The FAN Morning Show

The FAN Morning Show goes into its final hour of the week focused on the top stories from the past five days. In a work week where the Maple Leafs played just one game, there was still a lot around the team for Ben Ennis & Brent Gunning to talk about. The hosting pair enlist the help of their “Leafs historian”, The Star contributor Damien Cox to weigh in on everything from Ryan Reaves’ suspension to the hit Matthew Knies took that didn’t garner any discipline as well as the stuff in between; Auston Matthews injury secrecy and him heading to Germany. (2:31) And of course there was a really well played game by TML that saw a couple of impressive NHL debuts from some young buds. The trio debate the two hits the most; how the game has evolved but also how much it can actually be policed to try to eliminate “headshots”. In the back end of the hour, the morning duo go a step further and welcome on Stephen Walkom, the senior vice president and director of officiating for the NHL. He gives the boys some insight into the process, how decisions are made and what they look for the most. (29:08) The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliate. 

On hour two of The FAN Morning Show, Ben Ennis & Brent Gunning welcome Charles Davis of the NFL on CBS as well as NFL Network, who begins by weighing in on the history and fun of football games in the snow. Next, the trio look at the remaining schedule for Week 12 which features numerous divisional match-ups. At the back end of the hour, the morning pair ran through a few sports stories that caught their eye. First up is if the Blue Jays will non-tender their closer Jordan Romano. B&B discuss how they view Romano’s time in Toronto and some of the misconceptions around him as well as what the benefits of the team bringing him back would be (27:39).The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliate.

Ben Ennis and Brent Gunning kick off The FAN Morning Show talking Raptors, who, for the first time this year, won back-to-back games. B&B debate if given what we’ve seen from this Toronto team so far, especially given they haven’t been fully healthy yet, they are too good to tank for Cooper Flagg. The hosting pair then dive into what it means to get Scottie Barnes back and what the ceiling is for RJ Barrett. The morning duo then turned their attention to the NFL and discussed the Thursday Nighter. To end the hour, Ben & Brent discuss the video the NHL put out yesterday explaining the differences between recent hits; explaining the lack of penalty or suspension in the Zach Whitecloud on Matthew Knies one (34:44).The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliate.

In the final hour of The FAN Morning Show, Ben Ennis & Brent Gunning revisit the Zach Whitecloud hit on Matthew Knies in last night’s Maple Leafs win over the Golden Knights. Sportsnet’s Luke Fox joins the duo to give his thoughts, and discuss the vibes around the team in the midst of their lighter schedule. (3:53) They also take a look at the depth coming up from the Marlies with a number of players out of the lineup for the Leafs. Later, B&B are joined by NFL Network’s Jeffri Chadiha to break down the AFC playoff picture, who should be the favourite between the Chiefs and the Bills, and how far the Pittsburgh Steelers can go. (28:50) The trio also get into the MVP conversation, and question if a non-quarterback should be considered for the award.  The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliate.

On hour two of The FAN Morning Show, Ben Ennis & Brent Gunning reset on the Maple Leafs; where they are at after twenty games and their twelfth win of the season. The hosting pair delve into the latest Leafs win, yet again without Matthews but also address the injuries, especially to their forward batch that continue to pile up for Toronto. B&B discuss what it means for the team and how it forces them to see what they have in terms of depth. At the back end of the hour, B&B enlisted the help of Sportsnet’s own, Nick Kypreos (24:38) for his thoughts on the hit itself, the way the game is played and how impressive the Leafs are playing despite all these injuries. The Stanley Cup champ also re-visits an engaging segment from his show earlier in the week that is also the topic of The Star piece put out today regarding Mitch Marner, his value on the open market, his future as a Maple Leaf and how fans view him.The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliate.

Ben Ennis & Brent Gunning kick off The FAN Morning Show taking some time to celebrate Joseph Woll’s first shutout of the season, how impressive the call-ups were and just a hard-fought game from the whole team. But the jubilee turns quickly as they have to address Matthew Knies getting hurt and exiting the game after a hit from Zach Whitecloud. The hosting pair turn their attention to the MLB offseason and rifle through a few different topics including the latest on Soto team meetings, who seem like the favourites, other players the Blue Jays could be targeting as well as what the Red Sox say their expectations are for next season and where that leaves the A.L. East (35:39).The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliate.

The FAN Morning Show hits its final hour of the day with Ben Ennis & Brent Gunning mostly looking around the NHL. The hosting duo first follow-up on their conversation about if and how the National Hockey League is different from other organizations when handling player injuries and negative news. B&B enlist the help of a couple ex-pros to get their take on what’s been happening around the NHL. First up is Jason Demers, former D-Man & now NHL Network analyst. (10:40) JD Love weighs in on learning the latest on the Leafs’ Captain Auston Matthews going to Germany to get some injury help, the Bruins season so far that culminated yesterday in the first head coach firing of the season at Jim Montgomery’s expense as well as looking at Team Canada’s goaltending situation and who his pick would be. Next man up is Colby Armstrong of Sportsnet, Sportsnet Pittsburgh and Spittin' Chiclets. (27:27) ArmDog who will be on the broadcast tonight of TML v VGK helps preview the match; dives into how the Matthews injury has been handled publicly and if PR has changed much since his playing days in the League. The trio also take some time to discuss the Penguins and how times are rough now in Pittsburgh; how tough it is to watch Sidney Crosby deal with their shortcomings in the twilight of his career. Is there any way out of it? Hear what Army who knows the team well thinks. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliate.

On hour two of The FAN Morning Show, Ben Ennis & Brent Gunning focused on the Maple Leafs who get back in action tonight when they host the Vegas Golden Knights. The hosting duo started to preview the game looking at Leafs lines and pairings, the insertion of Fraser Minten and what expectations are for him, They switched gears to the NFL and the decision by the New York Jets to fire their GM; just adding another name to the list of people to not survive the Aaron Rodgers experience there. Next, the morning pair shift its attention to the NBA and the drama around the Sixers who sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. They welcome Sportsnet’s own Michael Grange (24:23) to weigh in on the conversation as well as how pro teams handle the negative press that leaks out or player injury news. The trio also takes time to look at the Raptors' season and how it's playing out.The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliate.

Ben Ennis & Brent Gunning kick off The FAN Morning Show with the latest news from the Maple Leafs on Auston Matthews. Toronto GM Brad Treliving updated everyone yesterday that AM34 is in Germany to deal with his health and upper body injury. He also says there’s no reason to alarm even though it's been almost a month since we’ve seen the TML Captain on the ice. The hosting pair give their take on what they make of the matter as a whole, why they are a little aggravated by it and the transparency of it all. B&B also dive into Ryan Reaves not being allowed to address the media regarding his hit and suspension as well as the recall for Fraser Minten and what expectations for him should be. In the backend of the hour, the morning duo dive into some other hockey things including the Bruins firing of Jim Montgomery (25:48).The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliate.

The FAN Morning Show goes into its final Tuesday hour with Ben Ennis & Brent Gunning tying a bow on Week 11 in the NFL. The hosting duo bring on Trey Wingo to help dissect what we saw this weekend. (3:00) The host of the Alternate Routes Podcast weighs in on everything from the Bills win over the Chiefs and what it means as well as the Ravens sporadic play, the Steelers “real’-ness, Aaron Rodgers’ future, the Jets numerous issues and the Giants “tanking” out. In the final block of the day, the morning pair turn their attention back to hockey and are joined by the always entertaining Scott Hartnell. (27:18) The 17-year NHL vet, now NHL Network analyst gives his take on how injuries are divulged and hidden by teams these days as well as the Ryan Reaves hit and subsequent suspension. The trio debate if the Leafs are more harshly viewed and criticized by those outside Toronto including the League office before looking around the NHL to discuss what’s haunting the Bruins this season and which head coaches are on the hot seat. (46:42) The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliate.

On hour two of The FAN Morning Show, Ben Ennis & Brent Gunning focused on the Maple Leafs. The hosting pair analyze where this team is at especially on a slow week and where they are with some players on & off the ice. B&B enlist the help of former Leafs GM, now hockey host and analyst, Gord Stellick to go through it all including the bizarreness of the Auston Matthews injury, what we know and the fact he hasn’t even been skating. The trio also get into Mitch Marner stepping up in the absence of the captain, the play of the other top liners, their depth, goaltending and the Ryan Reaves suspension. At the back end of the hour, the morning pair hit on the news that the NHL cap could take a big jump and what it means for the Leafs. B&B also update you on the latest in the Soto sweepstakes when they debate a new show segment (27:53).The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliate.

Ben Ennis & Brent Gunning kick off The FAN Morning Show talking about the Raptors after Toronto snapped its seven-game losing streak with a victory over Pascal Siakam and the Indiana Pacers. B&B hit on the core players including RJ Barrett who broke a Canadian Raptors scoring record last night, and Jakob Poeltl, who also had a good game and could potentially bring in some assets at the deadline this year. The hosting duo then took some time to talk NFL and last night’s Monday Night Football game that saw the Cowboys' losing streak extend. The guys wrap up with Auston Matthews seemingly being out another week and not even currently skating! (28:30)The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliate.

The FAN Morning Show goes into its final hour of the day with Ben Ennis and Daniele Franceschi continuing to talk puck. They dissect the Maple Leafs' overtime win over the Oilers on Hockey Night in Canada alongside Frank Seravalli, Daily Faceoff NHL insider. (5:46) He shares his take on how Mitch Marner's elevated play without Auston Matthews affects his contractual situation and if it gives him more leverage, before breaking down Ryan Reaves' suspension, if the league office views Toronto's incidents differently than other teams, and Alex Ovechkin closing in on Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal record. The morning duo then circle back to the NFL with Bleacher Report's James Palmer (30:10). The co-host of the 89 podcast with Steve Smith Sr. gets into how good the Bills and Steelers looked on Sunday, how both teams doubled-down on their quarterbacks with moves at the deadline, the Chiefs walking the tightrope of being the top team in the AFC and if we can believe in the Ravens as Super Bowl contenders. The hour ends with some interesting Jets stats that maybe tell us Robert Saleh wasn’t the problem in New York. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

On hour two of The FAN Morning Show, Ben Ennis and Daniele Franceschi dissect the marquee match-ups in Week 11, how they played out and what they took away from them. The hosting pair then take some time to give their take on the Friday night Netflix boxing stream headlined by Jake Paul & Mike Tyson. At the back end of the hour, the morning duo turned their attention back to the NHL and enlisted the help of Sportsnet’s Jason Bukala (24:37) to get into it more. They discuss how impressed he’s been with the play of Mitch Marner & John Tavares in the absence of Auston Matthews; they look at how lines could shift once the captain comes back. They also take some time to talk about the goaltending situation and the Ryan Reaves hit that landed him a 5 game suspension.The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliate.

Ben Ennis & Daniele Franceschi kick off The FAN Morning Show talking about the Toronto Argonauts winning the 111th Grey Cup last night. They discuss GC MVP Nick Arbuckle stepping in for Chad Kelly and how the Toronto defence was the biggest difference-maker in the game. The hosting pair then talk about the Maple Leafs and an eventful game on Saturday against the Edmonton Oilers. They discuss another comeback win for the Buds, Mitch Marner stepping up and taking over with Captain Auston Matthews out as well as the Ryan Reaves hit on Darnell Nurse and resulting suspension. At the back end of the hour, the morning duo give you the latest reports in the Juan Soto Sweepstakes and also take a few minutes to discuss the NBA’s last-place Raptors, where maybe things aren’t as bad as they seem (32:36).The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliate.

The FAN Morning Show goes into its final hour of the week with Ben Ennis & Brent Gunning talking goaltending in the NHL. They begin with the Leafs’ Anthony Stolarz start to the season and how at 30 years of age, he’s making the push to be the 1A option for a NHL team. B&B also look at his international eligibility and how he’s not even in the mix for the American team but would be for Canada. The hosting duo welcome on former NHL goalie, now analyst for NHL Network, Cory Schneider. (4:50) Cory weighs in on being a part of a national program, the developmental system for netminders and when goalies hit their prime. He gives some personal recollections on his career path as well as looks at the market for goalies in the NHL right now. In the final segment of TFMS this week, B&B check in with Adnan Virk of MLB Network as well as Prime Monday Night Hockey. (27:04) AV gives some thoughts on his Eagles team taking sole possession of first in the NFC East before the trio get into the MLB offseason. They discuss the details of Juan Soto’s meeting with the Red Sox and what, if anything, it can tell us about his meeting with the Blue Jays. They also get into Toronto’s chances especially against Steve Cohen & the Mets and what secondary big names are out there as a back up plan for those teams that miss out on Soto. (46:32) The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliate.

On hour two of The FAN Morning Show, Ben Ennis & Brent Gunning welcome Charles Davis and preview some marquee games for Week 11. Next B&B switched gears to soccer and welcomed The Athletic’s Joshua Kloke (26:32). The morning duo get a lay of the land of Suriname from JK on site and the sense around the team heading into tonight’s match.The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliate.

Ben Ennis & Brent Gunning kick off The FAN Morning Show on Connor McDavid reaching the 1000-point mark in his career. B&B discussed how the Oilers Captain is viewed, if this further cements his legacy, and if it is tough to determine where his greatest will lead him among all-time greats. Next, the boys discuss another tweet yesterday inferring how in the Blue Jays are on Juan Soto. At the back end of the hour, the morning duo give some thoughts on the Thursday Night Football game, how well the Eagles are playing and the job head coach Nick Siriani has done. They end with thoughts on the Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson showdown this weekend (31:21).The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliate.

The FAN Morning Show goes into its final hour on Thursday with Ben Ennis & Brent Gunning continuing to talk puck and the Maple Leafs. The boys look forward to their next game, a matchup with the Edmonton Oilers Saturday night on Hockey Night in Canada. To dive deeper into it, the hosting duo welcome on former NHLer, Sportsnet Hockey Central analyst, Luke Gazdic. (2:54) The trio get into the Leafs and how they’ve been playing as of late as well as re-imagine some of the lines and pairings of players that they all think would work well. In the back end of the hour, B&B shift gears back to baseball and bring on Sportsnet’s own Jeff Blair. (26:04) The co-host of Blair & Barker gives his take on the Soto Sweepstakes this offseason and if Toronto is truly in the mix. Then, the trio get into the numerous targets & needs the Jays have in order to become competitive next season, as well as how important it is given it's Vlad Jr’s last year under contract and how it could play for the organization trying to extend and sign him. (47:32) The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliate.

On hour two of The FAN Morning Show, Ben Ennis & Brent Gunning reset on the Maple Leafs and look at the Atlantic Division as a whole. The hosting pair then turned their attention to the MLB offseason headlined by the Juan Soto Sweepstakes. The guys welcome former MLB exec, now the host of ‘Nothing Personal’, David Samson for his thoughts. The trio dive into the role Scott Boras plays, which teams make the most sense for Soto and how Vlad Jr’s impending free agency affects the Blue Jays' chances. After that, the morning duo get back into some Leafs Talk with Anthony Petrielli. The writer of Leafs Notebook on Maple Leafs Hotstove weighs in on what he’s made of Toronto under new head coach Craig Berube 18 games in (25:27).The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliate.