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Johnson on Matthews' positive conversation, McKenna and Stenberg's draft position and Toronto's head coaching options
26 May 2026
Chapter 1: What insights does Mike Johnson share about Auston Matthews' Zoom call?
Here's Mike Johnson, our TSN hockey analyst, joining us here from the World Championships. Johnny, where do you stand on Zoom with Matthews as opposed to actually meeting him face-to-face? Does it really matter to you, or do you stand on that?
Doesn't matter. Would I prefer to have had a chance to sit down and meet somebody for the first time in person? I think so. I know they don't like they've all met, but sort of in their official capacity, have a chance to talk face to face, read the body language, not the sort of distilled version we have on Zoom that we become accustomed to. I know it's hard.
I know he's far away and they're really busy and they got a lot going on in Toronto. But I would have liked to have them do it in person.
Chapter 2: How do face-to-face meetings compare to virtual ones in sports negotiations?
And it doesn't matter. The fact that it ended on Zoom won't make it any more likely to resonate deeper into the summer if they did it in person. That wouldn't guarantee he's going to be happy anyways.
But just as if it was me, if I was John Chayka, I would have made it a priority to say, listen, I need to take 12 hours out of my time then to take the private bird down to Arizona, sit with him for three, four, six, eight hours, whatever, and take it back home. If that takes the day... To me, that's worth investing a full day to go face-to-face.
But not the biggest deal, but that's not how I would have done it differently if I could.
Okay. All right. Well, yeah. I mean, you three see it the same way. I look at it like I actually think the symbolism of saying, hey, we got stuff we got to do here is a positive. They've been flying down there for a decade. They've been treating him with the utmost respect. If Austin's got something he really has got to get off his chest, fly up. Come on up. We can meet.
But I think the scenario is fine with a Zoom call. Get everything off your chest. Say what you got to say. And ultimately, what's going to matter if I'm playing the role of Matthews is who do you hire as a coach? That's what really matters. That's when you fly down, in my opinion, Johnny. Like, wait until we hire the guy. Then we'll come down and meet, and we'll spend the weekend together.
Because that relationship, in my opinion, is more important. Matthews with the next coach, way more important than Matthews with John Chayka.
A thousand percent. Your touch point every day with a coach and the coach's vision. I think we can make a legitimate case that Craig Berube utilized Austin Matthews in a far too defensive role. It's kind of well documented how the defensive starts, the quality of competition, all that kind of stuff. He doesn't want that, nor should he get it. Not now, not ever.
So, yes, the coach is more important. And, Hayes, you're right. It doesn't matter. But I would just say, like, I understand where you're coming from. You want to say, like, we're not going to tap dance around you. We're not going to cater to you because we've been doing it the whole time. You got to want to be here. And if you want to be here, we want you here.
And I get that sort of guttural pride. Like, hang on. Like, if you want it, be part of it. If you don't, then get out of here. It's not quite a reflection of reality, though. Like, they do want him around, presumably. And part of that is making it as attractive as possible for him to be around. So, you know, if push comes to shove and you got to go down that road, sure.
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Chapter 3: What is the draft position of Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg?
So the Swedish fans were going to mob him. But he was friends with some of the parents on the Swedish team, and he took in the Swedish game where Ivar Stenberg scored a ridiculous highlight reel goal. Doesn't mean anything, but he was there watching. The camera actually cut to him. I think he was sitting with Viggo Bjork's family, who he may have had a relationship with before this game, but...
Yes, so Matt's is here just for the day, then he's leaving. So he's not going to Arizona anytime soon. There he is. Glasses, jacket. But yeah, he said he's having a quick little five-minuter, but he says he's enjoying it. Says he's really loving digging in. He was busy. He wasn't in the mood to chat too much, but it was interesting to see him here because I didn't know he was coming.
So, Johnny, as far as the first pick goes, do you still stand by your comment you made a few weeks back where you said maybe Stenberg in the first couple years, but then maybe after that it might be McKenna that turns into the better player? Do you still think that is the case? And if that is the case, what would be the best player to take for the Maple Leafs?
I still stand by that, though. I think Stenberg next year will be more prepared and capable to play in the NHL than Gavin McKenna. I think physically he's just a bit stronger. And you say better player, it's tricky to say. McKenna will, I think, be the better offensive producer. How much are you going to value a guy who maybe is not quite as productive, but maybe more defensively reliable?
I don't know, but he's been really good in this tournament. A tournament full of grown men professionals, and he's been one of Sweden's best players. But I stand by what I said. I think I would take McKenna, because if I'm taking the first overall pick, I want the ultimate upside. I don't want to play it safe. I don't want the guy who might be, you know, steady Eddie.
I'm like, I want to hit a home run. I don't want to double here. And so McKenna gives you the potential maybe to have that home run. And if Matthews leaves, you're going to need a face in the franchise. You need someone to build around, and that would be McKenna as well with Nylander.
Johnny, I want you to go inside of Mike Johnson's smoothie bar, okay?
Okay.
And you are going to make the coach smoothie. What ingredients are necessary for the coach smoothie? And what name does the smoothie spit out at the end? Who's the coach? Tell me the ingredients first and who it spits out. Give me the name, the coach that you think the ultimate smoothie would be.
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Chapter 4: Why is the head coaching choice crucial for the Maple Leafs?
I blend it up nice, some lactose-free oat milk, and I would come up... With Jay Woodcroft, David Carl, something along those lines. They might be at the front of the line to buy my smoothie-o.
That's who I'm coming up with. I like that. Jay Woodcroft. How much does the smoothie cost?
Well, depending on who's buying it, some people have a special card, an MJ card, like Jay Woodcroft might. And it might cost him four years and $16 million. David Carl has a pretty successful smoothie franchise. He likes to frequent. So I got to give him a little premium to get him to leave his smoothie that he enjoys so much in Denver. And it might be, I'm not kidding, six years, $48 million.
That's a Babcock deal. To get David Carl out of Denver.
$8 million like Babcock.
Yeah.
Okay. Yeah. They have the money. Carl turned down $5 or $6 million a year to go to Chicago last year.
Mm-hmm. But he only allegedly makes $700,000 in Denver. He does. I mean, that's not alleged. Johnny, hang on a sec.
Don't listen to these guys. But he doesn't need money. He's a different guy. He went through a life-changing experience to become a coach, right? He had a heart ailment. It spun him into this path of life. He has young children. He's prioritized that. He's pretty passionate about that. And he has longevity. You can say a million bucks, let's say he makes it to Denver. He can do it for 50 years.
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Chapter 5: What factors influence the Maple Leafs' coaching options?
Dobish has been great. But if you look at Hart... He's been unbelievable. He's been exactly what that team has needed. This or data? Johnny, you go ahead.
Yeah, you nailed it. I think the difference is the Carolina-Montreal series is like literally a...
68 32 series like it's very lopsided in favor of carolina as far as the run of play whereas colorado vegas might be 52 48 it's quite a bit closer yeah so and the most important number you didn't bring up hazy b with your data manipulation yeah is you can go just give me the save percentage goal save above expected wedgewood heart and that's that's the answer why is that three nothing
It's because one goalie's been really solid, and one goalie has had almost a goal a game, sometimes two, that they're not bad goals, but noodles. You know what it's like on the bench. You're like, I would have liked to save on Jack Eichel's wrister off the post, or Barbashev's winner under the bar, or Hurdle's winner on the backhand.
I get it's a toe drag, but it's a backhand shovel from 25 feet, and he beat him. You need saves there because the guy on the other end is giving his team those saves, and if you get it at one end and you don't get it at the other, that is almost always enough to win or lose a series.
Oh, called it. What did you call it? Oh, yesterday? Cialis for shooters or something? Sniper Cialis. Sniper Cialis when you look at Wedgwood and Nett with the tiny pads. Johnny, you know what it's like going down the wing? You know what it's like going down the wing? Yeah, and you see stinky Roberto Luongo in net with giant pads, and there's nothing to shoot at.
When you see Wedgwood's little road hockey pads, it's sniper Cialis.
It is. It's like when we had Cujo in net in one end and Glenn Healy in the other. You're like, get me down to heels. I need some sniper Cialis, and I need to feel good about myself here. It makes a lot of sense.
Yeah, it sure does. It sure does. All right, Johnny, mix that into the telecast tomorrow when you're calling games.
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Chapter 6: How are the Golden Knights performing against the Avalanche?
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