The Athletic Hockey Show – “Top Storylines from the NHL’s First Month”
Date: November 3, 2025
Hosts: Mark Lazarus & Jesse Granger
Episode Overview
This episode dives into the biggest storylines from the first month of the 2025–26 NHL season. Mark Lazarus and Jesse Granger unpack which surprising teams are surging, analyze standout rookies, evaluate top goaltenders, and debate which preseason favorites are floundering. The hosts bring insight, levity, and a few bold predictions as they survey the season’s opening chaos.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Time Zones and the Away-Game Grind
(02:10–03:56)
- Mark, on his road trip with the Blackhawks, bemoans the Pacific time zone’s scheduling quirks, lamenting the lack of late-night sports on the West Coast.
- Jesse defends the early starts: “9AM college football is the best. Wake up on Saturday and there’s already games going on. It’s great.” (03:38, Jesse)
- Lighthearted debate on the superiority of Mountain/Central vs. West/East Coast living for sports fans.
2. New Blood and Surprising Standings
(03:59–12:14)
Utah Mammoth
- Mark highlights Utah as legit among the rising teams:
“When your quote unquote second line is Logan Cooley, Dylan Guenther and J.J. Peterka, you’re a team to be reckoned with. … This is a playoff team in my mind.” (05:12, Mark)
- Jesse is bullish because Utah’s analytics look sustainable:
“The things they’re doing well in Utah make me believe in them a little more than the others.” (05:28, Jesse)
- Goaltending (Vejmelka) is lagging, which paradoxically bodes well, as he can improve. Depth in the bottom six remains the key concern.
Anaheim Ducks
- Up-tempo style, lots of young talent (Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Troy Terry), but analytics show they’re giving up more chances than anyone.
- Goalie Lukas Dostal’s brilliance is masking deep flaws:
“He is so ahead of the play, in position all the time. … He is going to win a Vezina, maybe multiple Vezinas in his career.” (09:46, Jesse)
- Mark asks if playing on the West Coast hurts Dostal’s chances at major awards—Jesse argues goalie voting is improving but still leans on raw numbers (11:21, Jesse).
Chicago Blackhawks
- Likely not a playoff team, but Connor Bedard’s development is “starting to happen”:
“His last four games he has been unbelievable ... this could be the year where he takes the leap.” (14:02, Mark)
- Spencer Knight’s emergence in goal is highlighted, with Jesse giving a “nerdy goalie” breakdown:
“Spencer Knight does not ever cheat the game ... he is never flattening out or trying to get ahead of the play. … His lateral movement is so good that he knows I don’t need to take that extra cheat step.” (17:05, Jesse)
- Mark talks up Chicago’s future prospect pipeline.
Montreal Canadiens
- Top of the Atlantic, explosive young core (Cole Caufield, Lane Hutson, Ivan Demidov), Suzuki leading the league in assists.
- Jakob Dobes is in Calder and Vezina talks:
“He’s even in the Calder race … plus 900. Matt Schaefer... is the favorite at plus 110. Demidov at plus 180. But don’t sleep on what Dobes is doing.” (20:01, Mark)
- Jesse: Czechia suddenly loaded in goal for the Olympics.
Pittsburgh Penguins & Detroit Red Wings
- Pittsburgh: Surging with classic core, question whether old bodies can keep it up.
“I’m curious how this group of old men holds up over an 82 game season.” (22:36, Jesse)
- Detroit: Emmitt Finney’s rookie rise, DeBrincat’s defensive transformation. Both hosts believe in Detroit’s staying power.
3. Teams in Crisis
(29:51–37:01)
Minnesota Wild vs. St. Louis Blues
- Both struggling mightily; Minnesota had a “players only” meeting in October—a red flag.
- Mark: “That’s supposed to happen in like February in the dog days ... October, that’s pretty desperate.” (31:17, Mark)
- St. Louis: Awful goaltending despite good shot suppression.
“The goaltending has been just spectacularly awful.” (34:24, Mark)
- Jesse tries to defend the goalies—“they aren’t giving up crazy soft ones, but you’ve got to make a couple of these Grade A saves.” (34:24, Jesse)
- St. Louis now a cautionary tale for how quickly things can fall apart after playoff success.
The Goalie Question for Team Canada
- Mark wonders if Jordan Binnington is still Canada’s #1 after the Four Nations tournament; Jesse says the Olympic format allows for a longer leash, but the door is open for Logan Thompson and others. (31:54–33:58)
4. The Eastern Conference Logjam
(35:38–41:11)
- Every Eastern team is at .500 or better, mostly due to the loser point.
“It’s such a ridiculous system. … They’re getting the faux parity the NHL just craves.” (36:21, Mark)
- If the season ended today, last year’s top seeds (Washington, Toronto, Ottawa, NY Rangers) would all miss.
- Jesse:
“To me, this is the worst [the Leafs have] looked in quite some time.” (38:06, Jesse)
- Mark argues the Marner trade is the moment Toronto went from special to ordinary, and no longer feels like a real contender. Having a goalie call out the team in week two also troubling. (38:21–39:28)
- Trade deadline could be wild if standings don’t separate.
5. Player Spotlights: Early Surprises & Disappointments
(42:56–58:15)
Rookies & Young Guns
- Macklin Celebrini (San Jose):
“He reminds me of Sidney Crosby at this age ... just ahead of where most guys his age are.” (44:43, Mark) “Bruce Cassidy ... just gushes about Celebrini every time he’s asked ... the kid ... is the complete package.” (43:18, Jesse)
- Jesse admits to “nerding out” at goalie technique—breaks down Askarov’s struggles: hands are weaker than hoped, but his splits and flexibility are “next level.” (48:49, Jesse)
- Discussion: You’re either born to do the splits or you’re not (checks on goalie stretching routines).
Alarming Vets & Stars
- Linus Ullmark (Ottawa):
“There’s some legitimate concern ... his reactions are slow ... I am very concerned. Red alert ... in Ottawa.” (51:34, Jesse)
- Sidney Crosby is lauded for his continual greatness. Mark calls for a Selke Trophy at age “97 or whatever he is these days.” (53:14, Mark)
- Malkin vs. Stamkos: Which old star’s path is more sustainable?
“I don’t think [Malkin’s] going to score 100 points, but I expect him to have a good season.” (54:00, Jesse)
However, “That is highly concerning ... his shots have basically been cut in half per 60 minutes since [Stamkos] came over to Nashville.” (55:18, Jesse)
Mattvei Michkov (Philadelphia)
- Deeply concerning start, just one goal in 12 games and seems even shakier under Rick Tocchet.
“The whole rebuild is built around this guy.” (56:31, Mark)
- Jesse: Tortorella and Tocchet both benched him, indicating deeper flaws:
“I think we’re seeing more of those warts show themselves ... he’s not a perfect player.” (57:15, Jesse)
- Mark: Flyers’ future looks as bleak as any team outside Calgary.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (w/ Timestamps)
-
Jesse on Utah's goalie:
“If you’ve got a goalie who’s not playing particularly well and your team is exceeding expectations, that tells me it’s a little more sustainable.” (05:28) -
On Dostal’s Vezina hopes:
“He is so ahead of the play ... he is going to win a Vezina, maybe multiple Vezinas in his career.” (09:46, Jesse) -
Mark on Connor Bedard:
“Connor Bedard is happening. He is going to ... this could be the year where he takes the leap.” (14:02) -
Jesse nerds out on Spencer Knight:
“His skates ... are always pointed at the puck. Always. He is never flattening out or trying to get ahead of the play.” (17:05) -
On the Maple Leafs’ new vibe:
“This team doesn’t feel special anymore. It was special for a while there ... and now it just feels like another team scraping and clawing.” (38:21, Mark) -
Jesse on Celebrini:
“He is the complete package ... he’s doing the small things, winning the board battles ... he just beats them with fast hands.” (43:18) -
Jesse, on Askarov's flexibility:
“His legs are rubber. They bend in a way they shouldn't bend. … There's no other human on Earth that would have made that save except Askarov.” (48:49)
Important Segments & Timestamps
- West Coast scheduling gripes: 02:10–03:56
- New blood: Utah, Anaheim, Chicago: 03:59–14:10
- Montreal’s rise: 19:56–21:44
- Pittsburgh and Detroit rebounding: 21:44–25:46
- Minnesota & St. Louis in crisis: 29:51–35:38
- Goaltending and Team Canada: 31:54–33:58
- Eastern Conference logjam & Toronto’s troubles: 35:38–41:11
- Rookies/goalie nerd-outs/Celebrini & Askarov: 42:56–51:09
- Vets: Crosby/Malkin vs. Stamkos: 53:14–55:18
- Worries about Michkov & Flyers: 56:31–58:15
Conclusion
The episode is an energetic, wide-ranging conversation about the seismic shifts and emerging storylines in the early NHL season. From surprising team surges, sensational rookies, aging stars, and serious goalie concerns—Mark and Jesse deliver a deeply informed, fast-moving hockey round-up filled with data and distinctive personality.