Hey everyone, hope you are doing well. Tonight, we are back again for another great Episode 30 of Season 7 of Two Guys & Hockey Talk. Here are some of the top stories from around the league and in the world of hockey:
- Jonathan Quick calls it a Career – Jonathan Quick announced his retirement after 19 seasons in the NHL with quite the resume. Not only was he a two time Stanley Cup champion with the LA Kings, but he was also the 2012 Conn Smythe winner and finishes with top 15 all-time in wins and shutouts. He played as the back up for the New York Rangers over the past few seasons being a steady presence. Over his career in the regular season he played 753 with a record of 393-289-78, a SV% of .911 and a GAA of 2.46. He also had 60 shut outs (and this isn’t counting the playoff runs he had. This also highlights another major veteran leaving the league at the same time as Ovechkin uncertainty.
- Bowness Calls out the Jackets – Rick Bowness’s post game comments weren’t subtle after their final game loss of 2-1 to the Washington Capitals. After a disappointing finish by the Columbus Blue Jackets, Bowness openly questioned the team’s effort level, consistency, and overall culture, suggesting that the issues went deeper than just talent or injuries. This may mean some significant offseason changes, be it roster turnover, leadership shifts, or even coaching adjustments, to try to reset the organization’s direction for next season.
- The Playoffs are about to Begin – The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs are shaping up with a mix of surging contenders and dangerous underdogs. In the East, the Carolina Hurricanes enter as a top seed after a dominant finish and will face off against the Ottawa Senators, while the Boston Bruins will face the red-hot Buffalo Sabres. The Montreal Canadiens will face the Tampa Bay Lightning, while in the West, teams like the Colorado Avalanche and Edmonton Oilers are still waiting to have their opponent determined. Overall, the matchups highlight a balance between proven playoff teams and emerging challengers, setting up a postseason where experience, health, and hot streaks could quickly decide who advances.
- Gagarin Cup playoffs heating up – Meanwhile in the KHL, Ak Bars Kazan have thoroughly dominated Dinamo Minsk, taking a commanding 3–0 lead and pushing Minsk—and head coach Dmitry Kvartalnov to the brink of elimination. What had looked like a strong, structured team from Minsk earlier in the playoffs. Meanwhile Lokomotiv Yaroslavl have surged into the semifinals behind elite goaltending from Daniil Isayev, who recorded three shutouts in four games while the series between Avangard Omsk and CSKA Moscow tightened after CSKA avoided elimination and forced another game.
- Chris Pronger making noise with a new Book – Former NHLer Chris Pronger has a new book out Earned: The True Cost of Greatness from One of Hockey’s Fiercest Competitors, is a candid memoir that reflects on his NHL career and the mindset required to reach and sustain elite success. In it, Pronger explores themes like accountability, discipline, leadership, and resilience, using stories from his time with teams like the St. Louis Blues, Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Ducks, and Philadelphia Flyers to illustrate the pressures and sacrifices behind winning at the highest level. The book also looks beyond hockey, touching on his personal challenges, injuries, and transition into life after retirement, offering an unfiltered perspective on both his achievements and mistakes.
- Notable recent youth NHL signings – With some teams being done for the season and looking to build for the future, we do have some rookie and prospect deals, including the Nashville Predators signing NCAA forward Aiden Fink to a 3-year entry-level contract after a strong college and AHL stretch as well as the Columbus Blue Jackets signing defenseman Boston Buckberger to a 2-year entry-level contract starting in 2026–27 after a strong NCAA season with Denver, including a national championship run. He is known for strong two-way play and high plus/minus (+32 last season). Toronto on the other hand has signed forward Landon Sim to a 2-year entry-level contract which starts in 2026–27 and played in the AHL/ECHL this season. Sim is a former OHL standout and Memorial Cup winner with London.
- OHL Rookie of the Year – The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) has officially named Nikita Klepov of the Saginaw Spirit as the 2026 Rookie of the Year after a standout debut season in which he led the league with 97 points, including 37 goals and 60 assists. His production is considered one of the most impressive rookie campaigns in recent memory, highlighting both his scoring ability and playmaking impact. As a result, Klepov has quickly risen into conversation as a top NHL Draft prospect, with expectations that his dominant first year will significantly boost his stock moving forward.
- The Hobey Baker Winner – This year’s winner of the 2026 Hobey Baker award is Max Plante of the University of Minnesota Duluth after a breakout sophomore season in which he established himself as one of the top players in college hockey. He led the nation in scoring with 25 goals and 52 points, powering Minnesota Duluth’s offense and helping the program reach another strong postseason run. Plante’s performance not only earned him the award as the NCAA’s best men’s player, but also solidified his status as a top NHL prospect, with strong expectations for his transition to professional hockey in the near future.
Thoughts? Questions? Suggestions? Then remember to tune in each week to get all the latest news in the world of hockey as we start up Season 7 of the Podcast each Wednesday night at 7pm MST, where we dive into some of these great topics, interview many in the game and so much more. For more hockey news, different takes or if you want to chat about anything hockey give me a follow @hockey_two & @revinev on X and give us a follow on YouTube, and check out our website for articles that we share regularly at https://twoguysandhockeytalk.com/. If you wish to reach out to us, feel free to email us at twoguyshockeytalk@gmail.com
- Pawel ‘The Cat’
