The JD Bunkis Podcast

Sportsnet's Arden Zwelling joins the show live from Dunedin, Florida to get into early Blue Jays spring training stories. JD asks Arden about Brendon Little's impressive offseason adjustments, which bullpen arms on the roster bubble he believes in, Eloy Jiménez' chances to make the big league roster, the cautious approach with Trey Yesavage and how the Jays may deploy him, José Berríos and the meritocracy strategy for the overcrowded starting rotation. The show ends with 'What We Missed!' (27:00) 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.

JD reacts to the Maple Leafs putrid loss to the Florida Panthers, before bringing on Anthony Petrielli from Maple Leafs Hot Stove. JD and Anthony dig into the team and discuss if they'd like the Leafs to extend Bobby McMann's contract and what salary they'd think is fair, which player they think should go at the trade deadline, and the team's development process.  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.

Matt Bonner, former Raptor and current co-host of The Raptors Show, joins JD Bunkis in-studio to get into dynamics of a basketball broadcast, why the Raptors keep blowing fourth quarter leads, Gradey Dick falling out of the rotation, potential re-tooling options for the front office in the summer, and Victor Wembanyama's race to the face of the league. The show ends with 'What We Missed!' 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.

JD reacts to the Blue Jays signing Max Scherzer, before moving on to the Maple Leafs 4-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. JD and Justin Bourne of Real Kyper and Bourne discuss Keith Pelley's message to season-ticket holders, if they trust the Leafs front office to retool the roster, were the Leafs are most deficient, and if they've handled Easton Cowan 's development well. JD then touches on Cody Ponce's impressive spring training debut.  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.

National NBA writer and host, Zach Harper, joins JD Bunkis to talk about giving the Raptors an A- letter grade for their season thus far, Toronto's offensive and defensive ceiling, and the title chances for the Raps' potent opponents this week: the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs. JD and Zach then discuss Victor Wembanyama's short and long-term potential. JD then reacts to news that Sidney Crosby will miss at least four weeks due to the injury sustained at the Olympics.  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.

JD Bunkis and Ben Ennis, co-host of The FAN Morning Show, banter about JD's Maple Leafs take on how Leafs nation may treat Auston Matthews moving forward, the report of Ricky Tiedemann's elbow soreness, if Eric Lauer can crack the starting rotation, and Max Scherzer's place on the roster. JD and Ben also touch on the upcoming World Baseball Classic and Team Canada's outlook.  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.

James Mirtle, senior writer at The Athletic, talks about the compact post-Olympic NHL schedule, if the World Cup will gain traction, the conversation surrounding goaltending and goaltending development in Canada, the weight on Auston Matthews as he returns to the Maple Leafs, and the Leafs looming decision to buy or sell at the trade deadline. The show ends with 'What We Missed!' (41:00) 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.

Sportsnet's Shi Davidi joins JD Bunkis live from Dunedin, Florida, to explain his read on Eric Lauer's role, what factors could influence the Blue Jays starting rotation, the Jays continued interest in Max Scherzer, and early impressions of Kazuma Okamoto. JD then touches on the Raptors outlook for the rest of the regular season.  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.

Sam McKee, JD's co-host of Leafs Talk, talks about the positive and negative spins from Canada's loss to the United States. JD and Sam split their blame pie, and how they think Connor McDavid's perception if shifting. JD and Sam then discuss Auston Matthews the winner, a potential concern for Maple Leafs fans, and how hockey players view big markets. JD and Producer Armen then talk about the novelty of first-thing-in-the-morning sports (39:00).  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.

JD reacts to Canada's Olympic loss to the United States in the gold medal game and lists the biggest winners and losers from the game. Kris Versteeg, two-time Stanley Cup Champion, explains what his worst feelings are after Canada's loss, the pain of Sidney Crosby missing the game due to injury, why Canada's powerplay didn't come through, and how they would've tweaked Canada's roster. JD then gives his first impressions from Blue Jays spring training (45:00).  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.

Olympic Gold Medalist and 15-year NHL forward, Brenden Morrow, joins JD Bunkis to discuss memories from the 2010 Olympic Games, the discourse around the shrinking talent gap in hockey between Canada and other countries, how he dealt with the weight of the pressure in overtimes and close games against the Americans, the challenge Finland has historically presented, and being Sidney Crosby's teammate in the NHL and Olympics. The show then ends with 'What We Missed!' (30:00) 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.

JD reacts to Canada's women's hockey team heartbreaking loss to the United States in the gold medal game. CBC hockey analyst, Hailey Salvian, joins JD to discuss the 3-on-3 overtime format, who's the biggest winner from the Olympics, what factors have contributed to America's women's hockey recent dominance over Canada, which player(s) can carry the torch from Marie-Philip Poulin, and if there's a debate about who the greatest women's player of all-time is. Later (36:00), JD touches on the NBA's proposed ideas to curtail the tanking wars.  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.

Ray Ferraro, Sportsnet and ESPN NHL analyst, joins JD Bunkis to discuss how pressure and expectations impact a hockey team and locker room, Canada's nuclear top-line option, Connor McDavid's greatness, which Canadian can have more impact in the semi-finals and potential gold medal game, how eight men on ice went undetected, and how other countries have performed. Later (24:30), JD and Sam McKee talk about their changed perspective on Nick Suzuki, the Maple Leafs conversation following Mitch Marner's game-winning goal, Jordan Binnington's polarizing discourse, and the quiet coverage of William Nylander.  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.

Kris Versteeg, two-time Stanley Cup Champion, joins JD to react to Canada's overtime win versus Czechia in the Olympic quarterfinals. JD and Kris get into how the team looked throughout the game, the 3-on-3 overtime format at the Olympics, Nick Suzuki's moment, Sidney Crosby's injury, Radko Gudas' dirtiness, the inconsistent officiating, what they've seen from Nathan MacKinnon, and how they'd juggle the lines. JD then touches on Kevin Durant's burner account.  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.

JD is joined by Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith to get into the acquisition of Jesus Sanchez: why it's important and what it means for Nathan Lukes. Next, Ben discusses what he's most intrigued to cover at spring training, the expectations on Kazuma Okamoto, the biggest roster decisions that may be influenced by training camp, and how the starting rotation may shake out.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.

JD weighs the pressure on Canada's men's hockey team in this tournament versus Olympics in the past that included the best players in the world. The Athletic's James Mirtle joins JD (8:00) to debate if this is the most pressure Canada has faced at Olympic hockey, David Pastrnak's "best team ever" comment, if future non-Olympic tournaments should include a smaller or bigger pool of teams, if Canada has overperformed considering their talent, and where Macklin Celebrini ranks among the best players in the NHL. 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.

Oren Weisfeld, author of The Golden Generation, joins JD to get into his new book about Canada Basketball. JD asks Oren about underrated figures who propelled basketball in Canada, where the lack of transparency is regarding the rise of the sport, what the challenges are at a youth development level, and Canada's next steps in international competition. JD and Oren then discuss the best ideas they've heard to cure tanking in the NBA. 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.  

As the Blue Jays spring training gets underway, JD and Ben Ennis, co-host of The FAN Morning Show, chat about what Blue Jays stories they're intrigued about and reminiscence about the hearbreaking end to the 2025 season. The good hour duo touch on Ricky Tiedemann's oppurtunity, Kazuma Okamoto's defensive spotlight at third base, and the Jesus Sanchez trade. Later, they talk about the rumours about Kevin Durant's burner account on X. 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.  

JD is joined by CBC Olympics Correspondent Ariel Helwani from Italy to discuss the biggest Canadian storylines from the Milano-Cortina Olympics. Ariel describes the emotion that followed Mikael Kingsbury winning Canada's first Gold Medal of the Games, the controversy surrounding the Canadian curling team, and the other Canadian opportunities to win medals. JD reacts to the revamped NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles this weekend, and Adam Silver's comments on tanking in the Association. Later,  JD touches on the Slam Dunk Contest before getting into "What We Missed". 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.

JD and Sportsnet's Sam McKee break down Team Canada's final two preliminary games over the weekend, before setting up the biggest storylines heading into the knockout round. The guys discuss Macklin Celebrini's breakout tournament at 19 years old, Tom Wilson dropping the gloves against France, the goalie conversation between Jordan Binnington and Logan Thompson, and the decision to be made about who should come out of the lineup for Brad Marchand in the Quarterfinal. After the break, JD takes a look at the cheating controversy surrounding Canada's curling teams in Milano-Cortina.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.

Colby Armstrong, Sportsnet NHL analyst, joins JD Bunkis to talk about how Canada has lost our way in hockey and why this Canadian men's team can reestablish it. JD and Colby praise Jon Cooper's strengths, talk about the pressure on Auston Matthews, and reflect on what this Olympics means to Sidney Crosby. The show ends with 'What We Missed!' 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. 

JD and Sportsnet's Sam McKee banter about what makes Olympic hockey so special and the biggest winners from Canada's first men's game; how Doug Armstrong's selection of Tom Wilson impacts the team, Macklin Celebrini's impressive debut, Mitch Marner credit, Jordan Binnington's statement. JD and Sam's biggest loser: Maple Leafs fans. JD then reacts to breaking news of the Jays trading Joey Loperfido to the Houston Astro's for Joey Sanchez and touches on Adam Silver's not-so-bold fines for tanking. 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.

Hockey Hall of Famer and Canadian great, Scott Niedermayer, joins JD Bunkis to talk about Canada's past Olympic runs, the shrinking skills gap between Canada and other nations, Canada's dressing room before the most important games and periods, the USA vs Canada rivalry historically and in modern times, how officiating impacts international hockey, and being a first-time Olympian in contrast to having experience. 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.

Sportsnet's Ben Ennis joins JD Bunkis in-studio to celebrate the return of men's best-on-best hockey at the Olympics, and to discuss what the loss of Chris Bassitt and Anthony Santander means for the Blue Jays. Later (42:00), JD and Ben talk about watching morning sports at the bar. 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.

Scottie Barnes' long-time trainer, Brian Macon, joins JD Bunkis to get into his relationship with Scottie Barnes and share what made Barnes special from a young age, what he's noticed about Barnes' approach this season, the expectations of a franchise player, what's impressed him most in Barnes' game, how Brandon Ingram has supplemented Barnes' development, and how the Raptors can continue to improve. The show ends with 'What We Missed!' (28:30) 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.

JD reacts to the Blue Jays announcement that Anthony Santander will miss a majority of the season with an injury. Ben Nicholson-Smith, senior Blue Jays reporter, and JD talk about the Jays lineup and paths they have to bolster it, what kind of trades the Jays should contemplate, the trickle down effects of Shane Bieber being labelled week-to-week,  and John Schneider's quotes on José Berríos. Later, JD reacts to Canada women's hockey team getting thrashed by the United States. 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.

Keith Law, baseball writer at The Athletic, joins JD Bunkis to dig into his top prospects list and evaluation. JD asks Keith if the Jays farm system is stronger than it was this time last year, outlooks for Arjun Nimmala, Ricky Tiedemann, Gage Stanifer, and Johnny King, which Jays' prospects it's most important for to a good season, and which lower-ranked prospect Keith thinks can take a jump. The show ends with 'What We Missed!'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.  

JD reacts to Marie-Philip Poulin getting injured in Canada's first game. James Mirtle, senior writer at The Athletic, and JD talks about the Maple Leafs strategy heading into the Olympic break, and how different the Leafs blue line can look next season. JD and James pick which Leafs' players are most likely to be off the team by next season. The duo also discuss what could save or end Brad Treliving's job with the Leafs. Finally, JD talks about the dunk contest opportunity in the NBA. 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.  

Jason Bukala, Sportsnet NHL analyst and founder of The Pro Hockey Group, joins JD Bunkis to analyze Gavin McKenna's updated draft stock, Keaton Verhoeff's game and style, if late first-round picks may yield meaningful returns in the 2026 NHL draft, the practice line of Macklin Celebrini, Connor McDavid, and Tom Wilson, plus what else stuck out about the lines at Team Canada's men's hockey practice. 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.  

JD reacts to his Seattle Seahawks winning their second-ever Super Bowl. Brady Quinn, NFL analyst on FOX and former NFL quarterback, breaks down why the Seahawks dominated the New England Patriots, Mike Macdonald's coaching masterpiece, Drake Maye's poor performance, if Sam Darnold played well, and tough decisions facing both teams. 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.   

JD reacts to the news that Sportsnet's Buck Martinez is retiring from his duties as the Blue Jays game analyst, before jumping into his prop bets for Super Bowl LX in San Francisco and his takes on some of the most popular markets. Then, Sportsnet's Dan Shulman joins the show to give his thoughts on Martinez' retirement, and discuss some of his favourite moments with the Jays legend (19:10).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.

JD opens with his thoughts on the Raptors direction following a quiet trade deadline, and their win over the Bulls in Toronto (00:00). Joseph Casciaro from theScore joins JD to chat more about the Raptors decision making ahead of the playoff run, and where the organization is headed after getting under the luxury tax, before getting into Toronto's win, the mystery of Gradey Dick, and the rest of the trades made in the NBA. Later, JD chats quickly about the decision by Team Canada to bring Seth Jarvis to Milano Cortina in the place of Brayden Point (53:10).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.

Super Bowl champion and former first-team All-Pro centre, Jeff Saturday, joins JD Bunkis to discuss Nick Emmanwori sustaining an injury in practice for the Seattle Seahawks, how Emmanwori has performed all-season despite being a rookie, if New England's offensive line can hold up, what Josh McDaniels is preaching to Drake Maye ahead of the big game, under-the-radar matchups that will make a difference in the trenches, and if Mike Vrabel's strategy may be to stop Jaxon Smith-Njigba and live with the Seahawks other offensive options. The show ends with 'What We Missed!'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.

JD reacts to another blown lead by the Raptors and their acquisition of third-year centre Trayce Jackson-Davis. Two-time Stanley Cup Champion, Kris Versteeg, talks about Artemi Panarin getting traded to the Los Angeles Kings, who should be in line for the injury replacement's on Canada's men's Olympic roster, how he thinks Canada may configure their lines, if Jordan Binnington will finish the tournament as the starting goalie, the biggest questions on the blue line, who Team Canada's leaders are and who could have a big moment. 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.  

Luke Gazdic, Sportsnet NHL analyst, joins JD Bunkis to get into the Oilers' biggest flaws, what it's like building a team around Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, Bobby McMann's value around the NHL, Sam Bennett replacing Anthony Cirelli on Team Canada, what player could be next up as an injury replacement, and what they think of Leafs' players that could be on the trade block. The show ends with 'What We Missed!' 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.

JD reacts to the Maple Leafs' West Coast road trip, before moving onto the Raptors' outlook heading into Thursday's NBA trade deadline. Sportsnet's Michael Grange analyzes why the Cleveland Cavaliers traded for James Harden, if the Raptors may have discussed Jaren Jackson Jr. who was acquired by the Utah Jazz, and how Jakob Poeltl's back and contract have hindered the flexibility for the Raptors front office. Finally, Grange gauges what RJ Barrett's value around the league is and what internal improvement the Raptors are hoping for. 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.  

Adam Rank, NFL Network analyst, joins JD to get into lingering questions surrounding Super Bowl week in California. JD asks Rank about his confidence level of Drake Maye's health, how much trust he has in Sam Darnold, the New England Patriots' defensive execution versus Mike MacDonald's gameplan, and individual matchups that may sway the Super Bowl results. The show ends with 'What We Missed!'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.

ESPN NBA Front Office Insider, Bobby Marks, joins JD Bunkis ahead of the NBA's trade deadline. JD asks Bobby about James Harden's most recent trade request, the latest in the Giannis Antetokounmpo's sweepstakes, his view of how aggressive the Raptors should be, and Domantas' Sabonis fit in Toronto. JD then reacts to news of the Blue Jays adding a Joe Carter statue outside the Rogers Centre. 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.

JD reacts to the Raptors weekend and explains why he prefers for the front office to not swing for the fences at this weeks trade deadline. Next, JD gets into the Maple Leafs brass and Auston Matthews reaffirming their commitment to each other, Morgan Rielly's time with the Leafs and his remaining contract, and what the Leafs can learn from the Vancouver Canucks. The show ends with 'What We Missed' 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.   

Ben Ennis, host of The FAN Morning Show, joins JD Bunkis in-studio to rank their confidence level for all Toronto sports general managers, discuss why they think Bobby Webster is in the toughest situation, make a pointed criticism of the future of Olympic hockey, and draft star players they'd least like to root for. 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. 

JD and Jackie Redmond, from NHL on TNT, chop it up about the difference of watching sports as a fan versus in their usual media roles, before moving on to the lacklustre Maple leafs. JD and Jackie discuss what the Leafs have left to cling to, what prompted this Leafs era to fall apart, and why Leafs fans feel so emotionally charged. JD and Producer Brandon then discuss the Buffalo Bills promotion of Joe Brady as head coach. 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.

JD and Blake Murphy, co-host of The Raptors Show, react to the Raptors 11th straight loss to the New York Knicks. The duo discuss the biggest concerns for the Raptors as they try to compete with the upper-echelon of the Eastern Conference. Then, JD and Blake sift through what a potential Giannis Antetokounmpo trade would look like for the Raptors and what other centres may fit the team. 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.