The DFO Rundown

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Insider Edition: Interview with Blue Jackets President & GM Don Waddell & shakeups coming in NSH and VAN? Nov 26, 2025

Show notes

Irfaan and David are back with Episode 8 of the DFO Rundown Insider Edition. They welcome Columbus Blue Jackets President and General Manager Don Waddell to the show. He discusses his team's outlook on the year, including the status of pending RFA Adam Fantilli and UFA Boone Jenner. Irf and Dave also break down some craziness out west as Nashville and Vancouver had long time executives make some noise this week.

Meet our insiders: Irfaan Gaffar of Daily Faceoff, Canucks Army, & Rink Wide Vancouver is joined by David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, SiriusXM NHL, and NHL Network. They look around the NHL, reacting to the week's news and digging into the contracts, trades, and moves that are still on the horizon.

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00:00 - Intro

01:00 - Current state of the Blue Jackets

02:52 - League is healthy from a business POV

05:49 - Don Waddell joins the show

18:08 - Patience with Fantilli

19:46 - What is going on with the Preds?

22:07 - Canucks are open for business

32:00 - Irf's weekend picks

32:34 - Wrap up

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Jets Fall Without Hellebuyck & Rantanen Suspended | DFO Rundown Nov 24, 2025

Show notes

Welcome to the DFO Rundown with Jason Gregor and Jeff Marek!

We start the show with Mikko Rantanen, who is under fire after another questionable hit that has landed him a mandatory one-game suspension. Is one game too few for the Stars forward?

Patrick Roy was livid after the Rantanen hit on Alexander Romanov. Should a coach be yelling at an opposing player after a controversial play?

Winnipeg is without their Vezina goaltender, Connor Hellebuyck, and the teams behind them in the Central are pouncing on the opportunity to take advantage of a wounded Jets team. How high is the concern level in Winnipeg?

Talking about the Central, the Minnesota Wild are getting sensational goaltending from Jesper Wallstedt and Filip Gustavsson, with back-to-back shutouts, and an 8-1-1 record in their last ten, which has shot them up to third in the division. The line of Matt Boldy, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Marcus Johansson has been stellar on both ends of the ice, prompting Gregor to say they might be the best line in hockey right now.

The Colorado Avalanche are off to an incredible start, with only one regulation loss over their first 22 games. Mackenzie Blackwood is back from injury, and Scott Wedgewood has been exceptional in his absence. The goaltending tandem have back-to-back shutouts for the NHL's top team, but who is the MVP for the Avalanche this year? Marek gives an answer you might not expect.

There have been plenty of surprises this season, and the Boston Bruins have the leading scorer in the NHL. You may not think this is surprising, as David Pastrnak is a top scorer in the league, but what if we told you he was tied with teammate Morgan Geekie!? Geekie has found his footing in his role on the Bruins and is enjoying the best start to a season in his NHL career.

The Buffalo Sabres looked destined for the bottom of the standings again but have won four of their last five and have crept out of the cellar of the Atlantic. Are the Sabres finally putting it together and turning a corner to challenge for a Wildcard spot over a top lottery slot?

On the other hand, the Toronto Maple Leafs have been struggling and now reside in last place in the Eastern Conference. What needs to change in Leaf Land?

Gregor asks if Marek would take Celebrini or Bedard on the Olympic team if he could only take one of the two young stars. If you had to choose, who would you pick?

Lastly, the report from the NHL on the Olympic rink came back, and the dimensions of the ice are not what were expected. The players won't be playing on Olympic- or NHL-sized ice, as the Olympic rink will be smaller than an NHL rink. How will this impact certain roster decisions?

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The Future of Quinn Hughes & Projected Olympic Roster Changes | DFO Rundown Nov 21, 2025

Show notes

Welcome to the DFO Rundown with Jason Gregor and Mike Rupp!

Gregor and Rupp start by looking at the teams struggling in the West and what the Vancouver Canucks should do right now. Will Quinn Hughes be on the move out of Vancouver if struggles continue?

The guys look at superstars who were traded mid-season and the rarity of a high-calibre player being moved at the deadline.

Two teams with slightly surprising starts in the East are starting to fall back down to Earth. Who are you more concerned about — Pittsburgh or Montréal?

JT Miller has come under fire for a lack of effort on a goal against Tuesday versus Vegas. Rupp breaks down the Rangers captain and what might be hampering the forward.

Is the recent stretch by Pittsburgh more reflective of what was expected from this Penguins team? Was their hot start unsustainable? Is Benjamin Kindel the future for the Pittsburgh Penguins?

Alex Ovechkin scored three more goals last night and tied Bobby Hull for the fifth-most hat tricks in NHL history. Ovi is 17 hat tricks behind the Great One, but another record is in sight as he sits eight games away from tying Gretzky for the most multi-goal games. How many goals will the Great Eight finish with in his career?

Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin both sit in the top ten in NHL points. Given the success of Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid, plus the hot starts from even younger players like Macklin Celebrini and Connor Bedard, which active player will be next to break major records?

Connor Hellebuyck is undergoing a minor arthroscopic knee procedure that will sideline him for 4–6 weeks. How concerned should the Jets and Team USA be?

Next, Rupp gives his projected Team USA roster. Alex DeBrincat and Jason Robertson join the roster, while Brock Nelson and Clayton Keller drop out from his last projection. Do young players like Spencer Knight and Cutter Gauthier deserve spots on the American roster? Is Kiefer Sherwood a wildcard to make Team USA given his skill set?

Gregor gives his Team Canada roster projections. Young guns Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini join his projected squad as Mark Stone and Seth Jarvis drop out. Jakob Chychrun is the only change on the back end for Gregor, as he replaces Travis Sanheim on the projected roster. Is Scott Wedgewood’s start worthy of a spot as one of the three Canadian goaltenders?

Lastly, the guys discuss the Mikko Rantanen hit on Alexander Romanov in the Stars–Isles game and the reaction from New York’s coach, Patrick Roy.

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Insider Edition: Canadian coaching hotseat, Nashville open for business & more Nov 19, 2025

Show notes

Irfaan and David are back with Episode 7 of the DFO Rundown Insider Edition. Are the slow starts in Toronto and Edmonton putting pressure on their head coaches? Are the Nasvhille Predators open for business, even when it comes to Forsberg or Josi? David and Irf answer those questions and more on today's episode.

00:00 Intro

00:50 Head coaches on the hot seat?

05:08 Nashville is open for business

10:20 San Jose's plan

13:35 Kraken are bein patient

16:56 Malkin is likely staying in PIT

19:37 Buffalo and Alex Tuch

23:12 Montreal looking at Nazem Kadri?

24:09 Irf's picks of the week

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Jack Hughes and League-Wide Injuries + Kempe Extends in L.A. | DFO Rundown Nov 17, 2025

Show notes

Welcome to the DFO Rundown with Jason Gregor and Jeff Marek!\

Jack Hughes is out for about two months with a strange off-ice injury. How will this affect New Jersey’s hot start, and will Hughes be ready for the Olympics?

Given the nature of Hughes’ injury, the guys discuss some of the weirdest athlete injuries from across the sporting world.

Tampa Bay beat their in-state rivals, the Florida Panthers, despite a plethora of injuries to some of their top players. How will the injury bug affect the NHL trade market over the next couple of months?

Montréal and Boston highlighted a great weekend slate, with the Original Six matchup providing some sensational old-school hockey featuring two fights in the first five minutes. The NHL also took the ice in Sweden for the Global Series.

Drew Doughty suffered an injury over the weekend, and his hopes of representing Canada at the Olympics are slowly fading. After an underwhelming Four Nations tournament, was that the last time Doughty will don the Maple Leaf?

Staying in LA, Adrian Kempe cashed in with an eight-year, $85-million contract extension. Kempe was a top free agent heading into the 2026 off-season — so who’s left in a dwindling 2026 UFA class?

Zach Hyman returned for the Edmonton Oilers and helped propel them to a comeback win against the Carolina Hurricanes. Leon Draisaitl scored the overtime winner and finished the game with three points.

A scary scenario unfolded in the OHL, as Luke Dragusica slashed the face of Brady Blaseg during the Mississauga–Oshawa game. What will the punishment be for Dragusica?

The New York Islanders have had great starts from several young players. Matthew Schaefer has surpassed expectations on Long Island, and trade acquisition Emil Heineman is quietly putting together an impressive offensive season.

Brent Burns is continuing his incredible career in Colorado, where he’s averaging over 20 minutes a night for the Avs. During Colorado’s matchup with the Islanders on Sunday night, the broadcast noted that Burns had played 145 games before Isles defender Matthew Schaefer was born.

The New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings had an epic jersey matchup over the weekend, both sporting dark uniforms in a rarely seen double-dark pairing. Would you like to see more double-dark jersey matchups?

Gregor and Marek reminisce about old NHL arenas, from the low glass to the shadows on the ice.

Pat joins the show for another edition of “Buy or Sell”:

Who’s the favourite right now to win the Rocket Richard Trophy, and does David Pastrňák have what it takes to sneak into the conversation?

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Trouble in Toronto, LA & Dallas Rising and Why the Preds Should Sell | DFO Rundown Nov 14, 2025

Show notes

Gregor and Rupp start off the show with a look ahead to a weekend packed with sports.

The Colorado Avalanche may not be running away with the Central quite so easily. The Dallas Stars have been on a tear lately and just demolished the Atlantic-leading Canadiens 7–0. The guys talk about Jason Robertson heating up, Wyatt Johnston’s power-play prowess, and the anticipation surrounding a Jamie Benn return.

Next, we head to the West Coast to discuss the resurgence of the LA Kings. A team many predicted to contend atop the Pacific struggled out of the gates but has now found its footing, surging up the standings to sit second in the division. The guys

dive into their defensive acumen and a promising offensive spark.

Later, we look at the struggling Maple Leafs, who dropped another game last night—this one in overtime to the Kings—dropping Toronto to a .500 points percentage. People can point to the injury bug, but this team has been extremely poor defensively this season, with a league-worst goals-against per game. Gregor and Rupp break down a quote from William Nylander about the Leafs’ early-season struggles.

After a torrid start to the season, it looks like the Montréal Canadiens are coming back down to earth. The goaltending tandem of Sam Montembeault and Jakob Dobês has faltered recently, with both goalies struggling to keep the puck out of the net.

Nashville is the team everyone is watching when it comes to a potential big early-season move. Will it be a coaching change, a veteran being shipped out, or something shocking—like moving on from Juuse Saros? Will the Predators regret going the veteran route instead of committing to a rebuild like Chicago, Anaheim, and San Jose?

Home ice used to be a fortress for the Vegas Golden Knights, but over their latest home stretch they’ve collected only four points out of a possible 12. Can they turn it around as they play five of their next six on the road?

Later, Pat joins the show for “Fill in the Blanks” with questions such as:

Who can challenge Joel Quenneville for the Jack Adams Award?

Will anyone challenge Connor Hellebuyck’s Vezina reign?

Which franchise deserves Gavin McKenna?

After that, the guys discuss Gavin McKenna’s start at Penn State before wrapping up the show with a little Grey Cup talk ahead of the big game in the CFL this weekend.

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Insider Edition: Panic time in Toronto & Vancouver? Devils looking to add a big name? Nov 12, 2025

Show notes

Irfaan and David are back with Episode 6 of the DFO Rundown Insider Edition. Vancouver and Toronto have both gotten off to tough starts and fans are starting to get worried. With injuries to Demko and Matthews, is it time to panic in two of Canada's largest markets? The guys also talk about next steps for the Wings and if the New Jersey Devils might have to move out a key piece to make room for an impact forward.

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Oilers Exposed Again, Hall of Fame Weekend & Olympic Debates | DFO Rundown Nov 10, 2025

Show notes

Welcome to the DFO Rundown with Jason Gregor and Jeff Marek!

Gregor and Marek kick off the show with Marek asking whether Vancouver is becoming the new Cole Harbour. Gregor follows up by asking which young gun — Connor Bedard, Macklin Celebrini, or Leo Carlsson — will finish the season higher in the points race?

The guys then dive into the growing parity across the league and the surprising rise of the Anaheim Ducks, Chicago Blackhawks, and San Jose Sharks, each climbing from the basement of the standings into playoff contention. They contrast that with the Nashville Predators, who have doubled down on veterans rather than embracing a youth movement like the other emerging teams.

With the Hockey Hall of Fame Game going tonight, they break down this year’s inductees and discuss how the NHL could improve and modernize the induction event.

Saturday’s dismantling of the Edmonton Oilers at home by the Colorado Avalanche raises the question: How concerned should fans in Alberta be?

The conversation then shifts to a former Oiler. Corey Perry is thriving in Los Angeles, sparking a debate about the 2003 draft and the two active legends it produced: Brent Burns and Corey Perry. Who has had the better career?

Next, the guys examine the goaltending tandem in Montréal, a major storyline for the Atlantic Division–leading Canadiens. With Samuel Montembeault's play has he positioned himself as a legitimate candidate for Canada’s Olympic roster or who should Team Canada look at?

Later, Vick joins the show for “Buy or Sell” with questions such as:

Will there be multiple U-21 players on Team Canada?

Are the Montréal Canadiens the best team north of the border?

Is John Tavares a Hall of Famer?

The show wraps up with a look at the Ducks, their talented young core, and the savvy veteran they added to support the group.

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Can the Ducks Keep Flying & Macklin Celebrini Leads The Scoring Race Nov 07, 2025

Show notes

Welcome to the DFO Rundown with Jason Gregor and Mike Rupp!

Gregor and Rupp start off the show discussing Rupp’s Chicago Bulls fandom and whether he might have had a basketball career if he hadn’t pursued hockey. What sport would you play or follow if not for hockey?

Then we dive into Alexander Ovechkin’s remarkable milestone of reaching 900 career goals. We discuss other elite players, past and present, who have hit major milestones or are on pace to do so. Will Connor McDavid or Sidney Crosby reach 2,000 points?

Gregor highlights the incredible consistency and longevity of the Great One, Wayne Gretzky. Gretzky’s goal record was once thought to be unbreakable; could we ever see a player approach his single-season points record of 215?

The Anaheim Ducks have come out of the gates flying. Can the Ducks sustain this hot start and make a Stanley Cup run?

Macklin Celebrini is tied with the likes of Jack Eichel and Connor McDavid atop the NHL points leaderboard. His 200-foot game has Canadian fans asking: will we see Celebrini don the red and white, and black, at the 2026 Olympics?

Gregor and Rupp break down the controversial hit by Tyler Pitlick on Jalen Chatfield. Is the Minnesota Wild forward facing a multi-game suspension?

Later, we play “Fill in the Blanks.”

Morgan Geekie and Cutter Gauthier are surprise entries among the elite goal scorers after the first month of the season.

Which basement-dwelling team from last season has a legitimate shot this year?

Where will the PWHL expand next, following the release of Vancouver and Seattle’s team names yesterday?

Lastly, we discuss the sneaky strong start from the Boston Bruins. The start is surprising, and while the guys don’t think the Bruins will make the playoffs, they love what they’re seeing from Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm. Can the Bruins squeak into a playoff spot come April?

Gregor’s "ferocious, killer" dog Maple makes a guest appearance as the guys wrap up the show.

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