The Big Show

The Big Show

On Tuesdays and Fridays, we'll have in-depth analysis and lively discussion about everything happening in the NHL. Whether it’s trade rumors, player development or season predictions, it has expert takes and fresh perspectives on every episode.

  1. 1 DAY AGO

    4 Nations Face-Off MVPs, Overachievers, Disappointments, Takeaways And More

    The Hockey News Big Show is back to recap a thrilling finish to the 4 Nations Face-Off as the NHL regular season is about to return. Here's what Katie Gaus, Ryan Kennedy and Michael Traikos discussed in this episode: 1:02: What are your overall reactions to the 4 Nations Face-Off championship game? 4:57: Should the player of the game have gone to Jordan Binnington instead of Connor McDavid? 7:46: Was Auston Matthews' performance in regulation overshadowed by his mistake leaving McDavid open in overtime? 11:07: Who are your MVP's of the 4 Nations? 13:44: Which players were the biggest surprise/overachiever? 16:06: Which players were the biggest disappointments/underachievers? 18:08: Should Kyle Connor have been scratched from the championship game?  19:43: What were the best stories and moments of the 4 Nations Face-Off on or off the ice? 23:53: What kind of impact could we see this having on NHL viewership through the rest of the season, into playoffs and beyond? 27:20: Which NHL team must have the best start coming out of this 4 Nations Face-Off break? 29:40: Will we see another classic Vegas LTIR move to bring in a big name and reactivate Shea Theodore in the first round of the playoffs? If so, who could we see them trying to bring in?  32:35: Who should be the captain at next year's Olympics: Sidney Crosby or McDavid? 33:24: Will Auston Matthews be the captain of Team USA at next year's Olympics? 34:20: Who had the bigger absence: Quinn Hughes or a not-so-healthy Matthew Tkachuk? 35:36:On a scale of one to 10, how much did this 4 Nations tournament increase your excitement for the Olympics? 37:29: Keith Tkachuk said the Ottawa Senators should be buyers at the trade deadline. Name the one thing they need the most.  38:35: We ask again, does Alex Ovechkin pass Gretzky on the NHL’s all-time goals list this season? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    41 min
  2. 3 DAYS AGO

    Previewing The 4 Nations Face-Off Final, Plus NHL Award Battles

    The grand finale of the 4 Nations Face-Off takes place on Thursday, and The Hockey News Big Show is here to preview that and discuss other big NHL topics. Here's what Katie Gaus, Ryan Kennedy and Michael Traikos discussed in this episode: 0:45: Ryan's thoughts on experiencing the United States and Canada game live in Montreal last Saturday and reactions to the three fights 4:30: What line adjustments and overall improvements did we see from Team Canada to get the victory over Finland? 6:40: How concerned are we with the way Canada ended that game against Finland? 9:39: An update on Team USA's injuries and the status of Quinn Hughes 11:36: Do we expect to see a similar physical strategy from USA against Canada again? 14:17: What did Canada learn from that loss to USA that they'll be looking to apply in the final? 15:31: Summarizing the keys to winning for Canada and the USA in 10 words or fewer. 16:58: Have the performances from Toronto Maple Leafs players in the 4 Nations Face-Off underwhelmed? 18:15: Which Maple Leafs player has more pressure to perform well on Thursday: Auston Matthews or Mitch Marner? 20:11: Who will win the final on Thursday? 21:53: Will anyone catch up to Leon Draisaitl in the NHL's Rocket Richard race? 23:24: Who will win the Norris Trophy battle, or is it too close to call? 25:59: Who looks likeliest to win the Calder Trophy? 29:31: Who's the most underrated NHL player who has quietly made a huge impact but doesn't get talked about as much as they should in 2024-25? 31:40: If you were to replace one player on Team Canada, who would it be, and who would you name as the replacement? 33:34: If Canada beats the USA Thursday, it would be 1-1 with each team winning a game. Should this tournament have allowed for a best-of-three format? 35:21: On a scale of one to 10 (one being least likely, 10 being most likely), what are the chances we will see another tournament like this in the middle of the season aside from the World Cup and Olympics? 38:17: If there is a fight in the 4 Nations final, which two players do you predict will be chucking knucks? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    41 min
  3. FEB 14

    How Much Will The NHL Standings Change After The 4 Nations?

    It's the Valentine's Day edition of The Hockey News Big Show featuring the biggest topics in the NHL and the 4 Nations Face-Off. Here's what Katie Gaus, Ryan Kennedy and Michael Traikos discussed in this episode: 4 Nations Face-Off 1:00: What's the atmosphere at the 4 Nations Face-Off so far? 4:53: Breaking down the Canada and Sweden game 7:09: The Tkachuk brothers have been waiting a long time to finally play together. Is this one of the most entertaining duos we've seen in a while? 9:37: What matchup should Canada consider to try to contain the Tkachuks? 12:13: Who's the biggest surprise of the tournament so far? NHL Standings Watch 15:10: Will the top three Metropolitan Division teams change? 16:23: What about the Atlantic Division? 18:04: Which teams will earn the two Eastern wild-card spots? 19:36: Will the Central Division leaders change? 20:43: Who wins the Pacific Division? 22:17: Who earns the two wild-card spots in the West? Love Is In The Air 24:09: Who is the "best couple" of linemates in the NHL? 25:28: What's the worst NHL breakup you remember? 27:36: Which player is most likely to "hook up" with a new team before the NHL trade deadline? 29:18: Which pending UFA wants to "stay single" and test the market this summer? Rapid Fire 32:10: Canada and the USA face off at the 4 Nations on Saturday. Will there be over or under seven goals total? 33:39: Does Finland get a point in this tournament? 34:50: Should the 4 Nations Face-Off permanently replace the All-Star Game? 36:39: Are Montreal hot dogs better steamed or toasted? 38:49: What's your go-to Valentine's Day gift: flowers or chocolates? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    41 min
  4. FEB 11

    Breaking Down The 4 Nations Lines, NHL's Art Ross Race And More

    The newest episode of The Hockey News Big Show is here with more big NHL and hockey topics. Here's what Katie Gaus, Michael Traikos and guest Ken Campbell discussed in this episode: 1:07: Do we like Canada putting Connor McDavid and Mitch Marner on a line for the 4 Nations Face-Off? 4:42: Canada's fourth line of Brandon Hagel, Anthony Cirelli and Sam Bennett looks like it could cause a whole lot of problems for opponents. Will it? 7:28: What do we think of Team USA's lines? What about splitting up the Tkachuk brothers? 10:00: How does USA's defense look without Quinn Hughes? 12:50: Is Canada’s power-play unit of Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid, Sam Reinhart and Cale Makar the best line of players in a long time? 15:12: What stands out with Sweden's line combinations? 18:30: What teams could use Montreal Canadiens center Jake Evans for a playoff push? What type of return could Montreal get for him? 24:00: Is it too soon to say the Colorado Avalanche might have been spot-on choosing to bet on MacKinnon's ability to "make a very good player great" and moving on from Mikko Rantanen? 28:24: Will MacKinnon beat Leon Draisaitl and Nikita Kucherov in the Art Ross Trophy race? Who else could contend? 31:14: Pick one: Favorite line combination for the 4 Nations Face-Off 32:44: What's a bigger loss: Miro Heiskanen for Finland or Hughes for USA? 33:39: What depth player at the 4 Nations will have the biggest impact? 37:52: Which player has the most to gain at the 4 Nations? 37:52: Which player has the most to lose at the 4 Nations? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    41 min
  5. FEB 7

    4 Nations Face-Off Preview, Red Wings, Battle Of Ontario And More

    The 4 Nations Face-Off is only days away now, with the tournament beginning on Feb. 12. The Hockey News Big Show is here to preview the action and discuss more NHL and hockey topics. Here's what Katie Gaus, Ryan Kennedy and Michael Traikos discussed in this episode: 4 Nations Face-Off Preview 1:18: The 4 Nations Face-Off has NHL playing rules and a IIHF round-robin points system (three points for regulation win, two points for overtime/shootout win, one point for overtime/shootout loss and no points for a regulation loss). Do we like that setup? 3:27: There's no third-place game, just the championship final. Was this the right call? 5:06: What is each team's biggest strength and its biggest weakness? 11:39: Predicting the championship final and who wins it all 13:20: Which team has the better coaching staff between Canada and the USA? 15:07: Who will be the starter in net for each team? 19:29: Who could be a surprise star of the tournament? Look Around The NHL And More 21:55: Will there be a Battle of Ontario in the first round of the playoffs? Who would you pick to win it between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators? 24:35: Which team is likelier to get a playoff spot between the Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers? 26:58: Is there any reason to believe the Winnipeg Jets aren't a top-three favorite to win the Stanley Cup right now? 31:24: Name a player you'd put on the ice if the game was on the line and you needed a clutch shootout goal to win. 32:36: The Athletic released its NHL player poll, which included a question about which coach they'd least want to play for. Which name was the most surprising to see? 35:04: The Jets were the No. 1 answer in that poll for which team would be the first choice on a no-trade list. Could winning the Cup change that? 37:55: Super Bowl prediction: Kansas City Chiefs or Philadelphia Eagles? 38:46: Favorite game day snack Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    41 min
  6. FEB 4

    Are The Vancouver Canucks Done Dealing? What's Next In The Trade Market?

    Dive deep into NHL and hockey topics with The Hockey Big Show. Here's what Katie Gaus, Ryan Kennedy and Michael Traikos discussed in this episode: 0:40: First thoughts on the J.T. Miller trade 3:45: Is adding Miller enough, or do the New York Rangers still need to make more moves? 6:44: The Vancouver Canucks added Marcus Pettersson and Drew O'Connor. Is that the right move? 10:04: Is Vancouver done? Does that mean center Elias Pettersson will remain a Canuck? 13:49: The Dallas Stars made two additions with Saturday's trade. Are Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci good fits for Dallas? 17:56: Which NHL players are the top targets to watch now? 19:44: Which teams do we expect to join on the action sooner rather than later? 21:43: Which team from the Atlantic Division do you see jumping into the trade mix? 24:07: How will the salary cap increase affect teams' decisions with pending UFAs? 26:16: Which teams could the cap increase affect the most? 29:01: How do Canadian teams navigate the challenges of U.S. dollars versus Canadian? 30:43: Ryan Hartman was suspended for 10 games for his hit on Tim Stutzle. Was 10 games the right amount? 32:04: Utah released the logos, and tons of fans (and even EA Sports themselves) chimed in to say the logos look just like the default 'Create a team' logos in NHL 25. Were they right? 33:57: How many total players who were named to 4 Nations rosters won't end up at the tournament? 36:09: Should Marie-Philip Poulin get suspended for her charge on Sunday? 37:51: Right or Wrong: No reaction from the Buffalo Sabres following the high hit on Tage Thompson? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    41 min
  7. JAN 28

    Analyzing The Rantanen Trade And What's Next In The NHL

    There's a lot to discuss in the NHL, and The Hockey News Big Show is here to break it down. Here's what Katie Gaus, Ryan Kennedy and Michael Traikos discussed: 0:29: What happened between the Colorado Avalanche and pending UFA Mikko Rantanen that led to the blockbuster deal with the Carolina Hurricanes and Chicago Blackhawks? 3:58: Did the Avalanche get an underwhelming return? What do they need to do now? 6:45: Is acquiring Rantanen, a potential rental player, worth it for the Hurricanes? 10:16: Will Carolina's style be difficult for Rantanen to adjust to? How about Necas in Colorado? 12:01: Do we believe that Chicago got the best return possible for Taylor Hall? 15:20: Where does this leave the Canucks, and has the market for Miller changed? Is Pettersson the better option to try and move now? 18:36: In light of the Rantanen trade, what would Mitch Marner fetch if he waived his no-movement clause? 22:48: Alex Pietrangelo has withdrawn from the 4 Nations Face-Off to tend to an ailment. Are we going to see more of this? Who should take his place on Team Canada? 28:14: Ryan Kennedy's mid-season draft rankings are out: who should go first, and does it matter which team is picking first? 31:23: Did Ottawa Senators have a fair reaction to owner Michael Andlauer wanting to play some regular-season games in Quebec City and Spartacat wearing a Nordiques-Senators jersey? 34:39: When's the last time the Montreal Canadiens had as good of a rookie as Lane Hutson? 35:40: What do the Florida Panthers need more: a veteran defenseman or a depth winger? 37:01: Did the NHL open the door to Russian participation at the next World Cup of Hockey? 38:44: The Canucks' social media team hit us with the Michael Jordan "I'm Back" statement ahead of Tyler Myers' return from suspension. In light of the Oilers statement, do we like or love this? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    41 min

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On Tuesdays and Fridays, we'll have in-depth analysis and lively discussion about everything happening in the NHL. Whether it’s trade rumors, player development or season predictions, it has expert takes and fresh perspectives on every episode.

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