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As it comes close to the start of the season every team and their fans get excited about the team’s potential.  Everyone starts with a clean slate and has the potential to make the playoffs and win it all. Everyone dreams of hoisting the cup over their heads just like Phil Kessel and the Pittsburgh Penguins did last year.  It is never fun being the one that has to bring bad news but someone has to do it.  I thought about writing another Stanley Cup prediction article but really who wants to read another one of those?  So I figured it is my duty toRead More →

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Last time we looked into the challenging road trips that the eight teams in the Metropolitan would face this season. And it’s safe to say that the New York Islanders have been well and truly screwed over, that nine-game road trip might just destroy whatever chances the team may have had at the playoffs. Until air-travel became the norm, teams would travel between cities by train. Often in specialised sleeper cars. Roy Conacher‘s departure from the Detroit Red Wings left the number 9 available and it was offered to a young Gordie Howe. Howe accepted the number not because of any historical or personal significance,Read More →

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There’s nothing like going into another team’s house and beating them on their own ice, in front of their fans. But road trips are a double-edged sword. Sometimes you can see the sights that a new city has to offer, other times it’s just a blur of airports, hotel rooms, buses and hockey rinks. Thousands of miles away from your fans, friends and loved ones. Some prolonged road trips are self inflicted. The New York Rangers started the 2013-14 season with a nine game road trip, as renovations to Madison Square Gardens were still being completed. The Rangers went 3-6-0 in a trip they’d probablyRead More →

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The 2016-17 season is a little over a week away, so today we’ll be sharing our Calder Trophy predictions, with a twist. This time we’re each going to pitch our nomination and let you decide. Last year’s Calder Trophy was won by the Chicago Blackhawks’ Artemi Panarin, edging out fellow rookies Connor McDavid and Shayne Gostisbehere. Joel Schnell If you feel like you don’t get enough Leafs gushing and love from when I talk about them on the podcast then you might want to skip this section and move on to the next pick.  Everyone knows that I am going to pick a Toronto Maple LeafRead More →

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The guys are back as they celebrate their 100th episode, with Joel getting to eat cake. They touch on Canada’s rout at the World Cup and what it means for the future of the tournament, the suspensions players have received this preseason and preview the Metropolitan division. This weekend was the 4th Line Podcast fantasy draft, so they cover their teams and Joel and his team have already been accused of collusion. Limited Edition 100th Episode Gear! teespring.com/4th-line-podcast-100th-episode Twitter: twitter.com/The4thLinePod Facebook: facebook.com/the4thlinepodcast Email: the4thlinepod@gmail.com Intro music by Erik Hall of Shoot the Shred podcast shredpod.simplecast.fmRead More →

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As the start of the regular season edges ever closer; it’s time to make some super-early trophy predictions and today I’ll be looking at the Vezina Trophy. The award, named after former Montreal Canadiens goalie Georges Vezina, is awarded to the best goaltender each season. The winner of the Vezina is decided by all 30 NHL General Managers. Last season LA’s Jonathan Quick, Tampa Bay’s Ben Bishop and Washington’s Braden Holtby were all finalists for the Vezina. But with a career high 48 wins in 66 games, tying Martin Brodeur for most regular season wins, Holtby took the honours. The Finalists Braden Holtby – not becauseRead More →

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Since the 2004-5 lockout the James Norris Memorial Trophy, awarded to the league’s best defenseman, has been won 6 different players. These players are Drew Doughty, Erik Karlsson, Duncan Keith, P.K. Subban, Nicklas Lidstrom and Zdeno Chara. Of these winners, every single player made the playoffs the year that they won. For all but three years the winner was in the top 2 in points for defenseman. The exceptions are Doughty was 10th in 2015-16, Chara was 13th in 2008-09 and Lidstrom was 5th in 2006-07. Looking ahead to 2016-17, as much as it’d be nice to put the best shut down D on thisRead More →

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As the start of the regular season edges ever closer; it’s time to make some super-early trophy predictions and I’m starting with the Jack Adams Award. The trophy, named after former player, coach GM and Hall of Famer Jack Adams, is awarded to the best coach each season. The winner is decided by a poll of the NHL Broadcasters Association. The 2016 Jack Adams Award went to Barry Trotz, head coach of Carl’s Washington Capitols. The Caps might have thrown everyone by not winning the Stanley Cup, but the team dominated the Eastern Conference and were a single point away (120) from tying for theRead More →

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The guys are back as they talk about Team Europe facing off against Canada in the World Cup of Hockey. Is Canada going to perform as well as Carl and Joel think they will? Jacob Trouba requested a trade out of Winnipeg. Will he get it and if so, where will he go? This week’s show includes their preview of the Atlantic division, including: How much better will the Leafs be with their new young talent, like Auston Matthews? How many of the Sabres young players, like Sam Reinhart, will continue to improve? Does the return of Carey Price mean a return to the playoffsRead More →

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What does it mean to be an enforcer in the NHL? The documentary “Ice Guardians” produced by Adam Scorgie and directed by Brett Harvey answers just that. You may remember Ice Guardians from a recent episode of the podcast. We also had the opportunity to view Ice Guardians at the Calgary International Film Festival on September 24th. Ice Guardians successfully provides a unique and informative exploration of what the life of an NHL enforcer is like. This continues to become more relevant as the amount of enforcers in the league steadily declines. Through conversations with dozens of current and former NHL players, the team behind Ice Guardians are ableRead More →