Windy City Benders Podcast

Free agency is well underway, and as expected, things have been pretty quiet in the Windy City. The guys are back to break down this week's biggest hockey headlines, starting with Connor Bedard's injury scare in Vancouver. Bedard, who has been training in Vancouver this offseason, left the ice in pain on Thursday after appearing to lose an edge. Is this something Blackhawks fans should be concerne...

Silly season is officially here! With the NHL Draft complete and free agency underway, things are about to get weird so enjoy our dose of copium! Tanner kicks things off with a trip to the farm to break down the newest additions to the Chicago Blackhawks prospect pool. He explains why fans should be excited about this draft class, why the organization's boom-or-bust approach could pay off in a big...

Kyle Davidson and the Chicago Blackhawks have taken their first major swing of the offseason, acquiring defenseman Bowen Byram in a trade that immediately sparked strong reactions across the hockey world. On this episode, Tanner and Jarom break down everything that went into the deal, why the Blackhawks targeted Byram, and what his addition means for the future of the blue line. While many fans ar...

Power Talk ~ Episode 370 The 2025-26 NHL season has officially come to an end, with the Carolina Hurricanes lifting the Stanley Cup. Tanner opens the show by examining what made Carolina successful and what lessons their roster construction could offer the Chicago Blackhawks as they continue their rebuild. Next, the guys dive into Scott Powers' latest pre-draft thoughts and expand on several of th...

It was a slow news week for the Chicago Blackhawks, so the guys spent most of this episode diving into the biggest stories from around the NHL. They kick things off by laughing at how their hypothetical trade ideas and offseason plans for the Blackhawks have somehow been labeled as unrealistic compared to some of the rumors currently circulating around the league. They also double down on their be...

After a week off, the guys are back to break down the latest Chicago Blackhawks news and rumors. They kick things off by discussing the Blackhawks' decision to trade the rights to prospect Jack Pridham to the Tampa Bay Lightning and explain why they believe many fans are overreacting to the move. With trades expected to be a major part of the upcoming offseason, Jarom and Tanner unveil their Black...

The Guys are back with another episode of the Windy City Benders Podcast! On this week’s episode the guys open things up talking about their latest gut reaction to what the Blackhawks should do with the 4th overall pick. Looking at players who could become future Blackhawks, they discuss Roman Kantserov officially signing his entry-level contract and what it means for this team’s lineup next seaso...

Its been one week since the NHL Draft Lottery and the guys are back talking about the fallout from the Hawks falling to 4th overall. They take back a few of their heat-of-the-moment reactions but still stand by their feeling that Ivar Stenberg will be a Blackhawk. They get into how what fans think is the correct way for teams to approach the draft and what NHL front offices are actually going to d...

Jarom and Tanner are back for a special live episode of the Windy City Bender Podcast , reacting in real time to the NHL Draft Lottery. After the results reveal that the Chicago Blackhawks will be selecting fourth overall, the guys break down what that means for the organization. They dive into potential options at the pick and discuss how it could pave the way for landing a player like Ivar Stenb...

We’re kicking off Year 9 of the podcast by bringing back one of the founding fathers of the WCB Podcast, Andrew “Poetz” Poetzinger. The guys take a look back at how the show started and how much it’s grown over the years before diving into Poetz’s journey pursuing his broadcasting dreams. He shares what it’s been like stepping into a play-by-play role with the Indiana Sentinels of the FPHL, how th...

The season has officially come to an end for the Chicago Blackhawks—but not before a fun, high-energy matchup against the San Jose Sharks. The guys break down how the year wrapped up and reflect on their biggest takeaways from the season as a whole. They shift into offseason mode, discussing what they want to see from the team moving forward—from potential roster additions to how current players s...

The end of the line is near for the Chicago Blackhawks, and this season can’t come to a close fast enough. The guys break down what’s gone wrong in this final stretch, including a firsthand account from Tanner, who was in the building for the 5–3 loss to the St. Louis Blues. Trying to come to terms with what this season became, the conversation shifts to the big question: how do you fix this team...

The Chicago Blackhawks wrapped up the road portion of their season on a much more encouraging note compared to last year, and the improvement is starting to feel real. The guys dive into why this season should be viewed as a success when it comes to growth—whether it’s the structure, the competitiveness, or the way younger players are handling bigger roles. It’s not about the standings right now,...

Title: End Of Season Woes ~ Episode 360 It was a rough week for the Chicago Blackhawks and the guys are back to discuss what went down and even though things seem really bad this just might be what is best for this team to take that next step in this rebuild. Hosts: Jarom @ZachJarom Tanner X: @WCBPodcast Instagram: @WCBPodcast Facebook: WCBPodcast . . #nhl #hockey #blackhawks #icehockey #chicagobl...

The guys are back to break down another week of Chicago Blackhawks hockey, and it was almost like Groundhog Day as the team once again went 1-1-1. They dive into the good, the bad, and the ugly from last week’s games, but overall still come away with plenty of positives. Switching gears, the big news out of Chicago was the arrival of third overall pick Anton Frondell. The conversation turns to wha...

The guys are back to break down another week of Blackhawks hockey, and there’s finally a real sense of momentum building. They dive into the strides the team is making and how it’s starting to turn heads around the league — including André Tourigny of the Utah Mammoth — as the Hawks continue to show growth in key areas. Former captain Nick Foligno returns to the United Center, and the guys reflect...

The 2026 NHL Trade Deadline has come and gone, and once again Kyle Davidson delivered a masterclass in roster management. The guys break down the moves he made and what clues they give us about how the team could be built heading into the summer. They also dive into Frank Nazar’s recent hot streak, take a closer look at Connor Bedard and how he stacks up against other former first-overall picks th...

With the Trade Deadline here, the Chicago Blackhawks find themselves in unfamiliar territory. They’re not buyers — but they also don’t have much left to sell. The guys break down the Connor Murphy trade and why it was a strong, forward-thinking move for this team. From asset management to long-term roster flexibility, they explain how this deal fits the bigger picture. They also dive into who else...

USA Hockey is back on top of the world. Both the Men’s and Women’s teams take down Canada to capture Olympic gold, and the guys break down both championship performances. They dive into what it means for the Men’s team to win their first gold medal in 46 years, and why—regardless of the political climate—they’re proud of what this group accomplished on the ice. Then it’s back to Chicago as the Haw...

The Olympic break rolls on, but the crew is back with another episode of WCBPodcast! In this edition, the guys dive into new information surrounding Chicago Blackhawks season tickets, including details about a still-to-be-announced event that fans may soon be hearing more about. They also break down potential trade scenarios as the roster freeze nears its end and the NHL trade deadline quickly app...

The next era of the Windy City Benders Podcast is here! We’re excited to announce that we’ve officially joined the Inside The Rink Podcast Network to help take the show to the next level. As one of the top sources for hockey news, it only makes sense to call Inside The Rink home. Be sure to check out insidetherink.com for all your hockey coverage. In this episode, the guys break down the Frank Ser...

Hawks are limping into the Olympic Break and the guys are back talking about the last week worth of games, dive into Connor Murphy most likely being dealt but questioning if they might not be the best move, Gavin Mckenna news, and so much more!  Hosts: Jarom @ZachJarom Tanner X: @WCBPodcast Instagram: @WCBPodcast Facebook: WCBPodcast . . #nhl #hockey #blackhawks #icehockey #chicagoblackhawks #podc...

What looked like a weekend headed for disaster turned into a surprisingly solid stretch of Blackhawks hockey. The guys are back to break down all the action against the Hurricanes, Lightning, and Panthers, before looking ahead at the remaining schedule leading into the Olympic break. Jarom dives into the numbers to show how this team is improving, even if they still aren’t quite ready to be taken...

It was a rough week for the Hawks with lots of lows but despite the way the games went there was lots to be celebrated including the return of Blackhawks legends to the United Center. The guys talked about how good it was to see Toews back at the Madhouse and getting all the love he deserved and then some, they discuss what the trade deadline could look like for the Hawks and if they should take a...

The Flu Bug has hit the Blackhawks this past week and while things could have been much worse they still came out with a .500 record. The guys break down the games, talk about Korchinski’s timeline with the Hawks, Commesso’s readiness to make the jump next season and much more.  Hosts: Jarom @ZachJarom Tanner X: @WCBPodcast Instagram: @WCBPodcast Facebook: WCBPodcast . . #nhl #hockey #blackhawks #...