OverDrive - Schneider on Stolarz's progression in the crease, Hellebuyck's strong stance and Skinner finding consistency

Episode Date: March 14, 2025

NHL Network Analyst Cory Schneider joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the NHL, the Maple Leafs' goaltending tandem, Anthony Stolarz's progression in his career, Connor Hellebuyck at the top of the league, Stuart Skinner finding his game, the perspective of Auston Matthews and more.

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Here's longtime NHL goalie, you see him on NHL Network. Here's Cory Schneider. What's happening, Cory? How much gentlemen, how you guys doing? We're doing pretty well. We were just talking about the Leaf goalie, goaltending and the status of the Leafs goalies, you know, as we inch closer to the playoffs here and they're kind of unique compared to the other big boys in their division where you know all marks gonna be the guy in Ottawa and Bobrovsky in Florida and Vasilevsky in Tampa. Do you ever read on who was the number one or has the best bet to be the number one? Joseph Wall or Anthony Stolarz? I mean, my money would be,

assuming they're both healthy, that Stolars would get the first crack at it. Heard Jamie talking about tandems in the playoffs and how that works. I'm sure he's been a part of those. And to me, it's tricky to do a full on tandem in the playoffs. We saw last year with Olmark and Swainman,

you know, if a guy loses, you immediately go to the other guy, if a guy wins, you're going to take him out. So I think you got to have the guy. And for me right now, that's that's stole ours But I know Joe walls got some playoff experience and it's played pretty well You know last year he came in for Sam stone off. I believe in and almost stole that series from Boston So, you know, it's it's it's it's a fine line, but I would give so large the first crack at it Yeah, I agree Schneid. So, you know, the biggest thing when it comes to to goaltending is who you trust and I've always said this before is that

the team, you know, if you have that tandem, the team will lean to one guy or the other, but it's the coach and who's playing well at that time. I like Stolarz. What have you seen from him, his progression to become, you know, where he's at right now? Because he's had many stops throughout the league and he's become a fantastic goal tender, but it didn't happen overnight for him. He developed that and now is 30 years old. Yeah, I mean I played against him in Anaheim a bit and watched him in Florida in a limited role and it's funny, you know, and you've probably been through this, but I went through in Vancouver and everyone and everyone's like well he hasn't done it yet, he hasn't played a starting workload yet. It's like well yeah you never get the opportunity to

how do you know that you are, how could you prove that you are. So I think Stolar is at the age of 30 is finally getting that opportunity. I know he was out for a while with an injury so maybe that's not a great example but you know I think for a bigger guy like him he's a big kid and those guys take a little longer to put it all together. I feel like he's finally not just a big guy who takes up a lot of the net. He's more of a technician, his movements. He comes up with some big saves at big moments, which is also part of it. That's part of being a starting goalie is knowing when you got to come up with the saves, not how many you make. So I think it's progression. I think he's learned

a lot from playing behind a guy like Bobrovsky and John Gibson. And I know I took things from guys like Roberto and Marty Luthor and it just takes a while sometimes to put together and then get the opportunity. He's finally gotten that opportunity here and we're seeing what he can do. As you guys mentioned though, maybe scuffling a little bit late, that's part of grinding and learning and becoming a starting goalie is working through that phase of the most games you've ever played or a higher workload. Hey Cory, if the playoffs started today, of course the Leafs would be matched up against

Tampa Bay, one of their old nemesis. And there's been some talk about Vasilevsky over the past couple of years that maybe he's on the wrong side of the age curve and yet when you looked at, he got the two-week break at the Four Nations and there's been some evidence that he really has had a late-season surge, albeit maybe, you know, some mixed results but trending positively. Like, how intimidating is Vasilevsky still even if he's not the guy he was in his prime? Yeah, he's a guy that would concern me, a guy that I wouldn't want to face if I was the opposing team. I know last year he had that back surgery, which is hard to come back from.

It's hard to be yourself even once you're healed and cleared. So I think that might have played into a down year for him last year. But by all metrics in the eye test, he's been that guy again this year. They can score too. Tampa's got a team that they can score a ton of goals. They've got one of the best goal differentials in the league. And he's a big part of that. So I think he's only, I think the league and he's a big part of that so I think you know he's

only I think around 30 he's not even that old but you mentioned at the two week break at the Four Nations they didn't have a deep run last year so you know he's a guy that he can dial dial it up when he needs to and I think he has that big game experience that you go to a game seven or a big game that you got to win you're going to get the against Vassily he can he can pull out one of those games for his team steal steal win so he's somebody that would definitely concern me going up against him with Cory Schneider of the NHL Network and this year it feels like you know we haven't really had the

Vesna chat because Hellebuck is it's just a lock I mean I don't who would you who would you suggest is even contesting him? Like is there a guaranteed number two number three guy noodles you can try Well Vasilevsky goal saved above expectations right there as well. I mean Logan Thompson. Yes nights I don't know how you feel them where you you know, you're cut off for games played That's the biggest thing for me is right, you know the separator is if your guy plays 35 or 38 that's not really starter minutes like to me it's got to at least be something with a four in it 45 47 yes you know that type of stuff I don't know

how you feel Schneids no I agree with you I think you have to play at least half your team's game like a bare minimum you know 45 to 50 is a good range for me these days and other guys don't play 70 like they used to very often but yeah I've asked you would be up there you know Omar 45 to 50 is a good range for me these days. I know those guys don't play 70 like they used to very often, but yeah, Vassie would be up there. You know, Omar's putting together, I know he missed some time, but he's if they get in the playoffs, you know, he'll get some some love. You know, it's Golted isn't pretty good around the league. I find this year not a lot of controversy.

There are teams that are in a dire need of it. You know, Thompson's a good one. He's been out. He's been lights out. But like you said, the game's played as an issue. Dustin Wolf out in Calgary, I think, you know, not's a good one. He's been out, he's been lights out, but like you said, the game's played is an issue. Dustin Wolf out in Calgary, I think, you know, not only Calder love, I think he should get a little bit of that in the love of he gets that Calgary team that can't score into the playoffs. So there's a good number of guys, but to your point, I do think it's the horizon drop by

Helen Buck. I don't think anyone's going to even come near him, but it gets interesting after that. I agree. You know, one, I guess, spotlight throughout the league and because it's in Canada, the even come near him but it gets interesting after that. I agree. One spotlight throughout the league and because it's in Canada, the guy Stuart Skinner gets a lot of love and a lot of hate whether it's earned or not. What do you make of him? When you look at him just from a technical standpoint, the way the Oilers defend, all

of that type of stuff, do you think he's a guy that can stabilize and he did last year but this year it's been wildly inconsistent. What do you see from Stuart Skinner? Yeah he's a guy that I've tried to watch and get a beat on. I know he kind of got some heat last year but like you said he's still got him within a game of the Stanley Cup. I think part of his thing is still, he's still a youngish goalie, is he's a bit volatile. His bad games can be really bad, and his good games are really good.

I think he saw in the playoffs where he lost and that's a picker for a stretch, but when he's on, he's proven he can win the big game. So I think that's what you want out of your goalie. I talked about Stolarne's and how he's a big man, but he's become more of a technician. I still find Skinner's got a lot of movement, a lot of moving parts for a big goalie, which can be an issue.

It can create holes, it can create creases and gaps for guys to look at and score. So for me, he does play deep at times, but then it seems like he's got a lot of movement and action in his game, which isn't always the best thing when you're his size. So I think the quieter a game he can play, and when he's seen the puck as well,

I think there are times where he can get beat around the hands if he's not tracking the puck really well. So for me, it's all about his puck tracking and then just quieting his game down and not trying to do too much in there. With Corey Schneider, we've been talking a lot about Austin Matthews today, and he's burned a lot of goalies in his career

with how deceptive his shot is, how much zip he's got on it. Obviously he's got immense hockey IQ in terms of reading goaltenders and throwing them off based on what maybe he's done earlier in the year or earlier in that game. But when you're watching him play, I don't know how much you've seen him play this year, but his goal scoring is way, way down.

I mean, he's maybe gonna score 30 goals this year. He's had some injury issues But he scored 69 last year Is there anything that you you see out of him that that would be able to pick off why he's not? Scoring at the same rate he generally has throughout his whole career Yeah, that's a tough one. You know I know he's had the wrist injury issues He's missed time this year and went overseas to get it looked at I don't that's still a problem Which obviously is probably one of you know his biggest assets is he needs you know you need strong risk to score goals for

him. But yeah I can't tell if it's just some sort of malaise or just a down year even you know watching the Four Nations he wasn't bad by any means and even in the in the finals he had to assist in that game but I was at that game and you know Eichel was the most noticeable center and I thought their best center in that tournament. You know Matthews just didn't really pop, he didn't make a lot of big plays or noticeable plays so you know I know he can play an understated two-way game but offensively I just didn't really feel as if he was himself, he wasn't very dynamic and then he had those chances

in overtime they just didn't vary which you know guy that's your best goal scorer you look to score those goals so it's hard to say if it's something you know injury related or fatigue or just sometimes you just have a down year for him you know it's still a good year for most guys but he's judged by a different scale. So you know I like this Leafs team this year more so in terms of their center depth with Lawton. I know he's playing wing now but they have him there. The defense is probably better than spend a little while in their goal tenings better than spend. So I like those, but if those guys aren't scoring in the playoffs, you know, they're going to be in trouble.

Corey, getting back to the Leaf goal-tening, I mean, one of the big topics, not only that Stolarz hasn't played in the playoffs, I mean, he got some mop-up work in Florida, but he never started a game in the playoffs. It's also the idea that these guys haven't neither wall nor Stolarz has had you know sustained run where they've had to go deep into a season you know they've all they both kinda had been limited to 20-something games as their career high in a year like what's the challenge for these guys in terms of just holding it together the endurance factor here just being able to

sustain a longer season than they've ever had to play before as they head into the playoffs. Yeah that's that fatigue part not even just physical but mental fatigue. It's you know it takes a lot of mental energy to play goalie and especially in the playoffs you know picture I think Vasily said it was Vasily that one right playoff game is like two regular season games almost in terms of what it takes out of you and I felt that a little bit you feel like every game is is a do season games almost in terms of what it takes out of you. And I felt that a little bit. You feel like every game is, is a do or die game. And afterward you're spent. I think the guys who go on those deep runs, the guys have done it before they know

how to manage it, they know how to approach it. So, you know, without any playoff experience, you just have to be able to manage that mental fatigue and workloads. So, um, you know, I think physically these kids are all in great shape. They're all, you know, strong and energetic. It's are all in great shape they're all strong energetic it's it's more than emotional energy that you spend every night uh... and that's the best concern if you end up in that two three matchup you play cap or florida

to start and you lose the game or two right away and the panic that's in evidence uh... hootenholland in toronto about what we're gonna do like that the stuff of the goalie got a block outer figure out a way to navigate so it's gonna be a tough it's definitely be a challenge but like I said you know we don't know until we know so you got to give the guy a chance to go prove it and if he doesn't you go to wall or you know you sort of revisit it after the fact

but it is definitely I don't say concerned but it's an issue that you know has to be thought of for sure really appreciate the insight and the time as always Corey we'll do it again down the road sounds great guys have a good night Corey Schneider long time NHL goalie. I Heart Radio is taking you backstage with Kane Brown in Quebec City. Meet him, interview him, an I Heart Radio experience you'll never forget. With flights, hotel and $500 included. Be like that.

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