NHL Fans From Afar

We did a stupid thing. We made a playoff bracket in December, only 30 games into the 2018/19 season...

Hear Jolon Kemp Walker and Clare Freeman's workings out and thoughts of where they think the league is at, plus reaction to Toronto Maple Leaf's William Nylander being back in the team and Clare's heartfelt apology for cursing Freddie Andersen.

Produced by ASFB Productions. ASFBProductions.com/podcast

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Willy watch is over...William Nylander is a Toronto Maple Leaf. No really, he is... And not just this season - but for another 5. What impact has this had on the market according to other agents and players awaiting extensions?

Seattle’s space in the NHL expansion is confirmed but what changes will be made to accommodate them? Arizona look set to take a trip from the Pacific to the Central Division. But will the Coyotes buckle financially and see a spot for Houston emerge?

And as violence disappears from the game of hockey, we speak to Washington Capitals’ fan Dr Vic Silverwood on what fighting’s past, present and future role could be. The writer and researcher was featured in the documentary Ice Guardians.

Plus salad, shrek and teddy bears...

Presented by Jolon Kemp Walker and Clare Freeman. Produced by ASFB Productions. Photo credit: Kim Klement.

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He twice phoned Gary Bettman to ask about NHL TV deals in Europe. Mark Rackham has seen the ups and downs as a Toronto Maple Leafs for the last 18 years, watching them twice in person each season. He’s also a blogger on all things AHL, so what’s working well in the Toronto Marlies camp to ensure the Leafs have a steady supply of up and coming young talent for years to come?

 

NHL Fans From Afar hosts, Clare and Steve discuss what's Buffalo Sabres secret? They were worst in the league last season, now they’re on a nine win streak…Will they finally end a seven-year playoff drought? 

Plus, what do NHL GM's actually do? It comes as time was called on Ron Hextall by the Philadelphia Flyers. 

Will we see an NHL team play in Belfast in 2020? Giants' chief thinks so...

Just for fun, who would be in your ginger NHL fantasy team - current & past players? And no, Gritty doesn’t count…

And of course - willy watch makes a comeback. William Nylander - will he/won’t he?

Presented by Clare Freeman and Steven Edwards. Produced by ASFB Productions.

Read Mark's blog here: https://mapleleafshotstove.com/

Final song credit: Jesse Glowinsky/Adam Jesin

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From Disney to the wild wing of the west…Anaheim Ducks fan and Hockey Hypothetical host Stephen Dowson reveals how he fell in love with his team years after their Stanley Cup success.

With Jolon on holiday, Clare Freeman and US sports analyst Steven Edwards talk injuries, back up goalies and surprises…

Surprised how bad Pittsburgh Penguins' run is right now, compared with the Buffalo Sabres flying sky high?

Surprised that a third and fourth coach are out with less than 20 games played this season?

Surprised if Joel Quenville steps back into coaching with St Louis Blues or another before the season ends?

And surprised that the last time Toronto Maple Leafs had a California sweep.. was when Michael Jackson’s Earth Song was Christmas number one and only 1% of the UK’s population used the internet? Until this weekend…. (It was 1995 in case you’re wondering.)

Produced by ASFB Productions. Contact us [email protected] or on twitter @nhlfansfromafar

Picture credit: Chris Creamer’s SportsLogos.Net

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Concussion, player safety and San Jose Sharks.

Is Tom Wilson’s suspension reduction an embarrassment to the league, or the right call by a third abbratrator?

Does Gary Bettman deserve a place in the Hockey Hall of Fame whilst he’s still in the role as the NHL’s commissioner?

And is the agreement offered for retired hockey players enough when it comes to acknowledging the warnings involved in a job that sees repeated hits to the head?

Part One: Jolon and Clare round up key talking points from around the league

Part Two: A&E consultant Dr Matt Heywood talks concussion and CTE from a medical point of view, plus how he fell in love with the San Jose Sharks via a t-shirt from M&S and a SEGA Mega Drive game...!

Presented by Clare Freeman and Jolon Kemp Walker. Produced by ASFB Productions. (Joe Thornton beard photo credit: Joe Pavelski!)

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Octopuses, a rebuild and 11 Stanley Cups… Detroit Red Wings have missed the playoffs two years in a row, but how long will it take for them to return?

 

NFFA guest Graeme Thomson fell in love with the red and whites when Drew Miller came to play in Scotland during the 2012/13 NHL lockout. He says there’s nothing quite like watching an NHL game and saying “I know him”, having met him several times off ice during his 23 games in the Elite League. Now an admirer of the team’s young home star Dylan Larkin, Graeme shares his hopes and dreams as the Atlantic Division club continue a long rebuild.

 

Plus –

It was bye bye to John Stevens as LA Kings’ head coach AND Joel Quenneville of Chicago Blackhawks – but does a team’s success really live and die with the head coach?

Mock dives and players’ acting out – is it entertaining or just downright stupid? Was Boston Bruins’ Brad Marchand right to demo a mock dive during the game against Nashville Predators’ Colton Sissons?

A video of some Ottawa Senators players making derogatory comments about their coach was leaked by a taxi driver this week. When it comes to players and privacy – do they have a right to an opinion, or should they keep their heads down and do their job?

 

NHL Fans From Afar Podcast is presented by Clare Freeman and Jolon Kemp Walker. Produced by ASFB Productions. (Picture credit: NHL/Dave Reginek)

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Maths teacher by day, hockey nerd by night... Twenty years as a fan and now commentator - has seen Jonathan Fearnley witness plenty of silverware as a UK Sheffield Steelers fan. But when it comes to his NHL team, as a franchise the Winnipeg Jets are still to have their taste of Stanley Cup success.

There’s talk of the Jets’ and Florida Panthers’ upcoming trip to Finland, as well as the talents of Patrik Laine and Kasperi Kapanen. And is the NHL right to follow in the footsteps of the NBA when it comes to a betting partnership with MGM?

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

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Matt Day waited 20 years before seeing his beloved Dallas Stars in person, after discovering ice hockey on late night Channel 5 coverage in the 1990s. He explains how his favourite band Pantera sported Stars' jerseys in a music video - and has since led him on a die hard path as hardcore NHL fan ever since.

Clare is back from her holidays, and has a bone to pick with Jolon after the Leafs' luck turned following his bragging. All three discuss how early is too early when it comes to pulling the goalie, what connects Tyler Bozak to Jim Montgomery, whether Ben Bishop is actually a sumo wrestler in disguise and why a green alien with hockey sticks for antennae is an important fixture in Texan history books...

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

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Suspensions, cellys and speed... can you can still have the physicality we all love in hockey as NHL teams get smaller and faster?

Clare is away this week so we've invited uber hockey fan and analyst Steven Edwards back after his superb performance in week one of the pod. He reports back from seeing an NHL game and Connor McDavid in Sweden as part of the global series.

Presented by Jolon Kemp Walker & Steven Edwards.

Produced by ASFB Productions.

Picture credit: Bjorn Larsson Rosvall /TT News Agency via AP

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A lonely pastime... that’s how Edmonton Oilers’ fan Tom Parker describes his last night obsession with watching NHL.

In this episode of NFFA, Jolon and Clare happily confirm he’s not alone - as all three share stories of how far they go to support their teams, much to the bewilderment of their friends and family.

Tom from Birmingham even managed to convince his other half a trip to Canada to watch hockey was a worthy honeymoon! Jolon seeks advice on how he can convince his girlfriend to do the same... and Clare admits to some full out geekery when it comes to noting names, numbers and game sheet history for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Presented by Jolon Kemp Walker & Clare Freeman.

Produced by ASFB Productions.

*note: we apologise for the quality of this pod, we had some major technical hitches, lesson learnt - hopefully a one off! Bear with us!

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