OverDrive - Strudwick on the Maple Leafs' possible retool, Stadium Series and McDavid's point pace

Episode Date: February 2, 2026

Struddy's World Podcast Host and Former NHLer Jason Strudwick joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the NHL, the opinion on who deserves a statue, the Stadium Series and Nikita Kucherov in the Art Ross chase, Tristan Jarry's play, Maple Leafs' retool possibilities and more.

Jason Strudwig. Yeah, welcome to the show. Welcome to the show, Struddy. Hi, Struddy. How are you? Are you guys grumpy today already? I haven't off for 10 seconds. You sound edgy boys.

I can't imagine what's going on. Sturdy. Let me ask you this, Struddy. Okay. The Raptors, the 2019, obviously won the World Championship, the NBA title, correct? Well, yeah, as far as I remember.

Okay. Kowai Leonard Integral Part in the signature moment of the playoffs was him making the buzzer beating shot against the Sixers where he's crouched down in the corner and he watches the ball dribble in and it was just a fantastic moment and me and jonas were saying that there should be a statue of kawai in that moment out front of the scotia bank arena and brian hay said if he's not going to come back and welcome the statue and be a part of the unveiling i'm not for it do you agree with that notion or is that complete

lunacy from our host. Well, just let me get this good. Has he said he won't come back? No, it's completely hypothetical. It's hypothetical. He may come back. Strady, our point is, it doesn't matter if he comes back or not. It's about the fans and the moment for the fans.

Whether this guy embraces the statue or not, nobody cares. I don't. I care. Jonas doesn't, but Hayes does. Loseer energy. Go ahead. Where do you stand on the potential Kauai statue? So let's be clear. It's not lose their energy. He won. He got you a championship. I mean, when's the last time a team from Toronto

won a championship? That would have been to the Jay's in 93. That's what I mean. So, and so, and this is what I believe be true. You only honors either elite and like Hall of Fame players of statues or won the championships. So I heard you talking about the Bichette and all that. I'm like, that, that makes me a little bit dice. And I was cheering for that team, but they didn't win. So I don't think you want to remember that moment. No, I'm with you now. They didn't win. So they're not getting a statue, 100%.

Yeah. But Kawhi, the only thing I would challenge about Kauai is only there for one year. But in that one year, he made a huge difference to a franchise. Definitely. I'd be fine. I'd be fine with him. You know, but where he at was a retiree's jersey. Would you toss?

No, no chance. No chance. No, no chance. One year, he was the greatest individual year, maybe in Toronto sports history, quite frankly. That's how good he was, especially in the playoffs. Those two months were unbelievable. And it's all hypothetical.

Like maybe he would come back and that'd be amazing. Then go for it. He doesn't forget it. I picture a scenario where it's like, we're going to commemorate that moment. And thanks for everything, Kauai. And Kauai's like, awesome. I'm not coming. That to me is, that's loser energy.

That's what it is, right? That actually seems like you have loser energy. No, no. You're like rejected, so you're like, forget it. Yeah. That's a dumbest argument you've ever tried to make on the show. I'm getting tons of support online. Oh, my.

Read me one thing. Read me one thing. Yeah, I'll read right here. DJ tweeting in. Hayes is completely correct. It's insane to say that Leonard should get a statue if he's not going to show up. Who else? Right here.

What do we have? That was just written down by Brian Hayes. A.B. A.B. Writing in, Team Hayes about the Kauai statue, no chance. That's your burner account. Actually, this guy had a good one. He goes, maybe they should have a tree planting statue for Kauai.

and he might actually show up. That actually would be good. But anyway, it's all hypothetical. The point is that because they're building a statue for the 92, 93 Js, which is long overdue. And Joe Carter was a part of the reveal today. He was a part of the video. And it, you know, it was Joe Carter's moments.

He got the ball in 92. He hit the ball in 93. He'll be here, I would guess, for when they reveal the statue. Anyway, Strzsche. How do you feel about statues for players who didn't win? Well, that's a great question. Let's say McDavid never wins a cup in Edmonton. Does he get a statue?

100%. Stratty? I don't know, man. Yes, come on. I don't think so. Obviously, Jersey retirement is a lock. But, like, and he's one, but I don't know. I just, I think that statues are, like, it's almost, it's above Jersey retirement.

There's so few statues. When I think about around the league, like, I can think of Michael Jordan's outside of Chicago. I think of Wayne Gretzky's outside of Eminton. who's outside of Montreal. Is that Bellevote? Yeah, there's four of them. In Montreal, it's like Bobby Orr, Morinz, Marens, Marens, Belvoir, LaFleurne and Richard.

There's four of them. You guys are like statue, police. I love it. I study statues. Yeah, in Boston, there's Bobby Orr, there's Larry Bird, I think. Man, it's, there should be very few athletes ever that get statues. I mean, I agree. McDavid should have one.

Not if he doesn't win. Why? Because he hasn't won. I mean, he's done everything he can. Oh, okay. Well, he's done everything you can. He actually hasn't, Jonas. That's the point. He hasn't won. Wow. You got a win to get a statue. Strud, you're on board with that. You just said that.

I do. I think that's like the next level, right? It's just like superhero level, I think. And he is that, but I think I do think winning matters. I do. I do think for the statues. Well, there you go. Would you think of that outdoor game last night, Struddy? Tampa, Boston, goes to overtime, a shootout. Kutrov with four points, two goalies fighting.

It was just unbelievable last night. How about them being down by four? Yeah, down four, and they came back to won the game. I know. You know what? Like, I hear a lot of people saying they're down on the outdoor games. And, like, I think it's for the local community. I feel the same way about the All-Star game.

I'm not going to watch the All-Star game, and I'm not going out of my way to watch an outdoor game. Like, I check in and see what's going on, but I'm not going to be, I've got to watch this. Now, the first couple, yes. but I think it's great for the local people. But then you have a game like last thing. And people are like, I've got to turn this game on, man. It's unbelievable. So you start watching it.

It is incredible. And that was a great game. And, you know, the way the guys are dressing up, you know, even John Cooper, like that outfit, not a lot of people could pull that off. And it just adds to it, right? It adds, that gets eyes on our game, you know, that are non-hockey fans. So I think that's important part of what those guys did last night. Yeah, it was a great game.

and like Kucharov with four points again last night. And he feels like he's got three or four points every single game. He's so sick, man. He's so good. And he had a breakaway in overtime. And he actually was a brutal, brutal breakaway. He shot it right into his chest. But the goal he scored was unreal.

And he's chasing McKinnon and McDavid. He's nine-back of McDavid. Run out of time. But what's your Jerry's percentages on Koochooch, Kuturav winning the Art Ross? Well, I think he's in third. So right now I say he's third. So whatever that percentage would be.

I mean, listen, those other two, what I love about these three guys, they all do it so differently. They also do it so differently. But I love that there is a fight being made for it because at the beginning of the year, it was just McKinnon. Yeah, and like McDavid has obviously been a rock star,

but Kutrov continues on the pace. He's been on the last 25 games. He might catch him. Well, let me ask you this, Ruddy. Actually, I'll ask you and O. We know where Hayes stands. Thanks, Jonas. I'll give you McDavid or the Field for the Heart Trophy.

Oh, man. I'm going to take McDavid. I'll go to the field. Wow. I love it. That was a surprise. There you go. Yeah.

Oh, man, the field, there's so much. The field is like two people. It's like McKinnon, Kutcherov, and if you want to throw him a car. What about celebrating? Okay, he's not winning. He's not winning. He's in the race. What? If they make the playoffs, you don't think he's deserving. But David's going to have 140 points.

Yeah, but how many of the people are going to have was his next guy having like 60 points? Like, to me, that's incredible what he's doing. And there is a precedent with Taylor Hall winning it with the same type of guy. Yeah, that was a mistake. Why was it a mistake? That's not against Taylor Hall. They had taken a shot. I voted McDavid that year.

Jeff, come on. Back me up. It's got to be McDavid. I just remember McDavid had, what did he have, 120 points that year or something? It was a lot. He had a lot. But Taylor Hall, I thought it was a fantastic story. And the big part about all the conversation was he had 42 more points than the next guy in his team.

And he was so clutch every night and coming down the stretch and he got New Jersey in the playoffs. So it's kind of deserved it. Listen, McDavid, like Dry Settles fifth in points. Hyman scores every single night. Don't do this. I'm just saying, like, McDavid's got help. McDavid's got help. So does, so does McKinnon. But, uh,

I said, Big David's playing at a level that's absurd. Like, he's, it's absurd. But the oilers, what we've noticed, or what I noticed over the weekend is,

now there's some people in that market looking at Tristan Jari strud. Like, what's this, what's going on with this cat? Like, his numbers are terrible. Uh, do we have another Stuart Skinner issue on our hands?

Like, how are people handing the goaltending in Edmonton? I knew when I got the call I said this would be coming up but this is Leafland is on fire and you guys are asking if I left my toilet seat up that's what you're asking me

that's the same thing that you're asking me no listen they both had shutouts just a short time ago right I mean he's coming back from injury I don't think it's easy to come back from injury for a goal I think the timing's thrown off or been thrown off and such but does you have a better yeah

like the first three goals I can live with you know he'd like to make one say but the fourth and fifth, yeah, I can get behind that. But listen, the team in front of them, just, I wanted to tighten up defensively. And we've seen this core group of players being better defensively. I think the last five or six game, the core group hasn't been good defensively. Can the goalies be better?

Sure. But I think that it's step one is the group in front, and then the goalies will tie it up and get jari some time healthy in the pipes. All right. We'll give you an opportunity to chime in on the leaves strut, because everyone's doing it. What's the plan for the Leafs? Do they just punt on the season and feel like they can get back into the dance next year? Do they have to retool? Do they have to completely scorched Earth rebuild?

Where do you stand on things? Well, two things. One, I saw Pronger the other day. Just tear the show and half. He was on fire that guy. And then I realized watching him, this is my number two point. It's not fun. When the Leafs aren't playing well, I don't really enjoy chirping them. It's not as much fun when they build it up and then they pull the chair. out from underneath everyone, right? So that's not as much fun.

So I have been thinking a lot about the lease. I would, right now, I would be of the mindset trying to unload and trying to find some flexibility. I mean, I've been saying that once I've said a thousand times, I need to get more puck-moving defensive on the back end. I know he just got Carlo, I know that, you know, whatever, he costs a lot, but you need to get something that can move the puck. And I keep using Shane Gauthus beer as an example.

I recognize he's on a contract. It might not be perfect, but I want someone that can move the puck better. So I am trying to move, obviously, anyone's a UFA. I'm trying to maybe move off a D-Matter-2 side, more flexibility to add puck moving D and adding speed to this lineup. So very casual, but I didn't even enjoy that, guys. It's not even fun.

That's great. Now we're getting the pity commentary from Strud, because it's just... You are. You are. That sounds sincere. I don't enjoy it either. I wish I was calling you to chirpy guys,

but it's not even fun anymore. So I don't know. What do they play Calgary? excited to Emington tomorrow. So they got, is that their last two games? Last two. Last two and they're done, yep. You mentioned Carlo.

I did not know until I started putting eyes on him on a shift-to-ship basis. Because I was a big fan of him when he was in Boston. You seemed like a big strong guy. It seemed like he just seemed like a big stud back there that had everything under control. But watching his puck play, and I don't know if it's the Leafs that kind of exposed it, but man, it's an adventure when he has the puck. Like, you talk about a puck-moving defenseman. Like, rudimentary plays seem to be a challenge for him in the neutral zone.

Like a 15-foot pass, it's just, I don't know. It's very frustrating to watch. So wasn't he with McAvoy in Boston? I don't know. No, they were both right shot. He was playing a bunch with different people. He moved around. He played with Charra at one point.

Yeah, that would make you look pretty good. Yeah, it does help. But listen, yeah, that's a pretty big deal. And I just, when I look at the forward group for the Leafs and obviously not all of them, but it's not just about making the pass, it's about the timing of the past. You know, and O'Dag, you know that, like, you want the puck in a certain place at a certain time. And, you know, that's what makes guys like, you know, Quinn Hughes so special, Macar, Bouchard, like, these guys, they just, they get it to you flat, but they get it to when you want it.

And that makes a big difference. And I look at those Leafs forwards, and sometimes I feel like, man, I wish you had got that puck two beats earlier, right? And, you know, I can't say the exact play, but I just, I see it, I know as a D because I was that guy throwing it either a bad pass or throwing it behind them or not when they wanted it. And they were like, maybe slamming their sticks. Like, I'm trying to get it to you, but it does make a difference when a player gets a puck,

I think, O'Dog. And you can maybe speak to it a bit more than I guess. Yeah. Well, I mean, that's a big part of it, the transition game, right? Like, you got to hit guys in stride. Well, no kidding. Like, yeah, I just love that. that like puck moving defenseman, like talking about that, like it's some, it's the NHL, man.

It's the NHL. You've got to be able to make a 20-foot pass to a guy that's flying. Sometimes you've got to make it through a guy, cross-ey, saucer. To have that a skill set that is such a luxury, I don't know. I thought it was one of the standard things playing in the big leagues. Make a tape-to-ta-tape pass. Man. But everyone's different, no, Doc.

Everyone's different. Everyone's got their own skill set. And some guys excel at that. You know, you think about... I get it, Jason. You weren't exactly a playmaker, but I know you could make a 20-foot pass to somebody. Well, I could, but, like, was it right where they wanted? And there's an art to it.

I think there's a forward I get it. You're at the other end, screaming at the DMend to pass it to you. But, you know, we're trying to get it to you. Like, we don't want to have it on her stick that long. We want to move it up, but there's an art form to it. And the guys that do it really well. I do really appreciate them. And I think forwards do as well, because they know they're getting that on the tape when they want it,

and how they want it. And that's not easy to deliver all the time. Well, and it's not easy to find, right? The guys that can do it at an elite level. That's the real thing with the Leafs. I think your analysis is spot on, Strud. Like, they've got to turn over some of this defense, but they're committed to a lot of them, all of them, right?

All of them have at least a year left. And there's just not a lot of movement in the league. You know, there just aren't a lot of trades. Like, by all accounts, Trail Living was in on Rasmus Anderson, didn't get them. You know, in on different. different guys. Okay, Dougie Hamilton's out there. We've heard that for two weeks.

Is he traded yet? No. No one's calling, or no one has the flexibility or no one has that type of like aggressive attitude. Like we're going to give it a shot. We're going to gamble. That's part of what the least might have to do too. And it may go wrong. What they have to do, Brian, up front, they really have to look at. And it's a common

theme and it's not too hard to figure out. They have a bunch of, a lot of one-dimensional forwards that are eight and nine goal scores. And it's like, and they're taking a out of the salary cap. So you got to shred as many of them as you can. I don't know what the hell you're going to do with them,

but you can't have five-eight guys that just yarn crooks and Robertsons and eight goal scores chewing up any kind of salary cap. Can't have it. There's too many of them. There's a lot of them that play somewhat of a similar game. Micelli's another one. Micelli, Domi, obviously. Domi, Mitchelli, Robertson, Yarn Kroke, Kowin.

they're all kind of in the same world. That's right. Different skill sets and all that, but not much different, and they're all kind of in the same world. All right, Strutt, well, leaf soilers tomorrow night. It's going to be a barn burner there. I'm sure you're looking forward to it. How many leaf fans would you expect to be in attendance tomorrow?

Oh, there'll be lots of people that make mistakes and cheer for the leaves, right? There'll be lots in a minute. Honestly, it creates a great environment. Like, it's going to be rocked in there. And I think it's going to be fun. It's fun. Like, the leaves travel well.

the halves travel well, right? The fans. And I think it brings more emotion because as a home team, you're like, I don't want these guys cheering in my own building, so you're going to try to bring little extra juice. So I think it always tightens the intensity of the games. I hated it, but I appreciate it. Yeah, that makes sense.

It'll be fun. Tonight and Calgary tomorrow and Evanton, it'll be a blast. All right, Stret, we'll do it again soon. Thanks for doing this. Yeah, good luck to the leaves. It's just, we need more, because it's not fun to chirp them. It's just not. I need them going. We'll try our best.

I hope they find a way to do that for you. Thank you, Struddy. Jason Strudwick joining us here on the Maple Toyota hotline. It's time the Toyota and the 2025 Prius. Go up to 72 kilometers on battery alone and seamlessly switch to hybrid mode. Check it out at Maple Toyota right near Canada's Wonderland of the Maple Auto Mall.