The Ray & Dregs Hockey Podcast

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 unfortun...

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 Spence...

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 th...

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 st...

The Sharks have surprised the league by sitting in a wildcard spot 27 games in, powered by 20-year-olds Macklin Celebrini—now second in league scoring behind Nathan MacKinnon—and Will Smith, though Ray still sees Anaheim as slightly ahead with better defence, size, and young depth. Team Canada faces a looming Olympic question: with a month until selections, can Connor Bedard realistically be left off the roster, and sho...

Nikita Tolopilo stole the show for Vancouver with 37 saves in a last-minute start against the high-flying Ducks, whose fire-wagon style continues to delight fans and make coaches nervous. The Canucks also signalled they’re “open for business” on pending veteran UFAs. In Winnipeg, Scott Arniel says the Jets are “in a funk” in recent games without Connor Hellebuyck, highlighting the gap between good goal...

The state of Florida seems likely to remain a proving ground for anyone chasing the Cup. The Panthers' recent offensive outbursts are somewhat surprising considering their slew of injuries. Tampa Bay tops the division despite their own IR troubles and some individual slow starts. Nashville’s struggles continue, they can't seem to find an identity despite big-name signings. How long will Barry Trotz wait before he starts to sh...

The Avalanche have won six straight and look every bit like a Stanley Cup favourite, Ray notes it feels like they are in a window right now with Makar's next deal 2 years away and last year’s bold overhaul in goal. Winnipeg extended captain Adam Lowry at five years times $5 million—a fair deal for a 32-year-old leader—though Ray is surprised by the league-wide trend of signing players into their age-36/37 seasons....

Brad Treliving held a media availability in which he addressed the Leafs' inconsistency and lack of intensity. Could a change be on the horizon for his team? Florida's culture is the envy of the league. Brad Marchand riding an 11-game point streak. Is he a lock for Team Canada? Drew Doughty is out week-to-week as the Kings continue to grind. Jonathan Quick initiates a postgame brawl. Plus, how young is too young for youth ID skates...

Shane Pinto’s 4 X $7.5M extension in Ottawa earns praise as a fair, forward-looking deal for a rising centre and potential Team USA Olympian, even as the cap climbs toward $100M. In Toronto, the visiting Kings face a battered Leafs squad missing Anthony Stolarz and Auston Matthews, big voids for a team whose defensive commitment is again under scrutiny after back-to-back losses to Boston. Edmonton has rebounded with two OT wi...

A memorable Hall of Fame induction saw Duncan Keith thank his son for helping him rediscover his love of the game, Joe Thornton deliver an emotional speech, and a standout class featuring Zdeno Chara, Alex Mogilny, Brianna Decker, Jennifer Botterill, Danièle Sauvageau & Jack Parker. On the ice, the Oilers rebounded from a humiliating 9–1 loss to Colorado by storming back against Columbus, thanks to two brilliant Co...

Alex Ovechkin scored his unprecedented 900th goal on Wednesday, alongside 138 game-winners and 324 power-play goals, while Sidney Crosby continues his unreal pace toward a 21st straight point-per-game season and Evgeni Malkin stands as the highest-scoring Russian ever. All reminders of how lucky we are to witness this era’s icons. Jordan Binnington briefly tried to stash Ovie’s milestone puck, a light moment amid bigger...

The Penguins dominated Toronto for 40 minutes before collapsing in the third, as the Leafs flipped the script despite continuing to look out of sorts. Even Craig Berube is flummoxed as to why his team can’t piece together 60 good minutes. In St. Louis, the Blues edged the Oilers late, overshadowing Connor McDavid becoming the 4th-fastest player ever to reach 1,100 points - though he didn’t record a shot on goal, a conce...

The Leafs were doubled up by Columbus in a rough night all around—Cayden Primeau struggled and the team looked disjointed. The fellas discuss the ongoing conversation surrounding Easton Cowan’s development amid Toronto’s perennially high expectations. John Tavares quietly hit 500 goals amid the loss, a milestone Ray says is best celebrated later. Elsewhere, Brad Marchand took a leave from the Panthers to support a...

Sidney Crosby continues to defy time, powering Pittsburgh to third overall in the league and second in the Metro under new coach Dan Muse, whose fresh approach seems to have rejuvenated the group. The Devils and Mammoth have become early-season storylines, each riding impressive win streaks and strong goaltending—Utah’s Karel Vejmelka leads the league in victories, with Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther driving the offenc...

Brad Marchand’s emotional return to Boston as a Florida Panther stole the night. Marchand drew a penalty on his first shift, assisted on the ensuing power-play goal, and was visibly moved during a heartfelt tribute video. The guys agree his number will one day be retired in Boston. Elsewhere, the Devils are rolling after a 5-2 win over the Leafs, with Hughes and Hischier leading a team that finally looks like the contender Ra...

Jonathan Toews scores his first as a Jet and shows he’s still got plenty left in the tank, while Mark Scheifele looks like a man on a mission to make Team Canada. In Vegas, Jack Eichel’s new contract hasn’t slowed him down one bit—he’s leading the league in points as the Golden Knights roll to the top of the Pacific. Vancouver’s dealing with tough injury news as Filip Chytil lands in concussion p...

The fellas dig in on NHL Headlines, starting with Chicago’s 8–3 win over St. Louis as Connor Bedard notched three assists in his 29th career multi-point game, showing signs he’s entering another level. Buffalo exploded for eight goals to beat Ottawa 8–4, easing early pressure but not fixing their deeper issues, while the Senators clearly miss Brady Tkachuk and may have Steve Staios working the phones. Florid...

The Panthers are silencing doubters with a hot start despite key injuries to Barkov and Tkachuk. Nathan MacKinnon is near the top of the scoring race, thriving alongside Martin Nečas as Colorado expects important clashes with Dallas throughout the year... and faces looming cap questions with Cale Makar’s next deal. Newly paid stars like Eichel, Kaprizov, and Connor are backing up their contracts with strong starts, and Team U...