Say it ain’t so, but it looks like Sheldon Keefe is going to remain as coach of the Maple Leafs In this edition of The HockeyVerse, we discuss what the Toronto Maple Leafs will do with Sheldon Keefe, why Auston Matthews’ next contract won’t necessarily be a long one, and talk about the ongoing Stanley Cup final between Florida and Vegas. We are also joined by Buffalo News hockey columnist Mike Harrington, who gives us a first-hand look at the NHL Scouting Combine and what Sabres fans think...

Will Brad Treliving sign Auston Matthews — or lose him like he did Matthew Tkachuk? In this edition of The HockeyVerse, we discuss why Treliving was the best candidate to run the Maple Leafs, what comes next for the team this summer and why Kyle Dubas was hired in Pittsburgh. We also preview the Stanley Cup final between Florida and Vegas and give you our picks for the Conn Smythe Trophy. We are also joined by hockey insider Eric Francis of Sportsnet Calgary, who explains why Leafs fans...

Is losing Kyle Dubas really the end of the Leafs as we know it?  In this episode of The HockeyVerse, we discuss why Kyle Dubas is no longer the GM and look ahead to what is a monumental summer for the Leafs. We are also joined live in the studio by longtime Canadian Press reporter Greg Strong, who explains why this is a difficult time to be a Toronto sports fan.***Just when Dubas was starting to win over fans (and pick fights with opposing fans), he’s gone (3:00)***Looking back, imagine if...

Episode 19: Best Leafs team in 20 years … and you want to fire everyone? In this post-mortem edition of The HockeyVerse, we do a complete autopsy on this roster and look ahead to who stays and who goes this summer. We are also joined by Toronto hockey reporter David Alter of The Hockey News, who gives us all the juicy details from the end-of-year Leafs locker clean-out — and why Kyle Dubas might be gone. ** The argument for rolling back the roster for next year (0:35) *** There’s more...

Episode 19: Can "Curtis" Joseph Woll take another bite out of the Panthers? In this edition of The HockeyVerse, we recap the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Game 4 win against the Florida Panthers and look ahead to whether they can keep it rolling for Game 5. We are also joined by Terry Koshan of The Toronto Sun, who tells us why the Leafs should ride-or-die with Joseph Woll and what Toronto can learn from Mike Richards.**Why Joseph Woll is ready for this moment (3:00)***Mitch Marner had how many...

Episode 17: Who is to blame for the Leafs being down 0-3 to the Panthers? In this edition of The HockeyVerse, we recap the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Game 3 loss to the Florida Panthers and look ahead to what the summer holds for a team that hasn’t learned a thing. We are also joined by North American Central Scouting’s Mark Seidel, who preps us for the NHL Draft Lottery and why so many teams were tanking for Connor Bedard this year. ** Who is to blame for that ugly Game 3 loss...

Episode 16: Leafs are down 0-2 to the Panthers, but why does it feel like they’re still going to win the series?In this edition of The HockeyVerse, we recap the Game 2 loss by the Toronto Maple Leafs against the Florida Panthers and look ahead to what is looking like a couple of must-win games in Florida, with the help of NHL.com insider Mike Zeisberger. We also talked about the red-hot Sergei Bobrovsky, why Sam Bennett wasn’t suspended and whether Matthews Knies has played his last game of...

Episode 15: The Leafs have a Matthew Tkachuk problemIn this edition of The HockeyVerse, we recap the Game 1 loss by the Toronto Maple Leafs against the Florida Panthers and look ahead to Game 2, with the help of South Florida hockey reporter George Richards. We also talked about Sam Bennett’s inability to do a pull-up, why William Nylander has disappeared and whether Sergei Bobrovsky is capable of stealing the series.**Can someone please stop Matthew Tkachuk … please(2:30)***My day at the gym...

Episode 14: Leafs finally slayed the dragon and won a playoff round … but it’s still Cup or bustIn this edition of The HockeyVerse, we recap the series-clinching win by the Toronto Maple Leafs over the Tampa Bay Lightning and look ahead to Round 2, with the help of Sportsnet hockey columnist Luke Fox. We also talked about John Tavares and his captaincy, the next paycheque of Ilya Samsonov and whether the Juicy Wiggle is song of the playoffs.**One down, 3 more to go. Are we happy with just one...

Episode 13: Leafs lose Game 5 and it’s all Justin Holl’s fault? In this edition of The HockeyVerse, we recap Game 5 between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Tampa Bay Lightning and look ahead to what is becoming a must-win Game 6, with the help of Toronto Sun columnist Steve Simmons. We also talk about the Jets’ getting eliminated by the Golden Knights, whether Andrei Vasilevskiy has woken up and why the the Leafs need their stars to start shining again.***The series was right there for the...

Episode 12: Leafs win Game 4 and Auston Matthews puts his stamp on the series. In this edition of The HockeyVerse, we recap Game 4 between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Tampa Bay Lightning and look ahead to Game 5, with the help of reporter Matt Larkin of Daily Face-Off. We also talk about the $40-million-Four, whether we’ll see Michael Bunting at all this series, why Alex Kerfoot is an unsung hero and how the parade route is probably going to stretch all the way from Toronto to...

Episode 11: Leafs win Game 3 and Morgan Rielly is back to being Morgan Rielly. In this edition of The HockeyVerse, we recap Game 3 between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Tampa Bay Lightning and look ahead to Game 4, with the help of reporter David Alter of The Hockey News. We also talk about Ryan O’Reilly’s impact on the series, ask whether Ilya Samsonov is outplaying Andrei Vasilevskiy and why Auston Matthews should never drop the gloves again. *** Do you have to drop both gloves in...

Episode 10: Is Yellow Hoodie Guy the new Dart Guy? In this playoff edition episode of The HockeyVerse, we recap Game 2 between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Tampa Bay Lightning and look predict what will happen in Game 3. We also ask burning questions, like whether the Leafs have figured out Andrei Vasilevskiy, when are we going to see Michael Bunting, and what exactly was Yellow Hoodie Guy drinking?***The Leafs — and one drunk-looking fan — punched back hard in Game 2 (2:23)***Is John...

The Leafs blew it…there’s not much else to say about their Game 1 loss to the Lightning. But we tried anyway in a special post-game recap, with Michael Traikos reporting live from the drive home from the rink.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thehockeyverse/message

Why Ryan O’Reilly will be the X-factor For The Leafs To Beat The Lightning***In this special episode of The HockeyVerse, we tee up the Stanley Cup playoffs — specifically Toronto’s first-round series against Tampa Bay — and give you our playoff predictions. We are also joined by NHL.com reporter and host of the Sunday Brunch, Dave McCarthy, who explains why he’s picked the Leafs to win in six games and how come enforcers are the smartest guys on the ice.  ***Screw the Lightning? Why Johnny is...

Kyle Dubas is savvy — not stupid — for having beer leaguers as backups. *** In this episode, we argue why Wayne Simmonds should start Game 1 against the Lightning, announce our picks for the Maple Leafs’ MVP and regular season disappointment, and whether we might see a Matthews vs McDavid match-up in the Stanley Cup final. We also answered your questions about whether Matthew Knies will see action in the playoffs, who replaces Crosby and Ovechkin as the faces of the post-season, and who...

The 5 Keys To Not Going Broke While Chasing Your Child’s NHL Dreams. In this episode, Traikos and Johnny are joined by former NHLer Kent Manderville of IP Private Wealth’s Hockey family office to talk about his time with the Maple Leafs and how hockey parents can lighten the financial burden during hockey season. We also answered your questions about Ryan O’Reilly’s impact on the Leafs, whether hockey academies can lead to a college scholarship and what to do when a coach blows through the...

In this episode, Traikos and Legend are joined by Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News to answer three questions from listeners of The HockeyVerse. But before that, we talk about why the Leafs gambled on injury-prone Matt Murray, why Alex Ovechkin is a beast and why you should never split an Uber with hockey players. (2:30) Were there better options available than Matt Murray last summer?(4:00) Does anyone even know who Tampa Bay’s backup goalie is? Do we even care?(5:30) In hindsight, the Leafs...

Matthews, McDavid or MacKinnon: who should you pick in your hockey playoff fantasy pool? In this episode, Traikos and Legend answer three questions from listeners of The HockeyVerse. But before that, we talk about why fantasy poolies should load up with Oilers regardless of whether you think they’ll go all the way in the playoffs. Plus, we (2:37) You’d have to be a fool not to pick McDavid in a playoff pool. (6:35) Is this the golden era of hockey? (9:45) Why I wouldn’t want to play...

There is no scenario where Kyle Dubas gets fired this summer. In this episode, Traikos and The Legend answer four questions from listeners of The HockeyVerse. But before that, we talk about why goons are going the way of the wooden hockey stick, whether the last two months of the Leafs’ regular season have been meaningless and why Erik Karlsson might not win the Norris Trophy. (2:30) Sheldon Keefe has much more to lose than Kyle Dubas. (4:45) When it comes to coaching, the Lightning...

The woke mob is trying to cancel fighting — stop pretending that you’re actually shocked. In this episode, Traikos and The Legend answer four questions from listeners of The HockeyVerse. But before that, we talk about why goons are going the way of the wooden hockey stick, whether the last two months of the Leafs’ regular season have been meaningless and why Erik Karlsson might not win the Norris Trophy. (2:35) What is the side effect of banning fights from the NHL? (11:40) The Leafs’...

In this episode Traikos and The Legend answer three questions from listeners of The HockeyVerse. But before that, we talk about how shootouts have jumped the shark, what happens if the Maple Leafs go out in the first round and why  (3:20) The last time the shootout was good was … two decades ago? (5:50) The Legend thinks IPA beers are gross. But his comedy might be an even more offensive. (10:25) That time when Curtis Joseph stood on his head in a shootout and then crushed post-game beers...

You just found The HockeyVerse podcast, hosted by columnist Michael Traikos and comedian Johnny Legend. This is the show for hockey players, hockey parents and (of course) hockey fans. What makes it unique is that every episode we’ll answer your questions. That's right, we want to hear from you! Send us your questions about the game, the gear, or the grind, and we'll do our best to give you expert advice and analysis. Traikos has been covering the Maple Leafs and the league for more than 20...