The Aiming Five Hole Hockey Podcast

We've reached the quarter mark of the NHL season, prompting an examination of whether the Thanksgiving Playoff Theory will hold true. Currently, only one Canadian team is in a playoff position, while several teams are exceeding expectations. Will this dynamic shift, or will it be up to the Montréal Canadiens to bring the Cup back to Canada

Ryan gloats as The Toronto Maple Leafs faced a terrible loss against the Montreal Canadiens, placing them at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings! In contrast, teams like the Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers, New York Islanders, and Anaheim Ducks are showcasing unexpected success early in the season. Additionally, injuries to key players are becoming a growing concern across the league.

Quick ignites a bench clearing skirmish following yet another home loss for the Rangers, underscoring the mounting pressure on the team to perform in front of their fans. Binnington's position as the starting goaltender for Team Canada is under threat from Logan Thompson, and the Oilers need to find an answer to their goaltending wows before it's too late. On a more positive note, the Canadiens are showing signs of breaking free from their recent struggles, while the Maple Leafs continue to underperform suggesting a shakeup may be necessary to prevent the season from slipping away.

After a challenging weekend, it may be time to hit the panic button in Leaf land! While Hall of Fame Weekend celebrated the achievements of inductees, it was not a joyful time for the Leafs. On the other hand, Suzuki and Caufield are showcasing their skills with a strong start to the season for the Canadiens, positioning themselves as potential candidates for their countries' Olympic team rosters. Meanwhile, the New York Rangers are struggling at home, unable to score a goal on home ice and facing difficulties winning in front of their fans at Madison Square Garden.

It's early in the season, and every team in the Eastern Conference is above .500 and within a point of a playoff spot. This raises the question: have we reached parity, or are a few teams' slow starts keeping others in the mix? The Leafs are displaying inconsistent play, which makes it challenging for Phil to completely remove himself from the doctor's couch. On the other hand, the Habs continue to shine, despite experiencing some third-period letdowns. Additionally, there is discussions around the league how some of the up-and-coming stars are potentially playing their way onto Olympic rosters.

With the Leafs struggling, it's time for Phil to take a moment on the couch for some reflection. Meanwhile, the Habs are maintaining their strong performance. Additionally, teams like Utah, Chicago, and the Penguins are surprising experts with their impressive starts to the season.

The Canadiens have begun the season on a strong note, while the Leafs' goalie is calling out his team's effort in an attempt to ignite a fire under them. Injuries to key players remain a concern, and the Oilers are facing yet another slow start to the season. Leafs fans don't look now but Marner and the Knights look good early!

The first week of the season was quite eventful, particularly off the ice with several significant contract signings. Notably, Connor McDavid signed what can only be described as the most team-friendly contract in the history of sports, extending his deal in Edmonton and providing the franchise with a substantial discount. This move will enable the team to acquire additional support for another Stanley Cup run. On the ice, the Leafs narrowly defeated the Habs in their season opener, which was a bit sloppy. However, it's still early in the season, and there is plenty of hockey ahead.

The pre-season shenanigans have concluded, and teams are now finalizing their line-ups and roster decisions. The anticipation for the season to begin is palpable. Phil and Ryan share their insights on the outlook for the Leafs and Habs, along with their predictions for the upcoming season.

Phil and Ryan are back for Season 2 of the Aiming Five Hole Podcast. In our Pre-Season show, we will discuss the changes and outlook for the Leafs and Habs. Additionally, we will explore other significant stories around the league, including injuries, retiring players and unsigned stars. Tune in for insights and analysis as we gear up for an exciting season ahead.

We end the season the way we started it... Talking all things, Toronto Maple Leafs & Montreal Canadiens post free agency and big moves for better or worse for both teams. We also touch on the miracle that the Panthers pulled off bringing everyone back to make a run at the Three-peat and the winners and losers so far during free agency.

The Panthers go back to back and Bennett wins the MVP! Unfortunately Connor McDavid and the Oilers had no answers for the Panthers relentless forecheck and the Canadian drought on brining Lord Stanley back to Canada will last another year!

The Panthers lead the series 3-2 and head back to Florida with an opportunity to win back to back Cups! Can the Oilers continue to come up big after bad loses and drag the Panthers back to Edmonton for Game 7?? The Winter Olympics are less than a year away and each country has named their first 6 players to their respective rosters.

Panthers take a 2-1 series lead after a dominating game three performance! The Oilers didn't seem ready to play as the series moved to Florida but with an extra day off before game 4 they need to find their game to ensure this series heads back to Edmonton all square. In a surprising move the Dallas Stars fire head coach Pete DeBoer!

Let's run it back! Oilers and the Panthers will square off again this year in the Stanley Cup Final! If the series is anything like last years, it'll be another doozy and one for the ages... Can McDavid and Draisaitl will this Oilers team to victory or will the Panthers depth prove to be too high of a mountain to climb? Can't wait to see how it turns out!

The conference finals has been a little like Bizarro world. The Oilers has transformed into the team that went to the Cup Finals last season and the Cannes have collapsed from the team that got them to the conference final. We also discuss the collapse of the Shanaplan in Toronto and the need for the President's role within NHL franchises.

The Leafs fail to advance beyond the 2nd round with a terrible Game 7 performance. It's time for major changes in Leaf land! The Jets can't extend their series with Dallas and the President's curse claims another team! The Semi-finals are set and we'll discuss our thoughts on both the Eastern & Western Conference finals!

Panthers square the series with the Leafs at two a piece and Phil's on the couch! Oilers lead their series with the Knights despite a bad bounce in game 3. Jets continue to struggle on the road and Rantanen dominates while leading the race to the Conn Smyth trophy and the Cannes lead their series with the Caps!

Round One came to an end, in dramatic fashion with the Jets pulling off the miracle late-game comeback and win it in OT! We'll run down the complete first round, including the dramatic third-period comeback by the Stars to defeat the Avs in an incredible series that didn't disappoint! Leafs move on to face the Panthers! We'll also preview the 2nd round and give our predictions for the conference finals.

The first round of the playoffs hasn't disappointed with plenty of exciting story lines and play! The Leafs lead the series 3-1 over the Sens as they try to exercise their demons and cash a ticket to the second round. Habs have out performed expectations but trial in the series 3-1 and need a big round win to bring it back to the Bell Centre for game 6. The battle of Florida has been grueling and the heat continues to get ratcheted up. Dallas and Colorado has been played at the high level of skill everyone thought it would be. Oilers can't seem to start games well and the Kings can't finish games in a series that seems destine to go the distance.