Takes

Wisconsin women's ice hockey winning 5 out of 7 national titles is a dynasty

Women's ice hockey because the Wisconsin Badgers won another national title, five in seven years. Dynasty. Five and seven years is crazy. That's a dynasty.

Jack and Quinn Hughes are the two best three-on-three players in the NHL

I think that Jack and Quinn, honest to God are maybe at their positions the best three on three player. I'll throw Mc David in there too, obviously, but like for a forward and for a defenseman, like they have to be the two best in three on three, like in the NHL.

The 2026 US Olympic Hockey team will be remembered for generations

I'm sure in 40, 50 years they'll, they'll, they'll love for us to, to come talk to that, that group of players. But it, it really was a life-changing tournament. ... they'll be talking about our team for, for generations.

Olympic coaches should receive medals along with the athletes

Did you know that the coaches don't get medals? That's bullshit. Bizarre. [PFT: They get the stuffed animal though.] Oh man. [Big Cat:] Could you imagine being a Canadian and that is your sport and it's everything... and then afterwards they're like, 'Hey, here's a Labu Booo.'

Three-on-three overtime is better than five-on-five because it guarantees a sick goal

Three-on-three is beautiful because you know you're gonna get an awesome goal. When you get to overtime and playoff hockey [five-on-five], it could be the bounce off of a stick or a deflected pass from 40 feet out. Three-on-three hockey, you're gonna get a sick, sick goal.

Connor Hellebuyck is the best goalie in the world

Connor Hellebuyck just saying, 'Hey boys, hop on my back. I got this for you. Just jump on in and ride me to this fucking gold medal.' It's incredible. We had the best goalie in the world and our defense is way better than Canada... I don't care if he gave up 50 goals before that game, the way he played that game, he should have won MVP.

The US won the gold because they chose to stay in the Olympic Village while Canada stayed at a Four Seasons

Those guys went over to Milan on their PJs and absolutely lit it up... They didn't go stay at a Four Seasons like the Canadians did. They stayed in the village because we're village people. We go in there and we muck it up. You might not get the best food, but you're gonna have the best plane ride home smashing beers over your head.

The 7:10 AM start for the Olympic gold medal hockey game is a 'non-starter' and prevents half of North America from watching

Seven ten is... that's too early. Half half of North America's gonna be asleep... Why did they, can they not move it? This is gonna be the biggest fucking thing.

I will be genuinely disappointed if Team USA doesn't win the gold medal in hockey

I'm gonna give a good honest, like I'm, I'm gonna be disappointed if we, we don't win the gold medal. And I will, I will not. I will not skate out of it by saying it wasn't real and all that stuff.

Connor McDavid is playing the best hockey of his career in this Olympic tournament

I don't know if McDavid's ever been this good... It's incredible. Like I think he gave guys maybe six or seven grade A scoring chances. He had seven shots on his own. Then the Finnish coach today said, yeah, McDavid is the best player in this tournament by a mile.

The NHL should move to a longer 3-on-3 overtime to avoid shootouts

I actually think that they should move to a longer three on three. Even if you added two extra minutes... I think would, would make a lot more games end in in in overtime as opposed to going to a shootout.

Team USA has a better defensive corps than Canada, but Canada has significantly better forwards

The D's better overall. I believe their forwards are significantly better than ours... Crosby being out, it's scary. And if he's out, that's a big difference... On D our D's better, their forwards are better.

Ovechkin breaking the goal record is a top-tier sports moment

Leading up to the [895th goal], it seemed like there was like 21 games and then 11 goals. He broke his leg and we were like, take your time getting back. He's like, no, two weeks I'll be back on the ice. Being a part of [the goal] was really cool. I mean, I had an assist on 890, 91, 92, 93.

The Colorado Avalanche are the absolute 'wagon' of the NHL

Colorado is the wagon guys. Colorado's the one that you're scared of... I can't help but see them running through the entire league and then winning the Stanley Cup with ease. Right now they are on pace to break the Bruins record for most points.

Quinn Hughes is the second best defenseman in the world

Quinn Hughes is the second best defenseman in the world. He just got traded to the Wild from Vancouver. Shocking trade. So now you've got those three teams [Colorado, Dallas, Minnesota] and one of them is gonna be out in the first round.

Tom Wilson is unfairly targeted by NHL officials and the league

I would say Tom Wilson... I die on several hills for him every year. I do think that he is targeted by the NHL. I think he's targeted by refs.

Conor McDavid's team-friendly contract was designed to make him easily tradable to a contender

This seems like it would be very easily tradable. Very, very easily tradable contract. He basically, I mean smart by him. If in a year and a half the Oilers aren't competing and he can go somewhere for a year and a half and it doesn't fuck up some team's cap.

Hockey is on the rise and the Four Nations tournament will be a high-stakes precursor to the Olympics

Hockey's on the rise man. On the rise. Hockey's on a heater as we always say on the podcast, the last two years. And on top of that, boys we're heading into an Olympic year. With all that Four Nations... precursor to the Olympics coming up. It ain't the Olympics. We all know that. But don't act like they weren't playing for something. They were playing for pride.

Hockey players are the best athletes to hang out with because they are the most chill

Hockey players are my, some of my favorite athletes especially to hang out with and to play golf. ... they're the funnest people to hang out with because they're the most chill. They're so fun Canadian hockey players... they're just sweet people. Kind people until they're not.

The Edmonton Oilers cannot win a Stanley Cup with their current goaltending

I said on Chiclets, like they don't have a goalie that you can win the Stanley Cup with. Now, once again, they were one game away from winning the cup with him... But if your starting goalie is getting pulled and losing his job in back to back playoffs, I don't think you have a Stanley Cup goalie. No.

The Panthers mocking the Oilers is weird because they've already beaten them twice

Do you guys think it's a little weird that the Panthers are like mocking the Oilers to such a crazy extent? I'm just asking if it's weird? They beat 'em twice. It does feel like they're going a little extra hard. ... Why are they so obsessed with the Oilers?

Jonathan Toews signing with the Winnipeg Jets is the perfect way for him to end his career

Jonathan Toews. He's back, he signed with the Winnipeg Jets, his hometown team. ... I'm happy he's able to now play again. Hopefully end his career the right way. 'cause it really sucked the way it ended in Chicago.

Oilers fans will not blame Connor McDavid if he leaves Edmonton

Conor McDavid is such a special talent. I'm wondering if there's maybe parts of the Oiler fan base... If he did leave, I bet you there'd be some Oilers fans who'd be like, we don't blame you. You've done everything you can for the Oilers and they just aren't able to put the full team around him.

The Oilers cannot allow Connor McDavid to hit free agency

If they are going to move on from him, they gotta do it now because they can get a lot for him right now. He's got one year left. Like, you can't, you can't let him be a free agent.

The Toronto Maple Leafs were the second-best team in the NHL this year because they were the only ones to take the Panthers to seven games

I mean, if you had to pick a second best team, PFT, it's probably the Toronto Maple Leafs. 'cause they took 'em to seven. [PFT]: I was about to start the show by congratulating the Toronto Maple Leafs on being better than the Edmonton Oilers.

Brad Marchand is a lock for the Hall of Fame

That's why I believe he's a hall of famer is because he was one of the best clutch wingers in the game for a significant almost a decade... Brad Marchand [is] the leader in Stanley Cup finals goals [among active players].

The Florida Panthers are the 'David Goggins' of the business world

He [Vinny Viola] went to West Point. They're like the, they're like the David Goggins of the business world. They're fucking up at 6:00 AM... they're machines, these guys.

Hockey has tricked fans into loving overtime by simply taking away the fourth quarter

I have a question for you... has hockey tricked us into saying free hockey just by taking away the fourth quarter. And then whenever it gets to the fourth quarter, we're so grateful to have a fourth quarter.

Getting into a line brawl is the best way to shift momentum when you're losing a playoff series

As a hockey expert, my plan, whenever you're getting your ass kicked in a series and you wanna shift it around, just get into a massive line brawl at the end of that game and just try to change the energies up somehow.

Any average person could score an NHL goal if they played on a line with Connor McDavid.

I actually think any person could. If you started July 1st skating with a skating instructor... two to three times per week. You go to camp mid-September and then you were in camp and then you played on his line by every shift he was out there. You play with him by game 10, you're scoring.

The Florida Panthers are a better and deeper team than they were during their 2024 championship run.

In my opinion, I would say Florida got, you know, obviously they were really good last year and won it all, but I think they got even better and even deeper.

Coaches should always be involved in the post-series handshake line.

I just think that, you know, maybe [Paul Maurice] is downplaying how much that the coaches mean to a team... I think they deserve to be in there and, you know, whether you're winning a series or losing a series, going through that handshake line, you know, just what it means to shake every guy's hand... I think it's one of the best traditions in hockey and it shouldn't be taken away.

The Maple Leafs didn't choke this year; they simply lost to a better Florida Panthers team

I don't think you can wa i this wasn't one of those Leafs choked Haha. Leaf choked seasons. They played a better team and went to seven games and lost.

Tom Wilson is a bonafide star who should be on the Olympic team

I gotta give a shout out to and put some respect on his name is Tom Wilson. Like he's obviously, you know, he's been around a long time. He's an unbelievable player, but I think he is a bonafide star right now. Like he should be on that Olympic team. No one wants to play against him.

Monday night's game against the Hurricanes is a must-win for the Capitals.

This is a must win. Monday is a must win. And we're one and one in must win games in the postseason.

Jamie Benn is the player who deserves a Stanley Cup more than anyone else in the league

Number one, Jamie Benn. That's kind, that's kind of my, my player right now. Who doesn't have one that, that I feel like, God, that guy deserves one. He's, I mean, I think, 16 years in 17... a warrior, a beast, a true captain, a leader, and he is done it like teammates love him. He's done it for so long that if Dallas were to get one, that's kind of my guy.

Florida is the perfect team of rats and dirtbags that can bully anyone

Florida is just the fact they added Brad Marchand guys... I don't know if I've ever seen a player fit more perfectly into a team than the way he's kind of come into this team of rats and dirt bags. And that's a compliment by the way. And they bully teams.

Dallas is the best warm-weather hockey town in North America

I think Dallas... those playoff games. It's crazy that arena gets loud, sneaky La Kings are, are awesome... but LA and Dallas kind of stick out and the, the, the Panthers fans have come on here. They, they've made these games a complete party.

I'm officially on the record for leaving a Capitals playoff game early

I have a confession to make... I did leave the game early. Oldie and I were sitting there we're depressed caps are losing... There's about three minutes left in the game... I wanted to let you guys know that I did regrettably leave the game about two and a half minutes early.

The Washington Capitals are not legitimate Stanley Cup contenders despite their record

Why I don't think [the Capitals] are gonna win it... It's kind of just like a gut feeling. I think last year they were so bad and I know it's a different team. I'm like, how would this team be that good the next year? ... I don't really buy [them].

David Pastrnak should be a top five MVP candidate for carrying a talentless Bruins roster

The coolest story of the Bruin season is Pastrnak. He has a hundred points. The next guy has 55 points. That's crazy. It's actually one of the, he should be like probably top five in MVP for what he's done because he has nobody.

Ovechkin breaking the goal record from his office against the Islanders was the perfect way to end the chase

It was awesome to see him score from his office against the Islanders... Ovie was like, 'fuck it, I know it's at home [and I don't want an empty netter]'. He did it perfectly. That shot has been happening for 20 years. Nobody's ever figured out how to stop it. He did it from his office.

Blackhawks owner Jerry Reinsdorf is a piece of shit

I've been watching all the games illegally this year. Good for you. I have a workaround that I'm, I will not tell, but I have a workaround that I've been watching the games illegally because [Jerry Reinsdorf] is such a piece of shit. Yeah. I don't wanna give him money. He sucks.

Alex Ovechkin's mom is terrifying and could definitely beat me up

His mom, I'm terrified of Ovie's mom by the way. I think she could beat the fuck outta me. Probably, yeah.

The Four Nations Face-Off final was equivalent to an All-Star exhibition game for Team USA

That term meant a lot... [Big Cat: You agree right, that was just the All-Star break?] I don't know if I answer that... Give's a shit about that. That's exhibition.

Winning a Stanley Cup in Canada would make me 'Captain Canada'

I think about it all the time... [PFT: It'd be Captain Canada at that point.] Yeah. It's made me think about it too much. But I feel like I have my whole day planned when we win.

Alexander Ovechkin is not on the Mount Rushmore of hockey

I don't think that anybody would have him in the Mount Rushmore of hockey. ... Once he passes Gretzky for goals, I would say he's probably yes, gonna be coming in around like sixth or seventh all time. I think still a lot of people put Stevie Y ahead of him.

Connor Hellebuyck is unproven in elimination games

Hellebuyck has been on this incredible run... not so much in playoffs or in big money games. ... In an elimination situation when all the chips are on the table, he is unproven.

Connor Bedard has 'dog in him' and will become one of the greats

I believe that he does have dog in him and it will eventually be unleashed. He's too stubborn not to become one of the greats. ... This kid is very young, he's very determined and he is gonna figure it out with my help.

The Maple Leafs current roster is the best they have had in 20 years

I would say this is the best lineup the [Maple Leafs] have had in the last 15, 20 years. Very solid backend. They're getting incredible goaltending... Their Core Four, all the guys making all the big dough [Matthews, Marner, Tavares, Nylander] are buzzing.