OverDrive - OverDrive - September 18, 2025 - Hour 1 - Craig Button

Episode Date: September 18, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Jamie McLennan for Hour 1 on OverDrive! The guys discuss the start of the Maple Leafs' training camp, Connor McDavid's outlook for the season, Hayes' response if he reaches 150 points in his career, his future with the Oilers and the next steps in his career. TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button joins to discuss the start of the NHL season, McDavid's future and Kirill Kaprizov's contract status in Minnesota and Anthony Santander's impending return to the Blue Jays.

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TSN 1050 on the TSN app, your home smart speaker. on TSN4, Brian Hase, O'Dock, Jeff O'Neill, Jamie Noodles, McClennon. What's going on? What's going on? How are we doing this afternoon? I'm feeling good.

You should be feeling good. We're all feeling good. Beautiful weather. Oh, my God. Great time of year for sports. You can't beat it, man. I've got a question for both you. Are you guys golfing still, or what's the golfing

routine? Oh, obviously, your shoulder you can't. But, I mean, is everybody still golfing now? Oh, yeah. this is prime time man this is prime time down the stretch like this is exactly when you got to get it in you got six weeks left weather's still beautiful beautiful yeah i've been kind of busy i have not played a lot i'd like to play more but i'm trying and yeah sun still gets you dude like that's the thing the sun still gets you well i mean i was talking to some of the parents at the pickup today for the kids and you know one of the parents asked you you know noodles are you're golfing

And I'm like, well, I'm not a big golfer, but he's like, yeah, I had a guy shot 18 this morning. There you go. Why not? It's beautiful, man. It's like 30 degrees outside. I know, I know. The people are in the pool. It's T-shirt and short weather.

It's baseball weather. I mean, hockey's right around the corner, as we see. They're on the ice. We're getting live updates. It's officially who's playing on whose line season. What's piqued your interest so far? who's on whose line day. It's the best.

Well, even like Barube, day one's like, I'm not getting into this. Yes, Micelli was with Matthews today. We're waiting on Max to make a return. You know, Cowan was playing on a certain line. You know, it's day one, day one of camp. So I do think you kind of have to ease into it here a little bit in terms of where this is going.

Here's what I think with Easton Cowan. Tell me if you guys think, you know, barking down up the wrong tree. I think he needs to start farther down in the lineup and just learn to play the NHL game. He's talented enough, and I think what happens is, you know, he's got to settle into the NHL game. So he's got to learn to work away from the puck. Like, keep in mind, like, coming from junior to the NHL, it's a big jump, and there's a lot of details of your game that needs to be flushed out. You know, in London, you know, two-minute shifts, do what you want type of thing because they're so, they were such a dominant team, right? Here it's got to be really detail-oriented, so he's going to have to use his assets.

But I think, you know, Chief should start him farther down in the lineup and just let him continue to kind of push people out as he progresses at the NHL level. Yeah. And like, don't mean not be in there again. It's almost like a placeholder to an extent. Sure. You know, that maybe that's where Michelli's going to play or Bobby McMahon's going to move around. It doesn't really matter. It's day one.

Yeah. You know, it's day one. They don't play a real game for two and a half weeks, three weeks. Right. But these are going to be the topics that we're going to get into for the next couple of weeks. This is why you have a camp to kind of flush it all out. And Cowan's out there and he has every intention in the world to make the team. Well, I think he's got a good now.

Can you guys see me now? Am I? No, we can't. I don't know. Just talk. You're good. We can hear you. I wasn't sure if he was on or not.

I just hear breathing. Like the breathing is outrageous. it's tony soprano this nose stuck up there you're using the new system i'm using the new system and it just didn't trigger right away today it sounded like tony looking for gabble gul in the fridge furious that someone ate the last smoked turkey like the breathing was so glad you said that because i was like this guy there was an animal panic mode reaching out for my phone bending over boiler was hanging out, I'm like, I've got to get this straight. It did, it sounded like an animal.

It sounded like a grizzly when they put a camera in a nest. It was a grizzly looking for an old carcass that it left behind. Scranging around. Just snout right up against the microphone. I was like, is that, we all hearing that or is that just me? Yeah. Oh, we heard it. Easton Cowan, I didn't lost my train of thought.

I wasn't sure either, noodles, because I was thinking of this. I was going to get more into golf and the weather, and I'm like, There is a grizzly bear that is distracting us here. A grizzly bear. But it's all good. It's all good. We can see it now. It's great to see you guys.

And you know what? Honestly, I'll be perfectly honest. The first day of camp line that I was really looking for was 97 in Edmonton. I was like, who is he playing with? How are you today? How are you? I would have put his phone number up on Twitter yesterday if I were here. Well, I was laughing because, you know, the group text,

what time did you text us both last night at 9.15, 9.30? You're like, this might cause a problem or something like the headline. They put your picture. The picture of me is crazy. Like, it's Mr. Serious, like, hardcore analytical radio guy picture, which it doesn't look bad. I just don't remember ever supplying that profile. No.

Like, I don't recall ever doing a photo shoot where they said, all right, give us your spiciest take face that we can place online because they posted it on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok on the TSN account, right, which has millions of people, including a lot of people in Western Canada, in Alberta in particular, in the capital of Alberta. What do they have to say? I want to hear it. So I try, like, the comment section, I appreciate it. I get it. People are going to freak out. I saw, like, the DJ of the Oilers was snapping on me in the comment section, which I found somewhat funny. I pissed out the DJ.

The guy who presses play on Pink Pony Club hates my take. Really? Yeah, he wasn't, he wasn't fond of it. But let me flush this out. Okay, if you guys will afford me the opportunity to flush you. The floor is yours. The floor is yours. Okay.

Because I am going to make the case that the hotter take actually came from noodles. Noodles supplied the hotter take than I did because we came across this spontaneous. yesterday we were talking to mj and we were discussing the top 50 list and you know we we brought up that a part of the show this year or part of the dialogue within the voting process was predicting the points total for conna mc david and noodles you said you had them at 151 151 1 51 now i got aggressive i actually had you think that's more aggressive than never winning a heart again i i thought i did have a little bit of buyers remorse but i was It was like, you know what? I'm going to stick with it. Like, and the reason why, what's his career high? 150.

153. Look at my face. Like, look at that pick. It just, I want to punch that face. I want to drop kick that face and it's mine. It was awesome. I love that. It's actually a perfect picture for that.

And now I'm being labeled. I'm the guy Doughton McDavid. You're a hater. I'm the guy that hates on McDavid. So, okay, let me flush this out because I put a lot of thought into it last night. Okay, go ahead. The heart one I got to get to, too, because I might need that one back. I might need to throw that one out and try to pull the heart back,

because he could definitely win a heart again. His career year, Connor McDavid, best year of his career, 153 points. Yeah, 65 goals. He had 64 goals that year. It was the 22-23 season. He played 82 games, 64 goals. He's never had 50 plus.

That was the same year. Drysettle had the most points of his career. I think he had 128. Nugent Hopkins hit 100 points. Never done that before. Hyman had almost 90 and they had the greatest power play in NHL history. Statistically, they

had the most efficient power play in history. Jay Woodcroft was their coach. It was go, go, go, go. You're playing 25, 26 minutes a night. He was 25 years old, McDavid, and he finished with three more points than the threshold we're talking about here. Not 180, not 190, not 215,

15, 153 points he had, 82 games, everyone else had a career year. Greatest power play ever and he just passed it. His second highest point totals, 132. His third highest is 123. But in the league 10 years, once he's hit 150.

Once. He's only beaten 1.203 times. So I don't think it's outlandish to say I don't think he's ever going to do it again. On top of it, he's going to... Yeah, but your time of points, not the heart. Points, yes, the heart is different. We'll get to that.

The points I stand by firmly, and I really hammer it with him playing with Mangia Pani and Thomas Sack today. If Knoblox is going to stick with Dry Settle on a line and Nugent Hopkins on a line, and I get Hyman will return, but he's not coming back until November. He's going into his 11th year. The regular season just doesn't matter as much. It just doesn't. He's hyper-focused on the playoffs in winning.

It's an Olympic here. That's going to take up a lot of his energy. That's a huge moment for his career. Huge moment for his career. How does he play going into it? How does he play coming out of it? I'm speaking of McDavid. And this contract, I don't know what it's going to do to him.

Maybe it's a positive. Maybe it inspires him to crush the whole league. Is he capable of doing it? Yes, he's Connor McDavid. But there's a lot of uncertainty. There's a lot of variables in play. So him hitting 150 again when he's only done it once, three years ago when literally everything broke his way,

I don't think that's that spicy. I really don't. I think it's spicier that noodles thinks he'll do it. Well, it's fair. and let me give you my background and why and you know what you make a great point you actually lay out all the age the the years all of that type of stuff only doing it once i just kind of broke it down as to i didn't think he had his best season last year we've talked about i think he would tell you that but but but we all know what he's capable of

you're right as you get older i i don't think point totals matter as much as winning and being efficient and and you're right he's not going out 27 minutes every night it's going to be you know if they manage their depth which you do have depth in in certain areas especially down the middle of the ice if to play rn h in the third the third line then yes you don't have to play him 25 26 where i went with this and the only reason being is in my mind i thought he had 150 i actually missed it at 153 i didn't check the stats i so i thought 150 and i feel like this is such a pivotal year for him, it's going to be so noisy. You know, the best way for him to shut people up is just dominate the league.

Because we're going to be talking about it every second of every, until he signs, we're going to be talking about different angles. Hey, look what he said. We were pulling words out the other day. You know, hey, he did it. And you know what? Every shift it's going to be, if he doesn't try and a play in the quarter, they're going to be like, ah, maybe his head's not in it.

How many times have we seen Evanton struggle out of the gate and the two of them, the camera pans to the two of them on the bench and there's this just bitter beer face these two tap at each other going and what the hell are we in here or whatever and they end up working it out.

But I just, my motivation from this was I think there's so much noise about him and you couple that with his lack of success last year as far as not winning the cup and not having his best season. I picked, which I thought

was a career high and put one on top of it. That's the only reason why. Now, I could be way off of this, but I feel like he's going to have a great year. He's going to have great years, of course he is. I mean, he's in his sleep. He's going to put up points. But I do, now on the heart thing, that was more, again,

history-based. Like, Sid's won it twice, always won it three times. Lemieux won it three times. He's already won three. You know, it's tough to get four. Like, that's your Gretzky territory. Like, that's what we're talking about it, and it's very difficult to do it. Is he capable of doing it, of course?

He ends up with 140 points and is the best player in the league. He probably wins it. So don't necessarily, you know, I guess I could go back and possibly soften that take. And that was more of a throwaway point. The 150 was the real point. But I will say this, you know, everyone's put thought into the

contract and stuff. Don't you think he's made up his mind if he's staying or not? Like, is there really, is there really a feeling that's just going to pop up? And like, don't you think he's made up his mind? I think of course he's already made up his mind. Do you think Mangiopani is just going to go nuts and training camp? He's going to be like, that's my God.

He's made up his mind. It's a massive life decision. I'm not saying he hasn't made up his mind that he's staying. Maybe he, I'm not defining it one way or the other. I just, I think he's made up his mind. If he's going to be an oiler beyond this year or not. I think there's a couple

things that I've unpacked from his comments over the last, you know, whatever while since he's being, the one thing that sticks out for me when he says, you know, I need to know that this team, you know, the team I'm with is going to compete for the next three to five years, okay? So I think there are a few things that he needs to look at. And I'm, but Jamie, he knows that already. Like, it's not like he's like, we just talked about it. He's not going to survey Mangiopani out there and be

like, yeah, he is going to be that guy. I don't know why everybody's against Mangiapani. I think that was a really good signing. No, but what I mean is he knows what's there as far as competing and doing whatever, moving forward. But what I'm saying is if you lay out the teams that he talks about that could win in the next three to five years, there's a handful of teams. There's really a handful of teams. And if you look at younger cores compared to older cores, like, you know, his team would probably be, you know, front and center because, you know, Stuart Skinner is 26,

Bouchard is 24. Like they've got, it's not like the, yes, they're an old team. uh in certain areas because our n h is 30 plus hymen is 30 plus and you know you throw in um fourth line centerman i'm drawing a blank 35 years old um they've got to that fourth yeah no what's it henry i'm not young no yeah but again he knows all this and he's known it all for a long time but the thing is is the point being is if you what do you have coming what moves are you going to make and if you look around the league there's there's only a couple teams that check every box. I hear you, noodles. And again, that's taking, that's assuming that that's actually the only

thing that matters. And it's not lifestyle. It's not his family. It's not, you know, raising a family somewhere in the future. Like there, it could be way more than that. It was with Marner. Marner clearly just picked this was the place. Now, it checks off, they got a chance to win. You know, and Marner's different than McDavid. But it was pretty clear. He was like, I got the opportunity to go. And that's where I'm going and I'm taking it. And again, if it's about winning, which I would would have to believe is at the highest of the priority list, but it's not everything. And that's what I'm saying.

He knows. He knows by now. I think he knows. I totally agree. It's not like he's going to look around and train can. Now I kind of figured it out. Right. Exactly.

He knew before he got on a bird to get out there. I think this is going the whole season. I really do. But I also think that if he doesn't win there, then he would probably try and win there before. or something happens. That's one of the key words, doodles, when he says it's always been, like, I've always wanted to win in Edmonton.

But he never says stay in Edmonton. No, but the point being is it looks a lot different if he finishes the job this year. And I think all bets are off. But I think if he doesn't finish the job, he's going to try and finish it, even in a short term. I don't think this is we're ever looking at an eight-year extension. That's just my opinion. Maybe I'm wrong. but I think it's going to be, if anything, a couple years

and go, hey, I want to give myself the flexibility of things, but he does want to win there. I do believe that, but I think he's going to try and, you know, obviously he wants to do it this year. And all bets are off. Yeah, and maybe that's it. Maybe just hoping they win and then he has the flexibility to leave. You know, maybe they miss the playoffs and he's got the flexibility to leave.

But what if they lose in game seven in the conference final? Then what does he do? Then he's in a conundrum, right? Because then technically they've taken a step back from the previous two years, but they're still technically right there. Like you're right there. You lose in Game 7 of a conference final. I don't know.

It's all conjecture at this point, but he's the number one player in the world. And his season's going to be fascinating. He's talked about scoring more goals. How important is that to him? Is it actually going to happen? Who's he going to play with? When he does that, when he comes up with something that he's going to do, he always does it.

He generally, he does. capable of doing it he's he's Connor McDavid but it's added a completely different wrinkle to the whole season like day one they're asking for updates he's like there's no update we're just on the ice and we're why doesn't he tell him to stop asking

he can get the PR guy to say guys it's just not happening about the contract you know what though listen you you've put yourself in this situation it's your right sorry you're going to be asked about it it is going to be front and center front front burner every day of the week

I'm sorry. Like, that's just, that's one thing he's going to have to live with is the noise. And he's used to it. There's been noise around him his whole career. And he doesn't seem like he's super comfortable around everything. But this has been created. Like, this is him. He can quiet the noise by calling up the Edmonton and saying, signing a two-year extension

at X amount of dollars and let's move on here. He hasn't chosen to do that. So with his decision or lack of decision comes a very noisy situation. And he's got to lift with that. Do you think he's going to go the whole season? I do. I do. I'm sorry, but I do believe that this is going to drag out.

Like you guys said, if he's made his mind up on something, what is going to change this year? Now, listen, this, you know, Howard kid could be good. Mangiapani settles in Thomas X-29. He's not a young guy. He's not making a life decision based on those guys. That's not moving a needle for him. I think you could sign a two-year extension if you believe those guys can help you win. That's the difference.

Yeah, I guess so. But then what about the flip side of it? What if he determines they can't? That means he's guaranteed to leave? I think he's given himself a flexibility when you say, when you say the words, everything is on the table, everything is on the table. Let's see what your manager does in trades. Let's see how the progression of players come along.

Keep in mind, Hyman, bad season last year. Needs to come back and hit the ground. Not going to be easy. He's missing the first two months of the year, a month and a half of the year. Yeah. You know, it's tough when you miss camp and you're over 30. Yeah, I don't know. I mean, you're painting that team like they're a last place team.

No, I'm not. I'm not doing that at all. I'm not doing that. I'm not doing that at all. I'm just, I think, I, this didn't creep up on him. He's known about it for seven years. And, you know, he's choosing his words very wisely. I just, I'm not naive enough to believe that guys have not, they don't know what's going on,

what's going to happen. No, I think he's softening the blow. I really do. But like I say, he wants to win there. I also think he's going, if he goes anywhere, it's south of the border. He's not going to want noise. He's not going to want anything. You talk about lifestyle, tax-free, all of that type of stuff.

Maybe him and Cooper buddies. Never know. I just, I look at it. Never know. I think he's a guy that, yeah, never know. I just think he's very calculated. And to me, I just, I think this is going to drag on the whole season. reason like that's that's my maybe i'm wrong but i i think it's going to yeah i mean at this point

why would it be different i think that's safe money right now like he's she's shown up a camp without a contract why would he sign in like a month and a half why would you do that now like what would be the purpose of doing that you know maybe that noise just gets too much or he's like hey i've always wanted to be here i just need to sort this out yeah possibly possibly i just i don't know i don't know we'll see we'll see what happens but uh if you had the best practice in a long time though that's good he did say that they won but they had a great practice great one best one they've had in a long time and stewart skinner's lost a lot of weight friendly's lost like 25 pounds why you but don't like you don't i'm sorry you don't get

marks for being in shape as a pro athlete i just i i refuse to hey you're in shape really you're making a bunch of money 25 is massive that's accurate that is a huge amount of weight i don't see how it could be that would make him 200 pounds i think he played at 225 that would make him 200 i thought he strutty told me he lost 10 okay maybe that i was told 25 but don't hold me 15 we'll give him 15 we'll give him 15 still a lot of weight it is a lot that's a lot of weight to lose man uh but he's a big boy and it's a big year clearly for skinner all right Craig button coming up Luke will join us Thursday night or tonight the jays lost today so they've lost two in a row now Yankees are playing Baltimore tonight.

Jays have got nine games left. They're still in the driver's seat. They got a three and a half game lead on the Yankees. If the Yankees win tonight, they get a three game lead. Yankees have a very soft schedule, but the Jays do not have a crazy schedule. They do have Boston coming up next week. But yeah, they're fine.

They're making the playoffs for sure. It's just you'd like it to be as easy as possible, have a little party, punch your ticket, win the American League East, get that big break, settle in for the air, ALDS, and I still believe they will do that, but the last couple of games, they've made their lives a little

bit more tricky to get to that finish line. So more on that still to come as well later this afternoon. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and on TSN4. Overdrive continues, powered by Fanduel, bringing you everything from the opening line of the final score.

We got Luke Wilson in studio at 5. Bill's Dolphins tonight. The line has not moved. Bill's minus 11 and a half. Al's brother and I were going to have to figure out where the moon stands tonight. Yeah. You just hammer that. It's not even funny.

It's a joke. Now, there are some injuries, though. There are some big injuries, yeah. At Oliver's out, Milano's out. Big, big injuries that could affect the way. Josh Allen versus Tua. That's all you need. Yeah.

McDermott versus McDaniel in Buffalo short week. Probably right. Okay, we got to have a prop. You think McDaniel, if they get trounce tonight, go on. go back to Miami. Gone. Yeah, out. Bus ticket. Gerard Gallant Cab? Yes, 100%.

If he's lucky. If he's lucky. 100% tonight. So that more in about a half an hour, Dear Haysie being just over an hour, NHO camps have officially started. Here's Craig Button to help us set the scene for camps all throughout the league. How you doing, Greg? I'm doing good, but listen to all. Listen, 11 and a half, that's a joke. Just go all in there, Brian. I'll cover half your losses if you lose.

Okay. I don't think I need to be swayed too much here. I'm pretty sure we're leaning into the bills big tonight. Oh, yeah. I'm fairly, fairly confident in that. The only injuries are the entire Miami Dolphibus organization. Yeah, that's true. Like, honestly, you could go back and get almost anyone in their prime,

and it would not make a difference because they're just going to get pumped tonight. But, yeah, it's fun to have hockey back. and, you know, you look at it day one of camp, I see Ovechkin's already got a lower body injury, a little bit concerned about that. I don't know what he was doing. Those sprints I told you about last week? Bag skating last week

and cutting it short. But are you bracing for this to be his final season, Craig? Yes, I am. I am. And not not for any other reason that I think that at the age that he's at, he's

got the record that he goes out on a high. And, you know, I think for Alex, you go back playing the KHL, play for a number of years, you know, he might play as long as you are here, get paid millions and millions of dollars where he won't be able to make that same money in the NHL. And he's had a great career. He's the first ballot hall of favor. But I am.

I am bracing for that, for this being his last year. Craig, Jamie was talking about McDavid and Edmonton, and he thinks he's already got his mind made up as far as what's going to go down. Do you buy into that theory? and do you think Stan Bowman understands that theory or knows the theory? Yeah, that's a good question about that, but does he know the theory? I haven't thought about it that way. You know, listen to Stan say, I take him in his word that he wants to win in Edmonton.

Yeah, I believe that, you know, players want to win wherever they're at. But I think last year at the end of the year, when Carter McDavid made a statement that I want to know that I have a chance to win again, and again and again. And I think that that's where he's looking at it and going, am I better off waiting or should I commit? And, you know, one thing that a manager can do or an ownership, oh, no, we're committed.

Well, they're just words. Like, why wouldn't Connor McDavid, in my view, and I'm a proponent of I'd love to see McDavid, Caprice, off, I'd go all hit the free agent market. Because I think it would open up the whole market and open up the whole NHL in a significant way. Now that being said, if I'm Connor McDavid and like I know what I want to do so my mind's made up in terms of waiting, why wouldn't I wait? Why wouldn't I wait?

Why wouldn't I wait to see if your actions can match your words? Yep, I agree. I think you, that's where I was going with the comment, Craig. And it was actually Hayes that said he's had his mind made up. I said he's still waiting on, you know, what he needs to see from Evanton and moving forward. But the comments took out for me, Craig, and he's been pretty consistent on it, is the opportunity to win year-in, year-out. That's the biggest thing that is-big-ass, though, too, Jamie.

Like, year-in, and not everybody is Florida year-in, year-out. You're right. But he's in a situation where they have been close, and that's the thing. Can they be close for many years, or is this a window where you've got three or four kicks at it and then you have to move on. That's the biggest challenge. So I think time is on his side, and he does want to win in Evanton, but if he wins this year in Evanton, I think all bets are off.

So he's giving himself a window and not forcing it. That's my opinion. I have no insight on that from anybody in his camp or anybody in Evanton's camp. Yeah, nor do I, Jamie. And again, you watch him. I mean, he's wired to win. You've heard me say this previously. You know, like the Hamilton

Oras have been in the Stanley Cup final the last two seasons. We know how great McDavid and Dryside are. And we all say it. I think the greater than I've even given them credit for because they've dragged that team deeper

than I thought they're capable of going just because of those two guys. And then inevitably what ends up happening and this is where Connor's experience I think right now is really playing in to his thinking is he knows where they're short. He knows as a player where they're short.

I mean, you look at last year, I mean, they just felt, I mean, they were never winning a game at the end of regulation in the six games versus Florida. L.A. had them on the ropes and let him off the ropes. I think that Connor knows very well what he feels they need to do to become a Stanley Cup winning team. But how does he start as checklist, Craig? Like when does he start saying, okay, that's what I wanted, that's better than, because he obviously doesn't have it yet, or he would have signed?

I agree with you, Jeff, and that's exactly it. So why don't we go back to last summer? And I think that's where the mistake happened. Broberg, Holloway, Fogel, Ryan McLeod. They had the depth. They had the weight. They had the size. They had what you needed to do to push.

They went all the way to game seven, despite falling behind three games to nothing. And I think that I think Connor saw it. And I think that Carter is going, we don't have that anymore. And I don't think they do either. And that's why I give 29 and 97 such. high accolades of being how great they are to get the team as far as they can get. Yeah, and that does seem to be a pretty consistent conversation or debate. You know, have the Oilers done enough for him in 10 years?

Yet, you know, I agree with your assessment. The two of them are so great. They've somewhat, they've kind of dragged them there, but they have gotten to two cup finals. Game six and game seven. Like if you're the owner, forget, forget the GM, the president. those guys have come and gone over the decade. You can throw that back at his face. Yeah, Cates has been there since day one.

He's probably like, hey, you know, you got game seven and game six. I mean, it's not like we're a lottery team every single year. You're not, but when you're, like, Connor's got a single-minded focus. I mean, so he's won the four nations, whatever you want to put weight into that. His next goal is the Olympic gold medal.

And then the Stanley Cup is the ultimate for Connor McDavid. I think what's fascinating and fascinating might not be the right word but interesting is Connor McDavid is looking at this he knows he's a top player, he knows how he knows how great he is too but he knows that there

will be a little bit of tarnish on his greatness without the Stanley Cup it's just the way it goes and he doesn't want tarnish on his reputation no 100% he's he's a he's a hockey historian like everyone else that loves the game that's played the game

He knows he's got to get one. And he's been right there. That's what's probably so frustrating is they've been in back-to-back cup finals. And he's not going to pull it to rant and go to Florida. I don't believe that's going to happen. I don't think he's just going to walk over there for a one or two-year deal and try to pull off a cup or two and then, you know, take his talent somewhere else. So it's a big decision.

And yet you look at, you know, the way the season sets up, everyone's technically tied in first place right now. And, you know, Florida's clearly the pace score. It's such a great line. We're all tied in first place right now. I don't know. Technically tied last, too. You could, I guess, argue that.

But how big of a gap do you see between Florida and the rest of the contending teams? I think there's a little bit of a gap. I don't think you can say there's not a gap just because what they've done the last three years, Stanley Cup final all three years, back-to-back cup champions. I don't think it's a wide gap I think that everything that they have the ability to do is still in place

but other teams have improved their lot in life too and I look at the Vegas Golden Knights I look at the Colorado Avalanche I think they're more than capable Tampa Bay Paul Maurice said that that might have been their toughest series last year

whether you believe Paul Maurice or not he's the one that said it I think Tampa Bay is a really good team Can Washington replicate what they did last year? I'm not so sure about that. But those are the teams right now, the two Florida teams, Vegas and Colorado, that I would put just a knots above everybody else.

Florida hold on the top spot, those next three, wherever they're at. Now there's got to be a proving grounds, obviously. We'll see where it goes. But right at this point in time, with everybody being tied for first place, I've separated those four teams. Craig, it was, I think a player's poll that came out recently or was talked about in the media tour, the players were saying they would love the old format, the one versus eight, in the playoffs.

I mean, we haven't talked about it yet, boys, but, you know, I would love to see it. I don't know how you feel on it. If the league is just too stubborn in certain situations, they feel like they've had good matchups. But would you like to see maybe a different format in the playoffs, either expanded or just even, you know, change up to go one versus eight instead of seating within your division. Yeah, like the expansion, I mean, there's so many different opinions on expanding the playoffs. I mean, we have an 82, about to be an 84 game, regular season.

I don't know if we need more teams to do players. I think that the top team in a conference should get rewarded with the opportunity to play the lowest seed of team. I know what division is, and I know what it's done, but I'd like to see one versus eight, two versus seven. I think that rewards teams to a little bit greater extent going into the playoffs for having a really good regular season. And for that reason is why I'd like to see one versus eight. With Craig Button.

So Bill Garen spoke on the Caprisoff situation today. What's he saying? Well, you know, he said, hey, we're trying. You know, like to paraphrase, he said, we're trying. When's that going to be a trying to screw you? Well, I guess, Craig, you can answer that one for us. When does it flip? Because Bill Garen, I don't think of Bill as like a cool, common collected guy all the time.

How do you see this one playing out with Caprisov in Minnesota? Well, a couple of things I'm going to go back. I'm going to do a little bit of rewind here with history. Bill Garon was on the New Jersey Devils in 1995 when they won the Stanley Cup. And Bill Garen, the reason he left the New Jersey Devils was, and you got into a contract dispute with Lou Laverrole. Lou Laverrole said, you're out of here. I mean, Billy, Billy was a really good player.

Nobody's knocking Billy. I mean, he believes in what he believed in. And that's Billy Guerin to a tee. I mean, he's not going to back down. They got Jason Arnett in New Jersey, and they won another cup. So there's nothing wrong with what happened there. But Billy knows when players dig your heels in, it's like. And I think having that experience will help him. I think the biggest challenge

for Billy was when the owner came out and said, oh, no, when we feel really confident we're going to get this done. And, you know, I've been in negotiations where you're going to come to that, oh, yeah, we're going to get this done. And you realize, oh, we might be a little bit further away than we thought. And, you know, oh, we're going to get this done. We're going to offer them 16 million for eight years. And you think that that's the, that's the, that's the high bar. else, no, I don't think so. What the hell is the number? If that's not the number, Craig, like, God.

Well, you're right about the number, Jeff, but I think it's about term. I think it's one of two things. He wants a shorter term near that number, or he doesn't want to play in Minnesota. Yeah, and that's the fear of it's the latter. You know, then it gets into, you know, there's certain markets that fight this all the time, you know, that you just, you don't want to become the market where players, don't want to be or you can't attract superstars, you can't keep superstars. And unfortunately, you know, Minnesota's kind of got that reputation.

That's why it just feels so important for them to find a way to get this done. Well, if they don't get it done in terms of signing them, then they got to do what the Quebec Nordic did when they traded Lindross. Lindrauss said, I'm not going to Quebec. And they went and got a whole bunch of really good young players. And I think you go to Caprisoff and his rep representatives and you say, hey listen you know we know you have a no move or no train whatever he's got i'm not i'm not totally up to speed on what the exact uh details of it but you know work with us we won't get you to

where you want to get to but we need to work for our future here and again if a player says he doesn't want to play there look what had to corpus they have bobrosec and they had panarin they were a pretty good team they made the playoffs they they had some promise there and then all a sudden panarin and barbrosti departed and they left his free agents and Columbus wasn't able to recoup anything for those two guys. And I'm not criticizing them for the decision they made and not trading them. You're a good team. You don't want to trade good players.

But I think that's where Billy's going to have to evaluate where he's at. Billy made a bold decision a couple years ago when he bought out Souter and Perisi. I don't think that Billy gets scared like in the House of Horms. Right. With Craig Button, and within that division, obviously, Winnipeg, they're going to be the pace car. presume again this year, considering how great they were last year. And Jonathan Taves was out there with Perfetti and Nyquist today.

Big theme on the show today is tracking the lines day one of camp, Craig. It's something we really thoroughly enjoy doing. But this is going to be a really cool, cool story. And I'm curious what your projection is in terms of impact that you think Taves can and will have for Winnipeg this year. I think the impact will be really significant. Just because of his personality, what he's experienced and winning cups. and being around it.

Mark Sheifley is like a superstar in my view. I think he's a top-notch player. Adam Lowry, him and Anton Lundell, I think are the two best third-line centers in the league. So Jonathan has the front-end support. He's got the back-end support. Jonathan's not the same player he was when he was younger. But I think he can have a real impact just with his presence,

playing on his second line with that type of front-and-back support with Sheifley-Lowry, and be a really good strong player. I think he helps Luke Shen. Luke Shen doesn't have to be the only voice of somebody that's won a Stanley Cup in there. And I think Jonathan can just settle in and just be a really good solid player.

We overuse the term play the right way. But Jonathan Taze might be the poster person for that, just because of that. I think that helps your team. I think it'll help Sheifley. I think that Jonathan Taze is not going to be afraid to say, hey, listen, here's what we need to do, and we better start doing it now. And those moments don't just happen in game four of a Stanley Cup playoff game.

They happen at different points in the season, and Jonathan's going to be able to have his finger on that pulse, when the time is to dial players' attention in. And I think that impact becomes really important for a team like the Winnipeg Jess who are trying to find the way to the right side in the playoffs. Absolutely. Day one of camps. We're on the ice, but a lot to talk about.

and we can't wait for a full season. Great catching up with you, Craig. We'll do it again soon. Yeah, for sure. Great chat with you guys. There he is, Craig Button, our director of scouting here at TSN, joining us on the Maple Toyota Hotline,

drive the built-in-canada fuel-efficient, funded drive Toyota F4. Gasser hybrid models available. Visit mapleto-toota.com. All right, we'll see. Jonathan Taves, Caprisoff, right? Eichl's looking for a deal, possibly. Kyle Connor and Winnipeg looking for a deal.

Lots of names out of them. Yeah, big name. And again, these guys. these guys, they have a year left. Like, everything's shifted. He has so much money already. Like, I don't know. The saying they want a shorter-term deal is insane.

Jack Eichael signed eight times ten already, and he wants a shorter-term deal. I get it. Shove it all in your jeans, but I think it's just the flexibility of going to places, too. Like, I, maybe I'm wrong, oh, but like, you can sign an eight-year deal and then go, I want to be traded. Yeah. Now, what happens, you get traded to a team that you want to be strong, and they've got to pull some of the assets that's off of there to acquire you. I get that.

If McDavid signs a long-term deal and has a handshake agreement, I want out, you move me the minute I want out. Well, whoever's trading for him has to give up a potent load for him. So the team he's going to is actually hamstring by him. So I get it. I think nowadays, Hayes, you've been pining for this. You know, shorter-term contracts, lots of movement. We haven't seen much of it.

But this might be the year we do. Yeah. It's, again, assuming they move. You know, like this past year it was Marner and Eelers moved. Those are two big names. Those are needle movers that moved. Next year, you know, I kind of hope that happens.

Although, again, another thing that's taken place and what Craig was just kind of laying out was the idea that Caprisop will get traded somewhere that he wants to go and sign with. So we won't reach free agency. Well, you know. It's not like the old days where it's like, go to a crappy team and suck on that.

It doesn't work like that anymore. Right. There's no more penalizing players. that aren't doing what you want them to do. Technically, Marner was traded, right? Sign and trade. Technically, it was a sign and trade. Nicholas Waugh is here because of him, right?

Yes, and he was out there today looking pretty good and leaf colors, Nicholas Waugh. But I think that's the thing you look at. You're right, just pure free agency. I don't know if these guys make it there, but they're going to make it interesting the whole year. I think it's going to be noisy. We'll see.

Luke Wilson, in about 15 minutes on the Thursday night or today, tonight. The Jay's losing earlier today in Tampa. They're off to Kansas City. Nine games left. Nine games left. They can't now clinch until Saturday. So more on the Jays and Anthony Santanderer hitting bombs and strolling it

out. We'll tell you what we mean by that. We'll show you what we mean by that. A little bit later this hour. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and on the TSN out. All right, Luke coming up. Week 3 of the NFL starting tonight. Jays are off to Kansas City. He sounds like Trey is Savage will start on Sunday.

So he is going to get another start, which is a positive. You look great. Love it. Absolutely. Man, that creates buzz. Like, I've had a lot of stopping chats with people. Obviously, about the Js, they generally come up first these days.

Sometimes a guy just shows up when they got it, man. He looks like he might have it, right? That's what you're hoping for. It's magical. Like those type of stories, they just, they show up for teams like this. But they're having an incredible year that are going to go to the playoffs you find some you know your number one prospect comes up in september and find some juice and it becomes just an added element to an already in a really positive scene my guy is barger

like i that's a guy that i circle i just i i think he's unbelievable like i just you know he's great asking well he just yeah like he's like you just said like he kind of has it all he's 25 years old too like he just i don't know there's there's something about him him that I just, I really like admire. He looks like, remember I was saying before, you know, oh, you think Matthew Nyes just looks like a hockey player, that guy is just a baseball player, just a big, you know, like strong arm, great defender, a good bat, like, I don't know, I really like him. Yeah, he's been good.

Yeah, no, he's been a really good story all year. And you look at what's going to happen come playoff time, and Anthony Santander is a guy that obviously is still a possibility, and I'm sure we can roll the video. was down in Buffalo. He hit a home run today. And the exit velocity was significant. And he, you know, he switch hitter. He hits it right-handed. That's absolutely mashed. I missed that park. Remember?

Yeah. Remember, uh, in Jin Ryu would pitch his five innings and walk out of there. Look how slow this guy's running the bases. Yeah. 41. 41 seconds. It took him to get to home plate. Jeez. What is he doing? Dude, I love it. That's a nice strut, man. Come on.

No, it's not. Get moving, let's go. That's pretty ridiculous, man. It's almost disrespectful to the other team. It's basically looking down on AAA ball players. It's basically, get me out of here. I'm ready for prime time. I'm making $30 million, and all of you will sit there and watch me walk around the bases.

You think that's mocking the other guys? What other explanation is it? I don't know, man. Some kind of cool guy by, but I don't think he's mocking the other guys. That 41 seconds. to get around the bases. That's absurd, man. That's what Big Sexy would take?

That's what, what was his name again, Big Sexy. Bartolo Cologne. That is. I'll bet you Bartolo Cologne. Go back and find his home run trotty. He hit a home run. San Diego. That's right, the left field.

The left field. I guarantee you he ran the bases in under 41 seconds. Yes, I agree. I guarantee it. And that would have been worthy of a 50-second trot. That's Cologne and the majors. Yes. This is Santon D.

there in the minors in Buffalo. Move your ass. Get to home plate. Let's go here. People are dying to get out of here. We saw it. Good for you. Good home run.

I think that's such an obnoxious trot. I agree. Anyway, all right, we've got to, we'll break down the tape. We'll compare in contrast, Bartolo Colon, to Tony Taters hitting a home run down in Buffalo. Tony Taters. So the Jay's off to Kansas City tomorrow. You Savage again will start this weekend.

Luke coming up on Bill's Dolphins tonight, Overdrive. continues. TSN 1050 and on the TSNN out. You've been listening to Overdrive, powered by Fandul. FanDuel, bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score. The newest tracks and the next big thing.

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