The Jeff Marek Show

Jeff is joined by The Athletic's Jesse Granger to discuss the most recent surge in comebacks around the NHL, why it’s happening and how much roster construction has to do with it. Later on, Daily Faceoff analyst Mike McKenna looks at the different ways goalies train, why game sense is such a hard thing to teach and why developing goaltenders in certain areas has become more difficult (13:32). We wrap up with Sportsnet's Eric Engels, who talks about the decision to not send Juraj Slafkovsky to the World Junior tournament, the challenge ahead for Martin St. Louis, and what the Habs could fetch for Joel Edmundson (46:34). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff and Elliotte start off looking at the potential NHL interest in World Junior goaltender Thomas Milic, the imminent return of Max Pacioretty and how it could impact to the rest of the Hurricanes' lineup (06:00). Moving on, they react to the recent scoring surge by Mason McTavish, John Gibson’s season in goal, and Jakub Vrana clearing waivers (12:00). To finish up, Jeff and Elliotte discuss All Star voting, the former’s advocacy for Ryan Pulock in the skills competition, and a look ahead to tonight's Toronto-Seattle matchup (23:00). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff is joined by Sam Gagner to talk about reaching the 1,000 game milestone, the challenges along the way and what he might want to do once his career is over (1:40). To finish, we hear from Phil Bourque in his appearance on 32 Thoughts, talking about his relationship with Jaromir Jagr and what the future holds for him with the Penguins (17:35). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff and Greg reflect on their times at Fenway Park for the Winter Classic and how the players have actually embraced it (1:27). Next, they discuss different ideas for outdoor games that don’t fall under the Winter Classic or Heritage Classic brands, Steve Mayer’s impact on the outdoor games and Jim Montgomery’s coach of the year candidacy (7:47). To wrap, Jeff and Greg look at who you would rather have on your team between Tage Thompson and Jack Eichel, the Sabres as playoff contenders and Peter Laviolette’s work with the Capitals this year (22:25). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff and Elliotte weigh in on Pheonix Copley’s impressive early tenure with the Kings, Jakub Vrana on waivers and Jimmy Vesey’s extension with the Rangers (6:14). Next, they look at the Rangers big win over the Hurricanes, Bruce Boudreau’s comments following another Canucks loss and if it’s too late for them to enter the “Connor Bedard Sweepstakes” (15:35). To finish up, Jeff and Elliotte discuss the ramifications of a new Canadian law as it pertains to teams being able to lure free agents and if the Oilers search for a defenseman is already underway (25:19). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff opens up the show discussing the scenes in Cincinnati following Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin's injury, and reflects on the similar situations we’ve seen in the NHL. Soon after, Sportsnet's David Amber looks at the possibility of Alex Ovechkin breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record in an outdoor game with the "Great One" present, Connor Bedard giving teams a reason to tank for him, and which team could offer up the best package to trade for the first overall pick (10:00). Next up, Carolina Hurricanes President and GM Don Waddell weighs in on his team's winning streak, the improved play of Martin Necas, and the idea of keeping three goalies once Frederik Andersen returns from injury (31:05). Later on, Producer Matt chats about Carolina's pursuit of greatness, Max Pacioretty’s potential return, and Edmonton’s lack of security in goal and on defence (49:46). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff and Elliotte start off the new year tinkering with the idea of any team even considering to trade up for the first overall pick in this year’s draft, Winter Classic games working better in baseball stadiums, and what next year’s edition may look like. Next, the guys look at Jake DeBrusk’s comeback player of the year candidacy, Ryan Merkley’s future in San Jose, and how many teams are taking a harder look at tanking for Connor Bedard (12:00). To finish up, Jeff and Elliotte discuss the Blues potentially moving out some pending free agents, what the Leafs may look for at the trade deadline, and how Washington is defying the odds (22:00). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Sportsnet's Jason Bukala joins Matt Marchese to preview this year's World Junior Hockey Championship, Team Canada's plethora of line combinations, and the major matchups to watch out for! Next up, former NHL executive Mike Futa takes a look around the league to discuss the biggest storylines that caught his eye (17:00). We wrap up with Annie O'Donnell, NHL social media mogul, who joins Matt to go through their wish lists for all 32 NHL teams (38:00)! Have a happy holiday season - see you in 2023! The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Elliotte Friedman joins Matt Marchese from the comfort of his home to chat about how teams approach the regular season vs. the playoffs, the entertainment value of the NHL, and his ideas to grow the game (06:00). Afterwards, the pair get into William Nylander's under-appreciated season so far, plus how Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner have developed into a well-rounded players (14:00). Later on, Matt falls into the void as Elliotte previews tonight's NHL slate, before discussing the Carolina Hurricanes' plan for their goalie trio and the latest milestones for Brent Burns and Alex Ovechkin (20:00). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Sportsnet's Eric Francis joins Matt Marchese to chat about the story of the Flames' season so far, the ebbs and flows of being an NHL goalie, Dylan Dube making the most of his opportunities, and how to get the most out of Jonathan Huberdeau and Andrew Mangiapane. Next up, NHL Network Radio's Scott Laughlin takes a look around the league to discuss his biggest surprises this season, the value of team pedigree, what's up with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Roman Josi's milestone, and the trials and tribulations of the NHL draft (17:45). We wrap up with The Athletic's Peter Baugh, who comments on Colorado's recent hot streak, Mikko Rantanen's role as "The Fixer", the impact of Jared Bednar, Cale Makar's "down year", and more (42:45)! The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Elliotte Friedman joins Matt Marchese to discuss Evgeni Malkin's career point total as he nears Sergei Fedorov's tally, and look back on if Malkin's career left any "what ifs" (05:00). Later, the pair comment on Matthew Tkachuk's game misconduct for jumping Nico Hischier, a week after Hischier nailed Alex Barkov with a cross-check, and look ahead to what the future holds for the Florida Panthers (10:00). Afterwards, Matt and Elliotte chat about why many teams are hesitant to trade, if the NHL's schedule needs to be revamped, why now is a pivotal time for the Philadelphia Flyers, and what the Maple Leafs are looking for in the trade market (16:00). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff chats with James Boyd, GM of the Ottawa 67's, about the process of selecting the players for Team Canada, getting three players back from the NHL for the tournament, and his expectations for both Connor Bedard and Adam Fantilli. Former NHLer and author of "Pain Killer: A Memoir of Big League Addiction", Brantt Myhres looks back on the process of writing his book, his battle with addiction, and the idea of “fighting sober” (15:32). We wrap up with The Athletic's Mike Russo, who chats about his piece on Ryan Reaves, Jacob Middleton being one of the more interesting characters on the Wild, and the potential goaltending controversy brewing in Minnesota (41:50). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff and Elliotte start things off reacting to Artem Zub's extension with Ottawa and ponder where Pierre Dorion is looking to add next (06:00). Next, the pair look at the potential three-headed monster in net in Carolina, why players shouldn’t lose their job because of injury, and the New Jersey Devils’ recent slide (10:00). To wrap, Jeff and Elliotte focus in on Jon Cooper's comments following a loss to Toronto, the interaction between Michael Bunting and linesman Dan Kelly, and how high the pressure is in Edmonton (18:00). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff looks at the Vegas Golden Knights’ home struggles, the injury issues with Jack Eichel and Shea Theodore, as well as the constant turnover on the third line with Ben Gotz of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Later on, NESN's Billy Jaffe weighs in on the Boston Bruins' continued success, how the goaltending tandem of Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman have contributed, and how the third line is taking advantage of their opportunities (15:00). Finally, former NHL netminder Andrew Hammond shares some stories about the day he signed a contract with the Ottawa Senator and some memorable games during his historic run, before looking ahead to what his post-playing career might look like (44:38). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff and Elliotte react to Cale Makar's honest approach, resulting in a penalty for the opposing team being overturned, and why only star players can get away with it (06:00). Next, they look at Tage Thompson’s rise to superstardom, if he’s what the Buffalo Sabres thought Jack Eichel would be, and why Juraj Slafkovsky is on the receiving end of so many big hits (11:00). Finally, Jeff and Elliotte debate if there is a number of games a goalie needs to play before you know how good they are, how badly the Canucks need the Christmas break, and how hard the St. Louis Blues are to figure out this year (20:00). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.