Tip Of The Tower Podcast

David Morassutti and Austin Owens break down the Toronto Maple Leafs trade for Tomas Plekanec. They also look at the impact of not trading for Ryan McDonagh will have this season and why it was fine that the did not pay the high price to get a deal done.(0:00-24:10) David tries to make sense of the McDonagh trade and how the Tampa Bay Lightning got it done without paying a hefty price. David and Austin debate what the comparable would have been as well as the decision to keep James van Riemsdyk. (24:10-38:30) Now because the Leafs did not trade for a defenceman means that Roman Polak will likely play more but on another note, the defence is in way better shape compared to last season. (38:30-0:00) How did Plekanec look in his debut and how intriguing is the battle in the Atlatic Division? Don’t forget to follow  Tip of the Tower on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news, rumours and opinions on Toronto Sports. We also encourage you to comment and subscribe.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

David Morassutti and Richard Lee-Sam set the stage for the start of spring training for the Toronto Blue Jays  and the Toronto Maple Leafs' offence is rejuvenated.(0:00-0:00) Pitchers and catchers reported to spring training and to no surprise Troy Tulowitzki's status is up in the air but is it his fault? Marcus Stroman's comments on twitter bring up the bigger issue with the baseball arbitration and the economics of the game.(21:00-41:45)Jaime Garcia brings potential to the fifth rotation spot. What will keep the Blue Jays from being a postseason contender this season and why is there a lot of promise with the team's prospects especially in Buffalo?(41:45-) The Maple Leafs offence has taken off and a big reason for that has been the chemistry between Mitch Marner and Nazem Kadri. However, there has been heavily critiqued because of the number of shots they have been giving up. (1:01:05-1:22:00) Soshnikov has been traded and yet people are still not happy about it, David and Richard discuss wh

Richard Lee-Sam returns to the podcast with David Morassutti and Austin Owens breaking down the Toronto Blue Jays, the Toronto Raptors and the Toronto Maple Leafs. (0:00-32:45) As they begin recording the podcast, the Blue Jays were reportedly signing John Axford and they discuss the team's approach to the offseason. They also bring up the comments made by Josh Donaldson after Jon Heyman reported on his contract negotiations. (32:45-49:20) The Bruno Caboclo era with the Raptors is over and while it was disappointing that he did not pan out, it did not have a big impact on the team. With the East up for grabs, the Raptors depth continues to be the story for what has been an impressive season. (49:20-end) The Leafs come off a tough performance against the Bruins but bounced back against the Ducks. After their game against the Predators, should there be a desire to make an upgrade at the trade deadline?Don’t forget to follow Tip of the Tower on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news, rumours and opinions o

David Morassutti and Austin Owens take a break from talking about the Toronto Maple Leafs as former MLB.com reporter Keegan Matheson joins the guys in studio to discuss the Toronto Blue Jays. (00:00-21:30): The episode starts with a discussion on Matheson's online book on the Blue Jays' top 50 prospects which you can purchase on amazon here. They go through the process of putting it together and the challenges that come with it and the team's overall rankings.(21:30-36:30) The Blue Jays have been fortunate to get by with a cheap bullpen and avoid spending too much of their payroll in free agency. This was never going to be an earth shaking offseason which is why trading Josh Donaldson did not make sense. The goal was to raise the floor of the team and bring versatility. (36:30-end) They go over the Bautista reports and what led really led to his struggles and what the future has in store for him. They also discuss the issue that could come up in the issue that could come up in the next CBA players

The Toronto Maple Leafs head into the All-Star break with two big wins. David Morassutti and Austin look at what has gone right for the team and the big issue with goaltender interference in the NHL. (00:00-16:30): The Leafs got off to a rough start after their bye week which was the last time the podcast was recorded but they have started to pick things up but goaltender interference still has people seeing red. David and Auston break down why it has become such a big problem. (16:30-45:30) After the win over the Chicago Blackhawks, David wonders where things have gone wrong for the them and how the Leafs need to avoid some of the problems that they created for themselves and it starts with draft picks working out. You can look at Austin's draft rankings to see who the Leafs could end up picking. (45:30-end) Mike Babcock finally made changes to the lineup which included bringing up Kasperi Kapanen which now challenges other teams to match the Leafs depth. Curtis McElhinney was solid in his first start in

David Morassutti, and Austin Owens are joined by Chris Johnston from Sportsnet to talk about the Toronto Maple Leafs off their bye week. (00:00-3:30): David and Austin set up the interview with Johnston.  (3:30-31:20) Interview with Johnston where they start off by discussing the article Johnston posted about the Leafs chances to compete for a Stanley Cup. David and Austin ask about Morgan Rielly's transition to a more assertive defenceman this season and what has led to that. Johnston offers up his thoughts on the Leafs trade deadline plan.What does the future hold for Tyler Bozak, Leo Komarov and James van Riemsdyk? Johnston talks about the team's their free agents and whether any of them could be on the move at the trade deadline. (31:30-1:06:00) David and Austin continue the discussion they had with Johnston the recent rumours surrounding Oliver Ekman-Larsson, as well as Frederik Gauthier, Miro Aaltonen, Travis Dermott and Timothy Liljegren. Don’t forget to follow Tip of the Tower on Twitter and F

Back for the first episode of 2018 is David Morassutt, Austin Owens and Richard Lee-Sam looking at the recent events surrounding the Toronto Raptors, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Toronto Blue Jays.   (00:00-13:05): The Raptors took care of business against the Cleveland Cavaliers with an impressive butt whooping. Next up is a matchup against the Golden State Warriors. (13:06-50:30) :After two straight losses before their bye week, it looks like the players and Leafs Nation need a break. They look at what happened with Morgan Rielly and why it is something he has triedThey look at the frustration surrounding Roman Polak's usage and why he won't go anywhere until a suitable replacement is found. David brings up the Steve Simmons article about Auston Matthews' usage on the powerplay. Richard also tells some people to relax because the Leafs are finally good again and nothing should be coming easy. (50:30-) In the final segment Josh Donaldson got a payday from the Blue Jays and look at his future.

It has been an uneventful time for the Toronto Blue Jays after not getting much done at the Winter Meetings, while the Toronto Maple Leafs have struggled offensively with Auston Matthews out of the lineup. David Austin and Richard look at the latest slump that the Leafs are on and try to figure out what has gone wrong for them. Leo Komarov has been playing a lot of minutes especially at even strength and the powerplay and why that is not all his fault. They also look at what has been going on with the Ottawa Senators because it is a bizarre situation and why the Leafs are partially to blame for that. If the Leafs want to get the offence going, they might need to do some serious tinkering to the lineup and how they will get by without Nikita Zaitsev on the ice.  Don’t forget to follow Tip of the Tower on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news, rumours and opinions on Toronto Sports.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The Toronto Blue Jays, Toronto FC and the Toronto Maple Leafs have been the hot topic of discussion for various reasons, David Richard and Austin break it all down.(0:00-20:00) After Giancarlco Stanton was traded to the New York Rankees and Shohei Ohtani signing with the Los Angeles Angels, it puts the Blue Jays in a position where they need to decide on their plan for the 2018 season.(20:00-36:00) TFC have had a remarkable season but they have a big challenge in front of them against the Seattle Sounders. They discuss the growing rivalry with Jozy Altidore, Michael Bradley and soccer fans in the United States. (36:00-52:00) There has not been a lot to talk about with the Maple Leafs except for the strong play of Frederik Andersen and whether the team can find some consistency in their play and how they can achieve it. Don’t forget to follow Tip of the Tower on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news, rumours and opinions on Toronto Sports. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt

The Toronto Maple Leafs continue their Western Canada road trip, David Morassutti and Richard Lee-Sam are in studio to break it all down. (0:00-19:00) They start with the game against the Edmonton Oilers where Kris Russell does the unthinkable and why people should not have pity on him, bringing up the time Bryan McCabe did it in overtime. (19:00-27:40)Besides the fluke own goal, the Leafs had some other troubling aspects of this game as they failed to including Jake Gardiner who had a rough night.(27:40-33:00) Looking at the mental mistakes from the Leafs defence and why it has been frustrating to see and why Roman Polak is still playing. They also bring up the funniest goal they had ever seen when Polak shot it off of Travis Hamonic. (33:00-44:40) The Leafs continue their road trip into Vancouver where they will play earlier because of the broadcast schedule and Canucks fans should not complaints about it. Brock Boeser will be a player to watch in with the rookie putting himself in the Calder Trophy race wh

The past couple of games have been a struggle for the Toronto Maple Leafs offensively minus the 6-0 pounding of the Montreal Canadiens. David and Austin look at what has been the issue for the Leafs and why it might be too bad given the way they have been playing defensively and the way Frederik Andersen has improved his game. They also discuss why Nazem Kadri was out of line when the Florida Panthers were not called on the cross check and why he could've been in trouble with his penalty box antics even if it was accidental. They also look at the Leafs special teams including the powerplay which has not been firing at all cylinders and maybe they need a bit of a shakeup to get things going. Another concerning part of the past few losses is how the Leafs are not taking advantage of easier matchups which could be costly at the end of the year if they need to make a final push to the playoffs like last season. With Patrick Marleau being asked to play more regularly at center, the Leafs may want to try and lo

It has been a tough time for Toronto Blue Jays fans following the death of Roy Halladay and in this episode we remember what he meant to Toronto baseball fans. David, Austin and Richard start it off by talking about the impact Halladay had while he was in Toronto starting off on the final few starts with the Blue Jays. They discuss how he drilled David Ortiz and pitched two complete game shutouts in his final two outings which pretty much summed up his time in Toronto. They talk about his routine and that constant drive to remain consistent in his training led to his dominant work ethic. Even when he was sent down to the minors, he was able to battle back and the part that his wife Brandy played in his reputation among fans. They marvel at how Doc was able to produce and make life easier for his teammates especially his relievers. David then asks how Richard and Austin heard the news and what they were doing in that moment and he talks about the way Sportsnet dealt with it and what he learned from it. Austin

The Toronto Maple Leafs are still without Auston Matthews and David, Austin and Richard look at how the team has been able to get by without him including the improved play of Mitch Marner and James van Riemsdyk. They also look at other players and how they have been playing including William Nylander, Leo Komarov and what to make of the Leafs defence situation. They also look at what trades the Leafs can make and which teams are the most logical trade partners. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

David, Austin and Richard look back at the last two games for the Toronto Maple Leafs who lost on the road to the Ottawa Senators but bounce back to hand the Los Angeles Kings their first regulation loss of the season and Richard's trip to the Nation Capital. The crew look at the Mitch Marner situation and how it might change going foward and the relationship with Matt Martin. They also look the decision to bring back Roman Polak and the criticsm that was attached to it. They also talk about the team's depth and what changes could be made in the future depending on how free agency works out. Don't forget to follow Tip of the Tower on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news, rumours and opinions on Toronto Sports.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Joining host David Morassutti are Tip of the Tower staff writers Austin Owens (@_AustinOwens) who focuses mostly on the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Toronto Rock and Tyler Partridge,(@TylerPartridge1) who primarily looks at the Toronto Blue Jays and other trending Toronto sports topics. They are also joined by special guest co-host Richard Lee-Sam who is a contributor for Baseball Porspectus but is never shy to offer his views of Toronto sports teams on social media. Caution some vulgar language(0:00-38:00) :The show starts with some Leafs talk, looking at the team's strong start and some players who have been impressive early on while also looking at those who have struggled a bit out of the gate. They share some stories as well as previews Richard's upcoming trip to Ottawa on Saturday for the Battle of Ontario.(38:43-1:01:46): The guys move on to talk about the Toronto Raptors who made some changes in the offseason but how do they stack up against other star studded NBA teams. They provide their expe

In this special Crown League episode of the ToT-cast, Chris Okrainetz and Ryan Greco recap Week 4 of the Nike Crown League where the semi-finals between M.A.D.E. and ACE, and 1 Love T.O. and 6 Man went down. We also sit down and talk with Richard Amardi of 6 Man.Some of the things we discuss on this episode include: thoughts on each game, the atmosphere at Crown League, the play of Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam, the play of former Raptors 905ers Brady Heslip and Axel Toupane, surprise players at the Crown League, recruiting in Canada and more.* * *You can listen to every episode of the ToT-cast on iTunes, SoundCloud, or stream it from our website. Make sure you not only subscribe to the show so you don’t miss any new episodes, but leave us a nice review — if you think we’ve earned it!Also, if you like the music in our podcast be sure to check out Gee's SoundCloud page @GeeSoropia. Thanks for listening and be sure to follow us on Twitter @TipoftheTower, and like our Facebook page @Tip of the Tower.

On this episode of the ToT-cast, David Morassutti, and Jake Middleton discuss the Toronto Maple Leafs free agency signing and take an in-depth look at their salary cap situation as well as any other players they could look at as the offseason continues.Thanks for listening and be sure to follow us on Twitter @TipoftheTower, and like our Facebook page @Tip of the Tower.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this episode of the ToT-cast, David Morassutti, Jake Middleton, and Omar White and discuss the Toronto Maple Leafs upcoming offseason and take an in-depth look at free agency.Some of the things we discuss includes: Adam Brooks signing his ELC with the Leafs, Toronto reportedly not offering enough for Travis Hamonic, what other trade options are out there, rumours linking Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau to the Leafs, potential free agents the team could target and more.* * *You can listen to every episode of the ToT-cast on iTunes, SoundCloud, or stream it from our website. Make sure you not only subscribe to the show so you don’t miss any new episodes, but leave us a nice review — if you think we’ve earned it!Thanks for listening and be sure to follow us on Twitter @TipoftheTower, and like our Facebook page @Tip of the Tower.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this Toronto Raptors episode of the ToT-cast, Chris Okrainetz and Demar Grant address the recent rumours surrounding Masai Ujiri and Kyle Lowry, and what's potentially next for the both of them.Some of the things we discuss include: the New York Knicks never ending interest in Ujiri, whether Ujiri would actually leave the Raptors, why he might consider New York, how the Chris Paul trade impacts Lowry, why the Raptors are in control when it comes to negotiations with Lowry and more.Here’s a rundown of what we discussed on this episode:– Thoughts on the New York Knicks once again trying to pursue Ujiri. We discuss the appeal of New York, potential compensation and thoughts on whether Ujiri will actually leave the Raptors. (0:21)– How the Chris Paul trade impacts Kyle Lowry and the free agent market, as well as the drama with the Los Angeles Clippers. (22:16)– The idea of the Raptors playing hard ball with Lowry. (29:39)– We share our thoughts on Raptors' first-round pick OG Anonuby and how he might f

In this Toronto Raptors episode of the ToT-cast, Chris Okrainetz and Demar Grant discuss the Kyle Lowry rumours, the crazy NBA landscape, the NBA Draft and the always compelling New York Knicks.Some of the things we discussed include: thoughts on Ujiri's press conference, the need for a "cultural reset," Dwane Casey's future, changes to the offence, the future of Kyle Lowry, which direction the Raptors should go in this offseason and more.* * *You can listen to every episode of the ToT-cast on iTunes, SoundCloud, or stream it from our website. Make sure you not only subscribe to the show so you don’t miss any new episodes, but leave us a nice review — if you think we’ve earned it!Also, if you like the music in our podcast be sure to check out Gee's SoundCloud page @GeeSoropia. Thanks for listening and be sure to follow us on Twitter @TipoftheTower, and like our Facebook page @Tip of the Tower.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/pr