The Athletic Hockey Show – November 5, 2025
Episode Theme: Are the Anaheim Ducks for real?
Hosts: Sean McIndoo, Frank Corrado, JD Bunkis
Overview
This episode dives deep into whether the Anaheim Ducks’ hot start to the 2025 NHL season is sustainable, evaluates their roster construction, and discusses the team’s dramatic turnaround from league bottom-dwellers to contenders. The hosts also debate recent rule interpretations, discuss Team Canada’s Olympic goaltending conundrum, and touch on Hockey Hall of Fame picks and debates.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Memo Day & Goalie Controversy (02:33–13:00)
- Memo Day in the NHL: Frank introduces “memo day," when teams are briefed on recent high-profile incidents/rule clarifications (ex: a controversial goal involving the net being knocked off).
- Goaltender “Cheating”: Hosts dissect a recent Wild-Preds goal where a net was deliberately dislodged:
- JD’s take: Goalies shouldn’t get away with “cheating” by knocking the net off to prevent goals.
- Frank: Supports the official’s decision—“I think it’s the right call and I would do that call 10 out of 10.” (04:25)
- Sean: Cites Steven Stamkos' argument that a sequence following a dislodged net shouldn’t count, but ultimately sides with penalizing goalies for deliberate infractions.
- Safety vs. Gamesmanship: Discussion touches on the difference between ‘cheating’ (deliberately knocking off the net) and legitimate safety concerns (e.g., a loose mask).
- Broader Theme: Debate over where to draw the line for rules—automatic enforcement vs. judgment, consistency between penalties like puck-over-glass and goaltender infractions.
- “Don’t cheat and then complain when you get caught cheating.” – JD Bunkis (05:04)
2. Anaheim Ducks: For Real or Mirage? (13:00–22:50)
- Statement Win: Ducks defeat the Panthers 7-3 (13:00):
- Young core highlighted by Cutter Gauthier (hat trick, tied for league lead in goals).
- Team awards “the cool Gordon Bombay jacket” after wins, referencing The Mighty Ducks movie (13:00).
- Offensive Juggernauts:
- Most goals for in the NHL; shot metrics back up their scoring surge—“They're not a team that's just on a hot streak.” – Frank Corrado (14:07)
- Pat Verbeek’s moves (acquiring Kreider, Trouba, integrating Kalorn) now credited for blending youth and veteran grit.
- Young stars like Leo Carlsson (18 points in 14 games), Beckett Seneca, and Gauthier accelerating development.
- “All those young guys… they're just going to get better and older and more experienced.” – Frank Corrado (15:24)
- Playoff Outlook:
- Pacific Division “open for the taking” with Edmonton’s struggles and only Vegas appearing secure.
- JD laments losing his nerve on preseason Ducks playoff picks.
- Quenville as Jack Adams front-runner (17:12).
- “There's a new team on the scene here and it feels like they're not going anywhere anytime soon.” – Frank Corrado (18:27)
- Goaltending & Defense:
- Lukas Dostal’s steady, high-end play.
- Anaheim’s defense has improved; not dominant, but trending positively.
- “Dostal needs to be treated as a guy who can erase some of that.” – Sean McIndoo (20:45)
- Model for Rebuilds:
- Anaheim is “the model team” of post-rebuild success, with a favorable cap situation.
- Example: Frank Vatrano on the fourth line—shows depth of new roster.
3. Team Canada’s Olympic Goaltending Debate (27:17–41:58)
- Olympic Rosters in Flux:
- Only 100 days out from the Olympics, Canadian goaltending is an open question.
- Current favorites: Jordan Binnington, Samuel Montembeault, Aiden Hill (all with rocky starts).
- Binnington’s Big Game Mentality:
- Frank, a former teammate: “Part of what makes Bennington such a great goalie is that… he can get himself to a place mentally that not a lot of guys can go to.” (28:27)
- “I don't worry about Bennington because… he has shown us time and time again that he's going to be okay.” – Frank Corrado (29:34)
- Montembeault’s Inconsistency:
- St. Louis wants a clear #1; Montembeault struggled but “showed signs of life” in a recent game (30:50).
- If choosing today: Binnington, Logan Thompson, and Darcy Kuemper are the likely picks.
- League insiders question Montembeault’s value; public analytics more favorable.
- Logan Thompson Rising:
- Thompson’s play the past two seasons has outperformed—and he’s now “far and away based on merit… the best of the bunch on the ice” (40:45).
- Team Selection Philosophy:
- Go with three best goalies at that time for Canada—no room for “development” role on this roster.
- “Don't force the bring the future focus younger dude as the number three. If it's not there, it's not there.” – Sean McIndoo (35:25)
- Light-hearted wrap-up: “That's my advice to these goalies… Just cheat, just not to win.” – JD Bunkis (42:01)
4. Hockey Hall of Fame Class & Player Debates (44:34–53:22)
- 2025 Induction Class: Jennifer Botrill, Zdeno Chara, Brianna Decker, Duncan Keith, Alexander Mogilny, Jack Parker, Daniel Sauvageau, Joe Thornton.
- Who Is a Hall of Famer?
- JD goes in on “borderline” candidates (e.g., Jamie Benn, Corey Perry): “Just because I said Jamie Benn's not a Hall of Famer doesn't mean I hate him.” (44:58)
- Debate between “peak performance” (ex: Corey Perry’s legendary season) vs. “longevity” (ex: Patrick Marleau).
- John Tavares’ Hall case: Toronto market bias discussed and debunked (“If anything, it goes the other way…” – Sean).
- Long waits for figures like Alexander Mogilny and Pat Burns: “One of the things you always heard was they're worried he's not going to show up… He’s not showing up. Hell yeah. Good job, Alexander Mogilny.” – JD Bunkis (51:41)
- Women’s Hockey Representation: Happy to see the “builder logjam” for women’s hockey starting to clear.
- Rules Court Returns: Sean teases another round of their podcast’s popular “Rules Court”—listeners continue to generate creative ideas for NHL rule changes.
Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments
-
On “Cheating” Goalies:
“Goalies, listen to me. Goaltenders of the world, you weirdos in your sumo gear talking to your posts. You're all nine feet tall, you're all twitchy goofs, and none of your teammates really know how to talk to you. Stop ruining hockey by… making too many saves… But second of all, stop cheating.”
— JD Bunkis (05:23) -
On Anaheim’s Turnaround:
“They're not a team that's just on a hot streak. They're not a team that's just shooting the lights out. … They're generating what they're scoring and that is something that can be sustainable for them.”
— Frank Corrado (14:26) -
On Playoff Windows:
“The playoff path in the Pacific… is there for Anaheim.”
— JD Bunkis (16:07) -
On the Ducks’ Rebuild Model:
“Anaheim is right now looking like the model team for how they did that. And, and credit to Pat Verbeek because the guy made the moves and they're going.”
— Sean McIndoo (22:32) -
On Alexander Mogilny snubbing the Hall ceremony:
“One of the things you always heard was they're worried he's not going to show up. We found out he finally got in; he’s not showing up. Hell yeah.”
— JD Bunkis (51:41)
Timestamps for Major Segments
- 02:33: Show opens, “Memo Day” explained, hosting banter
- 04:25: Debate over the controversial dislodged-net goal
- 13:00: Anaheim Ducks segment begins
- 14:07–16:07: Ducks’ offensive surge and lineup construction
- 18:36: Ducks playoff path and Pacific Division landscape
- 20:45: Lukas Dostal & goaltending discussion
- 22:50: Broader rebuild process & Ducks as a model
- 27:17: Team Canada Olympic goaltending dilemma
- 28:27–30:50: Deep dive on Binnington, Montembeault, and the goalie system
- 40:45: Logan Thompson’s emergence
- 44:34: Hockey Hall of Fame segment: class, debates & legacy
- 51:41: Mogilny’s notorious absence from the HHOF ceremony
Tone & Format
- Casual and humorous: Lots of self-deprecation, playful swipes at teams, players, and each other.
- Expert insight: Analytical but accessible, with stats, trends, and context for both deep and casual fans.
- Listener-friendly flow: Skips ad reads and small talk, focusing instead on meaty, relevant hockey discussions.
Summary Takeaway
This episode argues convincingly that the Anaheim Ducks’ resurgence is no fluke—they’re fast, deep, young, and effective both analytically and on the scoresheet. The podcast also serves up NHL insider shop-talk (how teams digest rule changes), honest appraisals of ongoing debates (Team Canada’s shambolic goalie pool, the weirdness of Hall of Fame selections), and a preview of hockey’s next big moments. Whether you’re curious about which surging teams are “for real” or want to hear candid, informed opinions on the sport’s knotty debates, this episode delivers.