OverDrive - OverDrive - November 26, 2025 - Hour 1 - Doug Armstrong

Episode Date: November 26, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Jonas Siegel for Hour 1 on OverDrive! The guys discuss the Maple Leafs' matchup against the Blue Jackets, Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies returning to the lineup and Matthews' strength on the ice, the Oilers' rough performance against the Stars and the goaltending and defensive issues in Edmonton. Hockey Canada and St. Louis Blues General Manager Doug Armstrong joined to discuss the Canada team process, Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini's performance and the Blues looking to make moves.

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This hour of overdrive is powered by Fanduil. Fan Duel, bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score. All right, here we go, overdrive off and running. TSN 1050 on the TSN app, your home smart speaker, up on TSN4, Brian Hayes, the O'Dog, Jeff O'Neill, and we needed some optimism in the air. Jonas Siegel's in the house. Great to see you, Jonas, as always. Do you think that was, so that's dire straits?

Is that like a message? Is that? Yeah, I mean, listen, it's time to put your money down, right? What is that? Money for nothing? Money for nothing. Time to get things done. Microwave ovens and the whole nine, Jonas.

Right? That's the way you do it. You've got to get something done tonight in Columbus. Have to get something done. You talked about the record needed coming down the stretch. First of all, I gave you a hand signal that you didn't respond to. Well, I mean, we need to address a couple things. that we will get to. We'll save it for a little bit later in the hour, but there's some wild stuff.

Oh, so I'm going back to my parts. No, no, no. So, okay, here's what happened for people that are wondering, because yesterday we were talking about possibly changing up the NFL picks. Because it's just so ugly. Al's brother and I are too good, right? We're just too good. Like the two of us, we see the board so clearly. These two guys, Owen Wilson, it's just, they're in Shambles, Jonas.

Shambles, right? The Nashville Predators of the... Or Cleveland Browns. Worse. Maybe worse. Maybe worse. The Jets. The New York football scene amalgamated. That's who they are. One's the Giants, one's the Jets, and they've connected, and it's just a disaster. So O has been angling to not just get out, but to just miraculously end up on our team without any penalties or anything. Like he's just now plus 13.

Like he's just come over. That's a brilliant move. We'll get to that later. Okay, we'll get to it later. We'll get to it later. Well, Jonas, I had a question for you. Go for it. Hasey was talking about the record needed by the Maple Leafs down the stretch to get in,

because they've already put themselves in quite a bit of a hole. Yes. What do you think the likelihood of that happening is, an impressive record coming down the stretch, and they pull out of this? Like a Jerry's? Just a Jonas. We'll call it a Jonas. Jonas percentages.

A gones. Yeah. What do you have? So are you talking like the rest of the season or just like the next level? Yeah, the rest of the season, they get out of this and they become the Maple Leafs of the past years and they're comfortably in. And this was just a blip on the screen. I'm going to go 40%. Is that higher or lower than that?

I think that's a lot of optimism. I think they'd be happy with that. I think it's probably too high based on the way that they've played. But their goaltending, I think, will be better. I think. Anthony Stollars has disappeared. So, like, that's a really big. weird, like, poker room.

The weirdest situation. Yeah. Wall is back and playing well. I don't know, like, how much he can play. Well, that's the idea. It's like Wall comes back to have the tandem ready, and then all of a sudden the other guy just disappears. Which is exactly, I think, what happened last year.

Or no, actually, it started that way. Matthews is back, Nize is back. That's good. I don't know what Matthews is going to look like. Like, is he just going to be what he was before the injury? Well, what can he expect after two weeks? That's probably what you expect, right? What are you talking about?

One of the best players in the world, after two weeks, he should be raring to go flying. But, Jeff, like, I'm talking about, like, what he was before he got hurt in Boston was a good player, wasn't, like, a superstar. He was not the dominating force that we've been used to. No. So if he's just that, what different, like,

that makes a difference, obviously, like, a big difference. But is that enough to, like, get them back into, like, contention for the division? I don't think so. I don't know. There's just a lot of question marks with this team. How much better defensively are they going to play? Yeah, that's a big part of it.

I don't know that it's going to be better. Their defense, like Carlo, another guy who just kind of disappeared, like suddenly he wasn't playing and then he just isn't around anymore. I guess he was on the ice in Columbus today. You don't think they're going to pull an Edmonton Oilers and announce there's going to be a systems adjustment? Actually, Brube mentioned a couple days ago that they did change some little things. And like you can kind of see like it hasn't been as bad.

the last little bit. They haven't been giving up the glaring chances off the rush. Off the rush especially, for sure. Yes. Like in their own zone, it can get a little bit funky and it did against Montreal. Yeah. But, yeah, I think 40%. I think you'd take that right now.

Maybe 40%. Maybe it should be 30. Yeah. And listen, I think the word comfortable is one that I might take some issue with. I don't know if they can comfortably get back into a playoff spot where by the middle of March you feel like, okay, it's formality, they're going to get home, and are they fighting for home ice advantage?

I think that ship is probably sailed, and that's why you look at the amount of games left. They have 60 games left. I think I said they have to go 35, 20, and 5, or something like that to get in. I mean, that would give them 97 points. That might be actually... That's a really good record. That is. And that's the thing. When you look at it this way, you're like, man, they got to win a lot of games. But that's what Edmonton has done the last two years. That's what Edmonton is hoping to do this year. We'll see. We'll get into that, considering what happened in Edmonton last night.

But that is what happens when you dig yourself a hole. You have to be one of the five or six best teams in the league the rest of the way. That's ultimately what it comes down to. But can the Lees do that? Can they be one of the five, six, seven best teams in the league for 60 games? They've got to have that chunk where it's the Leafs in the past and all the playoff teams in the past. It was like a sprint from the start of the season. And they almost made the playoffs by Christmas time.

because they just put together a chunk that was so impressive where they gave themselves some wiggle room down the stretch to have a blip, to have a stretch where they weren't good, and there were some comfort there. But if you don't have that stretch early on, you're just fighting for your life every night. Well, and there's just so many teams in their way. So even if they win tonight, if Buffalo wins tonight,

I believe they're still in last. Yeah, there would be. Like, there's just like in all these three-point games. Like, there's just so many teams in the way. I don't know. You're asking a lot. You're asking a lot. Well, the schedule is going to be a lot harder.

Very difficult. Maybe the hardest in the league, based on competition, based on who they still have to play, all the road games. They're one and six on the road so far. Listen, they've dug themselves as big of a hole as you can get. That's what they've done. But you look at the next three games, Columbus, Washington, Pittsburgh, all getable. And now guys are starting to come back. Like Matthews is back tonight.

I'm very curious to see what he looks like. I think it's important that he plays. I don't expect that he's 100%. He's saying all the right things right at the skate today. said, I feel great, feeling much better, put a bunch of skates together. But he's got to play. Like, you need him to play. I know you see it differently, Jonas.

We just don't agree. Well, I just look at it. How does Joe, how could Jonas possibly see it any different than what you... He's got to be at 100% before he returns, 110%. No, I just, if I'm the, if I'm them, I get it. Like, they've lost a bunch. He's their captain, et cetera, et cetera. But do you want him to come back too soon and get hurt again and miss a month?

Oh, my God. You sound like the too soon stuff is just like, Hayes talks about it all the time. Well, if it's like, you're not going to play Friday. You might as well play Monday. Well, you're not going to play Monday. You might as well not wait until Wednesday. It's like you can too soon yourself to death.

You're right. They play all the time. Like, there's never, they just have four days off that never happens. And he's been skating. He's been playing. He's year 10 and the captain of a team that is sinking. And they desperately need him. If you're not going to play through something now, when are you ever?

What if it's the kind of injury, like, again, this is their fault for not disclosing it, but what if it's a kind of injury that can recur if you come back too soon? Like, what if it's a, like, you know what I mean? Every time you step on the ice, you can get injured. That's a risk you're taking as soon as you. All right. I'll give you guys this. I'm not going to fight you on this.

I'm not that passionate, but like I've watched him at practice the last few days. I've watched him on the skates. He doesn't look like all the way like himself. Like you watch him shoot the puck. there's just not the kind of torque like you usually or you used to see. So I don't know. You're right. Like at a certain point you have to come back.

But if he comes back a week too soon and then gets hurt on Friday night and misses a month, like you're. Well, then you could say to us, you guys are a pair of dummies. I will. All right. Well, listen, and that could happen or he could wait two weeks, come back, get hurt that first game and miss a month. And you say, you know, that's what happened last year. At some point.

Or he could wait two weeks and they'll be out of them literally almost mathematically. Fair. Yeah. I think at some point, listen, again, there's a scenario here where you got, you got to play. Like, I think they've given him ample time. It's been too, he's in control of it. Like, we don't live in an era where the coach has no say of anything. Like, in terms of forcing someone to play.

Like, we don't know what the injury is. We don't know what the original time. We don't know any. Valid, valid. But you got to trust that he's playing, then he believes he can play. Fair. I guess is what it comes down to. And if there was ever, this is, again, if you're, if this same injury,

Same scenario happened in Nathan McKinnon. I'd say, come back in a week. Come back in two weeks. Like, you have to bring... But that's my point. If you never lose, you have the luxury of time. The fact of the matter is, with Matthews, with Nyes. Like Nyes said today, he's been suffering from something since camp.

So three games, is that enough? Probably not. You know, he probably feels a lot better. But I have an appreciation for these guys saying, we got to play. Like, you've got to play. Like, you've got to have... And I'm sure there's a lot. a lot of frustration around that team. You get an old school

coach there who's looking, who's kind of fighting for his life here. Yes. And it's thinking... That's the other thing I wanted to talk to you guys about. Like, with Jeff's question, can they go on one of those heaters playing the way that they play? I don't know. Because like... Yeah, I mean, their style of play

has not been conducive to any success this year. And was like very... It took a lot of great goaltending last year to have the success that they did. And if their goaltending is just like, eh, can they go 35 and whatever? 35, 20, and 5. I don't know that you can.

I don't know. I don't know if there's another coach. Like, Walgon. Pepper, the other night. When you talk about the saves, and I think the same question is coming up in Edmonton, is it the opportunities that the goal he gets or the ones that he lets in, or is it the way the defensemen are playing in front of the goaltender that there's just allowing so much, and you could probably connect that to the support from the forwards, because if

the forwards aren't giving the defense support, the defense can't stand up. And then all of a sudden, you're giving up a bunch of opportunities. So it's all connected to some degree. But from what you watched last night, it's like the Evanton Oilers, it's like their defense corps, the way they play back there in front of their goaltenders, insanity. Complete and utter insanity. And it puts their goaltender in a position where I don't know if they can wheel that Skinner out there anymore.

I really don't. Like, he's been tortured. Well, that's the thing. It's a two-way street. Like, I'm sure Stuart Skinner's looking at everyone else saying, what do you want me to do? like there have been times where he has been terrible there's no disputing it that's right last night hayes it was like i left out wide open in front of the net not covered goal jamy ben not covered goal it's like you know the guy walks right down on a breakaway bastion yeah although

there's a great it's a great shot it was a great shot but he should have never had that shot of any defenseman just a little coachable moment right now if you know player personnel a two on one like there's no way in hell you should give a guy that's been scratched four games in a row that amount of time. They were scared to death like it was Mario. It was Bastion. But that's just... Well, I don't know what Kulak was doing there.

It was like he was trying to kill time to get a change or something. It was the weird... He was like holding the line. Look at this. That's Bastion. And it was like he got Mario treatment. You go and give him the Raymond Bork special and jump at him and don't give him any time. He'll probably fumble the puck.

He hasn't played in four games. I was thinking that watching that. They said on the broadcast, Bastion and Scratch and Scratch him in a row. I'm like, then he just walked down Main Street or breakaway. I'm like, you've got to understand player personnel. That guy hasn't played in four games, and he got the Mario treatment, crazy stuff. Yeah, it's crazy. And that was a scenario where it was, you know, you got, it's kind of a mercy pull.

There are a couple ones you'd like to see him get. The Bastion one, it's 2-0 there. You're like, man, we need a stop. He went down a little bit early, but it was a great shot. And he's coming in. He's on top of the crease when he shoots that. So I don't know if you can put Skinner. It's kind of like a coach, like a mercy fire of a coach.

You're like, I just don't know if I can keep the coach going out there. I don't know if you can keep putting a goalie out there. But they're lifeless in Edmonton. And the crowd was lifeless. It was pretty wild. Like, they were really, really quiet. Well, dude, what were they supposed to be fired up about? And it's crazy how quick it flipped.

They had that big win in Florida. I think it was 6-3. And they're like, all right, hashtag, now we go. And then they flew back to Evanton, and they got just pumped. And they were all bad last night. Like that's as invisible as you're going to ever see McDavid and Dry Settle play. Dallas is missing a bunch of guys. Yeah, Harley and Ranting and weren't playing last night.

Shane wasn't playing. Yeah. Like McDavid had nothing last night. They didn't have any time in the offensive zone. Like the first period was just they'd won't shot for however long. It's ugly. And again, they can look back in the last two years and say this is how we started. Like they can do that and they did get out of it.

It's not, you're not old. you're not owed getting out of it. I don't think there's a coach change coming this year. Actually, I know there's not a coach change coming this year. You're not owed, like, getting out of that every year because you have McDavid and Dry Cytle. Those guys can't keep dragging that team out of a ditch year after year after year.

It's not owed to you. So if they think it's just automatically going to happen, they might, like, I've said it about a bunch of teams, and I feel like I'm getting sick and tired of listening to myself, be negative. But the Rangers came into Toronto like two or three weeks ago. they can't score a goal. And I said the statement about the Rangers, maybe you just have to look at the team and say this year,

maybe they're not that good. And it's just, maybe it's just one of those things. Some of these teams, maybe this year they're not that good. And you've got to try to fix it either later in the year or in the summertime. Because there's a bunch of teams that thought they were going to be good, that aren't that good.

And the Leafs and the Oilers are in that mix with the Rangers. It's like you tried to put something together, and it ain't working, and you're not that good. So how the hell are you going to dig out of it? Yeah. All nice play is one thing. but all of them aren't going to dig out of it on the ice. Well, and some of them just, yeah, really struggling.

Like, you look at Edmonton, Matthias Ekholm is a shell of his former self right now. Like, he's really, really struggling. He was swimming last night. Darnelner was swimming last night. That Ekholm was the guy that always held the fort down and covered up most of the stuff. A lot of miles. But that guy's no kid anymore, yeah. A lot of miles.

A lot of big injury last year. A lot of hockey. You know, it catches up to you. And that's the, you know, Walman's hurt again. he's been hurt a lot this year. He didn't play last night. Like they're, you know, Bouchard is what he is.

Bouchard's going to do what he always does. He kind of can predict what that game's going to look like. And then if you're goaltending subpar, I think what you're seeing, again, from afar as like McDavid and Drysaddle are kind of putting up their hands saying, where you just said,

we can't drag them out all the time. You know, Hyman's back, but he's trying to find his way. Nugent Hopkins has been out. And it's just, it's a team, it's a front office that's made some mistakes. that Trent Frederick deal is absurd, absolutely absurd,

that he got an eight-year deal. He's got two points in 25 games. Like, it's just, that's where you put your resources, and you had to keep guys, and you kept going back to the well. Again, you look at Toronto and Edmonton, a lot of similarities there. Like, it worked really well, and they just said, all right, let's keep that. You know, like the Leafs did it. The two moves that they made outside of Marner for Wa, which was really forced upon them,

and Vegas had them by the screws, so it was like, what do you think you can get? All right, we'll take Nick Waugh. I think that's a good play. Wa's a good player. He rejoins the lineup tonight. It sounds like Micelli and Joshua are going to be healthy scratches tonight. Those are the only two moves, Tray Living Made.

That's the only thing he did. Well, and both those teams kind of wanted to give those guys away. And both those teams have been awful. Yeah. Like Utah and Vancouver were terrible last year, and they're like, please just take these guys for picks. and there wasn't really any movement in the offseason. So I, I mean, I know, like the ones that they might have wanted,

like Mason Marchman got basically dumped. Yes, like a second round pick. But the Leafstone and I was second around, like they didn't have a pick. Right. There just wasn't a lot of movement. Like a lot of guys just returned to their teams and there weren't a lot of trades. And, you know, obviously Tree Living was trying to dig around and do something. And he took a gamble on these two guys.

Doesn't mean it's their time in Toronto is officially over. But if you're game 23, and it's desperate and you're both healthy scratches, which is what we believe happens tonight. That is also a sign. That's a message from the coach of the GM. Like, hey, thanks for helping, but I'll take it from here

because I'm dying here and I've got to get guys going. And I kind of appreciate that. Desperate time's all for desperate measures. That's when you know it's at a point, Brian, where he's like, I'm not doing these guys any more favors and getting the courtesy dress in the lineup, which should send a message to other guys in the lineup

saying, I'm not pissing around anymore. I don't care what your status is, unless you're a Nise or a Tavares or a Nielander or Matthews, everyone else should be scared to death about coming out of the lineup. Because I started with those two, and it's going to start hitting home for the other guys. You can actually do that, though, because we've never seen him do that. But you're talking, like, Max Domey's the name.

Dome's the guy. He's had a terrible start for the year. He's been worse than both those guys. He's been arguably their most detrimental player on the ice. Yes, and continues to play. Yes. Not only continues to play. He plays center where he's dying.

Yeah, he's probably going to move tonight. Yes. Well, whoever the personnel is, that should be the message. I'm starting with those two guys. And for anyone else that I've given the benefit of the doubt, it starts now because I'm tired of doing favors. We can't wait around for anybody to play well. So we'll see what happens.

But he had no choice with those other two guys. Complete and, you know, fair, like I'm just trying to be fair. I don't want to be negative, but watching them play, they are not contributing. Zero, doing nothing. Not doing it. They had to come out. I talked to both of them actually yesterday.

Joshua seemed more distraught about where he was at. Like you could kind of tell. Like, you know when you can talk to a guy, a player, and you can tell, like, oh, man, he's, like, fighting it. Like, he felt that way. Machelli felt more, I don't know. Like, I think it's gone better for Machelli. He just, he's not a Brube player. Like, that's pretty clear.

And you wonder, like, dating back to the summer, like, why they thought he would work under Baroubae? Jonas, everybody's got a different style of play. Not everybody goes out there and hammers guys through the boards and fights. Whatever you do, whatever skill set you do, and it's what makes teams good, is everyone is, you have a bunch of different unique players. And Machelli could have been one of them. But the thing is, it's just like this show. All three of us offer different perspectives. But if you're garbage and you don't know how to do the show, the show stinks, right?

I guess my point. Everybody on the ice has got to bring their own thing, and he wasn't bringing it at all. It could have been very effective. was given a hell of an opportunity on the top six with both Tavares and Austin Matthews. Didn't play. Couldn't contribute, like, didn't, non-factor. Yeah, those are all fair points.

I guess the only thing I would say is, like, I guess I mean, like, stylistically, the type of player that he is, it's going to be hard for him to win over someone like Craig Brube. Like, he's, like, he's not big, he's not really fast. He's not, like, it's not super hard on pucks. Well, those are decisions. Those are decisions he makes. I said the same thing about Max.

Listen, I said the same thing about Max Domi. If your skill game's not flying, you can offer and completely alter your game to say, I've got to do something effective here. I might find myself in big trouble. You've seen guys in the league who are top point producers that still have it in their mind that they're doing that, but they're not. Like, statistically they're not. And they have this ego where it's like, I'm a skill guy, I'm a skill guy.

you've got to bring something else to the table finish your checks be hard on pox get them in get them out blah blah blah and if you don't change and do those things that are that can make you somewhat effective you become useless completely useless well and that's what is concerning about the disposition that you're you're explaining yeah because if his if his if his if his approaches hey i'm i'm just I'm Micelli, man. You know what I mean? Like, I'm going to Micelli this thing, and it's not, like, I'm not changing. If he Micelli's this thing, he'll be out of the game.

I'm Micelli. If he's Micelliing it, then... The tough thing for him is, like, he has to take risks to make plays. And risks turn into odd man rushes, which turn into goals, which pissed the hell out of the coach. Yes. Which gets you scratched. But if you look like statistically, there is more of a case for him than it's looked. like he's produced okay in his minutes

I don't think he's not a top six forward on a good team clearly that's the problem and that's the problem he's just in his middle area middle area I'll explain to you strategically why that's happened to him and a bunch of other ones they haven't generated enough zone time to have confidence with the puck and make those plays so they're just having limited

offensive zone time or they might just cross the blue line and he thinks oh now's my time to make one of my machelli plays and he coughs it up and now's my time to show that I'm a skill guy and he coughs it up and then the coach goes nuts and pulls his hair out and says I can't stand that guy. So as an offense

like together they just haven't had the puck enough to have confidence and make those plays because if you're cycling and dominating and being you know active with defenseman pinching and you always have the puck you can get away with the odd giveaway and the coach will be like oh it was a good try

you had him tired that was a good try But they never have that. And it's forcing guys to put themselves in position where they're forcing it themselves. It's like, I've got to do something creative here. And it ain't the time. It ain't the time. Well, and with Joshua, I wonder if he'd like a do-over with Jack Guy on Saturday night. Like maybe that, literally that simple.

I drop the gloves and fought him and then it changes something. But he's a guy. He wins some respect from like the coach. At a minimum, it's like I just didn't put up with something. And I showed I'm snapping. It's like it's old school, but you know who? who would have done that 30 years ago is his coach. Yeah.

You know, like his coach would have said, I'm not doing this. I'm going to snap and let people know I'm not happy. So we'll see. They'll get back in the lineup. Jack-eye's a heavyweight, and sometimes you look at a guy and say, I hear you. That guy is out of my class, man. Understandably.

Yeah. Easy for me to say, hey, go out and just fight a guy. I get it. But I'm just saying, like, he is a big boy that has fought throughout his career. He has not yet in Toronto. And if you're risking a scratch, there have been guys wired like that throughout their career that are like, I'm not going to accept that. So I'm curious what he does the next time he gets in.

They'll put him back in. What this team needs to do, watching Dallas last night, even watching Edmonton when they had sparks of life, the defensive stuff is clearly important. They have to forecheck better. Yeah, they've got to forecheck as a team better. You've got to put pressure on team. Well, it's what Jeff talked about.

They never do it. It's circular. If you're not forechecking, you're not spending zone. And that's got to start tonight. But again, a lot of the big boys are back. Columbus, they're missing a couple of players. Worenski will play. Historically, the Leafs have not loved this building.

It has not been a very fond building for them, but got to get one tonight. Basically, a must win. November 26th must win territory. What if you don't get a win? Then, I'll tell you flat out, I'm calling in sick tomorrow. And I'm not kidding. All right, we've got picks to make today. We got two games tomorrow, right?

We've got teams all over the place. We need to address what's going on here. We have the GM of Team Canada coming on, also the GM of the St. Louis Blues, Doug Armstrong this hour. We got Jerry's coming up in just over an hour. Leaves in action tonight. Two football games tomorrow. A bunch of games in the NHL. Jonas is in here. Overdrive continues.

TSN 1050 and on TSN4. Started my day out with a nightmare at the gym. Someone approached me and said O'Dog, did you hear about Sarah Orleski getting pinched?

And I was like, what? and they were like, yeah, Sarah O'Leski got pinched, banned for two years. And I'm like, Sarah Orleski, what are you talking about? And then I figured out it was someone else. I'm thinking, I'm pretty sure you know what I'm talking. No, I absolutely know what you're talking. Oh, you're talking about Penny Olexiac? And they were like, they thought they came up with the name Sarah Orleske.

I'm like, I don't think Sarah O'Leskey. got pinched for anything out in Winnipeg, our home away from home. So that's how the conversation started. And I'm like, no, I think you're thinking of Penny Alexiak. And they're like, oh, they're like, oh, oh, sorry, I got the name wrong. Wow. But what a horrifying way to start a combo. Yeah, that would have been disappointing if Sarah was like dodging drug testing out there in Winnipeg.

I don't know why that would ever be a part of her daily routine. But it was just the way he phrased it. He was like, yeah, Releski, she got pinched out, you know, done for two years, and I was like, what the hell would Sarah Orleski, who's known around the world as the nicest person in the world, could have done out there? I don't know. That would be actually a much more interesting story, I think.

Come on, dude. That would never... I'd not say, that's my point, though. It would never happen, but you'd be like, what's Erleski up to? Like, we just saw Sarah, what is she doing? Yeah. You know, is there, like, a secret life that she's leading that we're not aware of? Because that's when you get spicy stuff.

That's the kind of stuff you're into, right? You're always reading about that stuff and watching that kind of stuff. Yeah, it sucks for Penny, but it sounds like Penny's just kind of done with swimming. Like, that's my understanding. Like, she broke out in 16. I think it was in Brazil. That was nine years ago. Well, she could be ready by the next Olympics.

Yeah, exactly. Exactly. But I don't know if this is as like nefarious as some people are making it out to be. Surprising it's water cooler material, quite frankly. I know, like, she's one of the great Canadian athletes of all time. but she's already cemented her legacy. It's all good with Penny. This is a positive Penny's own, Jonas,

and I will not allow you to disparage the great name of Penny Alexiak. All right. Speaking of Canadian Olympians, I guess if you're the GM of the team, that would be included, right? Although I don't think they get a medal if you win. Do they count as Olympians?

Like, did Pat Quinn get a medal in 02? I don't think Pac-Wing did. I don't think coaches do. I don't think coaches do. I don't think coaches do. We got to check. change that. Let's see if we can start that movement right now with our next guest.

GM of the Blues, GM of Team Canada, here's Doug Armstrong. You know where that stands, Doug? Can you get yourself a medal in February, or how does that work? No, just the athletes get it, and I actually think that's what it should be. They're doing all the work.

Army, wouldn't you like in your basement or something to have some medals hanging from somewhere? Like, come on. Yeah, well, you know what? You get the rings. That's enough. Okay, that's true. Yeah, we can get you a replica one, right? We'll find a way to make that work for you. But how are you balancing your time?

I mean, it's a big commitment on, you know, you got your own, obviously, issues going in St. Louis. You guys have not got off to the start. I'm sure you were hoping for, and yet you're getting real close to go time in terms of picking this Canadian team. How are you balancing both parties right now? Yeah, obviously, I was hoping it wouldn't be as difficult

as it is right now with my day job. But we're out, you know, we have a group of five of us out watching lots of games. And quite honestly, when your team's up and running, there's not a lot you can do, you observe you. I'm a big believer that, you know, you don't tell the players what you're going to do. They tell you what you should do. And so now we're reacting to our position in the league with the Blues.

And as we're doing that, we're out scouting players for the Olympics. And that, you know, hand-in-hand scouts, scouting for the Blues at the same time. Armie, what exactly would you be looking for in the second part of the question is, is it easy to just try to find something that's not there when you already know the players so well and you're going out to watch them? Yeah, I think what we're trying to do, is that an Olympic question? Yeah, an Olympic question, yeah. Yeah, yeah, I'm sorry.

Yeah, I think what we tried to do is just go out and find and look at some of these younger players for the first month of the season, and then we had a meeting. and now we sort of honed our list down to a more workable number, and anyone not on the list had to find us, you know, that next month, and now we're going to meet again in December, and we'll hope to come out of that one with probably 70 to 80% of the team in our mind picked and then sit with the coaches and find out, okay, you know, what areas do we need? We'll go over all the analytics of penalty, kill, power, play, face-offs,

things that could help round out a team. but right now we're just we're trying to understand we like the resumes are deep and long we don't have to look at some of those players but some of these younger players that are coming into the end of their own right now we want to give them full opportunity if they have a good three months to get legitimate opportunities to make this team and that's what we're doing now how does the scouting of the blues factor in do you do you abstain from that do you contribute to it do you have how does that work if someone's got an opinion on bittington thomas paraco where do you stand on that. Yeah, what we've done in the past, and I was fortunate to work with Steve Eiserman

in 10 and 14, is that if you're talking about a player on a certain team, you go last. You let the other guy describe what they see, how they see, and everyone's very respectful of what you look at. We're probably all a little harder on our own players than the other people are. But, you know, you have to understand that you're doing this for Team Canada, and that overrides your personal feelings for your players. And you have to be honest because our goal is to go and put a team that we think can compete for our medal, the gold medal obviously.

And that's what we need to do. We have to be honest about our own players. Doug, you mentioned some of the younger players. How much have Celebrini and Bedard in particular maybe change the way you're thinking about, including one or both and maybe the conversation around some of the forwards you might bring? Yeah, they've done a great job. And as I said, they found us. You know, we didn't have to go out and look for them.

Both, you know, young players, both having their career years, both have taken their franchises from, you know, they're both fighting for playoffs, but now, probably a little bit further ahead than some people have thought, and they're the lead horses there, and they're certainly in this equation as we pull this together. And then, again, it's taking it back to John Cooper and his staff on, okay, here are your power play people, where do these guys fit in, penalty kill, where do these guys fit in? How do they round out our roster? We watch who they play with with their NHL teams. Why they're having success with those teams. Do we have the complement players that can provide them with that? And also can they provide the players that are there complement what we have? So it's a jigsaw puzzle.

I think there's going to be changes from the Four Nations, which is normal. When you look at the last, you know, it's only been less than a year since the four nations so we know a lot of those players well but as we said some of these younger players are coming on and some of the players that were on that team aren't playing to the caliber they were when they got selected and it's just that's just the nature of the beast and that's why we're out scouting army is one of the questions or you know we talk about this every day and one of the possibilities is a guy like connor badard can he go to this tournament and play a different role like does that make sense of even having that conversation or is it con you

want Connor Bedard doing Bedard things, not playing, doing something different that he's asked, like becoming a checker? Yeah, so you, you, you, that's a very good question. You say, okay, if Connor Bardard does Conradardt things, is he better than ex-player that's doing that now? And someone,

everyone has to play a different role. Like, we do want to have a highly skilled team, you know, on, on all four lines and, and all the defensemen. But there, there has to be some people that can kill penalties. There has to be people that can play different roles. You know, I think one of the things that I took away from the four nations that runs to our day job is if you win both ends, the front of the net and both ends, you're likely going to have success.

And so we need people that can play inside the dots that can play with strength and power in front of the nets offensively and defensively. And that's where the goals are going to be scored. They don't come, you know, they're flashy plays. But at the end of the day, when the game's on the line, you have to go inside. and we just want players that can complement that 200-foot game playing inside the dots also. With Doug Armstrong, and, you know, the young guys, they weren't necessarily, they weren't really on the radar for the Four Nations because of their age. You know, Bedard, Celebrini was a rookie last year.

But there were veterans, you know, who were, that were well aware of that had really good years last year that didn't make it. You look at Mark Schifley. You look at Tom Wilson, who's been a unicorn in this league for five or six years, Nick Suzuki. What was the message to those guys who were veterans? play inside the dots, big boys, know how to win. They didn't make it at the Four Nations. Was there a message directed towards them in particular

as to how you get onto the radar this time because all three of those guys are having great seasons this year? Yeah, they are. And, you know, we just looked at how they played after the Four Nations, how they played if they went to the end of the playoffs, how they played in the playoffs, if not how they do it to the World Championships. And then we got out and scouted them the first two months of the year and we'll do one more month.

And, yeah, it's great competition. And we had, all those players were invited to our orientation camp. There was conversations on what we're looking to do, how we want to play, and they had to go out and do their job. And they're making it very difficult. Those players you've talked about with probably four or five more guys that went to the worlds that have done, or having good years, that provide some of that size and power that we're talking about

that are going to make those. The December meeting's very interesting. With Doug Armstrong, GM of Team Canada and the Blues, you know, as for your day job, we just saw you guys roll through town a week ago. And, you know, again, you guys, you're 7, 10, and 6. It hasn't been a great season. I know you've spoken about it. I know your head coach, Jim Montgomery, spoken about it.

We're 22 games in, you know, oh, Jonas Noodles, we always talk about U.S. Thanksgiving. That's kind of a line where you can truly determine the team you have. Yet it's a league where just everything seems, frozen all the time. There's not a lot that can happen in free agency throughout the summer. As a guy that has been active before and maybe you want to be active now, do you feel like it's even possible with the parity in the league and the salary cap restraints that come with trying to make deals? Yeah, I think what we're finding now is a salary cap doesn't play the

issue it did in COVID. We saw the big increase this year. Obviously the pending understricted free agents are taking the line share of that. But I think trades are going to be easier to make now than they have been in the past because of the increased cap for sure for the next few years and hopefully for the league moving forward. And I think there's probably more buyers than sellers just because of the parity in the league that we see right now. And, you know, as I said earlier, I'm a big believer that the players tell you what you're supposed to do with your team. I've been on both sides of it in Dallas. I think by five or six years there, we bought every year.

We were averaging about 110 points a year, and we bought every year, and we only got to pass the first round once. But you try and respect and show the players that if they do their job up until a certain date, you'll provide them with some support. And then also if you're a team that you had one expectation and it went the different way that, you know, you respond to that and you're willing to look at future players or changing out things. and there's going to be a group of teams that are in the playoffs.

They're like somewhere between, say, fifth and tenth place that are going to don't believe that they're a championship caliber team and they'll likely just stay pad and maybe work around the edges. So I think everybody looks a little bit differently. I know that there's some menors love to get ahead of this as soon as they can to give the time to give the players time to accommodate with their new group. It's going to be a little more difficult this year with the long, break in February, but, you know, as I said, you know, we have to, we have to listen to what

our players are telling us, and right now we're three games under 500 and not playing strong hockey, and their job is, as the players, to Jim and myself and Alex Dean is to, as we're exploring what we should do, go on a big heater there, and it changes our mindset. So, Armi, take us behind the scenes, I mean, as much as you can, what happens if a general manager in the league sends a note out to everyone else saying we're open for business because that term has been tossed around a few times the last week or so. Like, what does that mean if a GM floats that out there, does their phone just ring off the hook and, you know, the seagulls are flying everywhere trying to pick away at everything?

Or how does that go? What happens when that situation goes down? I think everyone looks at things differently, some, you know, on how you get information out there. I'm not sure that what's reported is factual for quite a bit of the time, quite honestly. I've heard things that we've been involved in, and I laugh. I haven't talked to that manager in two months.

And so you're not really sure how some of this gets out there. But everybody, you know, we know how teams are doing. We try and look in, like I know when I look at a team, I try and instead of just making a phone call to say, what are you looking for? I look at what we're at. what we're willing to do, do we have the things that I think they might need, and then you start conversations like that.

Everybody has a little bit differently, but I try and do, the Blue is trying to do some of that homework first, so they're not just like throwing darts. Well, we're looking forward to seeing what happens here, not only with your own team throughout the league, but as we get closer to the Team Canada announcement, it's really exciting. I mean, it's going to be awesome to have the NHLers back at the Olympic Games, and it's rapidly approaching.

So good luck with it. I'm sure we'll catch up, if not before, if not before, right after you make the team announcement. And thanks, as always for doing us. Guys, I always appreciate you having me on and all the best. You got it, Doug Armstrong, GM of Team Canada and the Blues. God, I'd love it. I would love for airplane viewing, like, a behind-the-scenes of the selection process for Team Canada, man.

That would be so good to have that as an All- Access show. Like, so good. Do you guys remember they did that with Team USA way back? Yeah, Burke was involved. Yeah, and it got, who did he say something about? He said, he had some spicy comments about somebody. Yeah, was it Kessler? No, I don't think it was Kessler, and I don't think it was Phil, because Phil was his guy at that point.

Oh, it was Bobby Ryan. Bobby Ryan, that's... But I don't remember what he said. It wasn't flattering. No. It was really not flattering. He basically talked about work ethic or back checking or something. Yeah.

You know what? Your point, everything was fine, like... Yeah, and guess what? But that's what's being said. Yes. Like these guys, you know, it's got to be a little bit awkward. Like, yes, you're going to be respectful. But the blues are a good example.

Like, they're really struggling this year. Like, Bennington is really struggling. And there's a chance, one of the other GMs in there are looking at him saying, man, I don't know. How can we play this guy? Yeah. Like, he's killing your team. How is he going to help our team?

And I know what he's done. I know his history and all that. But he's really, really struggling. That's why the connection to Edmonton is so fascinating because he's a winner and he's new and it's a fresh look and he may get to Edmonton and everything pops. And I think it's worth a shot if you're the Oilers, depending on the price. But his stats this year are almost as bad as you can get in the league. Do you think there will be any big surprises as far as not being on that team? Do you consider even with injury Mark Stone if he doesn't make the team, that would be a surprise?

I don't think it would be a surprise. He's back tonight, but I don't, I think he's on the outside looking in right now. Who would be a surprise for you? Like, if Mark Shrevely doesn't make it again, will you be surprised? I'll tell you one thing, a surprise for me. A surprise for me, and he hasn't produced, but I think he's really valuable and did a lot in four nations once he got in the lineup is Sam Bennett. Yeah. Like, that's a guy where it's like there's a ton of experience there in high pressure situations, scored a massive goal in the in the final, just the guy that,

I don't know, can find a way to get it done when it comes down to crunch time who does not have the stats to show for it right now. He's really struggled early in the year, but look at what Armstrong just said, the two nets, front of each net. That's where Bennett lives. Yes.

You know, that's where he lives. And that's why, I think him, hearing him say that, I'm not convinced Bedard's going to make the team at all. I think Celebrini's different because he plays different. I think Salabrini's going to make the team. But then beyond that, I don't know.

All bets are off. Who do you think will be their hardest call? Is it Bedard? Like, Bedard maybe isn't a hard call. I don't think Goddard's as hard because his youth and, you know. Is it like one of the Tant, like, is it Sorrelli? Because, like, who gets the final say? Is the coach or is it them?

Technically, it's supposed to be the GM, but I'm sure the coach is heavily involved. I don't know. I think the Tampa guys, though, are fringe. Hegel's making. I don't think there's any question. Likely, yeah. And points already on the team. it's already there. And Sorrel, and Sorrel, you're

talking 12, 13 forward. Like, I don't think that's... Yeah. Right. Marner's a lock? Marners a lock. Yeah, Marner's on it. I think Ben is probably a lock, too. I don't know. Like, Brad Marshan, I think Barshans... There's another guy. Brad Marshan. Damn, he's playing good.

Damn, he's good under the gun. Yeah. But in all the mock teams that Johnny comes up with in Craig J. Button... He disparaged the name. Disparage the name. None of those guys were on the squad. All right. Panger coming up. Jerry's coming up. Best bets as well. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and on the TSN app. All right, Darren Pang, Jerry's coming up. Some big news in the NFL. Frank Ragnow is coming out of retirement and rejoining the Detroit Lions.

It's an all-pro center. I think he's played his cards perfectly. He had to announce, like if he was going to return it, today's the deadline after, I think, week 13, which starts tomorrow, you can't do it. Just played his cards perfectly. Summer off. most of, you know, September, October, November off. Come back for a Salaun special. Exactly. Exactly. Just I need some more time off. They'll pay him a lot. It'll be pro-rated. I don't, I can't imagine he's playing tomorrow.

I haven't seen that yet. Maybe he is stepping right in, but that's a big get. And that guy's a big piece of that offensive line. And great games tomorrow. The first two in particular, Packers, Lions is just a great, great game. And even Chiefs Cowboys, I don't think the Cowboys are legitimately in a playoff race. I know they're trying to convince themselves they are. It's just the cowboys, man. I know.

It's entertaining. It would be so entertaining if they take down the chiefs. And then all of a sudden you've got people saying the cowboy, like Pierre LeBron, Cowboys are for real. Yep. No, exactly. It's, hey, listen, you got Mahomes on Thanksgiving. Like, that's big playing at Dallas.

They're saying it's going to be the most highly rated game in history. What? That is what the projections are. Like most regular season game, I should say that. Because it's 420. Everyone's at home in the States. Cowboys game always does big, and now you've got Mahomes playing? Wouldn't everybody who's watching be watching any?

Do you know what I mean? Like, wouldn't all football fans be watching all these games anyway? You would think so. Like who's being like, you know what? Mahomes and... I guess there's just an extra 5, 6 million people out there. Yeah, a little bit more juice. That 4 p.m. window with Mahomes playing in it.

I guess that's what they're predicting. I don't know. It's going to be the case. Hayes just added a million viewers himself by talking about it. There you go. You can find that on TSN. Huge ratings tomorrow on TSN. Massive.

All right. Hour two coming up. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and up on YouTube live. You've been listening to Overdrive, powered by Fanduel. Fan duel, bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score. It's beginning to sound a lot like Christmas with Iheart the holidays. Non-stop Christmas music 24-7

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