OverDrive - Strudwick on where Bouchard ranks among elite NHL defenseman, Draisaitl’s chances at the Conn Smythe Trophy, and the Oilers' health being the X-Factor

Episode Date: June 5, 2025

Host of Struddy’s World podcast and former NHLer Jason Strudwick joins OverDrive to discuss where Evan Bouchard ranks among top defenseman. Strudwick shares his thoughts on Leon Draisaitl’s chances at the Conn Smythe and how the Oilers’ health has played a factor in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

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Let me ask this guy a question. Jason Strudwick joining us. Go ahead. Jason, I have a question for you. If you're going to slot Evan Bouchard as far as top defenseman in the game right now, just the way he's playing right now, where would you have him? The way he's played the last two playoffs, he's showing us he's going to lead the even.

He's right up there. And so I think what happens is during the regular season he's at one level and then he gets to the playoffs and he goes to another level. Would you be comfortable doing this study? Would you be comfortable compiling a list with Kale McC McCarr the top of it Quinn Hughes second and Evan Bouchard third In the whole league yes that is okay, I Definitely have in my top five or six he's right out there, and he's different than those guys right you know I He's not

McCarr and Quinn Hughes are so dynamic with their skating, the way they move around. Whereas Evan is more cerebral. And not that those suggested guys aren't, but they move their feet so well and skate around. Evan got a breakaway last night. I've never seen him skate that fast. I didn't know he actually could. I've never seen him move that quickly to get open and to make a play like that. Really, really good passer. Works the power play as well as anyone and works with those two elite players. So yeah, I'd say he's right up there with those guys. He had a tough start to the year, wasn't included in the Four Nations team. Now this is two

playoffs where he's been an elite D-man. I'm scared You know, you look at the guy he played against just a little while ago, and Harley. Harley's a really good demon. Did he play as well as Bouchard has in this playoff or for as long? No. Well, that's... Listen, every game you play, you change people's opinions, you continue to build your legacy and build your reputation. And Bouchard, he...but last year, he was phenomenal during the regular season last year and was great during the playoffs and you just mentioned

Thomas Harley, he was the guy they called when they needed somebody for the four nations face off, not Bouchard. Drew Doughty had a broken ankle and they're like we want Doughty, we don't want this Bouchard character. Like I said earlier Strudy, based on that, what Hockey Canada said, now it's always subject to change and maybe they'd come out immediately and admit, you know, maybe we got that wrong and we're not going to make that mistake again once we get to the Olympics in 2016.

I think there was a trust problem there, Brian. But that's my point. I'm not convinced that he's 100% on the team. I'm not. If he just was left off it three months ago. You call me crazy but it feels like Hockey Canada kind of showed their cards that for whatever reason they look at Bouchard and say I don't know if I can trust it and maybe it's because McCarr is McCarr and he's the guy that's going to play there. So Bouchard is not going to play the role he's going to play in Edmonton. It's not available to him and I mean you take it from their strutty but do you think he's a lock to make it or do you think there's potential for them to find the warts in

his game and they won't trust him at the olympic games so what what what happened to them who started to get nine really good things that the tenth one at times in a regular season is a mistake that you don't want to be for a twelve-year-old right a massive, but he still does it nine out of 10 times. He does things right. Other guys function at seven or eight times, right? He's doing it nine out of 10 times. He does the right play at an incredible play.

It's just that when he does a mistake in the regular season, they're huge. That's what the case in the first couple of games against LA. We haven't seen that yet through it. And so at the most important time of the year, your team needs you the most you're facing the most pressure Everyone's running you he's making the right place So, you know if he had a good start to this season or start them, you know Was without some of those works in his game that the whole team the whole team was playing like that all year I'd have our time finding a 10 game stretch with owners were is playing even close to where they're playing right now. The whole team was down

and I don't think he was in consideration because of that start. Maybe they were wondering about him. But now if you look again it's two playoffs in a row. I mean I know what more the guy has to do. The problem is you got to knock someone off. Well you maybe don't because they take extra ones for the Olympics. So maybe he's the extra guy that works his way in to the conversation of being the actual player Rather than maybe a guy who watches some of the other guys. Yeah, it makes sense Stretty. What do you make of the game last night? I mean, it was kind of a roller coaster great start and Florida pushes back and and and in the end It's McDavid and dry Saito to get it done.

But your overall thoughts of game one because I think it was quite an entertaining game on all levels. Unreal hockey game. I thought that was a great, great game. The owners came out well. Florida kind of found their groove in the second period and really took it to the winners. And then the owners got a late game from the, he saw Arbetson, they signed this guy, has had a bit of a challenging year

as far as finding his group, and has a massive goal for the owners, absolutely massive. They get him back to three to two, and then you get into the third period and they just find a way, right? They find a way to tie it up with that goal, a nice pass that I think was meant for Kane,

but, and then you get into overtime, and what should I call her, Florida came out really hard, really hard. First couple shifts and the owners kind of find their groove, tough, piling for no-sick men, I felt bad for them. You knew the owner was going to score and it's lights out. So I'd say the first period was a draw, the second period all Florida, and the last two were all, were all the leaders. Yeah, that's, that's how we saw it, too I thought the way Edmonton played in the third and over time was very significant and I get it's only one game

But I thought it was a borderline must win for Edmonton because of what happened last year strut Like you don't want those demons to show up that you're down Oh three and you can't find a way to beat Florida Edmonton has been so good at home and they continued that last night. Florida was 30 and 0 in the playoffs when leading after two periods. That got snapped last night.

I just think there was a lot of positives if you're the Oilers, including the fact that McDavid and Dry Settle played the way they played and performed the way they performed. We were talking about it prior to you coming on I think that's the dry subtle game as great as McDavid was dry subtle scores first to get the building rocking and then rocks the building on the way out scoring an overtime but you know the two

of them they're a two-man band and they're unstoppable when they're playing like this and they look they look just possessed like I don't know how Florida's gonna to stop that. Yeah. So a couple of things. If it daughters went tomorrow, that's not they're up to nothing. I have a hard time seeing any team being the orders four to five times. And I'm not saying it's over at daughters went tomorrow, but man, I don't think anyone can beat them twice. If I'm not a fan, I've feeling really good about this. So Florida basically played three lines.

I feel there's played four lines. Florida played three via a ton, didn't play their bottom two a ton, the others throw about six. I want to say their lowest guy was 23 minutes or something. You think that's the McDavid dry sidle factor into that, Jason? Well it could be the other way though because I think in the past the orders just keep hammering out 97 to 29. Yeah. Right? So now they're all set a situation like you're rolling out four lines and four lines. I think the lowest guy in the world, you can check, I think it was on 13 minutes.

I know it's four periods, but that's not bad. That's not bad. And they were out there contributing and they were out there when no six through the puck over the glass. So Nauvlaut trusts their guys. They rolled everyone. Everyone played last night. They have a day off. They go back tomorrow. I think the players are going to be going to be stuck over the glass. So Nauvla trust their guys, they rolled everyone, everyone played last night.

The day off, they go back tomorrow. I think the owners will be the fresher team. I don't believe momentum carries from game to game. But your body can only recover so fast when you're playing a ton. I think for the owners, they have to fast start again tomorrow and hit.

Get Eclat, get Macklin. Not Not you're gonna hurt those guys, but you're gonna wear them down because they're playing so much. With Jason Strudwick, in terms of the cons, Mike, we're having this chat party coming on. McDavid's a heavy favorite and after last night he'll be even more of a favorite because the Orlers are in the driver's seat now leading by nothing. Do you think Dry Saito has a shot? Like is there anything he can do the rest of the way that would allow him to catch up to McDavid or do you just believe if the Oilers win it's McDavid and that's that? Yeah I mean I think first off it needs to be said. I don't think those guys care. I think they just want the big trophy. That's all they want. They forfeit the other one to get to Stanley Cup. I think that if Leon is scoring, like he really scores a lot,

he can get himself in the conversation. But you know, it is Connor McDavid and he's been really good through this whole playoffs. A wild card guy I'd show in there is Stu Skinner. And I know he didn't have the best start, but you look at his recent play and the ways of of playing and I know it's hard when your backup is 6-0 and all that but I mean Stu Skinner that second period last night was huge for the others look at the goalies he's faced down and beat in

specifically the last two series it is crazy how well he's done so he can play and play like last night I thought he was as good or at times better than Bobrowski and if he can do that he may be a wild card but in the end it'll probably be Leonor McDavid. I'd go with 97. Yeah I agree Stryd that's where I was going to go you know the goaltender matchup because you know Dry Saddle scores early and then Bob looked like he was going to be... In overtime too, he was making some unbelievable saves. He was making saves.

But Skinner gave them the opportunity. And when you look at this matchup in net, would you agree that Skinner's just got to be good, give them an opportunity, like 9 out of 10? Like last night, the save percentage was 906 29 for 32 but he made some really timely saves and at the other end like Bobrovsky faced 24 high danger chances I thought he was unbelievable but they just chipped away at him I mean do you see this is how it's gonna have to unfold here for the Oilers that Skinner just giving them the the type of goaltending the quality

goaltending that he gave him last night? Yeah, when you look at it, you obviously give the edge to Bobroski, he's the better goalie. But the thing about Skinner is that he only has to have four good games, four good games. And he had one really good one last night. So can he do that three more times? I believe he can. And for the Oilers, And for the other breakaways, I thought they beat Bobrosky, they just weren't able to score. So I think they have the confidence that they think they can beat and score on Bobrosky and he is not in their heads like he maybe was to start the series last year. Well Strutt, it was an incredible start.

I mean it was physical, you mentioned it, that's as good of a hockey game as you can find and Evander Kane right in the middle Everything I'm talking about nine hits for Evander last well That's one like you're talking about playing four lines and six defensemen. He didn't play all year Yeah, and you know that that could have been a struggle and maybe at times He's looked rusty against LA or what have you but there's no rust left on his game anymore study Like you got a full year off to recover, albeit like tough surgery, tough rehab. But that guy's at 100% and he's hitting,

he's in the mix and he's in the fight. Every time he's on the ice, you notice a Vander Kane. Well, so let's look at it. Connor didn't play the last couple of weeks. Leon didn't play the last couple of weeks. Ekholm didn't play the last couple of months. Kane hasn't played since, well, basically last year. I mean, there's a lot of fresh players. Wallman didn't play much at the last couple of months. Kane hasn't played since basically last year. I mean, there's a lot of fresh players. Wallman didn't play much at the end of the year. They valued or

prioritized health and freshness over anything else. They didn't care. They're like, okay, whatever. We can win the first. We don't really care. We just want to make sure that we're fresh and we're rested. And they've been right. They were proved right. Going into the first round, I picked the Kings in six. That was my choice. I picked them in six because the owners were, that's like there's such disarray we had no idea what they could do when they came together. It took two games and Chris Albach and company got themselves going and Conor McDavid said after the third round, he goes, we're just starting to find our game. And I believe them. I still think they have another level to get to because of who they're playing.

Florida's really good. They're really good. It feels like there's six players on the ice. The way they defend, they attack, they go at you. They're physical. I mean, trying to get to the front of that is, it's almost impossible. So they're a really, really good team this one is it's far from over. I did say the orders in five I I'll stand by that But Florida is so good that I think tomorrow. We're gonna see it another really good effort for them Strutty a lot of press conferences going on around the league Marco Sturm new head coach down in Boston Right this coaches being named all over the ball. that's a strutting the most important thing about

his favorite player we had the debate yesterday strutty if mitch marner signed somewhere else in these toronto do you think they retire his jersey yes or no there how how many juries are retired in Toronto? I apologize. I don't know, 12 or 13. 10 or 12. Yes or no. It's a no. I don't think so. I think he maybe goes into like a wall of fame.

Or something like that. Legends Row. What is this a sub shop? The wall of fame. This guy came here after school every day for four years yeah I mean you're looking at it like he was a good Toronto made belief but I mean I think you have to know I wouldn't say I don't think so I don't know now it's now is not the right time to answer this question I mean that because it's so loud and kind of ugly with what just happened a couple weeks ago with the way he

played the way they played the fact that he's likely going to leave and that's going to be it and the DNA change and he's going to be the face of that if he leaves he'll be the face of it and right now no one can suggest it no one would ever say yes. The conversation we were getting into yesterday was in 10 or 15 years. What's gonna happen? It's kind of like a Hall of Fame debate. You're gonna look back and say wow, he's fifth in this he's fourth in that He played a lot of games here nine years a long time in the NHL And I think a storied franchise like that if you're fifth all time That's something man and and there may be a we got to get the band back together and let's rekindle and you know again

Well, we'll see what happens down the road right now I Would say no, and you can't even suggest it But again, this is unfortunately not a team study. That's they haven't won anything in 60 years So there's a lot of guys with their numbers retired that they didn't win here either Yeah, I'm gonna comparison right this for the order I'd be interested if you guys would pull up their numbers and see how they look compared to each other. But Ryan Smith is loved in Edmonton and he was a really good order for a long time and he's in there, I forget the circle of trust, I'm sorry, I'm not in the group. The ring of honor.

Whatever it's called but and it was a nice moment he's in there and they reserved the banners for the guys that are, you know, Hall of Famers who are, you know, champions when they were there. So yeah, like just from the outside, I get I have to sit down, look out at his numbers, but I would say no and respectfully, no, because he's a really good player and I think wherever he goes, it's going to have a big impact on that group. And then his money left behind will obviously allow the Leafs to change what they need to

do. And that's a fascinating offseason. The Leafs are fascinating for me this offseason. Not in a joking way, but I think to see what they're going to do. Like, you look what Florida did. Florida traded those two players for a Kachak. It changed their DNA. It changed who they were fundamentally.

And he brought attitude to that group. And I think he uplifted guys like Eflat and Bennett and those guys up. So what did the Leafs do? And if they can, can they alter their DNA the same way that Florida has? Because Florida is a pick to play against. They are in every scrum. They're grabbing you, they're hitting you, it's so hard to play against again I just think they've done this three finals in a row is psychotic yeah yeah it really is like they're in the fight every single night there they're back in the dance for a third straight year crazy and likely not going to take a step back next year all right Strudy well you guys are one down one down out there enjoy the moss pit were you out there with tight jeans on last night or what?

It's summer. It's jeans short. Some of the crowd watching out there is hilarious. Like people will show up with a face paint and a helmet on and they're in that barn for five hours yelling the whole time. Crazy. Can you imagine being in an office setting and someone said to you the next day Gary was that you in that gear? Were you dressed as the Stanley Cup last night? yeah that was me. That's my girl. I love mom and Stanley. That's my favorite. But Stanley she has a sign. Believe. I love her. She's the best. okay so you actually know somebody that dresses as the Stanley Cup that's what But Stanley she has a sign believe I lie love her. She's the best

Okay, so you actually know somebody that dresses as the Stanley Cup. That's what you're saying No, I don't I'd be close to I flirted with greatness, but I don't actually know her I know of I okay She thought it was you I'll be out there for game five and game seven of it gets there. We'll see noodles out there I started out wait enjoy yourself out there. We'll see noodles out there. All right, Strudy. Oh, I can't wait. Enjoy yourself out there. We'll do it again soon. See ya. There he is, Jason Strudwick,

joining us here on the Maple Toyota Hotline. Hey, this is Ruby Carr, the host of the podcast, Encore. You know how some artists grow to kind of hate their big hit? This is one of those stories, but I promise, it's still a likable one. Tune in this week to Encore, the stories behind the songs you love,

or the incredible story of Vanessa Carlton's 2002 hit, A Thousand Miles. I recorded the episode while riding a piano around New York City. Not really, that would be cool though. Listen to Encore on the iHeart app or wherever you get your podcasts for stories behind all the songs you love.