OverDrive - OverDrive - November 18, 2025 - Hour 2 - Mike Johnson

Episode Date: November 18, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Jamie McLennan for Hour 2 on OverDrive! TSN Hockey Analyst Mike Johnson joins to discuss the Maple Leafs in a losing streak, Brad Treliving's comments on the team and Craig Berube looking for positives. The guys go around the sports world in the latest edition of Confirm or Deny, the guys tee up the OverDrive panel for the Maple Leafs' matchup and Bryan gives his FanDuel Best Bets.

My name is Maria. Okay, I lied. It's Mary. But I just got back from a European-style holiday on MSC Cruises. And it made me want to be more European. Oh, the restaurante. I mean restaurants. Nightlife and shops in La Galleria.

Sorry, sorry. Even North American stuff like water slides and a sports bar and the views were bellissima. Okay, this is a problem. Book and save. Get drinks and Wi-Fi included. Visit MSCruises.ca, or contact your travel agent. Let's holiday.

Restriction supply ships registered in Panama and Malta. JP, activate. Hour 2, overdrive continues. Overdrive activated, powered by Thanduel, bringing you everything from the opening line of the final score. MJ coming up from the rink, Leaves Blues tonight on TSN4. We're going to be on the panel with James Duffy, right, J.D. JD's talking a big game, like, we're going to do everything.

It's his show. Like, D.D. runs. J.D.'s running the whole operation. Yeah. It's his world. He's the best at it, and we're just there to do our thing. If he gets a sense that someone's trying to hijack the show, he'll always do this thing where it's like, he angrily motions back, like, which is give it back to me.

Right. Like, if it's getting closer, he's getting a little bit pissy that you're talking too much, he's like, my time. I know. My time. I remember last year we did the Sports Center hit, and I went way too long on my first answer. And I got a reprimand. I'm all about, like, if there's somebody new on there or somebody trying it out, I'm like,

you can talk as long as you want, man. Wow, you got respect for everyone. else. Go for it. You've got to get something out. Hayes is going to be yelling and screaming. It'll be great. I don't know what to think of tonight.

I've got to be honest. You're being optimistic, and I hope they pull off a win tonight. They need a win, like, for the sake of everybody. Yep. Within the organization, the fans, if you're going down there tonight. Yep. Like, there's a crossroads here. Like, you either, you start spinning out, like I said, or if you start spinning the other

way or keep going the direction you're in, man, oh man, that's a dark place. The problem with a slump, it seems like you look at the other team, and when they're coming into town, you're playing like garbage. You're like, oh, my God, Bennington's going to stand on his head tonight. Tyroo is going to be just on fire. Robbie Thomas, all of these guys, like all their best players are going to have the game of life. But this thing is, St. Louis is in the same position, Toronto is. They are.

But usually when you're in a slump, isn't there one where you play really well and you still lose? And they go, hey, you know, we did all the things. and then you take off after that. And they might claim Saturday was that against Chicago. Now, I didn't think they dominated, but they didn't get outplayed. No. Like, I thought it was a fairly even game. You saw a battle.

That's on a row. But Chicago's been better this year. They're not a great team. Well, I asked an NHL coach because I just wanted to do some research before the game. I said, what are some things you look at after a game to see if your team, like, you think they played really well? And he's like, well, did he tilt the ice? and then he got into some stats that I was like, okay, these guys actually do

buy into these, and he's like, expected goals and high danger chances. So did Toronto out expected goals Chicago on Saturday night? I can look it up if he'd like. I believe they did. Dangerous scoring chances that they have more than them? I think they were pretty even.

I'll bet you Johnny would know that. Johnny's, he's going to represent our AI. Right? We wanted AI. Johnny's got it, man. Johnny would be front of the line, I think. J.I. J.I. Here he is.

Down at the rink ahead of Leif's Blues tonight. Mike Johnson. Johnny. What's up, Johnny? Yeah. What's up, boys? Listen, the fact that you're hoping that splitting a game down the middle against Chicago

is the sign that they have figured it all out. We're digging deep. Tells you kind of where this team is coming from. We are digging deep for optimism because I think they expect a goal that did look. They're almost exactly the same in that game for both teams. yes they were better for sure they were better but they didn't generate a ton they didn't give up a ton which is I guess a step in the right direction but yeah I don't know I think if you're worried about Bennington setting on the head maybe they're worried about Joseph Paul St. Louis guy playing against his hometown as well Craig Maroubae going up his former club all those different things both teams are sort of mirror they're like that Spider-Man meme like you me you me because they're sort of the same not where they want to be goaltending and both squads have been pretty gruesome and they're both needed a win and they're both need a win. get themselves going the right direction of the standings.

Jay, what do you make of the comment calling the players vanilla? Like, what does that mean to you? Or their play? Like, what does vanilla mean to J.I? To me, I was listening to guys the way down. And, you know, talking about physical play. I think it was more that they don't, every game play the same. Whatever that is, like, you don't have to be physical to be not considered vanilla.

Like when they put it under Sheldon Keith and we're a rush team in attacking, that wasn't vanilla. It wasn't physical, but it wasn't vanilla. You knew what you're going to get, and it added an element that gave you a chance to win on a nightly basis. That's what I interpreted their vanilla as, that sometimes they play one way, sometimes it's another way, sometimes it's good defense, sometimes it's not so good defense, and it's just sort of meh, meh, and not the same. and that's where because vanilla it just sort of blend into whatever the game

sends them they don't dictate what the game feels like which makes it sort of seem like vanilla to me that's what I thought so Johnny you listen to Tree Talk if everybody if there was a percentage of who has to wear all of this or where everybody's at we were talking about it

it's Brad Tree Living built the team it's Craig Brube who's coaching and it's the players who are playing maybe assign some numbers a mini Jerry pie chart. Pye chart there. Okay, we'll keep it nice

and simple. 50% I put on the players. The players are the players, they always have to bear the brunt because they've shown themselves capable of being different than they've been this year and they haven't done it to the satisfaction of themselves or their coaching staff. So they've got to play different. Even if it's

not the way they want to play, they still have to play that way. Like, that's how it goes in the NHL. The coach diagrams, the game plan. You execute it as well as you can. I don't think we've seen that execution. If they were executing it and still losing, then it turns to more on the coach. But they haven't executed it well. So 50% of the players, I would say 25 on Barube, 25 on Tray Living.

Because Baroube, part of his job is to get the players to buy in and do what you tell them to. It sounds simple, but that essentially it is. Play the way I'm telling you to play. And don't worry about anything else. But what I'm telling you to do hasn't really happened. You've seen the breakdowns and coverage. You've seen some, oh, highlights, I'm sure you guys will do a great job of it. tonight can't wait for the breakdowns. Hey, he's on the Telestrator.

You got it. Bad pinches, bad decisions. That, you know, you got to get the guys not to do that. That's on the coach. But I will give him a bit of a pass because this is sort of the way that Craig Brubay is coached, right? Like he coaches maybe not having the puck as much, more defensive slant. Don't worry about tilting the ice. They worry about defending the hard areas. He's sort of been true to who he is. He just hasn't got the guys to do it. And then I give 25% to tree because none of it related to Marner. just you had flexibility with the money and you brought in players and he said today his words not mine the guys that have been brought in have a lot more to give and so you're not jury's still out

but early returns are they haven't been as impactful as you would have won now nick why i think was getting better now he's hurt for a little bit here but the other guy is joshua mitchellie and um it just hasn't been what they wanted to do so i kind of lumped 50 25 25 Well, you know what's interesting is they lost twice to St. Louis last year. So Barouba has not got that win against his former team yet. Like they lost both of them last year, which again should be inspiring for Baroube, the group. I don't know how much that factors into tonight and the bulletin board material. I don't even like as long as these guys have been around.

I don't think of them as a team that gets fired up for anything. Okay. Doesn't mean anything in general. Johnny or this team is it wired that way? I don't think it means much in general Like you know what It's two years ago They want to come six years ago

Yeah I guess we want to win it for him Maybe we want to win it for us We need it for us Forget about him And him getting his former organization He's moved on He's done well He's got other contracts

It's like You know I don't get too To motivated when Noodle T has to play against his former team From seven years ago Like I want to win It'd be nice for him But you know

We got bigger problems Bigger issues Bigger motivators than Craig Baroubae versus St. Louis. Well, you talk about motivation. This is an opportunity for a guy or multiple guys to jump into the penthouse for Craig Baroube. Like, he is dying for someone to show some life.

Dying for it. And, you know, Tray Living spoke to that today. Like, team hasn't played with a ton of enthusiasm. Like, here's an opportunity to do that. Like, if you walked in off the street and showed up and went out there and finished a check, Baroube will probably give you another shift. like at least another shift.

He might double shift you. So yes, Matthews, when he comes back, he's going to reinsert exactly where he always is. Right. And Chris Tan have the same thing. And when Stollars returns, he's going to get every other start. But there's an opportunity, like Scott Lawton's not guaranteed anything.

Stephen Lawrence isn't guaranteed anything forever. Callie Yarncroke. And I'm not even giving you an answer on who it is. Maybe it's Cowan. Like maybe it's Easton Cowan who should be walking into the building tonight saying I thought he played pretty well on Saturday. A couple penalties you'd want back. but I think he should be looking at this saying

Craig Baroube will play me 20 minutes tonight 25 if I'm flying I can play 25 minutes tonight if I work hard, finish checks, block shots in battle because he's like Brubay is dying for someone to show some life and who's going to salvage it? Desperate. Exactly.

Somebody set up, step up and she'll give me a reason and I said this other day like they have one line they're going to play all the time no matter what, right? Tavares's line is going to play 22 minutes no matter what. No matter how they're applying, it's going to happen. The other three lines have 40 minutes to chop up. 40, including power play time, second power play unit,

including penalty kill time, defensive responsibilities, you name it. And you're right, Hayes, I don't think whoever's down the middle has staked a claim that is unassailable, that they get that job the whole game or even for a period. So, yeah, you can look at it as they don't have any centerman, or they can look at it as Jacob Quillen can play 18 minutes tonight. He legitimately could if he plays, well and he might then give them something

to think about as guys filtered back in the lineup. There is, on a team where there hasn't been a lot of opportunity the last five years, like there's just not. Talk to Nick Robertson, right? All he does is ever score. He can't find a way to crack the roster in a significant way for years and years and years. It's not the case right now. It's not the case

this year. If I'm a individual player, I am looking at exactly like that his. It's my chance right here to make inroads on this roster in a meaningful way if I have a good game starting tonight. They've got to call him Jake Quallon. Where are you at?

De Quallan, where are you at? Jacob Quillan, where are you at? He's got an opportunity. I'm right here. He's got an opportunity. So, Johnny, when you look at it, is there one thing, like one player you're circling that's saying he's going to lead the charge tonight? I mean, if there's one that I think could, it's Willie.

Right. he's their most talented guy and I know he's got points galore and he's top five in the league in scoring and all the rest of it but there's game the no shots thing for two games is strange he's down a shot of game this year

compared to last year they need him they need him so I would point to him as a hopeful candidate on the back end it's easy like you want to say Mo but I would want to say given where their team is at right now

Jake McCabe like that guy has got to be so steady, so solid, no bad reads, no bad turnovers, and just physical stuff he can do, not asking him to anything he can't. I look to those two guys that have the capability of being instrumental if they play well tonight, but not guaranteed because they both have sort of fluctuated in their quality as the season's gone on. With Mike Johnson, what's your level of concern if you were the Edmonton Oilers right now? I had a little conversation with Troy Stetcher this morning

just about, you know, hey, you know, walking into the fire here a little bit. It's like, I just left the fire. It's exact same as in Edmonton, right? You know, 5-1 against Buffalo. Buffalo, the pressure when you play Buffalo, or maybe St. Louis, is that you think you're supposed to win.

That's not a fair assumption, but that's how it looks. That's how it feels when you don't. Like, how do we lose to those guys? And another sort of not great looking loss, even with Hyman back now, it's it's it's not it's not good i'm concerned there i still expect them to make it i expect dry sell mc david because they're dry sell of mac david to figure it out but it doesn't look great and like

they're sort of getting jack rostovic is sort of doing what he's supposed to be doing right he scored a bunch and been offensive dry settle mac david are doing what they do hyman just got back they don't have a boatload of injury i know nougan hopkins out and everything else but he's wondering k where where is the Where's the reason it's been so poor other than it's been poor? And I think that's the concern. And did you guys hear the Rob Ray clip about Sue Skinner? What a shot he had of him. Talk about catching a stray.

You guys didn't hear it. We have it. We haven't. It holds the goal. Johnny, let's play it. Let's play it because this is Rob Ray. Roll it. JP on it.

Activate. See that for Edmonton. Yeah, it has been most of the night, so it's a difference. What a shot by Rob Ray. It has been most of the nights. What's the difference? I must not have been watching that broadcast. That was MSG, I guess.

I went out, Marty Barron was responded. That was unnecessary. But he honestly doesn't take shots like that very often. He must have saw something where it was like, wow. Well, it wasn't like Buffalo had 50 shots last night. No, but Edmonton did give up 22 high danger chances. They were no good defensively. Like, no good defensively.

What a shot by Robert. Right. Who the hell are they going to go get it? Let's say they want a new goalie. Like, who did they look at? First of them. There's a guy playing tonight that might be looking at. Bennington, yeah. Yeah.

Barros. Yeah, Bennington. And then in Columbus, Elvis. Jet Greaves is playing more. Is Jet Greaves has taken it over? Yeah. I'm hearing Jet Greaves for a third spot for Canada. That's how good he's been.

So who knows. Greaves has been very good. But I think those are the three you have to look at, Johnny. Yeah. I'm just saying Rob Ray has been associated with the Buffalo Sabers for a long time and I'm not going to say anything too inflammatory

about Rob Ray but who is anyone associated with Buffalo to take shots to give him to us like who are we kidding here you are the worst organization in the last 10 years bar none I don't want to hear like

you don't get a shot at anyone until you make the playoffs and then this team went to the final twice in a row and you're taking strays I'd see it's just like it's Rob Ray so we can do what he wants but that's a bit

That's a bit stretch for anyone from the saber Why don't you try kicking him in the junk next time You're between the benches with him and see what he does Oh, when he's in the benches Every time you see me, the puck comes around, I'm diving out of the way When the puck comes near here, he sticks his chin out over the boards There is someone to bump into him

Yeah So it's outrageous. He wants to get hit. He wants to be in the game. I think he actually wants to fight somebody as a broadcaster. Do you remember when he got hit last year? He got hit. last year twice I think in a game and then the next game they put him up in the 300 level

just as a joke like he's unbelievable in there I when I'm in Buffalo beside him I can't see around him he is such a big man like he's got a head like a mascot and I say that with love but he's just a giant giant man and he's great to be

by Johnny but it's just you in the in between the benches you know tonight you don't have another guy there with St. Louis you don't have Jamie Rivers there do you No. One man operation. I had rives as a roommate for a while, but not in here. Only room for one. Unless, of course, Hayes wants to

come in because Hayes gets whatever he wants. So he could probably come down here and do his stuff down here if you wanted to. I might try to. I'll put in a request. I thought today you were hosting. No. I heard the overdrive was taken over. I thought you were hosting while also being an analyst. I didn't know you were going to be just straight.

I butcher a Harvey's commercial a couple years ago and they told him screw you, man. I got one chance and they'll never have me back. You know what? We've got to ask MJ before he goes the question we've been asking all day. How many Canadian teams make the playoffs? Yeah, hit us.

Bruce Boudreau says five. I said five. They're both wrong. I listen to yesterday. You're wrong. Ottawa's going to make it. Winnipeg's going to make it. I'm not going to say all three of Edmonton, Toronto, and Montreal are making it.

I don't think that's going to be the case. So I would say four I'd have you one of those guys going to miss it I don't know who I think that's true I think you're probably right You said two This guy beside me said two

Two Three max man I'm giving three max And I say four I'm gonna get Winnipeg and Ottawa A pretty good chance of both making it So now you're talking about just one of those other three teams It's not on a question of it's not ludicrous

Which you know like it's not Freeziness I mean probably two but one is, like, we're a quarter of the way in. If the Leafs lose tonight, they're in the last, they're behind Buffalo. Rob Ray's Buffalo Sabres, they'll be behind them. That's right. So, yeah, it's getting late early. We're 25% of the way done.

Well, they lose tonight. And, you know, if it's in reg, St. Louis ties them in points. And you're only looking down at Nashville and Calgary at that point, if you're the leaves. If they lose tonight, right. I just, I don't know why. With injuries. Yeah. and a six game road trip coming up or whatever it is right now what's that road trip by the way but

it's florida couple wash pits um Carolina it's not easy it's not easy Columbus in there too yeah yeah and guess what happens when I go to Columbus they get pumped like three years in a row every time I go there do a game in Columbus it's 5-1 it's crazy always not all right what are we waiting for with Mystic Mike like where your picks are tonight and who you think's going to win and all that kind of stuff? Or do you want to adjust the segment to debate him? No, he just said.

He's like, you've got to wait until we see Mystic Mike. I'm curious what he's teasing. I'm just saying, I'm with noodles. I am optimistic for no real concrete reason other than the nature of sports. You don't lose forever. And this team is better than they've shown. They're playing a team that's not so good. I get equal desperation, but I think Toronto should win tonight as well

just because they're due to win a game. Okay. All right, there you go. A lot of optimism. Jake Wallin, first star. Blakee, barely seeing Toronto a home favorite over St. Louis.

Look at the numbers. Wow. I know. Close. I know. Like they're mine, it's basically a pickum at home against St. Louis on Fandle. Like that. Mark the date. You got to look at that and say, is this,

you know, rock bottom, is this, you know, you've got to find markers. Fork in the road. This is the, this is the weirdest thing. this is the first time that this organization and this fan base has had to go through this in a long time. That's why it's foreign

territory. I'm laughing because them to Noiler's fan base they've been doing this. This is what they do in October and November. It's different for the Toronto Maple Leafs this time around and you're looking at the standings going that looks weird and those teams

that are now like Montreal's near the top Ottawa's near the top. You're like those teams, I don't think, are going away in the next year or two. They're getting stronger. That's what's weird for everybody. That's, I think, what, MJ, I don't know if you feel that way, but I feel like that's, it's uncharted territory for this group

at this stage of the season so far. And that's a compliment to the last 10 years. They've been really good. They don't go through streaks like this. They don't lose a lot in a row. It feels very strange. And it probably overreaction from everyone around the team. But the problem with the fork in the road game,

the rock bottom game the turning point game if you don't get it then where you're going right that's the problem that will be addressed tonight a a ron hey ron a ron we're referencing key and peels for people that don't know it's a key and peel

he is so funny yeah you got to find it it's outstanding all right uh what were you calling him j i j i jay i jay quillan Big game for Jake Quillan. Big Quillan. Get after it tonight. We'll catch you on the pregame. All right, boys, have a great show tonight. I'll be listening.

You got it. We'll be listening to. There he is. Mike Johnson, joining us on the Maple Toyota hotline. Get in and go where Adventure takes you in a new 2025 Tacoma from Maple Toyota near Canada's Wonderland. In the Maple Auto Mall, visit mapletoidda.com. All right. A little confirm or deny coming up. It's a quiz night tonight. I've got a quiz on the panel this evening.

Yep. I look forward to seeing where you guys are going to go with your answers. We'll see. You've got to just make sure you don't butcher that, or you'll get an email promptly. You've got to say your answer and then explain. Right. That's the rules. That is like, brick rules.

What was the Seinfeld, the guy with the soup? What was his name? Soup Knotser, whatever it was. It's like one crab bisque and then you slide right. You got to just get to your order and move. That's exactly what. Say your answer and then explain. Or an email comes.

Okay. I will do my best. I might need to kind of be reset here a little bit. And also know the question. No, like just be organized. I'm trying. I'm leaning on you. You're the vet.

But who knows what the questions are? It's all live, so who knows? Yeah. Well, that's valid too. Anything's possible. All right, confirm or deny coming up. There's some updates on Bo Bichet and what could happen with Boe and some reports of teams he's connected to.

We'll tell you about that. And best bets as well. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and on TSN4. I can neither confirm or deny that this is in fact a segment. Austin trades Andrew Raycroft to Toronto in exchange for the rights to Tuka Rass. It's been my honor and a privilege to serve as the general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs Hockey Club. It's time for confirm or deny.

Do you regret giving all those gentlemen the no trades or no movement clauses? I can either confirm or deny that. I can't confirm or deny it. JP activate All right confirm or deny statements are made and we either confirm them or we deny them

it's very simple right confirm or deny has been activated here's a little spin on what we've been talking about today right? You get your whole playoff Canadian thing and by the way I'm not trying to be some jerk or negative or whatever I love all them to get in that'd be great

I love all them I love covering the playoffs are better with Canadian teams in and storied franchises, Calgary, Flames, HABs, all of it. But you're just watching, and I don't know what it is. It almost seems league-wide. There's just a lot of bad play. Well, that I think is something that needs to be remembered, though,

on the other side is, like, yes, the Canadian teams collectively have not been good, but a lot of teams have not been good. Dude, the Vegas Golden Knights, where they set the league on fire to start the year. They're garbage right now. They have not played well. Garbage. Yeah. Everyone was like, oh, Mitch is here now.

You guys stuck in Toronto. The Golden Knights stink right now. I was laughing because I did see a stat where Mitch was the fastest night. But it wasn't accurate. Ikel had already done it. This year. Yeah, Ikel hit 20 points in 13 games or something like that.

But the funny part is Golden Knights have games in hand, but they're tied with the Oilers. Like Chicago's in there, Seattle's in there. Los Angeles. Anaheim's leading the Pacific Division. Right, and they started slow. Like, they were not playing well.

They hit the road. and box like between you you've got about eight teams that are two to three points lumped up you've got to find a way to have the separator but you make the good point or he did a lot of bad hockey

across the board so you can find some solace in that like if your team's terrible right now are playing poorly okay a lot of teams are all right confirmed then I know Canadian team will finish top two in the respective division like you only got two going to the playoffs so

Will Winnipeg finish top two in the Central? Will Ottawa finish top two in the Atlantic? I'm going to confirm that. I love what I'm seeing from the Sends right now. Okay. So you believe at least one Canadian team will finish top two. All right. So you'll be denying this one.

Yeah. I'm denying it as well. I do think that there is, whether it's Ottawa, whether it's Winnipeg. I know everybody thinks Colorado and Dallas are just gone. They're going to hit their adversity as well, too. like they've you know Colorado's won six in a row I believe Dallas is won five in a row but I also watched Dallas lose some games this year too

like they're there they're a very good team so is Colorado Colorado is just not going to march and and never lose a game or never deal with some adversity I think the Jets can slide into top two who else I mean we only need two yeah you only need two so that's all you need now I will say the Jets are nine points back at Colorado right now like that's a big gap it is But you said top two. Yes, and they're only five back of Dallas with a game in hand.

And they'll play them, I'm sure, a few more times this year. You know, I think one of these teams can get it into the top two in the Atlantic. Like Boston, Detroit, Montreal. Can Montreal or Ottawa finish there? Yeah, I think they can. The Leafs, I don't know, that just seems so far away. Talk to us a week from now. I know that.

I know that. We're talking today. And how about Edmonton? Can Edmonton not catch one of Ann? or L.A. or Seattle. I don't think they can. As crazy as it seems and as bad as they're playing right now.

It almost seems like they're just waiting for a goal. All right. I'll deny it to. Two of them are going to play. That's second place in the Pacific. They're two points behind them. Yeah. Now, they're playing so poorly, but yes.

Yeah, I know. I hear you. I think at the end of the day, we have to talk about what's in front of us, which has been poor play from some teams we've expected a lot more. But give it another five to ten games and go, we'll have this chat again.

I totally agree with you, Jamie, but for some of these teams, and it's going to really hurt some feelings for the teams, but sooner or later they're going to have to look each of themselves in the mirror and say, we're just not a good team. When we get 10 games from now, it's not, oh, give them some more, you're just not a good team. Not everyone's going to intend. Not everybody pulls out of it and says, oh, now we're showing our true colors.

You've been mine, too. How many times did we look at Florida last year and go, maybe it's just maybe they've run out of gas maybe they and then they just potted along i did a few florida games down the the stretch last year i remember talking to moan he's like yeah we're not playing well like we're just trying to get healthy we're just trying they didn't care about they have an ability to flip a switch i don't think there's a bunch of other teams no i i agree and they deserve that right but i'm i'm just saying like not everything's going to be a perfect science i think this year

with the condensed schedule the olympics coming you're going to see some weird stuff And so far, we've seen some weird stuff. Now, also sometimes it's just a year that falls apart on you. Boston Bruins last year. Exactly. Like, cause was talking about it earlier. There are examples of teams that just for some reason have a terrible year. Wasn't it Tampa that, like, was a top-tier team missed the playoffs and went right back to the top type of thing?

Yeah, I think they kind of dropped out. Yeah. Who was it the thing? In 13, yeah. And then they dropped down again, and that's when they took, they took Druin, though. They drafted Jonathan Druin, I believe it was. But Colorado, the same thing. Like they kind of had it were going up and then dropped, hey, there's Cal McCarrow.

Then they started going back up again. It happens. And, you know, it's a tough struggle to get through. And you hope you can get a piece and then retool and get right back on the horse. Yeah. That's the question, though. Can you retool and get right back in a competitive nature? Yeah.

All right. let me skip past the next one and get to LeBron's return tonight. Bron James making his return for his 23rd season in the NBA. Confirm and deny LeBron will be a top 15 player in the league the rest of the season.

I'm going to deny that. I'm really going to deny that. I think Father Time is finally here. I'm asking a lot out of a guy that age. He's just such a freak of nature, man. He's so good all the time. I think you ask him himself, he's going to say, I will be that, and ask him after the season, and he would say

he is that, but I don't know, I just don't see it, man. There's going to, then there's a new cycle of players, right? Shay, guys that have broken through that are top tier. Wemby's hurt already, though. But 15. Yeah. That's, you know. I don't think it's totally out of the question.

I will say that. No, I don't, listen, it's tough to doubt a guy like that. Like, he's going to be in shape. Now, like, he's had this back issue or Saddica or what is it? sciatica. He's been dealing with that, which is such an old guy's injury. That's a Florida lawn chair injury.

Yes, it is. I've had a bad sciatica. Yeah. I think I might have suffered from it too. Yeah. But yeah, I think he's got the confidence to believe he can't get back there, but I'm going to deny that he will because, you know, it's a fast league, you're jumping on a

moving ship now. It's Lucas' team. He knows it. He's not young. It talks that Wemby's out, because he's been unbelievable early in the year, but you just know that guy's never playing more than like 65 games. Ever. He's just too big and awkward, and I just, I don't know

how you could ever trust that he'll ever play. In his legs. Yeah, crazy. I've been in the rap. Shout out to the raps, man. They won again last night. Big defensive plays late in the game. Wasn't against the best team in the league, but they have won, I think seven of eight. They're chasing down that top seed in the east. I've got a few DMs,

especially from one of our colleagues here, Paul Ross, said stop talking so much about the Leafs, more rap. Raps are, a lot more fun to watch. Carlo brought up the kind of Blue Jay comparison today. Now it's premature because we know that Jay's got the Game 7 in the World Series, but like kind of unexpected, off the radar,

and then all of a sudden just became this likable team that connected. Hardworking. Yeah. Like Darkwood's got them playing, man. Brandon Ingram's been great. Been healthy, which is important. But the notorious B.I.3, that's what Devlin's calling them, which is a great call. He had a massive, down-class night. Massive dunk.

And Scott, he had that big block at the end of the game. It was a good game. Like, they're playing well. Got to give them their feathers. Got to give them their flowers right now. Absolutely. What I say? Feathers?

Feathers. Can't give them feathers. Got to give them flowers. Apologies. All right. Confirm and deny. The best chance for the lease to get out of this is for the wall and stallors tandem to get healthy.

Confirm. Yes. I'm going to deny it. I'm going to deny it. I think they've, just from watching as much as we all do, there's way bigger issues than just the goaltending, man. Way bigger, so I'm denying it. They can obviously help and do their thing,

but they got some, they got problems, man. They got problems. I think it stems, though. If the goalies can give you that confidence, maybe the confidence keeps into the group, and then the group relaxes and play. But there's been some nights where it's like, be so unrealistic like nights like in buffalo against jersey at home that the chances that they're

giving up it would be so unrealistic to ask your goaltender to be the saving grace yeah like there's been so egregious chances against where you're like these guys are getting dummied right now dummied Carolina at home yes the breakaways the two-on-ones it's like what the hell's a goalie going to do yeah well and there's like depth to the higher danger there's like high danger and then the entire danger. I did a highlight pack in the Carolina game, and I talked about checking, and I didn't even mention, I didn't even show the four breakaways. Yeah.

Four breakaways. No, I think. That's insane. I told you. I had to say that before doing the pack. I'm like, keep in mind here when I'm showing this, there's also four breakaways and multiple two-on-ones and three-on-twos. Crazy stuff.

I'll confirm it, though, because what it can do, hopefully for the league. is get the injuries back. Yeah, connect the group. Yeah, like Matthews skated today, maybe Saturday he can play. TANF is weeks away. We don't know the nature of his injury. No idea, and you'll never know. You'll never find out.

Don't even ask. How dare anyone. Well, TANF, I mean, when TANF, we know what the injury is. Like a week or two. He could be months away from playing. I could be. Like, I, you know. Yes, that's scary stuff.

I love Chris Tanniff. And I just, I worry, you got to worry about the. person first and a hundred percent work backwards from that that is scary stole ours i guess skated today but you know who knows when he's going to play but they need them like they need

him and matthews to get back in the lineup they need stolors and wall to just start pairing off get hot get matthews back reset everyone get wa back who had been playing better set up matthews tovaris wall your two goalies and yeah that's how you start like that's how you start to dig out of this

not necessarily confirm or deny but now reports linking Bo to the Red Sox I guess confirm or denied do you think Bo is dictating these news items to get the attention of the Blue Jays?

I'm sure he wouldn't I would confirm that I think if he really wants to be in Toronto as I said last week the simplest move for your agent you call up your agent you say I want the Jays to pay me I want to get money but I want to stay there

you tell Jeff Passon and John Heyman and everyone else, the Yankees and the Red Sox are calling me off the hook. And dying to sign me. Just call up them and say, well, these guys won't leave us alone. They're dying to get Bichette. Because that'll get the Jay's attention. He'll be ripping them over the green

monster for fun. What is the Tucker News? Is there any rumbling? Again, I believe Jeff Passon reported today that executives around the league believe that the Js are in the driver's seat on. Well, then that... Well, he's, like I said yesterday, he's probably pissed about that.

Bichette? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Now, that doesn't mean the Js are, you know, countering with equal amounts of exuberance or excitement or, you know, what have you. But I don't think there's room for both of them.

Right. Like if they sign Tucker, that's what I wish. That'd be great. Yes. Tucker and Bichette and just load up a lineup like Tucker into Vladdy or put Tucker in between the two right-handed bats. Vladdy into Tucker into Bichette.

There's your two, three, four for the next six, seven years. That'd be pretty good. Kirk hit in fifth. Then you figure, you got Barger, you got Ernie Clement coming back, you got Varsho, you got obviously George for another year. Ernie loves his golf, eh? Ernie loves. I thought I saw a picture of him today.

Well, Ernie Clement was down in Vegas playing with Joe Carter. Yeah, Shadow Creek. That place looks so good. We're going to play there one day. Yeah? You can call your shot? Well, it's MGM that owns it, though, right? Like, you can't just call up and make a time.

Well, I'm sure he knows somebody who knows somebody, right? Yeah, Tom Barrasso. Is Tommy Barrasso have a hook up there? I played with Tom Barrasso three days in a row for free at Shadow Creek. How does he hit him? Is he a good player? Very good golfer. Is he like a heavy hitter in Vegas?

Dude, all I know is I played in San Jose before the Olympic break and I was going to Vegas after. And he played, he made the U.S. Olympic team. And he came up to me and he was like, look, man, I'm going to Vegas before I go to Salt Lake. he goes, I'm taking a private bird from San Jose to Vegas right after the game. If you want to hop on, you're more than welcome. Sushi, wine. What a legend. Yeah, Vegas, and then Shadow Creek three days in a row, and then he went to the Olympics.

What a life, man. That's old. Private jet into Vegas and Shadow Creek three days ago. I just remember the bird. It was just coming over the mountains, and then the Vegas strip. I was like, this is the best. Yeah, that is phenomenal. And then he probably never put his pads on in Utah.

Yeah, but don't kid yourself. Tipping the forecat, he was basically a green fee. I think I had to tip that four caddy five hunge every day just to find my golf ball. Yeah, that's any place you go like that, you're paying, it's a couple hundred. You're not just going to give the guy $40 and say, hey, thanks, Tom. No. You're giving him $500. Especially if someone else has set it up.

Like, hey, you're here representing me. It's like, you better not. Very generous. You better be hooking that guy up. And, dude, those golf cards, like the seats, they lift up, and it's a cooler loaded with cold ones. It's the best. Yeah. Shadow Creek.

Range, all of it. Well, the whole thing doesn't make sense. Like, Vegas in general doesn't make sense. It's just obviously in the desert. It's made out of nothing. And Shadow Creek is just this unbelievably. It looks like you're in Pinehurst. I think I'm here next week.

Like the grass is the greenest you've ever seen anything in your life. Ever. In a desert. Yes. Now, the amount of money. they spend on watering and stuff like that. It must be absurd. Absurd.

Like they must, they have to be in the hole. There's no way you could own that and like make money on it. Well, it's like I know the greens fees are high, but do you know how much it would cost to operate that place? Is there a casino right in there? Well,

it's owned by MGM. I think there's a membership group. I can't imagine what I'm, I don't know, but I'm pretty sure you have to be like. Do you look up at his members at Shadow Creek. You got to stay at MGM and you got to like be invited kind of. Spend some money there.

So they're going to have some... You can't fly in and say I'd like to play... Yeah, exactly. Shadow Creek. It's kind of a hospitality thing for the big shooters. You're not at the $10 tables, Blackjack. No. It's you're coming in and putting down $100 grand per play,

and then you can go play Shadow Creek. Like, they'll pick you up. Craig. We were picked up. Yeah, exactly. It's a full pickup routine. Oh, yeah. Like, I don't think you're getting in a car and just driving to Shadow Creek.

No. Like, there's pros that are there a lot, but I don't think they're members at Shadow Creek. There's pros everywhere in Vegas. JP, turn his microphone off. Deactivate. Deactivate. All right, Best Fed's coming up.

Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and on TSN4. JP, one last time, activate. One last activation, J.P. Out of boy. Out of boy, J.P. This again, the first star of the game today is J.P. To be dialed in and activated for every.

Every single break is incredible stuff. Amazing stuff. And don't kid yourself, JP. We're going to keep this routine going every time I'm in here. Yeah, I think he needs to activate every single time. Thursday, you better be ready once again. Not that I'm expecting this to be ready and fixed by Thursday anyway. Probably won't.

But you've got to be ready. Yeah. Well, listen, JP's been outstanding. Dugie's been very, very good. Joe from the bridge outstanding. Those are the three stars. You like that! There you go.

We do. We do. All right, we got Leafs, lose tonight, and we're doing the panel. So Duffy's over there waiting for us, right? We're ready to rock it, so I put the tie on the for the last segment. It's the you move, noodles. You usually pull that off. I just go tie on the last segment. You just go tie the whole show. And done up, too. Like, that's still. That's veteran, though. I like that. That's a Tom Barrasso play. He's the best.

Tommy Barrasso, man. Tommy B. Shout out. What an unreal story. Private Bird right into Vegas, Shadow Creek, three days in a row. sushi and a great bottle of wine on the way there That's the best of the bad That guy was the best man Well especially if you were in Napa He probably had the best bottle of wine Like if you were coming from San Jose

He must have dialed in something Yeah That you can't find anywhere else in the country Buddy I was at an age at that time I didn't care about any of that All I know is I was going to Vegas for a full week And he was like I'm going to get you to Vegas

First Class on the PJ That's amazing Gotta take advantage Yeah Gotta take advantage that. All right, best bets powered by Fando and make your picks and assemble the same game parlay in seconds on the Fandole Sportsbook app. Moodles, you've been very optimistic today. I have been. And it is wearing off towards me.

Go for it. Leaves winning tonight. William Neelander, two plus points tonight. Neelander's got to have a night tonight. I think he will, right? Two games in a row, no shots on net. That's got to come to an end. I think it comes to an end quickly. I wouldn't be shocked to be scored first. Wouldn't be shocked to be scored early in his game. game tonight. And neither team can really defend. I wouldn't be against Bettney over tonight. 5-3. Yeah, I wouldn't be shocking

if it was 5-3 tonight. Would not be shocking at all. Best bets powered by Fandwell. Same game parlay is now available for every NHL game on the Fandual Sports Book, yeah. Police Play Responsibly 19-plus physically located in Ontario. All right, well, shout out to the Cowboys

in Haysenbro for a win last night. So it's plus 10 now, right? Yeah, back to double digits. Not our best week. We weren't happy with ourselves, but... They're feeling pretty good, though. They're feeling pretty good. Yeah, they should. They had a good weekend. Now, CFL games are no longer a part of the process, so

that hurts. We have to dig in. You guys have to dig in. You've got to find a way to dig in. But, you know, we'll see what happens with this baseball offseason as well, man. It feels like news is going to start coming here, and guys are going to start being signed, and we mentioned yesterday Josh Naylor resigning in Seattle. Well, that might have been Boba shed out of shape

a little bit, like where he's like, if if it's supposed to be like an automatic marriage where it's like Nailer was with Seattle, why aren't I with the Blue Jays just automatically done here? What's going on? What's that number looked like? I don't know, but it would piss a guy off if it's like he hears sniffing around on Tucker, other guys, it's like I thought it was about me, keeping me here. Yeah.

That guys get bent out of shape about that. I could see that. And it's on Shapiro and Atkins to accept that, but also it's business, man. Well, chat about it tomorrow, but I just, what is the expected marketplace for him financial? Let's get our boys. $300, $400, $400 like that. Oh, I don't think it's that high. I don't think it's that high.

I think it's maybe two, you know, is it, is it a, the thing he's been injury prone. So I don't know, I don't think he's going to get like a 10-year deal. Ten-year deal at $25 million. I think it's like a four or five-year deal at $25 or something like that. And then does it get them up to $150 and then to really get him, it's got to get to $180? You know what I mean?

That's what I would love to know is, what is this contract, a guy like Steve Phillips, what does he think that contract comes in at? That's because, you know, he's looking at his buddy who just signed for 500. Yeah. That's a different piece. We'll chat with him. We'll find out, right?

Yeah, we've got bits we've got to do tomorrow. We'll be breaking down the Leaf game tomorrow. And we've got other NHL games. We've got NBA games tonight. LeBron's back. So shout out to LeBron James. Like 23 seasons starting tonight, man. It's been a while, but he's back.

So we got that. And, of course, we're on the panel. So make sure you catch us on a pregame. We're coming up on Sports Center. You're going to be on Sports Center after the game. Big night. It's a big, big night. Duffy hosting.

We're coming up on the Leaf Panel, Lees Blues on TSN4 tonight. Thanks to everyone behind the scenes for helping out. We appreciate it. Everyone for tuning in today, TV, radio, podcast, web, and of course, up on YouTube live. We're out of here, enjoy your evenings. Enjoy the games tonight.

We're back tomorrow at... JP, deactivate. 4 p.m. We'll chat then. It's beginning to sound a lot like Christmas. With Iheart the holidays. Non-stop Christmas music 24-7 All your festive favorites

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