Beginner's Puck - A podcast for hockey fans new and old

Are our favorite teams still saddled with Problematic Players? You bet. Are we tired of these things keeping us from the game we love? One Hundred Percent! In this episode we work our way through and beyond the messiness and get back to the joy of the sport. We catch up on our teams, make a (very) small case for Torts being the right coach for Philly and how World Juniors hit a bit different in Canada this year. We give props to Boston for their “man, we really screwed up and we have a plan to fix that” after the Mitchell Miller Debacle. (And yes, our fingers are crossed it’s not just performative.) In short, hockey is still a beautiful game and we miss talking about it so here’s how we’re going to do it…by finding our hockey joy wherever we can. We hope you join us! New to Hockey? We are here for you. Drop us a tweet or email us at beginnerspuck@gmail.com and we’ll help you navigate this wild, fantastic landscape! Erika Ensign and Deborah Stanish.

As a special treat for Incomparable membership month, Deb and Erika bring you a taste of the fun members get — by sharing their very first members-only special from 2017! Deb and Erika are joined by Lisa Schmeiser as they discuss “Goon”, the 2011 sports comedy about bros, fighting, and what it means to be part of a team. Loosely based on the life of enforcer Doug Smith, the Beginner’s Puck crew breaks down the hockey stereotypes, hockey truths, and how this bro-iest of bro movies is weirdly enlightened. Erika Ensign and Deborah Stanish with Lisa Schmeiser.

We’re back! Kinda? Sorta? It’s been a while because, honestly, this year has been ROUGH. What happens when the thing you love doesn’t love you back? Deb and Erika talk about the heartache of hockey, and we don’t mean the stuff that happens on the ice. But like any heartache, you grow and move on, a little tougher, a little wiser, and a whole lot sassier. We can’t wait to see you next season! Erika Ensign and Deborah Stanish.

It’s all happening now. Teams are shaking it up and shaking it down, skates are on ice, and we’re weeks away from the official start of the 2021-2022 season. Deb and Erika work through our varying degrees of excitement both at what’s happened over a very active summer and what we’re (sorta) looking forward to this season. Of course we’ll all be going in empty handed thanks to the new NHL bag policy but hey…it’s like they say: Hockey is for Everyone…Who Has Pockets. In this episode’s “What the Puck” we discuss the NHL COVID policy and how that could affect teams with unvaccinated players. Finally, Erika announces a project that will help newbie fans work through our back catalog. New to Hockey? We are here for you. Drop us a tweet or email us at beginnerspuck@gmail.com and we’ll help you navigate this wild, fantastic landscape! Erika Ensign and Deborah Stanish.

Much like the Tampa Bay Lightning Deb and Erika are taking advantage of circumstances and letting it roll. In our case, dropping an unplanned and unscripted podcast to celebrate the official kick off of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Sorta. This ep is all about conflict: ours, Tom Wilson’s, John Tortorella’s…. But we also touch on good social media, anticipated battles, the upcoming expansion draft and our excitement of watching the Kraken in their new arena in 2022. We believe. New to Hockey? We are here for you. Drop us a tweet or email us at beginnerspuck@gmail.com and we’ll help you navigate this wild, fantastic landscape! Erika Ensign and Deborah Stanish.

Hockey, yay? Deb and Erika end their long hiatus to discuss the current state of the NHL including COVID COVID everywhere, trades that make you go “yoinks!”, outdoor games, and Crosby’s big 1000. There may also be a little bit of Tony D’Angelo schadenfreude. I mean, c’mon, we’re only human! In this ep’s “What the Puck?” we delve into the who, what and why’s of The Taxi Squad and, finally, Deb ties it all up in a neat hockey tidbit bow by remembering the 2008 Winter Classic New to Hockey? We are here for you. Drop us a tweet or email us at beginnerspuck@gmail.com and we’ll help you navigate this wild, fantastic landscape! Erika Ensign and Deborah Stanish.

So far, so good, right? The bubble appears to be holding, but but that doesn’t mean it’s all champagne and roses, especially if you’re a Bruins fan. Deb and Erika talk about today’s biggest story (Tukka Rask), last week’s biggest story (that 6+ hour game), and the final slotting of the draft lottery. (Remember that?) We also touch on the sassiness of the Jumbotron operators; the heroes and villains of the playoffs; and, of course, The Refs (See also: heroes and villains). In this episode’s “What the Puck” we are all about the checks: body, hip and cross as well as a few that were new to us. And, finally, Erika has been sprinkling the internet with her hockey tidbits over at @HollyGoGarkly on Twitter. New to Hockey? We are here for you. Drop us a tweet or email us at beginnerspuck@gmail.com and we’ll help you navigate this wild, fantastic landscape! Erika Ensign and Deborah Stanish.

So much has happened since we last chatted in May: there’s Kraken and bubbles and some shady Byng-ing going on. Deb and Erika reach waaaaay back and talks about the Draft Lottery, how the US couldn’t keep their #%@^ masks on and lost a hub, as well as the NHL awards that will be awarded who knows when. What even in time?! throws hands Erika gives us some perspective on what we can expect in a hub city given that she, you know, lives in one. We also talk about our conflict over how excited we are that hockey is back and just how stupid it is that hockey is back. Look, we are complex people and can hold multiple, simultaneous opinions, okay? Finally, in our delightful little hockey tidbit, Deb introduces you all to Gritty’s 1/4 hour of power. It’s good, clean, dumb fun and who doesn’t need that? Have a hockey question, comment or observation? Hit us up on Twitter @Beginnerspuck or drop us an email at beginnerspuck@gmail.com. Erika Ensign and Deborah Stanish.

The NHL has risen from the ashes and so has Beginner’s Puck! Join Deb and Erika as we decipher Garry Bettman’s presser, figure out who is going where and why and, more importantly, discuss whether they should. I mean, let’s face it, everyone out there is sporting masks and practising responsible social/physical distancing, right? Right?! We throw our segments out the window as work through our conflicting emotions of joy, trepidation, and despair at hockey culture’s “warrior” mentality. It’s a rollercoaster, kids. NHL’s Return to Play Plan: https://media.nhl.com/public/news/13995 Erika Ensign and Deborah Stanish.

It’s another special Beginner’s Puck/Hockey Feels crossover Carcast — this time with a special guest who is relatively new to hockey fandom, Chip Sudderth! When you attend a Doctor Who convention in Los Angeles, what better way to start the weekend than by braving rush-hour traffic and trekking to Anaheim to check out the Flames vs the Ducks at the Honda Center? (Turns out there may be lots of better ways…) Erika Ensign and Deborah Stanish with Steven Schapansky, Rachel Donner and Chip Sudderth.

The countdown to opening day continues. Deb and Erika discuss the real v. emotional toll of preseason, debate the merits of the NHL opening the season with European games (gotta grow that game! In Switzerland!). And touch on the those pesky RFA’s and who got that bread. Or that bridge. There’s a lot of b’s in the preseason. Of course we talk about Matthews. Both the ugly and the plain stupid, but pull ourselves out of spiral and end on a Cammi Granato note. In this eps “What the Puck?” we discuss the difference between amateur and pro scouts and how Deb really wants to be a hockey ninja spy. Finally we close with a “Behind the Glass” tidbit. Have a hockey question, comment or observation? Hit us up on Twitter @Beginnerspuck or drop us an email at beginnerspuck@gmail.com. Erika Ensign and Deborah Stanish.

Hey kids, hockey is (almost) back! Join us as we kick off Beginner’s Puck Season 3 and talk training camps, the shakedown of our home team rosters and take the Wayback Machine to the Stanley Cup finals and summer trades. We also discuss the chaos surrounding the current batch of unsigned RFA’s and what to do when your fave team opens its doors to a player you absolutely, positively cannot STAND OMG. We also play the hockey version of Tinder and tell you who’s getting our swipe right for the 2019-2020 season. And speaking of training camps, in this episode’s “What the Puck?” we explain the difference between a Camp Invite and a PTO. Finally, Erika closes us out with a hockey tidbit in which we both love our mascots a whole lot. I mean, who doesn’t love a Murder Cat and a Sassy Demon Hell Spawn? Smell that? It’s the odor of sweaty hockey gear and possibility. Let’s get this season started!! Have a question about hockey? Want to comment on the episode? Drop us a tweet or email us at beginnerspuck@gmail.com. Erika Ensign and Deborah Stanish.

We’re back with a pre-Stanley Cup episode because even when your heart is broken, it’s still hockey, amirite? Erika and Deb talk about the chaotic end of the 2018-2019 season, how to find the fannish fire when every single #&@^#% team you love is currently playing golf, what’s coming next in hockeylandia and how we just know one team is going to break our hearts next year and sign #&@^#% Voynov. In our #WhatThePuck segment we explain the flurry of signings of NCAA players and how it affects their ELC/trade value. Our hockey tidbit this ep is the adorable NHL Fan Choice Awards. Have a question, comment or just want to cry about hockey? Hit us up on twitter or email us at beginnerspuck@gmail.com! Erika Ensign and Deborah Stanish.

No time for a full-on podcast, but Erika has more exciting hockey talk to share with Deb! Erika Ensign.

No time for a full-on podcast, but Erika just can’t wait to spew some hockey talk at Deb! Erika Ensign.

Deb and Erika are back and have a lot to say about Erika’s new-found passion for the Florida Panthers (you do you, girlfriend), recent games they’ve attended, the post-deadline trade fall-out (RIP Zuccarello), the REAL March Madness of playoff runs, Deb’s Duchene issues and the fan reaction to the (disproved) homophobic slur uttered at the TORvTBL game this week. In a new “What the Puck?” Deb dives into the creation and mission of “You Can Play” and how it differs from the NHL’s “Hockey is For Everyone” initative. Finally, Erika talks about those Bunch of Jerks™ and their fantastic Storm Surge in this episode’s “Hockey Tidbit”. BONUS! We announce our upcoming Member’s Only Bonus Episode. It’s going to be pretty cool. #teaser Erika Ensign and Deborah Stanish.

This is a super-sized, super special episode as we welcome Meg and Hannah from Balls and Sticks podcast to talk hockey, the NHL at large and sexy sexy stats. ! Basically, this is what happens when you put four people together who just really really like hockey. I’m not saying it gets rambly but I’m saying we could have talked a lot longer. A LOT. We had a ton of fun and we hope you have just as much fun listening. And check out our show notes for all sorts of links including where to find Meg, Hannah and the Balls and Sticks Podcast! Have a question, comment or query about hockey? Hit us up on Twitter or drop us a line at beginnerspuck@gmail.com Erika Ensign and Deborah Stanish with Meghan Hall and Hannah Burry.

Thank all that is holy, hockey is back. Sure, the ASG break is fun for SOME of us (I’m looking at you, people in Canada, who had the GOOD All-Star Weekend broadcast) but the rest of us had to suffer through the not-fun bits to see our old faves and new faves including Kendall Coyne and Brianna Decker who Tore. It. Up. Deb & Erika break down the highlights and lowlights of All-Star Weekend and the resource disparity between men and women’s pro hockey, starting from development. We also touch on the new razzle-dazzle technology the NHL launching next year and the possible impact it will have on the league. We close our regular segment with the Muzzin trade and why it is a good thing (In Deb’s opinion). In this episode’s “What the Puck” we talk about the importance of scouting and why having depth in your organization is critical. Finally, we close on an adorable hockey tidbit: Hockey Puppers. Have an opinion, question or thoughts about hockey? Hit us up on twitter @beginnerspuck or drop us an email at beginnerspuck@gmail.com Erika Ensign and Deborah Stanish.

We’re back from our (very extended) holiday hiatus and wow, life moves fast. Like, what the hell is up in Edmonton? Erika gives us the local perspective while Deb listens sympathetically. (Chiarelli, amirite?) We also talk about trade-deadline madness, the financial impact of making the playoffs and why can’t the ASG be fun? (We need a Storm Surge!) Speaking of surges - we touch on the unexpected Islanders and how delicious an Islanders/Maple Leaf playoff game would be. (Bitterness and spite - don’t discount these important motivators) Finally, we wrap up the regular segment with a bit of “weird and cute”. Weird being Jack Eichels incredibly detailed game day routine (#TeamGoFundMe for the “good” apples!); and the cute being the Dallas Stars incredible Make-A-Wish game played with the mighty EKG’s (and that goon Anderson McDuffie). In this episode’s “What the Puck” be go back to basics and break down the “rush”. During which Erika proves she is a Fake Canadian and doesn’t even make one Rush joke. She is NOT today’s Tom Sawyer. But she does get her revenge by quizzing Deb in a rapid fire “Say What Now?” As always, we close with a “Hockey Tidbit” in which Erika recounts a charming family anecdote about the time Daryl Sutter delivered a combine and was sassed by her nephew. Canadians, eh? Have a question, comment or Daryl Sutter anecdote? Hit us up on Twitter @beginnerspuck or drop us an email at beginnerspuck@gmail.com! Erika Ensign and Deborah Stanish.

Today our cities may be at war, but for this episode Deb and Erika cozy up and discuss the changes in management and coaching brought to our fair cities, and if they’ve made any differences. (The Philadelphia Flyer fan half of this team threw hands AND snorted.) We also discuss the NHL’s 32nd team, the upcoming World Juniors Championship, and the age old dilemma of how to deal when a player you like is traded to a team you very much do NOT like. (ANGST) And now the the Willy Nylander deal is settled (#blessed) we bemoan the oncoming months of Matthews/Marner speculation. (This is not AO3 so don’t look at that slash that way. Rude.) Which brings us to this week’s “What the Puck” - Offer Sheets! We give you the lowdown on what they are and if they are feasible in the modern NHL. To close out this ep we give you the delightful Hockey Tidbit of the Montreal Canadiens “Twig for Twig” program. It’s a good one. Have a question, comment or opinion? Hit us up on Twitter or send us an email at beginnerspuck@gmail.com Erika Ensign and Deborah Stanish.