Breaking into the League

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note. In this episode, Michael and Ryan open the show with one of the biggest stories in hockey: Alex Ovechkin announcing that the 2026–27 season will be his final year in the NHL . The guys break down what Ovi’s retirement means for the league, his impact on the modern era, and where they personally rank him among the greatest players of all ti...

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note. This week we're covering four rising stars across both the NHL and PWHL prospect pipelines. We start with Finnish two-way defender Nelli Laitinen, PWHL Hamilton's first-ever draft pick (6th overall, 2026) out of the University of Minnesota, breaking down her Olympic pedigree with Team Finland and her transition from steady defender to legi...

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note. In the latest episode, the guys start things off discussing Connor Bedard being named next captain of the Chicago Blackhawks. Then discussions transition to the Detroit Redwings, how they still don't have an official GM and what that means for the pending Dylan Larkin trade request. Then out of the first break Ryan gives his analysis on pr...

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note. In this week’s episode of Breaking Into the League , Michael and Ryan kick things off with a busy slate of NHL news. The guys react to Fraser Minten signing his new deal with the Boston Bruins , break down the surprising move of Chris Kreider being waived by the Anaheim Ducks , leading to talks about the remaining free agents including one...

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note. Welcome back to Breaking Into the League — the show where Michael and Ryan dive into the biggest storylines shaping the NHL and the future of the game. In today’s episode, the guys open with a look around the league, starting with the major news out of Anaheim: the Ducks are officially retiring Ryan Getzlaf’s jersey, cementing one of the m...

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note. In this episode, Michael and Ryan dive into one of the biggest storylines in the NHL: Connor Hellebuyck officially requesting a trade out of Winnipeg . The guys break down the most realistic landing spots for the former Vezina winner, including why the Chicago Blackhawks make more sense than people think and why the San Jose Sharks could b...

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note. In this episode of Breaking Into the League , We break down two standout prospects making noise in their respective systems: Hunter Haight of the Iowa Wild and Nick Lardis of the Chicago Blackhawks. We dig into Haight’s play-driving ability, his growth in the AHL, and how his offensive instincts translate to the next level. Then we shift t...

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note. (apologies for the poor audio on this week's episode. we switched studios and were unaware of the issues until afterward) In this episode of Breaking Into the League , we break down two rising NHL prospects: Taylor Makar and Finn Harding . We dive into Makar’s evolving power-forward game, his development path, and what his ceiling could lo...

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note. In today's episode we cover two emerging prospects; Ivan Stenberg and Beckett Hamilton. We also discuss news from around the league, including Patrick Kane rejoining the Blackhawks, Dylan Larkin trade rumors and predict where we think he will end up.

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note. This week we break down two of the hottest names in hockey's prospect pipeline: WHL rising star Brock England and Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Sam Rinzel. We dig into Brock England's blazing top-end speed and shot power with the Seattle Thunderbirds, why scouts love his four-directional edge work, and what he needs to clean up to become a...

Sam and Ryan are back just in time for the final few weeks left of 2023-2024 NHL regular season hockey. This time, Nashville Right Wing Luke Evangelista (3:50) and Emil Martinsen Lilleberg (10:35). This time around, the two hosts also talked about some memories from their time when they worked in media in South Dakota a few years back and also mentioned the Sioux Falls site for NCAA Hockey Tournam...

Sam and Ryan are BACK! They are talking everything related to Colorado Avalanche prospect Centerman Ondrej Pavel (8:00) and Minnesota Wild Forward Adam Beckman (13:45). They also talk about the top teams in the NHL Stanley Cup Playoff hunt as it lingers only a month away! Like, share and subscribe! Sam and Ryan will have more players listed on future podcasts that the listeners should note as we h...

We are now just under 2 months out from the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs! Ryan & Sam have you covered with young prospects in the NHL! On this week's edition of Breaking Into the League Justus Annunen (Colorado Avalanche goaltender) [9:40] and Justin Brazeau (Boston Bruins forward) [22:25]. Sam and Ryan also discuss the Minnesota Wild's recent stretch of wins post NHL All-Star Game and any sort of...

On this version of Breaking into the League, your hosts Sam and Ryan feature young NHL hockey players-- goaltender Yaroslav Askarov of the Nashville Predators (4:16) and forward Sammy Walker of the Minnesota Wild (14:02). This edition was recorded just as the NHL gets ready for the 2024 All-Star Break. Sam and Ryan discuss the highly competitive Pacific Division along with some jokes about the sta...

What's up hockey enthusiasts? On this version of Breaking into the League, your hosts Sam and Ryan feature NHL forward Carter Mazur of the Detroit Red Wings (11:14) and NHL player Jack Quinn of the Buffalo Sabres (14:20)! The hockey playoffs are quickly approaching and hockey trade rumors are swirling. This podcast was recorded in mid-January right as Patrick Roy was announced as the New York Isla...

In this episode, Sam and Ryan talk about Dawson Mercer of the New Jersey Devils and Lukas Cormier of the Vegas Golden Knights. Tune in as two avid hockey enthusiasts delve into the promising careers of Dawson Mercer and Lukas Cormier. From dissecting their standout performances to forecasting their impact on the ice, these two passionate fans explore the rise of these young talents, offering insig...