Soups on Hockey

For the 3rd year in a row, here we go. The Oilers are the better team, but defeating a team three straight seasons isn't as easy as you may think.

Let's jump in the time machine and go back 30 years (gross) to 1994. Gary Bettman is in his first full season as commissioner of the NHL. He's changed the names of the conferences, he's brought in the NBA's playoff format, and the President's trophy winners are in search of their first Stanley Cup in 54 years.

Really, it's just my prognostication show of just me doing my bracket. I've picked a pretty wild post-season, one that some would love and some would hate. Give it a listen, the opening alone should be worth while!

Oilers lose 3-2 in OT, and the best bets are likely going to lose 7-0, give it a listen to find out how!

A bit of an emergency Soups on Hockey Big Show today coming at you mid afternoon on a Friday, but there is just so damn much to talk about including the big news of the Coyotes moving to SLC, and Mark Stone's heroic return from "injury".

The Oilers beat the Avs 6-2 on Friday night, and since I was a sleepy Soupy I made this a hybrid show. Best bets starts around the 31 minute mark for you degenerates out there, and before that I discuss the Oilers win, whether or not it changed my mind on them going into the playoffs, how their week was in general, etc. 5 best bets that have been doing ok in recent weeks. Last week they BARELY won money, but that's better than a losing week so I'll take it!

Another edition of the Big Show, where I really only had two topics: me, that took up about 30 min, and then the playoff matchups as of today. If they hold, what are my predictions for the post season as of April 1st. APRIL FOOLS DAY for all you losers out there, enjoy it losers!

Not much to say about the actual game, but I dive into McDavid's Art Ross chase and whether or not the Oilers would actually want to win the division.

Coming off a winning week, and I didn't die driving home so I'm back again for another edition of the poorly named Best Bets!! Better late than never, and only 5 picks this week (done on the fly), but I got the podcast out in time!

Oilers beat the Kings, Oilers show up strong for another win vs a Western Conference playoff team. Yet...Soupy still isn't very satisfied.

The Oilers right now feel like a team where the cracks in the foundation are REALLY starting to show and it's only a matter of time until the building collapses...unless they start figuring out how to deploy their personnel properly.

I don't like teams who just want to flip the switch any time they play. Yes, I don't put much stock into games against teams near the bottom of the standings, but I also don't put much stock into wins where you don't play well. And it feels like the Oilers haven't played well for the majority of the season. Why I'm souring on this teams chances to win it all is pretty much all this podcast is about.

On paper, it's a 3-2 OT loss where they likely weren't winning in a shootout in my mind because Georgiev is the better 1 on 1 goaltender (although I honestly have no idea if the numbers agree with that, based solely off the eye test). In reality, the Avs were in full control of that game and it had no business going to OT. The Oilers have had two seasons now to equip the roster to play the Avs in the playoffs after being wrecked by them in the 2022 Western Conference final. Tonight proved that Ken Holland has done nothing to improve that standing, and if these two teams end up meeting again in that scenario, it doesn't appear that the result will be any different.

I keep losing, these are horrendous, and yet for some dumb reason I have a whopping 9 PICKS for you this week! You know what they say, when you're awful at something, do more of it...

Today's show is all about power rankings! With the dust now settled post trade deadline, I got not only my top 20 (because that's essentially all that's left for teams who have a shot at the Cup) power rankings, but also my rebuild rankings, AND my Macklin Celebrini power rankings! It's a...dare I say it...POWERFUL show...I know I'm a loser :(

Oilers win, REACT TO ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh wait...this isn't a call in show.

1-4 last week...the best bets are the worst bets yet again. Hey, 2 of the last 3 weeks have been winning weeks! Unfortunately, under .500 combined in the last 3 weeks. The misery just won't stop. Come listen to me bitch about it!

Only "special" because you're lucky I'm giving you all the time of day to record anything....no I'm not actually that egotistical, I appreciate you listening.

Not a whole lot about the game in this one, mostly trade deadline and Ken Holland talk. I do not like the job that Ken Holland has done, hear why in this podcast!

What a great game! Wouldn't suck to see that again in early June! The Oilers come from behind late to beat the Bruins in OT in one of the most even games you'll see, and fitting given that they end up going 1-0-1 against each other this season. Thoughts on the game, lots on the trade deadline, and for you none Oilers fans I get into a couple non Oilers topics later on in the show. Lindy Ruff firing, Elias Pettersson extension, and the Chris Tanev trade.

The Oilers have now officially moved into 2nd in the Pacific with a 1 point lead over the Golden Knights, who they still have two games in hand on. Little bit about today's game, a little about the deadline, you know the drill.

Holy CANOLLY I have put together back to back winning weeks!!! I'm the greatest hockey handicapper in the history of our universe!

I tried to cover all the names and all the contenders and what might go down in the next 12 days in the NHL. I might have missed some. I don't know, I'm tired. Just listen to it please.

I can't believe what I watched. What a waste of a Saturday night. At least Shane was funny, the rest was a disgrace.

Well would you believe THAT?! I had a winning week last week!!! Yep...not to brag, but 8.3% of the time I win every time! Back to back? Woah, let's not get expectations too high now. I think it's safe to say I rattle off 4 straight 1-6 week's before I have another decent one.

Oilers lose 4-2 with an empty netter to the Wild. Calvin Pickard was terrible. Not a ton of time spent on the game though and mostly on my latest trade deadline haul that makes sense for the Oilers, this time looking at what they can do to plug all the holes and mostly maintain the pieces they don't want to give up.

Oilers win their 2nd straight for the first time since the winning streak defeating the Coyotes 6-3 Monday afternoon. I'm lazy, so my post game show isn't out until 6 hours later, but better late than never?

On today's edition of the BS (stands for Big Show), I discuss Jaromir Jagr, Jarmo Kekelainen, Morgan Rielly, I reveal my initial top 32 prospects for the 2024 NHL draft, a LOT of trade talk about Noah Hanifin and some bigger names who you might not think of who might make sense to be on the move, and as always I end it with talk about the Oilers.

In their best performance in a long time, the Oilers beat the Stars 4-3 in OT. Plus, a lot of trade talk, as their usually is on this particular show lately!

It's ACTUALLY the "SOH Worst Bets" I just legally can't change that name just yet...please listen to this show, and please don't use these picks. Unless you want to give away your money, then in that case go right ahead!

I'm a big Bran Van fan. I've seen some talk that it actually was that the Kings played so well and the Oilers weren't bad. Not at all the way I saw it, I thought that was a total egg laid by the Oilers in a 4-0 loss to the Kings Saturday night. Plus...Jake Guentzel.

Have I mentioned to anyone that I HATE doing this show? I HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATEEEEEEEEEEEEE doing this show. I bleepin' SUCK at making these picks anymore. That 20-8 stretch to start the season is so long gone, I just pray people aren't putting serious money on these picks. And yet here I am, attempting to enable people once again...

I'm KIDDING with that title. Of course those of you who claim to be optimistic that are truly just not wanting to hear the truth will call me a pessimist no matter what, so why not have some fun with it?! The Oilers in their 17th in their last 18, 25th in their last 29 with a tighter than it should have been 5-3 win over the Ducks in Anaheim.

I've been saying it for about a year now, maybe longer: The NHL is going to expand and it is going to expand by much more than anyone seems to realize right now. I believe we are headed for a 40 team NHL. How much will the owners get? Where will they look to expand to? What amendments SHOULD be made to the expansion draft rules?

On today's edition of the Soups on Hockey Big Show, I talk about the players not doing a damn thing to help grow the game on All-Star weekend (3:25), my thoughts on the Alexandre Daigle documentary (11:04), the AJHL/BCHL mess (37:14), looking at what a Sidney Crosby trade might look like (46:08), my latest NHL power rankings (1:14:02), and as always I look at what's going on with the Oilers (1:46:30) talking about how Jack Campbell is likely to be recalled and @NHL_Sid fantastic new blog on the Oilers need to upgrade on Cody Ceci.

The title kind of says it all, but Sean Monahan dealt, Todd McLellan fired, and the NHL announces a 4 nations Cup for 2025 and a return to the Olympics in 2026 and 2030.

I had to go back and see what I titled this when I did the podcast on the Zadorov trade. Lindholm goes to Vancouver, what I think of it for the Flames, and the Canucks, and what else both teams could/should do by March 8th.

They did not deserve to tie the 16-17 Columbus Blue Jackets for the 2nd longest streak in NHL history with today's 4-1 win vs the Nashville Predators. But the Oilers have tied the 16-17 Columbus Blue Jackets for the 2nd longest streak in NHL history. Next up: Vegas on February 6th, with the 92-93 Penguins in their sights.

NEW SHOW ALERT!!! Not sure if it's that big of a deal, and they all basically sound the exact same, but General Manager Tyler Campbell goes to work for the Edmonton Oilers and looks at a potential trade deadline which would see the Oilers land Elias Lindholm plus others to potentially put the Oilers over the top. Why does he fit? Would Calgary trade with Edmonton? What would it cost? What other moves would be possible? I discuss it all in this groundbreaking concept of an idea of a show (again, it's the same as all my other shows, just a new title).

LOL I still call them the "Best Bets". There is nothing good and or funny about this at this point. I hate this show, I'm just doing it now because I follow the 1988 Cincinnati Bengals motto of "finish everything". So I'm finishing my dignity by continuing to record this show each week.

Another uninspired performance by the Oilers aside from their goaltender as Calvin Pickard shines and the Oilers up their winning streak to 15 with a 3-0 win over the "pesky" Blackhawks.

Look, I'll just be honest...I couldn't think of a good title for this one. But today I'm laying out my 25 changes that I would make to the league (truly, in no particular order). Some of these are VERY obvious and simply common sense. Others will be debatable. A few might even be ridiculous in the eyes of some! But give it a listen and let me know what you think! (I don't mean that, please don't blow up my phone and/or X about this)