Braves playoff run gets unexpected plug from former NHLer

The Tavistock Braves have a new fan as they compete for the Schmaltz Cup. Former NHL player and now sports commentator Jeff O’Neill (right) gave the team a shoutout on the April 30 episode of TSN’s OverDrive while talking with co-host Bryan Hayes (left) and Jamie McLennan (centre). TSN Screenshot

By Lee Griffi

The Tavistock Braves have a new fan in their run to Junior C hockey supremacy.

The team received a shoutout on OverDrive last week, a popular Canadian sports talk show produced by TSN and one of the network’s flagship daily programs.

OverDrive is a weekday drive-time sports show that airs live on radio (TSN 1050 in Toronto) and simulcast on TSN, streaming platforms and as a podcast. The show is anchored by three well-known personalities – host Bryan Hayes and former NHL players Jeff O'Neill, or O-Dog, and Jamie McLennan, also known as Noodles.

“Hayes, one more team we gotta give credit to; my dad’s always been a big fan of Junior C hockey. He loves it,” said O’Neill.

“The Tavistock Braves are heading to the Schmaltz Cup. Captain Marc Dionne; they beat the Lakeshore Canadiens and they are headed to the Schmaltz Cup. Marc Dionne, good luck to the boys, the Tavistock Braves. Go get ‘em at the Schmaltz Cup.”

“Shoutout. Go get ‘em. That’s great,” added Hayes.

The trio is well known for their unfiltered discussions and lively debates about major sports stories and regularly features guests like athletes, insiders and analysts.

O’Neill, a King City, Ont., native, spent 11 seasons in the NHL after being the fifth overall pick in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft. His last two seasons were with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The show is a fan-favourite and long-running staple in Canadian sports media. It celebrated its 10th anniversary this year.