The Aiming Five Hole Hockey Podcast

The NHL offseason exploded into action during Draft Week, with blockbuster trades, superstar trade requests, players refusing destinations they don't view as contenders, and draft picks changing hands at a dizzying pace. While the days leading up to the draft delivered plenty of drama, Draft Day itself was a little more predictable, highlighted by the Toronto Maple Leafs selecting Gavin McKenna fi...

The Florida Panthers wasted no time shaking up the NHL landscape, making a blockbuster move ahead of the draft and free agency by acquiring Brady Tkachuk from the Ottawa Senators. Meanwhile, the Toronto Maple Leafs and new GM John Chayka have been busy reshaping their roster, hiring Jim Hiller as head coach and adding defenseman Darren Raddysh, with reports suggesting even more moves are on the wa...

The Carolina Hurricanes are Stanley Cup champions, defeating the Vegas Golden Knights in six games and leaving Mitch Marner still searching for his first title. While it may not go down as the most technically polished Stanley Cup Final, the series delivered no shortage of drama, momentum swings, and entertainment. Elsewhere around the league, the Edmonton Oilers’ coaching search continues to rese...

The first three games of the Stanley Cup Final have felt like we’ve entered the hockey bizarro world. Massive momentum swings, multi-goal comebacks, dramatic overtime finishes, and some downright bizarre goals — this series may not be the cleanest or highest-level hockey we’ve ever seen on the biggest stage, but it’s been absolutely impossible to look away from. Meanwhile, around the league, the N...

The Knights are on a roll and have the Avs on the brink of elimination. Are Makar and MacKinnon healthy enough turn their play around and pull off a miracle come from a 3-0 deficit, or is the President's Trophy curse going to live on! In the East the Habs woes on home ice continue as they drop game 3 and the Canes take a 2-1 series lead!

The Habs outlasted the Sabres in overtime of Game 7, securing their spot in the Eastern Conference Final where they will face the well-rested Hurricanes. In the Western Conference, the Avs swiftly defeated the Wild and will now compete against the Knights, who eliminated the Ducks to advance. Off the ice, it has been a busy week with coaching changes in Toronto and Edmonton. Additionally, Tortorel...

It was an eventful week both on and off the ice in Leaf Nation! The week began with the announcement of John Chayka as the new GM, a move that sparked controversy and led to a heated press conference where the media scrutinized the decision. Just two days later, the Leafs celebrated winning the NHL Draft lottery. On the ice, the Hurricanes continued their impressive performance, making history by...

The first round of the playoffs has concluded, and the Montreal Canadiens advance to the second round as the only Canadian team remaining! Notably, the Minnesota Wild are moving on to the second round for the first time in 11 years, while the Buffalo Sabres make their return to this stage for the first time since 2007. In other matchups, the Knights narrowly defeated the Mammoth, and the Flyers el...

The first round of the NHL Playoffs continues to deliver excitement this year. We've witnessed two sweeps: Colorado eliminated the Kings, sending Kopitar into retirement, while the Hurricanes dispatched Tkachuk and his Senators to summer holidays. In other matchups, the Stars vs. Wild and Lightning vs. Habs are tied at two games each and the Sabres have the Bruins on the ropes. Meanwhile, the yout...

We've reached the second season as the NHL Playoffs kick off. Phil and Ryan share their outlook, analysis, and predictions for each series. Additionally, we wrap up the exciting storylines that emerged from the last week of the regular season, highlighting key moments from player and manager season-ending press conferences.

As we approach the NHL Playoffs, the excitement builds with only a few spots remaining open and playoff positioning still in flux. The Habs are on a roll, with several players reaching significant milestones. Meanwhile, the Leafs have found a way to tank in order to safeguard their 1st round pick. On the other hand, Detroit completed an epic collapse this season, marking their 10th consecutive yea...

In a surprising turn of events, the New York Islanders fired Patrick Roy with just four games left in the season, appointing Pete Deboer as his replacement. The Toronto Maple Leafs are facing turmoil both on and off the ice following the firing of GM Brad Treliving and a challenging press conference by MLSE CEO Keith Pelley. On a more positive note, the Montreal Canadiens are pushing to secure the...

In a surprising turn of events, the Las Vegas Knights have fired Bruce Cassidy and brought in John Tortorella in hopes of energizing the team. Questions around the league are being raised about the Toronto Maple Leafs' strategy, particularly why they are not opting for a tank mode similar to the Florida Panthers to safeguard their first-round pick. Additionally, as the playoffs approach, which of...

We've reached the final stretch of the NHL season, and the playoff races are intensifying. In the Metro division, the Columbus Blue Jackets have emerged as contenders for a top three spot, while the Detroit Red Wings have struggled to keep pace due to key injuries. In the Western Conference, three or four teams are competing for the two Wild Card positions, with the Predators working to fend off t...

There is a growing consensus that it's time to re-evaluate the Player Safety discipline process after the unacceptable 5-game suspension given to Gudas for his dirty knee-on-knee hit on Matthews last week. This incident highlights the Leafs' season, showcasing their embarrassing responses to their captain's injury from such a blatant hit. As we approach the final stretch of the season, the Habs mu...

Following a somewhat lackluster trade deadline, the Leafs failed to make significant moves to restock their cupboards. The Habs stood pat, while the rest of the league continues to chase Colorado. Don't look now, but Buffalo has gone from the bottom of the East to leading the Atlantic division. After beating the Lightning twice this week, they could be considered the class of the Eastern Division....

The NHL season has resumed, but it seems the Leafs missed the memo, delivering three lackluster performances right out of the gate. This raises the question: Are Berube's days numbered? How many players will they move this week? On a brighter note, the Buffalo Sabres their impressive streak, securing three significant wins against Eastern Division rivals. As the NHL Trade Deadline approaches, Cana...

Congratulations to the US Men's and Women's Hockey teams on their gold medal wins. We always knew they'd eventually win a big one over the Canadians, we just hoped it wasn't going to be this time! What an epic couple of gold medal games, that can only help grow the game of hockey! Ok, back to the NHL as the season resumes on Wednesday night and the sprint to the playoffs begins! With the trade dea...

The Olympic hockey tournament has wrapped up the round robin stage, revealing some unexpected outcomes in pool play. Team Canada and Team US have emerged as the top two seeds, setting the stage for a potential showdown and rematch in the final. As we look ahead, the NHL trade deadline is just two weeks away. It's a crucial time for teams, particularly the Leafs and Habs, as they consider their str...

The Leafs have had a challenging week and it may be time for them to consider becoming sellers. Questions arise about the leadership within the team. In contrast, the Habs secured significant wins against the Knights and Avs, strengthening their position in the playoff standings. While Matthews and Nylander appear to be lacking in leadership, Celebrini is demonstrating why he is destined to become...

It was a challenging week for both the Leafs and Habs, leading Phil and Ryan to seek solace on the therapy couch. Meanwhile, the Sabres continue to surge up the standings, and Roy is once again showcasing his unorthodox coaching strategies. Injuries are impacting several Olympic Hockey rosters, with team Sweden facing the most significant challenges!

The Leafs celebrated a big win against Colorado, but faced an emotional game against the Knights, where they blew four two-goal leads. Meanwhile, the Habs have had a decent record over the past 10 games, yet their inconsistent play is frustrating Ryan. The trade market is heating up as the Knights acquire Andersson from the Flames, while the Rangers inform Panarin he'll be on the move. Additionall...

Thanks to a strong ten-game stretch, the Leafs have positioned themselves back into playoff contention. Meanwhile, the Habs faced challenges against a resurgent John Gibson and the Wings, but Ryan remains confident in their performance and the potential for the second half of the NHL season. In the West, Canadian teams are struggling, while McDavid continues to impress with a record-setting points...

Austin Matthews seems to have awakened, raising questions about whether it is too little too late for the Leafs to mount a second-half run. Meanwhile, the Canadiens have maintained their strong performance over the holiday season and are focused on keeping pace with other Cup contenders as the season progresses. With the Olympics just over a month away, rosters are being announced and analyzed, ad...

The recent road trip for the Leafs has been extremely disappointing, prompting Berube to express his frustration with the team's performance and leadership. In contrast, the Canadiens, despite facing injuries and fatigue, have managed to maintain their strong overall play. With Hughes now traded, the question arises: which team will make the next significant move? Will the trade floodgates open af...