The Athletic Hockey Show – Episode Summary

Episode Title: 8 Overreactions from NHL Opening Week
Date: October 13, 2025
Hosts: Max Bultman, Mark Lazarus, Rob Rossi

Overview

In this spirited episode, hosts Max Bultman and Mark Lazarus are joined by Rob Rossi to dive into “overreactions” after the NHL’s opening week. The trio debates which early trends signal genuine change versus fleeting storylines, focusing on big-market teams, breakout young stars, and the future of struggling franchises. The episode delivers sharp observations, notable rants, and predictions—sometimes hot, sometimes cold—on what the new season has in store.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Detroit Red Wings – The End of the ISER Plan?

(01:37–09:21)

• Red Wings Urgency:

  • Detroit tasted a humiliating opening-night loss after a strong start. Coach Todd McLellan called out the team for poor game management and complacency, emphasizing that it's "time" for this core to move on from the endless "process" talk.
  • Quote – Todd McLellan [03:00]:
    "We just played the game. We didn’t play to win the game. ... Some of them have been doing it for years. It’s time.”
  • Both hosts agree: This season is a must-take-step year for Detroit; no one will tolerate more excuses or moral victories.

• Coaching Impact:

  • Mark Lazarus stresses that in a situation like Detroit’s, coaching urgency matters:
    "The right coach can turn a pretty good team into a good team, can turn a mediocre team into a playoff team." [08:23]

2. Rising Young Stars: Frank Nazar & Chicago Blackhawks

(09:21–13:29)

• Frank Nazar’s Electric Start:

  • Nazar, the Blackhawks' new top center behind Connor Bedard, shines with 5 points in 3 games and dominates possession. Discussion leans into his potential for Team USA and his non-fluky, high-motor playstyle.
  • Quote – Mark Lazarus [09:51]:
    “Frank Nazar, man, he looks spectacular... Right now he’s on pace for like 120 points. What’s not to like?”

• Blackhawks’ New Approach:

  • The Hawks' focus is now on letting the kids play—even if it means mistakes. Young defense prospects are getting leeway and prime roles, signaling a long-term investment in their future core.

3. Boston Bruins – Rebuild or Mirage?

(16:49–20:19)

• Can Boston Pull a Washington-Style Quick Rebuild?
  • Rob Rossi is skeptical, dismissing the idea that Boston can mirror Washington’s rapid bounce-back given their depth and new coaching staff situation.
  • Mark Lazarus points out unsustainable early stats (e.g., 12/12 penalty kill, 9 goal scorers in 3 games).
  • But both concede: Boston is better than many thought and could hang in the messy Eastern wild card hunt.
  • Quote – Rob Rossi [18:50]:
    “I don’t think the Bruins can do that… but they could be a lot more competitive and not so much in the Gavin McKenna Derby.”

4. Matt Boldy for Hart? Minnesota’s New Hope

(20:59–24:21)

• Boldy’s Breakout:

  • Wild’s Matt Boldy starts with 6 points in 2 games, fueling discussion about his ceiling—though Rossi throws cold water on Hart Trophy chatter, arguing Kirill Kaprizov will always eclipse him in MVP narratives.
  • Quote – Rob Rossi [22:04]:
    “He’s not going to be in the Hart Trophy conversation. As we know, Laz, those conversations are narrative-based.”

• Minnesota as a Dark Horse:

  • Rossi and Lazarus agree that the Wild could surprise in a wide-open West if everything clicks.

5. Vezina Race: Joey Daccord and Igor Shesterkin

(24:34–29:57)

• Joey Daccord’s Hot Start (Seattle):

  • A spurt of stellar goaltending isn’t enough for real playoff optimism in Seattle. The consensus: The Kraken are fundamentally lacking and are not a real threat for the postseason or awards.
  • Quote – Mark Lazarus [25:10]:
    “No. Next question. ... There’s just absolutely no way that Joey Daccord is bringing the Seattle Kraken into the playoffs this year.”

• Igor Shesterkin (Rangers) for Vezina:

  • All agree Shesterkin is the lone reason New York could be competitive:
    Rob Rossi [27:40]:
    “He is the only really good player on a team that has all the hype and all the sizzle, but none of the substance.”

6. Buffalo Sabres – Are They Already Cooked?

(34:03–38:05)

• Buffalo's Hopeless Malaise:

  • Early drubbings and a roster locked into long-term, underachieving core deals spell doom. The hosts express deep empathy for Buffalo fans, with no easy path forward identified.
  • Quote – Mark Lazarus [34:24]:
    “It’s two games in and we all know it. ... Those poor bastards in Buffalo.”

• Dysfunctional Ownership:

  • Rossi unloads on the Pugulas’ distraction with football and leadership failures.

7. New York Islanders – Stuck in the Middle?

(38:54–43:38)

• The Schaefer Dilemma:
  • With defense phenom Matthew Schaefer now in the fold, should the Islanders retool, rebuild, or double down? Rossi pleads for a youth movement to maximize Schaefer’s impact.
  • Quote – Rob Rossi [39:47]:
    “I would take a scalpel to a lot of what they have, because I am convinced Schaefer can be a defenseman that like Cale Makar, around whom all things can revolve.”
  • Lazarus is more optimistic about a potential retool, if managed correctly.

8. Pittsburgh Penguins & Pennsylvania Hockey – Bleakest Horizon

(44:08–48:55)

• No Last Hurrah for Sid & Geno:
  • Despite a spirited start from Malkin, neither Rossi nor Lazarus buy Pittsburgh as a playoff threat due to ancient defense and dire goaltending. Rossi is especially scathing.
  • Quote – Rob Rossi [48:23]:
    “It is like taking a pile of rubbish, dousing it in kerosene, marching it into the town square, setting it on fire, and then trying to put it out with more kerosene.”

9. Connor McDavid’s Contract Extension & Edmonton’s Window

(49:07–55:18)

• Debating McDavid’s Choice:
  • Rossi bemoans McDavid’s decision not to test free agency:
    “If the Edmonton Oilers were capable of winning a Stanley Cup with Connor McDavid… they would have done it by now. They haven’t. They're not going to.” [51:43]
  • Lazarus points out McDavid’s hands were tied by circumstances and cap realities, but all agree Edmonton is trending downward without fixing goaltending.

Memorable Quotes

• Todd McLellan (via Max Bultman), on Detroit’s season:
  “It’s time. Some of them have been doing it for years. ... Now, if it happened once or twice in a game, it’d be okay, but there’s six or seven outnumbered rushes … and it’s unacceptable.” [03:00]

• Rob Rossi on Pittsburgh’s situation:
  “This isn’t even the bottom yet in Pittsburgh. Anybody that’s thinking this is, is smoking something that is way beyond medical grade.” [45:30]

• Mark Lazarus on Buffalo:
  “What is the way out of this? ... The Sabres are completely cooked.” [34:24]

• On Matthew Schaefer:
  Rob Rossi [39:47]:
  “I am convinced Schaefer can be a defenseman that like Cale Makar, around whom all things can revolve.”

• On the state of Pennsylvania hockey:
  Rob Rossi [48:23]:
  “It is like taking a pile of rubbish, dousing it in kerosene, marching it into the town square, setting it on fire, and then trying to put it out with more kerosene.”

• On McDavid's extension:
  Rob Rossi [51:43]:
  "If the Edmonton Oilers were capable of winning a Stanley Cup with Connor McDavid... they would have done it by now. They haven’t. They're not going to. ... He's just going to have wasted the remaining years of his prime on that franchise."

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Detroit Urgency & ISER Plan: 01:37–09:21
• Chicago Blackhawks / Frank Nazar: 09:21–13:29
• Bruins Rebuild/Bounce-Back: 16:49–20:19
• Matt Boldy for Hart, Minnesota Wild: 20:59–24:21
• Vezina Talk: Daccord, Shesterkin: 24:34–29:57
• Buffalo Sabres' Doom Spiral: 34:03–38:05
• Islanders' Future with Schaefer: 38:54–43:38
• Penguins & Pennsylvania's Hockey Woes: 44:08–48:55
• McDavid, Oilers, and the Contract: 49:07–55:18

Tone & Takeaways

The episode blends passionate hockey analysis with candid, sometimes biting humor. Hosts hold nothing back in their assessments—from high praise of breakout young players to bleak outlooks for franchises stuck in cycles of mediocrity. The overarching theme: While opening-week overreaction is part of the fun, only some trends will hold—so hockey fans shouldn’t bank on miracles, but can enjoy the ride (especially if you’re an Islanders fan).

Missed the episode? This recap arms you with the biggest talking points and best quotes—no need to go back to listen for the essentials.