The Athletic Hockey Show: "10 Questions We Have Entering the NHL Season"

Date: October 6, 2025
Hosts: Max Bultman, Mark Lazarus (with Jesse Granger)

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the 2025-26 NHL season’s “10 biggest questions,” ranging from team previews and player injuries to major storylines—such as Sidney Crosby’s future and the latest on big-name goalies. Max Bultman and Mark Lazarus, with special guest Jesse Granger, break down key debates, roster shake-ups, the shifting balance of power in the NHL, and plenty more, using their typical conversational style that mixes analysis with banter.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Chaotic Preseason: Panthers vs. Lightning

• [01:34–04:08]
  • Mark reports from Florida about an “absurd” Panthers-Lightning preseason game: 16 ejections, 312 penalty minutes, general chaos.
  • Mark: “It was the stupidest thing I’ve ever seen.” [02:11]
  • Frustration with long, meaningless preseason; both believe fewer games would be better.
  • Max notes the original intention of preseason—reps and injury avoidance—is lost when rivals clash repeatedly.

2. Biggest Question: What Are the Florida Panthers Without Alexander Barkov?

• [04:08–07:41]
  • Barkov is injured; co-star Kachuk is also out.
  • Mark recounts a conversation with Coach Paul Maurice, mentioning Maurice nearly calls Barkov the "best player in the world."
  • Sam Reinhart must step into Barkov’s top role—both offensively and defensively.
  • Max: “It was always the debate—Is Reinhart this good, or is he playing with Barkov?”
  • Sam Bennett’s regular-season value (vs. his playoff dominance) is questioned after his new contract.
  • Both agree the development of Anton Lundell is crucial.

3. Stanley Cup Favorites in a Post-Barkov World

• [07:41–11:49]
  • Max: “Are the Panthers still your Cup favorite?” Mark says no.
  • Mark’s perpetual pick is the Dallas Stars: “I am Charlie Brown and the Dallas Stars are my Lucy.” [08:13]
  • Vegas with Mitch Marner is Max’s top pick.
  • Mark marvels at the Knights’ salary gymnastics: “Money doesn’t seem to exist in the world of the Vegas Golden Knights.” [09:19]
  • Open field this year: Up to 7–8 teams seen as True contenders (Stars, Avs, Jets, Oilers, Knights).
  • Eastern teams (Tampa, Toronto, Florida) are dubbed talented but not as deep as their Western rivals.

4. Betting Preview: Cup Odds and Contenders

• [11:24–13:56]
  • West-dominated favorites: Oilers, Knights, Avs, Stars.
  • Carolina only Eastern “top five” contender at current odds.
  • Longshot discussion: Winnipeg (President’s Trophy winners) and NY Rangers have same odds.

5. Can the Rangers Rebound? (And Are They Better Than the Jets?)

• [13:00–17:18]
  • New coach Mike Sullivan’s impact is debated.
  • Mark skeptical: “This is a pretty veteran team that’s going to be kind of set in its ways.”
  • Max: “...he’s the right kind of presence. His word is going to carry a lot of weight in that room.”
  • The contrast in captain styles (J.T. Miller vs. Jacob Trouba) is highlighted.

6. Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid: The Blockbuster Questions

• [20:16–29:32]
  • Will Crosby finish the season as a Penguin? Will McDavid remain an Oiler?
  • Mark says Crosby-as-trade-bait is real: “We’ve gotten a little too precious about Sidney Crosby. ...I would rather see Crosby in the playoffs again than see him retire as a Penguin.” [21:08]
  • Max and Mark agree Crosby still deserves playoff hockey and that the league is “deprived” of his postseason presence.
  • Pittsburgh’s lack of youth and debate about whether trading Crosby for assets outweighs the legacy of "one-team player.”
  • McDavid’s future: “If I’m team chaos, I want to see him reach free agency so badly.” [26:22]
  • Discussion of McDavid's possible next contract (“Is he worth $25M if Kaprizov's worth $17M?”), and the difficult optics of taking a maximum deal in a hard-cap league.

7. Contract Trends and Cap Consequences

• [30:15–32:53]
  • Max and Mark on the new salary landscape: mid-2020s contracts for young stars will look like steals as the cap rises.
  • Mark: “Don’t sign for eight years. Don’t do it, it’s a trap. It’s what the billionaires want.” [32:53]
  • Short-term deals for stars are the smart play now.

8. Habs and Sens: Who’s for Real after Breakthrough Playoff Appearances?

• [33:09–36:34]
  • Which rebuild is more for real: Montreal or Ottawa?
  • Mark is slightly higher on Montreal, but voices concern: “Who’s falling out?” Given East depth, new playoff blood hard to envision unless a major team collapses.
  • Max slightly prefers Ottawa’s chances for repeat.

9. The Carolina Hurricanes vs. the Islanders: Playoff Boredom or Underdog Love?

• [36:34–37:44]
  • East 6–10 is more competitive than West, but Islanders capture underdog interest, whereas Carolina feels repetitive.
  • Mark: “The Hurricanes, I don’t find... as ugly and boring as other people do. They’re a little repetitive...” [36:51]

10. Goaltender Corner with Jesse Granger

• [39:27–55:58]

Connor Hellebuyck: Can He Rebound?

• Jesse: “He researches and thinks about the way he plays more than any athlete I’ve ever spoken to...I think he learned some things in those playoffs...” [39:54]
• Hellebuyck tends to “tinker” too much in playoffs, needs to trust his instincts.

Jonathan Toews in Winnipeg: Viable #2 Center or Depth Piece?

• Mark calls Toews “the most interesting guy in the league this year; the ceiling is so high and the floor is so unbelievably low.” [45:11]
• Concerns about health, recovery, and whether he can handle a demanding workload.
• Max and Jesse: Toews as a 3C would be ideal—asking him to drive a 2nd line is unrealistic.

Will Vegas Sign Carter Hart?

• Jesse says all indicators point yes, but it’s a PR and on-ice gamble: “He hasn’t played in two years;...it’s probably the hardest position to come back from.” [51:16]
• Mark: “Why would this guy...be worth the inevitable PR hit...he was a subpar goalie his last year.” [53:12]
• Jesse: There are safer goalie options, but Hart’s ceiling and pedigree draw teams in; his highlight-reel athletic saves stand out.

Waiver Watch: New Goalie Names to Watch

• Jesse calls out Clay Stevenson (Washington), predicts he’ll be notable by season’s end.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Preseason Fights:

  • Mark: “I hate the preseason. Players hate the preseason. ... Maybe the Panthers and Lightning...should not be playing three consecutive preseason games.” [02:11]

• On Barkov’s Value:

  • Mark: “He’s like the perfect hockey player...He is irreplaceable.” [04:42]

• Stanley Cup Loyalty:

  • Mark: “I am Charlie Brown and the Dallas Stars are my Lucy. I’m going to pick them for the rest of time.” [08:13]

• On Crosby’s Legacy:

  • Max: “He is a winner, above all...Depriving the NHL, all stakeholders, of him in the playoffs is depressing.” [22:19]

• On Jonathan Toews:

  • Mark: “The ceiling is so high, the floor is so unbelievably low. ... I could see him winning a Stanley Cup, I could see him not even making it to that first game.” [45:12]

• Contract Wisdom:

  • Mark: “Don’t sign for eight years. Don’t do it, it’s a trap. It’s what the billionaires want.” [32:53]

• Carter Hart on Comebacks:

  • Jesse: “He hasn't played hockey in two years...If you're going to sign Carter Hart, you have to clearly believe he is...a different tier of goalie.” [51:39]

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | | --- | --- | | 01:34 | Chaotic Lightning-Panthers preseason recap | | 04:08 | Florida Panthers without Barkov—Reinhart & Bennett’s roles | | 07:41 | Stanley Cup favorites post-Barkov; West vs. East power balance | | 11:24 | Cup odds: Betting favorites and dark horses | | 13:00 | Can the Rangers rebound? Mike Sullivan’s impact debated | | 20:16 | Blockbuster questions: Crosby trade? McDavid’s future? | | 30:15 | New contract era: short-term deals and cap rising | | 33:09 | Habs vs. Sens: Real Playoff teams or regression? | | 36:34 | Islanders/Carolina: Playoff styles, East 6–10 rankings | | 39:27 | Jesse Granger goalie segment: Hellebuyck, Toews, Carter Hart | | 55:58 | Wrap up and Jesse’s annual “dart at a goalie” sleeper pick |

Tone & Style

The conversation is high-energy, direct, irreverent, and packed with well-informed takes. The hosts riff, debate, challenge each other, and regularly point out league-wide trends. The episode is jargon-friendly and fast-paced, but explanatory enough for engaged NHL fans (and strongly rewards listeners with background knowledge of current NHL narratives).

Conclusion

This episode previewed the NHL’s new season with a series of interwoven questions, sharp commentary, and positionally focused analysis. Key player injuries, shifting team strengths, the legacies of superstars, contract negotiations, and prospects for emerging or returning teams set the table for what promises to be one of the most competitive and unpredictable NHL seasons in recent memory.