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Dreger on the Maple Leafs' management future, the team's next steps and the data centric impact
02 Apr 2026
Chapter 1: What are the Maple Leafs' next steps in management?
All right, joining us here on the Maple Toyota Hotline, here's our TSN Hockey Insider, Darren Dreger. What's happening, Dregs?
Oh, just getting ready for insider trading. So unlike you guys who are on the panel tonight, I'm already suited up. Yes. And I'm game shape. I'm ready to roll.
Okay. Well, I'm the only one in here ready to rock. I'm doing meetings during the breaks. Billy Dodson and I are going to have a little five-minute chat right afterwards and really be ready to rock. About what? About why Pasternak should be in the Hart Trophy race. I think that's what Bill wants to talk about. How Pasternak is a guy that's being overlooked.
But, yeah, it's an interesting one with Celebrini and the Sharks tonight, Dregs. And I'm sure we'll be talking about it. I know we will be. Where do you stand on the likelihood that he's chasing a heart trophy now?
Well, I mean, he's obviously been in that conversation for a good chunk of this year, and he just doesn't seem to cool off. And, you know, notable mention to Will Smith, who's not in the same dynamic by any stretch, but, you know, what a duo the San Jose Sharks have in these two kids.
And I was reminded of this recently, and then I double-checked again this morning in doing my due diligence, because... The only guy that works harder on the panel in game prep than I do is Jeff O'Neill. But, you know, because I have a bit more time now, I did invest in game prep for tonight. And I think I read Celebrini factors in on what, 48% of the goals scored by the San Jose Sharks.
I mean, it's an incredible number. And it's also he, somewhat individually, is part of the reason why We're looking at the San Jose Sharks as being a possible contender for a piece like Austin Matthews or if things implode in Edmonton, a superstar guy.
Now, they're encroaching that area as an organization where they're not that far away from making a splash because they can see what they've got in these good young players. I mean, Mathlin celebrating on his own is leading this team potentially into a playoff spot.
Yeah, he is, with Darren Dreger. So it's a perfect segue into a crazy week with the Leafs, clearly. And you mentioned Matthews, and everyone has conceded that whoever is going to be running this operation into the future, the first thing they've got to figure out is, are you sticking around? Do you think...
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Chapter 2: How does Auston Matthews' future impact the team's direction?
I mean, sure, you sign this kid. Is he going to play? And where is he going to play? Unless there's an injury, you know, do you just fire him into the mix and into that lineup? So I don't have a firm answer for you, Brian, to be honest, because I think they'd prefer to get him signed and get him up with the big club. But I don't think that they're rock solid on that just yet.
That'll be a story, though. It's kind of like Demidov last year, arriving right at the end and stepping right into the playoffs. If he shows up and Marty St. Louis puts him in the lineup, man, that bell center will go crazy. Everything's coming up halves. They've just been a great, great scene and a great, great story. Ottawa, on the other hand, very different vibes around the Sens.
The Kachuks and their podcast and Keith Kachuk. talking about Brady's ice time and talking about goalies that don't play all the time. Travis Green, I think he handled it pretty well today, and he played the old haven't seen it card, which doesn't mean he doesn't know what was said, right? But when in doubt, just go with the old I haven't seen it or haven't heard it line.
But where do you see this going with Brady in the market, with Linus Olmark and his future, and kind of how important the Final Eight games are in Ottawa?
Yeah, I mean, it's like juggling hand grenades, you know, this season in Ottawa. You know, when this team just gets rolling, something comes back and just cracks them. And, you know, I'm not going to weigh in too heavily on the Kachuk podcast because I got to tell you, it was clickbait for me. And the shortened version of the clip, I watched it and I went, this is insanity.
I can't believe that they're talking about Lena Solmark in this fashion. I mean, because that was clearly implied by the shortened version of the clip. And then you see the expanded version. And I don't believe that that was the case at all. And, in fact, I think Walt, Keith Kachuk, was more talking about the Florida Panthers. And then, yeah, there was a jab at Brady's ice time.
And I thought Travis Green handled that well today. Look, every coach, whether the player agrees with it or not, they boil down time on ice to a specific amount. And if they feel that that's your maximum and that's where you perform best, well, guess what? When healthy for the most part, that's what you're going to be given, time on ice. I don't know.
That whole idea of the podcast to me is interesting. It works for the Kelsey brothers, right? I don't think it works as much in the National Hockey League for the Kachuks. I think they're just they're too outspoken and it just creates too much noise inside their market, especially when in Brady's case, you're the captain.
And there is that undercurrent of his future being in question in Ottawa just fuels that. So it's a tough one for sure.
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