Which Conference Finalist Is Under The Most Pressure To Win This Year?
The Hockey News Big Show is here to look around the NHL playoffs and beyond with former NHL player Drew Shore providing some unique insight.
Here’s what Michael Traikos, Ryan Kennedy and Drew Shore discussed in this episode:
1:03: What do we think about Brendan Shanahan finding a potential new job so quickly?
2:57: Can the Shanaplan work for the New York Islanders if he leaves Toronto?
3:47: How much blame does Shanahan deserve for what happened in Toronto?
4:36: Who is truly to blame for the Maple Leafs’ lack of success: GMs, coaches, players or Shanahan?
6:15: How do you handle the off-season if you are Leafs GM Brad Treliving?
11:53 How likely is it for the Winnipeg Jets to get Nikolaj Ehlers signed in the off-season?
12:54: Is Brock Boeser a must-get guy in free agency, and where will he end up?
14:36: Will some of the big pending free agents switch teams?
17:48: If you are the Edmonton Oilers, how do you look at the Game 1 implosion, and will this haunt them in what will be a long series?
18:55: Did Matt Duchene embellish a high-sticking penalty?
22:10: Is Stuart Skinner good enough to contend with the Stars' offense?
24:19: How do the Carolina Hurricanes bounce back after a Game 1 loss?
27:34: Does Logan Stankoven need to step up for Carolina, and does Matthew Tkachuk need to show up for Florida?
28:35: Which of the four teams left in the playoffs has the most pressure to win a Cup this year?
31:12 How important is it for Porter Martone joining Team Canada at the World Championship for his development? Does it increase his draft stock?
33:21: Is Frank Nazar putting himself on the map with his play at the Worlds? How excited should Blackhawks fans be?
35:06 How important is it for Macklin Celebrini to be playing with Sidney Crosby, and does he sneak his way onto the Olympic roster?
37:19: Will Jake Oettinger be the starting goalie for the U.S. in the 2026 Olympics?
38:30: We've only really seen one true fight in the playoffs this far. Are we missing this aspect from the playoffs this year?
40:29: The Boston Bruins officially get a first-rounder in the Brad Marchand trade now that Florida is in the conference final. Was the deal worth it for Boston now?
42:16: What's the best food city left in the playoffs?
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44:33
Is The Maple Leafs' Core Four On Its Last Legs – Again?
The Hockey News Big Show is here to look around the NHL playoffs and beyond with former NHL player Drew Shore providing some unique insight.
Here’s what Michael Traikos, Ryan Kennedy and Shore discussed in this episode:
1:03: After the Florida Panthers beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-1 in Game 5, how do the Leafs go about forcing a Game 7?
3:15: How do you block out a booing home crowd as a player?
4:44: If the Maple Leafs lose this series, does something drastic have to happen to the Core Four?
7:51: Would you make any changes to the Leafs' lineup in Game 6?
8:16: As a player, do you know when a series is all but over?
9:43: Is this Panthers team better than last year's Cup-winning squad?
11:47: How important is it for the Edmonton Oilers to have scoring depth and not rely on Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl for all offense?
14:02: Should a team in win-now mode use more third- and fourth-round draft picks in trades?
16:34: Is there an alternate universe where the Maple Leafs have Mikko Rantanen?
17:31: Does Andrei Svechnikov still go second overall in the 2018 NHL draft, and how is his play this playoffs?
20:20: Is Carolina's recent play too much for Washington to handle?
21:10: Hypothetically, who wins in the Eastern Conference final between Carolina and Florida?
22:16: Have you ever seen a goalie or skater be so different on the road versus at home, as is the case with Connor Hellebuyck right now?
23:08: How much does Miro Heiskanen impact Dallas' chances of winning the Cup?
24:48: Did the Vancouver Canucks make the right move by hiring Adam Foote?
28:25: Is Rick Tocchet a good fit for the Philadelphia Flyers?
31:17: Agree or disagree: will Jonathan Toews land with an NHL team, and if so, which one?
35:36: Should being a Long Island native influence the Islanders' decision to select James Hagens with the No. 1 pick?
39:07: Evan Bouchard or Matthew Knies, if you are a GM, who do you offer a contract to and why?
41:38: Would you rather have Florida's Finnish players or Dallas’ Finnish Mafia?
42:46: Who's to blame for the Leafs this playoffs: Auston Matthews or Mitch Marner?
43:43: Will a Canadian team win the Cup this year?
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45:33
Second-Round Storylines In The NHL Playoffs, Ft. Drew Shore
The Hockey News Big Show is here to look around the NHL playoffs and beyond, with help from a special guest.
Here’s what Michael Traikos, Ryan Kennedy and ex-NHL player Drew Shore discussed in this episode:
0:55: Does Sunrise, Fla., get enough credit for how good of a city and Florida Panthers home crowd it is to play?
1:31: How important are line matchups between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Panthers going to be now that the series is headed to Florida, where Paul Maurice will have the last change?
3:06: Which line should Florida match up against Auston Matthews or William Nylander's line, as the top line?
6:05: Will the Florida Panthers try to slow play down and win with low-scoring games?
7:06: The Mikko Rantanen Show was on full display again. Have we ever seen one player take over like this before?
9:42: How will the Winnipeg Jets stop Rantanen?
10:26: Is Jim Nill the best GM in the Modern Era?
14:28: The Carolina Hurricanes is up 1-0 against the Washington Capitals, but can you see this series going to six or seven games?
16:14: What is it like being coached by Rod Brind'Amour?
17:30: Is there something about Carolina's style of hockey that doesn’t translate into the playoffs?
18:36: Sebastian Aho has the type of slight build that shouldn't work in the playoffs. What makes him so effective as a competitor?
20:46: Will goaltending be Edmonton's Achilles heel, or is it good enough?
24:15: Alex Pietrangelo and Pavel Dorofeyev of Vegas were absent from practice. How big would these losses be?
27:56: World Championship: which players have the most to gain/lose?
32:27: Why has James Hagens dropped so far in the rankings heading into the NHL draft?
34:47: Joel Quenneville is reportedly joining the Anaheim Ducks. Is he the right coach for this team?
36:55: Kraken/Golden Knights/Mammoth: which recent new team has the best name?
37:35: Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel: Regular seasons aside, who has been the better playoff performer?
39:12: Home teams aren’t performing very well in the second round of the playoffs, so is home-ice advantage real?
40:25: Who is your early Conn Smythe pick? Anyone else besides Rantanen?
41:02: Would the Avalanche have been better off with Rantanen or depth?
42:30: What's your current pump-up song?
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29:00
NHL Round 1 Surprises, MVPs, Coaching Job Openings And More
The Hockey News Big Show is here to not only discuss the closing stages of the first round but some of the other biggest topics in the NHL.
Here’s what Michael Traikos, Ryan Kennedy and Katie Gaus discussed in this episode:
0:47: Game 6 between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators is Thursday night. Are the Leafs still "fine," or could they blow another series lead again?
3:30: How much pressure is on the Maple Leafs in Game 6, and do you expect any lineup changes?
6:06: Even if the Maple Leafs do win the series, have they changed your mind about them being a "contender?"
9:30: The Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals will meet in the second round. Thoughts on this series?
13:28: In Game 5 between the Minnesota Wild and Vegas Golden Knights, there was a league review for a kicking motion, which gave Vegas time to watch the goal, and when it was determined there was no kick, Vegas challenged for offside, and the goal was overturned. Many online comments suggest that this is ruining hockey. Do you agree?
16:43: Most surprising series so far?
20:11: First-round MVP candidates so far?
22:07: Player that's been the biggest surprise in the first round, for good or bad reasons?
25:19: The NHL’s coaching carousel is spinning like crazy, with so many open jobs. Where do we see Rick Tocchet and Mike Sullivan landing? Could more coaches lose their jobs?
29:15: The NHL’s Hart Trophy finalists are Leon Draisaitl, Connor Hellebuyck and Nikita Kucherov. Thoughts on no Nathan Mackinnon? Who will win it?
33:16: Taylor Hall signed a three-year contract extension worth $3.167 million annually. Do we like it?
34:25: Utah Hockey Club’s YouTube channel briefly showed "@UtahMammoth" as the handle... sounds like this is it? Yay or nay?
36:58: Who do you want to see win the NHL draft lottery? Who actually wins it?
39:59: Patrik Laine enters the final year of his contract next season. Do the Habs re-sign him over the summer?
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42:10
Bruce Boudreau Talks NHL Playoffs, Canucks' Hughes And Ovechkin
We have a special guest for a special playoff edition of The Hockey News Big Show.
Longtime NHL coach Bruce Boudreau joins Ryan Kennedy and Michael Traikos to discuss what's going on in the Stanley Cup playoffs, what's happening with the non-playoff squads and some of Boudreau's stories, including his time with the Vancouver Canucks.
Here's what they discussed in this episode:
0:00: Which goaltender should start for the Edmonton Oilers in Game 3 versus the Los Angeles Kings?
8:14: Has Matthew Knies’ play unlocked a new level of offense for the Toronto Maple Leafs on the power play?
14:58: Have the Washington Capitals proven to be a true Stanley Cup contender?
20:19: With their roster now fully healthy, do the Florida Panthers have the scariest offense in the East?
24:49: Are the Winnipeg Jets proving they don’t need Connor Hellebuyck to play at a top-tier level to be a Stanley Cup contender?
28:36: Breaking down Gabriel Landeskog’s return to the Colorado Avalanche's lineup.
33:50: After signing an extension with the New York Rangers, what should Chris Drury’s off-season plan be?
39:15: Who should take home the Jack Adams Award this year?
41:01: Will Alex Ovechkin retire from hockey before the age of 50?
43:30: Who’s the best goal-scorer that Boudreau ever played with and against?
45:03: Which first-round series is most likely to have an upset?
47:34: Should Jim Rutherford have discussed Quinn Hughes’ contract talks publicly?
49:27: Updated Stanley Cup picks
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On Tuesdays and Fridays, we'll have in-depth analysis and lively discussion about everything happening in the NHL. Whether it’s trade rumors, player development or season predictions, it has expert takes and fresh perspectives on every episode.
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