OverDrive - Torres on his strong playoff experience, the physicality in his career and representing the Oilers

Episode Date: May 28, 2025

Former NHLer Raffi Torres joined OverDrive to discuss his experience playing throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the physicality stature in his career and the difference of eras, representing the Oilers, playing in the Stanley Cup Final, Connor McDavid's incredible skill set and more.

Introducing Brian Adams Radio on I Heart Radio. Hosted by Brian Adams himself. Join me for an insider look on a wild ride through 40 years of global rock and roll. Brian Adams Radio. Now available on the free I Heart Radio app. Or ask your smart speaker to play Brian Adams Radio on I Heart Radio. How about you, Raph? Do you have your number retired by the Rattlers or what? Let's just say I was on the team. That's about it. Okay.

You're not retired. I'm not retired. Okay. Great catching up with you, buddy. We were just talking about last year, obviously, when you were out there and being in the building, they put you up on the big screen and it was a big pop. You know, you've played in a cup final there,

you've witnessed games there. What's, put it into perspective, what is that building like during the cup final? I always use the word, let's refine. You know, I was listening to The Rock the other day and he's talking about, you know, the, um, I was listening to the rock the other day and he's talking about, you know, the pins and needles shooting down your spine. And, you know, it's a perfect way to put it, like jumping onto the ice. I think it was, uh, who was it was, um, you know, the rock would go, then I think it was Rolison. I think

I was the third one out just for that skate before they, for the anthems. And, um, yeah, I can't like, I just get chills just thinking about you know, a pop, like you're always chasing that feeling. And I'm like, you know, I go to rinks here and there and listen in the crowd and stuff. I'm like, yeah, this is okay, this is okay, these games okay, whatever. But in Edmonton, not just because I'm being biased

or whatnot, but it's just a different sound. It just pumps right through your brain. And just a great feeling. I definitely miss those times. Rafi, I know the game has changed, but you were a physical guy. And certainly, we're not shy to impose your physical will on opponents.

You look at the game now, is it as physical, is it a little bit different? How would you approach your game in today's game? Would you have to dial it down a little bit or would you still be able to line somebody up and go right through them? Well, if I wanted to play consistent games, I definitely would have to slow it down a little bit. I'm going into contact right now with my little guys and it's first year contact and, you know, the word through the room is like, hey, listen, if you go out there looking for it, you know, then it's, you know, that's kind of when I got in trouble, you

know, just kind of not recognizing, you know, when and not to go and all that kind of stuff. But if you just play the game hard and, know feet moving and my big thing was getting in on the for check I loved I loved getting in on the for check and Stealing the puck in it from a dump and you know winning that winning that 50-50 battle get it back to the deep, right? Get to the net, you know, and then you know another other area to you know, mix it up And you know just just bouncing those greasy ones But you know, like you just got to mix it up and just bounce in those greasy ones. But you know, like you just got to be careful. The game's so fast right now.

I'm not saying it wasn't fast back then, but you know, you could wait a couple of late seconds. There's a couple of late seconds. Obviously, every one of my hits back in the day is probably spendable today. But you know, it was just a different era back then. You know, guys knew it was coming and you know, it's you know, you give away you take, right? So I think it'd be a little tough for me to play in this era, for sure.

Raph, you're not doing demonstrations with the kids, are you, for body checking? I had a kid years ago, you know, I was like, you know, he just went, it's not even contact and he just goes and lays the kid out and I'm just like, hey man, like you can't do that, what are you doing? And he's like, well you used to do it, you know, like I got a nine year old kid telling me that, I'm just like, Jesus, yeah, you're right, what did I say, right? Probably one, probably tomorrow I'll be done coaching in a couple of years, but you know,

listen, it is what it is. What can you do? That's it, man. And it's funny, we're chatting with Raffy Torres. I was chatting with a mutual friend of ours this morning, actually, who was out kind of helping coaching a junior rookie camp recently. And he said there were huge hits in a bunch of fights. And he said his interpretation was like it's kind of swinging back where

you look at Florida you look at guys on Edmonton like physicality and being tough and being a gamer and like you said getting in there and being willing to hit and battle like that's still the sport yes it's skill you got to score you got to you know special teams and all that kind of stuff but like I guess you can speak to a raffle like put us on the ice in a cup final like how intense it is and and how every guy out there i'm sure is willing to do literally anything they have to do with

i think that's what kind of a tough pretty special of uh... you know i think eight eight people in the past really talking for conference in the old six runner uh... you know what it was uh... it was just something that you didn't want to come back to the bench failing out on a hit, failing out on blocking the shot. These are just non-negotiables, right? These are plays that need to be done in order to reach the off-line goal. Florida has shown that in the last couple years. I love Florida's

game. It's an old-school type game. Obviously a lot more skill than how we were in 06, but a lot of resemblances in terms of gritty, nastiness. If you watch Florida, you guys obviously do, but these guys, every guy finishes his hit. It doesn't have to be laying guys out, but it's letting guys know that you're there. And not earning every inch on the ice so uh... and it's uh... i think it's just great and you know it's like to see anything kind of you know take a page out of that and you know i i i i really hope the bread bread map to do not you know for uh... while here i think it'll be a good

great great other great uh... you know series and uh... i think that the fact that the depth now so it's uh... kind of excited to see what happens. Raffrey saw the injury to Roupe hence and last night Evan Bouchard goes and gives him a tap on the laces there. I mean I almost feel like that's the reason why the league is always just labeled at upper body, lower body so that guys didn't target but you know if you were back in the day is it more about maybe not being as obvious as Bouchard was but I think guys would target any type of deficiency an opponent had? I mean you know you know you never want to go say hey listen I'm gonna go and try get this guy know or he's hurt whatever but you know and you know it's know it's just a matter of you know something's wrong with the guy he's probably not feeling

his best sure if I get a chance to get a lick on him I'm gonna lick it up right so good for Bush you know I'm like hey he's letting me know he's there and you know I think that's how everything has to play with that chip on your shoulder and kind of like you know what we got we didn't work out last year, but it's been a year and we're a different team now and you know, we're, you guys are going to be up against something big here. With Rafi Torres, so Raf, you were in the cup final in 06 with the Oilers and in 2011 with Vancouver and you know, if Edmonton gets to their second cup final here, I'm sure a

big storyline will be, you know be what you learned from your previous experience, what the Oilers can take from last year and apply it to this year. I'm curious how you handled that when you went there in 06 and then what, five years later you're there, albeit with a different team. But could you lean on your past experience in the cup final or is it a completely fresh start and a completely different experience? Well, definitely. The experience definitely helps. You know, the game seven before Carolina in Carolina, I might have slept 45 minutes if I even slept the night before that game. Just so nervous and this is the ultimate stage

and a chance to live out your childhood dream. Doing it with that kind of a group, which is obviously really special, and that dressing room there. Yeah, experience I think is huge, right? You know, it's against Boston there, you know, I've maybe got two hours of sleep in that 14, right? So a little bit, you know, a little bit more eased into it and had a pretty good game in game you know in game seven for man and a really good game in game seven with

Edmonton so I don't know I just I think experience is massive and you know what better avenue for the Oilers to seek it out now. Absolutely. Yeah, and I mean, you obviously were a player, but you're a fan now. You were out there last year. You know, we ask everyone the gratuitous McDavid question, but as a former player yourself, like what do you make of this guy? How good he is, how fast he is?

What's your read on watching Connor McDavid every night? I think while I watch Connor McDavid I'm watching in my eyes the best hockey player ever to play the game. What he does at that speed, you know, if you don't play hockey and you're, you know, you've never played in a game, you have no idea what he's doing out there, how incredible it is. What he does at a high, high, high speed. Just the game, like, you know, I didn't ever look down the ice with Gretzky or whatnot, but it just seems like whenever he's got the puck, it's like, all right, now it's his time, right? This is hockey his way, right?

Like, as we're, you know, him and Gretzky is just a different animal when it comes to what these guys do and what makes them so special. It's like, holy, some of the stuff he does out there just drives me crazy. It's insane how good he is. It's like, where does this come from? What's he doing? Is he doing this?

Is he getting better in the gym? What's making this guy so good? Is it God giving talent? Whatever it is, man, it's nice to watch and it's great that he's an oiler and a Canadian kid because we're going to be talking about him for a lot of years when he's done. Absolutely we will. Well they're a game away from getting back to a cup final. Do you have any plans once they get there if they get there to head back out? What's your story

the next few weeks Raph? Yeah well I've got the call to go back and this's what's your story the next few weeks rough yeah a lot of call to go to go back and uh... would experience but you know i'm like i don't know what they all love it all wait uh... little i don't see what happens but you know they're going to make it to the finals i i don't think that they're going to talk about the world you know so i'm i know i don't know what may be able to one of those games but i mean the edmonton alumni is a solid as they know

they reach out they fly out to bring bring your family, they put you up. It's like, oh, hey, man, it's like you're back in the show for a couple of days now. You get a little pop on the ice during an intermission. It's just a special couple of days there. And listen, Edmonton is a really special place in my heart. It's where I broke into the league and I wish I would have... I say a lot of things that getting traded at the table is the best thing that ever happened to me. Getting traded at the table is probably the second best thing that

ever happened to me. But it's just like, listen, good times, right? Like a great, great city. They love the boys and it's a special place. I hope they can pull it together Absolutely. All right, well, we'll catch you soon. We always appreciate you doing this. Good luck heading out to Edmonton and Let's get out and swing them soon. Thank you for doing this Thanks for having me guys. Take it easy. Have a great day. You got it. There's Rafi Torres There's Rafi Tauros. Shake that thing, Miss Kenna Kenna. Hey, I'm Ruby Carr, host of the podcast Encore. This week is the story behind Sean Paul's Get Busy.

You know the song that gives you the feeling of the best basement party you've ever been to? Oh, I have kids out there to feel like, yo, I've been to that party, I've been there, that's me. Did you know that the video was shot in suburban Ontario? They specifically wanted the vibes of a hot party in the cold Canadian winter. It's the story behind Sean Paul's Get Busy this week on Encore.

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