The Hockey PDOcast

Jack Han joins the show to discuss adjustments the Leafs are trying to make this season to finally get over the hump, getting the most out of your players with your team's tactics,  how to use video and analytics together to paint a more complete picture, and a variety of other topics. Other things we talk about in this episode include: Changes Leafs have been trying to implement Neutral zone schemes to get in control of the game Pace, defending leads, tightening screws when needed Actively seeking out higher quality shot attempts Coaches making things easy on their players Tampa Bay's creativity in the offensive zone What makes the Islanders so effective Darryl Sutter's instant impact on the Flames How dump and chase can be effective in 2021 Why forechecking can be so difficult, yet so simple Importance of pre-scouting opponents this season A team's in-house metrics vs. public ones Jets defensive numbers, how much is avoidable How to get the most out of video and analytics If you'd like to get a copy of Jack's new book about the history of hockey and how tactics from the past inform today's game, you can do so here.If you'd like to sign up for Elite Prospects Rinkside and get access to all of the premium articles, you can get two free months off your annual subscription with the promo code 'ILOVEEP'.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices If you'd like to gain access to the two extra shows we're doing each week this season, you can subscribe to our Patreon page here: www.patreon.com/thehockeypdocast/membership If you'd like to participate in the conversation and join the community we're building over on Discord, you can do so by signing up for the Hockey PDOcast's server here: https://discord.gg/a2QGRpJc84 The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

Emily Kaplan and Chris Johnston join the show to help fill out midseason awards ballots. We discuss what we're looking for when making our choices in each category, the best candidates at this point, and storylines to watch for in the second half. Topics include: The Calder Trophy The Norris Trophy The Selke Trophy The Vezina Trophy The Jack Adams The Hart Trophy The best comeback performance The most underrated player The best offseason acquisition The player that's most proven they're legit this season ESPN's deal with the NHL CJ's new and improved Twitter strategy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices If you'd like to gain access to the two extra shows we're doing each week this season, you can subscribe to our Patreon page here: www.patreon.com/thehockeypdocast/membership If you'd like to participate in the conversation and join the community we're building over on Discord, you can do so by signing up for the Hockey PDOcast's server here: https://discord.gg/a2QGRpJc84 The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

Chad DeDominicis joins the show to discuss the Buffalo Sabres, the cursed start to the season, and what to make of their strange underlying numbers. Topics include: All of the bad luck they've suffered through Their historically bad 5v5 offense How shooting % fluctuations can mess with you Do they have the right system for their personnel? Pros and cons of low event hockey Is Ralph Krueger best suited to be a coach? Victor Olofsson at 5v5 vs. on the power play The mystifying way they've used Jeff Skinner Skinner's value, trying to make it worth  Ways to improve the team this season Keeping Jack Eichel happy Eichel's shooting this year Taylor Hall's future If you're interested in the Blue Wire Hustle program discussed at the top of the show, you can submit your application here: http://bwhustle.com/join Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices If you'd like to gain access to the two extra shows we're doing each week this season, you can subscribe to our Patreon page here: www.patreon.com/thehockeypdocast/membership If you'd like to participate in the conversation and join the community we're building over on Discord, you can do so by signing up for the Hockey PDOcast's server here: https://discord.gg/a2QGRpJc84 The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

Jesse Marshall joins the show to help deep dive the Pittsburgh Penguins and their eventful start to the season. Topics include: Surviving a bumpy first month Why they're fortunate to be where they are Making sense of a strange underlying shot profile The funk Evgeni Malkin has been in What's wrong with him, and how they can fix him Mixing and matching in the top 6 Bryan Rust proving he's totally legit Jim Rutherford's unplanned exit Importance of coach and front office being on same page Managing multiple timelines as organization Putting players in position to succeed based on their skills  Getting back to 5-on-5 dominance If you're interested in the Blue Wire Hustle program discussed at the top of the show, you can submit your application here: http://bwhustle.com/join Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices If you'd like to gain access to the two extra shows we're doing each week this season, you can subscribe to our Patreon page here: www.patreon.com/thehockeypdocast/membership If you'd like to participate in the conversation and join the community we're building over on Discord, you can do so by signing up for the Hockey PDOcast's server here: https://discord.gg/a2QGRpJc84 The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

Harman Dayal and Satiar Shah join the show to discuss where things have went wrong for the Vancouver Canucks this season, how to divvy up the blame for it, and what they need to do to fix it moving forward. Topics include: The bad optics of their offseason Deeper rooted issues dating back years Paying for past mistakes Intentionally rebuilding vs. being bad by accident Having plan and executing it properly GM vs. Owner vs. Coach Front office power struggles Ownership meddling in moves Making big changes now vs. offseason Losing the room Goaltending vs. defensive issues Hughes and Pettersson's struggles this year The impact on their next contracts Trying to salvage the rest of the season Big decisions coming up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices If you'd like to gain access to the two extra shows we're doing each week this season, you can subscribe to our Patreon page here: www.patreon.com/thehockeypdocast/membership If you'd like to participate in the conversation and join the community we're building over on Discord, you can do so by signing up for the Hockey PDOcast's server here: https://discord.gg/a2QGRpJc84 The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

Alison Lukan and Murat Ates join the show to discuss the blockbuster trade between the Blue Jackets and Jets, how Pierre-Luc Dubois and Patrik Laine will fit with their new teams, and how they can get the most out of them moving forward. Topics include: The timeline leading up to the trade What the market was actually like for Dubois Why Jarmo Kekalainen made the move Why the Jets were the perfect trade partner How much of PLD's rep as a player is deserved How his passing is a great fit next to Jets shooters Whether he'll be able to improve their team defense Where things went wrong for Laine in Winnipeg What's to blame for the dip in his shooting % How CBJ can get his shot back to where it was Whether CBJ's system can cover for his limitations How they can get the most out of his tools Winners and losers of the trade The next contract for both Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices If you'd like to gain access to the two extra shows we're doing each week this season, you can subscribe to our Patreon page here: www.patreon.com/thehockeypdocast/membership If you'd like to participate in the conversation and join the community we're building over on Discord, you can do so by signing up for the Hockey PDOcast's server here: https://discord.gg/a2QGRpJc84 The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

Arpon Basu joins the show to help discuss the strong start to the season for the Montreal Canadiens, how their playing style and depth has helped them take advantage of a wide open North Division, and what we can learn from their early results. Topics include: Their hot start offensively How much stock to put into early season data The competition in the North Division How they're taking advantage of opportunities How they're creating those opportunities Balancing offense vs. defense, risk vs. reward Nick Suzuki's impressive start  How and why he played them out of PLD talks The team's forward depth The future of the center position Phillip Danault's value and next contract Protecting investment in Price Future questions they'll need to answer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices If you'd like to gain access to the two extra shows we're doing each week this season, you can subscribe to our Patreon page here: www.patreon.com/thehockeypdocast/membership If you'd like to participate in the conversation and join the community we're building over on Discord, you can do so by signing up for the Hockey PDOcast's server here: https://discord.gg/a2QGRpJc84 The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

Michael Russo joins the show to help deep dive Kirill Kaprizov's immediate impact, why the wait appears to have been worth it, and how he's helping the Minnesota Wild change the public perception of their franchise. Topics include: Why Kirill Kaprizov has captured everyone's attention Why the Wild desperately needed a talent like him What he does well, why he can succeed in the NHL What we can learn from his first couple games Wild trying to change public perception of them Goals for this season and questions to answer Kevin Fiala following up on his breakout Future contracts for Kaprizov and Fiala Lineup construction and team building theory Playing styles and helping stars shine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices If you'd like to gain access to the two extra shows we're doing each week this season, you can subscribe to our Patreon page here: www.patreon.com/thehockeypdocast/membership If you'd like to participate in the conversation and join the community we're building over on Discord, you can do so by signing up for the Hockey PDOcast's server here: https://discord.gg/a2QGRpJc84 The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

Dom Luszczyszyn and Rob Pizzola join the show to discuss what we can learn from this unique season, the complicating factors to consider when picking winners, and some of the best bets on the board. Topics include: Weird results in shortened seasons The importance of home ice advantage and travel Balancing human element and statistical modeling Range of outcomes in 1st half vs. 2nd half Matchup trends and opponent familiarity Whether defensive teams will have early advantage Betting on bad teams Best bets and team point totals Player props and individual awards If you're interested in the Blue Wire Hustle program discussed at the top of the show, you can submit your application here: http://bwhustle.com/join Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices If you'd like to gain access to the two extra shows we're doing each week this season, you can subscribe to our Patreon page here: www.patreon.com/thehockeypdocast/membership If you'd like to participate in the conversation and join the community we're building over on Discord, you can do so by signing up for the Hockey PDOcast's server here: https://discord.gg/a2QGRpJc84 The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

Andrew Berkshire joins the show to discuss potential breakout candidates for the coming season. Topics include: What we're looking for when identifying potential breakouts Jack Hughes coming back stronger for Year 2 Andrew Mangiapane in Calgary's Top 6 Nick Suzuki building off bubble performance Matt Grzelcyk taking advantage of opportunity Brady Tkachuk's underlying dominance Rasmus Dahlin reminding everyone how good he is Andrew's pick out of left field Kirill Kaprizov's KHL resume Juuse Saros' time is finally here Young defensemen finally being unleashed If you're interested in the Blue Wire Hustle program discussed at the top of the show, you can submit your application here: http://bwhustle.com/join Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices If you'd like to gain access to the two extra shows we're doing each week this season, you can subscribe to our Patreon page here: www.patreon.com/thehockeypdocast/membership If you'd like to participate in the conversation and join the community we're building over on Discord, you can do so by signing up for the Hockey PDOcast's server here: https://discord.gg/a2QGRpJc84 The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.