Zone Time

00:00 - No evidence to say this Maple Leafs team is different The Maple Leafs will be judged on what they do in the playoffs, where the team's superstar core have repeatedly struggled to make an impact but a shaky start to the regular season, including some worrying underlying metrics, suggest Toronto is no more prepared than before for the tests that await. Also on this week's Shot Volume: 11:57 - How to truly evaluate NHL goaltending? 21:04 - John Tortorella's culture paying dividends Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:00 - Things Sam Chang missed while on vacation 14:12 - Maple Leafs need Mitch Marner to be great not ok 25:01 - NHL Player Safety consistency was short lived 27:30 - Chicago's handling of Corey Perry's absence creates questions 31:03 - What do non-NHL fans think about the league? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

American Thanksgiving historically means cutoff time for the NHL playoff race. If you're not in by holiday season, your chances of making the playoffs are slim but Edmonton and Minnesota are among the Western Conference teams hoping to buck that trend this year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

William Nylander and Elias Pettersson are both approaching free agency but do their standout starts to this season prove they perform under pressure and deserve every dollar of their next contract? Also on this week's episode of Zone Time: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Connor McDavid says he found out about Jay Woodcroft's dismissal like everyone else but it's hard to believe the Oilers captain had no input in the hiring of Kris Knoblauch, his coach in junior hockey, as new bench boss in Edmonton. Also on this week's show: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why trading for an NHL goaltender is harder than ever Tandem goaltender setups have become increasingly popular across the NHL, with only a select group of teams playing a bonafide No. 1 starter. As a result, the Edmonton Oilers are faced with limited trade options after putting Jack Campbell on waivers. Also on this week's Shot Volume: Oilers have narrow margin for error after nightmare start Edmonton's struggles to find reliable goaltending are well documented but the Oilers still have a top-10 power play and will rely on Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to raise their production if the team is to recover and make the NHL playoffs. Vancouver Canucks: Team of destiny After missing the playoffs by 12 points last season, the Vancouver Canucks are off to the best start in franchise history (9-2-1) but how long can Quinn Hughes, Elias Pettersson and particularly goaltender Thatcher Demko keep the juggernaut rolling? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brady Tkachuk and Ottawa's young core are currently playing below the sum of their talent and while head coach D.J. Smith has been instrumental in their development, the Senators might need to make a change on the bench if the team is to make the playoffs this season. 01:05 - Dysfunction in Ottawa 07:34 - Leafs desperately need secondary scoring 16:19 - Can things get any worse for Oilers, Flames? 21:31 - Sharks are playing historically bad 26:41 - Canucks are best team in Canada 29:23 - Johnny Gaudreau not delivering on promise 31:59 - Mangipane suspension is very lenient 33:19 - Second former player sues Blackhawks Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Power-play opportunities per team are up from an average of 2.99 per game between 2014 and 2023 to 3.57 so far this season. More penalties mean more goals but not everyone is convinced it's good for the game. Also this week's episode of Shot Volume: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Calgary Flames (2-6) are likely to rally from a terrible start to the NHL season but management are already facing questions about the long-term future of the current roster, and whether the team should be sellers come trade deadline. Also on this week's episode: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anthony Petrielli and Nick Ashbourne discuss if Alex Ovechkin is showing signs of slowing down, the most impressive NHL teams and their takeaways from 'Frozen Frenzy.' 0:00 - Impressive teams 5:32 - Alex Ovechkin 13:53 - Frozen Frenzy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Travis Dermott used Pride Tape despite the NHL's ban. How will the league respond? Also on the episode: - What's going on with the Oilers? - Andersson's hit on Laine and Calgary appealing Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Shot Volume this week: -The value of Maple Leafs' Ryan Reaves -Why zone defense is taking over the NHL -Can Logan Cooley contend for the Calder Trophy? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Connor Bedard has shown why he's one of the most highly touted prospects in recent history and there's a pressure that comes with that. Also on this week's show: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

By extending Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck, the Winnipeg Jets are not giving up on its current core, but rather than trying to maintain competitive respectability, do NHL teams need to tear the roster down to return as cup contenders? Also on Shot Volume this week: - How much is elite NHL goaltending really worth? - Which contract year could have a big impact on the NHL? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Winnipeg has doubled down on the team's core by extending Connor Hellebuyck and Mark Scheifele to the tune of $8.5M annually per player but can the Jets realistically compete in the Western Conference? Also on this week's show: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 2023 first-overall pick hasn't played a minute of meaningful NHL hockey but Connor Bedard's performances for the Chicago Blackhawks in preseason have been very impressive. On the first Zone Time episode of the season, the crew also discuss: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Toronto forward William Nylander is reportedly looking for a new contract north of $10M but while playoff performances suggest the 27-year-old is as valuable as his better-paid teammates, the Maple Leafs can't afford to sign another double-figure deal. On the season finale of Zone Time, Julian and crew also ask which general managers should be allowed to cook and who should be shut down after the free-agency flurry, and they make some bold offseason predictions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Flames face a potential crisis this offseason with Elias Lindholm, Mikael Backlund, Tyler Toffoli and Noah Hanifin all entering the final year of their contracts, and none of this group of key players willing to consider an extension in Calgary. Also on this week's edition of Zone Time: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist is certain to enter the Hockey Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. On this week's episode of Zone Time, Julian and crew debate the Hall of Fame cases for goaltenders Curtis Joseph and Corey Crawford, and they also discuss the teams and GMs under pressure in the NHL offseason. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.