OverDrive - OverDrive - September 30, 2025 - Hour 2 - Mike Johnson

Episode Date: September 30, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O’Neill, and Frankie Corrado for hour two of OverDrive! The guys are joined by TSN Hockey Analyst Mike Johnson to discuss Kirill Kaprizov’s historic deal with the Wild. The guys then play Confirm or Deny, getting into Aaron Rodgers’ MVP odds and whether or not Guerrero Jr. needs to be the best player on the Jays in the ALDS. They wrap the show up with Hayes giving his Best Bets for Red Sox-Yankees tonight.

The National Institute on Aging presents great moments in preventing dementia. Like eating well to help reduce cholesterol. And maintaining a healthy weight. For more simple things that can help make a big difference in preventing dementia, visit Small Steps Big Difference. Hour two overdrive continues, powered by Fanduil, bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score. Brian Hayes, Frankie Carrado, the O'Dog, Jeff O'Neill. Confirm with the night later this hour.

Best bets coming up as well. We've got Wild Card baseball going on. We've got the Tigers beat in the Guardians earlier today. What a start for Terrick Scruble. You've got the Cubs up 2-1 over the Padres. Man, that'd be fun to be at a playoff game at Wrigley. Dude, there's something about it. afternoon playoff game that's just got so much juice it's so much different than a regular season

like yeah and it's funny you say that too because the way the tv schedule has worked when the jays have been in the playoffs i feel like they get that afternoon game because they want let's say the yankees for prime time and people complain about it and it's like i kind of like just getting after it it's an afternoon i get it it's not the night game but it's like it's like old school nostalgia if that makes sense big time man big time and especially at like the old school parks you know like the old like the really great old historic fan bases and parks and um yeah there's there's something about it i mean you look at the cubs like it's ferris bueller and you know once they won that world series i guess things

changed but they still kind of have a feeling of like not at the same level as the yankees or the Dodgers or whatever. But anyway, we'll be tracking that, 2-1 Cubs in the seventh inning. You've got Yankees, Red Sox tonight. And then the Dodgers playing Cincinnati tonight as well. So we've got a lot of baseball to look forward to. Preseason hockey starting and not a lot going on. Like there really isn't.

Caprice off signed a massive contract. We'll catch up with MJ in a moment get his take on that. Big games in Quebec City. Noodles is doing one tonight. That used to be a spot back in the day. That'd be a fun little party. I missed it by one year, I think. I played in the original.

I mean, Frankie, you would have never come close to this arena. But the original Colorado Avalanche rink was such a dump. What are we talking about? Like bad visitors' room, like just ugly arena? What did they have going on? It was just a terrible rank, man. just a terrible rink awful well like that new rink they have in quebec is a great rink and it's too bad because it just kind of i think the junior team must play out of there right i should

what i was going to get to is all the old school guys used to say like quebec city was a stop like it was a stop on the circuit man i'll i'll say this i don't know anything about it other than the quebec pewee tournament i've never gone out as an adult i've never done anything in Quebec City but people that are kind of down with it say it's sick it might be the coolest city we have in the country and I do not say that like I do not say that lightly listen I grew up in Toronto I've never talked about this ever and here's why I say that because I just went there we went on a road trip now I'm in a different part of my life I went with my kids my wife we did a road trip up to Quebec City back through Montreal hit Ottawa right did the whole Canadian thing right

that's what we were doing let's do that because we're going to go further out east we didn't i ended up going to cabot which was awesome that's a story for a different day but we did quebec city and i went there in grade eight and i had been there we went skiing there my wife and i years ago but when you go to mount saint anne you fly in to quebec city and you go to the mountain you stay up by the mountain you're kind of out of there Quebec city and i can't say it's a hidden gem because it's not it's a massive city it's probably the oldest i believe the oldest city in the country old quebec is amazing amazing like it it is it is a completely different world amazing for what it's it the cafes dude it's europe like old quebec Quebec Quebec City is

Europe I didn't have you ever peg this cafe guy I love I what we did cafes we did the walk around we did the little elevator ride they get down on the bottom it's not called that it's something very French. That's a very different trip than what the old school NHL guys were doing. I'm sure their version of a cafe was definitely. Doug Gilmore in 1987 was not doing what I just did with my wife and kids, if that's what you're pointing to. The Dego Bar, I think it was called or something that was a legendary, legendary old school.

I don't think Johnny would have caught it either, but the old school guys were like, it was like the forum club in L.A. where everybody went there after the game. Yeah, Johnny would not. I mean, he got in the league in 98, 99. They were in Colorado by 96. They won a cup in 96, right? So they were gone from Quebec City.

But Quebec City, man, again, I can't call it. It's not a hidden gem because it's a massive, great city with tons of history and capital of the province and all that. Unbelievable trip. Unbelievable town, awesome place. Here's Mike Johnson joining us here, our TSN Hockey, Are you a big proponent of Quebec City? Oh, were you referring to the Dago Bear Bar?

Johnny, how many stories did you hear from old school guys that just used to say it was win, lose, or draw? I played with some old school guys where they would come up to me before the game and be like, we got to just play hard tonight because win, lose, or draw, we are going to either the Dago Bear or we're going after it. and we got to earn it. You've got to earn it, but they loved it, man. They loved that place in Quebec City. I know, and you're right, I missed it by a couple years. Now, I've been back a couple times, and, you know,

it is a very charming, sort of European-feeling city. There you go. Good nightlife. But, you know, I was too old to really get after it. But, oh, you're so right. I'm thinking, like, like, Craig Will Lannin, or even Matt. You know, Matt started his career in Quebec, and the stories they would sort of talk about the nights available in Quebec City.

Yeah, it's, I mean, it is what it is. You see the contract freeze off gotten today. They're obviously making good business decisions, but it seems pretty clear that Quebec City despite an NHL-ready rink and lots of fans there, I don't think. It's sort of like worst-case scenario. You need somewhere to put a team. You can put one there, but there are several other places

that the NHO would rather go ahead of Quebec City. Yeah, it doesn't even come up anymore. They don't even waste time asking Gary anymore because it's just not going to happen. But that is one of the more significant jam jobs in sports history that Quebec City went through all those awful teams where they had first overall pick every single year. And then Lindrosk does what he does and he's not going there. They end up making an unbelievable trade, unbelievable trade for Lindrauss. And they go to Colorado and win the cup immediately. Now, Patrick Waugh factored into that, and I don't think Waugh, I don't know if Waugh would have gone from the HABs to Quebec.

I don't think the Habs would have traded them there. Obviously, that was a significant part of that history. But the idea of Quebec City being such a great Canadian market, great hockey market, you know, support of the team forever, they get it ripped away from them, and they go to Colorado and win immediately. And then again in 2001. Sickening. Sickening stuff. With the core players that were there in Quebec. I mean, obviously, Patrick was a big change.

But, like, with the guys, and maybe match as well, but, like, you know, primarily the guys that were there, they had the pieces that it would have likely happened or been close to happening Quebec City, and it never really did. It sort of feels like, well, when you're the expoes, they're the best team by a country mile. During the strike.

Yeah. They had a strike. And you're like, they never recovered. No. Everybody loves saying that, though, when you got a really good team, like it would have been an automatic victory, though, Johnny. Like, come on.

No, not a victory, but they were miles away the best team in the league in baseball that year prior to. So, yeah, it's too bad. And, you know, now they get exhibition games. I went and called an exhibition game there in Quebec City a couple years ago. It's beautiful, but, I mean,

I don't know, between Atlanta and Houston and Phoenix and whatever, Kansas City, they're way down the second order. Yeah, they're out. It's not going to happen. It sounds crazy that you just said Atlanta, like, got to go back to Atlanta because, like, there's just some untapped potential there after trying it twice. I don't get it.

Atlanta was the worst place to play in the NHL, the worst. Never felt like you were in the NHL there. Never won. And I played in Arizona. So, like, I know what I'm talking about when it comes to sketchy franchises. Worst. It was, like, it was the worst. Now, the only good part, O, you can pile up the points because they were god-awful.

They were so bad. Yeah. I have three hat-tricks, two were in that big. building. At it, baby. I think my career high point for game against any team? Atlanta. Well, there you go.

Make sure you got a game face on, and you're getting points. The Atlanta Arena arena was the only time I ever wanted to fight a ref. I scored four goals. My fourth goal was an empty net. Kevin Adams, the GM in Buffalo, went out to the point there was an empty net, and a guy tried to keep the puck in, and went off Kevin Adams' shoulder. and or his arm, and it went out into the neutral zone, and I grabbed it, and I shot it in the net for my only four-goal game in my career.

I'm jacked up, and the ref goes, hand pass. I said, ref, do you really care? This team is garbage. What does it matter? Yeah, it's 5-2 now. It doesn't matter, and you had to call that. I've never been so mad at a ref. Just a hero, too.

Just an unnecessary heroic play. Not unnecessary, but it would have been so easy to turn his head the other way and just say nothing to sit there. And there was no review. There's no review about that back then. There's no advancing of the park like there is. You can challenge these sort of things now. So, oh, you got a job. Listen, oh, I lost a hat trick my rookie year in Toronto on an empty netter when Matt Sending got called for a foot in the crease without a goalie.

I'm like, what is happening? Everybody got screwed on that rule, man. What is happening? Yeah, everyone but Brett Hall. The only guy who got away with one happened to score the... You ever want to get screwed out of goals? Just playing on a line with Gary Roberts. That's all you have to do.

You think you scored... Guaranteed goal interference. Oh, he'd be like, I was in front of the net that nicked my pant, Nick my head, Nick my arm. I will give him credit. He was always there, man. He was always there. Puck went in.

Puck went in. So, Kiro Caprisov turns down. an absolute genius negotiating tactic turns down 16 million per year turns his phone off and says call me back when you can find me 8 million more and Bill Garrett finds it comes back to him goes great job with that negotiation you were right to turn down 16 million a year here's 17 million a year over 8 and the job gets done what like what do you make of this and how does Minnesota how does Bill Garon possibly explained us when Leon Drysettles making $14 million? Call me when you get serious.

16, you're not even the ballpark. Right. What are we talking about? When the highest paid guy in the league who signed only a year ago only makes 14, he is making over 20% more than Leon Drysettle, which is amazing for Caprizzell. But I think about all those guys you talked about, Marner, but Drysettel and Ranted and specifically.

players like dry saddle is better than caprizoff ranted and you could argue is had a better career than caprizo's so far but i heard frankie i was listening earlier like it's the importance to minnesota right and i would say this right now caprizov is the most important offensive player to his team in the entire nchel maybe postur knock in boston maybe but other than that like he is the most important guy because there's nobody else that he can sort of play with on his level. That doesn't mean he's better than Dry Sutter McDavid, but there is no Dry Settle or McDavid for him to work with. So that's why he's got, they, what do they let him walk?

I mean, all Minnesota was hoping for guys was that he would do what hockey players do and say, you know what, I don't want to look like I'm greedy. I don't want to look like I'm taking every last cent and not worrying about the benefit of the, competitive balance of the team or other players. So even though he could demand 16 or 17, they were hoping he would get, he would have for 15. And I give Caprizo full credit to say, you know what?

I'm getting what I can, because I can. And he got the massive contract by just saying, I know what I'm worth to this organization. And if you guys let me leave, it's going to cripple what could be a pretty good team and the fact guys that they just work through, what, four years of cap hell with Porese and Souter's buyouts, and now they're finally freed up with, you know, they don't have that $12 an dollar cap hit of dead money, and if they let him walk,

when they finally have the money to spend, they were just in a bind, the same bind Edmonton bin, the same bind Toronto was in with Austin Matthews. And you think about Posternak, McKinnon, Matthews, kneelander like what value i guess for those guys now whose contracts are still pretty recent but they're an absolute steal relative to where the new guys are going to go johnny you're a big numbers guy have you sunk your teeth into the percentage of the cap yet and the ramifications of that on this new deal well i think it was like 164 wasn't or something like that so so yeah for next year's cap right when the contract's going to start it's going to be

16.3%. That's third all time on percentage of the cap. You know who the top two are? McDavid and McDavid? No. Number one is Ovechkin. Ovechkin in 0809, 16.8.8. And Elythe, and Elyakovlchuk in 0506, 6.4 million on a $39 million cap. Think about that. And that was 16.4%. So I guess now, like with the Caprisov money on the books, like where does McDavid go? of the cap, salary, like, what does this mean for Connor McDavid's deal? So, it basically establishes the absolute floor that the Oilers, in good conscience, could offer McDavid on a contract of any length. It could be a one-year deal. It's got to be 17 minimum or more. It could be a three-year deal. It's got to be 17 minimum or more. In fact, if it's going to be a long-term deal, I think given where the cap's going, we have to talk about as many times and how quickly it's going to rise,

they almost have to give him 20%, because two years from now, 20% is going to be whatever, 17%, which is where he will want to end up, to either give it to him in two short chunks or give it to him all at once. But it's an absolute floor, and if he gets 17 and a half or 18,

then he's still leaving money on the table because he's flat out that much better than Carillo Capriza off, and that bar has been raised. So, I mean, I think McDavid's a bit of an entity unto himself in the NHL. We know we can say whatever number he wants. Evanton's hoping for his good graces. But now, guys, if you're McDavid, can you possibly take 17, less than 17? I mean, I know you can.

But, like, I just, for appearances sake, and for the PA and for the stars, like, could you take a two-year deal for 33? I don't think you can. I don't think he can so he'll set his bar but the other guy I'm watching guys Jack Eichol so who's better Jack Eichael or Carol Capriza

I'm I mean Iico plays a more important position Ico because of the position he plays yeah right positional importance now he might not be more important to a team and I could give you a slight discount for tax ramifications but now Icoe walk in and say well I guess if he's 17 I am net

17 relative to tax reasons even though Martin just walked on the 12. I was going to say, Johnny, he might say 17 today, but do you think that would be his number? Like, do you have any idea, or would he have any idea that Caprizov had that in his ballpark? You know, that's a great question, oh, because, and I don't know if they're a text, a chat group with all the agents.

Yeah, because there might have been, like, Eichl 13 or 14 or whatever, and he might have been thinking. He's running on 13 and a half. Yeah, and saying, I'm like, and now he's just like, what? the hell am I doing. Yeah, I didn't call you back. I should be. Yeah, reset, let's do this over.

So, yeah. But I guess this is always, when the big guys were waiting for someone to go first, this is what they were waiting for, right? They weren't waiting for Eichol at 13 and a quarter. That wasn't going to help. Kyle Conner, Jack Eichol, McDavid, it doesn't matter. But this is what they're waiting for, someone to push it all the way. quite frankly I like it

I don't think players got to do the team any favors and teams have shown that when you give them extra money to spend they don't spend it wisely they make a ton of mistakes so make the extra mistake on me the star and not some third liner

that you're going to give $2 million extra to so Capriza pushed it and to me it's massive ramifications for salaries right now and if the guys don't get the salaries right now they want doesn't it make sense say okay

if you're a Jack Eichie or any of those players of that ilk, Kyle Conner, say, I'll take a three-year deal because three years from now, the 15 I want won't be a big deal because a whole bunch of guys will be making it. Kail McCar will be making it. Quinn Hughes will be making it.

All these guys will be making it, so it won't seem like a problem. It is a fast-moving adjustment we're trying to make on the salary cap and the value of contracts, and Caprizov just bumped it big time. I mean, guys, he's making almost, what, 40? 40% more than Miko Ranted him. Who signed 12 months ago?

That's where I was going to go, Jim. Dolby, Sidney Crosby. That's where I was going to go, Johnny. Like, Rant in Colorado didn't want to give him 12 or 12-5. And now, less than a year later, this guy's making 17. Like, is Colorado kicking themselves, or are they still just saying, we didn't want to pay that guy? Well, they will when Marty Nates just asked for 13. Like, this is what's going to happen, right?

I'm not giving him. Marty Natchez, 13, sorry. Okay, well, you're going to give him 11. Would you have him at 11 or Brandon at 12? Like, the point remains. He's going to get a boatload. Marty Natchez is an $11 million player to you? I mean, if Peril Capriza, he's 17, yeah,

Natchez is getting up there, yeah. The thing is, Minnesota clearly, like, this feels like an outlier to me. Yeah, like other teams are going to say, that's what Minnesota did. This is banana, like, let's be clear here. This is an awful negotiation. for Minnesota. Horrendous. Not awful.

They had to do it. They had to do it. I know everyone... It's pretty good number. It's not a good number. It's horrendous. You can be in a bind and still somehow come out with something that feels like market value.

This is probably two and a half. With the cap going up, I thought 14 and a half. Like, yeah, I thought he pushed Leon Drysettle down just because... But, you know, they're well over that. And so they had to. I get it. I totally get the leverage, and I get the Minnesota tax, and I get the buyout. I get it all.

But you can't look at this day. Not every team in the league would offer them that contract. No. In fact, there might not be hardly any other teams in the league that would offer that contract. So not a great deal for the wild financially, even though I understand why they had to do it. Yeah. There's context involved. You know, every situation is unique.

And this comes back to their history and their lack of superstars, and he is their superstar. He's a great town, a great player. But it's a horrible contract. There's just no disputing it when other teams are getting completely different deals, including Ranting in for 12 in Dallas, Marner for 12 in Vegas. William Nielander is making 11-5 or 11-5. Bargette. Yes, compared to this guy.

And then you look at Florida, you know, they just got Sam Bennett for, what was it, $8 million? Like I get Caprissoff's much more talented, way better in the regular season. I'm taking Sam Bennett in the playoffs every day of the week over this guy. And he's making way more than double. And that's the thing. Like if you're Bill Zito, if you're, you know, if you're Jim Nill in Dallas, if you're, you know, the GM in Vegas, GM in Tampa, you've got your feet up, Sam, man, there's teams in this league that are playing by different rules.

And they can't catch us. They can't and they won't catch us. there is a massive opportunity in the next three years for teams that have signed their best players two years ago so you know you think of even Ottawa what they got their guys for you think about much raw with Suzuki and what they got their guys for like if you have a great player who makes $8 million that is like that is so much extra money for you to play with

for until they get their next contract Suzuki would ask for 17 million Suzuki's making eight for another like six years or something but if this like if he was coming up this summer he would be like

I'll take 16 or 15 he'd take 13 and a half he'd be 13 yeah for sure which is crazy which is like what is awesome what is awesome make 13 and 1325 Caprisso's gonna make

a lot more money than him yeah well you gotta take advantage of that right yeah right exactly so I think there's opportunity there You mentioned the Florida teams. Vegas has got two eyes locked in.

Yeah, for the teams that have been good and got their guys done. But it's all just this new Wild West financially that the NHL is going through. And it's like a baby-case version of the NBA. Hey, you'll remember the year when they got the new money and everybody was getting. I always say Lou Alden got $130 million. And you're like, what? That guy got a four-year deal for $130 because they had to spend it. Like, that's kind of where the hockey player is going to be.

Like, now, does it trickle down, guys? Adrian Kempay, if he's going to push 10 million, is Alex Tuck in Buffalo. You're going to be a $10 million player now? He might be. Yeah, because they're going to go to Caprizz off and say, if he's 17, I'm at least 10. Well, it's human nature for a player to say that. Okay, maybe I'm not 17, and that's a different contract, a different market, but you know what? I'm 10.

Well, and talk in particular, how different is Buffalo from Minnesota? How different? No, you're right. Not a lot. You also have to ask yourself with these teams that haven't made the playoffs and have money to spend, like, how desperate are you? Because if a player becomes available that you think moves the needle, and if you're a good team and you've got these guys coming up on expiring contracts,

you have to ask yourself, if I don't want to pay this guy and I don't want to sign him, am I a better team or a worse team? Am I closer to a Stanley Cup or further away? And most of the time, Winnipeg's better with Kyle Conner. Vegas is better with Jack Eichol. New York's better with Artemie Panarin, probably. So what do you do? I think that the players finally have the owners.

Well, because there's money in the system. And, again, we're not seeing transactions of guys changing teams, but we're seeing transactions of guys getting paid, which is good news for the players. But I was, you know, I was this morning, I saw it, and, like, it was reported at 16. I'm like, well, maybe it was structure. Maybe it was trade protections. Like, no.

He waited a week and got 17. And I just went right to dry saddle. I'm like, I know. Wait. Even if you said the cap goes up 10%, well, then 10% more than dry settle is 154. Like, even if you think you're the same with dry-law, which you're not, kids still should only be 154. How they got to 17 and to Hayes's point. like it's just a one-off unique we got the franchise over the barrel and i don't mind players

using it because when a franchise has a guy whether they can sit them out or arbitrate him or wave him or whatever they do it unapologetically and so when you are as a player have that opportunity you should do the same well and that's what's happened and i i do wonder how this has an effect on or if it will have an effect on mac david and does he just wait not even because he's leaving edmonton just so that the cap can adjust and everyone can adjust adjust and recalibrate with where this is going. Go short. Go short and go big.

Give me 17 and a half for two or three years. And then I'll take 20. And he'll get it, man. Yes. Get it. Like this is, again, Capisov. I know. It's not holding out.

Like, he has another year left on this current deal. He's negotiating. Yes. And he did. All right, Johnny. Good stuff, man. We'll do this again later in the week. I'm on location in Massachusetts.

Skoka for the couple days to see what's going on with the leaves. Are you up there? Because I thought no media was up. I thought Austin was happy that no media member. Are you an alumnus when you're up there? Are you a media member? I'm a cottage user. I'm at my house.

Okay. I thought you're kicking around with the Leafs. No, no, no. But I may pop into the Bracebridge Memorial Auditorium and see what the practice looks like. If it's open, we'll see. Okay. I'm sure.

Masters has to be up here. I don't know if they're up. I mean, you can't stop the media. from going up there. I'm pretty sure you can find your way in, Johnny. Yeah, I think you'll find your way in. You'll wear an alumni, little alumni windbreaker. You'll be okay, Johnny.

That's right. Craig Baroubett would be very welcoming. Make sure you ask Craig. He'll get you in there. No problem. That's right. He's got the back door pass. Enjoy yourself.

Have good day. I know you will. There's Mike Johnson, our TSN hockey analyst. Yeah, I'm sure the media is up there, I think. I don't know if they're staying up there. though like that would be a day trip i would think his master's going up for the day and driving back is he staying up at the marriott up there where is he at he's got a motel somewhere on highway 11 where is he's uh he's hanging out at webers he's flipping burgers it could be a weber

could be at webers i have never understood how somebody parks their car goes up onto the bridge and like does that whole it's a one-time it's crazy going southbound like northbound i get it because it's an experience yes you're like we're up north let's get it we're going to Going up. By the way, good burgers, but the whole process. Great Canadian spot. Weber's is awesome. Love Weber.

What kind of growl would you have to have? Going south? Like, you would have to have a pretty sick of a pretty steep. I've done the south, and they built the bridge, which I'm assuming Weber's had to pick up the tab for that. Because I can't imagine the province or the city would pay for that. But what parents are saying, like, just, yeah, yeah, let's get out and make this an hour venture. It's every other, would say we're going home. like we're going home like the lineup is crazy all the time and yeah you just want to get home

you want to be like the worst is you stop then the traffic builds up and you're like did we really need that you know now it's way worse than it was 45 minutes ago that's where the classic line comes out from whoever's driving the car probably dad we have that at home whatever they have there we have at home we have the exact Weber's burger at home that I'm not going to barbecue when I get home because I'll be so tired and not in the mood so actually we don't but I'm going to tell you that confirm and deny and 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 Trano in exchange for the rights to Tuka Rass it's been my honor and a privilege to serve as the general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs Hockey Club It's time for confirm or deny Do you regret giving all those gentlemen the no trades or no movement clauses?

I can either confirm or deny that. I can't confirm or deny. All right, confirm and deny. Statements are made. We either confirm them or we deny them. Very simple stuff. Not overly complicated. All right?

Let's get rock in here. This is what we've been talking about all day. Confirm or deny if Connor McDavid signs before the season. So basically in the next week, re-signs with Edmonton. he will sign for a higher cap hit than Caprice of. I think it's 100% confirmed. Doesn't he have almost the honor of having the ability to say, you're giving me whatever that is, it's top of that.

It's 100% confirm. And he's earned that. He deserves that. He's so much better than everybody else, except the guy in his own team. But he's been the best player in the game for a long time, and he's deserved that honor where he can say, well, I don't care how he got to that. But whatever that number is, I'm going ahead of it.

Yeah, it's 100% confirmed for all those reasons that OJus said. Plus, from the PA standpoint, like the best player in the game, when he comes up, he's got a sign for more than a guy who's the 12th, 15th best player in the game. Like, see, he has an obligation from the Players Association point of view. So, hey, listen, it could be 17.5 million, but it's just got to be higher than Caprice off no matter what. Yeah, I think you're right, but I just wonder if this jams up both parties. Like, I just get the impression like McDavid is really thinking this through overthinking it. How do I win?

How can I win if I'm making 17? We talk about the core four. That's what it'll be. Well, then you sit back in the day, just say, I'm not going to push the envelope here. Just give me 8, 7 forever, and we want to win. Right, exactly. And he did. And that's it.

Like McDavid hasn't won yet. So it's like, how am I going to pull this off and make this work where it might have been 16 before this? It might have been 15. It might have been maybe close to what Drysada was making, but now maybe all bets are off, like you're saying. All right, confirm it than I. With the Steelers at 3 and 1, Aaron Rogers has a shot at the MVP. I'm going to confirm. It is to even get to this point after what we saw the last couple of years.

and how old this guy is. But I think the old superstar always has a shot at an MVP, just because of the name. And if it continues and they have a great record, who knows, man? You got that DNA, man. How many MVP's he had? Two? He's got three now, I believe.

He went back-to-back late in his career, and he won at least one early in his career. I believe he's got three. I mean, it's a long shot, but just because of the name and the last one for the old veteran on the way out is always a possibility, don't you think? They're in the driver's seat, man. Like, if Lamar's out the next two weeks and then Baltimore's got to buy week seven,

if Baltimore's one and three. If they don't make the playoffs, that's it, they're out. Mahomes will see. Alan is the one that scares me. You know, Alan, they're 4-0 and he's Josh Allen. But, yeah, I think, like, he's got a shot. I'm going to confirm it. Like, if Pittsburgh wins 11 or 12 games and wins the EFC North, he stays healthy and looks really good,

It's a quarterback's award. That's what it is. This will be a huge story. Pittsburgh, back to the playoffs. Look at Aaron Rogers. It was the Jets, not him. He's 40-plus years old. He's been very quiet.

He's not going on McAfee. He's not doing interviews. You know, he's just going about his business. I don't think he'll win. Does he have a shot? Yeah, he's Aaron Rogers. Crazy as that sounds, I think I'll confirm it. I guess because you say that does he have a shot, I'll confirm it.

Right. He's not going to win it. It's not yet. Okay, the Steelers are, like, if they get to 11 or 12 wins, that's likely an overachievement for them. It's been tough sledding for quarterbacks in Pittsburgh for a while, although some of those guys didn't have the same skill that Aaron Rogers has. I also think there's guys that people just had, you know, like Josh Allen, like just higher on the list of people that are going to get attention for this. But yes, to say there's a shot is probably true. Yeah, I'm looking for his name on fans.

handle here and I'm having a tough time finding it, which is not a good sign. Like MVP odds, Josh Allen's minus 105 on Fandle, basically a pick-um four weeks through. Justin Herbert, Mahomes is still up there. Jordan Love, I'm not sure why he's up there. He's been fine. He hasn't been great. Stafford, Hertz, Baker, Lamar is still up there. What happened to your boy?

He was so good in the first couple. And then he just, why do you do that to you? I don't know. Like he was okay in the second half in Dallas, but then the old. overtime stuff was brutal. Like, I don't see a line for Aaron Rogers anywhere. Is Jerry Goff in there? Yeah, Jerry's in here.

There he got up. Jerry, where is Jerry? Jerry is 19 to 1. He's like sixth lowest odds or best odds to win it. But I must be, oh, there he is. He's 150 to 1. Is that right? Yeah, 150 to 1, I believe.

Yeah, plus 15,000. You can't say he's got no. shot. Is he likely? No. I might sprinkle on that. That's a future, man. That's a big paying future. Aaron Rogers, a little sprinkle on the fan of the future. You do like a future and you do like cashing. I think I witnessed you on

a Bubba Watson Masters in Vegas with like a bucket hat in the bedding room. You did, but you got the winner wrong. You should have seen this guy. He looked like a Tiger Woods? Tiger and 19. No. I bet Tiger and 19. Dude, I walked, I just

went for a walk around and there's a sports book and this guy's in like a track suit with his leg crossed with sneakers on and some kind of weird hat and I was like, oh my God this guy's a sicko. That's him in his natural habitat.

Yeah. Like there was a newspaper involved and it just looked like... I thought great. Yes. Sam Rossi. I was right in my element and I placed a future bet on Tiger Woods to win the Masters in 19 and I cashed that

thing but that is such a great feeling when you mail that off it was mGM believe the sports book at mgm all right uh confirmed that i vladdie junior needs to be the blue jays best player for them to win the al ds best player for them to win the divisional series i'm going to deny it you know why why because i don't think it's possible right now for him to make that transition and and turn it around and be better than springer and kirk and all the guys that are getting it done i honestly just don't see it happening. Obviously, he's capable, and you want it to happen, but I don't know. Can he dig it out of the dirt, like just and get it back together?

I just don't know, man. That's why I'm going to deny it. I'll deny it for the ALDS, but if we start talking about, like, World Series, then it has to be a confirm, right? Like, they can get by the, like, just like O's talking about Springer playing well, Kirk playing well, you get some good pitching, good fielding, but you want to start making a run for it. You can't do it without Vladdy, and you can't. do it without him playing like a $500 million

player. You look at Otani last year with the Dodgers. They could have good team performances and everybody's going to say you've got to have team performances but if that one guy doesn't get it done on a regular basis like Otani would always hit a homer in a big moment man.

That's why I lean confirmed. I mean all year they've been doing it without this being the case. Springer's been better, Bichette's been better, Kirk's been better. Let's say Bieber starts game one and five and he pitches two gems. that would be better. But at some point, it's got to be about a pecking order.

And, like, he's their best player. He hasn't played like it all year. He's in his prime. He's 26. He's got a week off. He loves both stadiums. He loves Fenway, too. It's not just the Yankee Stadium.

He plays really well at Fenway. Your best player has got to be great against the Yankees. You know, it's... But what if Judge is playoff judge again? I'm not convinced that all of a sudden it just clicks. When we were talking to Phillips, it made me think of the old Leafs where it's just like, yeah, you get there, the guys that get you there and eventually they find a way, they didn't.

They didn't find a way. So, like, wild, I get Aaron Judge is great in the regular season, but he hasn't done it. Great question. So what makes you think he's just going to do it now all of a sudden? Connor Hallibuck, same thing. Why all of a sudden? You know, like you keep betting.

I don't know. Soto's not there anymore. That's the only thing to say about the Jets in a preview show. It's like they're going to get to the same place, but can Connor Hellebuck in the playoffs get to a level where it's a difference-making level? Because it hasn't been.

Right. And again, in the playoffs, it can't just be okay, he was good. He's got to be like great. Yes, like lock it down. You're not scoring on me ever. Not wrist shots from inside the blue line going in. Top glove, five hole.

At this point, they would take good on the road in the playoffs. You would, but you need great to win a cup, I think, if you're winning a peg. For sure. Like, if you need. great to get out of the West if you're Hellebuck. Confirm or deny. Anthony Stolars will start

more playoff games for the Leafs over the next five years than all the other goalies combined. All the other goalies. All the other Maple Leaf Goalys come on. The next five years? Well, he's just signed a four-year extension. He's got this year plus four more. I get it. The reason

I'm going to deny it is because things can change so quickly in a two-year span where it's like you're not our goalie anymore. That's the only reason I'm going to deny it because things are so different and rosters change. That's the only reason I'm going to deny it. But I'm going to have two answers for this one. If he does stick

around, I'm going to say yes, he would be the guy. Confirm. I'm going to do a confirm and a deny. A confirm and a deny. It's crazy that you're doing. Not a confirm or deny, a confirm and a deny. It's like you can either confirm or deny that. I can confirm and deny that. I love it. I'm

going to deny it just based on the fact that he hasn't been healthy enough to play like these big regular season minutes and games, and then to parlay that into big playoff schedules, you know, hopefully the Leafs have coming around the corner in the next five years, it's a lot of hockey for a guy that's played 34 games at the most in his career in his season, and he's now into his early 30s. So I just don't know if he holds up to play more than anyone else over the next five years.

Five years is a long time. It's a long time. But the Leafs have committed to him. They've given them the deal. They've given them, it's not getting paid so much money that it's impossible to handle. or you can't move off it if need be, or if he turns into a backup, a really good backup that's not playing in the playoffs.

You can live with that, too. Like $3.75 million is not going to be an anchor on the books. But Joseph Wall, I just don't know if he's going to play himself there, if they're going to have faith in him getting there. What happens, you know, his availability moving forward? You know, Hildebee, is there someone in the organization? I'm not sure. I mean, five years is in eternity.

Octiamov? Octiama, is that kid going to keep growing to the point where he pushes Stolars out of the way and forces you to trade one of them? That seems like he's still a couple years away from that. I'm going to confirm it because there's also no guarantees to make the playoffs all five years. Feel good about the making it this year, right? You know how goalie transactions can happen, though? It seems like it never turns the right way for the Leafs, but like there's a

Bobrovsky, didn't he go from Philly to Columbus and then turned into Brobrovsky? Like, you just, you never know, man. Like, the goalie, the goalie transactions, it is. And how they grow and how they turn into stars and how they trade teams. Yeah, what did Colorado do last year? They revamped both goalies out. Georgiev, see you later. Who came in McKenzie, Blackwood and Scott Wedgwood.

Like, both guys in the same year, never happens. But I guess it does happen because Colorado just did it. So it can happen. It just happened. All right, final one. Confirm with the night. the Florida Panthers should no longer be considered the favorite in the east. With Barkov being done for the year.

I'll jump on that. I'll jump on that. I'll confirm that. I think they've slid back to a group of teams that all should have a reasonable chance of winning, where I think they were ahead, but without Barkoff, and he's gone with an ACL, so that's nine months, most likely. They're not that much better than Tampa Bay, as is right now. We'll see what they do.

Like Bill Zito's got to have something up his sleeve. But they're not that much better than Tampa Bay. They're not that much better than Toronto right now. Like they're, I don't know. And then you go to the Metro. I think they're very getable without Barkoff. And, you know, Chuck will be back. He'll be back.

He'll return. I'm 100% confirming this. We got to a point where we were Barkoff's, the most underrated player in the league fatigue talk, where it was like, really, is this guy that underrated? Are we blowing this out of proportion? you know it's just every year this guy doesn't get enough credit i think we've seen in the last three years what this guy means to the florida panthers and what he brings to the table come playoff

time like offense defense shuts down great players it's just to throw that guy out on the ice for 25 to 27 minutes a night it's a luxury that very very few teams have and what he does is what very few players can do well it just slides everyone into the slot they're supposed to be in right like everyone is slotted properly yeah um and yeah i i'll i'll confirm it too also based on fatigue like they did a remarkable job bringing everyone back and finding where to make that work act blad bennett marchion unbelievable they're still a very good team but you've been to three straight cup finals it's very tough your goal he's not young bob's phenomenal but he's 37 he's not young he's played so much hockey that would be my concern hip pointer groin issues you know something's

coming something it just it's what happens in sports a lot of hockey man that's a crazy amount of hockey in three years especially for again not a young goaltender it happened to vasselowski they went to three straight and he just he lost it got hurt now he's back but it took it was like a two year kind of resetting for him yeah so it's just it's very very difficult to do and then you get dealt this very tough there you go confirm it then i will come back with our best bets we'll get to that next so i got some inside information on that bridge for webbers going southbound apparently it came from the old ontario place i guess they just shipped it up terro they didn't have to buy it build it just got shipped up there and stapled in there exactly exactly they set it up

said if anyone wants to go to webers going southbound there you go love a good repurpose we'll take care Love a repurpose. Have to appreciate a repurpose. All right. So what do we have? I think the Cubs won 3-1. Man, we've got a lot of low-scoring games. Tigers won 2-1.

Cubs won 3-1. And we've got Yankees socks coming up here momentarily. And Best Bet's powered by Fanduel. Make your picks and assemble the same game parley. In seconds on the Fandual Sportsbook gap. I'm going to go Red Sox on the run line. Plus 1.5. I think this is a tight, close game.

I could see the Red Sox win. tonight with crochet on the mount. I really could. I think he's going to challenge these guys. He's so good. If he's dominant tonight, I could see the Red Sox winning this game. And I'm going to parlay that with Dodgers' money line tonight. The Red's been a great story. Great story. I just feel like the Dodgers,

they just wanted to make it. They made it. They're in. They're ready. They're at home. Dodgers roll tonight. Red Sox run line. Dodgers Money Line. Pan plus 130. Best bets powered by Fanduel. The Fandual Sportsbook app is, of course,

the exclusive home of the overdrive, same-game parlay. Police play responsibly 19-plus, physically located in Ontario. Noodles in Quebec City tonight. I've been scolded by suggesting Quebec City was the oldest city in the country. Apparently it's not. St. John, New Brunswick. Did I get that right? I probably just got that wrong, too.

Don't get jammed up twice. Yeah. People are yelling at me. You got scolded for what, saying it's the best city or the oldest city? I thought Quebec City was the oldest city in the country, It's not. I guess it's St. John, New Brunswick. But again, do these people know what they're talking about?

You know, are they wicketing this or what? It could be Al's Brothers' bots just coming in a chat. You never know. It could be. Al's brother pushed me to pick the Jets last night. I'm going to have to have a conversation with him, but no blood. He's talking about you make the call at the end of it, man. No blood.

You just say, okay, thanks for your info, and now I'm going to pick. No blood last night. You guys were the Bengals, terrible pick by your partsy, but it's all good. Thursday night, it's going to be a great game battle of the NFC West, so we look forward to that. Noodles will be back tomorrow. Great seeing you, Frankie. Thanks for doing this, buddy.

See you, boys. Great stuff. Everyone behind the scenes, thank you 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. Enjoy your evenings.

Enjoy the games tonight. We're back tomorrow at. Let's do a show from the Dago Bear. 4 p.m. We'll chat then. Seasoned gamer. video game curious? This Weekend Gaming is the podcast for you. We break down the latest in the world of video games from basics to beyond. The hottest gaming news, insight and industry leaders and more

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