OverDrive - OverDrive - May 28, 2025 - Hour 1

Episode Date: May 28, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Jamie McLennan for Hour 1 on OverDrive! The guys discuss the Oilers' convincing series lead against the Stars, Zach Hyman's injury for Edmonton and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins' performance for the team. Former NHLer Raffi Torres joins to dive into his Stanley Cup Playoffs experience, the physicality on the ice and representing the Oilers in his career.

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and up on TSN tube, Ryan Haseo, Doug Jeff O'Neil, Jamie Noodles, McClennan. What's going on? What's going on? Boys, where's our man JP? Did he get kidnapped at a karaoke bar in Japan? I swear to God, Oat, I was just thinking the same thing. He's like, I'm going to Japan, how long are you going for? Six months? JP, are you? Let us know you're okay. So I have received intel on our boy JP, alright, and as someone that used to suffer from this in

the past, I know where JP's coming from. I believe he arrived home yesterday. Oh no, no, no, no, no, I know what you're gonna say dude he's back home but he doesn't feel like they're coming in. Needs one more day. He needs one more day. JP is on Canadian soil. He has made the flights over the Arctic I believe and landed yesterday. He's all good and he will return tomorrow. So our boy Cam is still running the whole operation. Cammy, great job, by the way. Cam's been doing a phenomenal job. Good stuff, yeah. And Doogie's back there running the show, as always. And Joe from the Bridge.

So everything's covered, but our man JP will return tomorrow. And I need some details on what JP was up to in Japan. I need to know. I want, first half hour is JP in Japan. Yes. And if he just said said cuz he's like a He does video games like that's his deal if you read over there the Gretzky of video games Yeah, if he went over there and played video games the whole time. I'll be pissed. I want some juicy stuff karaoke late night 4 a.m. Yeah, yes

Thing is though he's kind of dead to me because I reached out to him like I text him Feathers he sent you a picture Oh, and he's been in contact with you. Has he not his no not with me I'm getting this second hand right like he's going through doogie. I'm in a very similar position. You are noodles I have not I heard anything from our boy JP remember like we were reaching out Leo I thought we all reached out that one day so I send him a note to see if he would write me back feathers feathers that's disappointing that's very disappointing well we'll get to the bottom of that tomorrow JP we believe will return and I remember those days after big trips and you know running wild for a couple of weeks you're like maybe I need one more

day is it soft sure I'll admit i was soft back in the day but uh... j p will return tomorrow and uh... there was a lot of reaction from our show yesterday i was uh... drop my kids off at school today and i've multiple parents just point at me and say i love your action on the snacks i love where you're coming from i love everything about it so get a lot of support in my neck of the woods. Really? Support? Did the Karen? I haven't

heard anything yet. I'll let you know next week. All right. I'll let you know next week. Big trouble. But a lot of positive reinforcement this morning, you know, at the drop off zones all over the school. So that was very promising. And you know, a lot of buzz about what's going on in sports. And last night, we talked a lot about that Euler game I thought Dallas would find a way to win that game it was a close game I mean obviously an empty netters in the end. They came to play they showed up to play and then it just yeah they had 22 high danger chances it's not like they you know mailed it in like I thought Skinner was really good again which is a really nice story from where he was five

weeks ago. I thought the Oilers got some opportunistic scoring. Obviously, a massive blow for them with the Zach Hyman injury because that's a big blow. He's a big part of that team. But they found a way to get it done and and i said it yesterday the longer you play the more you know opportunity there is for guys to get hurt and when you're playing for keeps and

and it's not just sack hyman i mean you know it was root bay hands which uh... evan bush are j i told you somebody was going to go after that was not subtle at all I got like how did I get a two-minute minor? That should have been a penalty and a miss almost a misconduct You can't consider injury when you do that if you're a ref you can't write you can't act as if you know It's almost like you know evidence that they can't be submitted But that's a guy Bouchard that is not a greasy player

But that's a guy Bouchard that is not a greasy player. You need to tell that. You better watch it. I don't know what Rupay Hintz's temperament is, and I wasn't Ty Domey by any stretch. But if somebody pulled that stunt, because it's amazing how in the hockey world where ... It's like Prongs. Prongs was a great player, but man, he started getting a ton of street cred and respect when he started breaking his stick over a guy's shoulders, over their backs, getting spearing penalties and everyone was like, that guy's a competitor.

So it's interesting, so people when in hockey would look at Bouchard and they'll say, that guy's a competitor, he gets it, he wants to chop a guy's foot off when he's already got a broken foot. But I don't know what Hintz's mentality is, but if it's 5-1 Oilers tomorrow night, I'm looking to inflict some pain. And beyond that... Hey, it's in the game, it's part of playoffs or whatever, but if you pull that stunt and

it's part of the game and it's gamesmanship or whatever, but I'm going, I'm looking for him and I'm going to try to hurt him real bad. You're right. Jamie Ben got him. Like, Jamie Ben hit him from behind pretty hard and like Bouchard's face went into the glass and Bouchard was yelling at the ref and I kept thinking like, you know, hey, you're out there playing for keep, so is he. I mean, he saw you chop their number one centerman. So, you know, that's, that is the beauty of the playoffs. I know that's

the greasy part. You don't like it, but you know, in the end, both these teams are trying to get through. You're in the final four four you can see the Stanley Cup finals and you're going to do whatever it takes to get there. It's unfortunate. I don't think it was a dirty hit by Marchman. He just tried to get a piece of Zach Hyman. He was trying to get him for sure and it was an awkward play because he was coming from a blind side and you know it was obviously we know the news is it was a wrist and He broke his wrist and he had surgery today and he's done and you could tell when he was walking up when he's getting off The ice you could tell he was in serious Trouble. Yeah, like I figured it was a shoulder or something. But obviously if it wasn't it was his wrist

But that's a scenario where Marchman is looking at a guy that is an important player and can get a lick on him and he got him. And that's the nature of the playoffs is now Hyman's out Brown's out. We don't know if and when Connor Brown will return. But what happens? There's Casperi Kapanen stepping up and scoring. You know, the empty netter last night, he's out there playing and like all three of those guys were on the Marlies together a decade ago.

Dude I don't think it's gonna, everyone's like this could be catastrophic if A the Oilers get to the finals which seems like it's going to happen and B if they face the Florida Pan, I don't think it's gonna affect them man. That high and south? I don't, I don't think. It's got to be some extent wouldn't you think? It is a big, it's a big loss though. Good player. Go ahead, I get it. I just think that guys like Corey Perry and Evander Kane, I just think they've got a mentality where we're just not stopping this year.

And if it's gotta be Casperi Kapanen or Jeff Skinner's gotta come off the, like, off the sidelines and step in there and play, I don't know, they just have a mentality which is an interesting concept of we're just not gonna be denied. And I don't know, they just have a mentality which is an interesting concept of we're just not going to be denied. And I don't know, that's just the feel I get for those guys. I get it. It's next man up and they do have some depth and some guys who are veteran guys.

Jamie, you brought it up the last game. Leon Drysidles playing with Evgeny Podkolzins and who's the other guy? It was Kapanen. Kapanen, yeah. That's who Drysididel goes out there and plays with a lot of shifts. They don't care. But you're right. But that being said, it's not like, you know, if they make it through and face Florida, it's not like Florida's rolling in there 100% healthy either.

Like this is the, you know, this is the battle. These guys have had long seasons. They went long seasons last year. Like there injuries guys are fighting through stuff like Sam Reinhardt I don't know. I didn't see is he a good player tonight? Yeah, they think maybe all of them are gonna return So right it may have been a load management for game four and now right Panthers are like, all right Everyone can play your plan Let's close the door here and end it because I'm sure if you're in, Florida You're looking at the other conference thinking well Edmonton may be done tomorrow night You know like it we could have both of these series finished in the next 24 to 48 hours

And then we got to wait until I believe next Saturday before the cup final are they going to adjust that apparently again? I you know not verified or whatever, but you know what you're talking to people, what you hear is potentially, if both of them finish in five or even by the Saturday, like it might be next Wednesday that they would start, but if not, then yes, it would be Saturday that they would start. That makes sense also because of what's happening in the NBA. It's unfortunate, but the conference finals have been a dud like on both sides the NBA and the NHL

They're all for a series or three one. Well, what is the NBA gonna think we maybe we can ask Ernie our guy Yeah, Ernie Johnson will join us later this afternoon. What is him and his buddies on the panel gonna think of an OKC? Indie matchup. Yeah, that's testing Indy matchup. Yeah, that's testing the patience of dude. They get their own gonna they got jerseys over I understand there of course they do a Listen, let's be clear here. If you're ESPN at TNT, you don't love Florida Edmonton either Like yes, you got McDavid and you know, Kachuk has become a big name, but that's not New York LA It's not Boston Chicago Cup final. It's not exactly that's not New York, LA. That's not Boston, Chicago Cup final. It's not exactly a fantasy land for TV people.

No. Like this in all seriousness with all due respect, and you know I love all markets equally and I always respect all of them. Dude. Indiana, Oklahoma City, Florida, Edmonton is a four pack that is, want to talk underpant cams there are TV execs saying what are we gonna do for the next I'm gonna have a TV exec email me asking for my triple stacks when the ratings come out yes because it's it's you know no New York no LA like major markets just they're not going to be

represented and that's just the nature of the beast and that's the beauty of sports is you get to go out and play's just the nature of the beast and that's the beauty of sports is you get to go out and play and there's parody in all leagues and You know you look at the NBA there's star power Tyrese Albert is unbelievable. Shea Gilder's Alexander might be the face of the league He's going to his first finals. I believe that'll happen as of tonight in the NHL. It's McDavid and dry Cytl Going back and chasing their dream again after they were heartbroken last year like that from a star power standpoint man there's a lot

possible story lines and marquee moments and things you can pop up but if you're talking about the markets you know it's it's obviously gonna be a little bit different than usual but nhl haze at the edmonton oilers like let's just say they both punch their ticket, Florida Panthers, Edmonton Oilers, who would you give the edge to if the series was starting Friday night? That's a great question.

It's kind of a pick-em, isn't it? Yeah, I think it might be a real close to a pick-em. Look that up, dude. You asked Vl how they would they would cap that what would have the edge to floor? Well Edmonton has the home ice but wouldn't you give the edge to Florida cuz they did it like they they you know They've been I don't know. I got this one at Edmonton team, man I don't know their Dallas lane a little skinner's been great Yeah Skinner's been great against down is a wild card and he would affect your ability to handicap the series because can he be the guy that's unstoppable

Or is he gonna morph into the guy that doesn't wear his equipment out there? That is a concern it is One or the other but he's on a positive role right now Oh guy was making stops last night. That was like crazy like yeah yeah you know paddle saves and you're like what is happening around you? That Edmonton team they went from a team and everyone was critical after the deadline and after the the beginning of the season that they lost some speed with the young guys that went out the door and they didn't replace it. How fast do they look right now the whole team and

shout out to Stan Bowman and shout out to Darnell Nurse playing pretty damn good hockey. Yeah Nurse it's very quiet're right. This time last year was very loud. Quiet Darnell Nurse is the best Darnell Nurse. He looks pretty damn good out there. He deserves some love. Looks really good. They all do, but you know how many times we've talked about Evan Bouchard, you know, when he's noisy. And you know some of these players when they're noisy, it's not the best scenario. When we're talking about a noisy Darnell Nurse, it's not the best scenario. When we're talking about a noisy darned-out nurse, that's not good. That means that he's making mistakes and you notice him. But when

he's quiet, it's like, God, that guy is a beast. He's 6'4", 225 and heavy and got a mean streak and playing smart and safe. It was brought to my attention. It's funny. I thought about it. That destabilized when Klingberg came back in. Yeah, and Wallman's, I've been impressed with him too. Wallman's been very good. Wallman's been really good. He's a big guy who can skate.

But I watched a Jeff Jackson interview yesterday and I thought he was interesting because he was asked, you know, what moves are you most proud of, that type of stuff. And he said, you know, Stan Bowman was very bullish on getting a puck moving defenseman at the deadline as opposed to a stabilizing stay at home guy. You know, for darn now, Nurse. You know, if Nurse could be the guy who jumps up, then you need a stabilizer. Jacob True, remember I was banging the Jacob True-Badrum, you know, you need a stabilizing guy.

They went the other way and he said, Bowman's thought process know, you need a stabilizing guy. They went the other way and he said Bowman's thought process was you need to exit the zone. You need to move the puck. You need to get it out. And that's what they've been able to do is exit their zone pretty efficiently. Listen, Dallas had 39 shot attempts in the first period last night. Like it's not like it's been a game of perfect. You know, they have 15 missed nets. So you know Dallas needs to find their game but Ebbinton has done a pretty darn good job of getting out of

the zone and being efficient. Yeah and a psychological move that I would make as a head coach. Guys pissed off or disappointed that Hyman out but echoing back in and kind of cancel it out. Guys would be jacked up to see him having him back in the lineup so they're not gonna now i'm at we are to me i was just going that is a kind of maybe level things out where it's like no hymen that's fine but we're getting this guy back so don't don't can be down or i i don't think they would be but just to kind of level things out and be up be you get one of the best effect that would be your best defenseman back yeah yeah and i think that would factor into the odds right like vandals got the

hypothetical Stanley Cup final Panthers minus 115 Oilers minus 104 so Panthers a slight favorite but you're paying juice on either bet in other words it's it's effectively a pick them and like I think missing out on Hyman you know he's been so good he's been so low he's been so physical man I think it out on Hyman, you know, he's been so good. He's been so low. He's been so physical, man. I think it, yeah, I fear that that's a big blow for the next round. Like I think they're in the driver's seat here against Dallas, but you look at Florida

and the way they're gonna play and they're gonna play physically and their defense, you know, we saw it with the Leafs, we saw it with Tampa. It's like, you gotta try to get in and you gotta try to hit them. Like you got it before they move that puck, before they get out out because they're gonna do that. They're gonna hold the line They're gonna force you to do stuff and Hyman has been capable of breaking loose in terms of breakaways in terms of scoring goals physicality guys on Dallas

We're trying to hold the line against these guys the whole series and they're just not doing it. They're not but I agree It's a massive loss But I just think the way that those guys are possessed in the way they're playing they're just like straight ahead fellas Yeah, that would be my mighty impressive and I'm not doubting that I'm not sitting here saying I I can't see that I mean there look at the way Edmonton's playing at home like at home. They are they are Playing as well as anyone I can recall the play basically unbeatable right now effectively unbeatable and they score a ton of goals and again it hasn't always been the mcdavid and dry cell show and that's what's impressive and i think it was dry set off to the game san nugent

hopkins been their best player i think i would argue that he probably has been the most consistent player their last five to seven games like he's been really good he's been really good. He's helped stabilize their power play. Obviously he's a, you know, he's a smart player. The one thing, and I can't take credit for it. Struddy always says that,

Newton Hopkins never plays at full speed. He plays in fourth gear. Like he's kind of a methodical player, a lot like Sam Reinhardt. That's when I look at it, both of them are really smart players. They don't overwhelm you with anything other than, all of a sudden, they're just at the right spot

at the right time and they make the right play. They're just really smart, smart, good hockey players. And they need that. And obviously, with Hyman being injured, I agree. I think Hyman is an engine. And you're not gonna replace him. What you need to do is throw a different attack at it. Maybe Kaepernick gets a little bit extra ice time or guys like that.

Arvidsson came in and looked pretty decent last night. But I think the one thing that is lost in all this is Noblock said last night after the game, he goes, we were down 11 forwards and Dry Settle just played over 11 minutes after two periods. So he goes, I went to him and saying, I'm going to double shift you here in the third period and Dry Settle can handle it, right? Big strong guy. Yep.

So it's, I think if anything, Oh, I'll come back to your point. I think they go 11-7 and you find an extra shift or two for the big boys and just keep cycling through, right? That's a good point. And that is a daunting task for the opponent You know if and when they have to stop those guys that extra two or three shifts, you know, right David and dry subtle That's what's amazing is that they have played so much hockey and this year McDavid was at the Four Nations And he's had injuries that have popped up and they do not look like they're running out of gas

You know like they've run into some injuries, but they, the team in general looks like it's peaking, which is a perfect time to do that. And I hate to do this Hayes, but like I have to bring it up again. That's what blew my mind. A team that's been like the going back to the Leafs Florida series, the team that's been in the finals two years in a row. Wouldn't you think that, you know, that... Looked fresher.

How did they look more fresh? How did they have more energy? That blew my mind. You're not alone, man. Everyone had the same... We're all mind blown. Everyone's trying to figure it out. And I would assume, you know, Brad Trillivant,

his mind was blown and he'll speak tomorrow morning. And I guess we'll see what he has to say I mean, it's interesting that he hasn't spoken yet. We're almost two weeks removed from game seven But we're gonna hear from tree living tomorrow morning and maybe he can give you an answer on on why it happened How it happened what he's gonna do about it, but you're right And I guess it's it's just a testament to how good these teams are, you know The leadership the way they're built the way that they perform And there's belief in the room. It's a big part of it too, right?

Like you can see it in Edmonton and Florida They just believe they're gonna win and that's the beauty of if they meet again in the cup final like these worlds are colliding there these juggernauts just continue to build as the Stanley Cup playoffs continue and are colliding there these juggernauts just continue to build as the Stanley Cup playoffs continue and I'm looking forward to seeing it, you know, it's a replay what we saw with Detroit and Pittsburgh back in 08 no 9 You know, and if you're an Edmonton fan, you're hoping it plays out the same way Detroit won in 08 Pittsburgh wanted no night Right if you're Edmonton, you're like, all right, let's get back there and let's get after them And I'm curious how they would feel them that they're not gonna say anything publicly but privately like do they feel like they want redemption on Florida or would they

prefer to play someone else you know if it's role play level of concern before we actually get to it at 430 if you're the Edmonton Oilers what's your level of concern you're playing Florida again probably don't pretty high I would yeah like, oh, those are the guys that beat us in game seven. But is that inspiring? That's what I'm asking. Is there an element of, okay, we want those guys. Bring it and we're going to punish them. People talk about momentum in playoff series as they're going on.

Is there any momentum, like a rematch in the finals saying you guys barely squeaked it out we almost came back and got you now we're going to dummy you? Is that a possible momentum thing? I don't know. I would say that would be highly unlikely to kind of recapture that and say you just got by in game seven. You just got by. I think too knowing McDavid and Dry Cyt will like we all talk about and we saw behind the scenes in that special him

You know freaking out and telling his team to wake up all of that type of stuff Those guys want like I don't think they're afraid of anything like I think they want Like whatever is the the biggest challenge or like bring it on like that's I don't think they're going okay. Let's look at Carolina Yes, we'd match up better against them you know they don't have it they're like yeah if it's Florida so be it like bring it on like I feel like those guys you know me as an athlete I played with fear a lot because you you knew I knew I was going up against guys who were better players than me a lot of nights most nights and you played with that fear I don't think

they play with fear I think they play play with like, you go deal with me with what I'm gonna bring. And I get that sense from top players, regardless whether it's McDavid, Dreissel, Tom Brady, you name it, guys like that are like, yeah. I don't care. That's the beauty of being a beast, right? That's the beauty of being a winner

is that you have faith that you can do it and you can't control it. It's also about not, you can control it. So it doesn't matter, you know Yeah, you always hear that from CEOs and everything like don't waste time and energy on something that's out of your control Right. Well who you're gonna play is out of your control. What you can do is take care of business Someone drove from the bridge sent this in Jason Greger. I guess tweeted this out a couple days ago from the bridge sent this in Jason Greger I guess tweeted this out a couple days ago twice in 45 years teams met back-to-back for the Stanley Cup final the first one was 83 84 where the Oilers lost to the Islanders in 83 and then the Oilers beat

the Islanders in 84 then 08 09 with Pittsburgh and Detroit and it could happen again man if you're like if you're from Edmonton and born in like 1963 what a life as a fan what a life you got to see Gretzky and McDavid Forget those two Messier and dry side. Oh, yeah Like you just you you you went from Mario to Jagger to Malkin in Crosby. It's like Yeah, other teams get great combos like that as we know, but you know what hasn't come along with it the other part Yeah, that those two are exclusive though. I can't think like the Habs I'm sure could you could talk to you know, much your Canadian fan that might say well

We went from Richard to you know, Bellellovo and Le Fleur but that's where But now like the last 40 years man If you're in Edmonton or Pittsburgh like those are the two fan bases that have just been able to watch Magicians play for their team. I told you guys like as a kid like I I wasn't I'm not lying I wasn't an Euler fan, but I was a grant fear fan and and an Eddie Mio fan and that but like there was times I'm embarrassed to say this I told you I loved Eddie I love Eddie love but but but there was a time where I didn't go to a Stanley Cup parade because I was like I'll just go next year like that's how I was an idiot you know what I mean

like I as a kid like I was one of those Boston kids. Yeah, I was like, I'm too busy or whatever like, but it wasn't, I only went because my body's like it was something to do. It's like, okay, hey, let's go watch the parade or whatever my parents were taking us or that type of stuff. But that's that that is kind of how this how spoiled some of those fan bases were. You just mentioned it, the Boston fan who had the Patriots and the Bruins and the Red Sox. The Boston run was totally different than anything else because it was 20 years of like

Brady winning Super Bowls, them coming back from down 0-3 to the Yankees and 0-4 to win the World Series finally after they hadn't won in like 86 years or whatever it was. And then the Celtics won the Bruins won you know it like that that run is just crazy what Boston had for 20 years but and again Edmonton hasn't won yet so it could be that much more painful if they get back there and they don't find a way to beat Florida I mean that that's also possibly on the line all right Struddy's coming up today gotta have Struddy after a win that's also possibly on the line uh... by strides coming up today got have strudy after a win that's our new policy only positive thoughts with

jason strudwick so strudy or join us after five year roleplay level of concern our boy rafi torres is coming up today raffle join us he was on that that that team that went to the cup final in oh six they love him in edmonton uh... as they should so raf's coming up on plan in the cup final, playing in that market, what he's seen out of this series, how tough and kind of, we always talk about it, playing for keeps. The Stanley Cup playoffs have looked, Raph certainly met that description.

He played for keeps. So Raph is coming up this hour. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and up on YouTube Live. All right, Overdrive continues powered by FanDuel, bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score. We'll get to our best bets later this afternoon.

As we do every show now, we're streaming on the TSN YouTube page, YouTube Live. We're up on TSN 2. Got Jason Strudwick coming up in just over half an hour. Roleplay level of concern in an hour. JD tweeting in saying, I'm just listening to you guys i was born in nineteen sixty one in edmonton

sogratsky now it's mcday now just get a good people writing me colloding about how great it's been to be an oiler fan for the last forty or fifty years but uh... it is incredible it is incredible that there are there a game away from going back to the cup final and So is Florida and Florida can punch that ticket tonight. That's a run guys like that's that that like if you talk about continuing and This is the last time I'm gonna say it you bring it back to Toronto. It's like you put these guys together

you're gonna go on a bunch of runs whether it's conference finals just finals and then That that's not a run like like what they've been doing here. Going to back-to-back finals, like that's a good... So tough. Think of the home games. Like if you go to all the home games, how much fun would that be in a two-year span, all those home games?

I was... Incredible. I was at the finals last year in the building, and my buddies actually sat right next to Rafi, and they got a picture with him. And like, he's a god there. And honestly, the build... And my buddies actually sat right next to Raffy and they got a picture with him and and like keys of God there and I feel there a few times. I think last year the building the roof was coming off Like I'm not lying. It was insane how loud that building gets like it's just you know

You get that like I mentioned before the heroin beer into everybody like they're all oiled up It is just people are rocking and they have a great time with those games man like when captain score last night that place exploded I know like when he made it 3-1 and the game was over it was party time and yeah you're mentioning the guy again was in the cup final with Edmonton back in 06 also a Thornhill Rattlers alum oh you're a rattler alum aren't you don't you have your number retired or something by the Rattlers? How about you Raph? Do you have your number retired by the Rattlers or what? Let's just say I was on the team. That's about it. Okay. Great catching up with you buddy. We were just talking about last year obviously when you were out there

and being in the building they put you up on the big screen and it was a big pop you know you've played in a cup final there you've witnessed games there what's put it into perspective what is that building like during the cup final i always use the word uh let's refine um you know listen to the rock the other day and he's talking about the pins and needles shooting down your spine. It's a perfect way to put it. Jumping onto the ice, I think it was, who was it? The Rock would go, then I think it was Rollison, I think it was the third one out, just for

that skate before the anthems. Man, I can't. I just get chills just thinking about it. You know, like always chasing that feeling. And I'm like, you know, I go to rinks here and there and listen to the crowd and stuff. I'm like, yeah, this is okay, this is okay, this game's okay, whatever. But in Edmonton, not just because I'm being biased or what not, but it is just a different sound. It just pumps right through your brain and just a great feeling. I definitely miss those times. Raffy, I know the game has changed, but you were a physical guy and certainly were not

shy to impose your physical will on opponents. You look at the game now, is it as physical, is it a little bit different? How would you approach your game in today's game? Would you have to dial it down a little bit or would you still be able to line somebody up and go right through them? Well, if I wanted to play consistent games, I definitely would have to slow it down a little bit. I'm going into contact right now with my little guys and it's first year contact and you know the word through the room is like hey listen if you go out there looking for it you know then it's you know that's kind of when I got in trouble you know just kind of not recognizing you know

when and not when and not to go and all that kind of stuff but if you just play the game hard and you know feet moving and my big thing was getting in on the forecheck. I loved getting in on the forecheck and stealing a puck from a dump and winning that 50-50 battle, get it back to the D, get to the net, and then another area to mix it up and just bounce in those greasy ones. But you just got to be careful out there. The game's so fast right now, I'm not saying it wasn't fast back then,

but you know, you could wait, you know, there's a couple of late seconds, there's a couple of late, that's obviously every one of my hits back in the day is probably expendable today. But you know, it was just a different era back then. You know, guys knew it was coming, and you know, you give away what you take, right?

So I think it would be a little tough for me to play in this era for sure. Ralph, you're not doing demonstrations with the kids, are you, for body checking? That's it, bud. I had a kid years ago, you know, I was like, you know, he just went, it's not even contact, he just goes and lays the kit out and I'm just like, hey man, like you can't do that, what are you doing? And he's like, well you used to do it, you know, like I got a nine year old kid telling me that, I'm just like, Jesus, yeah, you're right, what did I say, right? Like, probably one, probably two, probably three, I'll be done coaching in a couple of

years, but, you know, listen, it is what it is, you know, what can you do? That's it man, and it's funny. We're chatting with Raffy Torres I was I was chatting with a mutual friend of ours this morning actually who was out kind of helping coaching a junior rookie camp Recently and he said there were huge hits in a bunch of fights and he said his interpretation was like It's kind of swinging back where you look at Florida you look at guys on Edmonton like Physicality and being tough and being a gamer and like you said getting in there and being willing to hit and battle Like that's still the sport. Yes, it's skill You got a score you got a you know special teams and all that kind of stuff

But like I guess you can speak to a raft like put us on the ice in a cup final Like how intense it is and and how every guy out there I'm sure, is willing to do literally anything they have to to win. I think that's what kind of made us pretty special. You know, the eight seed going up against three of the top teams in our conference in the 06 run there. You know what? It was just something that you didn't want to come back to the bench failing out on a hit, failing out on blocking a shot. These are just non-negotiables, right? These are plays that need to be done in order to reach the all-seeing goal. Florida has shown that in the last couple of years. I love Florida's game. It's an old school type game.

Obviously a lot more skilled than how we were in 06, but a lot of resemblances in terms of gritty, nastiness. If you watch Florida, you guys obviously do, but these guys, every guy finishes hit. It doesn't have to be laying guys out, but it's letting guys know that you're there and earning every inch on the ice. I think it's just great. It's nice to see Edmonton kind of, you know, take a page out of that. And, you know, like, I'm really hoping

for Edmonton, you know, sort of, a file here. I think it'll be a good, great, another great, you know, series. And, you know, I think Edmonton has got the depth now. So it's kind of exciting to see what happens. Raffrey, you saw the injury to Roupe Hintz and last night Evan Bouchard goes and gives him a tap on the laces there. I mean, I almost feel like that's the reason why the league is always just labeled an upper body, lower body so that guys didn't target. But you know, if you were back in the day, is it more about maybe not being as obvious as Bouchard was?

But I think guys would target any type of deficiency an opponent had? You never want to go say, hey, listen, I'm going to go and try to get this guy. I know where he's hurt, whatever. But it's just a matter of something's wrong with the guy. He's probably not feeling his best. Sure, if I get a chance to get a lick on him, I'm gonna lick it up, right? So good for Bush, you know?

Like, hey, he's letting the noise there. And I think that's how everything has to play with that chip on your shoulder and kind of like, you know what, we got, we didn't work out last year, but it's been a year and we're a different team now. And you know, we're, different team now and you know we're you guys you guys are gonna be up against something big here. With Rafi Torres so Raf you were in the

cup final in 06 with the Oilers and in 2011 with Vancouver and you know if Edmonton gets to their second cup final here I'm sure a big storyline will be you know what you learned from your previous experience what the Oilers can take from last year and apply it to this year I'm curious, you know how you handled that, you know when you went there in 06 and then what five years later you're there I'll be with a different team But could you could you lean on your past experience in the cup final or is it a completely fresh start and a completely different experience? well, it definitely you know the experience that we hope uh... you know the

uh... being seven before uh... carolina in carolina i might have thought you know forty five minutes if i even thought that uh... before i came just just so nervous and you know this is the ultimate page and uh... chance uh... the little your childhood dream you know if you know what that that kind of a group which was a bunch of obviously really special in that dressing room there. Yeah, experience I think is huge, right? You know, it's, you know, against Boston there, you know, you know, I maybe got two hours of sleep in that 14, right? So a little bit, you know, a little bit more eased into it and

had a pretty good game in game, you good game in game 7 for man and a really good game in game 7 with that potential. I don't know, I think the experience is massive and what better avenue for the Oilers to seek it out now. Absolutely. Yeah. And I mean, you obviously were a player, but you're a fan now. You were out there last year. You know, we, we ask everyone that gratuitous McDade, McDavid question, but as a former player yourself, like, what do you make of this guy? How good he is, how fast he is? Um, what's, what's your read on watching Connor McDavid every night? I think, uh, while I watch Connor McDavid, I'm watching in my eyes the best hockey player ever to play the game. What he does at that speed, if you don't play hockey and you've never played a game, you have no idea what he's doing out there, high, high speed. Just the game, like, you know, I didn't ever look down the ice with Kretzky or whatnot, but it just seems like whenever he's got the puck, it's like, all right,

now it's his time, right? This is hockey his way, right? Like as we're, you know, him and Kretzky is just a different just a different animal when it comes to what these guys do or what makes them so special. It's, you know, it's like, oh oh, late, some of the stuff he does out there just drives me crazy how good he is, right? It's like, where does this come from?

What's he doing? Is he doing this? Is he getting better in the gym? What's making this guy so good? Is it God-given talent? Whatever it is, man, it's nice to watch and it's great that he's an oiler and a Canadian kid because we're going to be talking about him for a lot of years when he's done.

Absolutely, we will. Well, they're a game away from getting back to a cup final. Do you have any plans once they get there, if they get there, to head back out? What's your story the next few weeks, Raph? Yeah, well, I've got the call to go back and this is what experienced us. I'm like, hey, they're going to wait to go back and uh... would expect but the unlike a lot of a lot of a lot of a little i'll see what happens then you know they're going to make it to the final quite a bit of a part of the possible

you know from my i know i'm a little bit of a little bit i mean and a lot of my is a solid at the you know they reach out the fly out to bring your family to put shop at five only family it's like a back in the show for a couple of days. Now you get a little pop on the ice during an intermission stuff. That's, you know, it's just a special couple of days there. And listen, you know, I, you know, Edmonton is a really special place in my heart. You know, it's where I broke into the league and, you know, then, you know, I wish I

would have, you know, I say a lot of things league and you know, and you know, I wish I would've yeah I say a lot of things that you know getting traded at the pin was the best thing that ever happened to me But getting trade that I was probably the second best thing that happened You know, it's just like it's a good times right like a great great city. They love the boys and You know, it's it's a special place. I hope they can pull it together Absolutely. All right, pal. Well, we'll catch you soon. We always appreciate you doing this. Good luck heading out to Edmonton.

And let's get out and swing them soon. Thank you for doing this. All right, for sure. Thanks for having me, guys. Take it easy and have a great night. You got it. There's Rafi Tauros. See, I gotta wonder, they flew Rafi out.

I wonder if they give Struddy a bus ticket or something. Send a car for Strud, maybe. Yeah, no if they give strutty like a bus ticket or something like that car for strut, maybe Uber or like just literally like a bus, you know bus fare to write down to the rank like and you get invoice that Like you pay for it send us an email. We'll get it back to you What would the vibe be at coppin would if some like random guest Was trying to be a hot shot and hit one into rafi torres and buzzed his tower i think you want to be rude awakening effect and we'll back in the car and you saw him get out of the car

gotta be the most error on as man running into the woods for his life like you know run for it would be terrifying like raf's a man of the people out there he plays with everyone everyone loves raf and Like, Raph's a man of the people out there. He plays with everyone. Everyone loves Raph. But he's terrifying still. He's still a big dude. Yeah, he's just got a presence to him. Isn't he all tatted up and he's got the jacked arms?

He's got the tats. He's got everything cooking. You're right. If you snap hooked one and didn't yell four and you come around the corner and Rafi's standing beside your ball, that would be terrifying. Just drive. Yeah, just pack it in. Drive to your car.

That's what you have to do. You would just keep walking and say, I think some guy hit that, man. I'm actually going into the clubhouse. That wasn't me. I didn't want to bring it up, but next time you golf with him or whatever, ask him if he knows the Tyson Nash call on his hit. Like does he know that Nash took a lot of heat for him? Nash was saying on the broadcast it was cleanest hit he's ever seen.

The thing is, we reviewed it recently because I hadn't gone back and looked at it. It was a great hit. Like he's flying, but Hostes got his head down and because it was Raff, he was going to get hit. Scott Stevens threw that hit 45 times in his career. It was celebrated and the reaction was, well the players gotta figure it out. And I'm curious where the sport is going.

Again, I was talking to a buddy of mine today who does a lot of stuff with kids hockey and stuff and he was out helping a junior team. And he was taking it back as he hadn't he hadn't worked with like junior age players in a long time And he was a good player and he played pro but he was like man. There were some huge hits fights and That's a part of the intriguing element of the game. One of the many intriguing elements of the game is That there's always been an avenue to make it quote-unquote in the sport if you just play all out and you know yes you got to skate yes you got to be able to make plays but if you're tough if you hit if you're physical if you skate if you

fight if you battle if you grind if you're like if you have energy you're loved you can you can go a long way in the sport man and That's the truth that I think that Avenue's still there, you know, like that's a great hit on home So dude, like he we're watching it now raf like he comes back He's not looking at him and he comes flying through him like I don't know anyway I I what he did he get like 20 games. something like I still think that that's listen. He does Propel yeah, I guess there's up office feed a little bit that dude But like what is like the breakdown of that today like that's 40 games today. Well, I don't know

I don't know because it's like Raph was a marked man at that point He was a repeat offender to like yeah that was that was the thing Yeah if that was Zach Hyman throwing that hit or mason martin guys who haven't you know been suspended a few times and then on the results didn't do him any favorites like it when the guy gets carted off and it's like he doesn't come back like then you're doomed no matter what agreed you're right like that is you know injury i do believe factors in and you know, HOSA did get shoveled off the ice. It was awful.

Oh yeah, it was a big hit, man. I get it. I understand. I understand it was a big, big hit, but it was not like we've seen some hits nowadays that and obviously back in the day were like, wow. And it was a bit of a different reaction. Like even the hit was a Petrovic on Brown. He was flying in and came up and got him

and nothing nothing came out of that you know it's not planned so no and yet does it doesn't we're moving on here strides coming up is got his bus pass and everything right down the road to place for the cup final uh... roleplay level of concern in about forty five minutes overdrive continues tsn ten fifty and on tsn two Roleplay level of concern in about 45 minutes overdrive continues. TSN 1050N on TSN 2.

Alright, the RBC Canadian Open begins a week today. We are jacked. We're going to be out there next week. We cannot wait for it. We're going to get to our PGA picks a little bit later in the hour, but as we know next week the world's top golfers descend on TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley for the RBC Canadian Open. Here is your chance to win a pair of general admission any day tickets to the tournament. First caller through right now at 416-870-1050. 416-870-1050 will win the tickets and see all of the events of the course. Come for the golf but stay for the food, the drinks, and the party. General admission tickets include live

performances from Billy Talent and Sam Roberts band during the serious XM concert series on Friday and Saturday night plus catch first up golf talk Canada and overdrive broadcasting live on site Visit RBC Canadian open comm for tickets today so again, we're a week away from that and I guess a week tomorrow from from the opening round but we got the memorial tomorrow we're gonna get to some picks later this afternoon you see your boy Charlie Woods victorious yeah some tailor-made event down in the States with some great good on the kid there's awesome great amateurs there and

he was like a special invite he won the tournament that might like propel him into doing some good stuff dude he took one one swing and I know he's not gonna be his old man, but it's incredible. The body, like his body is almost exactly the same and the swing was just like, are you kidding me? It looks so dialed, man. Yeah, it looks really good and I guess Tiger told him to swing like McElroy like that's how much you know respect He's got from McElroy swing and I guess that's easier said than done But I've read that some people think that's kind of the way woods Charlie woods, you know drives the ball

Anyway, it's not doesn't bomb it like Rory, but he's got a Right there that looks like tiger that does not swing him. Everything looks like Tiger Woods. Yeah but he's not as skinny as Tiger was. Like when Tiger was a kid he was skinny man. Dude this guy looks like a beast man. The back on that kid, like he looks like, I don't know it's pretty exciting stuff man. Maybe that could kind of, because he had some kind of embarrassing showings at like you know qualifying stuff and it right mass but we're trying to get into like the u.s. open itself

that is difficult to do is still a young kid but yeah it does speak to the the power of like a tiger where his kid wins a an amateur tailor-made event and everyone in the golf world is buzzin like i can't believe this do you see Charlie one and who he'd be Anyway, they wouldn't get him up to the RBC Canadian Open at some point Yeah, I've got a celeb partner myself tomorrow. I'm my partner is of all the NHL alumni The sea flight champion from rattlesnake point Coco Cali Akka. Yes Carlo out there.

Okay, the Fulfa Busters. If he pulls out a fishing rod, I will. He will. Just drive away. No, he won't. He will. I hope he does. I want him to.

Jason Strudwick, roleplay level of concern coming up. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and on TSN 2. TSN Plus is taking on TSN 2. North by Northeast turns 30. And we're getting you in everywhere with an iHeartRadio experience. You can win executive passes with front of the line access to shows, parties, and performances across the city. Collead, The Beaches, Charlie Cardin, and more. With $500 spending cash to do it upright.

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