OverDrive - Strudwick on Draisaitl's chase for the Hart Trophy, the Canadian playoff teams and the Maple Leafs' team outline

Episode Date: March 20, 2025

Got Yer Back Podcast and Former NHLer Jason Strudwick joins to discuss the headlines around the NHL, Leon Draisaitl's race towards the Hart Trophy, Stuart Skinner's performance in the crease, the Canadian teams in the playoffs, Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner leading the Maple Leafs and more.

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They all so buzz much, yeah. Kane Brown's new album, The High Road, is available now. What would you rather have? A heart trophy, a Stanley Cup, or a Spangler Cup? I don't know if I can give you an answer with a straight face. That is one. Is there some greats that got the Spangler and that's it? Start sit cut.

I'm not sure how I lay that out. I don't either. But Spangler's not getting cut. I can tell you that. Spangler will not be cut. Here he is from the Got Your Back podcast. Former NHL or former Spangler Cup great. Joining us here on the Maple Toyota Hotline, here's Jason Strudwick.

What's up Strudy? I'm good, I'm good, but listen, you guys, you've got to qualify that because, you know, I've told you guys, you never say it properly. I carry the team on my back to a silver medal at the Spangler Cup. Hang on a second here. Silver? You've been telling us all this time it was a gold

no no i was always been clear i don't like both that the the truth is that the silver and i did i put seventeen other players on my back dragged into a sub-a-metal surely lost the final i might have been minus two but i still played really well okay well let me let me present this question, because it's been a hypothetical that we've been running through the last few minutes.

Would you give up your Spangler Cup silver medal for a Norris trophy in the NHL? Yeah, well, yeah, that's as hard as it would be. I let down 17 other guys. I guess I have to. Selfish, if you take the Norris. Selfish about a team player. You know what's so funny is I got my first contract you know back then there were there wasn't like it was like maybe I don't know a handful of pages and I'm going through it looking yeah this looks

good whatever 400 grand everything's good bonus Norris trophy like 50 grand I'm like that's all I get if I win the Norris trophy Like I couldn't believe it. I used to think it because I was before bonuses were kept You could have as much as you wanted right? I'll put a 50 million in there. It wasn't like I was ever gonna get it Yeah, no kidding. What is the what like why waste everyone's time with a 50 grand bonus on a Norris trophy? That is good., yeah exactly. You may have just said, you know what, I'd like that taken out, cause if I win it.

You gotta make that 350. Like at least get your attention to strutting. Well it should. It should be like what you're talking about with Warren Buffett, like just put like five million. Yeah, put something crazy out there. If I achieve it, I mean think about how lucky they are to have you winning a Norris and making 400 grand.

I mean everything would balance out for them. I would have tried way harder. Way harder. Like I was like, I just want to be a second team All-Star. Not a Norris Trophy winner. Exactly. You would have raised the bar on expectations and what you were pursuing. Well, the reason we brought this up is that Dry Settle, Leon's not playing tonight and not a lot of information on what's going on with him and and just day to day and You know, he's it's him and McKinnon and Hellebuck chasing a hard trophy and I he may have the upper hand on those two guys I think based on an odds perspective on Fandall. That's exactly what's happened. But if he misses

Seven or eight games here strut I I think he may take himself out of that like I think McKinnon might pass him or Hellebuck might pass him fairly or unfairly I think playing games especially down the stretch is really what you need to get over the top when you have a three-horse race like this do you see it that way and how important do you think it would be for Dry Settle to win another heart trophy you know that injury to me it looks like a bit of a hamstring issue. I just never seen happen in an old timers game. I got points in the game after I was injured, but whatever. I'm sure that...

Battler. I'm sure Leo. Yeah, whatever. I mean, let's not make that about my greatness compared to Leon's, but you know, I think there's a recency bias. Like people, their memory of what happened. Like Leon's been an absolute beast for the others this year absolute beast he's destroying the scoring race for goals like what's the next closest guy is it 10 or 11 or something

last I checked so he's just he's killing it and he's being he's been great defensively and you know Mike Davis had a bit of a off year for him and he's been an absolute beast and his line mates haven't always been you know maybe pure top six forward so he's doing a lot of damage here. So if he is out I do think it does because of the fact that he won't be in at that moment. He won't remember that people will forget where he's at. But let's be clear and Leon said it before it's cup or bust like they want to win the Stanley Cup he's won his heart trophy and, it'd be cool to have two,

but the difference between zero and one is massive. The difference between one and two, I don't think it's that big a deal because you already have one. But he doesn't have a Stanley Cup. So I think he's gonna make sure that he will take the time required to make sure that whatever this injury is,

he is good to go and healthy. So when he comes back and now they're in a stretch run, he'll be at 100% for the playoff. Strahd, what's your confidence level that they can find the magic again? There's been some different parts of their game that have disappeared and have caused for concern, I guess you could call it. Like the Florida Panthers, I thought people said, you know what, they're hungry and they're going to get back right away and they did it and they won. Are you confident that the Oilers're going to get back right away and they did it and they won.

Are you confident that the Oilers are going to do that or have the capabilities to do that? I am. And their game is taking up against some support scoring, which I think is important. Ujah Hopkins come alive, Hyman, even now Arbertson, three goals in six games. That's pretty impressive. But I think it's the defensive posture in front of their net minor that's going to really get them over the top. Last three games, one

goal against, and that's what they've been built on. I believe that, yeah, they have a lot of scores, but that one goal against, and then that helps to play the goaltender, and then their penalty kill. Those are, to me, two underlying qualities this team needs to have to win, and we're starting to see them come together. All right, yeah listen they're playing they're picking up wins right they're picking up wins recently in Edmonton and for me it come and they got Ekholm back which is big and you mentioned Eugene Hopkins he's been playing up the middle of the ice and yet it's it's the goal tending that I think at the end of the day we continue to come back to and I'm curious where you stand on Skinner because he's had a he's had an up and

down year I'd say more down than up but what makes you believe that come playoff time even if the rest of the team has elevated their game and they look like they're hungry to do what Florida did that Skinner can kind of follow their lead or maybe lead them to where they've got to go. Two things one he has done it before now has it been imperfect in every things, one he has done it before. Now has it been imperfect in every playoffs? No, but he has as much or more experience than any goalie around the league. The only guy maybe is Bobrowski the last three years so it has more experience in the playoffs. Again not all perfect but he

has that experience. Number two is that when the team is limiting chances in front and becomes more predictable his game elevates. I think he wants to be in the right spot, let them shoot it, hit him and he covers it up. So we've seen that the last few games and when the others are at their best as a team, their deep posture, that's when they're at their best and it helps him and Pickard or any goalie quite frankly a lot. And I think back to when Marty Bordur played the Devils You know they they were really good at kind of funneling shots from certain areas and Marty was like yeah, I got this I've seen this shot so many times. So those are two reasons. I think yes

He listen he's not a top five goalie in the league But I think he's a guy that his stats are lower than what they should be and I think he will be able to climb up and be a version that is required to support his team to do well in the playoffs. So we got a bunch of Canadian teams that are currently in the playoffs and it feels like we're going to get at least five that are going to make it, right? Edmonton and Winnipeg are going to get there. Toronto is going to get there.

I think Ottawa is going to get there. And then one of the Habs, Vancouver, Calgary. In terms of how you feel on a bigger picture strut, as we're getting closer, we're inside a month of the Stanley Cup Playoff starting, and we keep talking about this Canadian drought that's going on 32 years now. Collectively, let's say five teams get in, maybe six, how do you feel about the

chances of a Canadian team at least making it back to a cup final in terms of all those tickets that are going to be punched come playoff time? Well I think you have to look at the top teams, right? And I think it's a great story, you know, the Ottawa, Calgary, Montreal and Vancouver, I think that's a great story, but I would have trouble saying that I would bet money on those teams making a deep run, I really would. So that leaves the other ones, which are Edmonton, Toronto and Winnipeg.

And of those three, I don't know how you can't think Winnipeg's the strongest team of the three of them, right? They're a really good team, they're well coached, they're organized, they've got the net minder that they can obviously win a few games on his own something I don't know that Toronto or Empton either either those teams have but Empton's been it they've done it Winnipeg's never done it nor has Toronto not never but in recent those two clubs haven't done it so I think that gives I would give a nod to Empton and or

Winnipeg over Toronto just because of those two reasons. Now, you know, Toronto's got a coach that understands winning and playoffs and they made some good moves. But I think it'll come down to those, you know, two teams specifically winning it, Winnipeg and Edmonton and then, you know, Toronto could be, who knows, but not making it easy easy if they've got to play Tampa then Florida then whoever that's a pretty hard road To punch through but I I'm the more teams you have the better chance But those it'll be have to be the two or three teams. I think we'll have to try to do it Stradi what about your lease your boy Mitchie and Austin playing well a couple wins back on top of the Atlantic What are your thoughts? Because some other people, some very close to us on this show this afternoon, are just

not buying in completely and I think that you probably are or are you not? You know what? I've said this right from the get go with everyone and with Craig and the whole group is that it's great that they're getting this done now but show me in the playoffs. Show me that you can be that, that the team, those guys can step up and do in the playoffs. And you know, I honestly, I think Mitch Marner learned a lot in that Four Nations Cup. I really think that he understands what it means to elevate now in the big moments and he did it in a really big moment.

I mean, if you look at over that time, his first first game was okay then it kind of dipped down a bit he was pushed down the lineup then he was put back up because he's having a good game the final and got it done so that's understanding that elevation you know those those top players they you know they raise their game when they need it the most so I I wonder if you know he isn't the guy that maybe becomes the catalyst to get them over the top. The problem is you're gonna to have to punch through, well, could have to punch through two really good teams in Florida. And that is, I think finishing first is huge. I think it's huge for that Leaf team.

Beating one, maybe beating two, that's a, for any team, not just the Leaf guys. I'm not just picking on them. Yeah, for sure. I mean, the thing is, you know, you look at West, how top heavy it is, you know, in the East, Washington, I think, still has to prove that they can continue this through the playoffs, you know, until they get there and they win in the playoffs.

I think there's gonna be some doubt. Carolina, they go to the playoffs every year, but eventually they run out of steam or their goaltending isn't gonna be good enough. I don't think Jersey's built for a run, you know, and this is just in the East, but if you go to the West, like you said about Winnipeg, and I would agree with what you had to say, they deserve all the accolades, yet they've got their own demons in the

playoffs they have to overcome. But Dallas, Colorado, Vegas, like I, those three teams are giants, man. Like, I don't, like if you're Edmonton and you you have to play Vegas in the second round and then Colorado in the third round, I don't, like if you're Edmonton and you have to play Vegas in the second round and then Colorado in the third round, I don't think that's, I don't think that's easier than the Leafs path strutty. Like, you know, Florida's a very good team, but they played more hockey than anyone the last three years.

Tampa's a good team, but the Leafs have actually played them very well. And anyone else in the East would not scare you. That's not saying the Leafs are scaring other teams or would definitely win in those scenarios but for me like if I'm looking at it through the lens of an Oilers fan Vegas Colorado Dallas Winnipeg I'm probably have to beat it like two of those to get to a cup final I don't know man that's a grind like that is grueling yeah no it's a tough one I mean, I think the Decentral is really that that's the real grind to get out of there

Yeah, I think that's really tough and then you kind of flip to the Pacific You know, I think finishing first important for the waiters I really think it is and there you know, they were kind of struggling now This seems to be kind of getting their game back and they've got some work to do there for sure But if they can do that, you know Vegas maybe they have a quicker first round matchup although it could be against a pretty good team and then the second one you know LA and the Kings maybe have to play or say LA and Vegas because what I think makes the Vegas dangerous when I look at their players is that decor they're big

they're mobile and they take up a lot of space on the ice. Like, they are not fun to try to get through that, those trees to get to the middle of the ice. And I think at times the owners are guilty of not driving the middle of the ice. You know, I just look at it as when I defend it, I love when guys stay on the perimeter. I'll let my goalie try to stop those. When you punch in the middle of the ice, it makes it hard. And I think they've been guilty of not doing it enough. And I think they're trying to now kind of get that back in their game.

I was going to turn the tables on you guys. Oh, yeah? What do you have for us? I've been looking at this hard trophy stuff since you guys brought it up. Yeah. So McDavid has three. Yeah. So I have two questions. Okay.

I'm going to put the over-under for his career at 4.5. A, are you taking the over the under that's water? Under Wow, I take the under says you don't win hearts after I know I heard that it's an insane statement But it is I mean Crosby is only one two. I looked it up. Yeah, and none since I think 2014 Since he was like 26 years old. Yeah. Yes. So that's one question. Okay. Under. So McDavid has three. Do you think he would trade all three for a cup?

Yes. Like a hundred percent, right? Every player would. Every player would. I don't think every player would, man. I don't know if every... You don't think so? I don't know. I mean... Maybe not all three.

Three hearts? I'll give you two of them back. Three hearts. Like that's... You got something on Sid. And getting one cup isn't going to catch Sid. Sid's got three of those. I don't know, man. I'd like to believe I'd like I want to believe that I would that he would say yes, but I'm not can I think publicly he would say yes. I think privately he would think that over, man. They got keyboard. There'd be a there'd be some pie charts going on here and Venn diagrams. Like how do I work this out in terms of my legacy? I think so strut the record is nine Well Gretzky like in six four and then a bunch of guys actually not a bunch of guys a few guys have three yeah

so if he gets four Pretty give up. He'd give up two hearts in a Immediately for for a Stanley Cup clear obviously i don't know what the full three but i don't know if the three pack is like you're getting in there you're getting offensive here yet like you'd use a personal that's where that's bad negotiating possibly struggle your same mcdavid would pounce on that you're a believer in that i honestly i think when you're stanley cop it it's right that like the most elite of the elite they want to know

That they are up with the best they want to be in that echelon of greatness I think and I'm not comparing this guy as far as the high level But what do you think Charles Barker be willing to change job is yeah, I love a championship for sure I'm not not the same level as Connor, he's an elite, elite athlete and basketball player. But I just think that those great players, they want to walk into a room and know that they won. They were better than everybody else when it mattered in the Stanley Cup Finals. So, I don't know, I've never heard anyone say, you know, winning the Stanley Cup wasn't fun. I didn't enjoy it. Oh, I'd be a blast. What if he has to throw in the cons might too?

Three hearts and the cons might and he gets a cup but not the cons might that no other hearts. I think losing the cons might to a losing effort I think that would be a fairly easy one. Yeah, he'd probably give that one up but with the three hearts on top of it I don't know man. But how many people have done that? That's a pretty cool thing, no? What? The cons might when you lose? Yeah, only golds have ever done that. I forget about that. That was a bizarre scene. He got called out there and he didn't even go,

I don't even think he went out, right? No, he didn't go. No, but why would you? You want to be with your teammates, right? Like, I think that's a hard moment. People gave him a hard time. I'm like, we just lost the Stanley Cup. You want me to walk out there and pretend to happy

when they're singing, when my buddies are inside crying? Like, I don't know, that would be, i i give a lot of break i i anyone anyone uh... who had to go to that i do'll leave it there and there's now people start to write in some real stuff your brett writing in saying you think eyes and then would trade one of his cops for a heart trophy exceed by some in your home east dvd either didn't win one the i don't think you ever want to hurt ever in front of me with the whole time no i don't believe that you didn't have a good

they never did so he he gets to keep out but two of his cops and i think you trade one in for a heart. I'd go to come someone hard I don't do D one three cups didn't he? Yeah, exactly the cops man. So the cops I'm going two cups in a heart if I'm Stevie Y all day two cups in a heart. I'll toss a cup back Give me a heart Say man all day someone sent me a DM, what about Scottie Pippen? You think he wouldn't trade back a three Pete for an MVP and maybe a finals MVP? He would. He'd

still have three rings. Dude, I don't even know what to think about Scottie Pippen. After the, during COVID, that last dance came out and they had the, just the theatrics of him during one of those games where he refused to go in. And it was just just it made me think twice about Scottie Pippen That's when Jordan was retired and he was the man and he was leaning into the bulls Yeah, it wasn't good. Well, but when I played in Chicago I would go to these restaurants and you know some good times at night and everyone would tell me that his nickname was no Tipping Scottty Pippen. That's a tough rap to have man. Here comes no tipping. No tipping Scotty Pippen. It was

the funniest. I was dying when I heard that. So, he's a guy big tipped too. You gotta tip man if you're Scotty Pippen. Like you're making so much money man. Although he felt like he got burned bad. That's why he went to Portland at the end of the year, right at the end of his career. But he still ended up making a lot of money. All right Struddy, well we'll leave it there. I don't know if we have really established anything in terms of awards for Spengler Cubs and Stanley Cubs and all that, but we all see it differently. Thank you for this. Enjoy the games tonight. Yeah we'll talk to you guys soon. See you a few people are serious jason strudwick he got your back podcast joining soon the maple toyota hotline drive the built

in canada fuel-efficient funded drive toyota route for gas or hybrid models available visit maple toyota dot com i are radio is taking you backstage with came brown in quebec city ready medium interview Y'all get ready. Girl, let's go put some miles on the line. Meet him, interview him, an iHeartRadio experience you'll never forget. Turn up the night like that radio. With flights, hotel, and $500 included. Be like that.

How we feelin' tonight? For your best chance to win, enter daily at iHeartRadio.ca. Thank y'all so much, yeah. Kane Brown's new album, The High Road, is available now.