Two Man Forecheck

As we close out the month of July, we keep it simple this week.  Chris will be away for the next two Sundays but will be back on the 20th of August.  Enjoy the Show! 01:00 - Alex Galchenyuk Apologizes 13:52 - Arizona Coyotes Still Need a Forever Home 41:10 - Patrice Bergeron Retires 68:51 - Who is the next Captain of the Bruins (Twitter Poll)

As the "offseason" begins, we delve into what is happening around the NHL. 02:50 - Tony DeAngelo Bought Out. 15:10  - Alex "Chernobyl" Galchenyuk Contract Terminated. 30:25 - Kailer Yamamoto Signs with the Kraken. 76:15 - Twitter Poll Results (Jesper Boqvist). 85:12 - Laviolette Youth Risk (Larry Brooks Story) 102:00 - Anders Lee Cancer Fundraising 105:00 - Lyle Richardson "Spector Hockey" 30th Anniversary Fun & Serious Topics all around so give a listen and tell us what you think!  Enjoy the Show!

With the end of development camps around the NHL there isn't much on ice product to speak of until September.  We at the Forecheck however continue to stride forward.  Two players have called it a career...Michael Stone and Patric Hornqvist.  We take a look at a few value UFA's still available as of this show; Bear, Dumba, Comtois and Suter.  We also discuss why Filip Zadina is available and what to expect from Milan Lucic this upcoming season.  Finally we spend most of the show waxing poetic over this year's Bruins Development Camp.  Names like Ethan Ritchie, Oskar Jellvik and Ryan Kirwan come up.  A lighter show this week but still opinion worthy so give a listen and tell us who you saw and liked.  Enjoy the Show!

With the awards and the draft behind us, we focus on the start of Free Agency.  The show starts with a focus on some signings and draftees, turning our attentions to the Phildelphia Flyers.  The big story of the day is the hostile takeover of the PHF by the PWHPA.  There is quite a bit to digest here but we attempt to break it into smaller pieces (with a little emotion mixed in).  We re-direct and talk about what the local organization has done with the draft and free agency (again...emotions play a bit part) and what they could do going forward.  Throughout the show we mix in the results of 3 Twitter Polls that were conducted over the last week.  We touch on Development Camp and review the prospects we focused on pre-draft.  Oh yeah...we mention a couple members of that ridiculous '03 draft! Thought provoking show this week so give a listen and tell us how you feel!  Enjoy the Show!

With the playoffs over, we at the Forecheck turn our attention to the future and the upcoming NHL Draft.  First, we start with a conversation regarding Gary Bettman's comments to Elliotte Friedman from the Board of Governors meeting.  Jersey nights (Pride, Hockey Fights Cancer, etc.), Salary Cap, the Coyotes Future and other topics were broached.  Ryan Johansen was dealt to the Avalanche along with half his salary for Alex Galchenyuk.  Mike and Chris break down 12 potential draftees at this year's shindig.  There was only one crossover with none of the prospects ranked higher than 45.  We put out a poll regarding Ullmark's future with the Bruins, and the results were inconclusive.  Finally, our fave agent, Allan Walsh, made his feelings known once again with a tweet regarding the starting salaries of number one draft picks for 3 of the 4 major sports.  Remarkably, the NHL was the lowest.  With the draft upcoming, give us a listen and let us know who you are looking forward to seeing picked.  Enjoy the Show!

As the Stanley Cup has been passed around, we congratulate the Vegas Golden Knights on their victory!  The Conn Smyth was awarded to Jonathan Marchessault, but as we discuss, there were a few candidates for the accolade.  There is one name which may not get on the cup however, Robin Lehner.  We talk about whether he should be there, how it could happen, etc.  William Karlsson had a celly to remember during the Victory Party at Toshiba Park, one which had to be controlled by Caylee Allard, which she did admirably!  Jesper Bratt re-signed with the Devils, who also traded Damon Severson to the Blue Jackets.  If Matthews were to be extended, what would the impact be to the Leafs.  O.E.L. has been bought out by the Canucks, where are some potential landing spots?  We identify 3.  Washington Hockey Now identified 4 centers the Caps should check out.  We break the list down.  Finally, John LeClair has been brought in by the Flyers as Special Advisor to Hockey Operations.  Getting the band back together they are in P

The Stanley Cup Final is more than half over.  The Golden Knights are returning to Vegas up 3-1 and looking to close it out at home.  Here at the Forecheck, we are closing out another strong episode as we discuss the Eichel hit from Game 2, the fallout & fan reaction, the Tkachuk hit and possible injury.  We break down game 4 and the series up to this point.  Mike and Chris propose two more trades for teams that need to be blown up.  Pierre-Luc Dubois and Connor Hellebuyck have both stated that they would not re-up with the Winnipeg Jets, so we discuss why and potential landing spots.  Shane Doan is leaving Arizona and heading to the Maple Leafs to be an assistant to Brad Treliving.  We also talk about future possibilities for Mr. Doan.  Again a packed show to enjoy as the season winds down, so give a listen, give us some feedback and Enjoy the Show!

The Stanley Cup Final has begun!  Game one on Saturday night was entertaining and filled with action and physicality.  We start the show talking about another tournament...the IIHF World Championships.  The U.S. finished out of the medals after starting undefeated, at one point being 5,0,0,0.  We touched on various players for a few teams, but one in particular, Milan Lucic, wants to continue in the NHL but will he get a contract anywhere?  Mike and Chris both brought deals to the show for teams that we believe should have suffer an earth-shattering kaboom.  Which deal is more realistic and more helpful...we leave you to decide that.  We break down game one of the Final and make our pick for who will win.  Surprise...we don't agree.  Matthew Tkachuk was featured in People magazine, not to be named "Sexiest Man of the Year", but for an actual sports story about him and his career to this point.  The Two Man Forecheck then looked at the collapse of the Penguins as the result of an article in the Athletic and br

Well, the Dallas Stars are proving more stubborn than we thought.  The West has still not been settled so the Panthers sit and wait for an opponent.  He at the Forecheck, we wait for no man and submit yet another exciting episode for your listening pleasure.  We start in Vegas, where they are apparently having some difficulty closing out said Stars.  Could this be a pattern of their head coach?  Jake Oettinger has been stellar in elimination games and Max Domi has proven to be a valuable dead line acquired asset.  Jordan Staal is a UFA, but where would be his best landing spot?  Daniel Briere has stated that he is open to trading the "savior" of the franchise, Carter Hart after admitting that the team is definitely in a rebuild.  Toronto has purchased their ticket to the GM Ferris Wheel and are getting back in line for multiple turns as they interview many candidates.  The IIHF Tourney is almost over and we have the updates.  Joe Veleno was suspended during the group stage for an unforgivable act and will mis

With the conference finals underway, we are streaking toward the end of the season and there is still so much to talk about.  We start with the vote for the new home of the Coyotes which ended negatively for the franchise.  What do they do now and what cost them?  Is Forsyth County in Georgia the answer?  How about Salt Lake City?  Patrice Bergeron was suffering from a herniated disk which kept him out of the first four games of the playoffs.  Crosby, on vacation, made a 10 year old's year by posing for photos with the fam and paying for their meal.  The IIHF World Championships are taking place at the most opportune time, during the Stanley Cup playoffs.  The PHF has made a huge grab, signing Noora Raty out of Finland, the best goaltender in the world on the women's side.  The Iranian women's national team is putting the world on notice in the Asia & Oceania Championship.  Kyle Dubas has been fired by Toronto.  What lies next for him and the Leafs?  Finally we close with a couple of Twitter Polls (one no

With the Eastern Conference settled and the West done tonight, we march on to the the next series with another episode.  Connor Bedard will most likely go number one, but we posit deals that might actually get the 'hawks to deal the first pick.  The Leafs have been ousted from the playoffs so have we seen the last of Dubas/Keefe?  Maybe not.  Landeskog will miss all of next season and Marc Methot went on Twitter to talk about the injury he suffers as Marc had the same surgery.  Gallant is out in NY, but who is in?  Mollie Walker gives us a list of candidates who could get the job.  Edmonton was eliminated in 6 games, however the big issue seemed to be with ESPN, who wouldn't move the game (not sure if they picked the start time) for more fans to watch it.  Zach Whitecloud accepted John Anderson's apology so what is the deal with Patrick Maroon and his not accepting Jack Edwards' apology?  Finally, we talk Lindy Ruff and Bruins' dev camp.  The link to our Twitter Poll regarding Connor Bedard is below, so vote,

Round One is in the rear view and the second round is underway.  The playoffs continue to surprise with the two number one seeds out.  We keep the puck moving here with another edition of the Two Man Forecheck.  We start with a requiem for the Bruins and a break down of the second round matchups.  The OHL has hit the Niagara Ice Dogs with sanctions that just don't do enough.  Gerard Gallant is out in New York after two years.  Mike and Chris come up with playoff all stars of the first round.  Mark Borowiecki retires at 33.  The Predators turn 25 and Mike compliments Gary Bettman.  Connor Clifton may be out in Boston.  Brad Marchand doesn't like live microphones on the benches.  Women's World Para Ice Hockey Tournament will be taking place in August.  We talk Cole Knuble and Chris reminisces about high school.  Go Warriors!  Enjoy the Show!

With the first round almost complete, we discuss those situations that have taken place so far, opening with a brief playoff recap.  Jack Hughes has shown that he belongs, not only with his play on the ice but in his interviews at the end of games.  Andrew Cogliano is ruled out for game 7 as he has reportedly suffered a broken neck after being hit by Jordan Eberle.  Jake DeBrusk's "hand pass" causes the B's to lose a goal scored in game 6, but should it have?  We go over Twitter Poll results indicating that the Rangers have more to lose if they were to be eliminated.  Kyle Dubas has a reaction to Bolts fans after a hit by O'Reilly on Point.  Colton Orr has been extended for another year as coach of the Connecticut Whale.  Will we see him behind an NHL bench at some point?  We take a deep dive into the Bruins/Panthers series and finally talk about Rick Bowness' comments after the Jets were eliminated. Still a lot to digest here so have a seat and listen before the final game 7s of the first round.  Enjoy the S

The NHL Playoffs are in full swing and we continue driving toward the net.  We start with playoff recaps of all the matchups currently taking place.  The common thread among this year's playoffs has been the nastiness that is happening on the ice.  We discuss certain players that are having an impact on their respective matchups, such as Roope Hintz.  Josh Morrissey will miss the remainder of the first round after being hit.  We take a look at the leadership of the Pittsburgh Penguins and what it may mean for their future.  The Blues held a presser at which they talked about Jordan Kyrou needing to be more committed to winning.  Odd to be sure, we discuss how this may affect the team as a whole and Kyrou as an individual.  Patrice Bergeron has been out for the first 4 games but he is still involved as he has been texting with the coaching staff his observations.  Does he have a second career as a coach?  We look at our Twitter Poll results regarding Peter Laviolette and finish up with a frank discussion regar

As we are on the cusp of the NHL Playoffs, we delve into the format the NHL got right.  Jonathan Toews has been told by the Chicago staff that they will not be re-signing him at the end of the season.  What does that mean for the 3 time cup winner?  The IIHF Women's World Championship final is tonight (04/16).  It is a familiar matchup between the U.S. and Canada.  The Panthers appear to be trolling the B's with their "mini mic" segment on Twitter (link below).  The Blues and Doug Armstrong can't seem to get themselves right now that the season is over.  Worried about captains and Doug stating that he doesn't relate to the younger players leaves us worried for the St. Louis franchise.  We discuss the coaches that have been fired since the season ended.  We also take a deeper dive into the matchups and identify what each time needs to do to be successful in their first round.  The Top Prospect game for next year has already been scheduled and we recommend a read from the NHL website talking about the relations

As we face the last week of the regular season, there are still a couple things up in the air...playoff spots, who will play, records to be broken, etc.  We dive into these topics and more as we start with what may be a tough time for Ovechkin as his Washington Capitals may be facing something he was promised would not happen...a rebuild.  There is another top tier player on the Oilers who isn't getting much hype...Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.  Mason Lohrei and Luke Hughes have signed deals (albeit different types) with the teams that drafted them.  Quinnipiac has won the NCAA college ice hockey championship...Congrats on a great season!  Joel Ericksson Ek is out week to week after blocking a shot.  What does that mean for the Wild?  TNT had the B's/Blues broadcast and it was hockey gold when Paul Bissonette interviewed Brad Marchand.  Does hockey need more of this personality?  Yes.  Is the record chase for the Bruins a good or bad thing?  We break it down.  Finally, Sidney Crosby is the 6th fastest in league histor

The end of the regular season is in sight and we start looking at potential first round matchups.  There are a couple that may be too close to call and the Central could look entirely different by our next show.  We talk about the Blackhawks and how they are tanking "right".  Matthew Tkachuk is dragging the Panthers into a potential playoff spot.  Does that garner him some Hart consideration?  We think so.  Three Twitter polls (two of our own) bear some discussion.  Should Binnington be bought out?  Who would you keep Eichel or Stone (thank you @GoldenKnights) and finally who should win the Jack Adams, which led to a discussion of how many coaches could garner consideration.  There was a tweet showing Michael Bunting ignoring Sheldon Keefe on the bench leading to a discussion about tuning out the coach leading to a discussion about Auston Matthews and where he could be in the future.  Below is the link leading to the picture of Tuukka Rask that we talk about during the show.  It can be unsettling for B's fans

With ten (or so) games remaining in the season, the playoffs are almost upon us.  We open with a brief comment on the B's and Brad Marchand.  The Isobel Cup final is today (the 26th) and we talk about the growth of women's hockey, including the Women's National Team Evaluation Week.  The IIHF Championship squad will be selected from this group.  Binnington has won a Stanley Cup, but should the Blues buy him out this off-season, or find some other way to move on from him after his on-ice behaviors of recent?  We delve into Twitter Poll results regarding a first round matchup with the Bruins and we talk about the Alaska Nanooks.  They just missed out on a spot in the NCAA tournament, but had a successful season to be sure.  We touch briefly on a fun stat...cost per point...and point out its flaws.  Tage Thompson has the opportunity to become the tallest player in the NHL to have a 50 goal/100 point season.  We delve into the player poll results, talk about Jakub Vrana's recent history in the NHL and Anthony Duc

As we continue our march towards the playoffs, records continue to fall.  But first we start with Jordan Binnington getting suspended for two games.  Bergeron and Marchand have broken another Bruins record, most times the two have factored into a goal with 407.  John Carlson is returning, but should he at this point in the season?  Harvard University is dealing with accusations of hazing and other questionable behavior within its women's ice hockey team, and we dive into this story.  Makar and Hughes have both leapt onto the list of defensemen with 3 assist games before their 25th birthday.  The other names on the list read like the hall of fame roster.  The USPHL is starting their playoffs and can be watched on the free hockey tv site.  The "next big thing" after Conor Bedard could be a young man by the name of Macklin Celebrini.  We expose the results of our Twitter Poll regarding Trent Frederic reaching 20 goals in a season.  Finally, the Q has banned fighting.  They have yet to finalize details, and it ap

Normally we wait to talk GMs, but the first domino has fallen.  Chuck Fletcher has been fired.  This leads us into a discussion regarding GMs on the hot seat.  While tossing names around, we delve into the situation in Vancouver and Patrik Allvin.  Jonathan Quick has settled in nicely in Las Vegas.  He is 3-0-0 in his first 3 games with a shutout and a .939 save percentage.  The B's are fastest to 50 wins in NHL history, having done it in 64 games.  Quinn Hughes is the fastest defenseman to 200 assists, 1 game shorter than Brian Leetch.  His projected stats would put him in company with Paul Coffey and Bobby Orr.  Jack Hughes had himself a special night on Sunday, factoring in on all 3 goals in a shutout of the 'Canes.  Finally, we touch on Allan Walsh and a tweet he sent out regarding Jan Sprynar.  Lots to enjoy here, so listen and tell us who you feel is on the hot seat and Enjoy the Show!