The Fan Pregame

Ailish Forfar and Justin Cuthbert kick things off ahead of a busy weekend of NHL playoff action with NHL Network’s Cory Schneider (1:54)! He breaks down how Freddy Andersen has been dominating the postseason for Carolina, tees up Game 2 between the Habs and Sabres, and discusses his time playing with Scott Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood. Then, ESPN’s John Buccigross joins the show (25:58) to break down his experience live in-studio during the NHL Draft Lottery when Toronto won the First Overall Draft Pick, his take on the McKenna/Stenberg debate, Cole Caufield’s struggles throughout the playoffs, Leo Carlsson’s evolution into NHL superstardom, and more. Finally, Ailish and Justin end things off discussing the latest editions to the FPG Conn Smythe Rankings. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Ailish Forfar and Justin Cuthbert kick things off with Frank Seravalli (1:39) for another edition of Frank Or Fiction! They discuss how Toronto landing the top pick impacts Auston Matthews’ future in Toronto, the Ducks' chances to go on a deeper run, the Norris trophy finalists, and much more! Then, Sabres analyst Rob Ray joins the show (26:21) to discuss the series opener between the Habs and Sabres, what to expect in Game 2, the importance of the Sabres' depth players stepping up in Game 1, Rasmus Dahlin’s Norris Trophy nomination, and much more. They end things off discussing the latest FPG Conn Smythe Rankings.  The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Ailish Forfar and Justin Cuthbert kick things off with the Buffalo News’ Mike Harrington (1:26) to tee up the Sabres' series opener against the Habs in Round 2. They tee up a series between two of the youngest teams in the league, how the Sabres stack up against Montreal, and much more. Then, Former Hart Trophy Winner and Habs legend José Théodore (26:40) joins the show! They discuss how Jakub Dobeš outplayed Tampa’s Andrei Vasilevskiy, the importance of having Noah Dobson back in the lineup, how the Habs top line can find its game, and much more. They end things off discussing expansion coming to the PWHL and the latest updates to the Live FPG Conn Smythe Rankings. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Ailish Forfar and Justin Cuthbert kick off the show with Sportsnet’s Jason Bukala (3:44) ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery. They break down which team is most deserving of the first overall pick, which player could hear their name called first, how teams will go about deciding who they will take in the lottery, and much more. Then, Ailish and Justin break down their latest Live FPG Conn Smythe Rankings! The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Ailish Forfar and Justin Cuthbert kick things off with Sportsnet’s Luke Fox (1:01) to discuss the new era of the Toronto Maple Leafs under John Chayka and Mats Sundin. They break down the resumes of each new member of the Leafs front office, how the dynamic will work between Chayka and Sundin, the mood at the introductory presser today, what makes Chayka a valuable addition to Toronto, and the moves he has made that have impacted the league. Then, Luke breaks down his conversations with the Leafs new GM, his mindset on making trades, and much more. Finally, Ailish and Justin end things off discussing their latest Live PFG Conn Smythe Rankings. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Ailish Forfar and Justin Cuthbert kick things off with Craig Simpson (1:31) in Montreal ahead of Game 6 between the Habs and Lightning. They break down how the Habs have improved since their first-round playoff loss to Washington last season, the goaltending battle between Dobeš and Vasilevskiy, the absence of Victor Hedman, and much more. Then, ahead of a must-win game for the Raptors in Game 6 against the Cavaliers, Michael Grange joins the show (25:22). They break down Ingram’s injury, what struggles the Raptors need to correct at home, and much more! Finally, Ailish and Justin end things off with their updated FPG Live Conn Smythe Rankings! The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Ailish Forfar and Justin Cuthbert kick things off with Frank Seravalli (1:08) as the First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs continues. They discuss Crosby and the Penguins being ousted by the Flyers, preview what Philly can expect in the second round against the Hurricanes, and tee up tonight's Stars/Wild contest, with the Stars' season on the line. Then, Frank shares what Leafs fans could expect from a potential Chayka/Sundin-led front office. Later, CHED Oilers Analyst Rob Brown (26:00) joins the show! They break down the mood in Edmonton, why it is Stanley Cup or bust for Edmonton, who will be the most disappointed if the Oilers do not make it past Round one, the positives we have seen from the team's superstars, and much more. Finally, Ailish and Justin end things off discussing the changes to their latest FPG Live Conn Smythe Rankings! The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Ailish Forfar and Justin Cuthbert kick things off with former 1st Overall Draft Pick and TVA's Alexandre Daigle (1:37) ahead of the Habs matchup against the Lightning. They break down the Habs decision to scratch Brendan Gallagher, the series' officiating, how the Habs can slow down Brandon Hagel, Juraj Slafkovský's health, the battle of the two goaltenders, and much more. Then, Matt Devlin joins the show (25:40) courtside in Cleveland ahead of Game 5 between the Raptors and Cavaliers! They discuss the defence we have seen from Toronto, how James Harden’s arrival in Cleveland has changed the team's style of play, Scottie Barnes' growth, and much more. Then, Ailish and Justin end things off with their updated FPG Conn Smythe Rankings. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Ailish Forfar and Justin Cuthbert kick things off breaking down the big NHL games on the agenda tonight. Then, ahead of game 2 between the Red Sox and Blue Jays, Dan Shulman joins the show! They break down Trey Yesavage making his season debut tonight, the most popular Blue Jays, Don Mattingly getting his chance to manage a big-league club once again, and much more. Then, ahead of a potential elimination game for Edmonton, Jack Michaels joins the show to tee up the Ducks matchup against Edmonton. They discuss McDavid’s status for the game, what is going right for Anaheim, and much more. Ailish and Justin end things off discussing their updated Conn Smythe Rankings. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliate.

Ailish Forfar and Justin Cutbbert kick things off with Deputy Commissioner of the NHL, Bill Daly (1:41)! They discuss last night’s controversial OT goal decision that resulted in the Oilers being pushed to the brink, whether technology could be implemented to help calls on the ice, the biggest issue plaguing officiating in the first round, the latest on potential NHL expansion, the DOPS, and much more. Then, the Boston Red Sox come to town amidst turmoil on the field, and MLB.com’s Ian Browne (26:56) joins the show. They discuss why the season hasn’t gone as planned for Boston, what to expect against the Blue Jays, and more. Then, Ailish and Justin update their Live FPG Conn Smythe Rankings! The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.