The JD Bunkis Podcast

JD reacts to the introduction of John Chayka and Mats Sundin as the Toronto Maple Leafs front office leadership and outlines how there is a lot of catching up to do for the organization. JD asks Nick Kypreos, co-host of Real Kyper and Bourne , what his biggest takeaway was from interviewing Chayka and Sundin, how he feels about Craig Berube's job security, what to make of Sundin's vague job title,...

JD and Kris Versteeg, two-time Stanley Cup champion, talk about the Montreal Canadiens persevering in Game 7 despite only having nine shots on goal, what the next move could be for the Tampa Bay Lightning, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl's comments after being eliminated, and how much longer they think McDavid will give the Edmonton Oilers. The show ends with 'What We Missed!'  The views and opi...

JD reacts to the Maple Leafs hiring John Chayka and Mats Sundin to lead their new front office. JD then gets into the Raptors' Game 7 loss and what matters most moving forward. JD and Joseph Casciaro, Raptors reporter and NBA content lead at theScore, talk about (10:00) the most intriguing takeaway from the series, the added urgency to build a competitive team around Scottie Barnes, which Raptors...

JD and Ben Nicholson-Smith, MLB insider and Sportsnet Blue Jays reporter, talk about if it's fair to criticize Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s lack of home runs despite his impactful season, George Springer and Addison Barger's return to the lineup, making sense of Alejandro Kirk's return timetable, Eric Lauer having the worst Stuff+ among qualified MLB pitchers, and how baseball is viewing expansion befo...

JD reacts to Connor McDavid and Nikola Jokic being eliminated from the first round of the playoffs and discusses the modern realities of parody in the NHL and NBA with producer Armen. Michael Soroka, Team Canada and Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher, joins JD to chat about his All-Star calibre season, the nuances of making in-season tweaks, the impact of the Trajekt machine, what made him want to pitch...

JD asks James Mirtle, senior writer at The Athletic, about the Maple Leafs search to hire a new president of hockey operations or a general manager. JD and James discuss what Matt Sundin's influence could be on the front office, John Chayka's history as a front office executive, how Tie and Max Domi's relationship with Chayka may affect decisions, and try to see a future where the Leafs can compet...

JD reacts to positive and negatives from the Raptors Game 5 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Justin Termine, host of NBA Today on SiriusXM, shares if he feels the Raptors fumbled the game or if the Cavaliers took it, how Brandon Ingram's poor play has affected the series, the legacy narrative surrounding Nikola Jokic, and which Eastern Conference team has the most pressure. JD ends the hour evalua...

JD asks Shayna Goldman, national NHL writer at The Athletic, about which team she trusts more to complete a series comeback down 3-1, how the playoff results will affect the Pittsburgh Penguins' future, if feelings about the playoff format has shifted, and a Connor McDavid theory. The show ends with 'What We Missed!' The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guest...

JD and Ben Ennis, co-host of The FAN Morning Show , discuss the difference between small and big market sports cities, reaons for Raptors optimism, the return of Trey Yesavage, how they think the Blue Jays closing role will be handled, and complicated Dylan Cease feelings.  The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the positio...

JD and Matthew Barnaby, 14-year NHL forward, analyze Sidney Crosby's and Connor McDavid's chances of making a comeback in their first round series, what possibilities McDavid's competitive hunger could lead to, if the Anaheim Ducks or Montreal Canadiens have a better chance of making a deep playoff run, what he thinks the Buffalo Sabres' ceiling could be, and Brady Tkachuk's standing in Ottawa. Th...

JD and Jared Carrabis, co-host of the Baseball is Dead podcast, get into the Dylan Cease experience thus far with the Blue Jays, before JD asks Jared about the tumultuous times for the Boston Red Sox. Jared breaks down the hatred for Red Sox owner John Henry, how the organization got to this point, and if the conversations about a lockout have shifted. JD closes the hour discusses what it's like s...

Steve Jones, co-host of The Dunker Spot, joins JD to discuss how Darko Rajaković has adjusted as the series has gone along, the shift that comes with Scottie Barnes being the best player in the series, if there is a tactical adjustment the Cavaliers can make, what makes Collin Murray-Boyles special, what NBA teams have the most pressure left, and Nikola Jokic's chances of climbing back from a 3-1...

JD reacts to the Raptors tying up their first-round series 2-2 against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Shi Davidi, MLB columnist and Sportsnet Jays reporter, talks about Jeff Hoffman's ousting as the closer, the plan with Trey Yesavage this week, how Kazuma Okamoto is finding himself, and the team's current chemistry. JD closes the hour talking about the most exciting Stanley Cup playoff series.  The vie...

Adam Ottavino, MLB analyst and 15-year MLB pitcher, joins JD to assess the Blue Jays pitching staff. Adam analyzes Jeff Hoffman’s performance thus far and breaks down why fixing pitching mechanics is harder then fixing mental hurdles, if he likes Louis Varland in a closer role, what makes Tyler Rogers an elite bullpen arm, Trey Yesavage's return to the big leagues, and the usage of Trajekt machine...

JD reacts to the Raptors Game 3 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers and debates what the most important factors in the win was. Brady Quinn, NFL on FOX analyst, breaks down Round 1 of the NFL draft. JD and Producer Armen finish the hour with their thoughts on Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett.  The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily refle...

JD asks Cliff Floyd, MLB Network analyst, about Logan Gilbert's shirt malfunction, the team dynamics at play when the closing role is not solidified, how he would deploy Jeff Hoffman amidst his struggles, if he thinks Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will hit for power again, and his perspective on Kazuma Okamoto's acclimation to the MLB.  The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hos...

JD and theScore's Joseph Casciaro, chat about the ripple effects from Victor Wembanyama's concussion, Brandon Ingram's time to step up, and what's been reaffirmed about the Raptors thus far in the playoffs. JD then discusses the shortlist of General Manager candidates for the Maple Leafs.  The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily ref...

JD asks Kris Versteeg, two-time Stanley Cup Champion, about the makeup of the Montreal Canadiens, what could happen next with Michael Hage, the allure and promise of the Buffalo Sabres, and if the Edmonton Oilers can flip the playoff switch, again. The show ends with 'What We Missed!'  The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect...

JD and Ben Ennis, co-host of The FAN Morning Show , talk about the ABS challenge system and banter about what they are optimistic and pessimistic about with the Blue Jays. JD and Ben also chat about bad sports bar designs.  The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jim Bowden, MLB insider and former MLB GM, joins JD to analyze the Blue Jays' concerning start, Bo Bichette's poor start with the New York Mets, Jeff Hoffman's volatility, the changing landscape of pitcher contracts, and if there's a shift in optimism about MLB's potential labour stoppage. The show ends with Raptors discussion on DeMar DeRozan and Toronto's playoff hopes.  The views and opinions e...

JD reacts to the Raptors going down 0-2 to the Cleveland Cavaliers and brings on Sportsnet's Michael Grange to dissect the Raptors' issues and Brandon Ingram's historically bad game. JD and Grange discuss Ingram's over-importance to the team, the roster's clunky on-court fit, if there are any adjustments Grange can foresee the Raptors making, and the likelihood of Immanuel Quickley returning for G...

JD and Ben Nicholson-Smith, MLB insider and Sportsnet Blue Jays reporter, debate if the Blue Jays season is teetering and if they have a team identity. JD asks Ben about Dalton Varsho's injury, if Jeff Hoffman's role could change after blowing another save, and Eric Lauer's honest comments about having an opener.  The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests a...

Chris Mannix, NBC sideline reporter for the Raptors-Cleveland series, joins JD to react to the Raptors Game 1 loss and break down what will need to change for the Raptors in Game 2 and the rest of the series. JD asks Chris about Brandon Ingram's lack of offensive involvement, Scottie Barnes' biggest test to date, which series opener around the league most shifted his mind, and LeBron James exposin...

Jason Timpf, host of Hoops Tonight, joins JD to breaks down what the Raptors may struggle to handle from the Cavaliers, how the roster is built to guard the Cavs' star guards, what he thinks are the most critical hinge points of the series, what fit issues the Raps may face head-on in the first-round, which first-round favourite has the most pressure, the elusive second ring for modern NBA superst...

JD reacts to the Maple Leafs missing out on Sunny Mehta and how it appears the Leafs are conducting their management search. MLB Network’s Jon Morosi talks about the Blue Jays' precarious rotation situation and the domino effect on the bullpen staff. JD and Jon also discuss Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s slow start, who they’re confident about in the lineup, the most surprising part of the Jays start, th...