Daren is joined by Robert Thomas (4:45) and Bill Daly (22:45). Thomas talks about taking boxing classes with the Tkachuk's and bringing his new puppy out on the golf course for 18 holes. Daly touches on the NHL's trip to Australia and the chances of the NHL participating in the next Winter Olympics. Daren dissects the controversy surrounding Mike Babcock in Columbus and looks ahead to the challenges that the Blue Jackets will face on the ice as the season gets underway in three weeks (18:35)....

Daren is joined by Vegas Golden Knights GM Kelly McCrimmon (2:50) to talk about winning the Stanley Cup, the key moves that were made to accomplish the goal and the journey from expansion team to champion. Plus, he looks ahead to building a roster for 2024 and the challenge of quickly turning the page to preparing for the NHL Draft. Meghan Duggan, the NJ Devils Director of Player Development, joined Daren (40:27) to discuss how her role with the Devils has progressed since being hired, the...

Daren is joined by Mike Bolt, one of the Keeper's of the Cup to share some of his best Stanley Cup stories (1:30). Bolt takes some time to discuss some of the details of his job, the rules surrounding the Stanley Cup, the celebrity run-ins he's had over the years and a crazy story that happened when he was in Afghanistan with the Stanley Cup. Bolt has held the job for 23 years and he looks back to discuss some of the most memorable parties with the cup, his favorite photos of the Stanley Cup...

Daren is joined by Bruce Cassidy (1:50) and Eddie Olczyk (21:44). Cassidy talks about his team's journey to the Stanley Cup Final, including a very satisfying series wins over the Edmonton Oilers and the Dallas Stars. Bruce says the victory over the high powered Oilers team will be remembered if they go onto win the Stanley Cup and talked about Adin Hill's emergence as the team's goalie, William Karlsson's offensive surge and Jack Eichel's game throughout his first appearance in the playoffs....

Daren is joined by Dallas Eakins (1:20) to talk about the Conference Finals and how the Golden Knights and Panthers have taken surprising 3-0 series leads. Eakins discusses why he'd prefer to coach teams that feature depth rather than a few star players and why Paul Maurice has had success wherever he goes. He looks at the undisciplined play by Jamie Benn and tries to explain why NHL players sometimes lose their cool even in crucial situations, such as the playoffs. Plus, thoughts on how the...

Daren is joined by  Colby Armstrong (1:15) to discuss all the surrounding storylines of the Conference Finals. They talk about the four coaches remaining, their styles and the fact that 3 of the 4 are new coaches to their respective teams. Plus, what do the remaining teams have in common? Armstrong points to grit, toughness and overall nastiness that he believes is still needed for a team to win a Stanley Cup. Plus, a look at the Conn Smythe race and the unique goalie situations that are a...

Daren is joined by Nick Kypreos to discuss all the Second Round storylines, including the Leafs avoiding a sweep against the Panthers, the reasons for their struggles and management's future if they ultimately lose the series. Plus, he explains why the Oilers/Golden Knights series has been so nasty and discusses just how in-depth scouting reports are during the playoffs. Kypreos looks at Rod Brind'Amour and thinks he's the best coach in the NHL, with the ability to motivate and make tactical...

Daren is joined by TNT analyst Darren Pang (1:00) to talk about how the balance of power in the playoffs have shifted with the Boston Bruins being eliminated in the first round and who he thinks the favorites are now to win the Stanley Cup. Pang thinks the playoffs are wide open and could make a case for every team. They talk about the Oilers star power vs. the Golden Knights depth, and Pang tells some great stories about Bruce Cassidy as he was a teammate of his on 5 different teams. The...

Daren is joined by Kevin Woodley of InGoal Magazine and NHL.com to discuss the intricacies of the goalie position and some of the goalie storylines developing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Who has been the best goalie in the playoffs thus far ? You will be surprised by Kevin's answer. Plus, a look at Andrei Vasilevskiy and Derek Lalonde's comments about him struggling with shots from the point, the emergence of Akira Schmid, the brilliance of Jake Oettinger and the issues surrounding the...

Daren is joined by Sportsnet lead play-by-play voice Chris Cuthbert (2:07). Cuthbert talks about the ins and outs of the series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning and touches on the tense vibe that exists in Toronto at this time of year. Who has a better chance of winning the Stanley Cup, Toronto or Edmonton? Cuthbert is a believer in the Oilers and thinks they have less pressure on them than Toronto does. He discusses the luxury of getting access to NHL coaches during...

Daren is joined by ESPN lead analyst Ray Ferraro (2:50) to talk about a bunch of the intriguing storylines ahead of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He points out some of the issues that are plaguing the NY Rangers (19:00), the goalie dilemma that may capture everyone's attention in Toronto (15:00) and the pressure that the Boston Bruins are facing after their record-breaking regular season (10:00). He also breaks down why the Edmonton Oilers power play gives opponents fits (24:00) and handicaps...

Daren is joined by Jarret Stoll (4:22) to discuss his transition to television, his role in the Kings player development department and the success that the Kings have had this season. They talk about Anze Kopitar's Selke Trophy candidacy, Jonathan Quick moving to the Las Vegas Golden Knights and how dangerous the Kings can be in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Daren wraps the episode (22:50) breaking down the playoff races around the NHL and he makes a few predictions for Jack Eichel and the...

Daren is joined by John Shannon to talk about the many storylines heading in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, including the Minnesota Wild's torrid stretch of play (2:00), the many faces of Dean Evason and the starting goalie decisions that need to be made around the NHL. What's going on in Winnipeg? and what buttons is Paul Maurice pushing in Florida to get the Panthers over the hump? Shannon, a longtime TV producer and executive, also explains what goes into a former player becoming a successful...

Daren is joined by former NHL coach and current NHL Network/TSN analyst Bruce Boudreau (2:00). Bruce talks about the many people who reached out to him after he was let go from the Vancouver Canucks and shares a story about how the actors from Slap Shot lifted his spirits when he needed it most. He breaks down the Western Conference playoff races and tries to determine who out of the West is the most dangerous team. He handicaps the Toronto Maple Leafs chances of making noise in the playoffs...

Daren is joined by Sarah Nurse (3:55) & Brandon Tanev (19:16). Nurse talks about her involvement in the documentary Ice Queens, the growth of women's hockey, her CHEL rating and Romeo, her dog. Tanev talks about this bobblehead giveaway, the Seattle Kraken's recent success and provides the entire backstory to Daren about his famous "he saw a ghost" face. 

Daren is joined by Dallas Stars head coach Pete DeBoer (4:16). DeBoer discusses how his team has spent most of the season in first place, his relationship with Joe Pavelski, the unique qualities of Jason Robertson and why he thinks the Colorado Avalanche are still the team to beat in the NHL. He explains why he thinks Barry Trotz going into management is a big plus for the League and how he feels about possibly moving into the front office when his coaching career is over. He shares his...

Daren is joined by Darren Dreger to talk about all the Trade Deadline rumors and machinations leading up to March 3. Does Patrick Kane want to be moved? What are the Coyotes doing with Jakob Chychrun. Plus, a look at what moves make sense for the Edmonton Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes, New Jersey Devils, NY Rangers, Winnipeg Jets, Dallas Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning and Minnesota Wild. Who are the teams lurking in the weeds? It's all covered on this episode. 

Daren is joined by Seth Jarvis (2:02) of the Carolina Hurricanes and Detroit Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde (20:23). Jarvis is from Winnipeg and reminisces about his outdoor hockey experience as a kid, discusses what makes Rod Brind'Amour's speeches so powerful and explains some of his unique pre-game rituals. Lalonde gives a lesson on how to pronounce his last name and talks about his love for IPAs, his relationship with Steve Yzerman, the Red Wings young core and his assessment of the...

Daren is joined by Keith Tkachuk to talk about the amazing All Star Weekend that the Tkachuk family had in Florida (2:30). Big Walt discusses the growth of both Matthew and Brady, the transition process that Matthew had to make when he was traded, his struggling golf game and what he thinks the future will be for both the Florida Panthers and Ottawa Senators. He looks back at some of his favorite moments of the All Star experience and discusses what it meant to the family.

Daren is joined by head  of the Vegas Golden Knights Bruce Cassidy. Cassidy talks about how he got his start in coaching, the transition to Vegas, dealing with injuries, and how he goes about fostering relationships with his players. He's a big golfer, but explains why he hasn't been on the course a lot and he also discusses some of the dynamics that go into coaching at the All Star game . Plus, thoughts on Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, Alex Pietrangelo and Jim Montgomery, who he gave advice to...

Daren is joined by Dave Goucher and Gary Lawless for a roundtable that covers a heck of a lot, including the state of the Vegas Golden Knights and whether or not the injury bug will once again keep the club from reaching its full potential. Goucher and Lawless are both convinced that the Bruins will represent the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup Final and they look at potential players that they could add at the deadline to bolster the roster. They discuss the winning formula in...

Daren is joined by the TV voice of the Seattle Kraken John Forslund. John hops on to talk about the reasons for the Kraken's success in year 2, provide a behind the scenes glimpse into Matty Beniers and explain the organization's approach to Shane Wright's development. He discusses his transition from Carolina to Seattle and the great chemistry he has in the TV booth with Ed Olczyk. Plus, he gives a little background on some of his notable catch phrases and shares a heart warming story on the...

Daren is joined by TNT analyst Rick Tocchet and they snap it around touching on a number of subjects, including Connor Bedard's potential impact on a franchise, Tage Thompson's development and the defensive issues plaguing the Florida Panthers. They talk about Connor McDavid's status as an all-time great and look at some of the reasons why the Boston Bruins, Dallas Stars and Vegas Golden Knights have all had success under new coaching regimes. Tocchet explains why he's enjoyed making the...

Daren is joined by Jim Montgomery (2:00) to talk about the Bruins amazing start to the season, the minor tweaks that he made when he took over, his relationship with Bruce Cassidy and Linus Ullmark's incredible run of play. He touches on Patrice Bergeron's unique leadership qualities and Brad Marchand's hunger to consistently learn. What's he looking forward to most about the Winter Classic at Fenway Park? And what does he remember about the Coach's Cafe during the pandemic.... It's quite the...

Daren is joined by Barry Trotz to discuss Alex Ovechkin's latest milestone and his quest to break Wayne Gretzky's all-time goal record. Barry offers great insight into what makes Ovechkin ticks, his growth as a player and person, his unrivaled durability, his Russian background and his drive to be the best goal scorer in history. Barry also discusses how he's been spending his time away from the ice and his coaching future. He also shows off his signed guitar collection from his home in...