The PuckPedia Hockey Show

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Episode 43 of The PuckPedia Hockey Show features a very special guest, Alexis Downie, host and content producer for the Anaheim Ducks, covering everything from DuckStream to the TV pregame show to in-arena reporting on the jumbotron.

We start by diving into Alexis's background: growing up in Youngstown, Ohio as a Pittsburgh Penguins fan, attending Michigan State where she worked with the hockey team all four years, interning with USA Hockey, and spending a pivotal summer at NBC Sports Washington during the year the Capitals won the Stanley Cup (3:00). From there she moved to Chicago, built an NHL...

For Episode 21 of PuckPedia Cap Central, Keith Kavanaugh and Hart Levine dive into the pressing topics of the NHL salary cap world.

They kick things off with the PuckPedia and Nation Network partnership announcement and touch on the Stanley Cup Playoffs with Vegas leading the Final (1:30).

Then they get into Anton Silayev's entry-level contract with the New Jersey Devils and break down how ELC structures and performance bonuses work under the new CBA (7:00).

They move on to performance bonus candidates for the upcoming season, covering the three categories of eligible players and some...

Episode 42 of The PuckPedia Hockey Show features a very special guest, Allain Roy, president and CEO of Roy Sports Group, joining from the NHL Scouting Combine in Buffalo.

We start by honoring the passing of Claude Lemieux, who transitioned from his legendary playing career into the agency world with 4Sports Hockey (2:00). Allain shares his thoughts on what his loss means to the hockey and agency community and the importance of mental health awareness across all levels of the game.

Then we get into Allain's background: growing up in French-speaking New Brunswick, leaving home at sixteen...

Episode 41 of The PuckPedia Hockey Show features a very special recurring guest, Steve Werier, former assistant general manager of the Florida Panthers and a friend of the program.

We kick things off with a quick look at the playoff picture (0:00). Steve breaks down what Carolina has built from top to bottom and why it shouldn't surprise anyone, while Colorado's struggles against Vegas are dissected with injuries and the Olympic break both playing a role.

Then we pivot to the coaching and management carousel that has dominated the offseason conversation (6:00). Steve gives his perspective on what...

For Episode 20 of PuckPedia Cap Central, Keith Kavanaugh and Hart Levine dive into the pressing topics of the NHL salary cap world.

They start with the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the Conference Finals (2:00). The East features the Montreal Canadiens and Carolina Hurricanes. The West has the Colorado Avalanche and the Vegas Golden Knights.

Then they get into the Bruce Cassidy situation and what to make of his contract situation and if he will have the ability to coach another team next season (6:00).

They talk about the Timothy Liljegren extension with the Washington Capitals...

Episode 40 of The PuckPedia Hockey Show features a very special guest, Rachel Herzog, host and analyst for the New Jersey Devils on MSG Network, and as it turns out, Keith's neighbor!

We start by hearing Rachel's background: how she grew up in Minnesota playing Division I hockey at St. Cloud State, originally planned to become a doctor before pivoting to sports media, and powered through her first on-camera experiences despite being terrified (2:00). We talk about how a college friend pointed her toward sports broadcasting, how she spent six years at St. Cloud State building every skill she...

For Episode 19 of PuckPedia Cap Central, Keith Kavanaugh and Hart Levine dive into the pressing topics of the NHL salary cap world.

They start with the Stanley Cup Playoffs (3:00) and how the Colorado Avalanche came back from 3-0 down to beat the Minnesota Wild 4-3 in overtime and advance to the Western Conference Final, where they await the winner of the Vegas Golden Knights and the Anaheim Ducks.

Then the Carolina Hurricanes swept the Philadelphia Flyers and await the winner of the Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens. They also talked about the coaching changes with...

Episode 39 of The PuckPedia Hockey Show features a very special guest, Shane Malloy: the host of Hockey Prospect Radio, co-host of the Hockey Data Show on SiriusXM with Timo Seppa, and a contributor with the Pro Hockey Group.

We start by diving into Shane's background and how he got his start in hockey media completely by accident (1:00), writing for free on hockey websites in the early 2000s, cold-emailing NHL contacts using a media guide his Finnish neighbor gave him, and landing a job at Fox Sports, building out prospect coverage before anyone in mainstream media cared about...

For Episode 18 of PuckPedia Cap Central, Keith Kavanaugh and Hart Levine dive into the pressing topics of the NHL salary cap world.

They start the episode talking about the NHL Draft Lottery, where the Toronto Maple Leafs won the 1st overall pick, despite having the 4th best odds of 8.5% (3:00). The San Jose Sharks won the 2nd draft lottery and will be picking 2nd overall, despite only a 5% chance of winning that lottery. The Vancouver Canucks dropped from best odds to picking 3rd overall.

Then they talk about the conditions on the Leafs 1st round picks...

Episode 38 of The PuckPedia Hockey Show features two very special guests: Guy and Jane Gaudreau, the parents of John and Matt Gaudreau, as well as their daughters Katie and Kristen.

We dive right into the Gaudreau family story with Guy, a Hall of Famer at Norwich University in both soccer and hockey, talking about introducing the boys to sports as young as 18-19 months old, and how John and Matt ultimately chose hockey over everything else (0:30). John even turned down a varsity soccer coach who promised him a Division 1 full ride because he was committed to hockey.<...

Episode 37 of The PuckPedia Hockey Show features a very special guest: Jonny Lazarus, hockey insider and co-host of Morning Cuppa Hockey. Keith just got back from a trip to Cabo for his college friend's wedding and missed a chunk of the first round of the playoffs, so he brings Jonny on to break it all down.

We start with the Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins series, diving deep into Game 5 and what a potential Vladař injury could mean for Philly going forward (2:00). The Flyers haven't scored a first-period goal in the entire series yet, which raises serious q...

Episode 36 of The PuckPedia Hockey Show features a very special guest, Adam Wodon, the founder of College Hockey News. Adam has been embedded in college hockey for over 35 years as a broadcaster, writer, and editor, and runs the go-to destination for everything NCAA hockey at CollegeHockeyNews.com.

We start the episode by discussing Adam's background and how he got into college hockey (2:00). He attended Ithaca College, a school that has produced five current NHL broadcasters, and covered Cornell hockey as a student media contributor. He then worked on broadcasts for Princeton and Cornell, had a brief stint...

For Episode 17 of PuckPedia Cap Central, Keith Kavanaugh and Hart Levine dive into the pressing topics of the NHL salary cap world.

They start the episode talking about playoff matchups as the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs start this weekend (2:00). Then they dive into the salary cap bonus overages teams incurred this season that will be on the books for next season (4:00). Eight teams will have bonus overages, potentially as many as 10.

Then they talk about the new feature on PuckPedia’s website that shows the playoff salary cap and how it is calculated (8:00). Then they di...

Episode 35 of The PuckPedia Hockey Show has a very special guest on, Colby Cohen from ESPN and Daily Faceoff.

We get into it right away as Colby gives us insight into how Colby met John Buccigross and how their relationship evolved and he got into his current role doing the Frozen Four each year (2:00). We touch on Jonathan Quick’s career as he just played his last game on Monday and how the Rangers celebrated his career (5:00).

Then we dive into Colby’s hockey career, how he got drafted in the NHL by the Colorado Aval...

For Episode 16 of PuckPedia Cap Central, Keith Kavanaugh and Hart Levine dive into the pressing topics of the NHL salary cap world.

They talk about what’s going on in the NHL (2:00), with the coaching change for the New York Islanders and the GM change for the New Jersey Devils, as well as the Eastern and Western Conference playoff races.

Then they dive into the new playoff salary cap this year (8:00), how it works and how each team will work to be cap compliant.

Then they talk about players signing their ELC’s and...

Episode 34 of The PuckPedia Hockey Show has a very special guest on, John Matisz from theScore. John is the Senior NHL Writer.

We talked about his background and how he got into journalism and writing about hockey (2:00). We talk about his experience getting stories in the locker room and the evolution of journalism in this social media and short attention span era (8:00).

We talked about a funny story where he went up to Ray Ferraro who was behind the glass during a game, and gave John a weird look because he was spilling popcorn everywhere (13:30).<...

For Episode 15 of PuckPedia Cap Central, Keith Kavanaugh and Hart Levine dive into the pressing topics of the NHL salary cap world.

They recap the Hockey Analytics and League Operations (HALO) Conference in Colorado hosted by the Avalanche that Hart and Keith attended (2:00). There was representation from 31 NHL teams, as well as prominent media members, and the Avalanche Head Coach Jared Bednar and GM Chris MacFarland.

Then they dive into the pressing topics around the league (6:00). Porter Martone officially inked his ELC with the Philadelphia Flyers and was inserted into the lineup on Tuesday.

For Episode 14 of PuckPedia Cap Central, Keith Kavanaugh and Hart Levine dive into the pressing topics of the NHL salary cap world.

They talk about James Hagens new ATO with the Boston Bruins organization (4:00). Keith had Hagens’ agent on The PuckPedia Hockey Show on Wednesday to get all the juicy details. This move gives the team and the player flexibility and the ability to continue playing hockey for their AHL team in Providence while they assess the possibility of signing his ELC.

Then they get into the Toronto Maple Leafs complicated situation with their draft pi...

Episode 33 of The PuckPedia Hockey Show has a very special guest on, NHLPA-certified agent John Kofi Osei-Tutu from the OT Sports Group.

John represents newly signed top prospect James Hagens, so we discuss how that negotiation went down (14:30). We talk about John’s background and how he got into hockey (2:30). Growing up on Long Island, John always knew he wanted to be involved in the game.

After getting his law degree he knew immediately starting his first real job that he wanted to open up a hockey agency. We talk about his partnership with Bobby Ga...

Episode 32 of The PuckPedia Hockey Show has a very special guest on, co-host of Sportsnet’s The FAN Hockey Show Matt Marchese.

Matty tells us how he got into his role at Sportsnet (2:30), starting first as a producer on a few shows including Hockey Central and The Jeff Marek Show. Then he tells us how when Marek left he personally recommended Marchese to get the co-host role alongside former Los Angeles Kings executive Mike Futa (4:30).

We talk about the instant chemistry between Marchese and Futa (8:00), their relationship going back 10+ years, and how they have built up...

For Episode 13 of PuckPedia Cap Central, Hart Levine and Keith Kavanaugh recap the NHL Trade Deadline.

They talk about some of the big moves like Nazem Kadri to the Colorado Avalanche and John Carlson to the Anaheim Ducks. They also get into some under the radar moves like Conor Garland to Columbus and Bobby McMann to Seattle.

Then they talk about Nick Schmaltz new 8-year, $64M contract extension with the Utah Mammoth. Schmaltz is having a career year and locked down long-term security in Utah.

Then they dive into the No Trade Clauses...

Episode 31 of The PuckPedia Hockey Show has a very special guest on, producer of Spittin’ Chiclets Mike Grinnell. Grinnelli gives us a rundown of his early career, when he realized he wasn’t going pro in hockey and how he got his start in sports media (2:30).

His confidence allowed him to get a really good opportunity to do a national show with ESPN New Hampshire. Then as the station was getting acquired and his job was up in the air, he just heard the first episode of Spittin’ Chiclets. So he sent Rear Admiral (RA) an email and th...

Episode 30 of The PuckPedia Hockey Show is an NHL Trade Deadline Special. Keith Kavanaugh and Hart Levine welcome on ESPN’s Emily Kaplan to break down the ins and outs of the Trade Deadline.

Emily will be on TSN and ESPN Friday for Trade Deadline coverage. We asked her what Friday will look like for her and how chaotic her life will be leading up to the deadline (3:00). Then they set up a draft game where they go through 6 categories and give insight on the Deadline.

The categories are: Most Likely Big Name to Move, St...

For Episode 12 of PuckPedia Cap Central, Hart Levine and Keith Kavanaugh quickly recap the Olympic hockey tournament where USA captured the gold medal over Canada (1:00).

They dive into the trade that happened the other day where the Pittsburgh Penguins sent Brett Kulak to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Sam Girard and a 2nd round draft pick (5:00). Pittsburgh now owns 16 draft picks in the first 3 rounds of the next 3 drafts. Colorado on the other hand now has over $10M in projected cap space before the Trade Deadline.

Then they talk about the Oilers cap situation...

On Episode 29 of The PuckPedia Hockey Show we welcome recurring guest, founder of the Will Sports Group, NHLPA certified agent Ian Pulver.

We begin the episode recapping the Olympics (2:30), where the United States won the Gold Medal in a thrilling 2-1 overtime victory over Canada thanks to the game-winning goal from Jack Hughes and stellar play from Connor Hellebuyck.

Ian lends some great perspective on the condensed schedule given the Olympic break and how that might affect the teams and players as they enter the stretch run towards the playoffs (6:30).

Then we talk...

On Episode 28 of The PuckPedia Hockey Show we welcome two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, Hart and Norris Trophy Award winner, six-time NHL All-Star, Stanley Cup Champion and Hockey Hall of Famer Chris Pronger.

We start off the episode talking about Chris’s background (2:30) and how he didn’t go the conventional path, playing high school for a couple of years, and planning to go the NCAA route before going to the OHL with Peterborough.

Then he was drafted 2nd overall in the NHL to the Hartford Whalers (7:00). He played a couple seasons there before being traded for...

On Episode 27 of The PuckPedia Hockey Show we welcome on former Edmonton Oilers beat writer for The Athletic Daniel Nugent-Bowman.

We start off the episode talking about Daniel’s background (2:30) and how he got his start covering sports. He spent time covering the OHL and the Saskatoon Blades. He was there for the 2013 Memorial Cup that featured Nathan MacKinnon, Seth Jones, and Jonathan Drouin to name a few (5:00).

He also covered the 2014 World Juniors that had Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, which worked well to his Oilers coverage in the future. He started at The At...

For Episode 11 of PuckPedia Cap Central, Hart Levine and Keith Kavanaugh dive into the blockbuster trade that happened yesterday. First they talk about the current roster freeze, and how certain teams might approach these rules to accrue cap space. Then they dive into the big Artemi Panarin trade. He was traded to the Los Angeles Kings from the New York Rangers in exchange for Liam Greentree and a conditional 2026 3rd round pick. Panarin then signed a 2-year, $22M ($11M AAV) contract extension with the Kings that kicks in starting next season. Panarin is over a point-per-game this season yet...

On Episode 26 of The PuckPedia Hockey Show we welcome on former Los Angeles Kings Assistant GM and current Sportsnet analyst Mike Futa.

We start off the episode talking about Mike’s background (3:00), starting by playing hockey and then working his way up through the OHL as an Assistant Coach then a General Manager, before transitioning to the NHL with the Los Angeles Kings.

He worked in the Kings front office for over a decade, with the team winning 2 Stanley Cups in 2012 and 2014. He talks about the relationships along the way that helped navigate his path in...

For Episode 10 of PuckPedia Cap Central, Hart Levine and Keith Kavanaugh dive into the big trades and extensions that happened this week.

The New York Islanders made 2 deals, 1 with each of their tri-state rivals. First the Islanders traded their 2026 3rd round pick to the New York Rangers in exchange for defenseman Carson Soucy (7:00). It’s only the 4th time these teams have executed a trade together in franchise history.

Then the Islanders traded Maxim Tsyplakov to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for Ondrej Palat, a 2026 3rd round pick, and a 2027 6th round pick (2:00). This tr...

On Episode 25 of The PuckPedia Hockey Show we welcome on multi-platform Montreal Canadiens reporter and NHL insider Eric Engels. We start off the episode talking about Eric’s background, how he had to work multiple freelance jobs for years before landing his full-time gig at Sportsnet (3:00).

Eric provides really good insight into how hard work and passion is only half the battle (9:00), and what else it takes to get to land a “dream job.”

Eric is on his 18th season covering the Canadiens so we take a look down memory lane at some of his favori...

For Episode 9 of PuckPedia Cap Central, Steve Werier and Keith Kavanaugh dive into the big trades and extensions that happened this week. The Calgary Flames traded Rasmus Andersson to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for Zach Whitecloud, a 1st round pick, a conditional 2nd round pick, and an unsigned prospect. Calgary retained 50% salary in that deal. The Vancouver Canucks traded Kiefer Sherwood for the San Jose Sharks in exchange for 2 2nd round picks and a prospect. The Buffalo Sabres extended Josh Doan to a 7-year, $48.65M contract ($6.95 AAV). Doan was an RFA at the end of the season...

On Episode 24 of The PuckPedia Hockey Show we welcome on Director of Analytics & Insights for Sportlogiq Mike Kelly.

We start off the episode talking about Mike’s background (3:00), and how he started in more of a broadcasting role and path before shifting gears with tech company Sportlogiq. We talk about how Sportlogiq data is being presented on broadcasts, not just at the national level (TNT, Sportsnet, NHL Network) but also on regional broadcasts (MSG and FanDuel Sports Network).

We discuss how the data is just one piece of the larger pie that includes scouting, coaching, de...

For Episode 8 of PuckPedia Cap Central, Hart Levine and Keith Kavanaugh dive into the big signings that happened over the last week. First they talk about the Philip Broberg extension with the St. Louis Blues, he signed a 6-year, $48M contract ($8M AAV). Then they talk about the Alexandre Texier extension with the Montreal Canadiens, he signed a 2-year, $5M contract ($2.5M AAV). Then Hart goes on a rant about the Salary Cap Floor, and why he thinks deals like the Chicago Blackhawks acquiring Ryan Ellis and his $6.25M contract to get to the floor isn’t the most ef...

On Episode 23 of The PuckPedia Hockey Show we welcome Tyler Madarasz from Sirius XM’s NHL Network Radio. Tyler gives us a brief dive into his background and how he got into this role and working in hockey (3:00). We talk about the progression he has made throughout his time there.

He tells us a great Wayne Gretzky story about how he had to give me a call to get him on their show, and how Wayne called back after the show thanking them for the time (8:00).

Then we dive into the Olympic rosters, and where we...

Visit PuckPedia.com and follow PuckPedia on social media! X: @PuckPedia  IG: @PuckPedia  Go to PuckPedia.com/Coolbet to get in on the action today. Stay Cool, Bet Responsibly Theme song by Lester McLean (https://www.lestermclean.com) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On Episode 22 of The PuckPedia Hockey Show we welcome musician and former TSN contributor Lester McLean. Lester writes the theme song for the PuckPedia Hockey Show so we wanted to start the episode talking about his inspiration behind the theme you hear each episode (2:30).

Then we get into Lester’s background, talking about how he grew up such a fan of the game of hockey but also had interest in the musical side of things (5:00). Then he talks about his lucky break meeting James Duthie from TSN and beginning to write music for some of the hockey wo...

On Episode 21 of The PuckPedia Hockey Show we welcome founder of The Pro Hockey Group and recurring guest Jason Bukala.

We wanted to bring Bukes on to preview the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship in Minnesota, the annual best-on-best hockey tournament featuring the best under-20 hockey players in the world (2:30). Jason’s scouting reports are on PuckPedia’s website if you want to read up on some of the players in this tournament (4:30).

We start by previewing Team Canada, who are the odds-on favorites to win the tournament this year (6:30). Gavin McKenna and Michael Misa are the...

For Episode 6 of PuckPedia Cap Central, Hart Levine and Keith Kavanaugh dive into the 2 massive trades in the NHL. Quinn Hughes was traded on Friday to the Minnesota Wild from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for Zeev Buium, Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren, and a 2026 1st Round Pick (4:45). This trade sent shockwaves around the NHL.

Keith & Hart break it down from a salary cap perspective, what this means for a potential Quinn Hughes extension in Minnesota, and what is next for Vancouver as they navigate a rebuild or retool (9:00). They also discuss the article written on ESPN from...