Hockey Central @ Noon

Jeff asks Greg which player needed to have Twitter during their career, the most interesting player in the Cup Final and what separates Nathan MacKinnon’s work ethic (01:14). Next, the guys talk about the ways the Lightning and Avalanche mirror each other, how it’s a bit miraculous that the two “best” teams ended up in the final, and Jeff’s crazy idea about helping favourites out in the early rounds of the playoffs (08:13). To finish up, Jeff and Greg reminisce about their favourite Cup Final and discuss what to look for in this series (14:41). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff chats with Edmonton Oil Kings Head Coach Brad Lauer about winning the Ed Chynoweth Cup, the impact Jake Neighbours has made since joining the team mid-season after a stint with St. Louis, and looks back on his time with the Tampa Bay Lightning coaching staff (00:35). Later on, Ben Gotz of the Las Vegas Review-Journal weighs in on the Golden Knights’ hire of Bruce Cassidy, why he’s a good fit for the group and how Vegas' goaltending situation might shake out to start next season (19:33). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff and Elliotte look at the health of both teams ahead of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final and how both teams are built largely by their current general managers (00:14). Next, the guys discuss Bruce Cassidy’s hire in Vegas, what's still to come with the Golden Knights’ off-season, and if Pete DeBoer is still the leading candidate to take over in Dallas (07:29). To finish, Jeff and Elliotte reminisce about their favourite Stanley Cup Final memories (17:37). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Vince Mercogliano of USA Today joins Jeff to look at the growth of the New York Rangers over the course of the year, the surprise scratch of Kaapo Kakko in Game 6 and the looming decisions on some of the team's unrestricted free agents (00:35). Next up, Scott Morrison looks back on winning the Elmer Ferguson Award in 2006, discusses this year’s winner Al Morganti, and shares a snippet from his new book “1972: The Series That Changed Hockey Forever” (17:03). To wrap up, Producer Matt jumps on to add to the previous conversation and deliberate which event or player he wishes Twitter was around for (51:37). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff and Elliotte start off the segment talking about both general managers in the Stanley Cup Final and how they got there, before settling the analytics in hockey argument once and for all (00:33). Next, the guys chat about Barry Trotz’s looming decision and the future of some junior coaches and managers around hockey (09:15). To finish up, Jeff and Elliotte discuss St. Louis’ goaltending situation, regardless of Ville Husso’s pending free agency, and reflect on Al Morganti and Bill Clement's Hall of Fame honours and the life of Jim “Bearcat” Murray (17:26). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff is joined by former Tampa netminder and two-time Stanley Cup champion Curtis McElhinney to chat about what makes Andrei Vasilevskiy so effective, Jon Cooper’s calm and cool nature behind the bench, and Steven Stamkos’ resurgence this season (00:27). Later on, David Amber discusses the Lightning’s tough road to the Cup, Colorado's path the Finals while not facing top-tier goaltending to this point, and more (17:26)! Finally, former NHLer Rob Schremp talks about the atmosphere playing in Latvia, how Corey Perry has evolved over the course of his career, and his new podcast (50:11). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff and Elliotte talk about Tampa’s ability to win close games, and look ahead to the compelling nature of two powerhouses going head-to-head in the Stanley Cup Final (00:52). Next, the guys chat about the upcoming off-season for the Rangers, free agent priorities and what the market is for Andrew Copp (07:28). To finish up, Jeff and Elliotte discuss what’s on the horizon for the Panthers’ coaching staff, if this week gave us any clarity on coaching vacancies, and what the future holds for both Mike Smith and Duncan Keith in Edmonton (14:22). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Former NHLer Matt Calvert joins Matt Marchese to discuss his new gig with CAL Sports Management, before weighing in on Jared Bednar proving himself this postseason, Cale Makar's ability to erase mistakes with speed, and shares a memory of playing with and against Nazem Kadri (00:19). Later on, Scott Laughlin of NHL Network Radio chats about Game 5 in the Eastern Conference Final, the Rangers' 5-on-5 concerns, Andrei Vasilevskiy's playoff resume, and the offseason questions in Las Vegas and Florida (21:38). Finally, Mike Zeisberger of NHL.com looks back on Tampa's playoff run so far, evaluates the matchup between Vasilevskiy and Igor Shesterkin, and previews what could be a busy offseason ahead for Kyle Dubas and the Maple Leafs (50:20).  The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Elliotte Friedman joins host Matt Marchese to discuss Ryan Lindgren's gritty performance in the Eastern Conference Finals, the challenge of keeping the Lightning's core together, the effectiveness of the Hagel-Cirelli-Killorn combination, and how New York got "Tampa-ed" in Game 5 (00:04). Later on, the pair address the ownership questions in Ottawa and Buffalo (14:27), before looking into Toronto's decision to part ways with Goalie Coach Steve Briere (17:57). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff is joined by The Athletic's Mike Russo to chat about his adventure to the cigar bar in Amalie Arena, the future of in-arena experiences and how the Ranger injuries put more pressure on Igor Shesterkin (00:26). NHL Network analyst Doug Weight talks about the coaching landscape, why teams should have their identity figured out before hiring a coach, and why the Rangers miss Ryan Strome so much (20:56). To wrap up today, Jason York looks at the emergence of Cale Makar’s defensive game, how momentum doesn’t swing from game to game and Josh Norris’ next deal (49:25). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff and Elliotte kick things off discussing the potential of Pete DeBoer landing in Dallas, Bruce Cassidy being caught off guard by his firing and some assistant coaching rumours (00:39). To finish, Elliotte weighs in on Game 5 between the Rangers and Lightning and why Igor Shesterkin needs to have a great performance (09:22). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff chats with 3x Gold Medalist Marie-Philip Poulin about her decision to join the Canadiens’ Player Development staff, balancing the new role while continuing to play and how much influence her former agent Emilie Castonguay had on this decision (00:18). Later on, The Athletic's Hailey Salvian looks at the complicated nature of an Andrew Mangiapane extension, why the Flames off-season is one of the most watchable and Marie-Philip Poulin adding to her incredible resume with her new job with the Canadiens (20:11). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff and Greg kick off their weekly conversation talking about Igor Shesterkin’s play in the last two games, the importance of Ryan Strome to the Rangers’ lineup and how the long layoff may have evidently helped out the Lightning (01:44). To finish, the guys talk about Leon Draisaitl playing through a high-ankle sprain and what's next for the Boston Bruins this off-season (14:47). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff and Elliotte start out the segment taking a closer look at a report out of Boston about David Pastrnak and the future of the Bruins (00:11). Next, the guys react to Ken Holland’s press conference and the importance of internal roster growth for the Oilers (07:47). To finish, Jeff and Elliotte look back on Tampa’s Game 4 victory, the injury woes for the Rangers and the growing confidence for the Lightning (12:12). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff chats with Thomas Drance about what he expects from the Oilers this off-season, how the Canucks might approach extension talks with some players and which timeline the team is working on (00:33). Louie DeBrusk weighs in on the fallout for the Oilers following their loss to the Avs, how underrated Devon Toews is across the league and what to expect from Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final (14:58). Later on, Producer Matt checks in to share his takeaways from the Western Conference Final (40:02). Finally, Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe weighs in on the Bruins’ firing of Bruce Cassidy, the pressure on the front office after the dismissal and Patrice Bergeron’s tenure as a member of the organization (46:02). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff and Elliotte remark over how close the Western Conference Final was despite the sweep, Colorado’s ability to slow down Edmonton's top group and the inspiring performance by Leon Draisaitl (00:08). Next, the guys look ahead at Evander Kane’s future in Edmonton, the team's need to create cap space and Nazem Kadri’s status ahead of the Cup Final (05:16). To finish up, Jeff and Elliotte react to Bruce Cassidy’s firing in Boston, why a rebuild might not be imminent and sort through the coaching rumour roundup (12:40). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff chats with The Athletic's Peter Baugh about his piece on the 2013-14 Erie Otters, Cale Makar matching up with Connor McDavid and Bowen Byram’s re-emergence for the Avs (12:37). Later on, Jeff gives his take on the Ondrej Palat’s tenure with Tampa Bay, conversations he had with Kevin Cheveldayoff and Pierre Dorion the week before and the off-season ahead for the Bruins (17:42). Finally, Sam Cosentino reflects on the Draft Combine, who he was most impressed with after talking to them and why he believes Shane Wright is still the player who should go first overall (49:12). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff and Elliotte kick off the segment discussing Tampa’s win over the Rangers, Igor Shesterkin validating MVP voters and why no one should be counting out the Lightning (00:16). Next, the guys discuss who fills in for the suspended Evander Kane, the length of the suspension and how many minutes Jay Woodcroft might give Connor McDavid in Game 4 (05:01). To finish, they chat about the importance of J.T. Compher, Chris Wideman’s new deal and what’s going on with the coaching market (13:58). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Ken Wiebe joins Matt Marchese to weigh in on Colorado's overwhelming speed, Pavel Francouz' marquee performance to record the shutout, and look ahead to a pivotal Game 3 for the Oilers at home (00:15). Next, Anthony Stewart adds to the conversation on Francouz, takes a step back to remark over the strong edgework demonstrated by young players down to the youth level, and weighs in on his expectations for Game 2 in the East, Mika Zibanejad's crucial role, and Darryl Sutter's Jack Adams Award (15:25). Finally, Rangers' play-by-play voice Sam Rosen takes a moment to remember his most memorable calls, before shifting to the present to comment on Igor Shesterkin's play, the rise of Filip Chytil, New York's key additions and Jacob Trouba's presence on the ice (44:07). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Elliotte joins host Matt Marchese to discuss the defining plays from Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, and backup goaltender Pavel Francouz stepping up to post a shutout (00:49). Later on, the pair chat about Nazem Kadri's strong postseason and his ability to walk the line of intensity, before weighing in on Colorado's key depth contributions and Artturi Lehkonen's opening goal (09:56). To wrap up, Matt and Elliotte share their expectations for Game 2 in the East and tip their cap to Darryl Sutter for winning the Jack Adams Award (19:46). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.