Two Man Forecheck

Episode 0068: IIHF World Championship, Vegas Wins the West, 'Canes May Have a Sale, Voynov Returning, Joel Bouchard Named Head Coach, Camp Dates Announced, Mudbugs and Force are Champions!

IIHF World Championships are over.  No North American Team has won gold.  The Americans finished in 3^rd, with the Swedes and Swiss taking the top two spots respectively.  What happened to the North Americans?  Do the Europeans have a winning game plan or is it just the size of the rink?  We discuss at length.

Bob McKenzie has tweeted out that everyone on the ‘Canes is available except Sebastian Aho, but are any players worth looking at right now?   The Forecheckers bandy about a few names that might fit the bill.  Steve Conroy thinks that the Bruins should make a play for Noah Hanifin, but is it realistic?  Again, we have an opinion.

CapFriendly has reported that there are 9 teams that received an overage exception this season, which means that they will lose that money towards next season’s cap.  The problem…3 of the top 5 highest amounts belong to teams that didn’t come close to the playoffs.  Who is to blame?  Mike and Chris have fun with the blame game.

Aivis Kalnins is reporting on Twitter that the Kings might be interested in bringing back Slava Voynov, but should this be there biggest concern?  Maybe some scoring punch is in order.

The Vegas Knights have won the West!  But they have also been doing some trolling.  Drew Doughty made a comment which appeared on the ice at T-Mobile arena prior to their last home game.  Worth a look and a laugh.

We update Seattle, but there isn’t much to update.  Mike still insists on not saying that they will have the next franchise.

We talk about Ryan Reaves and his importance to the Knights and his potential future.

The Shreveport MudBugs and the Fargo Force have won their respective championship cups!  Congrats from the Two Man Forecheck to both of these teams and thank you for growing hockey in places that we wouldn’t expect to see the game being played.

Joel Bouchard has been named head coach of the Laval Rocket, AHL affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens. Congrats to him and much luck in his new position.

Development and other camp dates are starting to be announced.  We will mention them as we learn about them.

Finally, the Memorial Cup is under way, and it appears to be an offensive production if the first game is any indication.  Good luck to the four participants!

Let us know what you think, any questions you may have, and if there is anything in particular you would like to hear!  Enjoy the show!

Episode 0067: Vegas' No. 1 D-Man, Kyle Dubas Hired in Toronto, Brind'Amour hired in Carolina, Kempny Fined, Jim Matheson Tweeting, Brad Marchand and How Great Teams are Built!

The Two Man Forecheck are back at it after a Mothers’ day off.  Tonight we stretched our legs a bit and discussed topics to get you thinking. For starters…who is the number one defenseman for the Vegas Golden Knights?  We posit a theory. 

The Maple Leafs have themselves a new, young GM, Kyle Dubas.  An in-house hire of sorts, but is he going to have the power necessary to do the job or will he be a sock puppet for Shanahan and Babcock?

The Hurricanes hired a new head coach…someone they know, Rod Brind’Amour.  What is with Carolina bringing back the old band?  Will Rod be able to run things with an owner who likes to stick his nose in?

Kempny was fined for his hit on Paquette, and we are all right with that.

Jim Matheson tweeted out that a lot of teams appear to be interested in Jeff Skinner so we discuss where he could land and how difficult it might be.

Ian McLaren has written an article discussing how the Bruins want Brad Marchand’s game to speak for him and that he needs to cut out the antics and be a leader.  But we here at the Forecheck believe that if he were to change his game, it could have resonating effects on the rest of the team.

We finish with a discussion of how the final four teams in the playoffs are built.  Not so much to beat one team, but to beat all the other teams.

Give us a listen, tell us what you think.  Send us your feedback and enjoy the show!

Episode 0066PS: The Conference Finals Are Upon Us! Caps vs. Bolts and Jets vs. Golden Knights, Brad Tells His Story, Predictions!

Another Playoff Supplemental show coming your way!  On the night of the Eastern Conference Finals, Mike and Chris get together to discuss the semi-finals and other topics. 

We start with a mailbag question from Mark Brooks regarding the officiating in the NHL and how to fix it. He offers a suggestion of another official in the press box or above, we offer our fixes. 

We briefly discuss the ouster of the Nashville Predators from the playoffs before diving into the meat of the show…the Eastern and Western Conference finals.  The East on paper could be a blowout, but neither of us believe that.  The West is a series that the two of us would like to see continue until the end of August. 

We finish with our predictions for the two Stanley Cup finalists, and we both have picked an upset.

Join us for this special show, and by all means, let us know how you feel.

By the way, give a read to Brad Marchand’s story in the Players’ Tribune.  Here’s the link…

 

https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us/articles/brad-marchand-built-for-boston-bruins

 

Happy Mothers’ Day to all the mothers out there and have a great day!  We will be back the beginning of next week.

Episode 0066: The Fate of the Bruins, Bill Peters, Jim Montgomery and Rick Dudley Get Jobs, Guentzel for Conn Smythe, Best Defensemen of the Playoffs and the Mailbag!

Hello everyone and welcome to another edition of the Two Man Forecheck!  With the playoffs entertaining us every night of the week this is a glorious time to be a hockey fan but sleep may be hard to come by, especially for those of us who are fans of the Golden Knights.  We start out with a rather in-depth discussion of our hometown team, the Boston Bruins.  Nothing is off limits.  Is coach Cassidy making the right moves or has he missed the boat?  Same for the front office, who appear to have mucked it up with their deadline acquisitions.  Tuukka Rask has a .902 save percentage but it’s just not enough.  He has had his moments, but his issues keep creeping up.  Brad Marchand has been warned by the league to stop the licking, but they can’t seem to call any infractions committed against him. What is his recourse?  Finally, Torey Krug is out for the remainder of this round, could it be longer?  Will the Bruins make it out of this round?

There have been some behind the bench and front office moves with the Flames and Stars hiring head coaches. The Flames bring in Bill Peters, formerly of the Hurricanes, and the Stars bring in Jim Montgomery, formerly of the Denver University Pioneers.  Two differing opinions on what will work behind the bench, new blood or seasoned NHL coach.  Tell us what you think is the right track.  The Hurricanes still haven’t filled the head coaching role, but have hired a VP of Hockey Operations, Rick Dudley.  He has experience as a General Manager and helped construct a winning program with Tampa Bay.

Some Conn Smythe talk has begun for Marc-Andre Fleury, but there still has been silence with regard to a player that should have won it last year…Jake Guentzel.  He is once again lighting up the stat sheet for the Penguins, but somehow is forgotten when it comes to the accolades.

Who are the 3 best defensemen in the NHL Playoffs?  We give our top three, but who are yours? Share your list with us!

We close out the show with a mailbag question regarding the Penguins.  Are they done?  We both feel that they may be for these playoffs, but what about the future?  We discuss.  Come join us and give us your insight, but mostly enjoy the playoffs and the show!

Episode 0065: Surprising Golden Knights, Wild Fire Their GM, Flames President Burke Retires, Playoff Drama, Rask and Marchand, Kane Suspended, More Award Nominees, and Predictions

Avengers Infinity War is the reason for the late start this morning but there is plenty to discuss on this week’s Two Man Forecheck!  We start this show off talking about everyone’s favorite subject…The Vegas Golden Knights. Surprising first loss after 5 straight playoff wins and it took double overtime and an overturned Vegas goal. Chuck Fletcher was fired (he was told his contract would not be renewed) as GM of the Minnesota Wild.  Is there a valid replacement out there?  The VP of hockey operations is filling in for now. One mildly surprising story is the lack of drama in this year’s playoffs.  No upsets in the first round.  All the drama seems to revolve around the officiating.  Suspensions seem to be the order of the week as there have been four (three in the first round and Evander Kane in the second).  Were these suspensions warranted?  Will we see more?  Tuukka Rask threw another hissy fit during the Tampa Bay game, but was he right to do so? You may find our answer surprising. Brian Burke, President of the Calgary Flames has retired, and we wish him well.  We discuss whether he will find another position in the NHL.  Brad Marchand, in what is certainly one of the oddest stories we have seen, has been asked to stop licking players, or has he been? It depends on who you ask.  Quick hits on the U18 World Juniors, the Jack Adams and Hart Trophies, and finally our second-round predictions.  Let us know what you think, keep the feedback and questions coming.  Enjoy the show!

Episode 0064: The Mailbag, Playoff Roundup, The Caps Forge On, Vegas Advances, Nashville Flounders, NHL Award Nominees, Flames Fire Gulutzan, Torts Makes a Guarantee, Hickey Writes a Letter!

The Playoffs are in full swing!  There have been teams eliminated and teams that have surprised us to this point. The Forecheckers start the show with a mailbag question regarding Rick Nash and why he is played ahead of Ryan Donato. Unsurprisingly we still don’t feel the love for this player, but Cassidy may have no choice.  We begin the playoff roundup with The Caps/Blue Jackets. Discussing what is wrong with a Capitals team that hasn’t been to a Conference final since 1998.  Josh Morrissey was suspended for one game, and it was warranted in our eyes, but his rebuke that he didn’t mean it doesn’t fly with us.  The LA Kings were overthrown, and Nashville may be heading in that direction.  The Preds have given Colorado one thing they shouldn’t…hope.  We move on to the NHL awards that have been announced to this point.  The Vezina has 3 nominees who are all deserving and none of them would upset us.    The Norris finally has 3 defensemen nominated for the award and the Selke has Bergeron and two other players who will be happy just to be nominated.  The Masterton and Lady Byng nominees were announced as well.  Calgary has fired their head coach, but what took so long?  The Two Man Forecheck discuss.  John Tortorella practically guaranteed a game 7 and gave the press a nice long conference (tongue firmly planted in cheek).  Finally, a nice letter from Brandon Hickey to Boston University is a good read for BU alums and other fans.  Keep enjoying the playoffs, and keep those questions and comments coming. We will respond.

Episode 0063: Ken Hitchcock Retires, The Dallas Stars Flounder, Suspension in the Playoffs, Playoff Series Roundup, Pastrnak Makes History, Centers Being Dismissed and Vegas Golden Knights Odds!

The playoffs have begun, and there have been a few surprises.  Ken Hitchcock has retired from the NHL.  We here at the Two Man Forecheck wish him the best in his future endeavors, as he will be staying on wth the Stars in a front office capacity. The Stars have much work to do depth-wise and Ken will be able to help in that area.  There have been suspensions in the playoffs.  Kadri’s was deserved, Doughty’s could have gone either way. The physical level has stepped up this season and the hitting has been intense.  We delve into each series and talk about the teams’ surprises.  One of the big surprises…centers being thrown out of the faceoff dot.  We close out the show with a quick conversation about the Vegas Golden Knights and their odds of winning.  A nice article in the San Diego Union Tribune by Tom Leonard.  So keep it right here with the Two Man Forecheck throughout the playoffs.  Send us more feedback and questions…and enjoy!!

Episode 0062PS: The Playoffs Are Here! Listen As We Break Down All First Round Matchups With Surprises and Most Valuables!

The Playoffs are here!! The Two Man Forecheck break down all 8 first round matchups.  Our surprise players and the guys that have to be the most valuable to their respective teams.  Cheer or cringe as we make our predictions for the first-round results.  Discuss among your friends and let us know if we are right, wrong or just clearly off the deep end!  There are some entertaining surprises and shocking picks. Send us your feedback but most of all enjoy the playoffs!

Episode 0062: The Humboldt Broncos, E. Karlsson Moving, Raanta Extended, Vigneault Gone, NCAA Final and the Hobey Baker, Lundqvist Wants to Win, J.T. Miller Opportunities, Ken Holland Extended!

With heavy hearts, the Two Man Forecheck offer condolences, prayers and strength to the families, friends and all that were affected by the accident which took 15 players lives from the Humboldt Broncos on Friday.  There is a GoFundMe page started to collect donations to assist those families affected. Here is the link:

 

https://www.gofundme.com/funds-for-humboldt-broncos

 

We continue the show talking about Erik Karlsson and his last days in Ottawa (possibly).  He will most likely be moving at the draft or the start of free agency, but where will he land?  Are the Islanders good for him and he for them.  Most expect the Rangers to get heavily involved, but is the re-build a good spot for E.K. to continue his career?  Moving out west the Forecheckers discuss the extension of Antti Raanta’s contract…very team friendly in our opinion, and with the numbers he has put up, the team’s fortunes could be on the rise.  Solid now in goal and lots of youth…Chayka may know what he is doing after all.  Alain Vigneault has been behind the bench for half a decade with the Rangers but no more! Will he land on his feet?  Will the Rangers find their new coach quickly or do they already have him?  NCAA Hockey takes center stage as the final is played and the Hobey Baker is handed out. Do goaltenders get the shaft when it comes to this award…we discuss.  Henrik Lundquist says that next year has to be about winning, but has he looked at the roster lately.  We break it down for him.  J.T. Miller was moved off that roster at the deadline to Tampa Bay, but many teams should consider making him an offer.  The Forecheckers point out some of the potential landing spots.  Finally, congrats to Ken Holland on his extension. Is this good news for Jeff Blashill? Should he have been extended?  All this coming at you full speed and we aren’t done.  The Playoff Supplemental show is around the corner on Tuesday and the playoffs will be exciting.  Give us a listen and stick with us as we wax poetic about all things hockey.  Let us know what you think, give us your feedback good or bad!  What should we put on the topic list?  Enjoy the s

Episode 0061: The Playoffs Are Fast Approaching, Colorado, St. Louis, Tuukka Rask, Goalie Controversy in Washington and Future Starters, the Hart Trophy and the Best Expansion Team Ever!

Join us for a fun-filled episode as the Two Man Forecheck cover everything playoffs right from the puck drop.  We start out with playoff possibilities and matchups.  Colorado and St. Louis are fighting for their playoff lives.  Who will win the President’s Trophy?  With 5 teams within 7 points of each other it could come down to the last game of the season.  From the playoffs we delve deep into the goaltender position with a look at Tuukka Rask and his improvement this year having played less games.  Is this the answer to getting the best out of him? There is a brief pause to talk about Zdeno Chara and his new contract…a possible statement to the team that they aren’t ready to move on without him or that they don’t yet have to do so.  Back to goaltenders and the future starters around the league.  Thatcher Demko, former BC goalie got his first start for Vancouver and won.  Other future starters with solid seasons such as Juuse Saros, Malcolm Subban, and Phillip Grubauer are discussed.  This leads to a frank discussion of the goaltending controversy brewing in Washington. Who should be the starter in the playoffs.  The GM meetings gave us some direction regarding the next expansion team and how things will play out, as well as the goaltender interference issue and how it will be handled.  The Hart Trophy is hotly contended this year, and we at the Forecheck have differing opinions on how it should be awarded and who should get it.  Fair to say that we don’t necessarily agree here.  We finish up with a penalty shot with the goalie pulled by talking about the best expansion team ever…the Golden Knights. Plenty of topics to tell us what you think.  Do you agree…disagree?  Let us know and please share it with your friends, but most of all enjoy…The Two Man Forecheck!