OverDrive - Ralph on Marner playing through contract noise, Stolarz and Woll searching for consistency and the team's overall performance

Episode Date: March 10, 2025

Maple Leafs Radio Analyst Jim Ralph joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the team, the roster looking to snap a losing run, Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll in search of consistency, Mitch Marner's performance in the contract noise and more.

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Bell, getting a new phone just got better. Hey, Ralphie. I probably played like Jim Bowen in the mine. You ever get to Salt Lake? Ask Noodle if he remembers there was a bar called the Green Barret in Salt Lake City, if I recall that correctly. I don't remember games, but I do remember establishments in a lot of the cities. I've heard of that one.

He's mentioned it many times. He needed like a membership card or something to be able to drink there because of the booze laws I guess in Utah or whatever. Yeah, I've heard of that place. He's been there a few times. Well, that was a pretty big name. I didn't need that. Yeah, that's true. They let you skate on all that kind of stuff.

I'm sure back in the day. It's interesting times here with the Leafs because, you know, prior to these three games, they had won a lot, maybe weren't playing the greatest of hockey. Jonas, you and I have had different viewpoints on that, but they kept racking up points and now you lose three in a row. Florida doesn't lose. And all of a sudden you got this four-point buffer I can't say it's a must win tonight but it feels like a pretty significant game doesn't it yeah if you want to set up for the game against Florida later this week is

a an important game I think absolutely you've got to win tonight and I mean I think one of the big concerns going through it coming back from the the four nations break is six of the eight games, they've given up multi goals in a period. And you know, at the start of the year, we were talking about how they were winning the three one, four two games and how it was brew Bay hockey and they were playing tougher and they've gotten away from that. I mean, they've had, you know, even, you know, the, the third period against Carolina, they got a four, nothing late and then it's four, three late and you're scrambled and

get a win. But it's the, uh, the two, three, you know, and against Colorado, four gold periods against that are absolutely destroying. So I think they were, uh, you know, Harry Neil always had a line when you're coming out of a winning streak, you win a couple of games, you should have lost. And when you're coming out of losing streak, you lose a couple, you should have won. And I kind of look at that, you know, the Pittsburgh game, especially was sort of a sign that things were starting to turn the other way. And, you know, then you give up two in the third period against San Jose and, you know, the losing streak is on. Well, so Ralphie, what you're talking about there

with the team's defensive play, where do you think now the goalies fit in all this? And I'm gonna ask you to do a mini Jerry's percentage because I like stealing their bits. Yes, please do. I'm gonna say it's forty percent gold uh... and i i was in question what are you doing that's a great answer to go for it take it from there yeah please run with our local but what percentage

of the i don't know now go up it's on you know uh... i would say they're now asking their goal that is a set of make two or three big saves in the game, we're going to the six to eight mark. And I think that's the tough part. You're seeing the Leaf goalies that we didn't see a lot of early in the year getting beat one-on-one shots.

No screens, no tips, not off the brush, but just one-on-one. They're getting beat on shots and you know what I think you know even the McKinnon goal and now you can still say it's Nathan McKinnon it was on the power play but those were the saves they were getting almost every game 100% so like I said I would say it's 40% because you know even the game where Stolars gives up four in Boston, arguably he was one of the most valuable players in the game that he kept Boston to four. I just think that's where they've been trending.

If it's related to Chris Janof, then you've got to start giving them our trophy consideration because there's certainly a different team without them. But there's still four other guys on the ice when he's out there. Do you wanna complete your Jerry's question? Do you have a different viewpoint? No, I changed my question. That you want from Ralphie?

But yeah, actually, so I was gonna ask you about the competition between the two starters, but now I'm gonna scrap that and ask you, how much do you think workload now starts to become a thing for both guys? Both are like, Stolar's next start will match a career high, Wall's already blown past a career high. How much do you think that factors into some of the dip? Well, if it does, then you might be in trouble for the playoffs. If you're going to try to ride one guy,

you know, and get somebody hot to go. So I'm gonna say a very small percentage, Jonas with that, that, you know, these guys have played most of their careers wanting to play 50, 60 games. So, you know, they, and I'm not gonna make an excuse with their schedule the way it's been for them because you know tell that

Calgary was on the road for two weeks Talk to LA or Vancouver about how tough your schedule is and they'll laugh at you so but it is a stretch where they played a lot in a short period of time and Might be overall team fatigue, but from a goal center standpoint I don't think it should be a factor at all. With Jim Ralph, Leafs Hockey Club tonight in Utah right here on TSM Radio. Mitch Marner, you know, we all know what happened late last week and, you know, him speaking on it after the game on Saturday about his contract and him not getting into it and he

doesn't sound like he wants to negotiate or really talk about it much, you know, throughout this season. You're around him a lot, you're around talk about it much, you know, throughout this season. You're around him a lot, you're around the team a lot. You've seen him play basically every game of his career. I haven't noticed any effect on the way he's played. I think he's been outstanding this year. I thought he was great on Saturday night. Have you noticed anything tangible about Marner

and the way that he's going about his business that would suggest him in the final year of a contract is affecting him negatively, positively, where do you stand on that? No I haven't seen anything that's affected this game. He had a depth of about four or five games ago where he had a stretch where the points weren't coming but I'm gonna take a different take on it than most people. I think this might be an outstanding situation. I mean you go into the playoffs to take a different take on it than most people, I think this might be an outstanding situation. I mean, you go into the playoffs, take them to the finals on your back, win a Conn Smythe trophy and whether it's re-signed in Toronto or write your own ticket anywhere else, I

think that's the best case scenario. You want to have the ultimate bargaining chip? Do that. And, you know, and carry them to where this team was expected to go in the last four or five years. I think where it becomes a concern, even if they only win a single playoff series again, I think then it becomes a concern. You know, now is this, you know, an opportunity to say, okay, everybody's going to go in a

different direction? So I think from the Mitch Marner standpoint and hopefully benefiting the Leafs, this is, take them. Win three rounds, get to the finals and be the best player in the league and get paid accordingly when it's done, whether it's in Toronto or anyone else. So I think it's a better situation. And say you signed them in February and they're out in the first round again, then what's the conversation going to be? So I think it's an opportunity, both for Marner and

for the Leafs. You know what? You take us to where we want to go and you're the best player we've got in the team and the best player in the last two months of the playoffs. I think everybody can be happy with what the result is going to be, especially if you think you've got to give them more than Matthews or Nathan McKinnon. It's a chance for him to show that he deserves it. Yeah, it's the ultimate betting on yourself scenario. He's not the first athlete to do it, won't be the last, and it, you know, from a lead perspective, it sounds as if they want to engage in negotiations, but it may free them up to

make a different decision or feel better about a decision. That always should have been the play anyway. Like, it's frustrating to continuously get back into this. If Mitch wants to do that, that would have been in the best interest of the team because you see it with all these other teams in the league that have to make tough decisions, ruthless decisions to change up the makeup of their team. And the Leafs have largely been adverse to it in the past

and sounds like they still are when it comes to Marner they'd sleep easier at night if they could just get him locked in but if he doesn't want to do that to your point Ralphie let's play it out let's see what happens. Well and I will say too, Jim can I just add to your point I don't you guys remember this 21-22 season he gets hurt I think it's like December-ish, January-ish, I don't remember what the injury was and there was all this talk about Marner's not shooting enough and he comes back from the injury do you remember this Jim and like suddenly he's just like I'm gonna score all the time and from like I think it was like January 15th on I think he was like third in the league in goals

tied for first in the league in points and he's to me he's never looked better and so I wonder Jim if you're if you get something like that where he's like kind of ticked off I think that'd be again in his best interest to because fans are fickle and everyone just wants the Leafs to win like that's at the core of it it's all it all is somewhat irrelevant you know it all it's all different pieces to a puzzle and it's a part of being a fan but really if you're a Leaf fan you're just so desperate for them to win. And there will be such an appreciation for him to do that.

I'm pissed, watch this, I'm dragging this team to the promised land. People will be raving about that. Yes. But he's got to do it. That's the way it's done. He's got to deliver it. You know what's funny about that, Jonas,

is I don't remember him shooting more when he came back. but for some reason, did he not get hurt off the face-off at the start of the second period? You remember the specifics of that? Was it a Tuesday? And it might have been against Philadelphia. Right. It was just off the draw where he got hurt. Oh yeah, that's when he got hurt.

I think it was a high ankle sprain. Well, that was last year he had a high ankle, wasn't it? Or the year before. Yeah, another one? I don't know. Maybe it was a high was it a high ankle sprain well that was last year you had a high ankle wasn't it or the other one maybe it's a guy it was a high ankle last year I believe before the Boston series you know last year like I'm an idiot with my with my memory I don't know I remember the injury but not what happened today's Monday by the way yeah I got you all right Ralphie well just make sure you you know make it to the studio to watch and call the game tonight it should be a it'll be an interesting one you know losing three in

a row and we'll see the hockey club up close and personal we'll see what comes by the way they this is I think the fourth time they lost three in a row this year and the combined games after the losing streaks they're like 13 and all so that's I'm gonna stick with that okay I'm looking forward to it tonight should be a good one enjoy Ralphie Ralphie. Thank you for doing this. Alright, thanks boys. There's Jim Ralph. Rock, pop, hip-hop, and when it comes to country, it's the true north all the way. Loud and proud. An all-new digital radio station from coast to coast.

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