NHL @TheRink National Hockey League

Dan and Shawn are joined by NHL.com's Tom Gulitti (12:26) to talk about the Washington Capitals punching their ticket to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, their series with the NY Rangers, the Eastern Conference playoff bracket and some of the matchups in the Western Conference. Dan and Shawn start the episode talking about the Eastern Conference playoffs and after their interview with Tom, they look at the Western side of the bracket and try to handicap what should be a wild few months of playoff hockey. They also get an early start on some of the most intriguing offseason storylines, including the coaching carousel that started in Buffalo with the firing of Don Granato and what the Senators, Devils and Blues may do with their coaching search. 

Dan and Shawn are joined by Dallas Stars analyst Daryl "Razor" Reaugh (23:25) to to talk about the Stars improvements on the defensive end and how they've successfully meshed their mix of youth and experience. He talks about coach Peter DeBoer's calm demeanor on the bench and his behind the scenes work that has gotten the Stars to be a Stanley Cup contender. In addition, Reaugh talks about Chris Tanev's ability to move the puck and why Tanev's gregarious personality is perfect for the super serious Stars. How the Stars stack up against the Colorado Avalanche and Edmonton Oilers is also part of the interview with Reaugh. Rosen and Roarke breakdown the Eastern Conference playoff race, discuss Alex Ovechkin's ability to get to 30 goals for an NHL record 18 seasons, talk about the reasons why Nathan MacKinnon should win the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player to his team, and they have a few arguments along the way too, including one on if 100 assists or 70 goals is a more impressive feat in a single season.

Dan and Shawn are joined by Casey Mittelstadt of the Colorado Avalanche (18:50). Casey talks about adjusting to life in Colorado, playing with and learning from Nathan MacKinnon and the anticipation he has to play in a playoff game for the first time. The guys start the episode talking about the playoff race in the Eastern Conference, wondering if the Philadelphia Flyers have enough to hold on and dissecting the complicated nature of John Tortorella. They marvel at Sidney Crosby's longevity and look at if the Penguins can somehow claw their way into the playoffs. They wrap the episode with a potpourri of topics, including the red-hot Dallas Stars, the Art Ross Trophy race, the Florida Panthers recent struggles and the race for the Presidents Trophy. 

Dan and Shawn are joined by Alan May (21:00). May, the rinkside and studio analyst for Capitals' games on NBC Sports Washington, discussed Ovechkin clearing his mind on a trip to Dubai over All-Star Weekend, the impact of first-year coach Spencer Carbery, Charlie Lindgren's ascent to being Washington's No. 1 goalie, the leadership of the veterans in the room and how the young players are taking ownership of their role in Washington's surge toward playoff contention. The guys hit on a number of other topics around the NHL, including why the Nashville Predators are surging, if the Philadelphia Flyers can hang onto a playoff spot with nine games to play, are the Vegas Golden Knights a dangerous team and Josh Doan's two-goal NHL debut with the Arizona Coyotes.

Dan and Shawn are joined by NHL.com columnist Nick Cotsonika from South Florida to recap the GM Meetings. The guys talk about the reasons why the GMs decided to leave well enough alone with the 3-on-3 overtime format and rules, citing the fact that an NHL-record 70 percent of games that go to overtime are ending in overtime this season. They discuss the additions to the coach's challenge rule for penalties on delay of game for shooting the puck over the glass and on certain high sticking minors. They also talk about the future of the Arizona Coyotes. In addition, they talk about the struggles of the Detroit Red Wings and the success of the Nashville Predators. After Cotsonika departs, Rosen and Roarke discuss why they think the Colorado Avalanche right now are the best team in the Western Conference and arguably the entire NHL, and if the Tampa Bay Lightning can be as dangerous in the playoffs as they look right now. The Buffalo Sabres, Washington Capitals, New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils also enter the conversation on the podcast.

Dan and Shawn are joined by Paul Maurice (19:11). He talked about the Florida Panthers' leadership, improvements they still need to make, the importance of their identity and culture, and why nothing will come as a surprise to them this season with the way last season played out. The guys discussed the fallout from the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline, in particular offering opinions on the Pittsburgh Penguins decision to trade Jake Guentzel to the Carolina Hurricanes and the return they got. They agreed that the New York Rangers and Hurricanes as contenders in the Eastern Conference with the Panthers, and talked about the wide-open Western Conference, in particular the kind of impact Tomas Hertl might be able to have on the Vegas Golden Knights. Rosen and Roarke also discussed the Golden Knights' ability to add Hertl and the salary cap ramifications for both them and the San Jose Sharks. They also talked about the New Jersey Devils goaltending situation, the additions of Jake Allen and Kaapo Kahkonen on Friday, how it resets their depth at the position and still sets them up to look for a No. 1 goalie like Jacob Markstrom in the offseason.