NHL Fans From Afar

Jolon Kemp Walker and Matthew Day took a break from packing their cases to discuss the NHL Play Offs so far and what they were hoping to see when they arrive in Slovakia for the IIHF World Champs later this week. 

Lots of Dallas Stars talk as they head into Game 7 with the Blues. New GM in Edmonton, same coach in Toronto and how officiating in the playoffs has left us scratching our heads at times. 

That feeling when your team exits the playoffs... Yeah we're still bitter. But hey, pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and back to talking NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs we go. 

Carolina Hurricanes are holding on (just) with a 2-0 series lead in their second round, but with injuries left right and centre, will New York Islanders find the 'kick'start they need to spin an epic comeback?

Dallas Stars trail by one in their series with St Louis Blues - we're all scratching our beards wondering how rookie Jordan Binnington is keeping the Blues in the running with no prior playoff hockey experience  on a minimum wage contract?!

Great hands, speed and shots galore continue for San Jose Sharks second round series - currently tied with Colorado Avalanches. The man all the NHL stars are talking about and watching? Nathan MacKinnon...

'Almost rejects' Sergei Bobrovski and Anteri Panaren continue their magic for Columbus Blue Jackets - tied one a piece with the team Jolon and Clare can't barely talk about right now.

Plus Vezina Trophy, your round 2 predictions and references to waffles and bananas...

Presented by Clare Freeman and Jolon Kemp Walker. Produced by ASFB Productions. Email [email protected] to join our slack group!

Week one of the 2018/19 playoffs saw more dum dums than the end of an Eastender’s soap opera…

How are Clare and Jolon’s heart rates as history repeats itself with Boston and Toronto going to game 7… In part two of the podcast, listen to them as-live watching the final minutes of the game!

Elsewhere, we kissed goodbye to the chances of an all-Canadian Stanley Cup final as Winnipeg and Calgary crashed out in the first round with St Louis Blues, Dallas Stars, Columbus Blue Jackets AND Colorado Avalanches all defying the bookies and critics.

Dallas Stars and Nashville Predators tied at game six, but the Stars went on to clinch their space in the next round tweeting ‘this is what it feels to be alive’ moments after winning in overtime.

They’ve not made the playoffs in a decade, and now the Carolina Hurricanes may end up knocking out last year’s champions out in the first round…with a feisty exit for Alex Ovechkin too! Will Washington Capitals meet their former coach Barry Trotz and the New York Islanders in the second round?

San Jose Sharks and Las Vegas Knights had an absolute goal fest in their first round and now (as we record this podcast) sit tied 3 a-piece. Will Las Vegas prove their inaugural season wasn’t just a fluke or will Eric Karlsson’s team get a stab at their first ever Stanley Cup?

And a clean sweep left the President Trophy winners’ Tampa Bay Lightning AND Sidney Crosby’s Pittsburgh Penguins saying see ya later?! Destroying all of our NHL brackets in one clean swoop.

So will CBJ go all the way? There’s mixed thoughts on our twitter poll!

Hosted by Clare Freeman & Jolon Kemp Walker. Featuring Pittsburgh Penguins fan Georgie Hunt and a surprise guest on the phone at the end… Produced by ASFB Productions.

To join like-minded folk who love watching the NHL but live outside of North America, email us for an invite to our closed slack workspace: [email protected]

“Player safety is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get…” the words of Mark Ukleaf Rackham one of our panellists on this week’s NHL Fans From afar.  From Kucherov to Kadri’s suspensions, to ‘that’ Ovechkin fight against 19 year old Svechnikov…  We talk favourite moments, who’s surprised us and what the heck is going on with potentially Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning going out in the first playoff round with a clean sweep…or won’t they?  

Plus new kid on the block for Colorado Avalanches, Cale Makar, became the seventh player in NHL history and first defenceman to score a goal while making his debut in the Stanley Cup playoffs - and it was a game-winner!  Clare Freeman, Jolon Kemp Walker, Steven Edwards and Mark Rackham host. Produced by ASFB Productions. 

Join our slack group to chat playoffs with like minded NHL fans living outside North America. Email [email protected] for an invite.

16 made it to the dance, 15 didn't. 4 head coaches have never made the Stanley Cup playoffs before. And one team have scraped through with 11 of their players ready to make their playoff debut.

Columbus Blue Jackets have never ever won a playoff round, Carolina Hurricanes are to make their first post season appearance in a decade and only one team has won both the President's Trophy AND the Stanley Cup in the same season in the last decade (Chicago Blackhawks in 2013) - so does that mean that Tampa Bay Lightning aren't guaranteed a done deal?

With 8 match ups across east and west, how do you go about organising your playoff watching schedule? Will you sacrifice sleep or slip away if your team takes an early exit?

Clare and Jolon preview this year's playoffs with some wild predictions, a bet and a handful of stats.

Plus there's more changes to head coach positions at the end of the season. Is Joel Quenville's new job with Florida Panthers a record breaking contract? And what exactly will Ken Hitchcock's role be with Edmonton Oilers going forwards?

Join our slack group and NHL bracket! Email [email protected] for a slack invite, or join the bracket league here: https://bracketchallenge.nhl.com/leagues/nhl-fans-from-afar

Montreal Canadiens have been in, out, in, out, and shook the wild card playoff space all about. But with just two games left in the regular season - will they, Columbus Blue Jackets or Carolina Hurricanes make the final stretch?

It looks like it’ll be right down to the last game...which unfortunately for this week’s guest - Dave our Habs fan - one of the deciding meet ups happens to be against Jolon & Clare’s team Toronto Maple Leafs. Oops!

There’s a dance over in the West Conference too - as Winnipeg, Nashville & St Louis have all made the cut for a playoff berth but it’s still all to play for in final positioning. And will Colorado Avalanche or Arizona Coyotes make the final wildcard spot?

Plus, was Paul Byron was right to say yes to dropping the gloves with Florida Panthers’ MacKenzie Weegar? A move which cost him several games and concussion at a crucial time for the Habs...

And, as the NHL draft lottery order is about to be announced - who the heck is Jack Hughes anyway?!

Presented by Clare Freeman & Jolon Kemp Walker. Produced by ASFB Productions.

Join our NHL Bracket league here: https://bracketchallenge.nhl.com/leagues/nhl-fans-from-afar

Picture credit: Rena Laverty/USA Hockey's NTDP

Hurricanes and lightning, very very frightening... 6 playoff berths have been clinched with 6 more teams waiting to fix their final standings, and the dance continues in the wild card spots for both the East and West Conferences. 

It's all to play for with just 5 or 6 games left in the regular season, and chances are if you're a Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanches, Arizona Coyotes, Minnesota Wild, Carolina Hurricanes, Montreal Canadiens or Columbus Blue Jackets fan - you'll be feeling it right now!

With Clare in a hotel on the road in Newcastle, Steven in a his spare room in that London and Jolon making an appearance from a very special location in Toronto - it's an exciting week rounding up what has been and could be for the final few days of the 2018/19 NHL season.

The week that Carolina Hurricanes played basketball and fishing on ice, St Louis Blues scored three goals against Tampa Bay Lightning in 75 seconds and John Tavares broke a personal AND Toronto Maple Leafs record... Plus Steven has a rant about the global series skipping London (again).

Join our slack group or email us via [email protected]

Presented by Clare Freeman and Steven Edwards. Produced by ASFB Productions. Picture credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports

"Golf on ice"...that's how Vancouver Canucks fan Andy's son describes ice hockey. Aww!

Nine games left of the regular season, as Tampa Bay Lightning clinch the a playoff space and the Presidents’ Trophy - is it inevitable they’ll go on to win the Stanley Cup?

What happens when we phone Toronto’s video room whilst recording our podcast...

Plus your hockey film recs and can a player still be classed as ‘great’ if they’ve no accolades to their name?

Join our slack group, email us for an invite: [email protected]

Presented by Clare Freeman and Jolon Kemp Walker. Produced by ASFB Productions.

The week Clare switched sides and became a Columbus Blue Jackets' fan. Plus how did Jolon fair with a 20 minute ban on talking about the Toronto Maple Leafs? 

The pace of hockey feels different this week... with the playoffs just round the corner, it seems things have massively changed since we sketched our  playoff bracket in December. Which teams are surprising us? Which teams have disappointed us?

Fancy joining us as a guest? Email us - [email protected]

Ouch. Who would want to be an Ottawa Senators fan right now? No coach, no stars, no new rink, no first round draft pick. What hope is there for Canada’s capital over coming NHL seasons? 

"Lying, snake, traitor, pyjama boy...” those were the words used by a handful of New York Islander fans describing John Tavares on a video released before their meet up with Toronto Maple Leafs last Thursday. The leafs went on to tank that game, but then days later something magic happened - the whole of Toronto stood tall and reassured JT that he is loved in his new home - the Scotiabank Arena.  

And we reach out to a Detroit Red Wings supporter who is truly an NHL fan afar... Adam listens to our podcast from the Sunshine Coast of Australia. He reveals his predicament of supporting ice hockey in a hot climate - including having to turn up the air con just to wear his jersey whilst watching hockey fans in Canada shiver at the Winter Classic...!   

Presented by Clare Freeman and Jolon Kemp Walker. Produced by ASFB Productions. Join our Slack group! Email [email protected] for an invite.