Locked On NHL - Daily Podcast On The National Hockey League

Get NHL game recaps, analysis, and standings updates. Bruins, Avalanche, Penguins, and Ducks highlights from Locked On NHL Game Night

Brady Tkachuk scored his second straight natural hat trick, Toronto sees John Tavares go down with an injury and the Central Division standings have surprised everybody. Plus, a weekend of exciting NHL action ahead.

Get NHL scores, highlights, and analysis from a busy night featuring hat tricks, comeback wins, and team updates on Locked On NHL Game Night.

It's been a crazy two weeks in the NHL, and to start the show, hosts Nick Zararis and Hunter Hodies dive into Philadelphia’s historically sluggish offense, its -21 goal differential, and whether Rick Tocchet’s low-scoring system, combined with Dan Vladar’s heavy workload, is sustainable.

With only two games on the night, Mike Asti and Alex Wiederspiel are able to fully unpack what went on in two epic battles between likely contenders. First, the Capitals left the arena smiling after a big win over Montreal. How important is Alex Tuch? Does Washington now have a legitimate backup goalie? And then out West, the Stars got their revenge against Colorado, but do one or both teams now have a goalie controversy brewing?

Mike DiStefano and Gil Martin of the Locked On NHL Podcast go around the horn on teh latest topics around the NHL. First, they break down the Alex DeBrincat $13M AAV contract with Detroit a nd question when the Red Wings will get their other business done. Then they ponder is Rick Bowness' days are numbered in Columbus and discuss the biggest suprises starts to the Season. Today's Title Sponsor: FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Make this Your Most Rewarding Season Ever with FanDuel Rewards Club. Every week, check the FanDuel app to see what’s waiting for you. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Butcher Box If you're looking for an easier way to get great meals on the table, give ButcherBox a try. Go to https://ButcherBox.com/LOCKEDONNHL to get $20 off your first box, plus your choice of free ribeye, new york strip, or filet mignon in every box for a year — with free shipping always. Gametime Today's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account,…

Colorado and Dallas gets a little heated in a 3-2 Colorado win. Good news! They're back at it on Wednesday. The Tkachuks went wild in a 7-3 Panthers win over Columbus. Montreal does everything right, but sweats out a 4-3 win over pesky Buffalo. Andrei Svechnikov's hot start propels the Hurricanes 4-2 win over Washington. Utah survived a Toronto rally to win 5-4. Alexis Lafreniere's seven goals in eight games leads the Rangers, while Dylan Garand outplays Andrei Vasilevskiy. Edmonton gets great goaltending from Devon Levi to keep the Kings winless. The Flyers are also still winless despite their best played game of the season, losing to east-coast killers from Seattle. In a frenzied final segment: we touch on the literal return of Connor Bedard and figurative return of Sidney Crosby in Chicago's home win over Pittsburgh, Boston's 11 p.m. start time not being a problem in San Jose, the oddly close Devils-Wings game, letdowns for Ottawa and Minnesota as they were blown out by St. Louis and Winnipeg…

Igor Shesterkin’s season-ending injury throws the New York Rangers’ playoff hopes into turmoil. Can rising stars like Alexei Lafreniere and a reshuffled goaltender rotation keep the Blueshirts in contention, or is a major trade for a replacement—like Jordan Binnington or Samuel Montembeault—on the horizon? Seth Toupal and JD Young break down the ripple effects of this crushing blow, weigh potential roster moves, and debate the smartest strategy for GM Chris Drury. As Connor Bedard gears up for his return, the Chicago Blackhawks face tough questions about their rebuild. Will Bedard’s star power spark a turnaround, or do the Blackhawks remain Central Division cellar dwellers? The episode also previews NHL Frozen Frenzy, spotlighting must-watch matchups—Colorado Avalanche vs. Dallas Stars, Washington Capitals vs. Carolina Hurricanes, and more—while ranking the top games fans shouldn’t miss on hockey’s busiest night.

As the NHL continues to wait for the Florida Panthers to gel and look like the super team they were labeled to be, Mike Asti and Alex Wiederspiel discuss a Monday with only three games. They wonder if the Sabres were overlooked entering the season and what’s going on with Florida. How much time will the Panthers need to gel? Can the Senators keep this up and how much of a statement did Minnesota make in their win over Vegas?

How can the Rangers overcome the loss of Igor Shesterkin; Can the Mammoth sustain their fast start and what will it take for the Kings to overcome their early season struggles?

The Carolina Hurricanes continue to make Philadelphia fans boo. They've won five straight to improve to 5-1-1. The Flyers are off to their worst start in franchise history. Is this it for Rick Tocchet? The Rangers first game after the devastating Igor Shesterkin injury was a good one, and the team rallied around their new young netminder Dylan Garand. For Washington, what seemed like a scheduled win for them with Seattle traveling across the country turned out very differently. The Kraken are off to a nice start.

NHL Game Night recap: Scores, highlights, top performances, and storylines from every Saturday game, including Kaprizov, Nylander and more.

NHL Game Night recap: Rangers lose Shesterkin to injury, Capitals, Ducks, Kraken, and Blue Jackets secure wins. Latest scores, highlights, and analysis.

Jake Oettinger delivers back-to-back shutouts, the Panthers deal with injuries and the Red Wings trade rumors continue. Plus what impact has shorter preseasons and training camps had on early season play and an exciting weekend of action ahead.

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Two weeks into the 2026–27 NHL regular season, sample sizes are growing and early trends are demanding attention

Mike Asti is joined by Tom Callahan on this episode of LockedOn NHL Game Night. With only three games, Tom Wilson stepped up to lead the Capitals to a win in the latest chapter of Sidney Crosby vs. Alexander Ovechkin rivalry. Winnipeg continued to show they can compete by handing the Cup-favorite Avalanche their first loss. Edmonton then capped off the night by storming back from an early deficit to blowout the Ducks in a playoff rematch.

The Toronto Maple Leafs rallied on the back of huge performances from Auston Matthews and Gavin McKenna (it's about time). The Sabres young core proves the front office right for another night. The Florida Panthers finally lead in a game and win in regulation. The Rangers lockdown the Islanders in the third period to win 5-2. The Canes cause leaks in the Habs defense. Dylan Larkin and Detroit have a nice night. Utah's power play surges in New Jersey. Jack Eichel goes bonkers as Vegas blasts Seattle. Chicago wins on Patrick Kane night.

Detroit Red Wings spiral deeper into crisis as a front office void, the Dylan Larkin trade drama, and Simon Edvinsson’s contract standoff spark outrage among fans. Is the “biggest mess in sports” about to cost Detroit its best assets? Seth Toupal and JD Young break down the dysfunction, from owner Chris Ilitch’s tone-deaf outreach to a powerless interim GM and a fanbase teetering on revolt. Detroit Red Wings spiral deeper into crisis as a front office void, the Dylan Larkin trade drama, and Simon Edvinsson’s contract standoff spark outrage among fans. Is the “biggest mess in sports” about to cost Detroit its best assets? Seth Toupal and JD Young break down the dysfunction, from owner Chris Ilitch’s tone-deaf outreach to a powerless interim GM and a fanbase teetering on revolt. Philadelphia Flyers’ offensive drought raises big questions after just five goals in four games, while Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, and Los Angeles Kings wrestle with chaotic starts. Can the Flyers’ offense recover, or is a…

Winnipeg steals one from Pittsburgh in the closest game of the night, a couple longtime contenders send a message to newer blood and Ottawa shows up in a big game. Mike Asti and Alex Wiederspiel guide you through a four-pack of games on this edition of LockedOn NHL Game Night and even mix in a game about possible overreactions as well.

The Florida Panthers Place Aleksander Barkov on LTIR but get Brad Marchand back; the Edmonton Oilers are scoring a lot of goals but giving up nearly as many; while the Toronto Maple Leafs adjust to new players including Gavin McKenna.

The New York Rangers vibes are... good!? New York wins their third straight, 4-2, over explosive Utah Mammoth. Jets power play surges in win over Detroit. Anaheim gets big contributions from Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier in win over Barkov-less Panthers. Vegas closes out a pesky Vancouver team. Dare we say: Vancouver's vibes are also improved!? Plus, Seattle wants to play the Calgary Flames every night, it seems.

San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings renew their rivalry with brilliance from Igor Chernyshov and Quinton Byfield. The Senators and Islanders both make statements in their wins. Carolina finally gets their first win, and Philadelphia starts 0-1-2 against their first three opponents, all of whom are in the Metropolitan. Are their reasons to be concerned about Dallas? Is Chicago already preparing to fall short of the baby step forward in expectations this season? Buffalo's young stars emerge again. Plus, the Oilers defense finally comes to life, the Mammoth look like NHL giants, Rick Bowness goes off (again), Pittsburgh and Montreal gets wild, the Wild skewer the Bruins, Jordan Binnington skewers himself, Tampa Bay rebounds and Vancouver with another third period explosion on a 13-game night in the NHL.

A night that started with a now former captain being booed at home ended with some statement wins. On this episode of LockedOn NHL Game Night, Mike Asti and Shukri Wrights debate the Dylan Larkin situation getting worse, which Eastern Conference winner of the night made a loud statement and if there’s any reason for concern about a pair of Western Conference contenders.

The Florida Panthers see Aleksander Barkov go down with a lower-body injury, Igor Shesterkin scores a goal for the Rangers and Victor Hedman returns to the Lightning, plus Gary Bettman hints at changes to no trade clauses and we preview a big first weekend of NHL action ahead.

Macklin Celebrini's brilliance emerges early in a 4-3 OT win over Florida. The Panthers wait with baited breath on news of captain Alex Barkov. The Devils finally solve Joseph Woll thanks to Jack Hughes in a 3-2 OT win. The Rangers get a brilliant night from Igor Shesterkin, including his first career goalie goal in a 5-1 win over a rusty Tampa Bay team. The Blue Jackets and newcomer Matthew Knies explode in a 6-3 win over Buffalo. It was absolute bedlam in British Columbia as Vancouver nearly came back from trailing 8-2 in a sloppy 9-7 Edmonton Oilers win. Utah looked every bit the superior team in a 6-0 win as Dylan Guenther's quest for 50 begins in a blowout over Chicago. The Minnesota Wild are solid across the lineup in a 3-1 win over the Nashville Predators. Plus, Seattle obliterates Calgary on a night where multiple players had multi-point nights, a 6-1 final as Dustin Wolf struggles.

The NHL is officially back, and the opening slate of games did not disappoint. Hunter Hodies and Nick Zararis are back with another episode, where they discuss what really matters at the start of the season and whether teams can avoid slow starts because of the shortened training camp and preseason.

All 32 NHL teams enter. Only one will be the last team standing. In Episode 3 of Locked On NHL: Last Team Standing, the final cuts are made and the last team standing is crowned. Watch the eliminations, then tell us in the comments which team you think will win it all. Follow Locked On NHL for the rest of the series, part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day.

All 32 NHL teams enter. Only one will be the last team standing. In Episode 2 of Locked On NHL: Last Team Standing, we continue the elimination series and make another round of cuts. Which teams have a case to survive, and which ones are out before the competition heats up? Watch the opening eliminations, then tell us in the comments which team you think will win it all. Follow Locked On NHL for the rest of the series, part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day.

Night No. 2 of the new NHL season started with Sidney Crosby breaking a record and his Penguins team handing the rival Flyers their worst opening night loss in franchise history. Toronto also responded after Tuesday’s loss and the Avalanche flexed their muscles with an imposing performance in a playoff rematch. Mike Asti and Alex Wiederspiel discuss it all on the second episode of the 2026-27 edition of LockedOn’s NHL Game Night.

The Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes played a game that felt like a pre-season, regular season and playoff game all wrapped into one. Canadian on Canadian crime out west as Vancouver spoils opening night at Rogers. Montreal kicks off the season with a road win over Toronto. Montreal was drama-free and mostly efficient. Toronto had some moments, but did they allay the many concerns about this team? The Bruins and Rangers played 55 scoreless minutes, and then a whole bunch of stuff happened. Vegas lays a gentle beatdown of the Chicago Blackhawks in Ryan Craig's debut.

Toronto Maple Leafs shake up their roster with a blockbuster trade, acquiring Kirill Marchenko and goaltender Elvis Merzlikins while sending Matthew Knies to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Does this bold move finally set up Auston Matthews and William Nylander for a deep playoff run? Seth Toupal and JD Young break down how Marchenko’s scoring fits into Toronto’s offense and what Knies’ arrival means for Adam Fantilli and Kent Johnson in Columbus. Eastern and Western Conference playoff predictions ignite debate—are the Buffalo Sabres poised for a breakout, and can Minnesota Wild or Colorado Avalanche topple the West? Award races heat up: Is Quinn Hughes ready to claim the Norris, and could Ivar Stenberg or Porter Martone surprise in the Calder chase? Plus, dark horse picks, coaching hot seats, and whether Connor Hellebuyck’s next move will shake the NHL landscape. Don’t miss these bold forecasts for the new NHL season.

All 32 NHL teams enter. Only one will be the last team standing. In Episode 1 of Locked On NHL: Last Team Standing, we kick off the elimination series and make the first cuts. Which teams have a case to survive, and which ones are out before the competition heats up? Watch the opening eliminations, then tell us in the comments which team you think will win it all. Follow Locked On NHL for the rest of the series, part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day.

The Carolina Hurricanes finally, finally, finally got it done with this core. Flags fly forever, which is all that matters. They didn't do much in the off-season, but could they make a major addition DURING the season?

The Anaheim Ducks had a roller coaster 2025-26 season that included more highs than lows. A late-season swoon made most think the Ducks were dead in the water, which is exactly what they wanted the Edmonton Oilers to think. Now everything has changed thanks to the Leo Carlsson offer sheet match. Are the Ducks poised to take a step forward? Can they avoid a step back after subtracting talent to accomodate big new contracts for rising young stars?

The Blue Jackets finally sign Adam Adam Fantilli but Kirill Marchenko remains an issue; the Flames prepare to embark on their rebuild while the Bruins name a new captain.

Winnipeg Jets season preview: analysis of last year’s struggles, offseason moves, Connor Hellebuyck trade drama, and lineup outlook for 2024.

Adam Fantilli finally signs a new deal with the Blue Jackets, the NHL salary cap estimate continues to rise and the truncated preseason enters its final weekend.

Right on the heels of the news of Adam Fantilli’s new contract, Mike Asti and Alex Wiederspiel unpacked the Blue Jackets’ offseason and discussed why Columbus needs to start out hot with LockedOn Blue Jackets host Jay Forster. Can Columbus play well enough to keep the team together through the trade deadline? Are they being overlooked after almost getting into the playoffs last season? Will Rick Bowness keep his team circling the wagons and take another step forward in his second season at the helm?

Former third overall pick Adam Fantilli of the Columbus Blue Jackets is still without a contract, less than a week away from the start of the 2026-27 NHL season! On this edition of Locked on NHL, Nick Zararis (Locked on Oilers) and Hunter Hodies (Locked on Penguins) break down the winding road of Fantilli's young NHL career and why both sides are at an impasse (for now). Will that change?

Ross Levitan and Mike DiStefano break down NHL RFA drama, Anaheim’s captain pick, and draft their top Stanley Cup contenders for 2027.

Vegas Golden Knights stare down a pivotal season as goaltending questions and roster turnover threaten their Stanley Cup hopes. With Pavel Dorofeyev traded to the New York Rangers and Adin Hill and Carter Hart struggling in net, can stars like Mark Stone, Mitch Marner, and Jack Eichel carry the load? The arrival of rookie head coach Ryan Craig adds another layer of intrigue—will his inexperience hold back a veteran-laden squad with Cup-or-bust expectations? The conversation focused on the Carolina Hurricanes' bid for a repeat championship after a dominant playoff run. The discussion explored Carolina’s steady roster, shot-volume dominance, and player development, spotlighting Sebastian Aho, Logan Stankoven, and up-and-comer Brandon Bussi. The discussion covered blockbuster trade rumors, contract negotiations for Dylan Larkin and Quinn Hughes, and the NHL’s looming expansion. With an 84-game season ahead, which aging contenders will stumble, and which rising teams will seize the spotlight?

The Detroit Red Wings have many unanswered questions about Dylan Larkin and their GM situation; the San Jose Sharks seek to return to the playoffs but it will take more than Macklin Celebrini to get them there; and the Washington Capitals are geared for a successful season that they hope will convince Alex Ovechkin to stay beyond this year.

The Seattle Kraken need to pick a lane to swim in. No one can tell if they're trying to compete, rebuilding or something in between. There's been instability on the bench. They've made changes in the front office. And, believe it or not, the Kraken have made more than their fair share of savvy roster decisions. Yet success has eluded them for numerous reasons. We dive into a few of them on the latest episode of our Preview Special series with Zaiem Beg of Locked On Seattle Kraken.

Detroit Red Wings season preview: offseason moves, GM search, Dylan Larkin's future, prospect impact, and playoff hopes on Locked On NHL Game Night.

The Hellebuyck saga continues, Gavin McKenna is about to make his debut, the situation in Columbus continues to be tense and preseason NHL hockey gets under way this weekend.

Who holds the crown as the NHL’s definitive franchise number one center? In this episode of Locked On NHL, Nick Zararis (Locked On Oilers) and Hunter Hodies (Locked On Penguins) break down their personal top-10 center rankings entering the 2026–2027 season.

Tampa Bay Lightning offseason preview: roster changes, John Carlson addition, Kucherov contract talk, and 2024 Atlantic Division outlook.

Buffalo Sabres eye a championship leap: can landing Connor Hellebuyck solve their goalie woes and make them Eastern Conference favorites? The conversation focused on the Sabres’ promising young core, including Zach Benson, Jack Quinn, and Rasmus Dahlin, weighing internal development against the urgent need for elite netminding. Potential trades for Hellebuyck dominate the speculation, with teams like the New Jersey Devils, Carolina Hurricanes, and Vegas Golden Knights also surfacing as contenders. A key theme that emerged was the shifting balance of power in the NHL. The discussion explored the Dallas Stars’ potentially shaky roster depth and questionable offseason moves, spotlighting Jason Robertson and Jamie Benn’s roles amid declining vibes. Attention then turned to the Colorado Avalanche, analyzing Cale Makar’s record extension and whether Nathan MacKinnon’s supporting cast can carry them back to Stanley Cup glory despite a more challenging Western Conference landscape.

The Montreal Candiens surprised everyone by signing Chris Kreider; the Minnesota Wild continue to negotiate with Quinn Hughes and the Philadelphia Flyers love the new Matvei Michkov.