The FAN Pregame

Sean Avery, former NHL forward and host of the No Gruffs Given podcast, joins the show to discuss Tampa’s championship mettle, Mitch Marner’s strong start to the series, the Leafs’ lack of discipline in Game 2, how Toronto’s blue line stacks up against the Lightning’s forward group, and potential lineup changes for the Leafs in Game 3. Then, the crew chats about the Blue Jays’ 6-5 loss to the Guar...

JD discusses his Friday night plans and how he intends to watch Game 3 between the Leafs and Lightning while also attending a wedding. Afterwards, the team chats about where Game 3 ranks on the Leafs’ must-win scale and which players are facing the most scrutiny heading into tonight’s game (13:44). Later, Ailish presents her daily edition of the A-List (32:25)! The views and opinions expressed in...

Colby Armstrong, former NHL forward and current Sportsnet analyst, stops by to chat about Tampa’s resounding performance in Game 2, Alex Kerfoot’s positive impact on both ends of the ice, Michael Bunting’s return to the lineup, and the tight whistle on Wednesday night. Afterwards, Rick Tocchet, former NHL head coach and current NHL on TNT analyst, joins the show to discuss the coaching battle betw...

Nick Kypreos, former NHL forward and co-host of Real Kyper and Bourne, weighs in on Wayne Simmonds’ undisciplined play in Game 2, the potential of reinserting Jason Spezza into the lineup for Game 3, John Tavares’ lack of involvement offensively and his diminishing footspeed, and Jack Campbell’s jittery presence in the crease on Wednesday. Later, JD, Blake and Ailish tee up the betting lines for t...

Ben Ennis, co-host of The FAN Drive Time, joins JD, Blake and Ailish to discuss the Blue Jays’ cold bats, lingering concerns about the team’s lineup depth, Toronto’s need for a quality left-handed bat, the Jays’ reliance on their pitching so far this season, and the modern discourse surrounding officiating in sports. Later, the team chats about their go-to gifts for Mother’s Day and why Cinco de M...

JD, Blake and Ailish discuss the Maple Leafs’ 5-3 loss to the Lightning in Game 2, Tampa’s improved play after the Leafs’ blowout win in the series opener, John Tavares and William Nylander struggling to find their rhythm, Toronto’s inability to stay out of the penalty box, and Sheldon Keefe’s impending decisions on the fourth line. Later, Ailish presents her daily edition of the A-List - featurin...

Craig Simpson, former NHL forward, two-time Stanley Cup champion, and current Sportsnet analyst, stops by to discuss the Leafs generating momentum from their penalty kill, Toronto learning from their past playoff shortcomings, and the atmosphere inside Scotiabank Arena during Game 1. Former Blue Jays pitcher Ricky Romero checks in to chat about Toronto’s recent offensive dryspell, Alek Manoah’s do...

Sportsnet’s Luke Fox joins the show to discuss Michael Bunting’s status for Game 2, if he should immediately rejoin the Leafs’ top line, Jason Spezza likely being a healthy scratch for a second straight game, and the Lightning’s power play issues in Game 1. Later, JD, Blake and Ailish tee up the betting lines for tonight’s Leafs-Lightning tilt and the Blue Jays’ series finale against the Yankees....

Jeff Marek, host of The Jeff Marek Show and co-host of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, joins JD, Blake and Ailish to discuss how Tampa might respond to adversity, Mitch Marner’s brilliant Game 1 performance, and the Leafs’ effective special teams play. Later, the crew chats about their takeaways from Masai Ujiri’s season-ending press conference, including the lack of clarity regarding the Raptors' path...

JD, Blake and Ailish discuss the Blue Jays’ 9-1 loss to the Yankees, Alek Manoah delivering another solid outing, the Jays’ mounting offensive woes, Bo Bichette’s recent defensive struggles at shortstop, and the missed calls from the umpiring crew during last night’s seventh inning. Then, the team chats about which storylines they’re most curious about heading into tonight’s Game 2 between the Lea...

Kris Versteeg, former NHL forward and two-time Stanley Cup champion, discusses the Maple Leafs’ crucial five-minute penalty kill early in Game 1, Alex Kerfoot’s lineup versatility, David Kampf’s importance to the Leafs’ success, and Tampa’s lack of urgency in Game 1. Afterwards, Chris Chelios, Hockey Hall of Famer and current ESPN studio analyst, stops by to chat about his takeaways from the Leafs...

Jennifer Botterill, three-time Olympic Gold Medalist and current Sportsnet analyst, joins the show to discuss the Leafs’ poise in Game 1, Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner starting the post-season on a positive note, Alex Kerfoot’s tenacious disposition and his fit on the Leafs’ top line, Kyle Clifford’s ill-advised hit on Ross Colton, and Toronto's added physical edge. Later, JD, Blake and Ailish...

JD, Blake and Ailish head to the text line to field comments and questions from listeners! The crew covers several topics including the Leafs’ quest to develop a killer instinct, Tampa’s sluggish performance in Game 1, and Toronto's physicality in the series opener. Afterwards, Blue Jays radio play-by-play voice Ben Wagner stops by to chat about Toronto's 3-2 loss to the Yankees on Monday, Yimi Ga...

JD, Blake and Ailish discuss the Leafs’ resounding 5-0 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 1, the electric atmosphere at Scotiabank Arena, Toronto’s dominant special teams play, David Kampf’s prowess as a penalty killer, Mitch Marner snapping his playoff goalless drought, and the influx of penalties during last night's series opener. Later, Ailish presents her daily edition of the A-List (39:...

Justin Bourne, co-host of Real Kyper and Bourne, joins JD, Blake and Ailish to discuss his confidence level in Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner heading into the playoffs, Sheldon Keefe’s decision to omit Jason Spezza from the fourth line, Keefe’s job security, Jack Campbell’s importance to the Leafs’ chances of unseating the Lightning, and Toronto’s blue line depth. WWE superstar Edge stops by to...

Steve Dangle, co-host of The Steve Dangle Podcast, joins the show to discuss his level of optimism heading into the playoffs, Jack Campbell’s strong form since returning from injury, Mitch Marner’s evolution as a goal scorer, and the pressure facing Marner and Auston Matthews this post-season. Later, JD, Blake and Ailish tee up the betting lines for tonight’s Leafs-Lightning game and Blue Jays-Yan...

Dave Randorf, play-by-play announcer for the Tampa Bay Lightning, joins the show to discuss the Lightning’s quest for a three-peat, their stretches of inconsistency during the regular season, and Andrei Vasilevskiy’s impressive post-season resume. Jeff Blair, co-host of Blair and Barker, stops by to chat about the Jays’ encouraging results in April, Kevin Gausman’s dominant splitter and his prolif...

JD, Blake and Ailish discuss the short turnaround between the end of the regular season and the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Sheldon Keefe’s pre-series comments about Tampa’s physicality, the gamesmanship between Keefe and Jon Cooper, and the pressure facing Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner to deliver this post-season. Afterwards, JD discusses his experience watching Kevin Gausman dominate t...

Howard Beck, senior NBA writer for Sports Illustrated and co-host of The Crossover NBA Show, weighs in on the Raptors’ unique team-building philosophy, the need to have a superstar-calibre player in order to compete for a championship, and how the 76ers match up against the Heat in their second round playoff series. Later, JD, Blake and Ailish discuss Sheldon Keefe’s decision to rest Auston Matthe...

Sportsnet's Michael Grange checks in to discuss the Raptors’ reasons for optimism heading into the off-season, Scottie Barnes’ emergence as a potential franchise cornerstone, Gary Trent Jr.’s future as he heads into a contract year, and the Raptors being in the early stages of their competitive window. Later, the JD, Blake and Ailish tee up the betting lines for tonight’s Leafs-Bruins regular seas...

Bobby Marks, former NBA executive and current front office insider for ESPN, joins the show to discuss the Raptors’ playoff exit at the hands of the 76ers, Pascal Siakam elevating his game to an All-NBA level this season, Toronto’s need to reinforce their backcourt this off-season, the team’s big gap to championship contention, and Chris Boucher’s potential market in free agency. Later, JD, Blake...

JD, Blake and Ailish discuss the Raptors being eliminated by the 76ers, the team’s second half meltdown in Game 6, the totality of the Raptors’ growth this season, how Toronto takes the next step towards championship contention, and the Sixers finding their rhythm after two dejecting losses in Games 4 and 5. Later, Ailish presents her daily edition of the A-List (38:33)! The views and opinions exp...

Justin Bourne, co-host of Real Kyper and Bourne, stops by to discuss the results of the NHLPA’s annual players’ poll, the Leafs’ optimal blue line pairings for the playoffs, and lingering lineup decisions in the team’s bottom six. Dwane Casey, former Raptors head coach and current Detroit Pistons bench boss, joins the show to discuss how the Raptors’ size and length has disrupted Joel Embiid, the...

Vivek Jacob, writer for Raptors.com and CBC Sports, joins the show to discuss the Raptors capitalizing on the non-Embiid minutes over the past three games, Pascal Siakam’s dominance in Toronto’s back-to-back wins, and Scottie Barnes putting his imprint on this series. Then, JD, Blake and Ailish weigh in with their X-factors for Game 6 and which Raptors are facing the most pressure heading into ton...

Spike Eskin, co-host of The Rights to Ricky Sanchez podcast, joins JD, Blake and Ailish to discuss Joel Embiid’s frontrunner tendencies, the 76ers’ ideal game script against the Raptors, James Harden’s regression as a scorer, and the potential repercussions if the Sixers lose this series. Afterwards, Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith stops by to chat about the Blue Jays’ 7-1 loss to the Red Sox on W...