OverDrive - OverDrive - November 17, 2025 - Hour 2 - Luke Willson/Bruce Boudreau

Episode Date: November 17, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Jamie McLennan for Hour 2 on OverDrive! TSN NFL Analyst Luke Willson joins to discuss the headlines around Week 11 in the NFL and the Roughriders winning the Grey Cup. TSN Hockey Analyst Bruce Boudreau joins to discuss the Maple Leafs' cold skid, Craig Berube's mindset for the team and the Canadian playoff contenders in the league and Bryan gives his FanDuel Best Bets.

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Hour two overdrive continues, powered by Fanduil. Brian Hasey, O'Dock, Jeff O'Neill, Jamie Noodles and McClennan. We've got Bruce Boudreau coming up later in the hour on Craig Brube, I guess, lost it at practice today. How many times is that now? It's a lot of losing it. Yeah, there's a lot of discomfort, I think, with the coach here. And listen, the Leafs aren't alone.

You know, the halves of lost three in a row. They've got a lot of injury problems. You know, there's a lot going on in the league, a lot going on throughout the country right now. There's problems around any corner in the National Hockey League right now, and we talked about it. You're going to have your warts. It's diluted. It's a watered down league. It's like the ducks.

Everyone's talking about the ducks, seven in a row. They just dump three in a row. And it's like, there's a problem around every corner because everyone's got warts, man, and they show up, and you've got to get out of it somehow. It's Colorado and Dallas are the only teams that appear to be full-proof. and Dallas didn't have a good start. They've turned it around greatly, but they didn't have a good start. And Jersey's been good, but now Jack Hughes was some weird, that's a weird injury, man. They claimed it was...

Fell on a glass. Yeah, at a team party or something. Like, Keith was getting grilled about it, and Sheldon looked like he wasn't overly happy, but he said, listen, we've been given sufficient information to believe that this is the story. It sounded almost like a lawyer. and he's out for a long time. They would have sniffed around and said what the hell happened there. Right.

Like we're on a heater, lead the division. Our best player now who's had injuries throughout his career is going to suffer one at a party or whatever it is. Because his fingers cut. Surgery, too. Had to have surgery on it out eight weeks. That's deep. That shit is a very deep cut. Deep cut.

Very deep cut, which is what you and your parts you have been suffering from. I'm going to tell you, I just want to give a shout out to my partsy. Owen Wilson is trending in the right direction. They're back. And my partsy took on a new role this year doing the CFL. What a job he did. Brought the proper right attention to the CFL, he took it seriously, and I think he's established himself

as the top sports analyst in North America. If you smell what the... Owen Wilson is cooking. Wow, high praise. High praise for the partner. There's Craig Barreux. Rube for some reason. I had that salute up.

They went to Brubay. Partsie, I appreciate that. I appreciate that. I did grind a lot of CFL film this year. I put a lot of effort in parts, so I appreciate you saying that. I know. You could have just been like, I'm an NFL guy. I don't know.

Like, somebody just wanted me to do this. Because on Owen Wilson, we take things seriously, Parts, and I think he did, like, a very good job. Thank you. Thank you very much. You know, we don't rent cars here. We're authentic human beings. Hashtag, now we go. And we went.

We are going places. We don't rent cars and we don't rent crappy cars. And somebody came up with an alternative hashtag. And wow, what a mistake that was when he sent that one out. Because that was the kiss of death. Yes, it was. Yes, it was. It wasn't, now we go.

It was, you know what it was, Hayes. Yeah. And it was disgusting. And it turned on you. I saw that in the group chat. I'm like, woo. I sent one out after the Chief's pick that got you. I mean, let's call a spade of spade here.

The Broncos found a way to get you there. That's the only saving grace Al's brother and I had. I mean, Al's brother is killing me right now. This guy is not taking his job seriously. He's on a cruise. He's posting pictures, and he couldn't care less about the picks, and it's very concerning. It's sad that he's your little chew toy where you need that info where you're like, house brother

where are you yeah listen we we missed on a couple of picks that we should have you know in hindsight should have should have maybe known was going to go the other way

I mean listen we took the bucks and Josh Allen decided it's just not going to happen man like Josh Allen six total touchdowns

three in the air three on the ground as much as he had taken himself maybe out of the MVP chase the week before he just launched himself back into it

totally he was phenomenal on Sunday I'll say this guys I just want a quick story I got to spend the Grey Cup a lot of it with Zach Kallaros and he's obviously

a Winnipeg Blue Bombers guy Parts you want to know a level of commitment I'm watching the game we're crunch and film we're talking about the post game thing and every time Sass makes a play I'm like fist pumping I'm going nuts and he's like are you going for Sask

I'm like yeah you know I did want to Skatchewan to win so as it looks like they're going to win he's like what are you sweating now I'm like dude I'm not going for Sask I need SAS by 4. The cover. Like this is, no matter what happens today,

SAS by 2 is a loss right now. I needed this. So when that ball popped out, when Shea Patterson fumbled that ball in the three yard line, I was marching around screaming balls out, balls out. And my friend says, balls out. Bals out.

We were talking about that, though. It seems like the field, look how big this field is, and that's the play that they opt for. It's like, isn't the Tush push? kind of who wants to watch that that building's full and the push pushes were happening all over the place in both leagues parts in parts you just said it and I get you know we did I talked to Zach both on air and off air about this this to me is one of the worst parts of the CFL and I get why they do it I really do I understand you get the yard neutral zone it makes a lot of sense

it's a very high successful rate as you guys have told before we get all the some numpties probably listening this right now. Like, oh, Luke said there's a bad part about the CFL. Okay, I think the tush push is garbage as well. I don't enjoy watching that. But what's tough is like, again, you've got these end zones that are 20, soon to be 15, thank God. But you're on the three yard line. You have all these great players and we reduce the talent of the guys by being like,

you know what we're going to do? Bring up our, not even our second string, our third string quarterback to come in here and run a wedge play. It's just like very, from a product standpoint, from a viewership standpoint, it's just very anti-climactic. Like, you want to see your best players on the field there. And that's a lot of the CFL. So again, I'm not suggesting anything to Stewie Johnson.

And I think, do you want to talk about a guy that's a gangster? That guy had an unbelievable week. His press conferences, this whole thing, I'm like, this guy's on fire. But that's probably something down the road that they might end up looking at. And I don't know how you, because you got to keep the yard. neutral zone you can't you can't go away from that that's a part of canadian fabric in my opinion that's the thing yeah like stu can't really make any more yeah i don't think they'll make any more now but i do think there's probably a couple adjustments with stuff like that where you can probably

limit the amount of you know you don't want it didn't happen yesterday i thought yes it was a really entertaining game but i've been to a couple games with seven or eight of those things on both sides of the ball and you're like man but the irony is and i hear what you're saying it's not your best players with the with the ball in their hand but it actually did lead to the most explosive play of the game. The defining play of the game was the fumble and a goal line. Yeah. And you could tell he was uncomfortable holding the ball, man.

Like it just popped out on impact. Yeah. Like that's another thing. Like, I don't know. If you're Montreal, is there no other option that you know you have to secure the football there? If you don't get in, that's one thing. But you cannot fumble the ball.

Totally. And again, Hayes, like you get down to the three and it's second and two. from the three, and the thought process there offensively is QBC, QBC, QBC, get one yard, one yard, one yard. And you're in. Yeah, again, I thought there's a lot of really cool plays

in that game. One of the things I loved was Mueller, the offensive coordinator for Saskatchewan, when the tides were turning, he came out, and we first play of the drive, there were eight points up, and I'm like, wow, I'm like, Montreal's Mountain's comeback. I believe it was a 31-yard completion.

It might be 39. They either went to the, I believe they ended on the 39. It was a 31-yard completion to Sam Amulis. And, like, I thought that was just, you know, what do you guys say? The big balls open? Like, for an O.C. to come out here when it's like, yo, let's try and control the game a little bit. Like, they're coming back and being like, to take a shot like that on the first play,

I thought really changed the tide in that second half. So, like, there was a million really cool moments. But, like, again, the fumble, some of the quarterback sneaks. Just not for me, I guess. Partsie, we unfortunately, you mentioned the big balls open. What we refer to is the no balls open. No balls open. No, I apologize.

You got that one wrong. Yeah. Sorry about that. It's a complete opposite is usually what you referenced. No balls open. Trevor Harris, right call for MVP of that game? No. No? I would have won with Emmliss.

You know, he got most outstanding Canadian. Canadian, yeah. It's one of those, let me rephrase that. it's one of those like quarterback It's one of those quarterback Like sometimes when you're like Well I think the best player in the league

You know a couple of years goes Christian McCaffer or last year of Saquan But you give it to the quarterback I'm not trying to take anything away from Trevor Harris But some of the plays Emilis made Like in there a few early That I thought were massive

Where it's like second and six Or whatever it was And he catches a four yard pass Makes three guys miss And turns up and gets 15 yards of yak Like I thought he had a lot of like moments where he himself kind of put the team on his back

and really gave them a lot of momentum. But you can go either way, A or B. And usually the MVP, and his story's older. He's getting his first great cup and it's kind of wild. Hey, look at you, man. You're Mr. CFL. I'm Mr. Cicel, man. Look at this guy. Brian is.

Two days in the peg, and it's like I grew up in the prairies. Can I say, change stuff? That's what it was. I like that. I like that. I will say, I think the my most enjoyable part of I thought the Boston Pizza segment you guys did was electric. The whole atmosphere there was pretty cool. Yeah, they did a great job.

Parts, when you broke out the goalie's go-chant for the first time, I couldn't get over that. I was thinking about that all weekend. I thought it was absolutely electric. It was. And there was a lot of people, a lot more people than I thought bought into it. There was a lot of leaf fans in there at Boston Pizza. There were some anti-leaf fans in there, too.

There were some people that did not like that. I was with the brass after one of them. Did you buy a round for everybody to boo Duthie? Didn't buy anything, but they asked if they would. He did. The best part about it, though, Luke, is he told everybody he said, when Duffy walks in, just start booing. And then when Dutty walked in and they were booing, he was looking around going,

why are you guys booing him? What's going on? You can't give away all the secrets. Come on. We've got to go on the panel with that guy tomorrow. I was in the, you know, it was split. So after that happened, I was in the back, and I was talking. I was in a pretty good conversation.

So the next day, TSN Winnipeg, Danielle Bain was like, yo, were you there when Duffy got booed? And I'm like, what are you talking about? And they're like, apparently O'Dong put everyone up to it. And so I had to go back and watch it when Dutty sat down the entire restaurant. It was loud, dude. It was really off the top. It was a mistake.

It was a mistake. Yeah, there was no reason for him to expect it either. You were on fire in Winnipeg, Parks. It's my second home. We're moving to Winnipeg. We're a whole operation. We love the pet. Well, yeah, it was a great, great cup.

And, you know, I guess we transitioned into the off season. We'll see what comes of it. But now the NFL takes center stage. Yeah. We'll get to the Monday nighter here in a moment. But, you know, I guess we've got to ask you about the Chiefs. You know, that feels like, to me, the story of the weekend. There were a lot of stories.

Shadour Sanders was playing, you know, Josh Allen did what he did. I was watching the Rams Seahawks game. That was a great, gritty, like, hard-nosed football game, man. Those two teams are legit. Legit, legit. Very legit. And the only separator is Stafford Darnold, in my opinion. Like, that's the difference.

They're both stugs. We talked about it, you know, I believe on here. We're like, but to me right now, I, and I've said this, you guys, I think you guys are in agreement where I think the Rams are the best team in the NFL thus far. You know, I don't think that, I think they should be undefeated if it wasn't for the kicker. And for Seattle to go toe to toe and have Sam throw four turnovers,

like that was a statement by that defense because even though Stafford did get it done, he was contained. I mean, this guy, Stafford's been on fire before this game. So I think I'm not a big moral victory guy, but there's a lot of positives you can build on in Seattle. I agree, dude. Like what I was, you know, when you just see two, teams that are a well coach but be like they're tough yes like there there were a couple of loose

balls and guys were putting their lives on the line like that's when you can tell a team is connected and they've got the fight and both teams showed it yesterday like i was you're going to see some fireworks here i think they might somehow see each other in the playoffs as well and he's a great game i'll say this too uh i loved ernest jones interview afterwards i don't he did use some profanity so i'm not sure if do he's allowed to show this but You talk about culture. I know we talk about that a lot on the show for a starting linebacker to come in

and defend the quarterback so aggressively where he's, I believe his exact lines. I don't want to misquote the guy, but he said, I mean, if you got something to say about Sam, I mean,

either way it's blank you. You know, it was, to me, I heard that. I'm like, that's a good locker room guy right there. This locker room's pretty tight.

He doesn't want anybody pointing the finger at his quarterback. He brought up, you can't define Sam over this game out of all, you know, how well he's played this year. I, again, I was pretty impressed with both teams, and I thought Seattle made a statement through the real deal. Big time. Okay, as for Kansas City now, five and five.

Is this it? It's not it. I'll tell you this. Is the dynasty over? No, not yet. Do I feel good about Kansas City? No. Here's the thing.

The team I feel worse about it's the Chargers. I mean, the Chargers are banged up, and I think a little reality set in, taking an absolute thumping in Jacksonville, thumping. is a tough pill to swallow. So you're a game back. I think the Chargers are 7 and 4, so you're 5 and 5. Yep. But you're a game and a half back of the Chargers, you know,

and you're not going to catch Denver, in my opinion. But do I think they can still sneak into a wild card? Yes. And like, does anybody want to see Mahomes in the playoffs? No. Do I think that they're as good as they have been in the past? Also, no. so I was a bit shocked with the last couple weeks

but you look at their upcoming schedule here I do think that they're I just believe they're going to finagle their way in could be the seventh seed could be the sixth seed time will tell and then all of a sudden it's Andy Reid Steve Spagnolo, Mahomes in the playoffs

and I still think they're forced to be reckoned with like I don't think there's any team that's like circling them being like wow I'm really glad we get to play them in the playoffs well especially like listen Denver I believe it's not beating them twice. Sean Payton's done a remarkable job there because we've talked about Bonix and what is he,

what can he do? That defense is so good and, you know, they're nine and two, the pads are nine and two, the Colts are eight and two. It's this new blood at the top of the AFC, yet none of them, you don't have any winning pedigree. So, you know, again, if you're a team like Kansas City, maybe Baltimore, like Buffalo,

who you've either won of your Kansas City or you've had a lot of experience and a lot of scar tissue build up over the years if there was ever a year of just get in and screams that

I agree and like you say this we'll see how it all shakes out but somehow Kansas City gets into the seven seat like let me ask you this for seeing the future here it's wild card weekend

Kansas City is a seven seed and the Indianapolis Colts are the two seed and you've got the spread my friend you've taken Danny Jones over Patrick Mahomes? No, no chance. No chance. You know, you don't think Spags is going

to create some sort of turnover, and now of a sudden we're into the divisional round. Parts and hockey, the Florida Panthers did that exact same thing last year. They were limping down the stretch, and they just said, we got to get in. They did not have home ice in any series, and they won the Stanley Cup.

Yeah, so I'm not ready to write the team off. Again, they got to find a way in. The biggest thing for me now is getting in. And I would say the same thing, like, you go to New England and I think New England is unbelievable but I'm not sitting here going okay New England's a two seed

Ken City's a seven I'm not feeling great if I'm a Patriots fan Right No it's it's uh... The team that would scare me for them right now Is I do think Buffalo Buffalo at home Would get it in the playoffs

Buffalo on the road Yes Like that has been Look what we just saw And this is what's crazy It's like Like right now Based on the schedule haze

I think Buffalo is going to be on the road in the playoffs. Yeah, which they've got to figure that out. Like the run defense is pretty terrible right now. Yes. There's something about the offense on the road. Josh included, like that home field advantage. You put Josh Allen in Buffalo. He's the most unstoppable force in the game.

Yeah. He's a one-man show. That game he put on yesterday is absurd. Unreal. Absurd. That's, Kincaid was out. Coleman was out. Shakir did nothing.

Like, he didn't even factor in. Shakir. So you look at it. You're like, who did this guy use? And he used himself, basically. He just said, we're going to win. Who was late for the meeting? Coleman?

Yeah, Coleman was. Yeah. What's the deal with that? Like, would he have to be half an hour late? I've always wondered that when it's like a guy walks in four seconds after the meeting starts. It's like, you really want to miss a game for that? I know it's on time.

You've got to be on time, but I don't know. So to me, when I see that, there's been other issues here. Like, this isn't like one of those. things where, hey, this guy's been unbelievable, he's been really punctual, he's really doing everything we ask him, and then all of a sudden he's late and we bench him for a game. Like, okay, even that, it's like how late does play into it? You know, did something happen occur? Like, it's not like one of those things in most teams where, you know, hey, this guy was five minutes late. If he comes in as like something extremely reasonable happen, these guys are

human beings you know right um but i'll say this like it's really hard to be late for a team meeting like i'm not joking it's like what else you got it like what else you got going on we're not like any other sport where things are very very regimented you know i was talking about this the other day where on the road you know and again i know this was in the road but on the road we are pretty much locked in the hotel this is not we don't go on 14 day road trips if you fall like the year in Detroit Seattle was a little more liberal because we'd fly in a day early because it's the

West Coast stuff but in Detroit like if we're playing Chicago we are at our facility in the morning on Saturday fly to Chicago get there meetings might have about three hours ish off for dinner and then you're back all night for meetings

and there is a legitimate bed check which is a master key card slid in your room and a guy coming in with a flashlight to make sure you're in there and by the way the hotel doors are wired up and there's a cop sitting at the elevator there's no family members allowed on the floor zero no one's allowed on the floor

if you want to go meet your mom and dad you go meet them in the lobby so like that's and that's standard across the NFL so again the idea that like you'd be too jammed up to get to a team meeting on time and by the way we stay in a hotel for home games as well like every team it's not like you show up oh we're playing at home today I just get to go

no we are at the hotel look where do the tinder guys go where do the guys go like let's be honest yeah the guys go to you know like they don't they're not allowed people in their rooms they get another room with the hotel noodles so the team's on floor seven the alias room is on whatever random floor guy with a beard and a mustache going down to the second floor yeah yeah i'll tell you the funniest one and uh i kid you not i actually don't know who it was because the guy was on our team for like a week, but one off-season, in the off-season, in camp, the rookies would stay on the same floor

and like into the off-season, especially guys that are borderline cut guys, they'd put them all on the same floor, basically like, hey, don't get a place yet. We don't know if you're going to make the team, yada, yada, yada. So the one day, apparently, and they have webcams, like they have can't, not webcams, like cameras that check it, like security cameras.

So the one day, one of the guys didn't want to get a different, room in the same hotel so he dressed his girlfriend with whomever up and like he went to the equipment room and got like quad X clothes okay and like draped it on her and pretend so that she could pretend like she was on the team so apparently she had like the hoodie on okay and was like walking in with again i don't know how large or small she was but i guess she was swimming in this outfit like seahawks seehawks hoping the security guy to be like uh and then the next say they checked the camera and it was like who is this and the guy was like

yeah sorry so they caught him the next day what a great plan like James Bond yeah that was a lot of slid that one past us yeah it took them all of uh 12 hours to figure out something was a ride one look at the tape like that's not a football player who is that

well um listen house brother I don't know where he is I don't know what he's doing You guys are in sham. Let me ask you this, Hayes, as the games, first off, as the games are going on yesterday and we're just dummying you, we called the Madrid game. That was the hardest game of all time. And a disgusting football game, too. Disgusting.

Gross. If I'm Spanish, I am honestly sent- Appalled. All the heroes games have been garbage. Garbage. Yeah, they've been awful games. Don't come back. Okay.

Well, listen, tonight's the night where we got a turn of tide. You feeling nervous? I don't love the game. Cowboys laying three and a half on the road in Vegas. Dude, you get a 13 point lead after tonight it becomes eight and we haven't even hit Thanksgiving. I know. That's a lot of games. We haven't even hit Thanksgiving parts.

A lot of games. Got to get this one tonight. Now we go. Now we go. Now we go. Now we go. Now we go. All right. We are on fire. Cowboys coming off a buy. They were buyers mysteriously at the trade deadline. Vegas has been terrible.

Vegas's offense is horrendous. Cowboys defense is not great but off a buy with some additions I think they can continue to make Vegas look like Vegas this feels like a big DAC game in Vegas so in Vegas yeah in Vegas

we're going to take the Cowboys tonight we're going to lay the points three and a half Dallas I don't know how they can possibly believe it but I think they do believe they're still somehow in the hunt in the NFC and I just Vegas is

2 and 7 they're awful you know Bauer's scarce me, but they don't throw it to them enough. I'll tell you this, Say's, this is one of those lines to me where it's so egregious that I think, like, maybe there's something I'm missing.

Me too, it's weird. I thought the line would be seven for the Cowboys. Yeah, coming off a buy in Vegas being as bad as they are. Yeah, I looked at this, and I do think Quinn and Williams, I hate pumping your tires here, I do think Quinn and Williams and Logan Wilson will really help. You know, they're not going to change everything, but they're going to

help a lot. I could not believe the slime. Duggy, you're sure it's three and a half? It's three and a half. Duggy just... So, like, maybe it's one of those things where I don't... Like, we're all just missing him. We're getting baited into taking this what we think is a layup.

Yeah. And the next thing you know, it's a... That's what concerns me. And listen, it is Dallas. You know, like, if anyone's going to screw something up, it would be the Cowboys. Yeah. So, but yeah, picks in, Alice Brother. Godspeed, wherever you are, man, cruising.

Godspeed. Join his life, man. So you guys don't even talk, text, nothing. I haven't heard from them. Parts. They don't have the... chemistry we have man they are the chemistry my understanding is he's off the grid throughout the rest of the week so wow this guy just doesn't care his brother has he's a yeah

he got to the half point halfway point of the season and said we've done our job and his I just can't imagine him off the grid like you know that real estate show off the grid where people are looking at how I can't imagine him and his girlfriend looking at real estate off the grid I don't know what the hell they're doing yeah but uh he's not committed you know you You might have to Keyon Coleman him, suspend him. It might be a weekly, it might have to be a suspension. He's missing a team meeting, man. It's disappointing, but it might have to happen.

All right. Well, there it is. Picks in, locked in. Part C, go, go leaves, go, baby. Go Leafs go forever, especially in the pig. There he is, Luke Wilson, TSN. Football analyst. Hayes and Braun and Cowboys laying three and a half tonight.

All right, Bruce Booder coming up on what's going on in Leafland? What's going on around? the country for a lot of teams right now and we'll get to our best bets later in the hour overdrive continues tsn 1050 and on tsn 4 all right best bets coming up later in the hour on the monday nighter overdrive brought to you by fandu bringing you more ways to play your game your way shout out to the rough riders great cup now a thing of the past we move into the offseason for them the NFL still rocking baseball offseason starting you know josh niler re-signed in seattle great signing for

them great signing he was a popular guy and they wanted to keep their mojo going and they just got it done quickly yeah i love the signing i think it was a perfect fit like he said he fits in really well there like he said he looked great for that he was very good in that championship series he's damn right he was like he was he was a he was a bat every time he was up man he was causing the blue jays problems and uh you're right trying to bring the band back together that's going to be a theme for the jays you know the next few months and i know there's a lot of people that love bobeshette and what he represents but if they think they can get kyle tucker and they think that's a better option that's what you should do the question is what does bobbashette think of you

wanting kyle tucker well what i'm saying oh is he won't have a choice because if they sign tucker they're not signing bobushet okay what if you swing and miss on tucker and then you're trying to go back to the ex that's tough and that's where it gets dicey and that's where you got to hope business is business and it's not worse. You get your pants down on that one. You're in tough.

Like you get neither of them? You can. You're right. And ultimately, I think we just said there, that would seem unacceptable to lose out on both. And Tucker's, you know, he's a free agent that has no connection here.

So who knows if you can get him? Bichette, you probably feel pretty good about keeping. But if you can get Tucker, you're probably going to do that over Bichette. But that's a ruthless play, but it's probably the right play if it improves your team. All right, so Bruce will join us here in a second. And we'll get Bruce's take on how you handle this.

With Toronto, we spent a good portion of the 4 p.m. I are talking about the leaves. They've lost five in a row. They're 8, 8, and 2, or 8, 9, and 2 now, I believe. And on Saturday, they had a 2-1 lead going into the third period. They played pretty well. I thought they battled and they played pretty well. And then it's two terrible mistakes, like just losing battles. Myers, Riley, McCabe, you lose battles, back of your net, you lose the game.

And you knew it was going to happen, too. And you felt it. And if we could feel it, I wonder if the head coach could feel it. Here's a guy that would know from experience joining the Maple Toyota Hotline, our TSN hockey analyst, there he is, Bruce Boudreau. Bruce, where are you at here with your leaf? Are you in a positive frame of mind or what? I always try to be in a positive frame of mind,

even if you can only see half my face. So, or that's all I can see on this anyway. But listen, I agree with you guys 100%. I could feel it on Saturday against Chicago. I'm saying they're going to lose. They're playing to lose. They're playing just, let's just get it out. Let's not attack.

You know, I mean, they were playing like a team that has got very little confidence right and that they just wanted to survive against the team that, I mean, really, I mean, is playing better, but is still not one of the top 16 teams in the NHL right now. I was really disappointed because I knew it was going to happen. I was hoping they'd get it to overtime before they lost, but that was not the case. But they don't look like a team that's really comfortable right now. Bruce, the question is, do you think they can ever get comfortable? and do you think they could ever turn it around because the facts are that even with everyone in the lineup, with the exception of Walt, they were playing the same way and not playing well.

So now they've got some injuries, and it seemed a bit drastic for this time of year, but the way they've been playing, maybe not. We came to the question, like, they've got to decide soon whether they're going to punt on this season or try to make something of it. Which way do you think they'll lean? Well, I think it's way too early to decide on whether they're going to punt. There's 63 games left in their season, and a lot can happen in there. But here's what I think. The Leafs, it's not easy, but they can play good defense. They're just not playing defensively at all.

They can get better, they have seen better goaltending, maybe with Wallace, stole ours, they can get back to where their goaltending should be. Because they're fourth in the league in goal scoring, whether they've lost martyr or not. They're still fourth in the league in goal scoring. So you think about that. And I mean,

so their scoring is right there. They're just doing some really non-leaf things of a Craig Barubi team of last year. And I'll give you an example. I mean, that Pasternac goal where he scored on the breakway, I don't know where anybody was.

if they were playing a one two two in the middle they were playing a one a one a one a one a one another one and a one they were all in a straight line they weren't matched up at all they were so out of sync i couldn't understand it when i watched especially when i watched it over and over again on the on the replay like it because it's way too easy and i think that was like the fifth or sixth breakway they've given up in two periods in two games in the second period so they're way out of sink. But I think they can recover from it. I don't know why if they're panicking, if it's because they're missing a couple players or what have you. But I mean, I think defensively they can get into sink again. And if they do that, but it's got to happen fairly quickly. Then I think

their goal scoring will always take care of itself. I mean, I think they'll always be in the top 10. So, I mean, I always have hope for it. I'm a very positive guy when it comes to thinking about the Leafs, but right now they haven't shown a lot of positive signs for me to think that way, but I still think that way. So, Bruce, you just laid out a bunch of different things. This is one thing that you needed to

see out of the whole group tomorrow. What would it be? Where would you start? Where would I start? I would, there's so many places to start. I'd start on the power play. We've got to get a goal. If we can get a goal on the power play, we're usually every player that's, and Jeff would tell you this, when you score it on the power play,

you feel better about yourself. You really feel like playing. When you don't score, you get frustrated for a lot of your game stuff. So if they started good on the power play, that would be great. Then I would really want, secondly, I would like say, okay, what's the key to the game? Let's limit them to 25 shots or less. And then so if you can, then you can break it down into periods, then your defensive play can get better.

but and then thirdly if you can allow two goals or less in a game i used to put it up on the board all the time our goals tonight two goals are less two minors are less and 25 shots are less and we win the game all the time those are things that i would i would focus on them they can do those three things together they're and get their power play going they will start to become successful again with bruce budro um it's been a pretty fascinating start to the season obviously in leafland And it's not overly positive, which is changed because they've been so positive in the regular season for nine years. And they're dealing with the injuries. And there's been a lot of big injuries, though, throughout the league.

Like, that's a pretty consistent theme. And then you look at, you know, just the points leaders. You've got McKinnon with 33 points, McDavid with 30. No one's surprised that those two guys, the two best players in the league, jockeying for position. Then it's Celebrini, Bedard, Leo Carlson. 3, 4, 5, which is pretty incredible, that Badard and Carlson won two in the draft a few years ago, Celebrini first overall two years ago.

Like, what does that tell you about, you know, the talent and that next wave kind of, it's, I think that's kind of a cool just thing to see there. McKinnon, McDavid, Bellarmine, Bedard, Carlson, chasing them down. I think it is, too. I think it's, the league's getting better. When it was always Sydney up top and now. and that, and then all of a sudden, McDavid came in, and McKinnon came in, and you could see their rise.

You can see the rise of these guys, too. Like, I mean, Celebrini, it's only his second year, for goodness sakes. Badaar is his third year. They finally got some people to play with Baderd, and he's showing that they're becoming men, and they're growing up, and they're playing that, it shows me that the state of the game, hockey is okay. We're going to lose superstars in the next couple years, guys that have been iconic. If you look at Sid and Alex, you know, eventually retiring,

but the game is in good stead because these young guys continue to come up. There's another one coming up for next year. And, I mean, I just think the talent is getting better and better. And so I'm not worried about the state of hockey. I think there's going to be stars for many years to come. Bruce, what about the state of hockey in Canada? If you were to look to the future, how many Canadian teams would you say would be making the playoffs this year?

who well let's go Vancouver no Calgary no Winnipeg yes Toronto I want to always say yes because I'm from Toronto you had a tough time weighing it though

Bruce you had a tough time saying it I want to say hey listen there's a little bit of homerish in me I got to admit and then you want to you want to say I think Montreal is even though they've gone into a three-game funk right now,

I think they're going to rebound and make it, and I think Ottawa is going to make it. I mean, they've got points in seven out of the last eight games, and they're doing it also without Kachuk. So, I mean, I think if they could stay healthy, that they will make it as well. So how many teams was that? One, two, counting three, four teams from Canada are going to make it.

Okay. I like that. I don't know. Oh, Edmonton. Yeah, what about Edmonton, Bruce? You got them getting in? oh yeah i forgot you know what they're so far up north i always forget about them but i mean um you know how can you say edmonton's not going to make it

when they've been in the stanley cup final the last two years so and any team that has connor mac david on it i got to believe is going to be there when push comes to shove at the end when you need something he's going to be playing 26 minutes a night and uh he'll get it done i'm always worried about their goaltending i don't think they can win without with their goal-tending that they have, but I think they're good enough to make the playoff. Yeah, and they got Hyman back, and he made an immediate impact,

and that dry set of a lot to you. That's the same five that you made it last year. Yeah, right. Yeah, they all five made. Well, yeah. All right. Well, I mean, I'm big on Canada. I may live in the States, but I'm big on Canada.

What can I say? Okay. I'm telling you, there's no more than three teams, three teams max from Canada. Okay. I'm not going to do that, Bruce. I didn't go that far into it, but it's no more than three. I think there's four for sure.

Four for sure. Who's the most guaranteed? Like, who would you say, Bruce? Is it Edmonton for you, Nuddles? You're guaranteed if you had to put your life on the line. As of right now, you have a stronger belief that Edmonton is going to make the playoffs over Winnipeg. No, Winnipeg should have been one. Edmonton would be two.

Yeah. Yeah. Winnipeg for me, too. Yeah, Winnipeg should have been one. I'd be small. Okay. I mean, the thing is about Winnipeg, like, they're in a bit of a rut right now. You know, it's, they've –

Colorado and Dallas have been so good. Yeah, I'd probably say Winnipeg won. You know, it's recently biased, but Ottawa's been really impressive lately. Ottawa's got points in 11 of 12. Yeah, like really impressive, and they're hungry, and Brady gets back. He's going to be like a caged animal. 11 of 13. Sorry, they lost on the weekend one.

Nothing. So that was, yeah, I forgot. You know what I'd love to see them do, the Ottawa Senators? I'd love to see them get Brady back and then just make some kind of acquisition. Like, get some kind of really good player just to say, we've got a good team here, man. Why not? Yeah. Instead of like a, I don't want to say like a typical kind of sends type of deal. Like, you know how they, I just want them to get a really good player to say we're going to do something.

Yeah. What do they need? Where, where, oh, where do they, what do they need? like you know what I mean I would if you're asking me I would think that the the kind of Amadio types guys that are put in roles of being

I just want like a premier type of forward or a defenseman an impact player because you could only get so much out of those guys well Amadio's pretty good on the line I would say maybe a fourth line are you like where I just

Who's their second line right now depending on if you get Brady back, then that pushes Zetterland down, right? Like, so... How many goals does that guy have?

Zetterland, two. Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. Someone different than that. I just want an impact player. Brady's going to push him down. Like, he's not going to be in your top six. Okay, they should stand pat and just go with what they have. I don't know how you can argue against what I always say. I'm with you.

Like, it's not... I look at it, like, I'd be thinking I want to move Drew down, Peron down, like just put everyone, reshuffle, Drew's on the third line right now. I know, I'm not. Madio Pinto and Drew. I got you at noodles. I don't see how there's any downside to having a better player than what you have.

It's not a shot at the guys who are currently there. Well, I'm just saying, I know, but like what type of player? He's saying an impact player. Yeah, whoever that is. I don't say, Tom Wilson. If you could get Tom Wilson from the caps, when Brady comes back, they have a playoff team that could win. Can't do it. Can't do it.

Settarland's there. Okay. Okay, but what do you trade for Tom Wilson? What do you trade for Tom Wilson? You guys are all of a sudden Joe from the bridge. Trade Zetterland. Okay, straight across. You think Brian McClellan?

Okay. If Steve Steyos calls up Brian McClellan and goes, how much, you know, Tom Wilson for Fabian Zetterland, what do you think he does? Just what's the reaction? That's not going to happen. I think he hangs up. It's just saying it's not a bad idea if they wanted to bring in an impact player. Yes, of course. Of course he does.

It's just like, you're going to have to give currency up, but I'm saying like, yeah, Zetterlin hasn't played well to his capability. I'm saying he's not going to be there when Brady comes back. Let me just make this perfectly clear. I don't want to put down anyone in the roster. I think they've been fantastic. But to get Kachuk back and then make an unexpected play where you're bringing in an impact player, I don't think that's a bad idea for any team. You're not wrong in it, but I'm saying the cost of doing business is going to, you're going to lose. somebody out. Then the league sucks. Then the league sucks then where it's just you stuck with what

you got and that's what you got to go to bat with every night. The league sucks. That's what I think of it. Tom Wilson, what would it cost to get Tom Wilson? I'm not talking about Tom Wilson. That's ridiculous. They're not giving them. I just threw out her name. I just threw out her name and I firmly believe if you could, if just going by what we're talking about here, if we could get one player and a GM wants to make a trade and even if he loses the trade in the long term they can always make that trade whether but you know like I mean like if you had to give up and I don't know what it is but I mean if you had to give up two number ones or three number ones if you thought you had a chance to win it I would do it but that's me and that's why I'm not a

GM this year seems pretty wide open right now it's November but right now you know there's it's kind of like the East is waiting for a powerhouse to take over, and maybe it's Ottawa, maybe it's one of the teams that have been sleeping out of the gate, who knows? But, it's, uh, Ottawa's been really impressive, and that's without Kachuk. You add him, and

maybe another piece, maybe they don't need it, but man, that would send a message, I think, to the rest of the East. All right, Bruce, we'll leave it there. Great stuff. All I can say before I leave is there's 75% of the season left. So let's not count out the

leafs yet it's only there's still 75% of the season left lots of time eternal optimist i love it good toronto boy yeah thank you bruce good seeing you okay that's bruce budro joining us here you know the guy oh who i would covet we might see him tomorrow night is a guy like cairo is he available anything like that anybody on the st louis roster like jimmy rutherford used to do his business very early all the time sometimes it works sometimes it didn't. I just think it would be great for the team to just say, hey, we battled a long year without our captain.

Let's do some business. I think they definitely need more scoring, like natural scoring. And, Jamie, that was my only point I was trying to make. And it's a great point. What I'm saying is, like, you can't, the cost of doing business, you have to give up something big. And that's the thing. I get it. That might have to be the kid in the minors, that Yakubchuk or something like that.

Right. The problem is, is when you talk to all these teams. including the team we talk about, the Leaps, currency, what does Tree have? He has Cowan, he has Stanford, and he's got his 2028. And that's the one thing I hate about the league, and Brian's talked about it ever since we've been working together. The league is just like there's no excitement. It's like the fan base.

There's no chance to change things around with deals and player movement. It's like, there's your team, and then that's what you get. And it's like, okay. Yesterday, Camp Bay signs an eight-year deal. He's off. well you're right but you know the teams that have I think Ottawa have some currency I think Montreal has lots of currency they do they do and they should be active

like if you're Montreal like maybe this is a year that you do try and go big game hunting because you've got some players young players you've got draft picks you've got all sorts of things and in a wide open east maybe that's the play Montreal the Ottawa's like to your point O the teams like that are the young ones that are on the cusp of pushing through the detroit's yeah like this it's well it's open for you i mean yeah ottawa's done their business now they signed pinto like they've got

they got stutzlow pinto brady cousins bathison sanderson locked up you know all marks here for a few years so you know they're they're pretty secure and they just got to figure out what they want to do or what they have the stomach for in terms of if they want to get crazy or not All right, best bet's coming up. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and on TSN4. All right, best bets powered by Fanduel. Make your picks and assemble the same game parlay on seconds on the Fandul's sportsbook cap.

Said it earlier, Haysenbro, on the Cowboys, laying three and a half. Dak Prescott, two plus passing touchdowns tonight. Dak over 256.5 yards in the air. Dak, off a buy against this team, got to have a night in Vegas. Got to have a night in Vegas and then stay in Vegas and have a night in Vegas. Best Betts powered by Fandual. Same game parlay is now available for every NFL game on the Fandual Sportsbook app. Please play responsibly 19 plus physically located in Ontario.

All right. There you go. Tomorrow we're on the panel, a leaf panel on TSN. We'll be on the show too. Look at us. Chugging away. Double duty. Double duty.

Overdrive tomorrow, leaf panel tomorrow. Must win for the Leafs with the Blues in town. You think it's a must win tomorrow already? It's not far off, noodles. You lost five in a row, and you've got to start getting some wins. They still have the softest schedule. If you look at it, exactly. Got to win.

You've got to beat St. Louis. So think about the alternative to that. The second half is going to be against all tougher competition. We're going to have to jump six teams. All right. Have fun with it. Thanks to everyone behind the scenes for helping out. We appreciate it.

Everyone for tuning in today, TV, radio, podcast, web, up on YouTube live. We're out of here. Enjoy your evenings. Enjoy the games tonight. We're back tomorrow at. Stevie Steyos, pull the trigger. 4 p.m.? We'll chat then.

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