OverDrive - OverDrive - November 25, 2025 - Hour 2 - Mike Johnson

Episode Date: November 25, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Jamie McLennan for Hour 2 on OverDrive! TSN Hockey Analyst Mike Johnson joins to discuss the perception of Craig Berube's coaching tenure with the Maple Leafs, the team's biggest problems and Quinn Hughes' possible trade deals. The guys go around the sports world in the latest edition of Confirm or Deny and Bryan gives his FanDuel Best Bets.

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Country. Hour two overdrive continues, powered by Fanduil, bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score, confirmed with the night later in the hour, best bets later in the hour. Mike Johnson will join us here in a moment. Johnny's got a lot to say, I'm sure, about the least, and the current state of the NHL. I know he's a big RAPS fan.

I believe he's a Raptor fan. I think so. I know he's a big basketball guy. I want to know if he's one fan. I want to know if he's a Nux fan. I want to get his thoughts on the Nucks. Okay. We'll get to the bottom of what he thinks of cigarettes and cashews out in Vancouver.

What a great comment. I love that. Cigarettes and cashews. I was in a rink out by me, actually. Some of the players that played at Iroquois, it's a rink down just south of the 401. They got the former, like all the former NHLers, their jerseys up there. It's Foot, Newendike, Roberts, the Primo brothers. It just keeps going and going

And now it's Perfetti And there's a couple guys Currently in the league right now But big names Big names, man That's why I'm seeing Adam Foote I'm like man, that guy was nasty God he was a good player

So gritty man Nasty, so pretty He's one guy It would be like I don't know You see these guys nowadays Where it's like I don't even think they can That jack guy does

You can tell if you sick him on somebody Like that's your matchup tonight I want you to really pay attention to that that he'll be like a dog. But Adam Foote took his like first line matchup, like the other team's first line to heart every single shift. He was like, you're not going to score. I'm going to crush you every time in the corner.

Like you're not going to get one inch on my account. That was his approach. Not one shift off. He was very, very hard to play against. That Colorado had a great mix of everything, right? Exactly. Like they had Adam, remember Adam Deadmarsh? Like that guy was Mike Ritchie.

But then they had Sackick, Foresburg, Hey, Duke. But they had these. Kempinski. Yeah, Valerie Kempinski. Yeah, they had some really good players like high-end skill. And then they had these like mean. But even their mean players were good players too. Like that's the thing.

Deadmarsh was a really good player. Ritchie was a good player. Adam Foote was a good player. Like, they, there was, that team was serious. Got Rob Blake and then Bork and obviously Patrick Juan. They traded Owen Nolan off that team of all those forwards to get Sandus Ozelinch. They felt like they needed one stud D to play in the power play. And prior to that, they traded Sundeen, right, for Wendell before they even got to Colorado.

Yeah, it was crazy. Like they had Matt Sundeen. They had Lindros who didn't even show up. Well, what you're saying, what you're saying is you'd like to see some big trades going on. Isn't that crazy? I just mentioned right there. Now, that was a draft trade, but like, Sundeen for Wendell, Owen Nolan for Sanis Ozzalinch.

Yeah, we got to make a shake up here to get a defenseman. Owen Nolan, you're on your way out the door. Yeah. Pretty good deal. And, you know, and I get, like, that was, there was no salary cap back then. It was all about, you know, there was no guarantees, no one had long-term contracts. It was a completely different world, completely different world, and you could operate very differently. Honestly, there was a different

scouting world at that point. You know, there were some teams that didn't have the budget probably to go see everybody and know everything about everybody. You had to rely on word of mouth. You had to rely on your scouts. Now you get GMs just traveling all over the place. I want to get on a bird and fly here

and watch this guy play. That wasn't happening 30 years ago. You could just tell your owner, hey, book me a flight. I'm going to see this guy play tonight. That wasn't happening. But now it is you know yet it seems like there's more invested there's more scouting there's more money there's more of a of a budget and yet nothing ever ends up happening and like if you look

at the Leafs where they're going to go and what they're going to do this is why the coach keeps coming up like whether you love Brube don't it's not that he's not a great coach or that he has a one he has he's been a winner it's not that they didn't have a really good year last year they did it's just the reality of the NHL it happens all the time GMs come out and say, I can't make trades. I have to change something. So it's the coach that ends up falling on the sword. But I'm asking this honestly, because I believe I know my answer.

You put a new coach with that team. I don't see any different. Like that's the thing. Like I don't know, you know, name me a coach that would be, like everyone's, oh, Peter DeBore. Like, DeBore is a great coach. So is Craig Barubi. But, like, would it be stylistic that you're looking for? Is he going to get more out of Rick Machelli or not?

I don't know. I mean, that's using. Let me flush this out a little bit because it's a heavy topic. Right now, the injuries, I think, they're just a reality. But these guys, they're really suffering from injuries. Yes. And there's just no disputing it. So that, in and of itself, I think, is a realistic, you know, it's a speed bump for this team right now.

Right. I guess what I'm saying is. thing is if you if you look at this team like take out the names take out the relationships and all that kind of stuff nine years in the playoffs veteran team high expectations dead last in the east on november 25th that's not like if it's not crazy to say well that's kind of where the coach is in trouble you know like if you just take the emotion out of it noodles like yeah you wouldn't be shocked team x coach y this scenario you'd say yeah i could see it i'm I'm not advocating for it.

I'm not saying it will happen or whatever. I'm just saying if it did, Team X, Coach Y, scenario, Z, you'd be like, yeah, that kind of is what happens. You know, like, that's kind of way it works. We can ask Johnny, but do you think there's ever a scenario where you just look at the situation and you're like, bad year? Just not everything went against them. Nashville last year. Nashville was just terrible, and they said coach gets a hall pass, GM gets a hall pass. But now look at this year.

I get it, but that's got to be the mandate. This year was garbage. We'll just wipe it, and it's like you had a bad year, but things better change next year on all aspects. Well, I bring in Johnny and ask him what he thinks of that. All right. Here's Mike Johnson, our Tos and hockey analyst, joining us here on the Maple Toyota Hotline.

Are you sniffing that out, Johnny? Like we're reaching, hey, just bad year, everything went against the Leafs territory here, or what? I don't think they want to go there, although that might be the case, given the way it's gone and the injuries, the performance. But I mean O says Nashville and that makes sense

except in that example they followed up with another bad year. Like I don't think Maple Leaf Sports wants to say this group and this commitment is now window shut. They're getting worse. They're going to be out of the playoffs. I don't think they're at all ready

to concede that on any level. Not this year not going forward. So that's where I'm like you talk about scenario X, coach Y, result Z. Emmington Oilers two years ago. Jay Woodcroft good coach really good coach he was replaced

for knob block and then they went on to the Stanley Cup final two years in a row I'm not saying that would happen if they did that but I think it's a pretty parallel situation

in that good team high expectations tons of talent that you can't really change that much but what can you change and this is where it's unfair to coaches

where it's not the coach's false but we know that coaches are the easiest and most likely thing to change because players of consequence are difficult to change. change. So yeah, but I will say you mentioned the injuries. And I think what the injuries give everyone around the Maple Leafs right now is a chance to extend the timeline of decision making

because they can say, listen, we're without six regulars. We can't make a decision right now. Let's see what it looks like when we get both our goalies back, when we get all our feedback, when we get Austin Matthews and Matthew Nyes, then if we struggle, then we have that different kind of conversation. But I think the injuries extend that timeline. If they were 100% healthy today, I imagine these kind of conversations would be going on in different places besides this. Yes. Yeah. Right? Like in

the halls of the executive of Maple Leaf Sports, you're like, hmm, what are we going to do here? Because this is not good enough. Yeah. I mean, it's a great point, Johnny, but the only problem that I have is like, this isn't a team. You said, like, ton of talent. I don't see it that way. I think there's top end talent, but then it falls into a lot of O calls them

J-A-G. Is it J-A-G that you call them? Just the guys? That was somebody, yeah, just the guy. That wasn't my term. That was presented to me. Yeah, but that's where I think the team is different this year. Like in years past, the identity of the team, I think, was quite clear. They had high-end talent that could win them a game at any moment because it's Marner that does it.

It's Matthews that does it. It's Nielander does it. It's Tavarra's it. It's Riley. You know, it was deeper. I look at it this year, and they're a different team. So outside the injuries, I'd like to see them healthy, but I still think they're adjusting as to, like, hey, we don't.

You've talked about it. Who's the puck transporter missing from Marner bringing up the ice? Who's your quarterback into power play? Who's doing these things? They still haven't adjusted to, you're only 20 games in, but it's 20 is enough. There should be that adjustment there, and now you throw in the injuries and inconsistent. and it doesn't look great.

That's why I've been defending the coach. I'm like, you put any coach on that, it's not looking great until they get healthy, and then you figure out what you've got to do. I would just say this, Noodles, and you're right in a lot of different ways. What you usually associate high-end talent with is scoring goals. What are they in goals?

Like fifth. They're not having a hard time scoring goals. And, like, I get it. Their team is different, and they miss Mitch Martin. they miss Mitch Martyr for a lot of different ways. But I think what you would get in a different coach, and I'm not advocating for Craig Barouba. Craig Brub was a good coach,

clearly. He just wanted to stand the cop recently. And he led this team to a division title and as deep as they've been in 20 years. But I do think if you went stylistically in a different direction, you would get different results. Now, I'm not saying, I'm not a coach.

I can't devise, you know, system player top to bottom to make this group better. But as it stands now when they were healthier without Wall and Lawton and when they're unhealthy trying to play the system they've been asked to play whether it's replicating last year

or tweaking last year, it's not working. And so I think that's what a different voice is. Not that they're a better coach or Craig Brewers. It's not a good coach. It's a different system. And I think you might see different results there. So yeah, I think they are a talented

team because what separates most teams in the NHL is the high end guys, not the just a guy guys. Because lots of teams have just the guys. They might be a bit better in other areas but the difference makers in winning and losing are the high end guys. And right now

the high end guys, and I think the other part of this conversation that needs to be said is that all the referencing to last year and how great they were last year they got great results. They weren't a great process team last

year. Like they were sort of middle ground in chances and in shots and expected goals and all those things. But goaltenders, amazing power play, amazing stars. They were not some wagon that just rolled over teams game after game after game. They went from middle of the league this year to bottom third of the league. But they didn't go from 5th last year to 25th this year. They went from 18th to 25th. The drop has not been as precipitous.

It's the goaltending largely and the power play that have stopped them from getting points. because last year under Craig Barouba in this system, they won games. They did not give up a lot of goals, but process-wise, they were not that strong last year either. Well, like last one on this, and I'll ask you guys, because you played in the NHL, when you hear the coach say, we just got to dig in more. How do you, what does that mean to you? When you hear your coach say, we just need to dig in more, how do you respond to that? It's very simple to me.

It's like we're not a hardworking team. We have guys that aren't committed to just doing small things. And that's been the critique of the Maple East for the longest time. They don't want to block shots. They don't want to take a hit to make a play. They want an easy game. Pretty simple to me. I mean, I think as a player, when I hear that, it's more like it translates to physical.

Because I think when you have a two-on-one-one me and Hayes going down the ice, we are trying our hardest to score, right? Like, no one doesn't try their hardest to score. I think I associate that always with some of the stuff I was talking about, blocking shots and taking hits and making hits and being gritty, whatever. And I, but if I'm, and I don't know if I was kind of wherewithal when I played to kind of take a step back. And like, to me, that is coach speak and it's okay for the public. But the answer, I think, is always just work harder.

Just try harder. Like, I think at some point there's got to be a different answer than just try harder. These are professionals. They are trying hard. No one goes out there not to try. Either you've got to find a different system or you've got to find different players. Because I believe the majority of the players in the NHL are basically trying as best they can all the time. And so that's where I associate it with working hard, but hopefully behind closed doors, it's more hate.

Not only do we have to be grittier at what I was saying, but we also need to do this. Execution, system play, position play. defensive mindset different things beyond just try harder because try harder can only take it so far so far yeah it's a blanket statement i would use the word details and it comes back to a small detail of being you know between the net and the puck in the defensive zone logging a shot instead of making it look good like you were almost there uh that's johnny's point jamie it's like he just said it's the best league in the world but but how do these guys need the details show shoved down the throat every single game.

I don't, Johnny, you're in the rinks every night, and I'm watching other teams. This is the thing. The league is different now. I don't know. We had Joel Quinville on yesterday. He said, they don't have a practice time. Like, they're just, you know, it's about rest over practice.

It's about, I, I'm shocked. There's nights where I'm watching, and I'm like, that should be an easy out, and it's like, I can't execute a 10-foot pass. It's the best league in the world. And, like, a 10-foot pass is blowing. blows up on a guy's sticker, he misses him, he hits him in the skates. And because the game is so fast, instead of stopping on plays, it's like circle and everything is just kind of like, oh, that play blew up. Let's try the next play.

I feel like there's a mentality in today's game because the game is so fast. It's like keep the play going, keep it at a high rate, where I think some of the details are missing. Maybe I'm old school in that mentality, but it's just, I look at it, and the game, the game, is really sloppy on a lot of different fronts and I don't know how you crisping things up if you just if you focus on making a 10 foot pass you should be able to do it like that's the best league in the world yeah and I don't know how many times I miss it it's crazy 10 foot pass but I mean what was your what was your make on Saturday night Johnny like Saturday night like that was

just I think a lot of yeah Saturday was tough was tough I mean you know they were not checking well and if it was a one-off game you'd like it's okay hey, everyone has bad games, right? You're going to have 10, 15 kind of bad games. But the point is there's too many moments like this for the Leafs that you can't just write it off by saying it's okay because next to end they'll be better because next to them they haven't always been better.

We talked about what, Carolina, 10 days ago being rock bottom, Hayes, you're like, this has got to be it. Shot attempts 95 to 35. There's got to be it. It's 10 days ago. Now, Saturday's got to be it. Do you think I'd say, noodles, is that I think you say details, I guess I put it,

Execution. Because everyone's going so fast, it's harder to make plays that look good. Like to time it properly, whether it's defensemen, grabbing the puck, settle the puck, seeing the play, making a decision, make of the past. The windows are tighter now than they used to be when we played where people just were not moving quite as quickly. But again, that's on the players, always on the players, for sure. But I do think getting a system in play, knowing what we know, this is not news to coaches around the league. they watch the games they have the same information then you devise a system that allows for support when things go wrong like a pass in the skate should not be a three on one

a pass in the skates should you do a three on three right like this is like you you move things around in this way you know the stretch pass chip in for a forecheck does not work when the guy chasing for the four check is 30 feet back and he's not that fast like maybe that doesn't seem like a good system to execute all the time because the guys you have doing it Despite them trying to get there as fast they can, they can't get there as fast they can. Like these kind of things that I watch when I watch the Leafs feels like they should clean up and tweak what they are trying to do. And I'm not, again, they have a plan.

They want a lot with that plan last year. But again, I just, they play slower in a league that's getting faster. And you can be kind of slower skaters and still play a fast game, but they're not. And that's what I would be trying to work on both with the players but also with the system. to make it that they are able to play faster, even if they don't skate faster. Vegas isn't a bunch of lightning bolts out there. Like, when you look at them,

they're not like blazing speed. Well, to be honest, they're not playing that well right now either. Well, Florida, Florida is a team that everyone's emulating. They are a dump and chase team. But when you look into the stats, whatever, the amount of 20 plus mile an hour bursts in a game, they're in the top 10. They find a way within the construct of their sort of dup and

dump and chase system to still have moments of speed in the system. Yeah. That's what the Leafs have to try to get to. So you can play dump and chase and play fast. You can play dump and chase and play slow. The Leafs play the same kind of system. They're bottom six in bursts. So, you know, some of that's the skaters.

Some of that's the system. And I think you've got to tweak the system to accommodate the skaters that you have because those are the guys in the team. Well, it's an interesting fact to look at too, Johnny. because Florida plays to a man exactly the way that they want to play. And what I mean by that is execution of their structure. So I remember watching a Florida game last year, and it was a two-on-two, and it was Barcoff and Reinhardt.

And Reinhardt dumped it in instead of making a play inside the blue line because they had, I believe at the time, it was Bennett that was driving on the other side. so they knew exactly how that play was going to unfold. So if Craig Barubi asks two-on-two, and it's Neelander and Micelli, is he dumping that puck in for a purpose, or is Neelander trying to make a play? To me, if there's a disconnect, some players want to play one way, other players want to play another way. That's the other thing, too, that has to be looked at within the confines of the structure of a game.

Because Florida all plays the exact same way. I would ask this, though. Is it a good idea to ask William Nealander dump the puck in a 2-on-2? I'd say not. I'd say not. 58 goals for Reinhardt last year. Like, that's my point.

26 of them on the power play, though, noodles. I mean, he had 24 power play goals or whatever it was, right? It wasn't all 5 on 5. And again, he's a different kind of player. He doesn't skate like William Neelander. He's better, like, I'm just saying, horses for courses. Like, everyone wants to emulate Florida,

but no one's got the same kind of players they have, same kind of demeanor they have the same kind of coach they have it's just different so yeah i get taking the template in a broader sense but you know how to break it down to apply to your team every team is different and everyone got to find you know the nuanced you know how to how to apply their own system and it feels again we're talking a lot about systems and coaches and there are lots of stuff at play here for the leaps including just like hey they have to be physically more engaged and physically more prepared and that is all true but it's been 20 what are they 24 games now they played

23 games whatever it is 22 games so by the end of this road trip they're a third of the way through their season there's only so long you can take it but saying they'll figure it out eventually they'll figure it out they'll figure it out I mean at some point a third of the season's gone if it's not figured out they're in the last place like I get it

they're not there's six points out eight for whatever it is but you know it's two months plus training cap it's three months nothing is that complicated they're doing the best they sort of can with it and it's just not working for this group right now. No, it's not. And they're not alone.

And listen, it's a weird condensed season too, right? Like there's just with the Olympics and the Olympic break and there's a lot of games. I think that's leading to a lot of injuries. You're hearing that throughout the league that there's just so many injuries. It's guys, you know, you're going so fast

and you're moving out a different pace than you used to that guys are getting banged up. And, you know, we were talking about some of the other Canadian teams. like right now it's Ottawa they lost last night but they had a really good trip but Ottawa is the only team in the top like 16 in the league right now in terms of points in terms of Canadian teams like the halves dropping off Winnipeg's dropped off Edmonton's obviously dropped off Calgary Toronto and Vancouver have been terrible

you know it's it's we feel like we do this every week we reset but it's ugly like it's ugly up here man like it's not a lot of good positive stories in north of the 49th right now Oh, not according to Brucey, and you guys. I still say four. You two and Brucey said five clubs. Five clubs. Brucey was committed to five.

Oh, was a solid two. A firm two for O. I remember this. He looks like a genius right now. A damn genius. Not, but you never know. I would take the over. I would take the over on two.

I would. I think Winnipeg will get there. And I'll get back and they'll, they'll get there. Johnny, let me ask you this. Do you think the Canucks could slide in? No. My Canucks? No, I do.

No, I do not. Big Booster for Vancouver. Oh, really? Why don't you think that they will slide in? My Canucks. Because they are thin and underperforming with a goaltender who can't stay healthy. They just announced that they're going to trade their veterans for younger players. I checked it today.

you're like, oh, who would be available in Vancouver? Elias Pedersen, no move. Brock Bester, no move. Jake DeBrusch, no move. Evander Cain's got a 16 team, no trade. Tyler Myers, no move. Marcus Pedersen, no move. You're not going to trade Quinn.

He was Connor Garlick, no move next year. Lankinen and Demko, no moves. Like they can't, Evander Cain is literally or Kiefer Sherwood. The guy who has outperformed his contract by more than anyone else on the team. The one guy you want to keep on that team is the one guy that you would trade as a veteran

to get younger. Oh, I just don't see it coalescing it fast enough for that team. And I think that's a shame because I was holding on to the season. Damn it. It's a shame those can, I thought I was hanging on to hope for this season, man. I was really doing it. We were having the discussion and Dregs gave it to me because I said, why not just rip the Band-Aid off and just see what, like, talk to Quinn Hughes and just get the most

for them right now? Why do you want to say, oh, we're going to hold on to this season? And then Dregs tore up. my head off and said, you don't know what you're talking about, you're just a fat ass sitting on your chair, making comments. Direct quote. He did not say it. Basically, that's what he said. Verbatim. Yes. Oh, bring

me in next time, because you're making a lot of sense. You're making a ton of sense. If he's going anyways, get him out of there now, get as much as you can now, start the rebuild, and then if trading him might also help you massage some of those other no-move situations, and maybe those guys, like, realizing,

hey, we're not going to win right now. We're retooling. maybe we're better off going other places. Oh, if he's leaving and you're missing the playoffs anyways and now you're announcing you're trading to go younger and sort of recalibrate in the middle of trying to push to be good for him to stay there,

it's not going to help him stay there. And if we're being honest, he's probably going to go anyways. And if you get that answer from him, oh, I'm with you. You trade him now. And you give any team, even if it's not Jersey, where he eventually will want to go, let's just say. And you give him two years of Quinn Hughes

for the playoffs you can get a mountain of assets for two years of Quinn Hughes on an affordable contract I'm trading almost anything to get that guy for two years we had that chat in the 4 o'clock hour

if you're a team that is a contender and you want to be in on how far do you go do you trade a really good young live roster player or do you load up on picks and prospects If you're Carolina, they've taken big swings, right?

Right. Do you not trade another first and Logan Stankovin for him? Again, Stanky? Stankov was not having a great year. But what if you know that he's told you, you could trade for me, but I'm going to play with my brothers, so I'm not resigning there. I'm still doing it two years. They traded for Ranton for two months on the hope that he might say.

They're going to get this guy for two years and their window is right now. I just said Stankovin because he was just traded for a big player. Logan, you're a good guy. You signed an extension. I'm just saying, Jackson, Blake, whoever you want to put out there, Svechnikoff, whatever, apparently his name's out there. I'm saying, if I'm Carolina, I go Svech and a first rounder for two years of him, even if I know he's going to walk.

I do. Okay. So remind me, though, does Hughes have any control right now? Does he have a no move? You would have to. I don't think he does know. No, because, Joe, you can't get them until you're old enough to be a UFA, and I don't know if he's been in the league long enough seven years.

Right. I think he's coming up on it. I look at his day, he doesn't have it this year. It's a martyr scenario. So he's a funny, you can send him anywhere. Okay, so in hindsight, and it's easy for us to be heroes to look back, you should have traded Mitch Marner before he had cost control. A lot of people were saying that at the time.

Easier said than done. Sure. But if you're going to blow off the Corps for us, had to do it before he had control. Right. Horano had legitimate aspirations and expectations to win last year. Vancouver, if they're being honest, do not. That's the difference. And that's why letting Mitch Marner are keeping them is defensible because they won the division.

They were one of the best teams in the league. To trade that guy in that moment is, yeah, in hindsight, sure. But what if they get to the third round? What if they win game seven? They're like, yeah, that's why we kept them. So that's the difference. And that's where you're going to be honest with your club. And if you're being honest, that's always, accurately being honest about Vancouver.

Right. You know, it's probably, it would be appropriate to look at that earlier than sooner than later. Yep. Good job, O'Dog. Good job. There's the O'Dock driving the narrative in the country. I love it. I'm just a guy on my chair.

Just, no, you're just a fat ass on your chair. Don't forget that, man. You're really. You're right. I'm just verbatim. Damn right. Journalist. I'm a journalist.

All right, Johnny. Thank you for getting that right. Oh, I love it. All right, Johnny, we'll do it later in the week. Good to see, anybody. All right, boys. Have a good day. Mike Johnson, joining us on the Maple Toyota Hotline.

Get in and go where adventures take you. And a new 2025 Tacoma from Maple Toyota near Canada's Wonderland. The Maple Auto Mall visit MapleTotter.com. Confirm or deny next. It's beginning to sound a lot like Christmas with IHeart the holidays. Non-stop Christmas music 24-7. all your festive favorites unwrap the magic of the season

one song at a time ask your smart speaker to play iHeart the holidays on iHeart radio download the free app today gifted to you by sleep country i can neither confirm or deny that this is in fact a segment austin trades andrew raycroft to trano in exchange for the rights to Tuka Rask.

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. All right, confirm or deny. Statements are made. We confirm them or we deny them. Very simple stuff. Done this many times. All right. man, it's a negative tone the last couple of days.

It's very unfortunate. Luckily, though, the wraps are live. Brandon Ingram's a raptor. We've got to love that. So there is some positivity here. The Js are involved in a lot of the hot stoving out there in Major League Baseball. Lots of positivity. On the hockey scene, not so much.

Confirm or deny multiple Canadian teams will finish bottom five in the standings this season. Multiple teams, bottom five. I am 100% confirmed. that. Are you talking, yeah, of course. Yeah, Calgary, maybe your Canucks, maybe your Leafs, maybe someone else, I don't know. Yeah, I'm standing Pat on Tupac making the playoffs. Okay. So I am also 100% confirming the statement you just made, because it'll get ugly after after the next couple weeks. Once things really start to kind of sink in that you got no chance, because, as Johnny says numerous times, the math don't lie.

Once you get to a point, you're not getting it. Evanston's four points out of the first place. Montreal's right there, and so's Ottawa. There's three teams. You add one more of Toronto and Winnipeg in there. There's four. Okay. So we're talking the bottom here.

As of now, Calgary, Vancouver, Toronto are all bottom five. But you want to do Spigolo down there? Yes. Will there be two at the end of the road? Confirm. It's confirmed. Two of them will remain in the bottom five. Yes.

Confirm. I'll confirm. One's already there. Yeah, I think Calgary is going to, through osmosis, be there and trade some stuff. But I think the other one, the interesting one for me is Vancouver. Because if Vancouver decides to do exactly what O'Don talked about, 15 minutes ago and say, hey, we're going to, we're going to look at Quinn Hughes. And that has a trickle effect into Connor Garland, into Jake DeBrosker, whoever else has

long-term deals and that. That means they do look at something different. That's a blow-up. That puts into, exactly. So that puts them in, that's two. But I'm not there yet. I'm going to deny it until I hear that they're open for business on Quinn Hughes. You're always open for business on unrestricted free agents.

I'm saying, are they open for business on other players? They aren't yet. So I'm not there yet, oh, but give me 15 games. Give me 10 to 15 games. So I'm denying that. Well, yeah, and it's also the math about the other teams that could be involved there. Nashville will be. You know, St. Louis has just had a dreadful year.

Right. Unfortunately, I still think, you know, Buffalo, possibly Chicago, possibly Pittsburgh. They're coming back to Earth. right there's other teams with a long road ahead of them that i think you're going to lose a lot of games and kind of compete for that bottom five spot so i'll actually deny it based on that not so much what these canadian teams are doing but what these other teams i think still could do in terms of them getting worse and then possibly tanking uh confirm it deny messiah jiri's legacy in toronto is still being determined still even though he's not here it could it could grow one way or the

other still. I think his legacy is cemented in this city. He brought a championship here. He did so many amazing things off the court out of that building. I think his legacy is already cemented.

It can only grow because he put together this team that's having success this year. This isn't exactly like Bobby Webster's hands are all over this. Well, that's why I would confirm it. I mean, I will say this. The Brandon Ingram story is it's nothing but positive. guy's been unbelievable and it seems like in the past haze that transaction would always turn out to he's got a bum knee it just didn't work out he can't score the ball anymore and it just flares it flares out and it's like he goes somewhere else but to this point like until right now it's been amazing because you watched the highlights of that dude last night he was incredible unreal he put up 30 shots man they just they found him and he's a hot hand that's what he's done his whole career he was the top five pick top three pick in the NBA and he looks like he's

He's into it. Yes, and that's a big part of it. He's committed. He's finally in a winning situation, something he hasn't really experienced in his career. But what I will say, again, through 18 games, unbelievable. It's 18 games. Yeah, like, let's see, you know what I mean? Like, the jury's not completely in on exactly what this is going to look like for Ingram, the contract, the fit, everything of, you know, the rest of the year.

But so far so good, man. it's been great i think again i think masai if anything what you're going to realize okay they're in a really good place and it's just every once in a while that conversation is going to pop up like why is he not here like what what happened there and i think we know the answer you know contractual and all that kind of stuff but they went up they won a championship then covid hit got kind of weird there with lowry and siacum and van vietnam and an ovi they adjusted pretty bad really bad for a couple years now they're back up like this guy went up down and now back up and he's not here um so yes it's cemented in terms of an all-time great executive in the city but it could actually improve even more

with him not even being here which is a testament to you know how great he was yeah i mean i just regardless of what happens his legacy like when you don't have to apologize for championships you ever happened before and after like the kawai trade alone probably cemented this legacy for me. And that could have gone just so south. Didn't Kauai play like eight games the year before? Literally. Nine games or something.

Yeah, like that could have, this guy could have showed up and been a bum and not play, didn't want to play, and instead he delivered a championship, and then he took off. Then he did the clipper tree planting, you know, sabotage of the clipper's whole thing. But other than that, for the Rathlers, it was great. It was great. It's weird, like the relationship between the Rappers and Nick Nurse, you know, like they just played in Philly the other night. They played him a couple times already this year. There's like no connection to it anymore.

It's weird. Like, it's not something that you build up anymore, which is natural. And I'm curious what happens with Messiah. If he gets another job, if and when he wants one, you know, then you get the return to Toronto. He gets his flowers. How quickly does it fade? Dude, that's everybody fades. Everyone does, unfortunately, yeah.

Yeah, it's just you were, you were there for a long time, and then you come back. everybody cheers and say we miss you and then the next time it's like hey it's you again yeah that's it happens pretty quickly like yeah it does testament to that's time that's life that's the way it goes but everyone kind of moves on you know everyone moves on it's true um all right confirm a deny nathan this will be a spicy one i'm curious to see how the answers come out in this one oh well i think it's a very fair confirmed of deny confirm of deny nathan mckinan has played himself into the number one center spot for Team Canada. It's always going to be one A and one B with those two guys.

It's only one. It's only one number one. He's played well. Like right now, if you're picking the heart, it's probably him, right? Yeah, so if it's, if you really want to say, like, if you're going to base 1A and 1B on performance to right now from the start of the season, then, yeah, it's him. but you watch McJesus at the Olympics still have something to say about that I was just going to say I'm going to deny it the only reason I deny it is because you don't judge like I don't think Jordan Bennington hasn't had a great start to the season

I don't think he loses the net because he hasn't had a great start to the season I don't think McDavid loses you know the number one center spot because his team's played 16 games on the road and they've had a terrible start you know what I mean And McKinnon's been great, but I still think of, in a one-game playoff, who are you taking? I still take McDavid, although McKinnon's done it too. He's won it. Now, the last two years of the playoffs, McDavid, has been phenomenal. And McKinnon really, since they won it, the afts haven't done much in the playoffs.

I think he's pulled his weight. He said some phenomenal numbers. Four nations. He won the MVP, though, McKinnon did. He was the MVP of the tournament. McDavid scored the goal, but McKinnon won the MVP. I don't know, I think it's a good problem to have. This isn't a negative conversation.

It's great. You've got to argue with the two best, I think they are the two best players right now. If I'm picking two guys that I want up the middle of the ice, I'm taking these two guys. For sure. For sure. I mean, what a luxury if you're John Cooper. Imagine throwing those guys over the boards one after the other. McDavid, you're up, and then McKinnon, you're up after that.

Incredible luxury to have. Oh, God. But McKinnon, you know, last year during the regular season, had a better year. and right now he's at a better year so you know it's yeah i guess i'll confirm it i guess i'm i'm talking myself into a confirmation here regular season though i mean playoffs like you say the one guy lost the first round and the other guy went to the cup final so one guy's got a ring the other guy doesn't but it's true i hear you i hear it's again it's a it's a totally positive conversation to have because you got the two best guys and this is what comes

this is the point i made after the four nations that I think is important to continue to bring up. You look at the top of the NHL, and again, points aren't everything. But it's McKinnon, McDavid, Bedard, Celebrini. It's McCarrow on defense. Consistently throughout the history of the sport internationally, the best player has always been Canadian, and they still are. So yes, the Americans have depth, and Sweden's got depth,

and Finland's good. no one can touch Canada when it comes to the best player. Like it was Howe into Orr, into Gretzky, into Lemieux, into Crosby, into McDavid, into McInnor, and it looks like it could be into Celebrini, Bedard, and you keep going. And that's generally the kind of icebreaker, right? Who's got the best guy?

Who's going, who's going Gretzky to Lemieux in 87? Who's going Marner to McDavid in 24? Not to the same extent, but still, McDavid was the guy that closed the four. nations. Yeah. And I'm kind of baking on that happen at the Olympic Games. I wouldn't disagree.

It's just I think these other teams, this team USA, I think, is going to be something to be. They got a lot of injuries right now. Well, that's the problem is Matthews and Hughes being injured. Like Hughes is, I don't know. Jack Hughes, you're saying. Yes, Jack Hughes, like who was a rock star and Hellebuck. But Jack Hughes was a rock star to start the season. and then fell on a glass or something and now we'd, you know, I don't know.

Werenzky's banged up. I think he'll play tomorrow, but he's a little bit banged up. But, yeah, they got a lot, McAvoy, they got a lot of injuries. They do. A lot of injuries. Matthew Kachuk, Brady Kachuk, they're still out. Yeah, like you presume they're all going to return and it's going to be all good. All right.

Final one, confirm it tonight. Team Owen Wilson is the worst run organization in pro sports. I'm going to confirm it because I'm not a part of it. And I don't run it. So I absolve, I'm absolving myself from any wrongdoing, and I was mistreated. And I don't like it. I was. I was.

You file a complaint? I will. I'll go right to HR of Owen Wilson, Inc. And be like, I was never given a chance. I was bullied. Very disappointing. Pro athlete salute? I don't know, man.

That salute is now the Hazenbro salute. The Hays and bro, Hays and O. The Hays and O. The Hays and O salute. I don't know, man. We're going to have a definitive answer on this tomorrow because Luke is in a dark place, Ben. Dude, he is. He's just, he's just.

Because stuff like yesterday, I knew that the play was the Niners all day. Yeah, it sure was. Carolina sucks, man. Well, listen, they've been playing better. It was a big number. Bryce Young under the lights is asking a lot in that spot. It's a tough building to play in. Niners are getting a little bit healthier.

It's not like the Niners' offense put up big numbers. It wasn't like the McCaffrey and Purdy show. Exactly. That's how Hayes and O talk. We talk like that. We talk things out. I feel, I don't know if it's Hayes and O like. I either Hayes and O or I make a super team with Joe from the bridge,

Dugie and JP. That would be my first choice. I think it should be Hayes versus the field. Al's brother goes to join you guys. He dumps Al's brother, and you can have a super team eight on one. Bring in Doogie, bring in J.P., Joe from the bridge, and it's Hayes versus everybody else. Andre the Giant versus everybody else. Exactly.

I would love to see it. I pay money to see that one. I want to sit on the sidelines and watch a super team put together. So you've got men fences with O&O, or I'm sorry, with Luke. and say, we're bringing Al's brother in, we're bringing J.P., we're bringing Dougie in, and it's Hayes versus, because I think Hayes is ready to dump. Oh, I take on the world right now. I'm seeing the board as clearly, I'm Cyclops.

No, no, you misspoke. We're seeing the board, yes. The problem with this dynamic, quickly, before we get out of here, is Al's brother is not taking advice from a Super Bowl winner. He's not going to take advice from Luke. he owns Luke Wilson right now and that's the problem is Luke would want to maybe have some sort of dialogue or diplomacy and his brother won't accept it he's cruising he's charcutoring he's car depoting and he's picking winners even Joe Buck was talking about the moon last night his pick up on that waxing crescent Joe Buck I refuse if you had L's brother on your team he would have told you that the Niners were a lock last night anyway all right best bet's coming up and we'll have a definitive answer on what's going to happen as of tomorrow

because we have a big swing week big one on thursday game on friday massive implications this week overdrive continues up on youtube live it's beginning to sound a lot like christmas with i heart the holidays non-stop christmas music 24-7 all your festive favorites Unwrap the magic of the season. One song at a time. Ask your smart speaker to play IHeart the holidays on IHartRadio. Download the free app today. Gifted to you by Sleep Country.

Best Bet's powered by Fandole. Make your picks and assemble the same game parlay on seconds on the Fandole's Sportsbook app. Getting plus money with Dallas tonight, and I'm going to take it. Dallas has been playing well. They've been in Western Canada. They're just waiting in Edmonton, right? They were in Calgary over the weekend. They played in Vancouver prior to that.

So they're up there. They're sitting there. They're waiting. The Oilers just had a crazy road trip. First game back. Dallas is just a good team, a really good team, and you're getting plus money. I'm going to take the stars tonight. Makes sense.

No Branton in, though, eh? One game, right? The Western teams? Do the Western teams say that, Jamie? Do they say, you know, Eastern teams say, oh, first game back in the East, we stink to join out. Do West teams do that or no? They do, but they just travel so much more. Like, you know, the travel is ridiculous.

You look at it, the mileage that they put on. But I feel like that's through the league, guys. Like, it's just, you know, first game home after a six, seven game or whatever. Everyone's just focused on, you know, visiting family, doing it, catching up with people. They just, it's always a stinker. But, you know, Dallas lost the other day, what was it, overtime or shootout? Shootout, to Calgary. So, and no rant didn't, but I don't, they still are.

are a very good team. Really good team. We never talked about this guy. Just nailing people from behind. That's how he operates. That's a hell of a player. That's the first time he's ever been suspended. Auto suspension too, right?

Yeah. Back-to-back games where he did it. Crazy. Crazy. Best bets powered by Fandole, same game. Parley is now available for every NHL game of the Fandrell Sportsbook Gap. Please play responsibly. 19 plus physically located in Ontario. All right.

Tomorrow we'll have an answer on what we're doing with the picks. we'll get Luke's take on all this. He will have a vote in this and is saying this, and of course Al's brother will as well. And we've got the Leafs in action tomorrow night. We've got a lot of games tomorrow. We look forward to that.

All right. Thanks to everyone behind the scenes for helping out. We appreciate it. Everyone for tuning in today. TV radio podcast, webbing up on YouTube, live on TSN's YouTube channel. We're out of here. Enjoy your evenings.

Enjoy the games tonight. We're back tomorrow at Go Hazeno and go Nucks. 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.

Unwrap the magic of the season. One song at a time. Ask your smart speaker to play IHeart the Holidays on IHart Radio. Download the free app today. gifted to you by Sleep Country.