A Couple of Goons

The boys are back at your favorite semi-annual hockey podcast, talking about an exciting summer, high expectations, and what’s bound to be a great year for hockey. We’ve got metrics, we’ve got Utah talk, we’ve got cup picks, we’ve got a… guest!? That’s right, the goons are joined by none other than the brilliant Gare Joyce , of How to Succeed in Sportswriting (without Really Trying) and several bo...

We’re back, for one night only, at your favorite semi-annual hockey podcast. We talk the playoffs so far, an inauspicious wager, Florida vs. Edmonton, the prospect of busting a Canadian curse, the furthest-flying finals of any(??) sports league and then the Arizona fiasco coming to a conclusion. Walt can be found at Numlock.com, Sherwood.news, and his new book You Are What You Watch is available w...

Welcome back to A Couple of Goons, here for your pre-finals look at the postseason and these last several games. Neil and Walt talk about what to expect in this most unexpected Stanley Cup final. Neil makes the case for both Vegas and Florida winning the Stanley Cup, and Walt makes an emotional case for one team in particular Be sure to check out Neil’s Substack and of course the new podcast about...

What a first round! We talk: * Rangers season over :( * Dang, Bruins * Neil and Walt describe their pathological needs to have offhand comments from several weeks ago bear out in totality. * A whole lot of upsets! A whole lot of game sevens. A whole lot of large disappointed big cities. * Toronto broke a curse! And started? A? New one? * ROUND TWO is on!! Here’s Neil on Numlock talking NASCAR: Thi...

It’s your favorite hockey podcast back to talk the end of the season and, far more importantly, the beginning of the postseason! We talk: * Bruins! The elephant in the room. Those are some high chances! * The PATH Train Series * The Toronto Maple Leafs, and how it’s absolutely their year * The Rest of the West * Which teams that missed the playoffs we still think might be good next year. Thanks fo...

We’re back! Neil and Walt assess the regular season as it nears its conclusion, including: * Which teams are really looking great right now * The bubble teams that we’re watching * The trade deadline and what it meant * CANADA MINUTE: Eyes to the North * The Devils you know and the Devils you don’t * Playoff predictions Be sure to check out neat stuff like Neil’s Substack and Numlock News This is...

We’re back! Neil and Walt assess the season at its midpoint, and in the spirit of the season give gifts to the players and teams that surprised and disappointed us, including: * The teams that surprised us * The player that most surprised us * Barbecue! * A nice round number is hit and a record is potentially in contention * A player familiarizes oneself with a bench * The beginning of year predic...

Welcome back to A Couple of Goons, an inexplicably extant hockey podcast. This week on Goons: * How was your summer? * Walter jokes about his mic being much worse without actually realizing his mic sounds like crud this episode because he used crappy headphones instead of his Mac * Neil’s most interesting teams of the offseason * Who do you like? * Okay but what team does Neil think is Interesting...

We assess the season! * Welcome back! * A begrudging, contractually mandated preview of the Eastern conference champion * Lightning vs. Avalanche! * The Stanley Cup, on paper * Hockey in 2021-22: Seems Pretty Good! Here’s the article Neil wrote: https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/weve-been-waiting-33-years-for-a-stanley-cup-matchup-this-good/ Neil is on twitter @neil_paine, Walt is @WaltHickey,...

Neil and Walt are ready for the playoffs, so they decided to do a show TOGETHER, IN-PERSON!!!! We break down the whole first round, presenting theories of the case for each team, and talk about the probability of every upset — which, as it turns out in hockey, is surprisingly large most of the time. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to...

We assess the season! * RETURN OF THE FEATURE: our #30 of the week * TEAM OF THE BI-WEEK * The one remaining regular season narrative * Hockey is very good right now * All sports are very good right now? * Is this the vibe shift? * Queer comic recommendations with Walt Neil is on twitter @neil_paine, Walt is @WaltHickey, and this podcast is @GoonsPod. We are now on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, find...

We assess the season! * TRADE DEADLINE: What does it mean? * Who is done for the year? * The playoff picture * Rangers! * Who disappointed us the most this year * Who un-disappointed us the most * The INTENSITY to come Neil is on twitter @neil_paine, Walt is @WaltHickey, and this podcast is @GoonsPod. We are now on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, find us there, and consider throwing us a rating. Neil’...

You miss us? * Welcome back to A COUPLE OF GOONS * The year thus far * The one no three no five teams of the year * The Montreal Screwjob * Kraken up * The New Viewing Experience! * In Memoriam: NBC Sports Network * Stanley Cup Logo review: lay it on me what do we think * UBS Arena review! Neil is on twitter @neil_paine, Walt is @WaltHickey, and this podcast is @GoonsPod. We are now on Apple Podca...

Seattle stole a bunch of players! Joining us this week is Jake Lahut! * (Expansion) Team of the week * How’d Seattle do? * Great moments in Expansion Draft history * The only team capable of keeping their traps shut * HAKAS Jake is on Twitter @JakeLahut, Neil is on twitter @neil_paine, Walt is @WaltHickey, and this podcast is @GoonsPod. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this w...

The end of the season! * Team of the Wee— no. Team of the year. * The WWE Style Fandom Belt Moves On * #26 * Neil called it! * What’s next for Hockey * What’s next for GOONS Neil is on twitter @neil_paine, Walt is @WaltHickey, and this podcast is @GoonsPod. We are now on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, find us there, and consider throwing us a rating. Neil’s Github is at github.com/neilpaine538, or, o...

Things are coming to an end soon: * Team of the Week * 3-1 * #25 * What happens after someone wins the Stanley Cup * 95% * Advanced Sabermetrics with Scott Steiner Neil is on twitter @neil_paine, Walt is @WaltHickey, and this podcast is @GoonsPod. We are now on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, find us there, and consider throwing us a rating. Neil’s Github is at github.com/neilpaine538, or, our new con...

The Stanley Cup * All the conclusions we can draw from one game! * Team of the Week * #24 * Awards Season! Neil is on twitter @neil_paine, Walt is @WaltHickey, and this podcast is @GoonsPod. We are now on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, find us there, and consider throwing us a rating. Neil’s Github is at github.com/neilpaine538, or, our new convenient website located at http://githubdotcomslashneilpa...

The last week of the semifinals! Also, if last week sounded bad, I fixed it, so just go re-download it again the mix was rough. * Team of the Week * A nuanced discussion of Elo weighting and model development * #23 * I mean damn, the Habs are really good * Like, whoa * Yeah the Islanders shutout that was rough but like * Dang, Montreal. Neil is on twitter @neil_paine, Walt is @WaltHickey, and this...

UPDATE: Now with new Synced Audio! Joining us for this episode again is Emily Scherer! * Cinderellas * Team of the * SIKE * there is no team of the week * #22: GOON OFF * S.L.I.P.P.E.R. * We make a new bet! Neil is on twitter @neil_paine, Emily is @_schem, Walt is @WaltHickey, and this podcast is @GoonsPod. We are now on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, find us there, and consider throwing us a rating....

The second round begins to wind down! Topics of conversation include * Playoff hockey is great * Team(s!) of the week * #21, the postage stamp * How would one construct an optimal stat block for a hockey player within the confines of Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition * Double sweep! * Canes conclude * Professor Oak sent Nikita Kucherov * And the nominees are Neil is on twitter @neil_paine, Walt is...

The playoffs continue * L'équipe de la semaine ! * Meet #20 * The worst collapse we’ve seen on CNBC since Dogecoin * Curses * Coming soon to Amazon Prime Video! * Other divisions * Looking forward Neil is on twitter @neil_paine, Walt is @WaltHickey, and this podcast is @GoonsPod. We are now on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, find us there, and consider throwing us a rating. Neil’s Github is at github....

It’s the playoffs babyyyy * Team of the Week! * Your #19 * Walt gives Neil a present from his travels * The Teams We’ve Lost * War is peace. Freedom is slavery. I have always supported the Winnipeg Jets * The Battle of Florida * The East goes exactly as planned * Neil mentions The Kiss Neil is on twitter @neil_paine, Walt is @WaltHickey, and this podcast is @GoonsPod. We are now on Apple Podcasts...

Walt is on vacation, but somehow we’ve got 50% more goons than usual. Neil is joined by GoonsPod alums Emily Scherer of FiveThirtyEight and Tyler Lauletta of Insider. Here’s what we talked about: * Team of the Week! (Not based on Elo ratings, for once.) * “Concussions are bad” — Tyler * Episode No. 18 commemorative Spin-O-Rama edition * What we like about the playoffs so far… the Battle of Florida...

We’ve finally made it to the end of the regular season (unless you’re in the North Division — sorry Canada), and Walt is ready for his inaugural Hockey Guy Playoffs. Topics of conversation include: * I, for one, welcome our new soundboard overlord * Team of the Week! (Sorta) * The #17 * North Division: Can the Leafs be stopped? * East Division: Caps-Bruins is going to be LIT * Central Division: Pr...

We’re finally talking about it. Topics of conversation include: * Would You Look At This Ludicrous Display * Team of the Week! * The #15 * Ancient Fighting * The Era of the Goon * Modern Warfare * The Chivalric Practises of Goon-on-Goon dueling * The Fall of the Goon Neil is on twitter @neil_paine, Walt is @WaltHickey, and this podcast is @GoonsPod. We are now on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, find u...