Bizarre scenes in Chicago saw Jordan Binnington being told to leave the crease after giving up his 7th goal, but he stayed put as backup Joel Hofer was nowhere to be found. New Jersey’s 9–0 loss to the Islanders came despite dominating shots on goal, with Jacob Markstrom left in for all nine goals. There are bigger problems for the Devils than just this one terrible outcome. Winnipeg’s stunning 11-game skid has last season’s Presidents’ Trophy champs sitting dead last at the halfway mark, with Ray noting the roster aged into one of the league’s oldest and visibly slower teams, exposing depth issues beyond their top line. In Toronto, Auston Matthews has rediscovered his superstar form since Christmas, inspiring the room after a baffling 35-game slump and underscoring how much influence elite players quietly carry. Finally, the Islanders’ resurgence has put 19-year-old Matthew Schaefer in the spotlight; while one player rarely flips a team, this kid’s infectious energy has clearly lifted teammates even at 22 minutes a night, injecting a new, faster identity into the club.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former NHL coach Dallas Eakins steps in for Ray, as he and Dregs tip their caps to the David Branch & Bob Pulford who both passed away over the weekend. Pulford, the Hall-of-Famer who was a four-time Cup champ with Toronto and veteran of 800-plus NHL games behind the bench, and Branch, the OHL Commissioner who genuinely cared about shaping players into better young men. Then, we discuss Sweden's huge gold medal win at the World Juniors and support for Team Canada despite their much-discussed semifinal loss to Czechia. Eakins feeling that Canada always gets every opponent’s best, so no Hockey Canada summit needed. Discussion on how the NHL's current parity keeps fans invested, practice versus visualization, and how MacKinnon, McDavid, and Celebrini's elite seasons have the game is in great hands with stars who make everyone around them better.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brandon Hagel returns to the Lightning lineup. Mat Barzal gets 5 + a game for his slash on Marchment in defence of Schaefer. Canada captain Porter Martone earns unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after scoring an empty netter against Czechia. We're two days away from the Olympic Roster announcement. NHL standing parity. Sharks' Celebrini continues to produce. Oilers' Connor Ingram earns 3-straight starts. Leafs PP finds success - How much is credit to Steve Sullivan? Plus, Tim's Hockey Challenge updates and much more.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An abbreviated Headlines looks at the Maple Leafs 4-0 loss to the Washington Capitals on Thursday night. Head Coach Craig Berube held very little back post game as the team looks for answers on the powerplay, but also in the compete and consistency categories.

Then, Ray and Dregs unveil their choices for the men's Olympic hockey rosters for both Team Canada and Team USA. Each team boasts an embarrassment of riches and yet, sometimes the answers seem so clear. Where will the differences lie?

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A rough Monday night raised player-safety and Olympic concerns, starting with Brandon Hagel’s injury from a forearm to the head by Seth Jones—a play that drew no supplemental discipline, frustrating Tampa Bay and leaving Ray concerned about the message it sends and future tensions. In Dallas, Team Canada hopeful Darcy Kuemper exited after being clipped by Mikko Rantanen in what most saw as a hockey play with an unfortunate result. Vancouver stunned the league by trading Quinn Hughes to Minnesota in a rare in-season blockbuster, choosing the youngest package—effectively four first-round assets—signalling a clear youth-driven re-tool and prompting a subtle jab from Hughes toward New Jersey. Edmonton also made waves, moving Stuart Skinner and Brett Kulak to Pittsburgh for Tristan Jarry, change for change sake perhaps, as Ray doesn't feel this provides real stability in goal, though Jarry has improved since time in the minors. Finally, Toronto remains a puzzle: sloppy play and an inability to handle pace—exposed again against an all-world Connor McDavid—highlight the Leafs’ need for a scoring winger amid tight cap constraints and asset management.

Plus, in Ask Ray & Dregs Anything: the Hughes haul, Central Division predictions and more!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A string of missed hand-pass calls leading directly to goals has the rule under the microscope, raising questions about why hand passes are legal in the defensive zone but not the offensive one. In Winnipeg, Connor Hellebuyck is back on the ice and facing shots earlier than expected, though Ray cautions that practice movements aren’t the same as game movements—and the Jets still need scoring help. Chicago’s Spencer Knight bounced back from a rough outing with a shutout and even said he liked his previous game, while Colorado and Nashville’s shootout chaos saw Mackenzie Blackwood pulled by a concussion spotter after a Forsberg collision, forcing Scott Wedgwood in cold for a potential do-or-die attempt. Patrick Kane continues his climb toward becoming the highest-scoring American ever and also sits three goals shy of 500—remarkably doing it without a single shorthanded goal. And NBC's Jon Hamm Olympic promo has fans laughing, even as the gold-medal game’s 5:10 a.m. Pacific puck drop poses a challenge for western viewers.

In Ask Ray & Dregs Anything... How do they Jets play this season out? Which player has the most "punchable" face? And family getting chirped at school or on the streets.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On-ice testing in Milan is set for early January, with the building's completion now targeted for Feb. 2. There are concerns about the ice quality during testing in a building that may not be 100% sealed, and frustration from NHL owners who built their schedule around the Olympic break. In Vancouver, Quinn Hughes trade chatter keeps escalating after he casually called Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald “Fitzy,” though Ray says that specific angle is nonsense even if a future trade might be real. The Devils look lost without Jack Hughes, and the ongoing speculation appears to be weighing on Quinn, who’s trying to do too much on a struggling Canucks team. Toronto grabbed a tight 2–0 win amid a wildly tight standings picture, but a messy melee might bring a suspension for Bobby McCann after a high slash on Bjorkstrand; Ray thinks it should be more than one game and continues to advocate for harsher discipline. Finally, Dregs’ informal poll of GMs rates Colorado and Dallas as the NHL’s model organizations, praised for consistent contention, strong drafting and front-office continuity rooted in past dynasty influences.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Confirmation that Milan’s Olympic rink has been accidentally built three feet short—an odd mistake Ray says won’t affect roster decisions, though the NHLPA’s threat to pull players if construction isn’t finished is seen mostly as pressure to keep organizers on schedule. In St. Louis, Jordan Binnington was pulled after two goals on five shots, leading to a heated bench moment Ray felt should’ve stayed in the room, but the guys don’t think it harms his Olympic chances. Washington’s six-game heater continued with a 7–1 rout of San Jose, but they face a tough balance between supporting Ovechkin and protecting young assets. Rasmus Dahlin’s major on Trevor Zegras was the right call, and the review process—and Zegras’ growing maturity under Rick Tocchet—earned praise. A healthier Leafs squad is grinding out wins behind a heavy third line of Nick Roy, Dakota Joshua, and Bobby McMann, who drove the result against Florida, while the Panthers look far from last year’s Cup winners as Toronto continues its road trip.

Plus, in Ask Ray and Dregs Anything... should Brind'Amour have been considered for Team Canada? will Jay Woodcroft get another HC job? and a couple of amazing stories from Ray about coaches he ticked off.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.