Nick Kypreos and Justin Bourne welcome NHL analyst Jamal Mayers into the studio to kick off the second hour. He looks ahead at first-round matchups and how various teams match up with their likely opponents in a 7-game series. Then, he shares which team has the edge for the final Wild Card spot in the East, John Tortorella's latest post-game outburst and the Senators' looming decisions. Finally, they regroup with Sam McKee for news & notes - checking in on award races, Crosby reaches the point-per-game mark for the 19th time, Torts' future in Philly and Jeff Skinner becomes the first player to get to 1000 career games without a playoff game.

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.

First Round Forecast

Nick Kypreos and Justin Bourne talk all things Maple Leafs and NHL!  Airing live on Sportsnet 590 The FAN weekdays from 4-6pm ET.

Sports

Hockey

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee start with a look back on the Canucks' late heroics in their win over the Oilers before being joined by Doug MacLean (2:26) for Off-the-Rails Friday! Mac weighs in on Craig Berube's fit in Toronto, the Canucks' resilience in Game 5, who the Oilers start in net for Game 6 and what went wrong for the Hurricanes. Then, he gets into the randomness of goaltending in Round 2, Makar carrying the Avs and why he expects Jeremy Swayman to lead the Bruins to a Game 7. Finally, they regroup with Sam to go over last night's action and answer your questions on the text line!

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.

Breaking Down Berube

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee with a daily check-in of the Leafs' coaching search as reports come in live that the organization is closing in on hiring Craig Berube. They share their feelings about Berube, the old-school style of coaching he brings and how the core will respond to it. Later, SN650 reporter Joey Kenward (29:56) breaks down last night's dramatic win for the Canucks over the Oilers, the Vancouver faithful rallying around Pettersson, how they shut down the Oilers' lethal power play and Silov's break-out series. Finally, Andy Strickland (38:48) joins the show to share what Leafs fans can expect from Berube.

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.

Leafs Hour: Buds Bringing in Berube

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee start with a chat about the narrative around Elias Pettersson in Vancouver after his lethargic presser yesterday. Joining the conversation, Oilers analyst Rob Brown (7:00) weighs in on Pettersson's play, the Canucks' scrappy mentality, the Oilers' bold call in playing Pickard and their power-play dominance. Later, former NHLer Adam Graves (26:42) sets the stage for the Rangers/Hurricanes Game 6 - the pressure on the Rangers to close in Carolina, Chris Kreider's growing legacy in New York and Lafrenière's growth.

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.

Western Battle in the Balance

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee start with a look at the Leafs' coaching search and where other head-coach-needy teams might be leaning in their respective searches. Former Leafs' GM Gord Stellick (10:44) weighs in on why NHL coaching news has dried up, what would be at the top of a new Leafs coach's to-do list and where they might go in the free agency market. Later, Panthers analyst Ed Jovanovski (27:36) tees up tonight's Game 6 between Florida & Boston -  the Cats' dominant net-front game, Barkov changing his playoff narrative and Bobrovsky's shut-down play.

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.

Quiet Coaching Search & Cats Look to Close

Justin Bourne and Sam McKee look back on the Oilers tying up their series 2-2 with a 3-2 win over the Canucks last night. JD Bunkis shares his thoughts on Elias Pettersson's unimpactful play, the Leafs' coaching search, Tavares' awkward contract situation and what return he would want in a potential Marner trade (7:42). Dan Riccio of Canucks Central discusses whether Vancouver should rush Demko back with reports he's nearing a return, the narratives around Pettersson and how last night's game changes the series (27:14). Finally, Bruins analyst Pete Blackburn weighs in on Boston pushing the Panthers to Game 6, Montgomery's animated coaching in Game 5, Maurice's masterful approach to the media and the latest on Marchand (53:02).

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.

First Round Forecast

Download our free app to listen on your phone