About this episode
Matt Marchese and Mike Futa kick off Friday's program with the latest on Panthers Captain Aleksander Barkov, who could miss the entire 2025-26 season after undergoing knee surgery. The guys then move to the Metropolitan Division to continue their preview of all 32 NHL teams alongside Kevin Kurz (12:14), Flyers reporter at The Athletic. He shares what Rick Tocchet will bring behind the bench, Dan Vladar's opportunity between the pipes, Trevor Zegras' roster fit, and expectations for this group following a difficult season. Next up, The Athletic's Josh Yohe (29:10) checks in from Pittsburgh as the Penguins ramp up for opening night. He shares insight into Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin's futures as rumours continue to swirl, how the new-look coaching staff is preparing their team, and Kyle Dubas' mentality managing this veteran roster. After the break, Matt and Mike take a look at some NHL headlines and respond to your texts, before Dr. Alicia Naser (01:18:05) joins the program! She details how athletes differently approach the offseason, regular season, and playoffs mentally, the added emphasis on prioritizing players' mental health, and much more! The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.