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The DFO Rundown
A Western Conference Playoff Preview
Ep. 376
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The playoff picture in the Western Conference is officially set as both the St. Louis Blues and Minnesota Wild punched their tickets to the postseason earlier in the week. With that, Jason and Frank previewed each of the four first round series that we’ll get and gave their picks for each one.
Before they got into the playoff talk, they quickly talked about a few teams who’s 2024-25 seasons were disappointments including the Nashville Predators and Detroit Red Wings. They also talked about the San Jose Sharks season, which resulted in another last place finish but the guys talked about whether or not this year was actually a success.
They then got into the two playoff series in the Central Division, starting with the much anticipated Stars and Avalanche matchup. The Stars are limping into the playoffs while the vibes in Colorado are immaculate with Captain Gabriel Landeskog expected to return to the lineup. Everyone seems to be picking the Avs, but are the Stars being a little overlooked?
They also talked about the chances that the Winnipeg Jets make it a relatively short series against the St. Louis Blues. Can Hellebuyck find his form in the playoffs? Was the Blues heater a sign that they’re a legit threat to go on a run?
Tyler then popped in for Fill in the Blank where he asked the guys about what the Flames could do this summer, Rick Tocchet’s future in Vancouver, the chances of the Predators moving a big contract, and what wild card teams could pull off an upset.
From there, they got into the the Golden Knights vs Wild series, which both Gregor and Frank actually agreed on.
They wrapped with a preview of ‘Oilers vs Kings Part 4’ and talked about whether or not this year’s Kings team is better positioned than ones in the past to finally slay the dragon and take down Connor McDavid and the Oilers.
1:30 - Disappointing seasons
6:50 - Are the Sharks getting closer?
11:00 - Stars vs Avalanche
21:30 - Jets vs Blues
25:15 - Buy or Sell
39:10 - Golden Knights vs Wild
46:40 - Oilers vs Kings
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392. Eyeing Up Potential Offer Sheets & New Trade Targets
49:45||Ep. 392Frank and Jason are back with a fresh episode of The DFO Rundown. There’s only been one Stanley Cup Final game since the last pod on Monday, so today they focused more on some offseason topics, starting with the first trade of the summer as Chris Kreider is on the verge of being dealt to the Anaheim Ducks.After breaking down that deal, they got into Frank’s five offer sheet candidates including Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies. Could a team take a big swing and offer Knies a $10m+ deal? Frank thinks it’s possible but Gregor says any team doing that would be foolish.From there, they talked about what the Rangers' next move could be and speculated on K’Andre Miller’s future with the team. They also broke down the Isaac Howard situation in Tampa Bay.Tyler then popped on for a new edition of Buy or Sell where he asked the guys about Mitch Marner’s rights, two of the new big names on Frank’s trade targets board, and he led them into some Stanley Cup Final talk.They wrapped up the show by talking about some potential adjustments for the Edmonton Oilers as they look to bounce back from getting blown out in Game 3. For the Panthers, they’ll look to take a 3-1 stranglehold and get to within one win of their second straight Stanley Cup.1:30 - Kreider to the Ducks7:30 - Offer sheet watch12:10 - Could Knies make $10m+?26:30 - Rangers next move29:15 - Isaac Howard’s future35:00 - Buy or Sell42:38 - Stanley Cup FinalWant to hear more from Frank, Jason and the entire DFO team? Subscribe to our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@daily_faceoff?sub_confirmation=1You can get involved with all the NHL futures action over on bet365 by using the promo code NATION at bet365.com391. Buyout candidates, big decisions in Dallas & the Cup Final heads south
01:02:55||Ep. 391Frank and Jason are back with a fresh episode of The DFO Rundown as the Stanley Cup Final has officially become a best-of-five series.The guys got into the Stanley Cup Final towards the end of the podcast. They started things off by talking about Frank’s buyout candidate list that was released on Friday. Matt Dumba, TJ Brodie and others appear to be players that could have their contracts bought out ahead of free agency this year.From there, they talked about the Dallas Star’s decision to fire Pete DeBoer and how it’s going to be the first of many big decisions that GM Jim Nill will have to make this summer. They talked about the team’s decision to pass on Seth Jones at the trade deadline, the Jason Robertson trade rumours and the team's pending free agents.Tyler then jumped in for a new edition of Fill in the Blank where he asked the guys about potential landing spots for Jonathan Toews, the Conn Smythe trophy odds and who could lead the Stanley Cup Final in scoring.To wrap, the guys got into the Stanley Cup Final where the Florida Panthers got a massive win in Game 2 of the series and now things are all tied up heading down the Sunrise, Florida. They spoke about some key players for the Panthers struggling, the Oilers inability to hold onto home ice advantage, and what they’ll be watching for in Game 3.0:50 - Buyout watch12:55 - Stars fire DeBoer20:00 - Dallas’ big decisions29:10 - Fill in the Blank42:10 - Stanley Cup Final shifts to FloridaWant to hear more from Frank, Jason and the entire DFO team? Subscribe to our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@daily_faceoff?sub_confirmation=1You can get involved with all the NHL futures action over on bet365 by using the promo code NATION at bet365.com390. Oilers Comeback To Win Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final
55:00||Ep. 390The Stanley Cup Final is officially underway and both Jason and Frank were in the building last night to take in the action from Edmonton.They talked about the atmosphere inside Rogers Place and what stood out in Game 1 of the series. It was a tight checking game that was ultimately decided by one goal. Gregor talked about some of the historical feats that occurred last night with the Oilers comeback and Draisaitl’s overtime winner. Frank talked about how if this series is going to be tight, the Oilers depth could be a massive advantage.One thing the guys both agreed on: this should end up being a pretty long series.After that, Tyler popped on with a new edition of Buy or Sell where he asked the guys about the last two teams who filled their Head Coaching vacancies, Brock Nelson’s three-year extension in Colorado, and the idea of the players voting on more year end awards, which led to an interesting discussion about the NHL Awards.From there, the guys went more in depth on the Marco Sturm hiring in Boston and the Penguins deciding on a first time Head Coach themselves in Dan Muse. Frank had thought on what this could mean for the future of the Pittsburgh Penguins.They also talked about what Gary Bettman had to say at his annual Stanley Cup Final press conference and had a conversation about the LTIR loop hole, state income come and more.1:10 - Oilers comeback to win Game 113:20 - The Oilers Depth20:10 - Buy or Sell34:40 - Bruins hire Sturm37:10 - Dan Muse gets the Penguins job45:20 - Kucherov wins Lindsay48:30 - Bettman SpeaksWant to hear more from Frank, Jason and the entire DFO team? Subscribe to our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@daily_faceoff?sub_confirmation=1You can get involved with all the NHL futures action over on bet365 by using the promo code NATION at bet365.com389. A Stanley Cup Final Preview: The Panthers & Oilers Get Set for a Rematch
52:25||Ep. 389Frank and Jason are back with a fresh episode of The DFO Rundown as they previewed this year’s Stanley Cup Final, which is a rematch of last year’s battle between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers.They began by talking about each of these teams paths to the final. The Oilers have been picked against in a lot of their series and yet, have finished off each of the last two rounds in just five games. Does that say more about their competition? Or the level of play they’re at? Gregor says their ability to play near mistake free hockey is the big reason why they’ve been able to roll through the last few rounds.Frank talked about how the Florida Panthers have some fresh faces in their lineup as well and that we shouldn’t be discounting the defending Stanley Cup Champions. They also had a pretty tough path to get back to this point beating a trio of really good teams.They also talked about players like Jake Walman and Brad Marchand, whose fingerprints should be all over this series. To wrap, they shared who their x-factors are in this series and gave their picks for both the series and the Conn Smythe Trophy.Tyler then jumped on for Fill in the Blank where he talked to the guys about the teams that both the Oilers and Panthers have eliminated thus far and how different they could look to start next season. He also got their take on Pete DeBoer’s decision to pull Jake Oettinger and his comments after the game.To wrap up, Frank gave some insight into the final two coaching vacancies that still exist in both Pittsburgh and Boston. Gregor also talked about some of the coaching news from last week in Seattle and New York.1:10 - Oilers vs Panthers for The Cup19:00 - X-Factors for each team23:50 - Series picks & Conn Smythe picks29:50 - Fill in the Blank41:40 - Coaching updates (Isles, Kraken, Bruins & Penguins)Want to hear more from Frank, Jason and the entire DFO team? Subscribe to our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@daily_faceoff?sub_confirmation=1You can get involved with all the NHL futures action over on bet365 by using the promo code NATION at bet365.com388. Peterka, Kreider & Rossi Headline This Summer’s Trade Targets List
54:18||Ep. 388Frank and Jason kicked off today’s episode of The DFO Rundown by talking about the first Trade Targets list of the summer that dropped earlier this week.They started at the top of the list with Sabres forward JJ Peterka, who is a pending RFA. How could the Sabres move on from Peterka and improve at the same time? The guys discussed that and a hypothetical deal involving Marco Rossi, who is also in Frank’s top five.From there, they talked about a few of the defensemen on the list, starting with Rasmus Andersson and his future with the Flames and then they had a big discussion about what the Pittsburgh Penguins could do with Erik Karlsson. If the Penguins were willing to retain a significant portion of his salary, would there be a market for the former 100-point defenseman? Gregor found a spot that he thinks make a lot of sense. They also touched on Jamie Oleksiak of the Seattle Kraken, who is entering the final year of his deal.Tyler then joined for Buy or Sell where he asked the guys about the Rangers situation with Chris Kreider, the Kraken selling off assets, Demko’s future in Vancouver, and Sam Bennett’s case to be a $10m player.The guys then turned their attention to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Oilers got a big win in Game 4 of the Western Conference Final but it came at a brutal cost as they lost Zach Hyman for the remainder of the postseason. They talked about how the Oilers will adjust their lineup and how much losing Hyman impacts their Stanley Cup chances.1:20 - JJ Peterka & The Sabres5:00 - Rossi for Peterka?11:25 - Rasmus Andersson & The Flames15:20 - Karlsson’s future in Pittsburgh28:10 - Buy or Sell (Kreider, the Kraken, & Demko)38:30 - Oilers lose HymanWant to hear more from Frank, Jason and the entire DFO team? Subscribe to our YouTubeYou can get involved with all the NHL futures action over on bet365 by using the promo code NATION at bet365.comConnect with us on ⬇️TwitterInstagramWebsiteDaily Faceoff MerchIslanders Choose Darche, the Panthers Dominance & The Oilers Lead the WCF
58:48|Frank and Jason are back with a fresh episode of The DFO Rundown to kick off the week.To begin things today, they talked about the Islanders' decision to go with Mathieu Darche as their next General Manager. He takes over a pretty flawed Isles roster and will certainly have his work cut out for him. The guys talked about what’s on his checklist for this summer and the decision that looms involving current Head Coach Patrick Roy.After that, they dug into the Conference Finals. We’ve seen three games in both the East and West and one series has been much more interesting than the others.The Florida Panthers have been absolutely pummeling the Carolina Hurricanes, which has raised some questions about the Canes roster and also Rod Brind’Amour, who is close to losing his 12th straight Conference Finals game.Out west, the Oilers took a 2-1 series lead over the Stars on Sunday. Stuart Skinner turned in another impressive performance, Evan Bouchard continued to shine and Connor McDavid found the back of the net twice. The guys talked about the series and how the Oilers have this feeling like a lot more than a 2-1 series lead.Tyler then joined for ‘Fill in the Blank’ where he asked the guys about Mitch Marner’s fit in Carolina, their NHL GM of the Year, and the Stanley Cup odds on Bet365.To wrap, the guys talked a little bit about USA’s win at the World Hockey Championships.1:10 - Darche lands on Long Island11:30 - Panthers jump out to a 3-0 lead20:25 - Oilers lead Stars 2-138:20 - Fill in the Blank50:00 - USA wins Gold at WorldsWant to hear more from Frank, Jason and the entire DFO team? Subscribe to our YouTubeYou can get involved with all the NHL futures action over on bet365 by using the promo code NATION at bet365.comConnect with us on ⬇️TwitterInstagramWebsiteDaily Faceoff Merch386. Brendan Shanahan’s future with the Leafs & the Stars Game 1 comeback
57:08||Ep. 386Jason and Frank are back with a fresh episode of The DFO Rundown as both conference final series are officially underway and both Game 1’s delivered very interesting results.Before they dug into those series, though, they talked about the news that the New York Islanders have asked for permission to speak with Toronto Maple Leafs President Brendan Shanahan. Gregor wondered if this doesn’t mean that it’s a foregone conclusion that he is leaving MLSE after more than a decade at the helm but Frank was quick to throw a little bit of cold water on that idea.They then talked about the Dallas Stars big comeback in Game 1 against the Edmonton Oilers as they scored five goals in the third period to take the opener. Gregor says that Oilers fans shouldn’t be concerned with the result but Frank thinks that anytime a team gives away a game this late in the playoffs, it’s worrisome. Tyler then popped in for a new edition of Buy or Sell, where he asked the guys about Morgan Rielly’s future in Toronto, the chances of Nikolaj Ehlers signing back in Winnipeg, and which Finnish superstar they would build a team around.After that, they talked about the Florida Panthers series opening victory in the Eastern Conference Final. Gregor continues to be impressed with the mindset of this Panthers core and talked about how that mentality helped them. The guys also had an argument about a certain stat that pertains to the Hurricanes franchise losing streak in the Conference Finals.They wrapped up with a quick little conversation about Mitch Marner and the chances he could end up in Carolina this summer and some comparable players to him around the league.1:20 - Shanahan’s future11:40 - Stars storm back in Game 122:20 - Buy or Sell27:40 - Canes drop Game 144:00 - A Marner conversationWant to hear more from Frank, Jason and the entire DFO team? Subscribe to our YouTubeYou can get involved with all the NHL futures action over on bet365 by using the promo code NATION at bet365.comConnect with us on ⬇️TwitterInstagramWebsiteDaily Faceoff Merch385. The Conference Finals are set as the Panthers cruise past Leafs in Game 7
58:12||Ep. 385We had one Game 7 in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and is resulted in another hearbtreaking loss for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Panthers absolutely dominated the Leafs in each of their final two wins in the series and that’s led to questions about whether or not we will see massive changes in Toronto this summer.Frank and Jason began the pod by talking about which players should be back next season and what some of the key problems are with this Leafs group. Will next year’s team feature Mitch Marner? What about John Tavares? Could there be an even bigger trade coming?From there, they previewed the Hurricanes and Panthers matchup. These two teams met two years ago in the ECF and it resulted in a Panthers sweep. Will the Canes push them any harder this year?Tyler then joined for a new edition of Fill in the Blank, where he asked the guys some questions about the final four teams in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the offseason ahead for the bottom five teams from this past season.To wrap up, the guys put a bow on the Stars vs Jets series, talked about Hellebuyck’s performances on the road, and what the Jets could do this summer. They then previewed the Oilers and Stars series, which is a rematch of last years Western Conference Final.0:45 - Big changes in Toronto?23:55 - Canes & Cats move on26:10 - Fill in the Blank38:00 - Stars finish off Jets45:20 - Stars vs Oilers previewWant to hear more from Frank, Jason and the entire DFO team? Subscribe to our YouTubeYou can get involved with all the NHL futures action over on bet365 by using the promo code NATION at bet365.comConnect with us on ⬇️TwitterInstagramWebsiteDaily Faceoff Merch384. The Leafs are gonna Leaf & the Oilers are gonna Oil
57:25||Ep. 384We had our first team advance to the Conference Final as the Edmonton Oilers eliminated the Vegas Golden Knights in five games. That’s where Jason and Frank started today on a new episode of The DFO Rundown.It’s the third Western Conference Final in four years for Connor McDavid and company, and this one seems like the most unexpected of the bunch. The guys broke down the decisive series win and the Oilers' chances going forward before getting to the other series.Out East, the Maple Leafs got steamrolled by the Florida Panthers in Game 5 of their series. It was another pivotal moment in the history of this Leafs core and Frank explained why this loss tells us a lot about Toronto’s stars.They then pivoted and talked about the two new coaching hires in the NHL as the Philadelphia Flyers landed their guy in Rick Tocchet and the Vancouver Canucks filled their vacancy and elevated Adam Foote to the Head Coaching position. Gregor asked the question of which new coach is in a better position going forward.Frank also gave an update on some other coaching vacancies and the candidates to fill them.Tyler then popped in with a new edition of Fill in the Blank, where he asked the guys about Frank’s Top 50 free agent list, Ken Holland’s shopping list in Los Angeles and the other two series going on in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.To wrap, they talked a little bit more about Frank’s list and gave their takes on the two elimination games that are going on tonight with the Canes having the Caps on the ropes and the Jets fighting for their lives against the Stars.1:40 - Oilers eliminate the Golden Knights12:10 - Panthers push Leafs to the brink26:25 - Foote takes over in Vancouver & Flyers land Tocchet34:00 - Other coaching vacancies35:40 - Buy or Sell45:40 - Top 50 Free AgentsWant to hear more from Frank, Jason and the entire DFO team? Subscribe to our YouTubeYou can get involved with all the NHL futures action over on bet365 by using the promo code NATION at bet365.comConnect with us on ⬇️TwitterInstagramWebsiteDaily Faceoff Merch