On this episode of Soccer 2 the MAX, Sean Garmer, Erik Watkins and Rachael McKriger begin their look at the 2017 MLS Season by going through eight teams and talking about their offseason, strengths, weaknesses, and season outlook.

On this show, FC Dallas, Colorado Rapids, D.C. United, Columbus Crew, Orlando City, New York Redbulls, Seattle Sounders and Toronto FC are covered.

Also on this episode...

Rachael gives her thoughts on the She Believes Cup Roster. The exclusion of Megan Rapinoe. Plus, Hope Solo's latest comments.

Finally, the guys give their thoughts on Chicarito possibly coming to MLS in 2018. LAFC have apparently thrown a $15 Million bid out for the player. Also, thoughts on Howard Webb being brought in to help the adjustment to the Virtual Assist Referee or VAR. They discuss if this is good or bad for the sport. Will it really help with some controversial decisions? Or could it create more issues?

Last Word on Sports is proud to present their hockey podcast, On the Power Play with Ben and Dave. Join Ben Kerr and Dave Gove each week as they take a look around the Hockey World focusing on the big issues of the NHL and elsewhere.

The boys are back and looking at the news from around the NHL.

OTPP: Michel Therrien, Claude Julien, Gustav Nyquist, Mike Illitch and More

The Montreal Canadiens have made a coaching change. Michel Therrien is out and Claude Julien is in.  What does this mean for the team? What is the biggest area the Julien can help them improve? Was Therrien's firing deserved? How does the meeting between Carey Price, Max Pacioretty, Shea Weber and Marc Bergevin play into this? We go in depth on this issue.

Next up a look at the passing of Detroit Red Wings owner Mike Illitch.  We look at how he made the Detroit Red Wings the NHL's model franchise over the past 25 years. What did the Wings do well, and why are they set to miss the playoffs for the first time in a quarter century?

Speaking of the Red Wings, Gustav Nyquist lost his mind this week, spearing Jared Spurgeon of the Minnesota Wild in the face. What did the boys think of the play and what is an appropriate suspension.

Sidney Crosby just keeps on scoring, picking up his 999th point on Tuesday night. On the precipice of 1000 career points, we examine Crosby's career and where he stands historically.

We also look at Craig Anderson returning to the Ottawa Senators. How far can the Senators go?

All that and more in this edition of On the Power Play.

Data Viz

Similar to our discussions with Sean Tierney in Episode 2, we talk to the grandfather of data visualization in hockey: Micah Blake McCurdy. From why he creates viz, to how he does, take a look inside the mind of an artist.

Micah Blake McCurdy

One of the brazen few who have undertaken life in the world of independent professional analytics (support his Patreon here), Micah produces a number of fantastic visuals, all of which can be found at his website HockeyViz.com and on his Twitter.

Check out our regular weekly podcast! New episodes drop every Tuesday.

Follow them on Twitter: @GTD_Podcast, @ColtonPraill, @Gham614 and @NickSeguin19

Colton Praill

I host my own radio show across Manitoba, CA. When I’m not regaling you with whimsical stories, I’m writing, podcasting, or lamenting the woes of Arsenal, Detroit Lions, and Ottawa Senators fandom.

Nick Seguin

A brand marketer by day, a writer by night. Nick is a lover of all things hockey and a die hard fan of the Detroit Red Wings. With contributions to multiple blogs, Nick is continuing to marry his two passions: writing and hockey.

Graham Anderson

I’m a recent Brock University grad and a huge Blue Jays and Wild fan. I spent two years in the UK and am happy to be back in London Ontario for the 2016-17 MLB playoffs and NHL season.

Pitchers and catchers are reporting to their spring camps this week, so it's officially time to get rolling with the Crowding the Plate 2017 Season Preview series. In order to do that, Joe Hojnacki and Greg Hessen call upon some brilliant minds from the world of baseball to talk about their teams.

This week, the gang welcomes in Robbie Stratakos of Last Word on Baseball to talk about the Washington Nationals, Dan Sperry of Around the Foghorn to preview the San Francisco Giants, and John Jackson, also of Last Word on Baseball, for a chat about the New York Mets.

The guys are back and ready to celebrate Valentine's Day. Which of the two are most romantic? The also talk about the news of the week including:

- Gustav Nyquist impending suspension for his facial spear of Jared Spurgeon

- Claude Julien's firing by the Boston Bruins

- Joe Sakic's trip to Boston for trade talks

- The Atlantic Division is tightening up. Who will come out on top? Who should make trade deadline moves?

- Columbus Bluejackets having issues with John Tortorella

- Gary Bettman being in favor of keeping the Islanders in Brooklyn

They also discuss possible changes to GWG Hi Sticking and pick the Pavel Bure Must Watch Games of the Week.

 

Twitter: twitter.com/4thLinePodcast

Facebook: facebook.com/the4thlinepodcast

Email: [email protected]

Intro music by Erik Hall of Shoot the Shred podcast

shredpod.simplecast.fm

Last Word on Sports is proud to present their hockey podcast, On the Power Play with Ben and Dave. Join Ben Kerr and Dave Gove each week as they take a look around the Hockey World focusing on the big issues of the NHL and elsewhere.

The boys are back and looking at the news from around the NHL.

OTPP: Coach Firings, Trade Deadline Trade Bait, and Playoff Races

The big NHL news of the week surrounds two more NHL head coaches being replaced.

The boys look at the Boston Bruins and their firing of Claude Julien.  Was the move justified? Will this change help the Bruins? What are the problems that the Bruins have had this season, and how can they fix them? Could they top the league in possession and still fail to qualify for the post-season? Is it too late, given the games played issue, for the Bruins to turn things around and make the playoffs?

Next up is the St. Louis Blues replacing Ken Hitchcock with Mike Yeo. The Blues biggest problem has been between the pipes. Quite simply, Jake Allen and Carter Hutton have not provided good goaltending. Can the Blues hold on to their playoff position after the loss of Robby Fabbri? Will they be trade deadline sellers with Patrick Berglund and Kevin Shattenkirk?

Trade Deadline

The boys look at the Trade Deadline trade bait around the league.  What will happen with Matt Duchene, Martin Hanzal, Gabriel Landeskog, Marc-Andre Fleury, Patrick Sharp, and more? Who are the big buyers and who can become a real contender with the right moves?

Nashville centre Mike Ribeiro demanded a trade, and then was put on waivers and cleared. Why is he down in the AHL, and will anyone take a chance on him going forward?

We also look at Martin Havlat retiring; the Florida Panthers getting Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov back in the lineup; the Toronto Maple Leafs rookies; An

Austin and Dante hop on the pod to use the ESPN Trade Machine to its full capabilities as they find new homes for Serge Ibaka, Jimmy Butler and CJ McCollum

Join the guys as they recap SB51 with Sunday Morning Lines's Will Booher! Plus, weekly recaps from the rest of the world in sports. Also, Way Too Early NFL Predictions, Hall Of Fame results, and Good Host Bad Host!

 

Claude Julien

The Bruin's bench boss is on his way out, but was it really deserved? And just who can step in for the long-term? Most importantly, was Julien nothing but a scapegoat?

Ken Hitchcock

Lost in the drama of Beantown, was that another coach lost his position recently, but in a much stranger position. Just why was Ken Hitchcock fired, and was there no better way to handle business?

Patrick Marleau

Don't look now but Patrick Marleau has 500 NHL goals. Seriously. Are we living in a Golden Age of Hockey? The guys discuss.

Follow them on Twitter: @GTD_Podcast, @ColtonPraill, @Gham614 and @NickSeguin19

Colton Praill

I host my own radio show across Manitoba, CA. When I’m not regaling you with whimsical stories, I’m writing, podcasting, or lamenting the woes of Arsenal, Detroit Lions, and Ottawa Senators fandom.

Nick Seguin

A brand marketer by day, a writer by night. Nick is a lover of all things hockey and a die hard fan of the Detroit Red Wings. With contributions to multiple blogs, Nick is continuing to marry his two passions: writing and hockey.

Graham Anderson

I’m a recent Brock University grad and a huge Blue Jays and Wild fan. I spent two years in the UK and am happy to be back in London Ontario for the 2016-17 MLB playoffs and NHL season.

What is K?

Similar to last episode’s WAR discussion, K is a single statistic developed by Manny. Rather than comparing players to replacement level, it compares them to the average player. You can read up on it in full here, or listen to the episode for the quick and dirty.

Corisca

Corsica.Hockey is the best hockey statistics website out there, and running it is a thankless job, that Manny has done tirelessly. We chat briefly about updates and the future of the site.

Emmanuel Perry

Manny has been a part of the hockey analytics scene for a number of years. Quick with a joke, a picture of salad, or a well-crafted argument, he is an invaluable member of the community. You can follow him on Twitter@MannyElk

 

Check out our regular weekly podcast! New episodes drop every Tuesday.

Follow them on Twitter: @GTD_Podcast, @ColtonPraill, @Gham614 and @NickSeguin19

Colton Praill

I host my own radio show across Manitoba, CA. When I’m not regaling you with whimsical stories, I’m writing, podcasting, or lamenting the woes of Arsenal, Detroit Lions, and Ottawa Senators fandom.

Nick Seguin

A brand marketer by day, a writer by night. Nick is a lover of all things hockey and a die hard fan of the Detroit Red Wings. With contributions to multiple blogs, Nick is continuing to marry his two passions: writing and hockey.

Graham Anderson

I’m a recent Brock University grad and a huge Blue Jays and Wild fan. I spent two years in the UK and am happy to be back in London Ontario for the 2016-17 MLB playoffs and NHL season.