CellyCentral

SAWYER HABER

This podcast sits at the intersection of hockey, sports culture, and real life. Each episode delivers sharp, informed breakdowns of the NHL and the wider sports world—covering everything from on-ice systems, roster construction, and player evaluation to league trends, media narratives, and front-office decision-making. Whether it’s game analysis, draft talk, free agency, or big-picture strategy, the focus is always on why things happen, not just what happened. Beyond the sport itself, the podcast dives into the human side of competition: mindset, pressure, growth, failure, and the lessons sports teach that carry into everyday life. Expect honest conversations, unfiltered opinions, and thoughtful reflections that go beyond the scoreboard. If you’re a hockey fan who wants deeper insight, a sports fan who appreciates real analysis, or someone who enjoys candid discussions about ambition, identity, and life through the lens of sports—this podcast is for you.

  1. 1d ago

    The Great Goodbye

    BG breaks down a wild first week of the NHL season. Alex Ovechkin told the Capitals this will be his final season. Igor Shesterkin went the length of the ice for the first goalie goal in Rangers history. Aleksander Barkov is out until around Christmas with a knee injury, and the Dylan Larkin-to-Florida rumors are heating up. Plus: every team's week one record and who's carrying them, McDavid's nine-point start, Monday's waiver wire (Connor Zary, Brayden Pachal, Matthew Robertson), college hockey's opening weekend and the latest top 10, and the Jets falling to 1-3 after a rough loss in Chicago. This episode is brought to you by Gross Hockey. Grab the Puck Don't Lie snapback and more at grosshockey.com with code CELLY10 for 10% off. Our live streams are presented by Buttery Roller Co., South Florida's home for roller hockey. Wheeling For Wellness 4, their breast cancer charity tournament, returns Oct. 9–11. Details at butteryroller.com, and follow @butteryrollerco. Follow @CellyCentralpodcast on TikTok and YouTube. Business inquiries: cellycentral92@gmail.com

  2. Sep 28

    Puck Drop Eve

    Sawyer, aka BG, previews NHL opening night as the first 84-game season in over 30 years gets underway. He breaks down David Pastrnak being named the Bruins' 28th captain, with his career numbers and how his game has shifted from sniper to playmaker, plus Connor Hellebuyck's suspension in Winnipeg, the Larkin and Marchenko trade markets, the new CBA rules, Cup odds, and the milestones to watch this season. Then it's pain for Jets fans. BG goes quarter by quarter through the 31-24 loss in Detroit, from the comeback to tie it late to Chuck Clark's strip sack that sealed it, plus the Breece Hall injury and the stakes Sunday in Chicago. He also runs through the full college hockey preseason top 20, with the top players on every team and his Frozen Four picks. Plus this week's Hot Take or Trash Take and the Scorer Prop for opening night. This episode is brought to you by Gross Hockey. Grab the Puck Don't Lie snapback and more at grosshockey.com with code CELLY10 for 10% off. Our live streams are presented by Buttery Roller Co., South Florida's premier roller hockey organization. Wheeling For Wellness 4, their breast cancer charity tournament, runs Oct. 2–4 and 9–11. Get details at butteryroller.com and follow @butteryrollerco. Follow @CellyCentralpodcast on TikTok and YouTube. Business inquiries: cellycentral92@gmail.com

  3. Sep 22

    Broadway Debuts & Blueshirt Blues

    The Rangers finished dead last in the Metro at 34-39-9, traded Artemi Panarin in February, traded Vincent Trocheck in July, and dropped their preseason opener 3-2 to a Devils team dressing most of its NHL roster. So naturally, we're calling it a bounce-back year. BG is joined by Liam Kirby for a full New York Rangers 2026-27 preview. We break down the rookie showcase and No. 5 overall pick Alberts Smits, who's been on the third pair with Braden Schneider since day one of camp. We get into Liam Greentree, the return in the Panarin trade, and whether he makes that deal look better in three years. We audit five and a half years of Chris Drury, from the Presidents' Trophy to last place, including the connection nobody's made on air: the first-round pick from the K'Andre Miller trade is the same pick that became Pavel Dorofeyev's $11 million contract. Plus the waiver math that decides this roster, why Will Cuylle is on the third line on purpose, whether the Rangers lose Dylan Garand for nothing, and a GM for a Day segment that gets out of hand. Presented by Buttery Roller Co. Tournaments, adult leagues, and gear out of Stuart, Florida. butteryroller.com New episodes weekly. I'll catch you on the other side of the glass.

  4. Sep 16

    One in a Million

    One in a million, and we mean that two ways. First, CellyCentral just crossed ONE MILLION combined views across TikTok, YouTube and Instagram. When Season 1 wrapped in June, we were sitting around 483K. Three months into Season 2, we've more than doubled it. BG takes a moment to thank everyone who watched, shared, commented and helped build this thing from the ground up. Second, the NHL just had its own deadline day, except for contracts. At midnight, the new CBA kicked in and eight-year deals disappeared, so teams spent 48 hours throwing money around like it was last call. BG breaks down six guys who cashed in and hands out grades on every deal: Cutter Gauthier: 6 years, $81M, with $69.5M in signing bonuses Jordan Staal: the playoff MVP and Cup-winning captain gets one more year Alex Newhook: 4 years in Montreal, but is he really a top-six guy? Luke Evangelista: did New Jersey overpay twice? Justin Sourdif: 8 years off a hot half-season, the boldest bet of the rush Arber Xhekaj: the Sheriff's prove-it deal Then it's the stars who want out. Connor Hellebuyck, a three-time Vezina winner, won't report to Jets camp as his trade standoff heats up. And Dylan Larkin, stripped of Detroit's captaincy after his trade request, suddenly has an upper-body injury as camp opens. We dig into both players' careers, their play styles, and where they could land. Plus: Connor Bedard becomes the youngest captain in the NHL, and a look at PTO season, including why Nick Blankenburg is the tryout most likely to earn a contract. Presented by Buttery Roller Co. Join the Butterhood at butteryroller.com and follow @butteryrollerco. Follow @CellyCentralpodcast on TikTok and YouTube. Got a take or want to come on the show? Email cellycentral92@gmail.com. I'll catch you on the other side of the glass. 🏒

  5. Sep 14

    Buried Leads

    Hockey's back. Not officially — but the rookie showcases are live, and BG's got the full rundown solo. The Lightning prospects fell 3-1 to Nashville in game one of the Prospect Showcase, and the story wasn't the score — it was four fights, including a line brawl with 2:30 left. Connor Kurth got Tampa's only goal, Harrison Meneghin went the distance, and we break down who's actually pushing for a roster spot: Sam O'Reilly, Liiga MVP Benjamin Rautiainen, and Dylan Duke. Around the league: Ivar Stenberg scores in his North American debut in an 8-1 Sharks win and admits he'd never seen a hockey fight in person before. Gavin McKenna gets scratched from a game he'd already practiced for — and he's living at John Tavares's house. Connor Hellebuyck still wants out of Winnipeg. Bo Horvat gets the C on Long Island. And the eight-year contract deadline hits tomorrow, so the next 24 hours are chaos. Then Prospect Watch goes to college, because college hockey is a completely different sport now. The top 10 teams, the top 20 NHL prospects skating in the NCAA, and why North Dakota's blue line might be the most valuable unit in the country. Football side: the Jets are 1-0 after going into Nashville and choking out Robert Saleh's offense — 38:46 time of possession, Geno Smith 19-of-24, and a rookie tight end scoring on the opening drive. Plus Texas erasing a 20-point fourth-quarter deficit against No. 1 Ohio State, and Oklahoma State snapping a 21-game FBS losing streak against Oregon. Presented by Buttery Roller Co. — butteryroller.com | @butteryrollerco @CellyCentralpodcast on TikTok and YouTube cellycentral92@gmail.com

  6. Sep 9

    Butter Late Than Never

    Sawyer, aka BG, talks Chris Kreider and Anaheim mutually terminating his contract — not a buyout, no retained cap hit, and he walks away from about $4M. BG gets into what actually drove it: the Flyers' offer sheet on Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier still unsigned off a 41-goal season, and the same Verbeek playbook that ended with Zegras, Drysdale and McTavish out the door. Plus the full rumor mill — Quinn Hughes and the Wild, the Hellebuyck fallout in Winnipeg, and a Detroit front office running out of runway with camp two weeks away. Then the Buium extension: eight years, $75.04M, signed under the wire before the new CBA framework caps deals at seven. Hot Take or Trash Take takes on the Evangelista trade, where New Jersey's side is easy to defend and Nashville's side points in two different directions at once. And four years later on Huberdeau and Tkachuk — the hip resurfacing surgery, the five years and $52.5M still owed, and a trade tree that isn't quite as empty as it looks. On the football side, the Jets are eight days from Tennessee with the kicker carousel still unsettled, Garrett Wilson left off the captains list, and QB2 questions nobody loves. FSU drops the ACC opener 27-24 to No. 19 SMU after winning the rushing battle, time of possession, penalties and turnover margin 4-to-1. SMU punted once all night. Presented by Buttery Roller Co., South Florida's premier roller hockey organization — tournaments, leagues, apparel, the whole thing. CellyCentral's weekly live streams are presented by Buttery. Welcome to the Butterhood. https://www.butteryroller.com/ New episodes every week. @CellyCentralpodcast on TikTok and YouTube, plus Spotify and Apple. Business: cellycentral92@gmail.com

  7. Sep 1

    Wake Me Up When September Starts

    September's Suicide Prevention Month, and BG's riding solo for this one. He wanted to say something instead of letting the month slide past, so he opens up about dealing with anxiety and tells the hockey story that makes it land: Corey Hirsch, a Stanley Cup goalie who hid what he was going through for thirteen years, and the NHLPA's First Line program, built on the idea that the guy two stalls down is the first one to notice. Before that, the hardest story in the sport right now. Matthew Mayich collapsed during an outdoor conditioning session at Arizona State on August 20th and has been in a coma since. His family's attorney now says there's zero chance of recovery and is disputing the school's account of that workout. Then the full rundown going into camp week. Makar's twenty million dollar reset, Hellebuyck going public, Quinn Hughes as the next domino, the September 15th contract cliff, expansion to Houston, and a season that's structurally different with 84 games and a playoff cap. Plus McKenna to Toronto, Brady Tkachuk next to his brother, Babcock back behind a bench, Ovechkin at 929, Malkin's last ride, and Burns chasing the ironman record. Rookie showcases the 12th through the 15th, camps open the 16th, puck drops the 29th. Bolts fans get the camp picture, Hedman's health, Sam O'Reilly turning pro, and the Kucherov extension question. Content warning: this episode discusses mental health and suicide. ⸻ If you're struggling, you don't have to handle it alone. 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — call or text 988 (US/Canada), or chat at 988lifeline.org Crisis Text Line — text HOME to 741741 24/7, free, confidential. BG's DMs are open @CellyCentralpodcast. Not a professional, but he'll answer. ⸻ 📧 cellycentral92@gmail.com 📱 TikTok & YouTube: @CellyCentralpodcast I'll catch you on the other side of the glass.

  8. Aug 28

    Empty Net

    Solo episode. One mic, no co-host, no guest, and a week that had no business being this loud in late August. The show opens where it has to. Arizona State defenseman Matthew Mayich collapsed during an outdoor team workout at Sun Angel Stadium on the morning of August 20 — the first day of the fall semester and the first day the NCAA permits official team activities. Tempe Fire Medical Rescue responded to a call reporting heat-related illness and transported him to a nearby hospital, where he remains. ASU says it's reviewing the circumstances and that privacy law prevents it from saying more. BG separates what's confirmed from what's only reported, and spends real time on who Mayich actually is: a 21-year-old out of Stoney Creek, Ontario, four seasons and 256 games with the Ottawa 67's, a sixth-round Blues pick in 2023, a freshman year at Clarkson where he led every first-year in ice time, and a transfer to ASU that was supposed to start his season this month. Plus the responses from Doug Armstrong and the 67's, and the one thing his family has asked for. Then the biggest contract in the history of the sport. Cale Makar signed for eight years and $20.4 million per season, $163.2 million total. Highest cap hit ever, clearing Celebrini by $1.6M and Carlsson by $2.4M. Largest total value ever, past a Kaprizov record that lasted less than a year. First $20 million player the league has ever produced, on a ceiling that only became possible in May. And he took $400K under the absolute max, so there was no discount here in any meaningful sense. He more than doubled his own cap hit — his new AAV is bigger than the first three years of his old deal combined — and he now sits $7.9M clear of every other defenseman alive, a bigger gap than the one between Karlsson and the 40th-highest-paid blueliner. The timing is the real story: he beat the September 15 deadline by 17 days, after which the new CBA caps everyone at seven years. Colorado got the last long-term deal available at this level, and everyone negotiating after it — Quinn Hughes, Kucherov — is working with one less year of term. Also on the table: Hellebuyck going public with his trade request and Winnipeg's careful non-answer. Detroit still without a general manager, which leaves Dylan Larkin's request frozen a month from opening night. Bill Daly targeting Texas expansion by 2029-30. The first 84-game season since 1993-94, the September 29 openers, and the full special-events calendar. Plus PTO season and why Tarasenko at 47 points is the value play of late August. College hockey gets a full block — Ethan Wyttenbach leading the entire NCAA in scoring as a fifth-round freshman, Max Plante returning to chase a Hobey nobody has ever repeated, Johnny Hicks at 16-0-1 with a record save percentage, and Michigan State stacking four 2026 first-rounders. Then the CHL carousel, where fifteen clubs changed head coaches, Michael Babcock took his first junior job in Brantford, Drew Bannister went home to the Soo, and Guelph loaded up a year early for the 2027 Memorial Cup with Lightning prospect Ethan Czata in the haul. And football, because it's cutdown weekend. Roughly 1,184 players lose their jobs by 6 p.m. Sunday. The Pro Bowl is officially dead — no tackle game, no flag game, no skills competition, just 88 names and a party in Los Angeles. And in New York, the Mike Tomlin smoke around Woody Johnson, the Lamar Jackson math, and the actual football in the preseason finale against the Giants. Camps open in a couple of weeks. This was the last quiet week we get, and it wasn't even quiet.

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

This podcast sits at the intersection of hockey, sports culture, and real life. Each episode delivers sharp, informed breakdowns of the NHL and the wider sports world—covering everything from on-ice systems, roster construction, and player evaluation to league trends, media narratives, and front-office decision-making. Whether it’s game analysis, draft talk, free agency, or big-picture strategy, the focus is always on why things happen, not just what happened. Beyond the sport itself, the podcast dives into the human side of competition: mindset, pressure, growth, failure, and the lessons sports teach that carry into everyday life. Expect honest conversations, unfiltered opinions, and thoughtful reflections that go beyond the scoreboard. If you’re a hockey fan who wants deeper insight, a sports fan who appreciates real analysis, or someone who enjoys candid discussions about ambition, identity, and life through the lens of sports—this podcast is for you.

Information

  • Creator
    SAWYER HABER
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    72
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 SAWYER HABER
  • Show Website
    CellyCentral