OverDrive - OverDrive - October 14, 2025 - Hour 2 - Mike Johnson

Episode Date: October 14, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Jamie McLennan for Hour 2 on OverDrive! TSN Hockey Analyst Mike Johnson joins to discuss the Maple Leafs' defeats to the Red Wings, William Nylander's evident struggles and Easton Cowan's debut with the team. The guys go around the sports world in the latest edition of Confirm or Deny and Bryan gives out the FanDuel Best Bets.

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Our 2 Overdrive continues, powered by Fandu, bringing you more ways to play your game, your way. Jay's down, 02 off to Seattle, game three tomorrow night. For a three-pack. For a three-pack. Three-pack. They did sweep in Seattle back in May. Oh, yeah. Right?

They did sweep. And I've noticed some people out in Vancouver and B.C., there's this big debate. Are the Jay's Canada's team? Are they not? Is it more of a Mariners market? I think it's Canada's team, and you, like, do they try to advocate that? There's always a ton of Jays. I don't think there will be a, do you think there'll be a ton of Jays?

I think there will be. I think there'll be a lot of Jays fans that go down from Vancouver, don't you think? I just think it's tough to get. Ray, Ferraro will be down there. Should ask Ray. I don't think Ray's making that trip. Ray's not a Blue J fan. Ray doesn't care about the Jays.

I don't know. He's a Red Sox fan. He is a Red Sox fan. But I, maybe he was just pandering to his crowd. I watched one of his games the other day. 100% of Seattle will be great for I love those fans to go down. You know what?

I can see through it now. I think it was Ray pandering to his crowd. 100% because he was texting me the other day, chirping about the jays. I'm like, where's your team? They're not playing. Where the socks? They didn't even get through the wild card.

Pandering to his audience there. That's what he was doing. But I don't think, if you're in Seattle and you have tickets, why would you sell them? It's game three of the championship series. Right? Yeah. Like, I guess you can find secondary markets,

and if you're willing to pay a lot of money, there will be Blue Jay fans there for sure. Yes. I just don't think it's going to be like the regular season series. Well, they're not going to any extent saying we don't want these people in the bill. Like, doesn't the Sends do something where they're like, we don't want the lease fans in this building for Playa? Like, there was other, like, I think there's, wasn't it Tampa had that too?

I think they tried to. I think Buffalo has thought of it before. But I, my understanding, every time I've watched the Jay's play in Seattle, I've always felt like a lot of New Jay's fans go. Oh, totally. Regular season. That's the day. That's what I'm saying. Regular season, there's tickets available. Ticket holders are probably like, go ahead. If you want to pay me twice the price, I'll take your money. Playoffs, I just think is different. I think people in Seattle are going to be there to support the team. So I don't think it's going to be nearly as crazy as Blue Jay

fans are thinking or hoping. I know a lot of the players we're talking about that. Like, we should expect a lot of fans and it's possible, but I'll believe in when I see it. They don't have a dome either. and I guarantee you it'll rain one of those games. Probably will. You're right. That weather sucks out in Seattle. There's a lot of rain there. It was weird. Dome closed, game one, and then Dome was open yesterday. And it was windy, man. It was not, like, it was beautiful night, but... Yeah, it wasn't 30.

That's what cost to J's. Dome was open. Dome closed yesterday. It's tied 1-1, heading back to Seattle. All right, joining us here on the Maple Toyota Hotline, live from the rink. That is covered with a roof tonight. Here's Mike Johnson, our TSN hockey analyst. what's happening johnny it's going on boys from my office here between the benches i thought you'd you know come on in and hang out for the next few hours i love it i love it so um what's a mood like down there with the leafies three games in where they're one and two and they

didn't play great opening night but they found a way to get two points what uh what are you picking up on being around the team i think there's a little unease with the reality that is obviously very early and drawing any massive conclusions is premature to say the least. But the acknowledgement that they haven't played that well and preseason or the games

and the last game, yesterday they played well. They outshot them by a ton. They had the puck a lot. It wasn't perfect, but it was a good game. But pretty much part of that it hasn't really been a good game. So I think they're still looking to find whatever their version of their best game is and what that and how that operates

and what the lines will be and style realistically power play all these different things and i think there no one's talked about it guys but the idea that no one wants to talk about mitch martyr anymore totally fair i get it you got to move on like forget it but if they're not scoring the power play's not going and your top goal score is not scoring the guy who plays with them usually then like it's sort of is going to creep up and they like to get a win play well have those guys score and put all that stuff behind them again and get moving forward so it's like it's a bit of unease because they know they haven't been great.

Johnny, you just said stylistically, what do you think they're going to morph into when they get cooking as far as beating you? That's what, there's so many things missing and it's like every game there's a different part missing. You don't know what it looks like when it comes together when it does. How is it stylistically going to look when they overwhelm teams if they can get to that? Well, see, overwhelmed might be out a little optimistic. I think just maybe try to carry the play 50-50 at this point is something more likely, yo. I think it's going to be sort of a, you know, a more grindy kind of team,

more board play, dumping it in, retrievals, four checks, secondary possessions, points to the net, crash bang, get it back, do it again, wear them down. I think that's what Craig Barubei wants to see. I don't know if this team's personality or maybe even personnel is wired to play that way, but I think that's what they're trying to get to. But it hasn't been that way, really, for the start of the year and through most training capo. It just, they haven't found that. They've been not good in their own end.

They've given up tons and tons of chances. And they got to clean that up. But they haven't generated a whole bunch either. And their best players haven't been great. Like, you look around the league. Look at the top scores of the league. It's all the best players. It's McKinnon.

It's Eichol. It's Capriza. It's all the best guys. And if you're going to have best guys on your team, they have to be really consistent in their production. And so far for Toronto, it hasn't quite out. happen. Johnny, speaking to best guys, what do you make of, you know, Chief's comments about William Nealander and, you know, what do you think he needs to do to be a little bit more effective?

Not surprising. These two have a honest relationship and a good one. And Craig Brubay is not afraid to tell William Nealander both privately or on the bench or in the media exactly what he thinks of his game. Now he doesn't, you know, come across overly negative, but he makes it known that he's not happy, and he's not happy, nor should he be. William Leander hasn't played well. He's got three shots and three games. And I know he has four points, but that is misleading. He hasn't played two of them on empty nets. He hasn't

played like he can, like he has to. What's he got to do? He's got to skate. He's got to skate to go get the puck. He's got to skate to get in position to retrieve it. He's got a skate to get it back. And when he moves, we've seen it. You can't get it off him once he has it, but you've got to work to get it in spots that you want to go to work with.

And that's what Craig Brubay is talking about. Well, that's got to be the frustrating part, Johnny, is that Craig Barouba, as many conversations as these guys have had, it goes back to the same one. If you're not skating and working, you're not doing your job, and you're not effective. Sooner or later, he's got to be like, I can't keep having this conversation with you. What do you do, though? You know, what's the alternative? I guess you can sit him, you can take his ice away, you take him off the power play. I think William Neelander, in the way that he plays and occasionally sort of drivet.

rifts in and out of maximum sort of intensity, not care, but intensity. That, I feel, is going to be part of his reality for the entire time here. I don't know if that's ever going to change. That's just who he is. So I'm not sure. I think you've got to poke and prod and beg and plead and cajole to try to get him to do what you want him to do, because you know when he does, he's one of the best players in the world. Well, and he's so connected to John Tvaris as well.

And I think it's more lopsided. Like, JT has not looked great. Right, he hasn't contributed a lot. He doesn't seem to have the puck a lot through three games. And I think he needs Willie. Like he needs Willie to open up Lanes for him and create and give him a couple freebies around the net. And again, John's going to be here for a long time now.

And he's still a very good player. But if he's, if the two of them are going to play predominantly together for the next three or four years, the onus is going to swing even more towards Willie. Like it's not going to balance out. it's going to like you got to drive things yes like that's kind of the plan here it's like Austin will do his thing on the first line you got to do your thing on the second you have to you're right but MJ I'll let you jump in but don't you think at some point in John's

contract the second line center shouldn't be there on his on his job I think you're right but this year it likely will be yes but I'm saying like John's gonna get his game going But MJ you weigh in, but like it's, you know, I think you're going to ask, like he's going to be 35, 36, 37, 37, 37, 7, like it's, Father, Father, time catches you, right? Yeah, eventually he'll get slid down. He should be. And if he's not the third line center by time, he's 37, 38, that leaves are in trouble, right? Right.

But Hayes, that is a, that's absolutely right. Willie has to drive that line. He's got to be the transporter. And I think it's Machelli going there tonight, although they do jumble the lines quite a bit. Machelli, while Crafty, is not a super speedy transporter either. He's sort of a guy who finds space and makes place. So the guy who's got to get it, advance it, get it in the offensive zone, get things going so his other talented linemates can do what they do well,

is William Neelander. And I would expect him to have a good game. The thing about Willie is that generally speaking, when he's challenged, he doesn't pout, he doesn't get upset, he just goes out there and plays well and tells everyone to leave me alone. So I would expect me pretty good in this game. So Easton Cowan goes Healthy Scratch Healthy Scratch Top Line

I didn't see that one coming personally What do you make of that logic And how do you think he looked And what would you expect How long do you think the leash will be With Matthews and Knives? So I mean you'd like to say You're putting a guy in a position to be successful

Right that's what they always say about young guys Don't play him on the fourth line If he's got to be a first line player But that's not really the case in this situation I think it's more of a function of the other guys, they were taking runs there, Machelli or McMahon or Max or whoever, it wasn't quite working

so there was an opportunity with an injury to put a guy in there. We know about the issues that set him in depth with Scott Lotton out. So, I thought he was good. Like, you know, I made plays. Now, he played in a game against Detroit where Detroit was dominated. So, yes, I see shots were

10-0 Toronto with that line on the ice together, and then scoring chance were 9 to nothing and attempts were 18 to 5. I get all that stuff. Now, you've got to be productive and you've got to be able to do it every game. Tonight will be a better test phase, I think, and you guys can talk about it, oh, positional player.

Like your first game, it is all adrenaline. It is all energy and emotion and the London Knights and his parents and everyone's there to see them. Now, game two is the next day. It comes out you quick. Like, you've got to have the same juice, the same play, and better to stay on that line

because if they don't score, Matthew Nyes is not going anywhere. And I said Matthew's not going anywhere. The guy who's going to get swapped out would be Easton Cowan. So we'll see what he does there. But for one game, he was pretty good. I'm leery of looking to a rookie to ignite that line. Like, that shouldn't be his responsibility.

He's trying to fit in. Those guys should ignite themselves. But, yeah, we'll see how he does today. He looks smart and capable. And we'll see if he can do it again and maybe be a bit more productive and actually producing points. I think he's going to realize that you just said producing points. Johnny, that's what it's all about.

It comes down to because I heard him talking after the game. He said, I felt pretty good. I got some chances. It's going to come down to production from him and the superstar he's playing with. And I think the one thing he needs to feel or see happen is, and I live this, when things get tense and the coach feels like he really needs a goal, he pulls you off the line and he puts somebody else out there. That's when he understands that maybe he's not a guy for that job.

Or the power play goes out there and your two linemates are on the power play and you're not. You feel, should I even really be there? I played with Brendan Shanahan and Nelson Emerson. Shanney had 45 goals. Nelson Emerson had 30 and I had like nine points. It was a weird dynamic where they were producing at all different facets of the game. And I was like, I'm a bad feeling. It is.

It's like I'm just a filler five on five once in a while. I got to play defense in my own zone. I got to try to set them up for goals. Come power play, you're gone. Critical situations, you're gone. And it's weird to look at the stat sheet at the end of the season. I got 10 points. Yeah.

And they got 44 goals. goals in 30. How is that possible? It seems impossible almost. But I think what you're saying is he needs Matthews to score tonight. You get an assist off of that. Even if his feet just hit the ice,

like he's on a chain. He has plus one. He's on the ice in the goals like in the scrub. Exactly. He needs Matthews to get cooking so that that line can possibly have some mojo. He can remain a part of it tonight. It's got to be one of

is ones where you know when you make a change guys and then like when the team scores the guy who just stepped on the ice immediately retreats to the bench to give the guy who made the change the plus. Cowan's going right in the pile. I'm not coming off for anyone. I'm in. I'm part of this one. This is me although he was on the ice at the end of the game right?

Six on five which oh to your point. That was good for him. He was given that kind of service. So again and that I don't know that says as much about his game or maybe just the other sort of offensive-minded players are not really cooking just yet. So they've got to go on that direction.

But I don't know. I've watched them play all the games they've played guys and they just, they're not particularly organized just yet. They're not that sharp. Give up a lot of chances, a lot of zone play. Stolar's has been pretty good. Won't love maybe one of the goals last game, but they just

have been given up too much. They can't play on their own end that much. So if the strength of this team is goal-tending defense, the same six guys that were, you know, a top 10 team defensively last year, they got to clean that up. That would then allow them to have the puck more, maybe go score a little bit more. So Lane Hudson signs an eight-year extension, which will kick in next year. Oh, boy.

Yeah, I know. It's a good cap hit, good number. There we go. Team friendly. Here we go. We don't have to go down that road again. I thought of it. Hey, he's real quick.

Go ahead. Real quick, though. This is my rebuttal, though, not to you per se. Yeah. So let's just say, for argument's sake, he left 10% on the table. He could have got 10, he took 9. Let's just say, roughly, okay? Yep.

So if this is the atmosphere and the culture they're fostering, I saw that Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton just signed five-year extensions. Do you think they left 10% on the table so they could hire another pro scout or the sports science group could have a little bit more to doctor a better meals? I'm just saying if that's the atmosphere we're going with, I understand noodles, I got it, but it's not about the numbers. It's about the philosophy, it's about the spirit behind it, not about the actual numbers. Do you think they offered that up, Hayes?

I probably not, but I don't know that. I don't know for sure. Maybe they did. I don't know either. Maybe they did. Maybe they did. For $5 million each, and all you can eat at St. Hugh Bear. That's possible, too.

And I would take it. That would be nice. Extra gravy. 100%. Sure, the peas and the gravy. But they got their extension, too. They're there for the next five years. And they didn't force them to do it.

It was like, hey, you want it or not. Well, and what was established by Hughes and Gordon was, everyone's got to sign eight years. Like, it would appear to me, Johnny, as if that was what they were emphasizing for. Like, we need all of you to sign, because they all did. Suzuki signed for eight.

Slavkovsky, I believe, for eight. Maybe it was seven, but I think it was eight. Cawfield was eight. Hudson's eight. Dobson got eight. And like that, to me, I get it. It's a gang. Everything's a gamble. And as Lou Lamarillo would say,

the second you sign it, like it's too much money, too long a term. But that is, more of the culture that sticks out to me and I think that's really, really wise and again, it doesn't always have to come back here, but Austin we can only do five and Mitch, I'll do six

and Willie, if those guys all sign eight-year deals, they'd still be on those contracts. Willie'd still be making, I believe, like 6.8 for another year. But none of them did it, and that's Dubus and Shanahan that screwed that up. Let me clarify that, but the eight-year deal, like,

I'd like it. You're kind of locked in now, but what do you make of this core in Montreal, I guess you could throw Demadov in, I don't know if Montembo's going to be there for eight years, I would doubt it, but as of now, he's their starter. Like you see them built... Cade and Gouley, exactly.

Like, is this a burgeoning cup contending team? Like, is that where you see this going? How much more do they have to do in Montreal to get to that level, in your opinion? Not cup contending yet, but they're really good, and they're only going to get better. And what's different about the Lulameral philosophy now, Hayes,

The second you sign a contract, now you're underpaid. With the cap going up, now you're underpaid. And that's why they're in a good spot because Suzuki's making, what, 7, 8, 5 or something like that? And Cawfield just below him, he's grossly underpaid. So the next three, four, or five years, their top five, six players are going to be a million to $5 million underpaid. That adds up to $15, $18 million total. Montreal can go to the cap. They have the financial resources to do it.

And $18 million gets you a lot of good players in today's NHL. And maybe those one or two, three extra guys are enough to put them over the top when they finally get there. They're not there just yet. But they got this Cam Fallow or net's supposed to be unbelievable. They have a lot of pieces and a lot of runway where you sort of know, okay, this is what we have. This is what it's costing us. And it's not costing us, relatively speaking, that much. And we can work around the others.

And they got Brendan Gallagher and Josh Anderson contracts coming off the books who haven't been, you know, maybe great value for those deals. So they are positioned well. Now, to get to the next stage, Suzuki's a star, absolutely star player. He is that for sure. Lane Hudson is a star offensive defenseman. It's hard to win without a super duper star, right? Like, it's just hard to do.

And do they have that? Is it Demitoff? Is it Suzuki? Is it Cofield? I'm not quite sure. And you can't really go to acquire those guys very easily because they don't leave their teams. but that's what they need.

It's like one or two other impact players. And if they get that, you look at the East, you look at the Atlantic, you look where things are going. In two years, it would not be a stretch to say, oh, they may have the best roster in the division. Right. Well, that's the thing.

Like at some point, Florida's going to get old. The Leafs are getting old. Like if this sets them up for eight years, exactly. Tampa Vasilevsky will be done or headman will be done. And you're almost thinking in two or three years, you're ready to pop in Montreal. And keep in mind what Johnny just said, the value of their contracts is going to leave some flexibility. They might be able to go big game hunting for a star unrestricted free agent.

If they ever get to free agency, yes. But you might be able to grab somebody in free agency that could be a difference maker as well. Big time. If you have that type of money because you've managed your money with your contracts. It's really good work, man. It's really good work. And, you know, you look at... Like, when I read it Hayes, the first guy I thought of after Hudson, I'm like, good for him.

I'm like, damn it, Hayes. Yeah. He'd be smiling ear to hear. Hey, team guys. They're going to. Team guys, man. Just that's like what you're supposed to. They want to win.

Do you think the two management guys sign the extension, Johnny, if they didn't get in last year? Would that be happening today, you think? I think they've built a good program. You're saying from Montreal again. I think they would have got it. But maybe timing. Oh, maybe they wait for him to get done whenever. If he got done in March, then the extensions get done in April.

Maybe you're right. But they're riding high right now. Montreal. They're riding high. There hasn't been a lot gone wrong the last couple of years. It's all optimism and positivity. And even when they don't play great, it's still look at our team. Look, we're all signed up. Look at the value. Look how good we're going to be.

Proofs in the pudding, though. Like that'd be good on the ice. And that's where it matters most. Absolutely. Brady could chuck out long term. They're saying like, it sounds like at least a month. If he has surgery, if, I'm guessing that would be even longer than that. Like, what does this do to the

psyche of that team? You talk about a guy who is the, like, the identity of a team. The heartbeat. He's kind of like what Charo was to Boston forever, right? That's what Brady is in Ottawa. Yeah, in the room, on the bench, on the road, on the ice. It's all of it, is it. And it's a massive, massive.

And he's a unique player where he does stuff that, you know, only a handful of guys that can do in the league that can score, play, and also be there to stick up for his teammates. It's brutal. And I'm thinking in case surgery, does that bleed into? to, if it's two or three months, start thinking about the Olympics. I know his he would be thinking, I got to make the Olympic team. One month is not a problem.

Two or three becomes that. And Ottawa, as positive as many of us are about their team, you know, they're not so great that they can have a massive slump or lose a bunch of their best players and expect to make the playoffs. So it's going to be tight with Brady Kachuk in the lineup.

You take them out and what they might mean for a team that can't score that well to begin with is troubling. other guys will have to step up and Tim Stutzler is a guy that you watch and you're like these guys great but sometimes he leaves you wanting more for the next month

he's got to be like the star player he can be in Brady's absence. Is that the guy for you, Noodle? Stutzlow is I would look at Olmark and say there can't be any, I'm not feeling like he's got up he's got it. Trying my best. Yeah, it's Stutzla for me and trying my best.

And I think they're getting Batherson back too which was help, but like that's, you're right, Brady is such a unicorns. Like there's him and what Tom Wilson are 35 goalscores that fight and do it all type of thing. Great leaders, all of that. But I just, I look at it and it is going to have to be by committee, but you're right. I think it is Tim Stutzler that you circle and go, that's the guy who had 92 points as a 20-year-old. He's got to be a point of game or better.

That's the way I look. And their defense is pretty good, too. Like Sanderson, you've got to play 30 minutes a night, Cleven's. But the goalie is the goalie, you know? Yeah. He's got to play well. Yeah. Man, that's a weird vibe to grab it out of the air and then tuck it between your legs and throw it between your legs on the ice.

That's the weirdest thing I've ever seen. There's been some weird goals, Johnny. I mean, I felt bad. I haven't talked to you about that. That's San Jose, that Alex Nadelcovic, it hurt my heart. It hurt my heart to watch that on the replay. That's tough sledding. That's a tough one to shake off.

You've got to hit all your resources to get clear on that one. And talk about Ice Time Hage. How about our boy Matthew Schaefer? 27 a game in New York. He's the franchise already. He's going to play the wheels off that kid. Is he their best player? He's three games in.

He's barely 18 years old. See their best player? I mean, Sorokin probably is and maybe Matthew Barzell, but after those two? I don't know. He is. He looks really good. He's very good. And Sorkin's not making saves right now.

So, I mean, I don't know. They're going right through his crest somehow. Right to the middle. of his chest. I don't know how it happens. I know. Who scored? Was it Samberg? Who scored the goal? No, Logan, think Logan Stanley. Yes, Logan Stanley. Right

in the middle of like, right the middle of his chest. His only goal of the year. That's one year. Yeah. Yeah. One year and they went right through him. Have you placed eyes on Alex Ovechkin at all? Like Ovi is motoring around. Someone ran into him the other night. Right in front of the net?

I thought that guy was going to go through the ice. Was it Sizicus? Bounced off him. He ran into him. He went into the stands. He is huge out there, and they're off to a good start, but I'm curious what we think is going to happen with Ovi. Like, he has been known to have great starts, and he's known to have slow starts.

Who knows what his summer was like after set breaking the record, too? I guess that's what I'm wondering. I thought he looked good, Hayes. Okay. I'm not going to lie to you. When I saw the obligatory soccer playing pitchers this summer, from over in Russia, I thought he looked actually lighter than normal. Okay.

Like, he looks like when he gets up there, he gets like 250-ish. Yes. And it looked like he was more like 230-ish, which for him is probably appropriate. Okay. I just think everything in Washington is going to be harder this year. Everything. Like, the whole thing is just going to be harder. It's just not going to go as seamlessly as it has

in last year. So, does that mean 35 goals if he plays 80 games, which would still be incredible for a guy who's 40 years old, go through 900? Probably. That's what I would guess. I don't know. said the overrunner at 36 and a half. I don't know. What would you take?

Yeah, that probably still makes sense. It's tough to bet against him. I mean, he's proven that year. He looks like he's enjoyed those subway and chips, I'll tell you that. He just, yeah, he looks like, it could be his last tour, and it's like, let's just kind of ease into this. And they're off to a pretty good start in Washington. He's over, though. He gets around him.

It doesn't matter. Yeah. He's going to set up shop in his office, and he's going to, he's going to score goals. Yeah. But I am curious, like, him and Sid, it's still like, what is this going to look like? rest of the year. Yeah. And Pittsburgh's been okay. You know, they've been okay. It's not good. They've actually looked pretty good. I don't think it's going to

matter in the end, but they've been off to a decent start. All right, Johnny, well, we'll catch you on TSN4 tonight. The Preds in town coming off a win yesterday. They've been winning, at least, racking up some points. So, goalie driven, Saros has been ridiculously good. He's not playing today. We've got a backup battle. Annen and Kaden Cremo making his debut for the

Toronto Maple Leafs should be a near C-1. All right. We'll catch you on TSN4 tonight. Thank you, Johnny. Bye, boy. There he is. Ooh, quick cutoff. I like that. Joe from the bridge. You're out. Mike Johnson joining us from the Maple Toyota Hotline. Get in and go where adventures take you in a new 2025 Tacoma from Maple Toyota near Canada's Wonderland in the Maple Auto Mall. Visit maple

troyota.com. Yustis Annan. That's who's in that for Nashville tonight. Is it the guy from Colorado? Yeah. They got him from Colorado. I think he was he was like Scott Wedgwood got traded there from

per annanin but that Annan is like he's got a huge bucket on him like huge see what he's got tonight and Jack Roslovick making his debut for Edmonton tonight in New York

I saw that I think on the second line I think they have dry settle on the top line with McDavid but they moved Mangia Pani up he's got two goals

and two games pretty decent but that Roslovick that's where he's got to play he's got to play in your top nine he can't play fourth line He's too small, too. He's got to play higher up.

We'll see how he settles in. Yeah. But, you know, they're, I didn't see who's starting. Is our buddy Stu Skinner starting? Yeah, is. Is it? How do you not go back to Pickard after he just won? Because it's not the playoffs.

Like, game three. Yeah, I get it. But Skinner, that third goal would still bother me so much against Coffrey. It would take me a month to get over it. Especially if you've got the minus on that. You're skating back to that? Yeah. With your stick up, you're like, here, I'm open.

throw it over here. Just pass me the puck. Yeah. If you chewed a minus on that, you're pissed. I'm furious about that. Yeah. All right, Skinner, on Broadway tonight. All right. Leaves Prez tonight on TSN4. A little panel work for you guys. Enjoy that this evening. Confirm with the night

coming up. Best bets coming up. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and on TSN4. I can neither confirm or deny that this is in fact a segment. Austin Trades Andrew Raycroft to Toronto. exchange for the rights to Tuka Rass.

It's been my honor and a privilege to serve as the general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs Hockey Club. It's time for confirm or deny. Do you regret giving all those gentlemen the no trades or no movement clauses? I can either confirm or deny that. I can't confirm or deny it. All right, confirm and deny. Statements are made. We either confirm them or we deny them.

Very simple stuff. Yeah. Very simple stuff. Let's begin with a Vladi Jr. confirm or deny. Vladi Jr. needs a big, big performance in game three, or all that goodwill from the Yankees series will fade away. I'm going to deny it. Here's why.

Because if they'd lose to Seattle, a month from now when you reflect on the season, you're going to go pretty darn good season. 94 wins, you take down the Yankees, just ran into a good team in Seattle, you say. what are your most memorable moments of the season? It's Vladdy's Grand Slam. So if you remove emotion and you go a month from now and you look back,

that, you know, it's still kind of a legacy moment for him. I remember the bat flip. I remember the Grand Slam. So that's where I'm softening it a little bit. I think you're right a month from now. A month from now. Now, I will confirm this tomorrow night. Oh, yes.

Tomorrow night, it will no longer be, wow, that was a lot of fun against the Yankees. Right. Now, what can save him is even if Vladdy doesn't have a great night, that doesn't mean the team loses. Right. Right. Other guys can show up. Maybe Bieber has a great night. The bullpen contributes the way they're supposed to.

And ultimately, what Vladdy needs is wins. I mean, what has been proven here is big moments, they come when you win. Right. You have to have the two together. Right. And I just, I think it's happened quickly here. It's only two games, but if they got a split and Vladi hadn't racked up a hit, it wouldn't be as telling.

It wouldn't be as noticeable. But it's the fact that they've lost both games at home, and Vladi just has not contributed the way he has shown that he can. I think you go down if they lose. Vladdy doesn't play well. He's going to take necessary heat, reasonable heat. But I think you're being very reasonable in terms of the big picture in long term, because, again, they're in the championship series.

That's as far as Bautista went. Exactly. No one remembers how Bautista hit against Kansas City. Right. In the championship series in 15. I don't remember. Yeah, I don't. I remember the bat flip in game five of the DS against Texas.

Right. Right. I don't remember what Donaldson was doing in 16. And, you know, we don't really remember that. We remember Edwin walking off Baltimore in the wildcard game. Right. So I do think his big playoff moments have been established. Can't take those away from him.

Right. But in the moment, he needs it. He's got to contribute, man. I get it. He's got to contribute. You have to have your best players play well. Yes. If you want to go all the way to the World Series,

if you want to win a World Series, your best players have got to be consistently great. They've got their work cut out for them. They definitely do. I think there's a record. There's only three teams that have lost the first two at home and actually come back to win three teams in all of baseball ever. not overly optimistic statistic that is currently hanging over this team.

Savage said this is a special team, don't count us out. And they have proven that all year. Right. To their credit, all year, even when they were running off crazy win streaks, and they were kind of running away with the American League East, there was always an element of, are they actually going to get this done? Exactly. And they kept coming back.

And whenever they got hit, they get up off the mat. now what again is I think difficult for a lot of Blue Jay fans is you were kind of always uncertain what was going to happen during the year they end up winning the ALEs right the Yankees, big bad Yankees what's going to happen they find a way to win the Yankees

and then you get into this scenario you're like oh I actually think they're going to win how they lose right and again Seattle's a very good team very good team don't you think there's some demons against Seattle that you've got exercise like this? The wild card we all know what happened a few years ago

it was 8-1 It was 8-1 in game two, and they found a way to lose that game. Now, maybe they owe Seattle. That's what you're right, though. Maybe this is their retribution tour. They get down two or three-nothing and storm back. And Seattle hasn't won anything. They haven't been in the championship series since 2001, I believe.

They've never won a World Series. So they're going home, and maybe they start thinking. Yeah, they've got it in bad. Either you get a little bit too comfortable, or you start thinking, well, now you've got to win, and that can go against you. So we'll see what comes of it tomorrow night. But Vladie's got to be great. Regardless of how people feel, short-term, long-term, whatever,

Flattie's got to be better. He does. Confirm it tonight's too early for the Maple Leaf stars to be taking heat. Yeah, I'm going to confirm that. Three games. Three games. I think Matthews has been fine. He's got to score.

Right. Like, it's frustrating when you keep seeing, well, look at all these scoring opportunities and all these shot attempts. And, hey, he rifled one off the bar. Yes, we know. But, Austin, you've got to score. score, man. Just like Vladdy. Exit velocity doesn't count. You've got to score.

It is early, but you're right. There is a little asterisk beside it saying, like, you've got to, I'd like to see a little better. What you're doing is, I didn't love them through the preseason and through the first three games. I didn't love, I think they're still finding their way, finding their game.

The league has been so sloppy and the Toronto Maple Leafs have been as well. Sloppy. Just not crisp, not sharp, not fast. not into it yet. I'd like to see them get into a group. But it is early.

They have their stars taking heat, but that comes with the business. It's Toronto. Yes, the National Hockey League is Toronto. And honestly, the Leafs have had kind of cover here with the Jays. Yes. Jays have taken up a lot of the attention of the market.

Nothing to see here. Yeah. Like the Leaves just had one of the more quiet pre-seasons and camps, I can recall. Yes. Just no one was really, paying attention to them. Just go about your business

and whatever. We'll see you when you show up and Jays are here and Jays are going to the playoffs and they're playing the Yankees. Like I say, Jays lost two on the weekend. The Leafs lost two. People are like, yeah, but I'm more concerned about the Jays. Of course. The playoffs. The playoffs. Yeah. Like the Leafs will be fine. I still believe they're going to be fine. But it has not been a good start. I'll confirm it's still too early. Yeah. But

again, they need more. They need more. Marner's not here anymore. Like you just want everyone to move. You can't keep saying and asking to move past it. Right. When you're not scoring goals, power play doesn't look great, you're losing. Right. You've got to find a way.

Play yourself to a point where no one cares what anyone else is doing. Where it is in the past. Yes. And that is going to have to happen. Three games in, maybe not. Four games, probably not. But not much more time. Right.

You get five, six, seven games in? The thing is, though, they've got, what, five games in seven nights or whatever, eight nights? Like, it happens quick. Yes, it does. And next week, I believe it is, they have a home and home with Buffalo. Oh, wow. Which I would circle as like, where are you?

How's everything going? And what happens? You know what I mean? Friday, Saturday, 24th, 25th. Yes. That's one of those scenarios where if they're like two and five are not playing great, then Buffalo beats you, people start freaking out. It's noisy after that.

But let's see. We're not putting the cart before the horse on that one. All right. Confirming the night, the ALCS will, in fact, return to Toronto. This series is still going at least six. It's tough to confirm out to what we just saw. I'll go first. I'm going to confirm it.

I think they can get two in Seattle. I think they can. I think they come back down three, two. I'm just doing my math. I'm like, okay, if they win two, they still come back. They're alive. I don't believe they're going out there and winning three. I don't see that happening because Theo's going to get a start.

I don't think it's going to happen. I think Scherzer is going to start. game four, which, who knows what you're going to see in that. But I think, get tomorrow and you're coming home. Yes. Down three, two, likely, but I'm going to confirm. I'll confirm it too. The dome will not be shut down yet.

It's wishful. It's also a little bit of wishful thinking and hoping, but I do see a pathway where they can win two of three there. I think they're, absolutely. Yes, their bats, again, we'll see what happens with Santander. Well, this guy, that is not coming back. Trust on that guy is a little lean, but just Vladdy get going.

Springer continue. Barger. Kirk's been okay. He hasn't been great either through two games. I think their weekend went very quick for them. It was a quick turnaround a little bit overwhelming. Yes. Like, hey, we're coming off the high of the Yankees.

We're just going to show up and Seattle's going to hand it to us. That wasn't the case. Seattle came to play. Yeah. And I think it overwhelmed them a little bit. They're not going to be overwhelmed in Seattle. Right. Long flight.

Go play. Day off today. Now you're on the road. Figure it out. And again, they like that park. They seem to like that park. It's a loud park. They're going to be going crazy, man.

If you're a Seattle Mariner fan and your team's coming back up to nothing, that place will be going crazy. Fired up, yeah. All right, confirm it tonight. Eastern Cowan should be given a long test run with Austin Matthews. I'm going to deny it. I just think it's a lot to ask for a young player

in his first year, first set of games, second game tonight. here, here's the top line. Regardless if it's Matthews, if it's McDavid, if it's McKinnon, it's a lot of responsibility. Oh, just talked

about it too. Not even playing with those guys. It's also top line matchups. You're playing against everybody's best. You're playing against top D. Like, that's a big challenge. I would have much rather see him

farther down in the lineup and just get the feel of the league. And then get some second line power play all of that type of stuff when you are on the top line all eyes are on you they lost yesterday we're still talking about hey what do you think of east and Cowan's game tonight you know how it's going to go now if he gets a goal and an assist and looks very good you get a little longer runway i think my wish for him is just to settle into the league and not have that amount of pressure on him early on i think that's all reasonable but i i also think it's a legitimate fight for who's going to take that spot.

100% is. So I'll confirm it that, you know, this, Machelli, I just don't know what they have here. How many guys have they've had play in that top line? The four or five now? Because Domi's been there, Machelli's been there as Yorne Crow? I thought they gave a shift or two to him and McMahon, I believe.

I wonder, too, if, like, Willie doesn't get cooking, do they throw him up with Austin at some point? And they've given him shifts. Near the end of the game and all of that. they had those three out there. But you're right. Like, I think there's been four or five guys in that spot. So Cowan, if he goes in there, earns it, great.

But it's not a good sign when, you're like, oh, it feels desperate. Yeah, this guy's here, this guy's here. It's not what they had in mind. And now Lottin's injury is factored into that. But it seems like Anne Lorenz, for that matter, I don't believe we'll play tonight. Right. But it did feel like that's what they wanted.

12 forward, two veteran guys, eight, nine minutes a night, ease them in. And now instead, you're going out there with Matthews who scored one empty netter going into game four and he's got to get cooking. But it would be a great story and it's not one that is completely foreign to the league. It has happened. Of course. Or high-end players show up, young age, they go in, they're comfortable, they hit the ground running and they never look back.

Is it reasonable to expect that? Probably not. Is it impossible to expect it? No. The only thing is, though, were those high and I don't have them off the top of my head, is there a high-end rookie that's come in and stepped into a top line of a team that's really good, not a rebuilding team? That's the difference. Yes, I know.

Celebrini, you know, Badaard, all those guys, like, they're on rebuilding team. So, hey, no problem. 22 minutes here for you, you go play in all these situations. I'm trying to think of, you know, name me it, you know, Florida had, well, actually Dallas. Didn't Dallas originally, White Johnson? Johnston, yeah. Step right in.

Even Stan Coven. I think, I feel like Pashtenac may have shown up and went right up with, I don't know if he was immediately with Bergeron and Marsham, but pretty quickly. Now, Pastonix. Paston. He's just going to say. I get it, but he was, you know, he was like a 25th pick overall. It wasn't like he was the first overall pick that immediately you thought this guy's going to be unbelievable.

Yeah, I'm just trying to think impactful on, on a team that has very high expectation. It's not, yeah, there's not a ton of examples. It is, it is definitely. where Seth Jarvis came up early and was playing pretty high up the lineup on a good Carolina team. But all right, there you go. Confirm it, deny. Confirm

to the night. Yeah, a lot of leaps and Jays and Jays and Brough are on fire. Man, Owen Wilson picking a couple of winners, but Hazenbrough on fire right now. But you guys are what, plus two now? Plus two, yep. And Al's brother has just been on fire in the group chat. He's so arrogant in the group chat. Listen, he is seeing the board very, very well.

vision for Al's brother. Yeah. Like there's no disputing it. The thing is, though, if you act that arrogant in the group chat, the minute you crash and burn, like people are waiting to just shank. But Al's brother has perfected. There's always an explanation for a loss. Yeah.

Oh, he's always a job. Yeah. Wynn got up. What happened there? I will say the home plate umpires have not been very good in this series as well. Eddings was an issue last night. Like that first, that first hitter that he did. faced a rose arena he had him man

when the when the batter is walking towards the dugout like he goes he knows Randy was like you got me yeah punch up thank you good for you and instead and then he ends up hitting him and then he walks Raleigh and then

Rodriguez takes him deep and the hang and splitter man that's what got Gossman in the first game against Raleigh those splitters were the pitch of the first round and they've hurt them in round two there has been some referee issues in all pro sports It's like there there was a no-go

called in Ottawa yesterday and I initially I was like why are they even reviewing that Saros just looked like he fell and then there was a little contact with Stutzler on the back door but it looked like there was enough time

for Saros to recover and they it was like a five-minute review Oh, it's sickening all these reviews and then they no goal and I was like oh and of course the fans are mad at me fearful

well because I said I think the skate, you know, clicks there, and you could see... You told Toronto or whatever. Toronto's like, oh, good point, no. I have to say on the broadcast, which they're not. So anyways, it was... The refs have had a tough go. Both coaches had some choice words for the ref in the game yesterday.

Bruno had called over, and Travis Green was calling them over. There was some manned conversations. I was in the interview room in the podium when Schneider came up after the game last night. and he was somewhat diplomatically talking about the, jamming them up. Yeah. You know, and kind of trying to explain what happened with these Savage. Like, well, you know, a couple things.

We probably thought it should have been an out there, you know. Yeah. Somewhat subtle, but not really. Backhanded comments. Backhanded comments. All right. Best bets coming up on Leafs Preds. We'll do that next.

All right, Best Betts powered by Fanduel. Make your picks and assemble a same game parlay and seconds on the Fandall's sports book. Yeah. Here's a same-game parlay for the Leaf game tonight. Easton-Cowlander to record a point. William Nealander to score a goal. That feels like a lot. I think really he's got to be flying tonight.

Yeah. And Stephen Stamco's three-plus shots on goal. That parlay is paying over plus 1,000. That's a big number. Big, big number. And I really like the look and the feel and the sound of that same-game parlay. And best bets powered by Fandole, same-game parlays are now available for every NHL game on the Fandole Sportsbook app.

please play responsibly 19 plus physically located in Ontario so we get the least in action tonight jays in action tomorrow we got a bunch of games in the NHL the NBA starts a week tonight yeah game two of the NLCS Dodgers already up one nothing in that series in Milwaukee the Dodgers just do it they do it they find a way to win and that's what happened they got Sasaki like he's a closer now and he came out and snow was brilliant yesterday yeah

They find a way. The Dodgers find a way. And that's what the Jays have to do. We'll see. I think the Jays will have a response. I think they'll be better tomorrow. And I guess we'll see what the least have in action in store tonight. Yeah.

And there's a lot to get into this week, man. It's going to be a lot of good stuff. We've got to touch on this Bell-Belichick stuff. Now he's claiming all the reporting about him wanting out is inaccurate, fake news. Man, oh, man. I'm not buying that it's inaccurate. It's just noisy around this guy. I would think that his life would want to be quiet.

And instead, it's like on 10. Yeah. Volumes on 10. PMZ every day with Bill Belichick. Crazy. Just slow down, Bill. Get out of here. The one who's the...

Yeah, it's a problem. And he's a problem. And the team stinks. He's in college at North Carolina. Worried about social media posts and stuff. It's just weird. The weird vibe. And there's new.

England, his former team, looking pretty good. Yep. Four and two, leading the AFC East. Yeah, they look solid. Look pretty good. All right. Leaves coming up tonight on TSN4. We look forward to that. A full breakdown tomorrow. Thanks to everyone behind the scenes for helping out. We appreciate it. Everyone for tuning in today, TV, radio, podcast, web, and of course up on YouTube live on TSN's YouTube channel. We're out of here.

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