The JD Bunkis Podcast

JD reacts to the Blue Jays much-needed win against Chris Sale and the Atlanta Braves. JD and Shayna Goldman, national NHL writer at The Athletic, discuss the controversial no-goal call from Game 2, what they've learned about these teams through two games, how the teams may be feeling after splitting the first two games, the goaltending battle, the Hurricanes' unproductive top line, why Mitch Marne...

JD and Ben Ennis, co-host of The FAN Morning Show , tell old man stories, try to determine Brandon Valenzuela's value, discuss Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s now "disaster" season, the biggest issues plaguing the team, what climbing back to a .500 record would mean for the team, and overreactions they had from Game 1 of the NBA Finals.  The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the ho...

JD reacts to Vegas Golden Knights' Game 1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes and the start of the Blue Jays series against the Atlanta Braves. Next, Jason Timpf, host of Hoops Tonight , joins JD to get into the NBA Finals. They discuss how the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs matchup, the contrast of their star players, why Jason is leaning towards the Knicks, if New York's path to the Fina...

JD reacts to Mitch Marner's "dark times" comments before the Stanley Cup Final. JD and James Mirtle, senior writer at The Athletic, discuss why everything is being made to be about the Maple Leafs, the NHL's media landscape, how the Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights matchup, Judd Brackett being named the Leafs Assistant General Manager, the Leafs continued search for a head coach, and h...

JD reacts to the Blue Jays rollercoaster weekend to split their four-game series with the Baltimore Orioles. Ariel Helwani joins JD to get into his New York Knicks fandom and the NBA Finals matchup against the San Antonio Spurs. JD and Producer Armen then discuss the historic Game 7 of the Western Conference Final and what's next for the Oklahoma City Thunder.  The views and opinions expressed in...

Chris Bassitt, Baltimore Orioles pitcher and former Blue Jay, discusses the weirdness of pitching against your former team, George Springer sticking his tongue out, PitchCom issues, stories from the World Series run, coming out of the bullpen during the playoffs, how having an opener impacts a starting pitcher, and the MLB owners' first proposal to the MLBPA. The show ends with discussion about th...

JD reacts to the Blue Jays series win over the Miami Marlins. Then, JD asks Marco D'Amico, co-host of The Starr and D'Amico Show, why the Montreal Canadiens have struggled to win at the Bell Centre, how the Carolina Hurricanes have taken control the series, what the Canadiens need to do better, if the extra rest between series has helped the Hurricanes, if the Canadiens will be expected to have an...

JD evaluates the new Blue Jays who are producing more for the team; Jesus Sanchez, Spencer Miles, and Yohendrick Pinango. JD questions how the roster and position construct of the Blue Jays can shift with the return of Addison Barger. Later (17:00), JD questions if this era of the Colorado Avalanche has become underwhelming and gives his takeaways from the Oklahoma City Thunder's game 5 win. The s...

JD and Ben Ennis, The FAN Morning Show , discuss sports fandom in the 90's before turning their attention to Maple Leafs fans' feelings as the Vegas Golden Knights and Montreal Canadiens inch closer to the Stanley Cup Final. Later, JD and Ben debate what societal factors have impacted modern rivalries in sports, discuss the "Enhanced Games" and the Blue Jays chances of coming back to win the divis...

JD reacts to the Vegas Golden Knights taking a commanding 3-0 series lead. Ben Nicholson-Smith, MLB insider and Sportsnet Jays reporter, discusses the minor injuries to Dylan Cease and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., if Patrick Corbin is the Jays MVP so far this season, which position player will be sent down with the nearing returns of Addison Barger and Nathan Lukes, Alejandro Kirk's next steps to return...

JD reacts to the Blue Jays splitting their four game series against the New York Yankees. JD then switches gears to the Stanley Cup Playoffs and wonders if you can be really be a Maple Leafs fan if you are rooting for Mitch Marner or the Montreal Canadiens. Jackie Redmond of the NHL on TNT gets into the weird fan dynamic for Leafs Nation right now, why the revisionist history about Marner's tenure...

JD reacts to the Vegas Golden Knights taking home ice-advantage in the Western Conference Finals. Dan Shulman,  Blue Jays play-by-play voice, joins JD (7:00) to get into last night's Blue Jays must-win victory over the New York Yankees. They discuss  when the Jays grace period is over, Trey Yesavage's stabilizing impact, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s extended slump and mental fortitude. The show end...

JD reacts to the Blue Jays fall in the American League standings after another loss to the Yankees in the Bronx. James Mirtle, senior writer at The Athletic, gives an inside look at the Maple Leafs continued off-season turnover. JD asks James if fan or player pressure impacted the firing of Craig Berube, what played into the departure of Brandon Pridham, if the likelihood of Auston Matthews leavin...

JD touches on the Maple Leafs letting go of Craig Berube and the Blue Jays losing to the Yankees, before bringing on Sportsnet NHL analyst, Luke Gazdic, to dive into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. JD and Luke break down the Montreal Canadiens' Game 7 win over the Buffalo Sabres, look forward to Montreal's matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes, and share their curiosities about the Western Conference...

Cliff Floyd, MLB Network analyst and World Series Champion, joins JD to discuss what about Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s season has surprised him the most, how the Blue Jays supporting cast has helped or hurt Vladdy, how confidence can impact plate appearances, what adjustment's Vladdy can make it, and the performances of Kazuma Okamoto and George Springer. The show ends with 'What We Missed!' The views...

JD and Ben Ennis, co-host of The FAN Morning Show ,  discuss Chandler Simpson and athletes that drive you crazy when they play against your team, how they view morality in sports differently, plus Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s struggles and what type of hitter he really is.  The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of...

JD reacts to Mitch Marner's playoff performance with the Vegas Golden Knights and the surrounding Toronto discourse. Colby Armstrong, Sportsnet NHL analyst, joins to have the Marner conversation, discuss the Montreal Canadiens' fandom and their chances at a deep Stanley Cup run, and share if he thinks the Maple Leafs will select Gavin McKenna with the first overall pick. Later, Blake Murphy and Pr...

JD reacts to a loaded sports weekend and starts by expanding on the Blue Jays with Ben Nicholson-Smith, MLB insider and Sportsnet Jays reporter. JD asks Ben which Jays pitcher could be joining the starting rotation, what the Jays could do next with a struggling Eric Lauer, what the return of Addison Barger was a reminder of, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s continued struggles, what went into the Jays deci...

Sam Cosentino, Sportsnet hockey analyst, joins JD to discuss the difference between a mock draft and a draft ranking, how close or far apart the prospective 2026 NHL lottery picks are, Gavin McKenna's strengths and potential weaknesses, McKenna opting out of competing at the World Championship with Team Canada, and how he stacks the defensemen that will be selected at the top of the NHL draft. The...

JD gives his opinion on the heated debate about the Maple Leafs selecting Gavin McKenna with the first overall draft pick. Kevin Barker, from Blair and Barker , analyzes what's wrong with the Blue Jays offence, what they can get from the return from Addison Barger, when the AL standings start to matter, why Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is struggling to slug, and how the season could go if he doesn't dras...

James Mirtle, senior writer at The Athletic, analyzes how he would utilize the first overall pick, the biggest dominos from winning the draft lottery, what direction the front office may lean, what the Leafs roster needs to be competitive again, and the biggest challenges this off-season for John Chayka. JD and Producer Armen end the show discussing Bobby Webster's end-of-season media availability...

JD and Ben Ennis, co-host of The FAN Morning Show , banter about sports superstitions, the most exciting moments as a sports fan, and where winning the draft lottery ranks among them. Later, the duo debate if they're concerned about the Blue Jays' recent slump and insert their recent old guy gripes.  The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not nece...

Bobby Marks, ESPN NBA front office insider, breaks down the Raptors off-season prerogatives, including Jakob Poeltl's contract and what it would take for the Raptors to get off it, what move the Raptors should prioritize this summer, and what Brandon Ingram's value is in the market. The show ends with 'What We Missed!'  The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and gu...

JD reacts to the Maple Leafs winning the NHL's Draft Lottery and starts to think about what the Maple Leafs may do with the first overall pick. Jason Bukala (9:00), Sportsnet hockey analyst and former Director of Amateur Scouting for the Florida Panthers, breaks down why he thinks the Maple Leafs should use their first overall pick to select Ivar Stenberg over Gavin McKenna. JD also asks Jason abo...

JD and Ben Nicholson-Smith, MLB insider and Sportsnet Blue Jays reporter, discuss what happened between John Schneider and Tyler Heineman, the catcher battle between Heineman and Brandon Valenzuela, multiple positive injury updates for the Jays lineup, new expectations for Kazuma Okamoto, what to do if José Berríos continues to struggle in the minor leagues, and Tarik Skubal needing surgery. The s...