A rough stretch of hockey sparks a blunt conversation about effort, accountability, and what December tends to expose. Sean and Mike bounce between two recent games to highlight a familiar frustration: stretches where structure disappears, urgency fades, and teams leave too much up to their goaltenders.

The discussion digs into why inconsistency is harder to excuse this time of year, how young players and veterans alike get judged differently once the calendar flips, and why “we’re fine” stops working as an explanation. Along the way, they zoom out to the league at large — touching on contenders, pretenders, and the thin line between a short-term heater and something sustainable.

The episode wraps with perspective on development, expectations, and why some lessons in hockey only arrive the hard way. Honest, conversational, and unfiltered — the kind of talk you have when the games stop being fun to watch.