Hour 2 of The FAN Morning Show kicks off with Ben and Brent discussing the Maple Leafs’ current special teams woes, who bears the most responsibility for the team’s lack of power play production, Mitch Marner’s quickness since returning from his high-ankle sprain, and Ilya Samsonov’s leash heading into Saturday’s Game 4. Later, the guys are joined by Commander Chris Hadfield (24:47), Canadian astronaut and noted Leafs fan, to chat about his Leafs fandom, his assessment of the team’s performance through the first three games of their series against Boston, his experience meeting the late Bob Cole, his fantastic tale of descending from space during the Leafs’ Game 7 loss to Boston in 2013, and if human civilization will ever walk on Mars. 

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 affiliate.

Leafs Special Teams Woes + Commander Chris Hadfield

Start your day with Ben Ennis and Brent Gunning in the mornings! The guys tackle everything Toronto sports and beyond live on Sportsnet 590 The FAN weekdays from 6am-9am ET.

Sports

Ben Ennis and Brent Gunning wrap up this week on The FAN Morning Show breaking down the importance of the Blue Jays' upcoming series with the Pirates alongside Sportsnet’s own Shi Davidi. He looks into the pitching and lineup decisions facing this team, including some tough ones regarding struggling veterans. Next, they check in with legendary broadcaster, Jim Nantz of CBS Sports, on his way up to call the Canadian Open (16:05). The trio discuss being a part of Nick Taylor’s historic win last year and the connection it's given him to the Canadian fans, before looking into this year’s field and his expectations for the 2024 tournament. We also are lucky enough to get some classic Nantz stories! To end the week, Ben and Brent welcome on another Jim – this time, MLB Network radio analyst, Jim Duquette (28:53). They get the former MLB general manager’s outside thoughts on the Blue Jays, the decisions the front office will have to make ahead of this year’s trade deadline, and the future of their two biggest stars in Vlad Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette.

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.

An Hour of Jim's (and Shi)

Hosts Ben Ennis and Brent Gunning go into the second hour of today’s FAN Morning Show talking about the Blue Jays, who are back in action at home tonight. As they start this next stretch of important games and try to get the team’s record back to .500, Ben and Brent give their ratings for which players are under the most pressure to perform. They then talk about the team acquiring a new reliever and, more importantly than the pitcher himself, that the team is searching for help anywhere they can. Next, the pair some time to talk about the Canadian Open; what it means to them, why they enjoy the tournament, who played well on Day 1 and who they expect to excel the rest of the weekend. Friend of the show and Sportsnet 590’s own Sam McKee stops by to weigh in on this morning's sporting headlines, as well as share his thoughts on the Blue Jays latest City Connect jerseys that were unveiled last night (25:08).

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.

City Connect Content + Jays Pressure Ratings

Ben Ennis & Brent Gunning kick off The FAN Morning Show excited for the Canadian Open; the two then shift their focus to last night in the Stanley Cup Playoffs that saw the Panthers move within one win of the Final. Before the hour ends, the morning duo talks about some basketball as the Mavericks will face the Celtics in their Finals and how Luka is thriving at the moment (30:41).

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 affiliate.

Star Power in the NHL & NBA

In the final hour of The FAN Morning Show, hosts Ben Ennis and Brent Gunning begin by discussing the Edmonton Oilers, who battled off a tough start to win Game 4 and tie their series with the Stars. They look at some of the marquee players in the series and how a Stanley Cup could impact certain guys’ legacies. They welcome on Sportsnet’s own Luke Gazdic to discuss the keys to Edmonton's win including Stuart Skinner’s bounce back performance, along with how confident the Oilers are feeling now with the series shortened to a best-of-three. To close today’s show, host of MLB Now on MLB Network, Brian Kenny stops by to chat about the decision facing the Blue Jays to rebuild or retool and the market values are for their two aircraft carrier players in Bo Bichette and Vlad Guerrero Jr., before taking a look around baseball to determine what quantifies a successful MLB season (25:57).

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.

Rebuilding vs. Retooling the Jays

On hour two of The FAN Morning Show Ben Ennis and Brent Gunning examine the RBC Canadian Open revisiting Nick Taylor’s historic 72-foot putt and subsequent victory and if that moment changed the way the tournament is viewed. They also look at some of the Canadian's chances to win it this year. Ben & Brent are then joined by Sportsnet’s resident golf reporter Adam Stanley (22:12) who delves into the field and what makes this tournament a unique one on the tour.

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 affiliate.

Leafs Special Teams Woes + Commander Chris Hadfield

Download our free app to listen on your phone