Spittin' Chiclets Episode 600 [Nov 27, 2025]: Craig Fitzpatrick & Derek Stepan

Episode Overview

Theme:
Episode 600 of Spittin' Chiclets is a milestone installment featuring a powerful mix of NHL banter, league analysis, and deeply personal storytelling. The episode is split between the core Chiclets crew (Ryan Whitney, Paul "Biz" Bissonnette, Rear Admiral, and producer Mike Grinnell), former NHLer Derek Stepan, and an extended/inspirational interview with blind veteran hockey player and advocate Craig Fitzpatrick.

The show oscillates between irreverently breaking down NHL headlines, heartfelt gratitude around Thanksgiving, and celebrating adaptive hockey's growing impact. It’s also a showcase of hockey as a unifying force—both for able-bodied and disabled communities.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The State of the NHL: Trades, Struggling Teams, and Playoff Odds

Timestamp: 03:16 – 21:44

• The Oilers' ongoing meltdown and poor defensive zone play takes center stage. Whitney rails against their lack of effort:

  • "Who fucking cares out there right now?" (09:07 – Whitney)
  • Debate around whether adding goaltender Jordan Binnington is really the solution, as Skinner’s stats aren’t much worse, but Binnington has “big game” credibility (05:00).
  • Detailed speculation on trade markets for Vancouver and Nashville, with only a few untouchables on each team.

• Coaching Dynamics:

  • Paul Coffey’s absence as Edmonton’s D coach is dissected; Biz speculates on "butting heads" and a lack of urgency/coaching accountability:
    • "You need to fucking lay into these guys right now. The inmates ain't running the asylum..." (08:19 – Biz)

• Canadian Team Woes:

  • Discussion about all seven Canadian teams missing the playoffs, with ongoing frustration from fans and media piling on both Edmonton and Toronto.

• Thanksgiving Benchmarks:

  • The classic "78% of teams in playoff position at Thanksgiving make the playoffs" stat is discussed, with shoutouts to surprise teams—specifically the Islanders (East), Anaheim and Seattle (West).
  • Praise for young stars like Islanders’ Matthew Schaefer and Anaheim’s Leo Carlsson.

2. Interview: Derek Stepan, Former NHLer & Current Wild Player Development

Timestamp: 21:49 – 44:19

• Minnesota Wild Turnaround:

  • The “closed-door meeting” led by Jared Spurgeon is highlighted as a critical turning point, returning the Wild to their "stingy D" identity—“Good for Spurge, good for all the guys in that room...” (24:57 – Stepan)

• Player Insights:

  • Stepan analyzes goalie Jesper Wallstedt’s emergence:
    • "He’s been the Wally that I saw two years ago in the A when he was probably one of the best goalies in the league." (22:58 – Stepan)
  • Young defenseman Brock Faber’s maturity and confidence.
  • Stepan talks about Kirill Kaprizov as “top five in the league” and “an insane talent.”

• Player Development Philosophy:

  • Explains how the Wild alternate which prospects they mentor by month so players don’t "get sick of the same washed up voice" (28:45).

• Inside Management:

  • Stepan jokes about Billy Guerin’s relentless chirping in meetings and shares funny anecdotes about team banter.
  • Reflection on the psychological grind for players/teams coming off long playoff runs.

• NYC Media & Pressure:

  • Stepan is candid about media/fan scrutiny in New York, especially during losing skids—sharing run-ins with the late Larry Brooks:
    • "He was always fair to me...but we definitely had our matches. He kept saying, well, what do you think? And I was like, this is what it is, Larry. ... became a fuck you match.” (40:09 – Stepan)

3. Interview: Craig Fitzpatrick, Blind Veteran Hockey Player

Timestamp: 46:09 – 102:44

A. Craig’s Journey and Blind Hockey Basics

• Losing Vision & Military Service:

  • Craig describes how Stargardt disease and military deployment (including chemical exposure and stress during the USS Cole recovery) led to near-total blindness by his late 20s.
  • "You have all these challenges thrown at you all at once...what can I still do?" (55:09 – Fitzpatrick)

• Discovery of Hockey:

  • Attended his first hockey game at the Air Force Academy despite no southern exposure as a kid. Hockey became a passion after vision loss.

• Learning to Skate & Play as an Adult:

  • Enrolled in Learn to Skate at age 37—“It was as a 37-year-old adult going to a Learn to Skate 1 class with U.S. figure skating...not being able to see what the heck is going on but also afraid to tell my coaches that I was blind because I wanted them to let me take the class.” (57:22)
  • Blind hockey uses a large, audible steel puck; goalies are completely blind; attacking teams must make a clear pass before shooting.
    • "This puck...made of 22-gauge steel, it’s got eight ball bearings inside...when it’s moving, it makes noise." (60:40)

• Vulnerability & Perseverance:

  • Talks candidly about stigma, mental health, and why skating was a lifeline:
    • "It was both vulnerable but also kind of validating that I could get out there with them...they were going through the same stuff I was." (58:52)

B. Growth of Blind Hockey & Paralympic Advocacy

• Blind hockey’s history in Canada and the U.S. is traced; major push to get the sport into the Paralympics by 2034.
• Fitzpatrick’s role in introducing over 300 blind children/adults to hockey; all proceeds from his memoir go to blind hockey initiatives.

C. Memorable Stories & Community

• “Flyby on the Wrong Bench”:

  • "I got so excited that I just started cartwheeling my arms...and I did a flyby on the wrong bench because I couldn’t [see]..." (66:45)

• Penalty chaos, bench/box confusion, and the visceral, sometimes even rough, competitive environment of blind hockey.

• Grid Memory:

  • Explains how blind and elite sighted players both rely on mental mapping and spatial memory:
    • "This is a fascinating parallel between really good elite-level NHL players and how blind players' brains function...this phenomenon called grid memory.” (69:39)

• NHLers’ Involvement:

  • Shoutouts to Claude Giroux, Wayne Simmonds, Mitch Marner, Miko Rantanen, Milan Hejduk, Matthew Tkachuk, Rope Hintz, and others for hands-on support.

• Team Names:

  • Shares clever blind hockey team names: Hartford Brailers, Colorado Visionaries, Toronto Ice Owls, Montreal Hiboux, and more. (82:21)

D. Inspirational Closing & Gratitude

• "Helping a blind kid get onto the ice is the most rewarding part of this game for me." (75:42)

• Asks the hosts to close their eyes and thank those who got them into hockey—sparking emotional reflections:

  • Whitney: "For me, that's pretty emotional. No doubt." (95:03)
  • Biz: Recalls parents and youth coach Mark Larose’s impact.

• Surprise: Craig donates his milestone goal puck (assisted by Biz, with Gretzky scoring) to the Hockey Hall of Fame, coordinated with Phil Pritchard.

  • "Phil will be getting that puck to become a part of the collection at the [Hockey Hall of Fame]." (100:35)

4. Ra’s World: Thanksgiving Vibes, Jersey Talk, Rants & Recommendations

Timestamp: 104:06 – 128:12

• Rear Admiral’s assorted stories about back pain, mountain biking, celebrity deaths, and peeing logistics.
• Extended chatter about alternate NHL uniforms (Rangers, Bruins, Stars, Panthers, Blackhawks, etc.).
• A rant against private equity firms owning rinks and threatening to penalize youth teams if parents film games (“Imagine you go to a rink and someone says you’re taping your kid, we’re gonna strip them of a victory” – 126:10).
• Gambling picks, pop culture talk, and Thanksgiving well-wishes round out the show.

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Blind Hockey Puck:

  • “It’s made of 22-gauge steel, it’s got 8 ball bearings inside of it, and when it’s moving it makes noise.” (60:40 – Fitzpatrick)

• Chirping the Oilers:

  • “Who fucking cares out there right now? That’s why the Clattenburg kid’s up there – at least he’s willing to run around.” (09:07 – Whitney)

• Grid Memory Parallel:

  • “You start to remember patterns of where you can do certain things on the ice. That’s the same thing blind players' brains do.” (69:39 – Fitzpatrick)

• Emotional Reflection:

  • "Helping a blind kid get onto the ice is the most rewarding part of playing this game for me. If you’re around to give a kid that opportunity, you forget real fast about anything you do on your own.” (76:15 – Fitzpatrick)

• Flyby Story (Chirping):

  • “...I did a flyby on the wrong bench because I couldn’t [see]. Can you imagine if an NHLer...? Unbelievable.” (66:45 – Fitzpatrick)

• On Gratitude:

  • “You don’t really appreciate till you get older and you have kids on your own. That’s something for me that’s pretty emotional. No doubt.” (95:03 – Whitney)

Important Timestamps

• Oilers/League Storylines: 03:16 – 21:44
• Derek Stepan Segment: 21:49 – 44:19
• Craig Fitzpatrick Interview: 46:09 – 102:44
• Ra's World/Jerseys/Thanksgiving: 104:06 – 128:12

Tone & Style

The episode maintains the trademark irreverence and banter of Spittin' Chiclets, seamlessly mixing deep-cut hockey analysis, gallows humor, and authentic, sometimes raw, emotion. Both the Stepan and Fitzpatrick interviews are full of both laughter and humility, staying true to the show’s reputation for being “for the boys”—but absolutely wide open to those who love hockey in any form.

For New Listeners

This episode is a crystallization of what makes Spittin' Chiclets unique: elite hockey insight, deep locker-room banter, and real-life stories that transcend the game. Newcomers will get a sense of the passionate, sometimes profane, always hilarious world of hockey culture—but also a window into the powerful role the sport plays for those facing immense challenges.

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