Centre Ice
By MacV89
Find us anywhere you get your podcasts! Thanks for listening.
Centre IceJan 13, 2021
2024 Trade Deadline Update
New show! Mac and Matt discussed the wild western conference, moves of the trade deadline, how the Senators should approach the off-season (spoiler alert- big changes are needed), the Penguins rapid decline, and the upcoming Women's World Championship. Anywhere you get your podcasts!
Alex DeWingCat
New show! Alex DeBrincat is on the move to his hometown Red Wings. Hear our thoughts on Detroit's rebuild and Steve Yzerman as well. We listed our best and worst contracts of free agency, praised the Flyers and more!
Let The Off-Season Begin!
New show! Mac and Matt analyzed the Vegas Golden Knights strategy for success and what other teams should pay attention to to build a champion. Plus, our thoughts on an amazing Panthers run. The Sens have a new owner, Kyle Dubas is now in Pittsburgh, we talk about why the NHL does not need a salary cap, and the NHL draft.
Where do the Leafs and Oilers go from here?
New show! Mac and Matt discussed another disappointing end to the season for both Toronto and Edmonton. The streak of Canadian teams not winning the cup goes way back to 1993. Does Kyle Dubas deserve to keep his job? The Maple Leafs need to shift their organizational focus and philosophy to be successful. The Oilers are still the McDraisaitl show, plus picks for each series and the sadness in the hockey community after the Blackhawks won the draft lottery. Thanks for listening!
2023 Stanley Cup Playoff Primer
New show! Our annual playoff preview show returns, breaking down all the series. The Maple Leafs can't come up short again, can they? The guys have one favourite in the Western Conference that could go on a long playoff run. Can the Islanders upset the Hurricanes? The Rangers and Devils is a series everyone should be excited about. Do the Kraken have any chance against the Avalanche? Plus, more changes coming in Pittsburgh and Washington. Enjoy the playoffs!
Midseason update
New show! Mac and Matt are back for season 6 of Centre Ice! We talked about the World Juniors, players we've noticed, and who we like to win it all. That Connor Bedard guy isn't bad either. Big names like Bo Horvat, Alex DeBrincat, Jesper Bratt, and more are on expiring contracts. Do they stay or go? Plus, we separate contenders from pretenders at the mid-way mark of the season. Thanks for listening! Please vote in the poll on Spotify.
2022-2023 Pacific Division Preview
The Pacific Division promises to be a fun one again this season! Los Angeles made a big move to trade for Kevin Fiala, but can they get past Calgary or Edmonton? The Jack Campbell signing is significant, but how much better are the Oilers with him? After a chaotic offseason, the Flames are poised for another big year and possibly a deep playoff run. Is Vegas destined to miss the playoffs again and what about the Canucks? All that and more right here.
2022-2023 Central Division Preview
The Colorado Avalanche are the defending Stanley Cup Champions and no question the best team in the division. Where does that leave the Blues, Wild, and Stars? Plus, the guys believe the Jets won't be much better than they were last year. Dallas is a team we're excited about. The Predators made a couple of big moves to keep Filip Forsberg and trade for Ryan McDonagh. Tune in!
2022-2023 Metropolitan Division Preview
The Metropolitan Division has a chance to be one of the best in the NHL once again. Johnny Gaudreau signed with the Blue Jackets. Does that make them a playoff team or close to one? The Rangers coming out party was last year, can they continue to improve going into this year? Mac believes that the Capitals' signing of Darcy Kuemper will make a huge difference for them. Did the Islanders have an off year? The guys discuss.
2022-2023 Atlantic Division Preview
Some big changes in the Atlantic Division this year. Are the Florida Panthers better or worse after their off-season moves? The guys believe the much improved Senators and Red Wings have an excellent chance to make a big leap in the standings. Then there's Montreal, which we are optimistic about in the long term. Enjoy! Anywhere you get your podcasts.
Analyzing the Tkachuk trade and predicting landing spots for free agents
New show! Mac and Matt started with the Hockey Canada investigation and are both hoping that it leads to some big changes, but we have our doubts. Matthew Tkachuk is now in Florida and the Flames did extremely well with this deal. The guys are huge fans of Mackenzie Weegar. Seattle has had a terrific off-season with some very smart moves. Kadri, Klingberg, and Kessel among others remain available. The guys share their predictions on spots they could land.
A tribute to Bryan Marchment and off-season discussion
New show! Mac shares a story and a tribute to Bryan Marchment as we with of his family and friends after his sudden passing. Mac and Matt discuss all the latest happenings around the league in what has been a busy off-season so far. Which free agents do we like and which ones would we steer clear of? Does Johnny Gaudreau go back to Calgary and what about Matthew Tkachuk? How many mistakes are too many for Kyle Dubas...all that and more right here. Thanks for listening!
Trade Deadline Preview
New show! Mac and Matt discussed all the names out there at the upcoming trade deadline. We highlighted a few players in particular. We think teams should be very interested in Anton Forsberg, Colin Blackwell, and Andrew Copp. Plus, we let the Sharks, Flyers, and Stars have it for their poor asset management. Eve Gascon became the first woman to ever play for the Gatineau Olympiques and the first woman since 2001 to play in a WHL game. Incredible stuff! Thanks for listening and enjoy the deadline!
Family Day edition
New show! Mac and Matt marveled at the run the Slovakia men's team went on to win the bronze at the Beijing Olympic Games. How much farther up will Juraj Slafkovsky be in the coming NHL draft? The women's final was tremendous and the guys talked about how much women's hockey has grown, plus reflected on the number of viewers of the game. 500 goals for Sidney Crosby, we take a quick look back at how much he's improved as a player. We also touched on tremendous seasons from Tage Thompson, Aaron Ekblad, Dylan Larkin, Moritz Seider, Michael Bunting, and more! Anywhere you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening.
All-Star Break banter
New show! Mac and Matt had some fun ranking some of the best young cores starting to emerge as future contenders. We think the best fits for Joe Pavelski are Boston and Pittsburgh. Plus, we talked about Juuse Saros' brilliance with the Predators. Also, the guys tell you why you should not forget about Tanner Jeannot and Anton Lundell in the Calder race.
Who wants a Klingberg?
New show! Mac and Matt recorded the first episode of 2022. We talked about the state of the Oilers, Reid Boucher, John Klingberg reportedly likely to be on the move, hot streaks and cold streaks, including the Panthers' crazy home/road splits, and more! Thanks for listening!
Trade Deadline: Early buyers and sellers preview
New show! Mac and Matt had some great discussions about teams that they feel will be buyers and sellers at the trade deadline. The guys threw in some interesting teams, including Winnipeg. Mac says that even with the Ducks' success, they could use some more depth and a stronger backup goalie. Wishing you a Happy New Year and all the best in 2022!
Canucks on the rise
New show! Mac and Matt discussed the Canucks hot start under Bruce Boudreau, Vladimir Tarasenko's resurgence, and the incredible run the Vegas Golden Knights have been on. Plus some notes from the WJC. Wishing you a Happy New Year and all the best in 2022!
Ben Bishop calls it a career
New show! Mac and Matt say Ben Bishop has one of the most understated great careers by a goalie, even though he appeared in just over 400 games. The guys give props to Brad Larsen on a fine job with the Blue Jackets so far. The guys are just in awe of what Trevor Zegras did with Sonny Milano combining for an unreal goal. Plus, we give some quick thoughts on the world juniors and a skeptical NHL 22 review.
Happy Holidays from both of us. Enjoy the time!
The Times They Are a-Changin'
New show! The guys talked about the firing of Marc Bergevin, the early season success of the Toronto Maple Leafs are why things are different this year. Matt says he thinks Pierre Dorion should be removed as General Manager of the Senators. Mac and Matt discuss Jason Spezza's long career and Alex Ovechkin's evolution in his 16th NHL season. Mac says Don Sweeney is in a tough situation with Jake DeBrusk and he just wants the player to succeed. Anywhere you get your podcasts! Thanks for listening.
What's Kraken? Not much, apparently
New show! Jack Eichel is a Golden Knight, so the guys looked at the trade from both sides. Mac and Matt discussed the poor start for the Kraken and their outlook going forward. Mac asks the question if the Golden Knights success put extra pressure on Seattle. The Canucks simply can't afford to keep going with Jim Benning in charge, the Stars need a youth movement, and we broke down the successes of the Flames and Oilers. Anywhere you get your podcasts!
Analyzing hot starts for the Panthers, Sharks, Rangers, Oilers and Blues
New show! Mac and Matt discussed the early season success of several teams and wonder if they're legitimate or not. The guys see a healthy Erik Karlsson in San Jose and a quality goaltender with Martin Jones out of the picture. Some good young talent for the Sharks. The Panthers are a very good team and the guys look back at all the great moves Bill Zito has made since taking over. We also cover the Rangers, Capitals, and Blues in this episode.
Available anywhere you get your podcasts! Happy Halloween and thanks for listening.
Projecting Olympic rosters for Finland, Sweden and Czech Republic
New show! Mac and Matt gave huge props to Kirsten Welsh for becoming the first female linesperson in the OHL. We also touched on the Pettersson and Hughes extensions, Lundqvist's retirement ceremony, a UHL GM being fired after speaking out against racism, Sheldon Keefe's extension and more! Have a listen as we predict who will take the ice for the Finland, Sweden and Czech Republic teams in Beijing.
Thanks for listening!
Projecting Olympic rosters for Canada, USA and Russia
New show! Mac and Matt kick of season 5 with their picks for team Canada, team USA and team Russia in the upcoming Winter Olympics. Lots of new names in the mix and so much skill for all three teams. The guys think you will see much younger, faster and more skilled rosters across the board. Team Canada has Connor McDavid, Brad Marchand, Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon? Not fair! Mac and Matt can't wait to watch them take the ice in Beijing.
All that and more right here! Wherever you get your podcasts. Stay safe and thanks for listening.
Remembering Jimmy Hayes, Henrik Lundqvist's career, Sens talk and more
New show! Mac and Matt pay tribute to Jimmy Hayes, who passed away at the very young age of 31. Our hearts go out to the Hayes family, Kristen and his two young boys. Life is short, remember that. Sean Couturier and Andrei Svechnikov get matching long term deals. Where does Henrik Lundqvist rank among the best goalies of all time? Jesperi Kotkaniemi might be headed to the Hurricanes. The guys talk about what kind of player Carolina would be getting and if the Habs will match the offer. The Sens have yet to name a captain and are working on deals for Drake Batherson and Brady Tkachuk. What might those deals look like? We discuss that and briefly touched on the 2022 Olympics.
Anywhere you get your podcasts! Thanks for listening.
NHL offseason Winners and Losers
New show! Mac and Matt listed their winners and losers of the NHL offseason. The biggest loser might surprise you! The guys wonder if the Lightning have enough to win it all again, if anyone has had a worse off-season than Montreal, gives props to Bill Armstrong, Jim Nill and Don Sweeney for some excellent moves. Also, what the heck are the Hurricanes doing? The Flyers on the other hand, well that's another story. The guys remained critical of Chuck Fletcher. Oh yes and the Oilers! We're sorry, Edmonton fans. Anywhere you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening!
2021 NHL Draft Show with Steve Kournianos
Stanley Cup picks and off-season discussion
New show! Mac and Matt discussed the contract extension for Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, wondered if the Blues will be able to find a trade partner for Vladimir Tarasenko and also brought up Tomas Hertl as a trade candidate. The guys talked about the sexual assault case against Brad Aldrich and demanded more from the Blackhawks and the NHL. Our heart goes out to the players and anyone else that was a victim of Aldrich. Finally, we gave our picks for the Stanley Cup and talked about how the Islanders and Golden Knights can take the next step.
Thanks for listening! Happy Canada Day to our Canadian listeners.
Off-season chatter and Conference Finals Preview
New show! Mac and Matt touched on the top storylines around the NHL. It sounds like Jack Eichel will be on the move. The guys toss around potential suitors for him. Where will Seth Jones and Dougie Hamilton end up? Gerard Gallant is the new head coach of the Rangers. Mac and Matt discuss that, plus touch on the Jack Adams nominees in our news and notes. A short preview of the Islanders and Lightning as well as the Canadiens and Golden Knights.
Anywhere you get your podcasts! Thanks for listening.
Flames, Flyers, Rangers and Senators off-season preview
New show! Mac and Matt previewed the off-season for 4 interesting teams. How could they improve and vault themselves into contention. All of these teams face challenges and the guys outlined what they would do to improve all 4 clubs. Positives are there for all of the teams but much work is still ahead for them to get to the next level. Available anywhere you get your podcasts! Thanks for listening.
Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 1 Recap and Round 2 Preview
New show! Mac has some choice words about the Toronto Maple Leafs and tries to echo how every fan or follower of the team is feeling going into game 7 tonight against Montreal. Mac and Matt summarized the first round of the playoffs and also gave their picks and analysis for the second round. Can anyone stop Colorado? Find out here. Available anywhere you get your podcasts! Thanks for listening.
2021 Stanley Cup Playoff Preview
New show! Mac and Matt discussed all the first round matchups in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. We made our picks on who is advancing and analyzed each series for your listening pleasure. Are their any upsets in the cards? The guys made some picks that might surprise you! Available wherever you get your podcasts! Thanks for listening.
Tune in next time for our episode focusing on teams that missed the playoffs and what is next for them!
Awards Race and the Playoff Picture
New show! Mac and Matt discussed every award, from Hart to Norris and who should be up for the hardware in the 2020-2021 season. There are some tight races, like Kirill Kaprizov and Jason Robertson duking it out for the Calder trophy. Two awards we feel are wide open and that would be GM of the year as well as Jack Adams. So many candidates and all very deserving so you can't go wrong with anyone. The guys discussed if the Selke trophy is awarded to best defensive forward or best two-way forward.
Plus, we took a close look at the playoff races in the Central, North and West. Mac and Matt did not have much good to say about the Montreal Canadiens and wonder if they'll have enough in the tank to make the playoffs. Plus, who will make it out of Dallas or Nashville and are the Coyotes done? All that and more right here!
Deciphering the Deadline
New show! Mac and Matt analyzed all the big trades at the deadline. Including Anthony Mantha to Washington, Nick Foligno to Toronto and Taylor Hall to Boston. Find out who we thought won and lost this year at the deadline. Some of our answers might surprised you but we always looked at the value coming back in every trade and some GM's did better than others. Once again, we criticized GM's like Jim Benning and Ken Holland for a lack of activity or questionable moves. All that and more here! Wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening!
The Hot Stove
New show! In our final episode of the month, the guys assessed the struggles of the Sabres, Flyers and Flames. We also wondered if it might be a more quiet trade deadline for Buffalo even though it shouldn't be. The Flames brought on Darryl Sutter since we last recorded and the results have been more of the same after a brief hot streak. Brad Treliving is definitely on the hot seat but when will he accept that was he has just isn't good enough? Plus, we went through some of the top players available and which teams would be good fits for them.
All that and more right here! Wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening!
Midseason Management Madness
New show! Mac and Matt broke down the biggest stories from around the NHL. The Sabres are not showing much promise and the guys say it is time to make some real changes. Plus, how is Jim Benning still the General Manager of the Canucks? The guys do not agree with the decision to back him by Canucks ownership. Let's separate the contenders from the pretenders and talk about which teams are right in between. The Leafs are legit and Mac still can't believe how good they're playing after he's waited pretty much his whole life for this kind of complete team effort night after night. Anywhere you get your podcasts! Thanks for listening.
Early season thoughts
New show! Mac and Matt celebrate over one thousand plays from our amazing listeners from across the globe. The Hurricanes, Canadiens and Leafs are off to great starts while the Senators, Oilers, Rangers and Sabres are not. Matt pulls no punches as he is pretty frustrated with the Sens and he says he would make some big changes. We've seen some impressive young goalies in Vitek Vanecek and Kevin Lankinen. All that and much more right here. Thanks for listening and enjoy the games!
East Division Preview
New show! In the final installment of our division preview series, Mac and Matt gave a detailed look at the East Division. Are the Bruins still a big time threat with the departures of Torey Krug and Zdeno Chara? The New York Rangers are a very exciting team and the guys debate whether or not they're a playoff contender. One consensus we had is that Philadelphia is the most complete team in the division, without a doubt. The Penguins and Capitals are not getting any younger as teams around them continue to improve. Where do the Sabres finish with their new additions of Taylor Hall and Eric Staal. The Devils are getting better but still expected to finish near the bottom of the division. Plus, the Islanders should be a playoff contender but this division will be very tight.
All that and more right here!
Central Division Preview
New show! Mac and Matt are back with a detailed preview of the Central Division. Tampa Bay is looking to repeat as Stanley Cup Champions but they will be without Nikita Kucherov for the season. At the same time, Steven Stamkos is back and fully healthy for the Lightning. The guys see Carolina as a team that will continue to improve and should be a sure thing for a playoff spot. Chicago does not look like much of a threat this year and we wish Jonathan Toews all the best as he's dealing with something pretty serious right now. Florida is clearly building something but they are not ready to compete just yet in our opinion. All that and more right here!
Thanks for listening!
West Division Preview
New show! The Avalanche are gunning for top spot in the division and are seen as one of the favourites to win the Stanley Cup. Plus, the Golden Knights and Blues are as good as any team around the league. Despite losing Alex Pietrangelo, the Blues did a pretty good job of making moves to continue to be a contender. The Ducks and Kings are well on their way to building a team that will compete in this division within the next few years and you can expect steady improvement from them. What about the Minnesota Wild? Oh, we had nothing good to say about the Coyotes. Can the Sharks bounce back? All that and more right here.
North Division Preview
New show! The boys are back with a preview of the North Division. We took a close look at every Canadian team and predicted where they will all finish in the upcoming season. Stay tuned for our previews of the West, Central and East divisions! Find us wherever you get your podcasts.
Analyzing the off-season with Spector's Hockey
New show! Mac and Matt were joined by Lyle Richardson, also known as Spector's Hockey to break down all the big moves around the NHL. We covered a lot of ground, including Patrik Laine, the Calgary Flames aggressive moves, the lack of activity by Boston and Carolina plus much more! Lyle gave his take on who the best player in the league is, the winners and losers of the off-season and plenty of other topics. Please follow Lyle on twitter at Spector's Hockey and check out his blog for great league coverage. Thanks for listening and stay safe!
NHL Draft Special featuring Steve Kournianos
New show! Mac and Matt are joined by Steve Kournianos, also known as the draft analyst. We covered a lot of ground here! Sanderson or Drysdale? Who do the Kings take at 2? Where does Askarov land? Plus some excellent coverage of American prospects and potential second round steals. Available on all platforms! Thanks for listening and be sure to check out Steve's work.
Stanley Cup Preview
New show! Mac and Matt ran through the latest news and notes from around the league, including Eric Staal being traded to Buffalo. Alex Pietrangelo appears to be headed to free agency as the Blues have not been able to reach a deal with him yet. The guys praised the Islanders for an impressive run and see them improving next year. Why not take a run at a player like Mike Hoffman? He'd be a great fit there. Dallas and Tampa Bay appear to be headed for a long series. Mac and Matt made their picks for who is taking home the best trophy in all of sports! Finally, we each chose two teams we'd like to see rebrand! Thanks for listening!
Conference Finals Preview
New show! Mac and Matt make their picks on who they think is advancing to the Stanley Cup. Plus, the guys have nothing but good things to say about the future of the Vancouver Canucks, Colorado Avalanche and Philadelphia Flyers. Plus, we give our congratulations to Bobby Ryan on a well deserved Masterton Trophy. Plus, we both re-enacted the Steamed Hams skit from the Simpsons. Anywhere you get your podcasts! Thanks for listening and enjoy the games.
Quarterfinals Preview
New show! Mac and Matt did not pull any punches as they talked about the Flames and Capitals after their seasons ended. The guys make their second round predictions and give the Islanders some major props on how well they've played. Can Colorado, Tampa Bay, Philadelphia and Vancouver bounce back? Mac and Matt give their thoughts on that and much more! Available anywhere you get your podcasts! Thanks for listening!
2020 Playoff Preview
New show! Mac is completely done with the Leafs and voices his displeasure with the team and organization in an opening rant. More importantly, the guys previewed every series of the first round. 2020 has been a strange year for everyone and nobody really knows who is going to take the Stanley Cup home. It's certainly a wide open field. Matt and Mac give you their picks and analysis for the first round of the playoffs. Plus, we give credit to the NHL for a great return to play plan. Available anywhere you get your podcasts! Thanks for listening!
Playoffs?!
New show! Mac and Matt broke down all of the play in tournament match-ups in great detail. Can the Leafs finally move past the first round? The guys talk about if any upsets could be in the cards. Plus, some dark horse teams that could go a long way. Available anywhere you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening!
The Jersey Episode
New show! Our jersey episode is finally finished! Matt and Mac give you our detailed overview of every teams best and worst jerseys. Plus, our tips for buying and starting a collection! Available on all platforms. Thanks for listening and stay safe.
Playing Armchair GM
New show! Mac and Matt discussed moves the Maple Leafs, Sabres, Canadiens, Hurricanes, Rangers, Avalanche, Predators, Flames, Kings and Sharks should make. Special shout out to our Sharks listeners in San Jose. We love you guys! Thanks for all the support on our recent episodes everyone. It really means a lot. Stay safe and healthy as we navigate this difficult time.