Checking From Behind

In this episode, Ryan from the Buds and Pucks podcast joins us as we break down another absolutely wild week in the NHL offseason. We kick things off with the Minnesota Wild acquiring Blake Coleman, then dive into Alex Ovechkin officially returning for his 22nd NHL season. From there, we hit a wave of signings — John Carlson heading to the Lightning, the Canadiens locking up Jakub Dobeš, and the P...

The episode kicks off with the Zach Werenski saga — why he’s staying in Columbus, what changed behind the scenes, and how this decision reshapes the Blue Jackets’ future. From there, we dive straight into the biggest trades at the start of NHL free agency, breaking down the marquee names who were shipped to new teams and how those moves shift the league landscape. Next, we cover the wave of re‑sig...

In this episode, we break down a wild stretch of NHL offseason news and draft fallout. We start with Jason Robertson turning down a contract and trade from the Seattle Kraken, followed by Jordan Spence locking in a new extension with the Ottawa Senators. From there, the trade market explodes: the Sabres acquire Olen Zellweger, the Bruins land JJ Peterka, and the Mammoth immediately flip assets to...

The NHL is having one of the craziest offseasons of all time, and we break down every massive move. We start with the Seattle Kraken trading for Mackie Samoskevich, followed by the Florida Panthers pulling off a blockbuster deal for Brady Tkachuk. Then we dive into the Ottawa Senators landing William Eklund and the Calgary Flames acquiring Simon Nemec in another huge trade. Next, we look at the Wa...

We’re breaking down a full 32‑team 2026 NHL Mock Draft! Disclaimer: This episode was recorded before the Panthers trades. After the mock draft, we dive into the latest NHL news, rumors, and buzz from around the league — from Bowen Byram to Matthew Knies and plenty more storylines heating up across hockey.  🔊 New episodes drop every Sunday & Thursday @ 7 PM EST 🔥  🎧 Stay locked in for the hottes...

In this episode, we break down a busy week of NHL news and trades across the league. We start with the Toronto Maple Leafs trading Joseph Woll and Simon Benoit to the Philadelphia Flyers, followed by the Nashville Predators acquiring Ross Colton from the Colorado Avalanche. We also cover the Buffalo Sabres moving Michael Kesselring to the San Jose Sharks. From there, we shift to coaching changes a...

Nikita Kucherov wins the Hart Trophy… and the NHL Awards voting is officially a joke. In this episode, we break down why the Hart race, the All‑Star Teams, and the All‑Rookie Team exposed major flaws in the league’s voting system. We go through the First and Second All‑Star Teams, the biggest snubs, and what the ballots say about how the NHL values its stars. We also dive into the Darnell Nurse tr...

We kick off this episode with the Minnesota Wild locking up Michael McCarron on a six‑year contract extension and what it means for their long‑term roster build. From there, we dive into Dylan Larkin submitting a three‑team trade list and how the Detroit Red Wings suddenly find themselves in a brutal negotiating spot. Next, we break down the Edmonton Oilers showing serious interest in hiring Mike...

In today’s episode, Zach breaks down his trip to the 2026 NHL Combine with behind‑the‑scenes insight from Buffalo. Then we dive into the shocking news of Dylan Larkin requesting a trade from the Detroit Red Wings and what it means for their future. Next, we react to Andrei Vasilevskiy winning the Vezina Trophy and where it ranks among his career milestones. We wrap up with the Stanley Cup Final, a...

In this episode, we break down a massive week of NHL news. The Nashville Predators kick things off by hiring Chris McFarland as their new general manager, while the Vancouver Canucks name Manny Malhotra as their next head coach. We also dive into the NHL award winners, with Zach Werenski taking home the Norris Trophy and Jon Cooper winning the Jack Adams Award. From there, we look ahead to the 202...

In this episode, we break down how the Carolina Hurricanes took down the Montreal Canadiens in the 2026 Eastern Conference Final, then dive straight into our full 2026 Stanley Cup Final Preview and Predictions. Who’s taking the Cup home? Vegas or Carolina? We give our bold picks, player breakdowns, and matchup analysis for the biggest series of the year. After that, we hit the latest NHL news and...

The Pittsburgh Penguins lock in a franchise legend as Evgeni Malkin signs a contract extension to stay in Pittsburgh for another season. We break down what the deal means for the Penguins’ future, their cap picture, and how much longer the Malkin–Crosby era can keep pushing. Then we shift to the 2026 NHL Conference Finals, where the Carolina Hurricanes have taken full control of their series and n...

The Buffalo Sabres face a massive offseason decision with Alex Tuch, and we break down what his future in Buffalo could mean for the team, the cap, and the direction of the franchise. We also look at the other key contracts the Sabres need to address and how these choices will shape their 2026 roster. From there, we shift to the Eastern Conference Final, where the Carolina Hurricanes have tied the...

In this episode, we break down a massive week across the NHL. We start with the Vancouver Canucks firing head coach Adam Foote after a disappointing playoff exit. From there, we shift to the Eastern Conference where the Montreal Canadiens advance to the Eastern Conference Final after defeating the Buffalo Sabres in a dramatic seven‑game series. We then dive into our full Eastern Conference Final p...

The Edmonton Oilers have officially fired head coach Kris Knoblauch, and we break down what this move says about the failures of the Connor McDavid era, the front‑office decisions that held the team back, and where the franchise goes from here. Then we shift to the Sabres vs Canadiens series, where Buffalo has pushed it all the way to Game 7 with a chance to reach the Eastern Conference Final for...

The NHL news cycle is on fire this week. We open with Charlie Coyle’s contract extension with the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Vegas Golden Knights blocking the Edmonton Oilers from interviewing Bruce Cassidy. Then we dive into the chaos in Toronto as the Maple Leafs fire Craig Berube — and break down how the organization reached this point. We also cover the Jim Gregory Award finalists, plus Mat...

In this episode, we open with the Toronto Maple Leafs winning the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery and what that means for the future of Auston Matthews in Toronto. Could this be the moment the Leafs finally consider moving their franchise player? From there, we shift into the league-wide award races as the Calder, Norris, and Hart Trophy finalists are officially announced, breaking down who deserves to win...

We’ve got a shorter episode today, but we jump right into the chaos around the NHL. We start with Game 7 between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens — a wild finish where Montreal advanced despite recording only nine shots on goal. One of the strangest elimination wins you’ll ever see. Next, we break down the Toronto Maple Leafs hiring John Chayka as their new general manager and what t...

In this episode, we break down the entire Sabres vs Bruins first‑round series, including the wild baseball‑swing slash from Charlie McAvoy on Zach Benson and how Buffalo completely took over the matchup. We also dive into the comments from Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl about the Oilers’ management and what it means for Edmonton moving forward. From there, we shift into our full 2026 NHL Stanle...

In this episode we break down everything happening in the 2026 NHL Playoffs. We start with the Ted Lindsay Award finalists and the Vezina Trophy finalists, then dive into every first‑round playoff series that’s still underway. From the Sabres, Ducks, Wild, and Canadiens to the Golden Knights, Oilers, and more — the biggest question right now is simple: Can the young teams close out their series an...

In this episode, we break down every major storyline from the 2026 NHL Playoffs and dive into how each first‑round series is unfolding. We start in the Eastern Conference with two tight matchups — the Sabres vs Bruins and Lightning vs Canadiens — and what each team needs to do to take control. From there, we shift to the biggest headline of the night: the Carolina Hurricanes becoming the first tea...

The NHL Playoffs are officially underway, and in this episode we break down every first‑round series and how each matchup has unfolded so far. We start with a deep dive into the Buffalo Sabres vs. Boston Bruins series — momentum swings, standout performances, key adjustments, and what each team needs to do to take control. From there, we go around the league and analyze every playoff series: who’s...

The 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs are here, and we’re breaking down every first‑round matchup. In this episode, we go series‑by‑series, analyze the biggest storylines, and predict who will advance to the Second Round. We start in the Eastern Conference, looking at the top contenders, potential upsets, and key players who could swing each series. Then we move to the Western Conference for a full br...

The NHL playoff picture is taking shape, and in this episode we break down the six teams that officially clinched a postseason berth over the weekend. Some were expected from the start of the season — others shocked the league. We open in the Eastern Conference, where the Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Bruins, and Ottawa Senators all locked in their playoff spots. We take a deeper look at why the Sen...

The New York Islanders have officially made a coaching change, and the New Jersey Devils have fired GM Tom Fitzgerald — two massive front‑office shakeups that could reshape both franchises. We open the episode breaking down what these moves mean, why they happened, and how they impact the playoff race. Then we’re joined by Shawn De Paz from the What Chaos podcast to talk all things Buffalo Sabres....