Empty Netters Podcast — Episode Summary
Episode Title: The Flyers End Crosby’s Season and Malkin’s Penguins Career
Date: April 30, 2026
Podcast: Empty Netters Podcast (Almost Friday Media)
Hosts: Dan Powers, Chris Powers, Dr. Watkins
Episode Overview
This episode breaks down the key happenings, heartbreaks, and future implications following the Philadelphia Flyers’ upset win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, ending both Sidney Crosby’s season and—potentially—Evgeni Malkin’s Penguins career. The hosts—Dan and Chris Powers, with Dr. Watkins—bring candid analysis, banter, and emotional reactions to the end of a hockey era, dive deep into the cap implications for the Pens, and preview what these playoffs mean for aging stars, contract negotiations, and the improbable Flyers’ playoff run. Later, they cover the Montreal Canadiens grabbing a series lead over the Tampa Bay Lightning (“Sleepy Bolts”) and provide a real-time watch-along with live reactions to the double overtime thriller between Vegas and Utah.
Section 1: The End of an Era in Pittsburgh
Key Discussion Points and Insights
- Malkin’s Future / Contract Situation
- Dr. Watkins is drinking in memory of Geno: “Let’s pour one out for Geno.” [01:38]
- Malkin’s contract is up, and speculation ramps up: “Geno might not come back.” [01:50]
- Clarification: Malkin said he wants to return, not leave. Chris jokes: “He said all of that except the reverse of it.” [02:26]
- Cap implication: His $6.1 million comes off the books, but the Pens still have old contracts and little immediate hope for a quick rebuild.
- Latang & Aging Core
- Latang’s three-year deal at 39 called “crazy” [02:51]; team is “already an old team” [04:16].
- The importance of Crosby, Malkin, and Latang staying together is stressed: “Unless you get rid of Crosby, you’re never going to really have a rebuild.” [11:10]
- Repeated assertion: Crosby wants to play with them, and that affects all big decisions.
- Goaltending Decisions
- Debate over starting AHL standout Shelob—whether it was “one game too late” (Chris: “You would have literally won this series…” [06:33])—and the overall lack of risk-taking in Pittsburgh’s approach.
- Series Post-Mortem
- Penguins were “the third in the NHL in goals for” but went out with a whimper [06:06].
- Losing to Philly in six, getting “dragged into a Philly mud pit” [07:56], and doubled down on by the Flyers fans’ taunts.
Notable Quotes
- “Geno might not come back.” — Dr. Watkins [01:50]
- “Unless you get rid of Crosby, you’re never going to really have a rebuild.” — Dr. Watkins [11:10]
- “If the Penguins can still make playoffs with those two, then fine. I have no issue with it.” — Chris Powers [11:57]
- “He is still the second best player on this team.” — Dan Powers, on Malkin [12:49]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- [01:35] — Lamenting the Penguins’ elimination, pouring one out for Malkin
- [02:51] — Discussion of Latang's contract and approaching team cap/roster challenges
- [06:06] — “Whimper” exit: Despite being high scoring, the offense faded
- [11:10] — The “Big Three” (Crosby, Malkin, Latang) likely to end careers as Penguins
Section 2: Flyers Upset and the Meaning for Both Franchises
Flyers’ Grit and Unexpected Heroes
- Philly “dragged [the Penguins] into the fucking mud” [07:56], winning ugly but effective playoff hockey.
- Flyers’ playoff win on home ice—their first since 2012—is celebrated as “very cool” and meaningful [17:08].
- Team effort: nine Flyers had three or more points in the series, but no one was over a point per game. Ristolainen shockingly led in points: “I have no idea how you got that.” — Dan to Chris on picking Risto [22:01]
- Cam York’s “attempted murder” stick throw into the crowd after the win—memorable and “insane” moment [27:12].
Insights & Reactions
- Series Path: Flyers' win was “not how I expected Philly to beat them.” Points to committee scoring and mud-wrestling style [23:18].
- Philly’s Playoff Identity: “They’re playing talkie, and that’s great to see… they wrestled [Pittsburgh] and won.” — Dan [23:18]
- Outlook: “If Philly loses the series in three, they don’t care. Invaluable experience for those guys.” [24:26]
- Fans’ Attitude: “We are hummed in four, and I don’t even care.” — Flyers fan text [24:24]
- House Money: Both teams played with nothing to lose, but the Penguins, as a 2-seed, ultimately had higher expectations [20:30].
Notable Quotes
- “That was the one fucking bear trap they fell into.” — Dr. Watkins [07:53]
- “What a run by the Flyers to make playoffs. Pretty much all my Flyers fan friends were saying, house money, house money.” — Chris Powers [19:58]
- “This Utah team is just fun as fuck.” — Chris Powers (bridging into later discussion) [57:38]
Timestamps
- [07:56] — Penguins “dragged into the mud”
- [16:59] — Flyers' first home ice playoff series win since 2012
- [22:01] — Ristolainen’s surprise scoring lead
- [27:12] — Cam York’s wild stick-throw celebration
Section 3: Around the NHL Playoffs
Montreal Canadiens vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (“Sleepy Bolts”)
Key Insights
- Tampa’s struggles and “sleepwalking”:
- “I am calling Tampa Bay the sleepy bolts in this game. Sleepy, sleepy bolts.” — Dan Powers [31:56]
- Multiple mental lapses led to goals: “They were asleep at the wheel three times and it cost them.” [32:06]
- Losing key battles, Braden Point is ineffective—“He better be dead… his worst season in a long time.” [32:55–34:47], playing through injury.
- Vasilevskiy’s Vezina-level play now inconsistent: “If there’s just a couple ones that you wish didn’t go in, it’s hard to not talk about that.” — Chris [40:38]
- Montreal capitalizes on secondary scoring:
- “Doc makes his presence felt… that line’s been great.” [47:04]
- Montreal’s top line (Caufield/Suzuki) not scoring much but leading in points; the hosts note the remarkable depth scoring [48:21].
- Stat: Tampa hasn’t led much all series—“You haven’t had a lead in this series. Literally.” — Chris [46:50]
Notable Quotes
- “That is fucking staggering.” — Chris, on Vasilevskiy’s 6-15 playoff record since the 2022 Cup [41:54]
- “If Tampa’s big dogs wake up, I think they will win two in a row. If Montreal’s big dogs wake up, they will win this year.” — Dan [49:37]
Key Timestamps
- [31:56] — “Sleepy Bolts” and quick goals against
- [34:47] — Braden Point’s struggles
- [40:38] — Vasilevskiy’s performance under scrutiny
- [48:21] — Montreal’s top line and depth scoring
Section 4: Live Reactions — Vegas Golden Knights vs. Utah Mammoth
Key Discussion Points
- Series Drama: Continual back-and-forth; both teams “never out of it.”
- "Vegas continues to be dead and then not dead. They continue to battle."—Dan Powers [58:17]
- Dorofeyev’s Redemption: Benched in Game 4 (despite being the leading Vegas scorer in the regular season), comes back with a hat trick in Game 5, nearly hits four goals in OT [63:41].
- Mitch Marner Watch: Marner, now in Vegas, still has not scored a goal in the series, raising speculation about his impact and confidence [65:22].
- “You are too good to be not playing at your best.” — Dan Powers on Marner [68:25]
- Double Overtime Finish: Hosts react live to a Brett Howden shorthanded OT goal, with Marner assisting on the board play to dig the puck out.
- “That was a great play. He helped dig that puck out. Great pressure in there in the corner. Gets it. Allows Howden to get that puck. And fucking beautiful.” — Dan Powers [72:21]
- Utah’s Resilience: Despite back-breaking losses, hosts feel “Utah Mammoth have won game six in Utah… We’re going seven.” — Chris [74:14]
Memorable Moments
- Stick toss insanity: “Cam York… threw a katana blade into the stand.” — Dan [27:32]
- Media Day flashback: Chris recounts Shea Theodore’s stone-faced reaction to a joke about never getting an early summer thanks to Vegas’ deep runs [61:32].
- Banter on how losing feels as a player: Would you rather be eliminated at home or on the road? ("I almost like the flight of just like one more hang with the fellas." — Chris [18:10])
Key Timestamps
- [58:17] — Vegas “never dead,” comeback drama
- [63:41] — Dorofeyev’s playoff hat trick
- [65:22] — Marner’s post-Toronto playoff struggles
- [70:20] — Howden’s OT shorthanded winner live reaction
- [74:14] — Utah predicted to force Game 7
Section 5: Notable Quotes & Humor
- “This Utah team is just fun as fuck.” — Chris Powers [57:38]
- “Dragged into the fucking mud… that was the one fucking bear trap they fell into.” — Dr. Watkins [07:49, 07:56]
- “What an insane game that was for Vladar.” — Dan Powers [26:52]
- “Cam York… threw a katana blade into the stand.” — Dan Powers [27:32]
- “I am calling Tampa Bay the sleepy bolts.” — Dan Powers [31:56]
- “The Flyers. Oh. And as a pit fan, very much would rather have lost the game… than force the game seven and be one step away from the reverse sweep.” — Chris Powers [18:41]
Section 6: Flow, Tone, and Closing
True to the Empty Netters’ style, the episode blends analytical breakdowns with irreverent humor, regional digs (e.g., the “Pitt” vs “the ‘burg” debate [08:15]), and behind-the-scenes hockey culture. There are no punches pulled in criticizing teams or players for mental lapses or contract drama, but the pod is fueled by nostalgia, hockey love, and the perspective of former players-turned-beer leaguers who value locker-room camaraderie as highly as cup runs. Advertisements and extended live banter are omitted here. The episode closes with a plea for ratings, YouTube subscriptions, and a Friday night signoff: "Skate hard."
Quick Reference: Important Segments
| Timestamp | Segment |
|------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
| 01:35 | Pouring one out for Malkin; Pens’ elimination |
| 06:06 | Penguins’ high offense fizzles out |
| 16:59 | Flyers’ first home ice series win since 2012 |
| 22:01 | Flyers’ unique scoring leaderboard |
| 27:12 | Cam York’s stick-throw celebration |
| 31:56 | Tampa “Sleepy Bolts” critique and game analysis |
| 63:41 | Dorofeyev redemption: playoff hat trick |
| 70:20 | Double OT, Howden’s shorthanded OT winner for Vegas |
For further humor, chemistry, and in-depth, uncensored hockey analysis, check out the full pod. This summary catches the essence, key moments, and quotes for easy catch-up on the episode’s themes and fireworks.
