Spittin’ Chiclets Episode 601: Featuring James Duthie + Mike Matheson

Release Date: December 1, 2025
Hosts: Ryan Whitney, Paul “Biz Nasty” Bissonnette, Rear Admiral, Keith Yandle, Mike Grinnell
Guests: James Duthie, Mike Matheson

Episode Overview

The 601st episode of Spittin’ Chiclets is a classic blend of hockey insight, irreverent humor, and storytelling. The crew recaps the latest in NHL action, discusses injuries and standout performances, and catches up with current Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson after his new contract extension. Storytelling takes center stage as beloved TSN host James Duthie drops by to share fun and emotional tales from his newest hockey book. The episode balances deep hockey analysis, hilarious anecdotes, a few heart-tugging moments, and the usual off-the-cuff banter—making it a can’t-miss listen for hockey fans and lovers of the game’s culture.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. NHL Recap and Injury Woes

• Bruins’ Lineup Challenges:
  • Whitney and Biz reflect on a tough Thanksgiving game for Boston after news breaks that Pastrnak, Zacha, and McAvoy are all out. Whitney immediately bets against them (“I just hammered the Rangers as quickly as possible…” — Ryan Whitney, 03:32).
  • “No pasta on the Bruins is, like, it’s pretty ugly.” (Ryan Whitney, 03:56)
  • Morgan Geeky steps up as an unlikely leading goal-scorer, surprising even the crew with his hot streak and 103mph shot.
• Injury Parade:
  • Across the league, injuries are a constant: “We got barbecue accidents. We got other guys burning themselves too.” (Biz Nasty, 07:11)
  • Blues defenseman burns himself at home — cue, laughs and speculation about what really happened.
• Thanksgiving Vibes:
  • Yandle provides a window into the grind: returns home from travel sick as a dog; crew jokes about being “warriors” for toughing out the podcast when ill.

2. College Hockey & Next-Gen Talent

• Rinkside Stories:
  • Yandle visits Harvard vs. Michigan — first college game in 25+ years. Highlights Sean Horkoff’s son Will: “Best player on the ice… smart player, always in the right spot.” (Keith Yandle, 07:45)
  • Plant brothers at Duluth/Boston — the crew shouts out their “Game Notes” interview with them (09:11).
• Old School vs. New School:
  • College hockey assessed as still traditional—“not a ton of playmaking,” but a few “standouts.” Yandle: “College hockey is still a straightforward game.” (14:10)
• Chiclets Media Corner:
  • Crew hypes their “Game Notes” & “Sandbagger” series, plus a moving Craig Fitzpatrick interview (“bringing hope to so many blind people who love the game…” — Ryan Whitney, 10:02).

3. NHL Standouts and Viral Moments

• Kyle Palmieri’s Warrior Shift:
  • Palmieri tears his ACL, still strips an opponent and sets up a goal before leaving the ice. Lauded as a “consummate hockey player” and used as a lesson in toughness for young players (Ryan Whitney, 22:32; Biz Nasty, 24:10).
• Morgan Geeky’s Breakout:
  • Bizarre, unexpected season—crew is both amazed and amused by his sudden rise.

Featured Interview: Mike Matheson

[26:34–49:54]

Contract Extension & Loyalty

• Matheson discusses his decision to stay in Montreal for less money:

  “I feel like it’s important to show your teammates you’ll take less, leave money on the table for them... especially as we start contending.” (Mike Matheson, 28:22)

• Chooses stability and a chance at a championship over a bigger UFA payday.

Team Culture & Playing in Montreal

• Discusses being bilingual in Montreal: English at home, French school, which helps with media and team.
• The intensity and hockey knowledge of Canadiens fans—every subtle defensive play gets noticed.

On Young Talent: Matvei Demidov

• “He’s incredible…edges, hands, vision. In practice, you have to give him a little bit of extra space. Guys already know he’s one of those guys.” (Mike Matheson, 32:03)

• Demidov’s “New Balance tracksuit” fashion attempt when dress code was vaguely referenced.

Development, Skating, and Humility

• Matheson never had a private skating coach; credits BC’s Greg Brown and learning by observation, repetition, and trial/error.
• Self-assessment on losing first power-play minutes to Lane Hutson:

  “It boils down to ego, right? ... He's way better than me at it… It just means I have to find a different way to contribute.” (Mike Matheson, 48:14)

Playing for Martin St. Louis

• Praises St. Louis’ passion, knowledge, and approach:

  “He’s here grinding away, bringing that energy and passion every single day… makes you think about the game totally different.” (43:14)

Notable Quotes & Moments:

• “My main goal was to be on a team that has a chance to win in the near future.” (Mike Matheson, 28:22)
• On Nick Suzuki for Team Canada:

  “He could play any line, play a super responsible game or drive offense… What better player to have in a tournament format?” (Mike Matheson, 46:04)

Storytelling & Heart: Guest James Duthie

[80:28–125:51]

On Hockey Storytelling Culture

• James shares how Chiclets helped usher in a golden era for hockey stories—players more comfortable to tell and laugh at themselves.
• Discusses his new book and the inspiration drawn from years of panel-side NHL stories.

  “Sometimes I will get a chapter done… and then two months later, [the guest] comes on your pod and tells it.” (James Duthie, 86:48)

Favorite Book Excerpts & Stories

1. Brady Tkachuk Prank on Giroux ([90:40–94:12]):
   • Brady cut Giroux's sticks before a practice as payback for a prank. Giroux unknowingly uses them in a game, snaps several sticks, is fuming, and only learns afterward it was Brady.

     “Dude, we’re trying to win in the NHL.” (Claude Giroux, 93:35)

2. Brendan Morrison’s Arbitration ([95:25–99:31]):
   • Canucks' lawyer humiliates Morrison with a “mouse and elephant” story to minimize his on-ice contributions. Morrison later earns a caricature of himself as the mouse.
3. Todd Simpson ‘Purple Dye’ Prank in Phoenix ([100:00–104:04]):
   • Simpson loaded teammates’ gear with heat-activated purple dye, turning the whole locker room into a disaster zone and costing thousands in ruined gear.
4. Ray Whitney’s ‘Cabbage Rolls’ Accident ([120:19–124:18]):
   • Whitney eats too many cabbage rolls before a game, loses control during anthems; leads to an emergency mid-game locker room gear change.
5. Emotional Tributes:
   • Duthie’s most heartfelt chapter recounts the Goodrow tragedy: “I wanted it for something. When their kids grow up, they could read and say, ‘Oh, this is what my dad was like.’” (James Duthie, 111:25)
   • Celebrini family chapter spotlights Macklin’s father’s athletic background and training philosophy.

Notable Quotes:

• “You can’t wrap togetherness, but you can frame it with Aura Frames.” (James Duthie, 128:01 – reading an ad, but fits thematic content)
• On Bob McKenzie:

  “Even when he wasn’t trying, when he was semi-retired, he would break the biggest deals… he’s the only guy where the GMs call him...” (James Duthie, 116:41)

Other Notable Segments & Lighter Moments

Hockey Culture, Stats & NHL Chatter

• Dallas Stars’ Quiet Dominance:
  • Crew marvels at Wyatt Johnson and Jason Robertson; “Dallas… they are not getting talked about.”
• Tampa Bay Lightning’s Bounce-Back:
  • Stats post-Chiclets bump: 15-3 since Coach Cooper’s podcast appearance (“Coop for Jack Adams!” — Biz Nasty, 62:11).
• Pink Whitney Stick Banter:
  • Dream of seeing a Pink Whitney stick used in an NHL game; debate which player would best “carry the torch” (Demidov, Voracek, etc.)
• Undrafted Thousand-Game Club:
  • Emotional Brendan Dillon video and fact-checking on undrafted players to reach 1,000 NHL games.

Player Toughness & Team Dynamics

• On Fighting & Protecting Stars:
  • Discussions about Detroit and Chicago’s need for more physical presence, protection for young stars; mid-show, Yandle and Biz reminisce about scrappy NHL days.

Off-Ice & Pop Culture

• Lane Kiffin’s College Football Drama ([148:40–158:39]):
  • Wild stories about massive coaching contracts, buyouts, and Kiffin’s escapades at Ole Miss and LSU.
  • Mock incredulity about the whole “college football as free agency” environment; humorous comparisons to NHL culture.

Memorable Quotes & Moments w/timestamps

• “No pasta on the Bruins is, like, it’s pretty ugly.” — Ryan Whitney (03:56)
• “We got barbecue accidents. We got other guys burning themselves, too.” — Biz Nasty (07:11)
• “[Morgan Geeky] has the hardest recorded shot in the NHL this year at over 103 miles an hour.” — Ryan Whitney (04:03)
• “Kyle Palmieri… had every right to lay down with a torn ACL, strips a defenseman, little dish over... what a video to show to young kids.” — Ryan Whitney (22:31)
• “You need to hear a little more confidence from [Geeky], and then he’ll have 50.” — Keith Yandle (06:11)
• “If everybody’s taking a little bit less… you’ve seen it on all the teams that have been able to do it. Pitt, back in the day… Florida’s been showing that.” — Mike Matheson on contract culture (28:22)
• “Guys already know that [Demidov] is one of those guys” — Mike Matheson (32:54)
• “It boils down to ego, right? … He's obviously bringing a lot on that side of the puck… My job is to find a different way to drive success for the team.” — Mike Matheson (48:14)
• “Brady’s such a good guy, he can’t not say it. So, gee, it was me—I cut your sticks!” — James Duthie on Tkachuk pranking Giroux (93:35)
• “Just want to get one [game].” — Brendan Dillon, emotional milestone (131:12)

Timestamps: Key Segments

• NHL Injury Woes & Bruins’ Lineup: 03:08–06:58
• College Hockey/Rinkside Redux: 07:34–17:41
• Palmieri Warrior Shift: 22:32–26:32
• Mike Matheson Interview: 26:34–49:54
• James Duthie Interview/Book Stories: 80:28–125:51
• Ray Whitney ‘Cabbage Roll’ Story: 120:19–124:18
• Brendan Dillon, 1000-Game Milestone: 130:20–134:40
• Lane Kiffin/College Football Rant: 148:40–158:39

Summary Takeaway

Episode 601 delivers what Spittin’ Chiclets does best: a no-filter view into the culture and quirks of hockey, where on-ice heroics intersect with locker-room shenanigans, and superstars share the spotlight with everyday grinders. Mike Matheson’s humility and intelligence resonate, while James Duthie’s storytelling stitches the emotional and the absurd together. Hockey lifers and casual fans alike will find laughter, insight, and maybe a few tears as the crew reminds us why the game—and the stories around it—continue to inspire.

For the true experience, check out the full interviews and book readings for even more laughter and context.