Hockey Central @ Noon

Jeff and Elliotte start off the new year tinkering with the idea of any team even considering to trade up for the first overall pick in this year’s draft, Winter Classic games working better in baseball stadiums, and what next year’s edition may look like. Next, the guys look at Jake DeBrusk’s comeback player of the year candidacy, Ryan Merkley’s future in San Jose, and how many teams are taking a harder look at tanking for Connor Bedard (12:00). To finish up, Jeff and Elliotte discuss the Blues potentially moving out some pending free agents, what the Leafs may look for at the trade deadline, and how Washington is defying the odds (22:00). 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.

Sportsnet's Jason Bukala joins Matt Marchese to preview this year's World Junior Hockey Championship, Team Canada's plethora of line combinations, and the major matchups to watch out for! Next up, former NHL executive Mike Futa takes a look around the league to discuss the biggest storylines that caught his eye (17:00). We wrap up with Annie O'Donnell, NHL social media mogul, who joins Matt to go through their wish lists for all 32 NHL teams (38:00)!  Have a happy holiday season - see you in 2023! 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 Matt Marchese from the comfort of his home to chat about how teams approach the regular season vs. the playoffs, the entertainment value of the NHL, and his ideas to grow the game (06:00). Afterwards, the pair get into William Nylander's under-appreciated season so far, plus how Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner have developed into a well-rounded players (14:00). Later on, Matt falls into the void as Elliotte previews tonight's NHL slate, before discussing the Carolina Hurricanes' plan for their goalie trio and the latest milestones for Brent Burns and Alex Ovechkin (20:00). 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.

Sportsnet's Eric Francis joins Matt Marchese to chat about the story of the Flames' season so far, the ebbs and flows of being an NHL goalie, Dylan Dube making the most of his opportunities, and how to get the most out of Jonathan Huberdeau and Andrew Mangiapane. Next up, NHL Network Radio's Scott Laughlin takes a look around the league to discuss his biggest surprises this season, the value of team pedigree, what's up with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Roman Josi's milestone, and the trials and tribulations of the NHL draft (17:45). We wrap up with The Athletic's Peter Baugh, who comments on Colorado's recent hot streak, Mikko Rantanen's role as "The Fixer", the impact of Jared Bednar, Cale Makar's "down year", and more (42:45)! 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 Matt Marchese to discuss Evgeni Malkin's career point total as he nears Sergei Fedorov's tally, and look back on if Malkin's career left any "what ifs" (05:00). Later, the pair comment on Matthew Tkachuk's game misconduct for jumping Nico Hischier, a week after Hischier nailed Alex Barkov with a cross-check, and look ahead to what the future holds for the Florida Panthers (10:00). Afterwards, Matt and Elliotte chat about why many teams are hesitant to trade, if the NHL's schedule needs to be revamped, why now is a pivotal time for the Philadelphia Flyers, and what the Maple Leafs are looking for in the trade market (16:00). 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 James Boyd, GM of the Ottawa 67's, about the process of selecting the players for Team Canada, getting three players back from the NHL for the tournament, and his expectations for both Connor Bedard and Adam Fantilli. Former NHLer and author of "Pain Killer: A Memoir of Big League Addiction", Brantt Myhres looks back on the process of writing his book, his battle with addiction, and the idea of “fighting sober” (15:32). We wrap up with The Athletic's Mike Russo, who chats about his piece on Ryan Reaves, Jacob Middleton being one of the more interesting characters on the Wild, and the potential goaltending controversy brewing in Minnesota (41:50). 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 things off reacting to Artem Zub's extension with Ottawa and ponder where Pierre Dorion is looking to add next (06:00). Next, the pair look at the potential three-headed monster in net in Carolina, why players shouldn’t lose their job because of injury, and the New Jersey Devils’ recent slide (10:00). To wrap, Jeff and Elliotte focus in on Jon Cooper's comments following a loss to Toronto, the interaction between Michael Bunting and linesman Dan Kelly, and how high the pressure is in Edmonton (18:00). 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 looks at the Vegas Golden Knights’ home struggles, the injury issues with Jack Eichel and Shea Theodore, as well as the constant turnover on the third line with Ben Gotz of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Later on, NESN's Billy Jaffe weighs in on the Boston Bruins' continued success, how the goaltending tandem of Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman have contributed, and how the third line is taking advantage of their opportunities (15:00). Finally, former NHL netminder Andrew Hammond shares some stories about the day he signed a contract with the Ottawa Senator and some memorable games during his historic run, before looking ahead to what his post-playing career might look like (44:38). 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 react to Cale Makar's honest approach, resulting in a penalty for the opposing team being overturned, and why only star players can get away with it (06:00). Next, they look at Tage Thompson’s rise to superstardom, if he’s what the Buffalo Sabres thought Jack Eichel would be, and why Juraj Slafkovsky is on the receiving end of so many big hits (11:00). Finally, Jeff and Elliotte debate if there is a number of games a goalie needs to play before you know how good they are, how badly the Canucks need the Christmas break, and how hard the St. Louis Blues are to figure out this year (20:00). 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 Cory Lavalette of the North State Journal about Pyotr Kochetkov’s emergence, the potential for a Jordan Staal extension, and Martin Necas’ bounce back season. Later on, Kraken analyst for ROOT SPORTS, Alison Lukan weighs in on the importance of balanced scoring for Seattle, the waiver claim for Eeli Tolvanen, and the team’s use of analytics by their front office (14:45). Afterwards, Producer Matt looks at Jacob Trouba’s troll job on Andreas Athanasiou (36:28). We wrap up with USA Today's Vince Mercogliano, who adds to the Trouba vs Athanasiou conversation, before getting into the younger players producing offensively during the Rangers' latest winning streak and expectations for two of New York's top prospects (45:20). 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.

Jeff and Elliotte start off looking at Stuart Skinner’s freshly minted extension with the Oilers, where it ranks among other young goalie contracts, and the idea of not knowing which goalie is your bonafide starter in the playoffs (07:00). Next, they discuss Calgary’s big win over the San Jose Sharks, the adjustment period for Jonathan Huberdeau, and the potential for Alex Ovechkin to pass Gordie Howe against the Red Wings tonight (15:00). To finish, Jeff and Elliotte reminisce about old “Hockey Night in Canada Towel” stories, before chatting about the strength of the Metropolitan division and the Boston Bruins being the first team to 50 points (22:00). 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.

Sportsnet's Marc Spector joins Matt Marchese to discuss the offside call that cost the Oilers' in overtime last night, Connor McDavid aging like fine wine, and how he and Leon Draisaitl have evolved into the best 1-2 punch in the NHL. Next up, NHL Network radio's Jonathan Davis shares some NHL betting trends he's picked up on and why he's adopted a contrarian approach to sports gambling (17:35). They also get into Trevor Moore's contract extension with the L.A. Kings, what's behind the Vegas Golden Knights' success, what's on the horizon in Anaheim, and the early playoff picture (26:51). We wrap up with Karl Alzner, host of the "Alz Caps" podcast, who chats about the state of the Washington Capitals, Alex Ovechkin's latest milestone and his pursuit of the next (46:27). 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 Matt Marchese to weigh in on the St. Louis Blues' overtime win over Edmonton and take a closer look at the offside call that cost Connor McDavid and the Oilers the game (05:00). The pair then get into why teams are having difficulties making moves early on this season, Mitch Marner's point streak coming to an end at 23, and his case to win the Selke trophy (11:00). To wrap up, Matt and Elliotte identify some potential landing spots for Jakob Chychrun, if the Arizona Coyotes would consider moving Karel Vejmelka, and why Trevor Moore has found success in L.A. (19:00). 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 play-by-play voice Randy Hahn to talk about his career following calling his 2,000th game, his memories of the early years of the San Jose Sharks, and which players he loved covering during his tenure. Later on, Producer Matt opens up the mailbag with questions about which game or event you've always wanted to attend, blue pucks on TV, and having to watch reviews in real-time (23:20). Finally, ESPN's Ryan Clark looks at goalie tandems taking over the NHL, the travel component when figuring out workloads for goaltenders, and how teams evaluate netminders in today’s game (53:50). 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.

Matt Marchese hosts in place of Jeff Marek, and is joined by Elliotte Friedman to weigh in on Ryan Reaves' hit on Filip Hronek last night and if any further discipline is required (05:00). The guys then shift their attention out West to discuss what the Canucks' ceiling is this season, Bo Horvat's strong play amidst trade rumours, and why many teams are struggling to make deals right now (12:00). To finish up, Matt and Elliotte chat about the NHL's plans for growth from the Board of Governors meeting and what's next for Jesse Puljujarvi (20:00). 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 former NHL defenceman Garry Galley about playing defense in today’s game, why Martin St. Louis’ coaching style has worked and his thoughts on the Ottawa Senators this year. 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 look back at old trade deadline shows, the latter feeling like Doug MacLean was going to beat him up, and why former GMs owe it to the fans to write books. Moving on, they discuss what’s going on in Vancouver with Bo Horvat, why Nashville and St. Louis are two of the more interesting storylines, and which current coach would make a good GM (12:00). To finish up the segment, Jeff and Greg look at the potential rise in the salary cap, the negotiation tactic used by the NHL, and the digital ad conundrum (26:00). 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 wonder about how much the Ducks miss Ryan Getzlaf, before discussing Toronto’s blowout win over Anaheim last night (05:00). Next, they react to Bo Horvat’s statement about his future, how the player may feel about the report getting out, and what kind of contract Vancouver might be looking for (14:00). To wrap, Jeff and Elliotte congratulate Randy Hahn on calling 2,000 games for the San Jose Sharks, as well as a conversation about Alex Ovechkin reaching the 800-goal plateau and the questions that go along with it (20:00). 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 Producer Matt look at the idea of changing names for NHL awards like the NBA has. Leafs Nation's own Gord Stellick gives his take on renaming NHL awards, how the Bo Horvat situation might play itself out, and Eeli Tolvanen being claimed by the Seattle Kraken (12:00). Later, Sportsnet's Anthony Stewart talks about his number being retired in an upcoming ceremony in Kingston, why Marian Jacko would be a great addition to the Hockey Canada board, and the Maple Leafs’ recent run of success (33:20). We wrap up with Sportsnet's Jason York, who talks about the positivity surrounding the Senators, Wade Redden being honoured in Ottawa, and what the biggest storyline is for the fan base (49:50). 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 things off wondering about how much more difficult it is to be a general manager now compared to earlier eras (07:00). Next, the guys focus in on the conversation about the salary cap at the Board of Governors meeting, the NHL wanting Ryan Reynolds involved in Ottawa's new ownership, and the potential for the playoffs to expand (10:00). To wrap up, Jeff and Elliotte discuss the idea of Vancouver exploring a trade for Bo Horvat, the scary incident involving Chris Tanev, and why there should be no surprise the Seattle Kraken claimed Eeli Tolvanen (20:00). 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.