Pucks On Net

Alex Burrows spent twelve season with the Vancouver Canucks, gave his heart and soul to the team, the fans and the city...and got dealt to Ottawa for a surprisingly nice return!  Full bench on the podcast this week. Ryan, Dave, P Mac and Geeta discuss the big Burrows trade which sent him to Ottawa, with an extension, in exchange for Jonathan Dahlen Monday afternoon, what this means for the Canucks' rebuild and if there are more deals to done by Jim Benning, a man who has appeared to have won over some of his critics. Dave takes the side of Senators fans. Why are they giving up a hot young prospect for a grizzled vet with only 9 goals this year? And will they actually be able to make a run in the playoffs with the team they have assembled? Canucks fans are applauding the deal, while Senators fans are calling BS in the nation's capital.   They also discuss the big mumps outbreak in Vancouver, how it could have originated and how it's spreading to other NHL teams, mainly the Minnesota Wild. Is it all Luca Sbisa'

Antoine Vermette wasn't happy with how the puck was being dropped, so he told the linesman in the worst possible way! Ryan Dave and Geeta join you this week to discuss the mandatory 10 game suspension for Anaheim's Vermette after a very odd situation last week vs Minnesota. Is the mandatory warranted? Or should it be reduced? Ryan talks about going to the Canucks game vs. Calgary, watching Nikita Tryamkin hopping over the boards and how the Calgary Flames jerseys are the ugliest in the league, almost as ugly as that long goal Edler put past Brian Elliott. They also discuss career minor leaguer Colin Chaulk's unfortunate jersey retirement ceremony in Fort Wayne, discuss Jake Virtanen's development in Utica and whether Brock Boeser can find his way into a Canucks jersey next month... or a Comets jersey? The gang also discusses Ryan Johansen's pissy return to Columbus and how he was upset there was no 'welcome home' feature on the jumbrotron. They also discuss the Montreal Canadiens' "window" to win the Stanley

If you're a head coach in the NHL, chances are you've been fired! And if you play for the San Jose Sharks, there's a 65% chance you'll be mistaken for a homeless person. Geeta, Dave and Ryan join you this week to discuss Claude Julien being relieved of his head coaching duties by the Boston Bruins. Was this the right move? Is it the coaching or the roster that need to be changed?  They look at all four (so far...) head coach firings in the NHL and how the teams have rebounded. And for the most part, it's been quite positive. They discuss Anton Rodin being shut down for the season, Brendan Gaunce's AHL point production and Loui Eriksson's humungous contract. They're also incredibly thankful Bo Horvat didn't break anything this weekend. Washington's incredibly hot streak and point production also come up. Can a team so perfect on paper finally do what it takes to make it out of the second round? Or will a red hot goalie or a kid named Sid get in their way? Finally, the gang discusses Brent Burns ROCKET to the t

Yet another blizzard has hit Vancouver, there's a full bench on the podcast this week and Ryan, Geeta, P Mac and Dave are talkin' Colorado, Hitchcock (Ken not Alfred) and a whole lot more! They're talking about the finally healthy Florida Panthers, Ryan's playoffs fringe team of the week. The additions of Huberdeau and Barkov to the line up, the Panthers look set to make a run for the post season and a moral victory for the fancy stats folk! Ryan also comes loaded with TV ratings. The American NHL teams with the highest regional ratings, the biggest change from last year and the teams with viewership dropping like flies and what this could mean to quite possibly the most boring Stanley Cup Final ever, Columbus vs Minnesota. They also look at the Vancouver Canucks' regional TV ratings on Rogers Sportsnet and look at comparable ratings of other TV shows. They also talk about Ken Hitchcock getting fired by the St. Louis Blues, their transition to Mike Yeo and just how and why this change went down. What were som

The NHL All-Star game has come and gone, it was slow and boring and nobody seemed to enjoy themselves! But Don Cherry likes Justin Bieber's back checking, so there's that. Ryan, Geeta, Dave and his visiting sister Jennifer are on the bench this week. They discuss the aftermath of the 2017 NHL All-Star Game in Los Angeles, Snoop Dogg's F-Bombs, Justin Bieber's run in with Chris Pronger and the pageantry of the game itself. They also play Don Cherry's very accurate comments on the game's calibre of play during a rather lively Coach's Corner. Don didn't care for the action and neither did most watching at home. Ryan provides side by side comparisons of how the game was broadcasted to in Canada and the United States as well. They also discuss the NHL 100, the 100 best NHL players of the past 100 years, all the current Chicago Blackhawks and the snubs of active players. Jarome Iginla and Gino Malkin quickly come to mind. The Vancouver Canucks embarrassing 3-0 loss to Arizona is also discussed. From the Canucks set

Hank's got 1,000 points an Vancouver wants to see the Canucks win again (even for just one night)! Ryan, Geeta and P Mac join you this week to talk about the incredible Canucks vs Panthers game on Friday night. That game? Incredible? Well, it's been tough to find an excited crowd at Canucks games in recent years, so this was a welcomed sight and sound for fans not quite overtaken by the apathy. They look back at the Sedin twins careers, talk about spending a whole lot of time and money at SportsBar at Rogers Arena and Ryan watching Jaromir Jagr play for the first time, at the spry young age of 44. They also touch on the Islanders' firing of head coach Jack Capuano, their desires to be a playoff contender this year, and their several parallels to the Vancouver Canucks and just what they could do in the playoffs if they right the ship. They also discuss Jonathan Toews' quiet and slow start to the season and what could be the cause of it. They talk about his 4 point game against Vancouver and, if he gets hot aga

Martin St. Louis' number is hanging in the rafters in Tampa Bay and Hayley Wickenheiser calls it a career. Two emotional moments this week in the world of hockey. Ryan, Dave and Geeta start the show off this week. A mid-pod arriving P Mac is fresh off covering the New Jersey Devils vs Vancouver Canucks snooze fest. They discuss the incredible career Hayley Wickenheiser had and the HUGE impact on Canadian hockey. They also discuss Martin St. Louis' number 26 being retired in Tampa, his problems with Steve Yzerman and a great clip of Stanley Cup winning coach John Tortorella on what coaching Marty was like. They also discuss Jeff Carter's amazing first half with the Los Angeles Kings, talk about San Jose's endorsement from an usual and overplayed Bay Area band of yesteryear (no not Metallica) and talk about the new hot trend in professional sports, relocating to Los Angeles. The Maple Leafs hype is real, VERY REAL. The gang discusses how much they love the team they have built in Toronto, but harp on the TO med

Anton Rodin plays 0:00, Willie handcuffs his team and the Vancouver Canucks win streak is over! A full bench of Ryan, Dave, P Mac and Geeta gather to star asking some serious question about Canucks' Head Coach Willie Desjardins. From some odd line up decisions, the gang is a little confused. They talk about bad karma for Mike Smith, as the bad luck for the lanky Coyotes goalie continues, and give their thoughts on the unfortunate hit (and eventual concussion) on Patrik Laine in a game vs Buffalo. Was it clean? Would you lay the body if you were in McCabe's shoes? Ryan cites Ken Dryden's book 'The Game' and more specifically, Dryden writing about famed Montreal Canadiens' head coach Scotty Bowman and what makes a good coach. He compares it to what Willie D is doing being the Canucks bench and further questions Willie's actions. Finally, the gang talks about Wayne Gretzky's outdoor alumni game tour, the downpour in the AHL outdoor game and the trials and tribulations of meeting people off Tinder in our new dati

Happy New Year from the entire bench on this week's show! Ryan, Dave, P Mac and Geeta gather in 2017 in the midst of a Vancouver salt crisis like no other! Why? To talk about the world juniors and the Canucks winning games of course! Ryan and Geeta discuss watching most of the gold medal game between Canada and Team USA at the No. 5 Orange. How we feel about such an important game ending in a shootout and our thoughts on problems with attendance in Montreal. P Mac shares his tales of covering the Arizona Coyotes shutout loss to the Vancouver Canucks and just how dark the mood is surrounding the team after interviewing several players post game. What is wrong in the desert? Is this it for Mike Smith? Can he get moved to a contender for a chance to win it all? The gang shares their thoughts on the Canucks' win streak (at time of recording 5 games, now six games) and the negativity of said streak with Canucks fans. Should we hope for nothing but tanking and loses? Or can a fun, confidence boosting win streak wit

Tis the season! Tis the season for the 4th annual Pucks on net Christmas Party! And this year, it's got an open bar!  The whole gang joins you on this festive and lively podcast to celebrate the Christmas season, give some gifts to NHL players and teams and enjoy a cocktail or two with some friends of the show. They discuss Hall's hit on Philip Larsen, whether a suspension was needed or the hit was clean, but more importantly, discuss how stupid and pointless the post hit scrum was. A common trend in hockey, a fight after a hard hit, and something that we can all do with out. They also touch on Carey Price's rage on the New Jersey Devils, whether he as well needed a suspension and if there was a tad bit of favouritism from the NHL to Price. Connor McDavid and Edmonton's retribution against the Philadelphia Flyers comes up and the ongoing conspiracy whether Brandon Manning intended to hurt Connor McHockey last season. A couple friends of the show join the podcast. Sam Anderson joins as Ryan discusses a traumat

Snow has shut Metro Vancouver down, but we still got this week's podcast out for all of you! Ryan, Geeta and P Mac gather this week for a loose show to talk all things Canucks right now! They talk about head coach Willie Desjardins and president Trevor Linden almost weekly tradition of putting questionable comments and quotes in the media. Does the Canucks front office need media training? Would that calm down the concerned fan base? The gang also talks about Bo Horvat. Did we say talk about? We said praise the hell out of following his coming out party on national television against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The gang asks the tough question, when will big Bo be the top line centre in Vancouver? They also touch on Philip Larsen leaving Tuesday night's game vs New Jersey following a huge hit from Taylor Hall, discuss the log jam of players coming back from injury and whether Jim Benning makes a move to replace Larsen and Dorsett, who it was recently revealed he could be done for the season with neck problems. F

Head coach firing in Florida? Who cares?! Well...apparently everybody! Dave, Geeta Ryan and a skyped in P Mac join the podcast this week to talk about the fancy stats loving owner of the Panthers making some interesting changes this early in the season. Why are they firing Gerard Gallant following a record setting season and a half decent start to the season while weathering the storm of injuries. Will this cause a divide in the locker room or a rift with management? They also talk about the turn around for the Vancouver Canucks. Common sense has prevailed and the gang discusses the positives of the past couple weeks. Jake Virtanen remains in Utica, Evander Kane still in Buffalo and the kids are getting some serious ice time. They also continue their discussion about the quiet success of the Columbus Blue Jackets, answer twitter questions and discuss the validity, or lack there of, of the Jack Adams Trophy. Enjoy!

This week's podcast is dedicated to former Vancouver Giants captain Craig Cunningham. Craig, currently captain of the Tucson Roadrunners, had a terrifying moment Saturday night when he collapsed during warmup. The entire Pucks on net crew is thinking of you, Craig! A full bench on the podcast this week to celebrate the fact Evander Kane was not traded to the Vancouver Canucks and a full bench out to look for the positives following a less than stellar blown lead Saturday night vs the always good Blackhawks Ryan, Dave, P Mac and Geeta join you this week to talk about the busy week for the Vancouver Canucks. Fears of a big and for the most part, unnecessary trade for Evander Kane and the random return of Jake Virtanen to Vancovuer, only to be sent back to continue playing the AHL. Canucks wind up walking away from the Kane trade (the price was too high) and keep Jake in the AHL, so everything is right in Canuck land...for now. They also look at the quiet success of the Columbus Blue Jackets and how Torts has le

Jake's back from Utica and Eric Lindros is going into the Hockey Hall of Fame. An interesting time for hockey fans to say the least! P Mac, Geeta and Ryan gather this week following an exciting sports weekend in Vancouver. The Canucks have a big come from behind victory against the streaking and equally handsome Dallas Stars all while Jake Virtanen spent the weekend playing in Utica. The gang gives their thoughts on how Canucks' brass is handling his development and if a quick two game stint isn't what is needed with the 20 year old Canuck. They discuss the rumours of Trevor Linden resigning as Canucks President and what the timeline is like for the other key members of the organization. Are they just rumours? Or is Big Trev heading back to the gym game. Conversation moves towards the Hockey Hall of Fame inductees. The always controversial Eric Lindros, the much loved and respected Pat Quinn, Rogie Vachon and Sergei Marakov, the oldest rookie of the year in NHL history. Is it a week hall of fame class? Does e

So all hell broke loose on Saturday night. Nazem Kadri delivered a dirty hit to Daniel Sedin, fights were happening left and right and oh yeah, the Canucks' losing streak continues! A full PON bench this week, Ryan Geeta, Dave and P Mac get together 24 hours removed from Saturday night's brouhaha in Toronto. They weigh in on the dirty hit from Kadri to Sedin, Alex Burrows' vicious retaliation and Erik Gudbranson's post game comments about his desire for vigilante justice...possibly the next time these two teams play December 3rd. After an embarrassing 8th straight loss, is Willie Desjardin's job in jeopardy? Do the Canucks' need a coaching change to salvage the season? Or does the only thing salvage this tough season is the highest draft pick possible next June?  They discuss where the NHL Department of Player Safety went wrong, who should have been suspended and what could have been done differently. They talk about a toned down NHL compared to decades ago, and where the style of play is headed. They also di

A familiar voice returns to the podcast this week. Ryan, Geeta and Dave gather in her palatial estate to talk about hockey, Wheat Kings and pretty things. The Montreal Canadiens are 8-0-1 to start the year. They had a similar hot start last season going 9-0 before the wheels coming off after Carey Price's injury. With the new Shea Weber led Habs able to prevent it happening two years in a row? And the PK Subban / Shea Weber trade comparison comes up again, with the goal differential growing between the two. Podcast correction: Nolan Patrick is not related to Lester or Frank Patrick, but Dave still gives a good history lesson about the origins of professional hockey in Vancouver. They look at the Canucks' continuing struggles. From Loui Eriksson's awkward chemistry with most lines on the team and Jake Virtanen not being able to find his stride, what will happen to this team in the coming months? How much time is left for Coach Willie D? Is Travis Green ready to jump to the NHL? And who will score first, Troy '

(If the homies can't have none) In this case, it ain't fun that Tryamkin don't want none (of a Utica Comets Roster Spot) Dave, P Mac and Ryan get together this week to talk about the podcast's stance on fancy stats, their thoughts on the analytics and why the show is formatted the way it is. They move on to Brian Elliot's rough start with the Calgary Flames. Until Monday's shootout win against Chicago, he was winless in 3 with a GAA over 4 and a SV% under .900 ... basically Tom Barrasso numbers. The gang talks about the Canucks' injury troubles, their rough weekend in California and their new problems with Nikita Tryamkin. What will the Canucks brass do? Will they convince the Russian giant to play in Utica? Or will he return to the KHL? They also look at Ryan Miller and whether he's on the move while goalie injuries plague the NHL. They also compare the starts to the season for PK Subban and Shea Weber and more particularly, their plus/minus ratings. The gang also talk about the 2016 Heritage Classic in Winn

The NHL regular season is finally here! Auston lives up to the hype (for at least one night) and McDavid continues to impress. Meanwhile, the Canucks win two in a row with a lot of new faces in the roster. Ryan, Dave and P Mac get together this week to talk all about the first few games of the regular season. They look at Evander Kane's terrifying looking fall into the boards the subsequent injury. They also talk about the Oilers and Flames polar opposite starts to the season. They talk Canucks. From Etem clearing waivers, to the positives that came out of the first weekend of the season. From a stable defence, to a great game from Ryan Miller, there are some positives for sure to start the year for the Canucks. They also talk about PK Subban's first game in Nashville and his first goal celebration of the year. They also look at the shaky play of Brian Elliot and ask who the worst starting goaltender in the NHL is. They also try to figure out Sidney Crosby's concussion mystery. Enjoy!

We're on the verge of the 2016/17 NHL season and the Pucks on net crew has some fun this week! With a rare two man pod facing them this week, P Mac and Ryan go to twitter for some help from the listeners for some questions this week. They give their take on the Nail Yakupov trade and just what the Oilers got in return from the troubled Russian forward. Can he rebound in St. Louis? Or is it the place where careers and dreams go to die like it has been stated on this podcast for years. They talk about Canucks preseason. Who goes home with the Fedor Fedorov Memorial Trophy for preseason MVP, Jake Virtanen's role in the Canucks and spot on the roster, the emergence of Jack Skille and the troubles facing Emerson Etem as he (at the time of recording) is on waivers with the fear of going to Utica. Finally, the boys answer some great and hilarious questions from the listeners. From Emerson Etem to Ben Hutton's musical choices and some PON related questions as well, it's a very fun segment. Ryan also floats an idea to

The dog days of the preseason are here and tickets to those preseason games are cheap cheap cheap! There's also a new mascot in Edmonton but the PON gang has a couple suggestions after Hunter the Lynx is unveiled to less than stellar reviews. Another full bench on the podcast this week. Dave, Geeta, P Mac and Ryan gather in Geeta's palatial estate to talk all about the anticlimactic final of the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. Did we ever doubt Canada would win it? No. Was it exciting? Not really. Can they improve it for the alleged 2020 World Cup Of Hockey? They most certainly think so! They take a look at the Canucks' preseason. Demko and Subban have both been sent down to Utica, and Troy Stecher is the clear cut front runner for the Fedor Fedorov Memorial Trophy as the Canucks preseason MVP. Can he make the opening night roster? Or will he be a midseason call up?  Also on the Canucks front, the gang remembers Cody Hodgson and his controversial time with the Canucks. From meddling dads to poorly handled back inju