Zone Time

00:00 - No evidence to say this Maple Leafs team is differentThe Maple Leafs will be judged on what they do in the playoffs, where the team's superstar core have repeatedly struggled to make an impact but a shaky start to the regular season, including some worrying underlying metrics, suggest Toronto is no more prepared than before for the tests that await.Also on this week's Shot Volume:11:57 - How to truly evaluate NHL goaltending?21:04 - John Tortorella's culture paying dividends

00:00 - Things Sam Chang missed while on vacation14:12 - Maple Leafs need Mitch Marner to be great not ok25:01 - NHL Player Safety consistency was short lived27:30 - Chicago's handling of Corey Perry's absence creates questions31:03 - What do non-NHL fans think about the league?

American Thanksgiving historically means cutoff time for the NHL playoff race. If you're not in by holiday season, your chances of making the playoffs are slim but Edmonton and Minnesota are among the Western Conference teams hoping to buck that trend this year. 

William Nylander and Elias Pettersson are both approaching free agency but do their standout starts to this season prove they perform under pressure and deserve every dollar of their next contract?Also on this week's episode of Zone Time:NHL regional blackouts have have gone too farWhat happened to Patrik Laine's magic?Predicting Team Canada's roster for 2025

Connor McDavid says he found out about Jay Woodcroft's dismissal like everyone else but it's hard to believe the Oilers captain had no input in the hiring of Kris Knoblauch, his coach in junior hockey, as new bench boss in Edmonton. Also on this week's show:Unexpected destination for Nikita Zadorov following trade requestConnor Bedard is already elite, and he knows itLeafs should re-sign Nylander regardless of consequencesIs he a Hockey Hall of Famer?

Why trading for an NHL goaltender is harder than everTandem goaltender setups have become increasingly popular across the NHL, with only a select group of teams playing a bonafide No. 1 starter. As a result, the Edmonton Oilers are faced with limited trade options after putting Jack Campbell on waivers.Also on this week's Shot Volume:Oilers have narrow margin for error after nightmare startEdmonton's struggles to find reliable goaltending are well documented but the Oilers still have a top-10 power play and will rely on Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to raise their production if the team is to recover and make the NHL playoffs.Vancouver Canucks: Team of destinyAfter missing the playoffs by 12 points last season, the Vancouver Canucks are off to the best start in franchise history (9-2-1) but how long can Quinn Hughes, Elias Pettersson and particularly goaltender Thatcher Demko keep the juggernaut rolling?

Brady Tkachuk and Ottawa's young core are currently playing below the sum of their talent and while head coach D.J. Smith has been instrumental in their development, the Senators might need to make a change on the bench if the team is to make the playoffs this season.01:05 - Dysfunction in Ottawa07:34 - Leafs desperately need secondary scoring16:19 - Can things get any worse for Oilers, Flames?21:31 - Sharks are playing historically bad26:41 - Canucks are best team in Canada29:23 - Johnny Gaudreau not delivering on promise31:59 - Mangipane suspension is very lenient 33:19 - Second former player sues Blackhawks

Power-play opportunities per team are up from an average of 2.99 per game between 2014 and 2023 to 3.57 so far this season. More penalties mean more goals but not everyone is convinced it's good for the game. Also this week's episode of Shot Volume:Penguins did themselves a hole but is the team playing better than its record suggests?Goaltending not the problem for Tampa