On this episode of That’s Gross, we unpack the Bruins’ recent struggles—what’s actually going wrong, what’s noise, and what the rest of the season could realistically look like. We get into lineup usage, accountability, and why certain young players are starting to get more rope, including Fraser Minten and other youth in the organization earning extended looks.

We also touch on the World Juniors, Bruins prospects to keep an eye on, and how those development paths matter more than ever right now. To close it out, we zoom out and talk personal goals heading into 2026, the direction of Gross Hockey, and why the movement is just getting started.

Huge things coming in 2026. Appreciate everyone who’s been listening, supporting, and riding with us.

Episode 37 of That’s Gross Hockey starts loose and ends honest.

We open by shooting the shit and drifting into the future of cars and transportation—self-driving cars, trust issues, and whether technology is actually making life easier or just more complicated.

Then it’s back to hockey, and specifically the Bruins, who’ve hit a rough patch at a bad time. Losses to Ottawa and Vancouver, slipping in the standings, and a league where everyone is hovering around the same win percentage means there’s no margin for error. When David Pastrnak calls a December game against Montreal the biggest game of the year, it says a lot about where this team thinks it is.

We dig into what’s actually going wrong: a struggling penalty kill, inconsistent goaltending, and a roster that lacks elite scoring outside of 88 and 39—forcing them to win by committee. We get into personnel and roles, including Pavel Zacha’s game and whether he’s essentially a “Walmart version of Sasha Barkov”— no shade though - actually a compliment. We also talk Mason Lohrei, his softness at times, and whether a defenseman in that mold—Ryan Whitney–esque, all due respect—can be justified if the offensive upside isn’t there.

On the flip side, we give credit where it’s due: Kastelic earning trust in tough minutes, Sturm’s group fighting til the end, and the small signs that still give this group a chance if they tighten things up.

Zooming out, we look at the Atlantic Division dogfight—Detroit on top, Florida heating up even without Tkachuk and Barkov, Tampa striking, Toronto struggling (thankfully, with Boston holding their pick), and Buffalo surging after a front-office shakeup. That naturally leads into a realistic trade deadline conversation: sell, buy, or stand pat—and why the Bruins likely won’t mortgage the future either way.

We wrap with a quick Team Canada roster build and close things out with some Christmas vibes—favorite movies, traditions, best gifts, and how the holidays hit differently now than they did growing up.

Honest hockey talk, a little chirping, and a reminder to enjoy the game—even when it’s uncomfortable.

We’re livin’ the dream and buildin’ a team on Episode 36 of That’s Gross.

This week, we open by breaking down the blockbuster trade that sent Quinn Hughes from Vancouver to Minnesota. We unpack the implications for both organizations, how it reshapes the Wild’s blue line, and what it signals for the Canucks moving forward.

From there, we dive headfirst into the Buffalo Sabres dumpster fire. Since 2011, what has gone wrong, why has it never clicked, and what would we do differently if handed the keys as GM?

We also break down major goaltending storylines around the league, including the Stuart Skinner–Tristan Jarry swap, Brandon Bussi’s emergence, and the Bruins’ decision-making at the goaltender position both now and in the future.

Then it’s full Bruins talk: where this team truly stands, whether a legitimate 1C can be acquired via trade or if patience with James Hagens and the prospect pipeline is the smarter long-term play. Is Tage Thompson actually available? We debate it. We also dig into why the Bruins’ power play has taken a real step forward this season, discuss a recent waiver-wire pickup, and highlight the depth pieces quietly driving results.

We wrap things up with junior hockey and draft talk, the growing excitement around the World Junior Championships, and finish by building our Gross Hockey Team USA roster—14 forwards, 8 defensemen, and 3 goalies.

Sit back and enjoy this one.