Fly Penguins Fly Podcast

“Defying Gravity” 12/12/24

Jeff and Jordan are back at it for this Thursday edition of Fly Penguins Fly podcast, and there’s plenty on tap. Songs from Wicked and Aladdin are on the menu, as well as long-held grudges against former GM’s who shall - if at all possible - not be named. The Penguins are in Montreal this evening to take on les Habitants, the childhood favorite team of both Sid Crosby and Kris Letang.

Thanks to Espresso A Mano, Pittsburgh’s finest coffee roasters and cafe, for partnering with Fly Penguins Fly podcast. Visit an Espresso A Mano location near you:
https://espressoamano.com/

Thank you for listening!! Follow the podcast on X/Twitter: @penspod
Jeff Taylor: @penspod_JT // Jordan DeFigio: @fidgenewton

LETS GO PENS.

JEFF TAYLOR + JORDAN DEFIGIO

This episode includes portions of the following musical selections:
Kid Kodi by Blue Dot Sessions

“The Needle Finally Moves” 12/09/24

Jeff flies solo today and recounts his experience of attending Saturday’s exciting game in which the Penguins vanquished the high-flying Toronto Maple Leafs. And Fly Penguins Fly has a new partnership! We’re proud to welcome onboard Espresso A Mano, one of Pittsburgh’s finest purveyors of hand-roasted specialty coffee.

The Pens’ next matchup is against the Colorado Avalanche, tomorrow night right here in Pittsburgh. Sidney Crosby’s hometown pal Nate McKinnon, along with standouts Cale Makar and Valeri Nichushkin, look to bring the surging Penguins back down to earth.

Topics discussed on today’s podcast:
(1:17) Welcoming our debut partnership with Espresso A Mano!
(5:13) Recapping Saturday’s W over Toronto Maple Leafs
(11:30) Hockey fan culture in Pittsburgh versus Philly + Boston
(12:43) Success for new-look PP1/PP2 with 87 + 71 split up
(18:31) Looking ahead to Avalanche matchup: An opportunity
(20:50) Penguins’ 2024-25 campaign: The needle finally moves
(22:41) Good signs in dark times for Black Hawks and Connor Bedard

Visit an Espresso A Mano location near you:
https://espressoamano.com/

Subscribe to Jeff’s new Penguins-related Substack feed:
https://substack.com/@penspod

Thank you for listening!! Follow the podcast on X/Twitter: @penspod
Jeff Taylor: @penspod_JT // Jordan DeFigio: @fidgenewton

LETS GO PENS.

JEFF TAYLOR + JORDAN DEFIGIO

“Josh Getzoff Has The Call” 12/05/24

Back for a third time on Fly Penguins Fly podcast, TV play-by-play voice of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Josh Getzoff sits down with Jordan and Jeff for some spirited hockey talk.

Friend of the pod Getzoff shares his account of attending last night’s US Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremony, at which the careers of Penguins veterans and Stanley Cup Champions Kevin Stevens and Matt Cullen were forever enshrined and immortalized.

After fielding some prompts about the current Penguins’ win streak and an otherwise fraught ’24-’25 campaign, Getzoff - a veteran broadcaster of ten NHL seasons - shares some behind-the-scenes insights from his recent experience of settling into the TV side of calling pro hockey games.

Topics discussed with Josh Getzoff:
(09:47) Panthers the best-constructed team in the NHL?
(12:38) Previewing PIT@NYR
(19:24) On the ground at US Hockey Hall of Fame Induction
(23:51) Thoughts on Kevin Stevens’s career and impact on Penguins hockey
(28:47) Sled Hockey USHHOF induction / Rick Middleton’s role
(32:38) Matt Cullen’s own induction to USHHOF and stories
(37:30) Appreciating the Captain: Crosby’s assist on Rakell goal in CGY@PIT game
(48:31) Calling games on TV vs. Radio

For more information on Kevin Stevens’s foundation:
https://powerforward25.com

Subscribe to Jeff’s new Penguins-related Substack feed:
https://substack.com/@penspod

Thank you for listening!! Follow the podcast on X/Twitter: @penspod
Jeff Taylor: @penspod_JT // Jordan DeFigio: @fidgenewton

LETS GO PENS.

JEFF TAYLOR + JORDAN DEFIGIO

“Improving D: The Puck Of Destiny” 12/02/24

On this day, Monday December 2nd, 2024 Jeff and Jordan kick off a new release schedule:
Monday and Thursday afternoons, regardless of the Penguins’ itinerary. We deeply appreciate you for tuning in, and you deserve a timeline you can depend on. Happy Holidays.

Subscribe to Jeff’s new Penguins-related Substack feed:
https://substack.com/@penspod

Thank you for listening!! Follow the podcast on X/Twitter: @penspod
Jeff Taylor: @penspod_JT // Jordan DeFigio: @fidgenewton

LETS GO PENS.

JEFF TAYLOR + JORDAN DEFIGIO

“Uncanny Valley” 11/19/24

Your Pittsburgh Penguins are living up to the flightless reputation of their mascot. And with Jake Guentzel's Tampa Bay Lightning occupying in the visitor’s locker room at PPG Paints Arena and the red-hot Winnipeg Jets licking their chops for what should be a no-brainer dub for them this coming Friday, things don’t promise to get any better any time soon.

Jordan shares a few predictions as to what fans can expect of the Penguins’ front office in the coming weeks/months, while Jeff invokes both the West World and West Wing TV universes, in a hapless attempt to illustrate a point he’s not even sure he really has.

Subscribe to Jeff’s new Penguins-related Substack feed:
https://substack.com/@penspod

Thank you for listening!!

Follow the podcast on IG:
@flypenguinsfly

Follow your hosts on Blue Sky:
Jeff Taylor: penspod-JT.bsky.social // Jordan DeFigio: @fidgenewton.bsky.social

LETS GO PENS.

JEFF TAYLOR + JORDAN DEFIGIO

“Walk Softly And Carrie Furnace” 10/17/24

It’s election day. Most people we know are somewhat on-edge, while some others are simply on their outside edges. The Penguins have traveled to Long Island for an early November tilt against the Isles, so we’re here to talk hockey AND election-induced anxiety.

We cracked a couple beers for this episode, recording late on the eve of Election Day itself. It was an overdue catchup for Jeff and Jordan, one that drifted pretty far afield of your standard hockey chat podcast. If you’re already a listener of this show, it won’t be anything new for you.

Subscribe to Jeff’s new Penguins-related Substack feed:
https://substack.com/@penspod

Thank you for listening!! Follow the podcast on X/Twitter: @penspod
Jeff Taylor: @penspod_JT // Jordan DeFigio: @fidgenewton

LETS GO PENS.

JEFF TAYLOR + JORDAN DEFIGIO

This episode includes portions of the following musical selections:
Keeping Up by Blue Dot Sessions
Kid Kodi by Blue Dot Sessions

“Five Hundred Club” 10/17/24

Evgeni Malkin is the newest member of an incredibly exclusive club. Only forty-eight NHL’ers have reached the 500 goal mark, and the Russian Bear is the latest to do it - though he may be the first to do it from a seated position on the ice. Reaching the 1600 point plateau in the same game, Sidney Crosby tallied the lone assist on Malkin’s milestone goal, before himself potting the OTGWG in the Penguins’ Wednesday evening victory over Buffalo and thus triggering a Mac Miller dance party on Fifth Avenue.

Every 217 episodes or so, I forget to press record. Inexplicably, that’s just what happened at the start of what - we swear - was a memorable conversation with The Athletic’s Rob Rossi.

The trio - of Jordan DeFigio, Rob Rossi, and myself - did stick together on the call, long enough to capture a short recording of the aftermath of the sobering realization that I’d made a technical snafu. It actually made for a fun little assembly of audio, one I hope you’ll enjoy.

Thank you for listening!! Follow the podcast on Twitter: @penspod
Jeff Taylor: @penspod_JT // Jordan DeFigio: @fidgenewton

LETS GO PENS.

JEFF TAYLOR + JORDAN DEFIGIO

This episode includes portions of the following musical selections:
In Passage by Blue Dot Sessions

“Christian Humphreys” 10/09/24

The time has come to drop the puck on the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 2024-2025 season!

Today we’re joined by Pittsburgh native and 2024 draftee of the Colorado Avalanche, Christian Humphreys. You’ll hear Christian’s first-hand account of the U18 World Championship game, a matchup in which he opened scoring with a scrappy net front goal. Plus, personal reflections on Humphreys’s being taken by the Avs in the seventh round of the NHL entry draft in Las Vegas.

Good friend of the pod and lifelong Rangers fan, Nick Spagnolo joins Jeff at the top of the episode to make some predictions about tonight’s Penguins season/home opener.

Penguins. Rangers. Sidney Crosby and the Pens face off against Igor Shesterkin and the Blue Shirts. Tonight at 7:30pm EST on TNT // 105.9theX FM

Thank you for listening!! Follow the podcast on Twitter: @penspod
Jeff Taylor: @penspod_JT // Jordan DeFigio: @fidgenewton

LETS GO PENS.

JEFF TAYLOR + JORDAN DEFIGIO

This episode includes portions of the following musical selections:
Keeping Up by Blue Dot Sessions
Hardboil by Blue Dot Sessions
Kid Kodi by Blue Dot Sessions

“Gary Bettman’s Ice Cream Shop” 09/20/24

Sidney Crosby’s got a freshly inked contract, the season tickets have been delivered, and the Fanatics-made Penguins jerseys look just as crappy as we all figured they would. In agreeing to the contract he did, Crosby not only ensures that he’ll retire a Penguin, but he’s maximized the Penguins’ chances of building a winning team around the once-in-multiple-generations Captain.

Thank you for listening!! Follow the podcast on Twitter: @penspod
Jeff Taylor: @penspod_JT // Jordan DeFigio: @fidgenewton

LETS GO PENS.

JEFF TAYLOR + JORDAN DEFIGIO

“Michelle Crechiolo” 08/07/24

We’re live-ish with Pittsburgh Penguins team reporter - and sometimes radio color commentator - Michelle Crechiolo!
Jordan and Jeff chatted Michelle up for a solid hour, and we’re bringing you that full conversation, uncut.

Thank you for listening!! Follow the podcast on Twitter: @penspod
Jeff Taylor: @penspod_JT // Jordan DeFigio: @fidgenewton

LETS GO PENS.

JEFF TAYLOR + JORDAN DEFIGIO