Getting Closer To The NHL Playoffs | 32 Thoughts
In this episode of 32 Thoughts, Kyle Bukauskas and Elliotte Friedman open with the Pittsburgh Penguins returning to the playoffs and the strong coaching impact of Dan Muse.
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0:00 – Pittsburgh returning to the playoffs.
12:00 – Utah also clinch a postseason berth.
17:00 – Cole Caufield reaching the 50-goal mark.
29:00 – Islanders picking up their first win under Peter DeBoer.
38:00 – The tightening Eastern Conference race.
45:30 – Looking ahead to a physical Dallas–Minnesota first-round matchup.
48:00 – Breaking down the Western Conference race.
51:00 – The future of Alex Ovechkin.
57:00 – The Maple Leafs hiring a firm to assist in their GM search.
1:00:30 – The Devils parting ways with Tom Fitzgerald.
1:04:00 – Evolving conversations around data-driven front offices.
1:19:00 – Ron Francis stepping down in Seattle.
1:28:30 -The Final Thought focuses on the USHL adopting a standard player development agreement.
1:34:22 – The Thoughtline.
2:10:21 – Kyle Bukauskas talks to recently retired 13 year NHL veteran Ryan Johansen.
Email the podcast at 32thoughts@sportsnet.ca or call the Thought Line at 1-833-311-3232 and leave us a voicemail.
This podcast was produced and mixed by Dominic Sramaty and hosted by Elliotte Friedman & Kyle Bukauskas.
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.
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Getting Closer To The NHL Playoffs | 32 Thoughts
#NHL #Hockey #Podcast
20 Comments
St. Louis made a HUGGGE mistake waiving Ellis. He played super well for Springfield in the AHL, last season, and they just discard him. Then this year, the Blues had to cobble the goaltending together for the Thunderbirds this season, which was a disaster. St. Louis could have traded Ellis to a number of teams needing a backup.
Gotta love the Leafs obsessed media now obsessing over “Data” guys but confusing data and full blown analytics, while also pretending the entire league is moving that way, to throw shade, so the Leafs don’t look like complete morons with who they hire after that train wreck of a press conference. Not all owners treat their sports teams like their other businesses like the Leafs and Flyers do. Next Elliott will try justifying using video games to obtain trade values.
The comparisons with 2016-2017 Maple Leafs and the Canadiens stops with "they're young". Montreal core players all took a cut to prioritize the team. The Canadiens personifies "There's no I in team". Look at what the Leafs players did, including their current captain, and look where they are in the standings…
skip the ads 1:00
RJ sounds like a completely different person. Sounds like a super cool old dude
As of April 10, 2026, only one NHL team, the Montreal Canadiens, has five or more players with 60 or more points this season. Suzuki, Caufield, Hutson, Slafkovsky, and Demidov achieved this milestone, making them the first team to do so in the 2025-2026 season.
Disgusting amount of commercials. SAD
This is why I hate Friedman. He will do anything to bash the Avs. It was offside. The goal should not count at all. This emotional empathy plea is so pathetic
Go Pens Go!!!
It's unfortunate that ultra-right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones is a fan of the pod
What did Ryan Johansen refer to when he said he did not get compensated for being injured?
To the upset Buffalo fan: At least Elliotte didn’t make your team’s 15 year wait for success about the Leafs, which he did with the Habs while Caulfield’s 50 is THIRTY SIX years in the making, Suzuki coming up on 100 points which is THIRTY NINE years of a wait and Hutson is literally breaking records almost every day. So yeah, Elliotte, you were right, Habs fans probably didn’t appreciate the comparison to a team that never won anything. The difference is that the Canadiens will bring that Cup home soon.
Just want to tell you guys how great of a job you’re doing. I look forward to these every Monday and Friday. You literally put Spitten chiclets in 2nd place. Well done and thank you.
Wtf Elliote I hop on a random Friday night to listen to the pod and first thing I get is a jets shade😂
Kyle, are you drunk? Weegar has 20 playoff games in 10 years. He's scored 1 goal. Couldn't be happier, Calgary got rid of that bum.
Cardinals in the MLB will be awful this year have you seen their payroll?
Started this last night, and finishing the episode this morning. When I fired up YT, for some reason the show was already going in the background somewhere, so there were two separate Elliotte narratives going at once. Terrifying.
The "whole thing" behind Crosby getting traded was the Canadian and U.S. national media. YOU were part of spreading that rumor, Elliotte. Pens fans and local media knew it was always a bunch of BS.
Great for hockey that Sid is gonna be in the playoffs
I'd like to suggest a topic for your podcast. Why do the rules change in the playoffs? When the Sedins played for Vancouver they carried the team to the playoffs. Once the playoffs began, the rules changed and no penalties were called thus eliminating the stars from being stars and allowing a total free for all in stupidity.