biggest villain for the Maple Leafs? And a lot of this is based on fan reaction the biggest villain for the Maple Leafs and a lot of this is based on fan reaction. Brad Marchand, Matthew Kachuck, Sam Bennett. Kachuck's at 41%, Marchand's at 38%, Bennett's at like 20, 21. So it's actually a pretty tight race. How would you answer it before the series? How do you think you might answer it after the series? So I think before the series, I would say Matthew Kachuk because he's just the center

of it all. And he will bug you with the way that he behaves and he will bug you with the way that he plays. And it's sort of like, in all facets, he will aggravate and irritate. By the end of the series, it would not surprise me that Sam Bennett, because he brings, he brings an element of physicality. Like sure, he chirps like Marshaan and Kachuk and sure he's good like those guys as well, but he's just a little bit dirt, dirtier, more physical and dirtier. Like he's, he's a dirty player in a good way. I got the compliment. And I think by ever seven game series, when he's had his fourth run with Austin Matthews where

it's got a little high or it's got a little late or you know Braden Shan hit like shyfully you're like that guy he's the guy we hate the most. Yeah see it's interesting from my standpoint it's Marshan and and not because he can have the impact but because he represents the Bruins which these other guys don't and like he's the only guy he was there in 2013 and if you're a fan like that that's unparalleled There's no one else you can apply that type of you know history to And now he's on the Panthers. What if I spin it this way? What if I spin it this way? He has lost That luster he he lost that leverage because

you know i'm about to bring more you're treated out of their committee bunk you know i don't know longer a representative of a team that you had issues with they go play somewhere else don't play in florida this is my reaction to that if you're a rat with a pretty heavy five fellows like you know you're good and he is going in lundell line yeah we're gonna like we will talk so much about Barkov and about Bennett I tell you what that

Lundell line with Luzterine and Marchand that was always going to be the third line it's a tough it's a tough one and we compare that to Toronto you know it's not quite apples to oranges how he how you get deployed but the third line at times for Toronto was was their fourth line like they you know, they were not playing very much and they're gonna have to sort that out because they're gonna need something Some sort of continuity confidence in the fourth in the third line to take to match up against Florida and what they have Yeah, you're right. Yeah, what do you expect st. Louis Winnipeg tonight? I Mean, what is it, 14? 14 in a row?

Yes, 14 in a row. That is a month and a half without losing, without Shifely, no wheelers, crowding a frenzy. It's so set up for St. Louis to win that game. Now you never know, can Mestnikov do what he did last game? I don't think so. So I think absolutely they're going back for game seven, unless the ultimate wild card, if Connor Halliburke has just a game of brilliance, which would be the, this is it, right?

This is, this would wash away a lot of salt. If he can find a way to have one night, put the team on his back and don't worry about it, guys, we might give give up 45, we might only get two goals, that's gonna stand up, he could do it, he might have to do it tonight. I agree, I'm going to do a sports center, he has, for me, he's been pulled twice in that building in a row,

like this could be a statement game for him. Like go in there, show why you're gonna win the Veznas, show why you're, you know, that... Might win the heart. Yeah. Might win the heart. That type of heart. Like it could be a legacy night. I think Ehlers might play though. Oh you you thought so too. He's a game time decision, Johnny. It sounds like... Yeah. I think he'll play. I really do but... It's huge because... It is a big boost....you make that second line cook. Yeah. It is a big boost for them but it... I think it all comes down to the goalie. I think it's that he's got to have a Vezna night to

show everybody like I'm still the guy here like let's that's cool the Jets. I totally agree and I think if he does that that is it's the ultimate statement mic drop yeah like shyfully not there St. Louis red hot at home doesn't matter I'm in net we're winning yeah all right johnny enjoy the game tonight enjoy game seven tomorrow and uh... will do it again early next week uh... about that

earlier mike johnson rts and hockey analyst joining us here on the maple toyota hot line i do those are off to do a little panel work you'll be back we've got several us be coming up with a bill lindsey covers the panthers later this hour we got Dear Hazy B in about an hour best bet still to come overdrive continues TSN 1050 and on TSN 4. Alright Bill Lindsay a little bit later in the hour mail it in Friday

brought to you by Boston Pizza Canada's favorite sports bar this playoff season Boston Pizza is planning the parade and has a new all-star playoffs menu for you to enjoy for pizza pints and puck drops visit your local Boston Pizza today. Alright noodles off doing a little panel work. Shout out to Boston Pizza they sent in this new spray like a cologne earlier in the week that's kind of part I guess the playoff portion do you said it's world class so do you use implemented the boston pizza spray into his routine which i love to see

calve question with them is it like uh... a colony type sent or is it like i believe colo n but he said do, go ahead if you want to jump on. Would you say is it a pizza smell? Like a wing smell? No pizza smell.

It's a room spray smell. But could be used as cologne too. As long as it smells good you can use it as cologne. I love it. See? It's like a body mist. It's a body mist. It's a body mist.

Doogie, you wear a body mist? Oh yeah. All's a body mist. You wear a body mist? Oh, yeah all the time multiple The smell of his office is so it's it's so over. Yeah, JP tells me he loves it Well, there you go. You and JP. Look at you two just two peas in a pod Yeah, JP apparently does not love it See your boy Scotty Scheffler, man. He is cooking down there in Texas. Dude, I saw a turn on the golf channel and the guy comes on. He's like, Scotty Scheffler

seven under through nine. This guy's insane, man. He's got to get a win. Like it's absurd, but he's so good and he was so good last year. The fact that he hasn't won yet this year feels like a drought dude Whose ever fault that hand injury was he secretly hates their guts Yes agreed because it wasn't supposed to be him doing the ravioli. You know it Supposed to be a shaft. What the hell is a guy like that making ravioli with a like he cut himself Like I think he was doing a wine glass trying to Yeah, like sink don't know what he was doing but it was like he wasn't supposed to and you know it.

Some hired help that pulled the shoot last minute said sorry I'm busy can't make it and Scottie is never going to let him live it down but it's beautiful here in Toronto that's the beauty of the Leafs in the playoffs you You got the Jays playing. You can play golf during the day and bank on it. Like look at this weekend, game seven tomorrow night. There's nothing better than teeing it up and then being prepared for game seven tomorrow night. You watch the Jays in the afternoon. It's just like a dream day. Dream day. Dream day. And we're getting close to the RBC Canadian Open. I had someone someone send me a DM dear hazy B. We're getting out in front of this

We're gonna do dear hazy be in an hour But just more so looking for some tips and me and my buddies we got tickets. We're gonna be up there What do you guys what can you guys tell us about it and we would know better than anyone because we've been up there for years now Find out when Rory McIlroy tees off is my tip. Tip number one, find out when McElroy tees off and make sure you find him and just walk around with him for five or six holes. Here's what you do first. You first call your contacts if you know any heavy hitters or somebody and because there's

all these like RBC private suites, you got to get in there if you want any heavy hitters or somebody. Because there's all these RBC private suites. You've got to get in there if you want to have a nice time. You get in there in a nice situation with a nice view and have some cocktails, and then you figure out where Rory is, that's the move. That is the move. It is a great one. Let's be real.

It's a great one. If you don't want to be wandering around with beer spilling, walking down grubby paths that are muddy You want to be situated with heavy hitters? Well, you can do you can have the combination of both if you get in there, you know Everybody should walk the course you get on one around and find guys. That's my move one time I want to do the whole course get angles get views get looks and then I'll park it Yeah, it's a beautiful thing

If you can get a spot where you've got like one tee shot, one green, one fairway and you've got views of everything, there's nothing like it, man. It's incredible. All right, Bill Lindsey's coming up. We're going to turn the page. Battle of Ontario has come and gone. It was nowhere near as crazy as it used to be 20, 25 years ago. Like just not even close in terms of hits and fights and suspensions and

goalies being pulled. They just never really materialized. But if you're the Leafs, you love it because you won the series, you got out unscathed, everyone's healthy, you have home ice and you really, you didn't drive anyone into the ground either. I think that's significant. Like last night- Got a little horny on the poke check?

You know, I don't know. Yeah, a little horny on the poke check. There you go. Matthews and Marner did not even play 20 minutes last night So you had a closeout game and your best players did not really get overtaxed So you think you're in a good position? You should be in a good position But it's the Florida Panthers and they're rolling into town and Bill Lindsey will join us to set the seat on the other side of the

Rink, what can we expect once Florida gets up here for game one? We'll get to that next All right, dear hazy being about 45 minutes Sarah Orlesky coming up from St. Louis. Best bets still to come as well. Jays in action. Cleveland in town. The Jays took two or three against Boston. Big turnaround, man. Big turnaround. Game two, sixth innings on Tondair. Al Kirk, a couple of home runs and the rest is history. You think that's the turning point That could have possibly be a turning point in the season Well look at last night Vlad. He hits a home run bar shows back

He hit another home run last night like all of a sudden there's been power in the last two games I'm not gonna jump to that conclusion. They don't deserve that level of support after two wins But hey if you can do that and continue it and apparently Scherzer's coming back like maybe that's just a bit of a spark and Yeah, you know you've survived through April. You're still a game under 500 Yankees are gonna be the pace car But you got to keep up with Boston keep up with you know Tampa Baltimore's had an awful start And there aren't great teams in the American League So you know I don't think the goalposts of movie i get eighty six eighty seven wins

and other on pace to not do that they gotta get better you know they they they crawl back into the series of the one the series they needed that they had to stop the bleeding and they did that last night uh... so cleveland in town this weekend and we're gonna game seven colorado dallas possibly a game seven on Sunday between st. Louis and The Winnipeg Jets and we believe game one will go Monday night leaves Panthers Appearing Toronto and a man that I'm sure is preparing for that

Maybe he's got some insight on when this game's actually gonna happen here is a Panthers analyst Bill Lindsey back on overdrive Do you have any idea when we're going to see game one, Bill? Yeah, no idea. It's definitely I play Monday or Tuesday. Yeah, that's all I got. That's all I got for you. But it lines up pretty good if you go Monday, Wednesday, a couple of days off and travel then hockey night in Canada on Saturday back here in South Florida.

So if you wanted to do that kind of schedule, that makes the most sense, I believe. So maybe we're out of the gate on Monday evening. I love it. Okay, so we've talked a lot about the Leafs, you know, all year clearly. You know the Panthers as well as anyone. How would you compare this Panthers team and this lineup and the way they're playing to last year's team that won the Stanley Cup? Yeah, very similar. What they have is they've established their DNA, their identity. They're gonna play it and you bring in

what Bill Zito's done again with, bringing in Seth Jones, Brad Marshand, and he brings these are round pegs into round holes. He's not forcing anything. They're gonna fit into the locker room. They fit in nicely. And with all this stuff that's happened with Aaron Acklod and the recent suspension, they got a wealth of depth on this team and it

continues to go around and they will play it's just a style that's built for playoffs they're gonna force you to dump the puck in they want to dump the puck in down on the other end it's gonna be physical they want to bring it into an alley fight make it as mean as possible, nasty as possible, just down on the boards, into the trenches. Who wins those battles the most is usually comes out victorious. And the Panthers want to try and grind on you and lean on you as much as possible, not only for the 60 minutes, but for six, seven games, whatever it takes in a series, they want to be heavy. So is that what you would say, Billy, say Billy? Like if you're talking to an opposing team it's like if you take one shift off that might

cost you the hockey game like one silly play on the boards like they just they're so strong in all aspects of the game and by the way when you get behind all those layers the D dumping it in penalty kill they've got one of the best playoff goaltenders around at Bobrsky. Yeah if I was talking in your Toronto you got to make sure you come out and if you can if you can spread it out against the Panthers and get a lead and extend the lead maybe to a couple of goals then you then you can get the Panthers out of their comfort zone that where it lies I would really pay attention into that first period of this series and how it goes if you're

able to get on top and that's one thing we really do get we for the five games we scored the first goal Tampa and game number five got the first goal but we got it right back the one game we lost we were chasing it but for the most part they're gonna come out and it's one of the best defensive teams that I've seen in a long long time with the way they play They just don't give you time and space the rush chances aren't available So if I'm looking at the Leaf side and there's plenty of explosive players, but they have to understand that okay It's right from the get-go. We're gonna have to go and we are gonna have to play them. Don't try anything extra. Don't

Don't be cute at the blue lines You have the skill to do it, but it's probably not going to work against the Panthers. So if the Leafs are, and Craig Bruby, the way that he's kind of changed his team, they've gone into that philosophy where they will dump it in more, they will grind out more into the cycles. So it's going to come back into the trenches. I firmly believe who wins this series. If you can win those 50-50 board battles, come out on top, extend the on top extend the leads then you have the better chances in the games

uh... with bill lindsey uh... panthers analyst you mentioned craig berube uh... and we were comparing contrasting you know this upcoming series to one from two years ago where you know berube's in for kief and Stolarz is in for Samsonov and they got a bunch of new defense pairings uh... is it Barube though in particular for you that represents the biggest change from a Maple Leaf perspective compared to what we saw two years ago when these teams met?

Yeah, for the most part from what I've seen, you guys are willing to dump the puck in more and maybe some of the numbers have suffered from Matthews and those guys the goal scoring. And it was much like us when we won that president's trophy That year it was high octane. It was a run and gun. Let's get after it Let's go, but Paul Maurice understood that was not going to work in the playoffs and he reshaped it into more of a Okay, we're gonna tighten down play a 1 3 1 through the middle the ice a wing lock We're gonna have to dump the puck in you have to get the players to buy into that system. It's difficult I've seen the same thing from Craig Berube. You guys are still dangerous off the rush when you get the opportunities You are gonna you'll make things happen, but will they be there but there's been more of a willingness

I've found for the Maple Leafs Okay, let's dump it in. Let's grind. Let's play a little bit heavier of a game, and it's a balanced lineup. I do like what they do, especially onto that fourth line. Third line's got a little bit of grit and plenty of talent on those top two lines, just like the Panthers. So you can roll the four lines, you can test the Panthers with their depth.

If I look up and down the lineup as far as the depth-wise, Toronto is one team that compares really well, in my personal opinion, as the depth wise Toronto is one team that compares Really well in my personal opinion in the depth so that that goes around the Craig Barube has changed the dynamic of that team To what Paul Maurice was trying to do here in Florida to win at this time of year do the things That can win at this time of year, and I do say that from the lease Billy you talk about Paul Maurice coming in and dealing with some philosophy stuff, some X's and O's stuff. We were talking about it a few days ago,

we might have even brought it back up today, but the transaction of Matthew Kachuk coming onto that roster and replacing Hubert O, like I just can't state how big of a factor that is. Organizationally changing the mindset of the players and everything that goes into the approach and on ice stuff. Can you just touch on how important this guy is and what he brings to the table on the ice and off the ice on a nightly basis?

Yeah, so Matthew, and his brother Brady too, but Matthew is a unicorn in the NHL. You just, if you have a chance to get a player like that, that you go out and get them, even if it, if you have to sacrifice Huberto, because those players don't come along that are gonna, they're going to be after you all night. They're just like a bar, a dog kind of just nipping at you. They're always in your face. It's going to grind. It's going to be heavy. He loves that kind of style.ipping at you. They're always in your face, it's gonna grind, it's gonna be heavy. He loves that kind of style. He's not the fastest skater, he's not gonna

blow you out of the water. But he's got these exceptional hands. The locker room, it's talk, talk, talk, let's go. We got a bunch of different leaders on the Panthers that kind of help out. Barkov's quiet, Reinhardt's kind of the scientist behind it all and then you get to players like Matthew Kachuk, Brad Marshand, their go-go-go just hypervelocity, hyper energy. So when you bring a player like that into your locker room and kind of change that dynamic, it fits into what Paul Maurice was trying to do and Bill Zito and the whole system change that you are going to play this way and they bought in and Matthew Kichuck was a big part of that. Okay this is how we're going to sell the

game this is how we're going to buy into it and now you got Barkoff everyone else is okay we don't have to be flashy and dashy to win hockey games so the trade for Matthew Kichuck what he's meant to here in South Florida is he's become a cult hero down here everyone everyone was in need embrace the community so on off the ice what he means in the dressing room he definitely and just your point he changed the whole dynamic of this team well where does that is that applied to bradmarsh and now who is not as prime the way math you could check is but uh... has that, has the ability, what has he brought to the

table and what have you seen out of him that would allow you to believe Marchand can have a big impact in this series against the Leafs? Well, there's no greater impact. That line, that's where maybe the separator lies for the Panthers a lot of the time is with that Lundell-Lewos-Durinah line. Last year was Teresenko on the wing and this year you you got Marshand and he's talking to him all the time. And Marshand is one of the greatest two way wingers we have ever seen. And Lundell and Lluis Doreen are built in that same way.

A lot of defense thinking first, but Brad Marshand, if you talk to Paul Marie, he's talked to those guys a lot. Hey, we get the puck on our stick. Let's do some stuff. We've got the ability to score. We can get after it. We've got talent here, so let's hang on to it, let's do some stuff. We got the ability to score. We can get after it. We've got talent here, so let's hang on to it. Let's make some plays. And they dominated, they obliterated Tampa Bay in game number five. It was about a stunning performance from a third line

that I've ever seen. And Marchand was all over the ice. And you go back to game four, we're down a couple of goals and Paul Morice mentioned, Marchand's up and down the bench. He's talking, let's go, we're in four, we're down a couple of goals and Paul Marais mentioned Marchand's up and down the bench. He's talking, let's go. We're in it. We're in it. So he's got that leadership from being a captain in Boston.

You bring that onto the bench, you're never out of fight. He's believing and he kind of installs once you hear that into a player like Marchand with over a thousand games, 170 some playoff games. When he starts going on the bench and he starts talking and Lundell and Lue of Serena, let's get after boys, let's go, let's go. It's just that extra boost and it's not coming from a player, and actually he's borderline

Hall of Fame right now, he's probably gonna end up with Hall of Fame numbers at the end of his career. But when a Hall of Famer, future Hall of Famer is saying that kind of stuff people listen and just watching him play and integrate into this team especially the last five six games into these playoffs you can see what kind of difference he makes. Bill were you how surprised were you that Florida dismantled Tampa the way they did? That was surprising I thought it'd be a close series throughout I thought it'd be a close series throughout.

I thought it'd be six, seven games for the most part. But it went right back to last year and Paul Maurice resting players down the stretch making sure everything was healthy. Not mattered about the standings, where you finished and giving guys days off. And once you got there, you just had to get the Eclat suspension out of the way.

Now again, you got to get the Eclat suspension out of the way. Now again you got to get the Eclat suspension out of the way. But once they got into the playoffs this team was healthy and ready to go. I was talking to Maurice the other day and he said yeah a lot of stuff. We were playing on three quarters of a tank all year. There were some great games in there but to play that, he wanted the full tank of gas once the playoffs got there. He knows how important it is to be healthy. And so from that standpoint, now you can see what we did really special in the playoffs last year.

We took away the star players. And you can see what we did against Kuturov. Kuturov had some assists, but was pretty much a non-factor. Same thing could be said about Braden Point. He had a couple of moments, not much. Jake Gensel was the best player as far as the big guns go on Tampa Bay. And it was a close series but to yeah to do what they did I was kind of surprised but you look back and when this team is healthy and what they can do with the time and space and the defensive structure if they score even a little

Bit if I go back to the regular season, I believe they are 44 Five and one when they score three plus goals. So if they get to that three goal barrier with their defense They're pretty tough to beat Well, we'll see what comes of it Monday. Maybe Tuesday night Leafs Panthers. He is Bill Lindsey analyst for the Florida Panthers. Thank you for doing this bill. We'll chat again soon No problem. Thank you very much guys So that last messaging is one that you need Matthews and Marner and Nylander to listen to carefully that they just they completely Smothered Kucherov and point and they want to eliminate you. Yeah, they're going to eliminate you and they'll do that That's exactly what they did against Tampa and another point that I picked up from that conversation

That must make the detroits of the world in Buffalo's cringe That some of these teams were like we're three-quarters of a tank. Let's just like get in right Do you know what I mean? I don't know they would they're like, whatever We'll just get there with a hundred points Yeah, we got half a tank, but we're good enough to get in and then we'll fill out the tank Do you know what I mean? I don't know. They would. They're like, whatever. We'll just get there with a hundred points. We got half a tank, but we're good enough to get in and then we'll fill out the tank. It's like the other GMs must be just throwing up hearing that.

You're right. Because there were a number of teams that did that. Like, yeah, just don't play that guy. Who cares about this guy? I'm not playing 15 minutes tonight. That is scary stuff. If you're a GM that just was like terrible team where like good teams are throwing half a tank at it and saying don't worry about it.

Yep. Any of that much confidence and Florida did it during the second round Edmonton did it during the second round. Yeah. It's tough to hear that. There's no question including other teams even wild card teams like Montreal and Ottawa. It's like you got to you got to go back to the start now and fight and make sure you get there. We'll discuss that into the next hour. Uh, T up game six tonight,

blues jets as well. Continue to look back on the battle of Ontario. We'll get to deer haste to be coming up. Overdrive continues. TSN 10 50 and on the TSN app. Mail it in Friday was brought to you by Boston pizza, Canada's favorite sports bar. This playoff season, Boston Pizza is planning the parade. It has a new all-star playoff menu for you to enjoy. For pizza pints and puck drops, visit your local Boston Pizza today.

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