Podcast appearances and mentions of Joe Sakic

In hour 2 of The Drive, Zach and Phil continue their conversation on CSU Football, and Zach shares his pick for who will be the starting quarterback for the Rams this season. We pivot to the Broncos and take a deep dive into Bo Nix, as he was left off ESPN's top 100 players in the NFL list. Is this more disrespect, or do we overrate Nix here in Denver? Are the guys fans of the Broncos starting their season on Monday Night Football, with the whole country watching? What players that got cut and are on the Broncos' practice squad have the biggest chance to make an impact for the Broncos this season? Today's "Three Count" includes who has and has not returned to practice for the Broncos this week, the Rockies getting robbed on a potential walk-off home run in last night's thrilling game, and Kroenke Sports and Entertainment acquiring the Los Angeles Angels. We react to Joe Sakic's comments on Cale Makar's contract extension and balancing the roster moving forward with the salary cap steadily going up. 

In hour 4 of The Drive, Zach and Phil take a deep dive into the Broncos and Bo Nix, as he was left off ESPN's top 100 players in the NFL list. Is this more disrespect, or do we overrate Nix here in Denver? Why do people continue to hold on to their old takes on Nix and not adjust as he is setting records in his first two seasons in the NFL? We react to Joe Sakic's comments on Cale Makar from his press conference yesterday. Is Makar already a Hall of Famer? What challenges does Sakic face moving forward with Makar, MacKinnon, and Necas taking up so much of the Avs salary cap? We wrap up the show previewing Colorado and Colorado State's first game of the college football season this week and weekend. 

In the third hour of Dover and Cecil, the guys start the hour by reacting to something ESPN put out for the Denver Broncos. What are some sure-fire investments for every team? Are the Broncos guaranteed to win double-digit games? Will they find themselves in the AFC Championship game? Can Cecil's guy win the offensive rookie of the year award? We hear from Sean Payton! Why did they let go of Justin Joly? Did they think they could get him back on their practice squad? Is his reasoning enough to take away the frustration of them letting him go? Cale Makar and Joe Sakic talked yesterday. Did Cale feel responsible for resetting the market? Was it Cale or the Avs that wanted to get an eight-year deal done? We got some news coming out of Kroenke Sports and entertainment. Which franchise did they just purchase? What could that mean for their other teams here locally?

In hour one of Dover and Cecil, the guys kick off the show by reacting to something ESPN put out for the Denver Broncos. What are some sure-fire investments for every team? Are the Broncos guaranteed to win double-digit games? Will they find themselves in the AFC Championship game? Can Cecil's guy win the offensive rookie of the year award? We hear from Sean Payton! Why did they let go of Justin Joly? Did they think they could get him back on their practice squad? Is his reasoning enough to take away the frustration of them letting him go? Cale Makar and Joe Sakic talked yesterday. Did Cale feel responsible for resetting the market? Was it Cale or the Avs that wanted to get an eight-year deal done? The Rockies are on another major losing skid. How did last night's game go? Is another 100-loss season all but guaranteed at this point? Where did the Broncos find themselves on a national outlets tier list?

In hour two of Dover and Cecil, the guys start the hour by checking up on our friends in Boulder. What did Deion Sanders say about his team? What does he think about playing Georgia Tech later this week? Are he and his coaching staff on the same page as the season is getting ready to start? The Buffs have struggled in night games. What is he doing to make his players game-ready for their first night game? We hear from Jim Mora over in Fort Collins. What are the team's emotions going into a rivalry game against Wyoming? What does he know about the history between the two rivals? Will Petersen joins us in the studio. He was at the Avs presser yesterday. What did he learn from Joe Sakic and Cale Makar? How many Cups do we now expect this team to win? Is there any real buzz that the Avs could shift their focus now to land Connor Hellebuyck? We check our X to close out the hour! 

0:00 - The right way to handle dead money: how the Broncos handled the Russell Wilson situation.The wrong way to handle dead money: what the Miami Dolphins are doing right now.15:39 - Last night, the Rockies lost in a truly heartbreaking way that still feels impossible. Hear how it sounded on the Orioles broadcast and the Rockies broadcast. The thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat.Also, yesterday Sean Keeler asked Joe Sakic if the Avs are too "top heavy" after Cale's contract. That narrative has been floating around online in the past few days. Brett thinks that doesn't hold any water, especially in relation to the Makar extension.33:28 - Jonathon Cooper plead not guilty to all his charges yesterday, and his trial is set for mid-November. That's like 75% of the way through the regular season. What will the Broncos do? More importantly, how will the NFL handle this? 

0:00 - Jeff Legwold explained how the NFL will handle Jonathon Cooper while we await his trial, because there's a precedent for it. Bottom line is this: you have to treat it like he suffered a torn ACL in camp and will be out for the season. The Broncos have to prepare for the worst.17:00 - USC published a statement regarding the low attendance at their Week 0 game. Cry us a river, Trojans. LSU is sticking to their guns, and will allow the former NFL player to return to college football. The SEC is debating what to do with LSU if they won't budge. They'd never kick LSU out of the conference, right??CU begins their season on Thursday, and even though we know nothing about this team, we should expect the offense to look better. We should expect the QB to be more prepared. Is that fair?28:40 - The man behind Cale Makar's record-setting contract extension joined us this morning: Avs GM Joe Sakic. What does it mean to both Joe and the Avs to have Cale locked up for (almost) another decade?

The man behind Cale Makar's record-setting contract extension joined us this morning: Avs GM Joe Sakic. What does it mean to both Joe and the Avs to have Cale locked up for (almost) another decade?

School lunches, Blue Jays and Guardians battle tonight, Guerrero looking to power up, and Joe Sakic on handing Makar $20M.

In hour 2 of The Drive, Zach and Phil take a deep dive into the Broncos' second preseason game in which they were beat 33-13. Did this result cause the guys to question how great the Broncos' depth is? What positives did the guys take away from Bo Nix's performance? Is Zach ready to admit that Jaylen Waddle will be the Broncos' number one wide receiver after his connection with Nix? With Riley Moss going down with an injury, the guys speculate who will step into his role if needed between KAD and Jahdae Barron. We hear from Sean Payton after the loss and getting played in every phase by the Packers. Today's "Three Count" features Deion Sanders' lawsuit over the "Prime" logo, Joe Sakic saying he's "not really worried" about Cale Makar's contract extension, and he's confident it will get done, and Nikola Jokic losing to Victor Wembanyama in a Serbia vs France Friendly. We react to the viral press conference from Deshaun Watson after getting booed by Cleveland fans. 

0:00 - The Broncos lost 33-13 to the Packers in Preseason Game #2. Big whoop. Bo Nix came out for the first two drives, and the Broncos scored on both drives. One TD, one FG. The first team offense looks solid. Should Bo even play in the final preseason game?16:21 - Moser had a fun weekend full of Avalanche Alumni festivities. He caught up with Joe Sakic, and the elephant in the room is Cale's contract. Eventually, they're going to have to pay him. What's his value? How will they shed salary to make room?Also, do you want to see JK Dobbins play in the 3rd and final preseason game? Or do you trust him to be ready without it?29:51 - Oh, by the way...the Browns waived TE Dae'Quan Wright, so he's taking his talents to LSU. Going back to college.Oh, by the way...the Milwaukee Brewers have the best record in the MLB, and also have hit the least amount of homers in the MLB. That's some Billy Beane Ball right there.Oh, by the way...Scottie Sheffler played the first two rounds of the BMW Championship while riddled with Hand, Foot, and Mouth disease. YIKES. No wonder he finished 12th.

In the season finale, Neil and Vic are joined by noted NHL contributor Dave Pagnotta to springboard us into the off-season. However, that doesn't mean business is shutting down.There are noted unsigned UFA's but, perhaps more significantly, RFA's and offer sheets are certain to affect the NHL landscape both in the immediate and in years to come with the salary cap continuing to rise and several of the league's superstars set to become UFA's in two years.Plenty to unpack including Dave's take on how the needle has moved for certain teams amidst a flurry of off-season activity to date.IN THIS EPISODE:[02:34] - Dave Pagnotta from The Fourth Period provides updates on several UFA's still looking for their destination for the 2026-27 season.[09:57] - The Flyers shock the hockey world signing Ducks forward Leo Carlsson to an offer sheet that would make him the highest-paid player in NHL history...for now.[15:58] - Having been in this spot dating back to the offer sheet saga with Joe Sakic in 1997, Neil talks about the resentment Ducks GM Pat Verbeek might have towards Flyers management. This also extends to the business ramifications for other teams around the NHL.[26:28] - How the economic climate brought on by the Carlsson offer sheet might affect the UFA market, particularly in two years when superstars Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews and Zach Werenski all will hit market unless they extend with their current clubs.[31:05] - Quietly, the New Jersey Devils signed Utah forward Barrett Hayton to a one-year offer sheet. Dave offers up the positions by both the Devils and Mammoth.[33:46] - With the trade market active prior to July first and, given the free agent activity since, Neil, Vic and Dave weigh in with where they see the needle moving with various teams around the league.[44:07] - A look back to the growth for the podcast during 2025-26 and thank you listeners and viewers.X: https://twitter.com/NHLWraparoundNeil Smith: https://twitter.com/NYCNeilVic Morren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vic-morren-7038737/NHL Wraparound Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nhlwraparound/#NHLWraparound #NHLWraparound.com #ShortShifts #NYCentric #CelebritySeries #HallofFameEdition #StanleyCupdate #SummerCoolers #Smith'sPix #NeilSmith #VicMorren #NHL #SummerCoolers #AnaheimDucks # #BostonBruins #BuffaloSabres #CalgaryFlames #CarolinaHurricanes #ChicagoBlackhawks #ColoradoAvalanche #ColumbusBlueJackets #DallasStars #DetroitRedWings #EdmontonOilers #FloridaPanthers #LosAngelesKings #MinnesotaWild #MontrealCanadiens #NashvillePredators #NewJerseyDevils #NewYorkIslanders #NewYorkRangers #OttawaSenators #PhiladelphiaFlyers #PittsburghPenguins #StLouisBlues #SanJoseSharks #SeattleKraken #TampaBayLightning #TorontoMapleLeafs #UtahMammoth #VancouverCanucks #VegasGoldenKnights #WashingtonCapitals #WinnipegJets #DavePagnotta #TheFourthPeriod #SiriusXM #NHLNetwork #BradyTkachuk #ClaudeGiroux #PatrickKane #MichaelBunting #AnthonyMantha #VladimirTarasenko #JohnKlingberg #LoganStanley #CamTalbot #PatrikLaine #LeoCarlsson #PavelMintyukov #CutterGauthier #OlenZellweger #MasonMcTavish #AlexanderNikishin #DanMilstein #KeithJones #DannyBriere #PatVerbeek #HenrySamueli #WayneGretzky #ThomasChabot #KyleConnor #QuinnHughes #SheaWeber #BarrettHayton #JoeSakic #ConnorMcDavid #AustonMatthews #ZachWerenski #EeliTolvinen #PhilEsposito #WarrenYoung #MarioLemieux #ConnorBedard #AntonFrundell #AlexTuch #ConnorHellebuyck #TroyTerry #FrankVatrano #AlexKillorn #KeithJones #DannyBriere #BowenByram #ColePerfetti #DylanLarkin #AlexDebrincat #PeterDeBoer #CaleMakar #SonnyMetah #BillArmstrong #BooneJenner #LoganThompson #JohnCarlson #RadkoGudas #JacobTrouba #CharlieLindgren #SeanDurzi #GavinMcKenna #ThomasChabot #WilliamEklund #JasonRobertson #IlyaLyubushkin #JamieBenn #SteveYzerman #AlexOvechkin #AndersLee #DarnellNurse #SidenyCrosby #ArtursSilovs #AlexTuch #JordanKyrou #VincentDesharnais #BooneJenner #DarrenRaddysh #SergeiBobrovsky #GavinMcKenna #AndersLee #DmitriSimashev #TijIginla #MavrikBourque #KenHolland #MoritzSeider #ViktorArvidsson #LucasRaymond

0:00 - The Nuggets had two 2nd round picks yesterday and they used them both! How do we feel about them actually selecting players instead of packaging those picks for draft day dealing?17:09 - We got relevant breaking news during our show for once! The Charlotte Hornets traded LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Naz Reid and a metric tonne of picks. Minny's backcourt is now LaBelo and Anthony Edwards. Sheesh. What's Minnesota doing? Will Denver be able to beat them in the playoffs now?32:39 - Chris MacFarland only has one number in his phone, and it's Joe Sakic's. Yesterday, the Avs sent Jack Drury to the Predators. Do we like the haul they got in return? Will we miss Drury?

Send us a text and chime in!Backed by Hockey Hall of Famers Luc Robitaille, Joe Sakic, and Teemu Selanne, the United States Hockey League (USHL) has announced the six West Coast markets targeted to launch teams by the 2027-28 season, along with the accompanying partners committed to expanding access to the Tier-I American development path. Owners/Markets Shawn Hicks and Joe Sakic / San Diego, California John Moreland and Teemu Selänne / Orange County, California Leorjay Sports / Simi Valley, California Mark Heintz / Northern California Justin Reynolds / Prescott Valley, Arizona (Findlay Toyota Center) Ben Robert / Phoenix, Arizona “We are excited to have received tremendous...   For the written story, read here >> https://www.signalsaz.com/articles/findlay-toyota-center-could-welcome-hockey-back-to-prescott-valley/ Check out the CAST11.com Website at: https://CAST11.com Follow the CAST11 Podcast Network on Facebook at: https://Facebook.com/CAST11AZFollow Cast11 Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/cast11_podcast_network

Free agency is right around the corner in the NHL, even though action around the league is starting to pick up in a big way with Brady Tkachuk being traded to the Florida Panthers. Who will the Avalanche go after on the free agent market on July 1st, and what will they be able to do with the cap space that they have? Do they still need to clear more space? Send questions to the mailbag here: https://forms.gle/7ytuJfsiTr1x3VDt6 Keep up with everything on the site at HockeyMountainHigh.com Follow the show: @HockeyMTNPod Follow Griffin: @GRYoungs Follow Christian: @Christian_Bolle Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The offseason is officially underway, and Ross Colton is the first man out the door after being traded to the Nashville Predators for draft picks. With the cap space opened up, what dominos are next to fall for Joe Sakic and the Avs this offseason. Also, the Carolina Hurricanes are Stanley Cup champions after beating Vegas, what can the Avalanche learn from them to bring home another title? Send questions to the mailbag here: https://forms.gle/7ytuJfsiTr1x3VDt6 Keep up with everything on the site at HockeyMountainHigh.com Follow the show: @HockeyMTNPod Follow Griffin: @GRYoungs Follow Christian: @Christian_Bolle Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In the first hour of Stokely and Evans with Mark Schlereth, Mike and Stoke catch up after missing Friday's show. Mike gives his reaction to Sean Payton’s contract extension and breaks down what it means for Davis Webb and Vance Joseph. Mike keeps catching up on the big news that he missed on Friday by giving his take on Joe Sakic’s press conference. Mike and Stoke wrap up the first hour with their reaction to the Knicks’ Finals victory on the back of Jalen Brunson’s historic performance, they congratulate Justin Gaethje for his huge upset victory, and they highlight the Rockies’ offensive explosion against the A’s.

Kyle Reese and John Davis are in on Sunday morning. The guys begin the show by getting into the Knicks winning their first NBA Title since the 1972-73 season. Is Jalen Brunson one of the best players in the league? What does the future look like for the Spurs? A look at the Stanley Cup Finals, with Game 6 set for tonight. The Avs held an end-of-season press conference on Thursday, so Kyle and John react to the presser with Josh Kroenke and Joe Sakic. Reaction to another arrest for Broncos edge rusher Jonathon Cooper. 

In this edition of 32 Thoughts, Kyle Bukauskas and Elliotte Friedman react to the Carolina Hurricanes taking a 3-2 series lead over the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Final. Afterwards, the fellas delve into the news where they expand on Darnell Nurse's trade request out of Edmonton (31:00). They talk abo ut the investigation into Mike Babcock before he's hired by the Edmonton Oilers (35:00). Kyle and Elliotte react to Joe Sakic's comments on Thursday (41:00). They touch on Seattle's new front office hires (44:41). The Final Thought focuses on Nikita Kucherov winning the Hart (47:30).  Kyle and Elliotte answer your questions and comments in the Thought Line presented by BetMGM (52:30). In this episode we highlight Canadian pop singer-songwriter Olivia Penalva and her track Distance Makes A Love Story. Check out her music here. Listen to all the 32 Thoughts music here. Email the podcast at 32thoughts@sportsnet.ca or call the Thought Line at 1-833-311-3232 and leave us a voicemail. This podcast was produced and mixed by Cristian Ceniti and hosted by Elliotte Friedman & Kyle Bukauskas. 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

For the fourth and final hour of the day on Stokely and Evans with Mark Schlereth, Will and Stoke take on The Drive’s toughest trivia for The Fan’s weekly Trivia Challenge. Can they go 4-0? Will and Stoke listen to Joe Sakic talk about Cale Makar’s future with the Avalanche; he makes it sound like it’s a done deal, but Will is worried about another Mikko Rantanen situation. Will and Stoke cap off the week with an update on the developing Jonathan Cooper story.  

In the first hour of Stokely and Evans with Mark Schlereth, Will Petersen fills in for Mike and Mark. Stoke recaps yesterday’s 100 holes of golf before discussing the ramifications of Sean Payton’s new contract. Stoke raves about the Broncos’ new facility before they get into the serious matter of the new charges against Jonathan Cooper. They complain a bit about Stink and Mike and try to calculate how many strokes Stoke had yesterday. Will and Stoke discuss Sean Payton’s new deal and all the factors that have made his tenure so successful, like ownership and the partnership with George Paton. Scrappy Will and Stoke wrap up the first hour reacting to Joe Sakic’s press conference where Super Joe had news about the coaching staff. 

In hour three of Stokely and Evans with Mark Schlereth, they discuss the breaking Jonathan Cooper news further as they unpack their interview with our 9News Broncos Insider, Mike Klis. They project how the Sean Payton contract will age as he does, are you worried about Sean losing his fastball with the Broncos set to lose Davis Webb soon? Josh Kroenke joined Joe Sakic’s Avalanche end of season press conference, Will and Stoke react to the owner’s comments. Will and Stoke end the third hour passing along the latest from the breaking Jonathan Cooper situation.  

Hour 1 of The Drive kicks off with Zach and Phil live from the Glenn Bar and Grill. The guys recap Zach's time on the golf course yesterday, playing 100 holes for charity, and all the massive news in Denver sports yesterday that he missed. Zach and Phil react to the latest in the Jonothan Cooper story with the law and his domestic violence allegations. Could Cooper get released from the Broncos with the poor decisions he's made in the last week? We react to Davis Webb explaining how Jaylen Waddle coming to Denver reminds him of when the Bills traded for Stephon Diggs in Josh Allen's third season in the NFL. Will Bo Nix take a massive leap in production like Allen did with the arrival of an elite number one receiver? We hear from Joe Sakic and his comments from the Avalanche's end-of-the-season press conference. Is the Avs organization not upset enough about the way they were defeated in the playoffs? 

In hour three, Dover and Cecil look at the news of the day. Broncos pass rusher Jonathon Cooper was arrested again. What's the latest on this story, and what may happen with him moving forward? We look at Joe Sakic's comments from their press conference. What are the plans for the GM position moving forward? We hear from Vance Joseph. What are his plans for the Broncos' defense? We get one more big update on Cooper to close the hour.   

0:00 - Joe Sakic and Josh Kroenke FINALLY addressed the media yesterday for the Avs end of the season press conference. Did they say the right things? Did they answer all the questions we've had in the offseason so far?15:30 - News broke during this segment that Jonathon Cooper has been arrested again. He's back in Douglas County jail. Yikes. His days in orange and blue may be coming to a close sooner than we all expected.Mid-segment, Marc Moser disappeared completely and handed off his headset to Conor McGahey. Hi Conor! What a pleasant surprise.33:42 - Conor McGahey is a HUGE soccer fan and has been a hockey ref since his teenage years. Let's preview the World Cup with a true soccer junkie. Who do the USA Men never stand a real chance? What are reasonable expectations for them this year?

0:00 - Jonathon Cooper's been arrested twice in a week or so. Sean Payton, George Paton, and the Walton-Penner group have a big decision to make. This is the first serious off-the-field issue they've had to deal with. Will they hang onto Cooper and wait for due process of the law? Or should they cut him immediately and avoid a potential headache completely?14:18 - Joe Sakic and Josh Kroenke finally held the Avs end of the season press conference yesterday. Right off the bat, they made one thing clear: Jared Bednar is the head coach because the locker room loves him. It doesn't matter what any of us jackwagons behind a microphone think. The players want him. That's why he's still here.33:41 - Moser's dealing with technical issues, blood sugar issues, and bad smell issues today. Happy Friday. Then after that...It's our favorite part of the week DRUNK TAKES! We take clips from throughout the week, slow em down to half speed and it makes us sound like we're hammered.

Boomer, Pinder and Rhett react to Joe Sakic's emphatic comments about Cale Makar's future in Colorado after the Avalanche legend made it crystal clear that the franchise has no intention of letting their superstar defenseman go anywhere. Sakic stated that he fully expects Makar to finish his career with the Avalanche and revealed that discussions with his agent have already taken place regarding a long-term extension. The guys discuss what Makar means to the organization, why locking him up is the easiest decision Colorado will ever make, and whether there is any realistic scenario where one of the NHL's best players would ever consider leaving.Video Link: https://youtu.be/7DMdQ8BhcJc#nhl #nhlshorts #nhlplayoffs #nhlpredictions #nhlhockey #nhlpicks #stanleycup #stanleycupfinal #coloradoavalanche CHECK OUT OUR STUFF ⬇️BARN BURNER MERCHhttps://nationgear.ca/collections/shirts/FlamesnationBARN BURNER SHORTS https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLj_bcGtvvo-cW2DHEDZ6dEO5ePDmlhZc9&si=jo8iNGxT4ImhS2Y8

The end of season press conference for Joe Sakic and the Avalanche might not have been the most informative, but it still revealed some interesting tidbits about the Avs future. The coaching staff will remain the same, and the Avs are pretty much going to run this back as best they can going into next season, with the same coaching staff. How do we feel about the Avs direction heading into the offseason. Send questions to the mailbag here: https://forms.gle/7ytuJfsiTr1x3VDt6 Keep up with everything on the site at HockeyMountainHigh.com Follow the show: @HockeyMTNPod Follow Griffin: @GRYoungs Follow Christian: @Christian_Bolle For the latest in Denver Sports, stay tuned here at Mile High Sports where you get daily coverage on your favorite teams, boots on the ground from our credentialed reporters. Every Team. Every Day. Subscribe to our channel: / milehighsports Follow us on Instagram and TikTok: @MileHighSports Check out our website: MileHighSports.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

00:00 High Five.12:05 Even more on the Knicks comeback win.26:20 More Joe Sakic comments from today.

00:00 Cross talk, Knicks win thrilling Game 4 over Spurs.22:15 Nate asks Joe Sakic about the Avalanche goaltending.36:05 Sean Payton gets a contract extension.

Jesse Montano and Meghan Angley finish the week out by taking a deeper dive into the  comments that we heard from Joe Sakic and Josh Kroenke yesterday at the end-of-Season press conference for the Colorado Avalanche   Presented by Ramos Law and ramoslaw.com   This show is brought to you by RefiJet   Did you know you could refinance your auto loan?   With RefiJet, you could save around $150 a month—all with just a soft credit pull and zero hassle. Lower payments, flexible terms, even cash back from your car's equity. RefiJet does the work, you get the savings. Start today at RefiJet.com! The Faster, Easier way to Refinance   #ColoradoAvalanche #GoAvsGo #AvsNation #NathanMacKinnon #CaleMakar #GuerillaSports #Hockey #AvalancheHockey #MileHighHockey #AvsFans #Avalanche2025 #Mikko Rantanen #AvsGameDay #NHLHighlights #DenverSports #AvalancheForever #MakarMagic #HockeyInColorado #StanleyCup #NHL #VegasGoldenKnights #VGK Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On Friday's episode of Hot Takes, Eric Goodman and Troy Renck get into the news of the Denver Broncos rewarding head coach Sean Payton with a 5-year contract through the 2030 season. What is the best thing Payton has brought to Denver? Was the timing of the new contract surprising? Plus, the Colorado Avalanche held their end-of-season news conference yesterday, where Josh Kroenke and Joe Sakic spoke. They discussed bringing Jared Bednar back as head coach, wanting Cale Makar to be an Av for life and how the team got swept by Vegas. Eric and Troy react to it all. Check out another episode of Hot Takes! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In hour three of Stokely and Evans with Mark Schlereth, the ratings are through the roof for the NBA and NHL Playoffs. Mike and Stink break down why both Finals series have captured the attention of people across America. They rave about the power of Madison Square Garden and the role it played in the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history. They preview Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals, and they give their do’s and don’ts for Joe Sakic’s press conference later today. Stink explains why the national pundits’ “1-score games” narrative about the Broncos is incorrect. Mike and Stink end the third hour answering texts about the media darling QB’s across the NFL and the Avs’ offseason. 

In the first hour of Stokely and Evans with Mark Schlereth, they are at Todd Creek Golf Course for the 100 Holes for Kids charity event. They recap a couple of huge comebacks from the Knicks and the Rockies. They give their do’s and don’ts for Joe Sakic’s press conference later today. Who are the most overrated and underrated QB’s in the NFL and what is the perception of Bo around the country? Mike and Stink wrap up the first hour joined by Stoke before he tees off to talk about the event and the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history. 

Hour 1 of The Drive kicks off with Phil and Will live from Todd Creek Golf Course. The guys react to the breaking news of the day in Sean Payton and the Broncos agreeing to a new 5-year contract extension. Will Payton get a pay raise in his new contract after all the success he's had in Denver the past few seasons? Does this rule out a future in which Davis Webb will be the head coach of the Broncos? Phil and Will continue to discuss Sean Payton's contract extension, and we hear from Sean on how great ownership has been here in Denver, and still being excited about football. We pivot to the Avalanche as Joe Sakic spoke today at the team's end-of-the-season press conference. We hear Sakic's thoughts on Jared Bednar returning for next season, even in the final year of his contract. Will Bednar get an extension before the next season starts? Will the Avs and Cale Makar agree on a contract extension this offseason? 

In hour 3 of The Drive, Phil and Will react to Josh Kroenke explaining why the Avalanche and Nuggets are not in the same situation and why he is not treating their offseasons the same. Why is Josh much more involved with the Nuggets and not as much with the Avs? Could the Avalanche make a splashy trade this offseason that shakes up the core of the team? Would the Avs be able to recoup any assets in return for Val Nichuskin or Ross Colton? We react to the news of the day in Sean Payton and the Broncos agreeing to a new 5-year contract extension. We hear from Sean on how great ownership has been here in Denver, and wanting to coach until he stops being excited about football.  We pivot to the Avalanche as Joe Sakic spoke today at the team's end-of-the-season press conference. We hear Sakic's thoughts on Cale Makar's looming extension and the injuries the team suffered in the playoffs. 

In the final hour, Dover and Cecil react to the recent audio coming out of the Avalanche press conference. What did Joe Sakic say, and what can we look forward to next season? Sean Payton just signed his extension. What did he say after practice today? We’re joined by Will Petersen to get more information on the Avalanche press conference. What are watching tonight in the world of sports?

In hour 3 of The Drive, Zach and Phil discuss the latest with Bronco Jonothan Cooper and his legal situation after being arrested last week for domestic violence allegations. Will Cooper receive a punishment from the NFL? We hear from Mike Klis on how the process moving forward will take place, with Cooper having to deal with the Colorado court system and the NFL "court system". What do the guys make of Marvin Mims changing agents? Is this a sign that Mims is frustrated with the lack of an extension and could ask to be traded? Will Mims cause any problems at training camp if he does not get an extension and the Broncos decide not to trade him? Has Mims earned an extension? Is the Broncos offense not utilizing Mims in the right way? We react to Gabe Landeskog winning two NHL leadership awards today. What are the guys looking to hear in Joe Sakic's end-of-the-season press conference for the Avalanche? Why is Jared Bednar not speaking at the press conference?  

Hour 1 of The Drive kicks off with Zach and Phil cross-talking with Dover and Cecil. The guys discuss the concerns for Bo Nix and his health after having two ankle procedures over the offseason. How much will Nix's ankle factor into his contract extension? Zach and Phil continue their conversation on Bo Nix and the concerns with his availability. Should the Broncos hold Nix out of OTAs and minicamp if he is not 100%? What do the guys make of Marvin Mims changing agents? Is this a sign that Mims is frustrated with the lack of an extension and could ask to be traded? What are the guys looking to hear in Joe Sakic's end-of-the-season press conference for the Avalanche? Why is Jared Bednar not speaking at the press conference? 

The PWHL coaching carousel continues to spin and we talk a bit about expansion. Then we switch to some news in the NHL across coaching, front office moves, the tragic death of Claude Lemieux, and more.SJ welcomes Emily and Trevor to the Neutral Zone Hotel01:15 Does the PWHL have a coaching problem?15:20 Alex Carpenter and Sarah Nurse re-sign and expansion process talk30:24 The Vancouver Canucks hire Manny Malhotra as head coach37:59 Chris MacFarland goes to Nashville and Joe Sakic steps back into the GM role in Colorado45:04 Stanley Cup Final48:35 Claude Lemieux dies - Content warning for discussion of suicide. If you are in crisis and need help, reach out to 9-8-8 or https://988lifeline.org/ for resources.51:35 Memorial Cup and Men's World Championship resultsNeutral Zone Hotel is a production of the Neutral Zone Hotel Team.More information is available at https://neutralzonehotel.comLogo design by Emily Mowbray.We're available on YouTube and all the major podcast platforms.You can follow us on social media if you're so inclined: Bluesky: @neutralzonehotel.bsky.socialYou can join our Discord server at https://neutralzonehotel.com/discord

0:00 - The New York Knickerbockers stole Game 1 of the NBA Finals from the Spurs in San Antonio last night. What a game! Brett noticed that both teams USE THEIR DEPTH. They're playing like 10+ players a game! It's almost like that's what we wanted the NUGGETS TO DO in their first round series! This is the new NBA. Depth wins ballgames. No more shortening the rotation in the playoffs. All hands on deck.16:05 - Chris MacFarland was officially introduced yesterday as President of Hockey Operations and General Manager of the Nashville Predators. He addressed the media in Music City and was very complimentary of Joe Sakic, the Avalanche organization, and his time in Denver as a whole. When did Nashville start chatting with CMac? Were they in touch during the playoffs? Does that matter?He also spoke very highly of Jared Bednar and the coaching staff overall. Does that sound like a guy who would've fired Bedsie?34:31 - Russell Wilson officially announced his retirement from the NFL. He's taking his talents to CBS. He posted a retirement video on social media yesteray and it's vintage Russ cornball tomfoolery. Russ gon Russ. Let's ride.

For the fourth and final hour of the day on Stokely and Evans with Mark Schlereth, Stink’s planning on messing his back up all over again. Mike discusses the benefits of doing business the right way in the NFL. Mike bids a not-so-fond farewell to Chris MacFarland and talks about Joe Sakic being back in the GM position... for now. They warn the Avalanche and the fans why they shouldn’t clamor for change just for change’s sake. Mike and Stink cap off today’s show making their fearless predictions for the NBA Finals.  

0:00 - The Nashville Predators hired Chris MacFarland to be their President of Hockey Operations and General Manager. Joe Sakic will now be the Avs GM "for the foreseeable future." How long is the "foreseeable future"? Do the Avalanche even need to hire a new GM or can they let Sakic re-take the reigns entirely? Also, if the roster doesn't need that much tweaking to begin with, do they need a brand new GM? You know Sakic was involved with every decision Chris MacFarland signed off on anyway.(Also, for what it's worth, the song I bumped in with was "I Like It, I Love It" by Tim McGraw)17:54 - The Broncos paid PSII a cool $5 million bonus yesterday. It's good work if you can get it! But the problem is...does that set a precedent? How good does a Broncos player need to be to earn a bonus? Are other guys on the defense going to be jealous?31:43 - Oh, by the way...former Angles/Orioles outfielder Jordyn Adams is leaving pro baseball to go...back to college? He was a 5-star WR recruit in 2018. He's now a 26-year-old freshman at SMU.Oh, by the way...TJ "Donald Rumsfeld" Rumfield hit a home run that only cleared the wall because it bounced off Jo Adell's head. The ol' Jose Canseco special.Oh, by the way...Steph Curry just signed a $400 million, 10-year shoe deal with a Chinese company called Li-Ning. 

0:00 - Avs GM Chris MacFarland was hired by the Nashville Predators to be their President of Hockey Operations and General Manager. They made him an offer he can't refure, so he took his talents to the Music City. Joe Sakic will take over as GM "for the foreseeable future."If they hire a new GM, what will the relationship be between him and Sakic? Sakic definitely has his fingerprints on every deal and, oh by the way, he's a Hall of Famer with 2 Stanley Cups. Or, do you let Sakic just be the GM by himself again?15:11 - The more we think about the Avs vs Golden Knights series, the less sense it makes. We hate to keep using the F word but it feels like a fluke. Vegas stole Game 1 of the Finals on the road at Carolina last night. The Hurricanes scored a goal 30 SECONDS INTO THE GAME and still lost 5-4. Vegas just feels like THAT team. They're the team of destiny. This is their year. Everything is coming up aces, you might say.33:44 - The Broncos gave PSII a $5 million bonus yesterday. That kinda came out of nowhere. Here you go, PSII! Take a cool $5 mil. Brett's reading between the lines here...what was the real reason for the bonus? Were the Broncos attempting to appease PSII and prevent a potential camp holdout?

Chris MacFarland will no longer be the General Manager of the Colorado Avalanche, after accepting a role with the Nashville Predators as their new President of Hockey Operations. In the mean time, Joe Sakic will oversee the duties of General Manager, but for how long? Jared Bednar will also be returning next season as the Head Coach of the Avalanche, with one year left on his contract. Is this the Avalanche's final chance to win another Stanley Cup in this era? Send questions to the mailbag here: https://forms.gle/7ytuJfsiTr1x3VDt6 Keep up with everything on the site at HockeyMountainHigh.com Follow the show: @HockeyMTNPod Follow Griffin: @GRYoungs Follow Christian: @Christian_Bolle Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In hour 4 of The Drive, Zach and Phil take a deep dive into the Broncos as they started OTA's today. After looking into the numbers, does Courtland Sutton have a case to be the number one receiver with the Broncos, even after the Jaylen Waddle trade? Have we underrated Sutton because of the changing coaches and quarterbacks in Denver and the up-and-down offenses during his tenure here? Who should be the number one option for the Broncos in 2026? Which wide receiver will the opponents' best cornerback cover on a week-to-week basis? We react to Mike Klis saying there could be a position battle at left guard between Ben Powers and recent draft pick Kage Casey. We wrap up the show recapping the day in Denver Sports with Jared Bednar returning as the Avs head coach, GM Chris MacFarland leaving the organization to join the Nashville Predators, and Joe Sakic returning to his role as GM on an interim basis. 

In hour 3 of The Drive, Zach and Phil continue to react to Mike Klis's preview of Broncos OTA's and his comments on new play caller Davis Webb prioritizing Evan Engram this season. Will Webb be able to unlock Engram in his first season calling plays? Will Engram improve on his catch reliability? We react to the news of the day in Avalanche GM Chris MacFarland leaving the Avs to become the President of Hockey with the Predators, as well as the news of Jared Bednar returning for next season. What do the guys make of Joe Sakic re-taking over as GM for the interim? Will former Av Andrew Cogliano take over as the next team general manager? With the NFL Draft behind us, Zach shares 5 names of guys the Broncos could look to add to the roster, including Stefon Diggs, Taysom Hill, Cam Jordan, and more. Would a Von Miller reunion make sense for the Broncos? We debate the Avs' decision to bring back Jared Bednar and how much blame he deserves for the Avs playoff shortcomings. 

There was no team with higher expectations entering 2025-26 than the Colorado Avalanche. However, by late May, no club had suffered greater disappointment.The Presidents' Trophy winners wired the field from the outset of the regular season but, after disposing the Kings and Wild in just nine games to start the playoffs, the Avalanche crashed in getting swept in the Western Final by the Vegas Golden Knights.Despite being the oldest team in the NHL, the Avs should remain formidable for the immediate future. However, with no picks until the fourth round of the Draft and other high picks having been dealt away to win now, Joe Sakic has work different from any other GM to keep the team among the NHL's elite.X: https://twitter.com/NHLWraparoundNeil Smith: https://twitter.com/NYCNeilVic Morren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vic-morren-7038737/NHL Wraparound Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nhlwraparound/#NHLWraparound #NHLWraparound.com #ShortShifts #NYCentric #CelebritySeries #HallofFameEdition #StanleyCupdate #SummerCoolers #Smith'sPix #NeilSmith #VicMorren #BZZR #NHL #SummerCoolers #ColoradoAvalanche #CarolinaHurricanes #LosAngelesKings #MinnesotaWild #VegasGoldenKnights ##QuebecNordiques #NewYorkIslanders #St.LouisBlues #SanJoseSharks #WashingtonCapitals #OttawaSenators #ChicagoBlackhawks #NewYorkRangers #PittsburghPenguins #Presidents'Trophy #JaredBednar #ChrisMacFarland #NathanMacKinnon #CaleMakar #ScottWedgewood #BrandonDuhaime #MackenzieBlackwood #MartinNecas #BrockNelson #MatsZuccarello #GabrielLandeskog #NazemKadri #DevonToews #PatrickRoy #MartinBrodeur #DarcyKuemper #AdinHill #BraydenSchenn #AlexandarGeorgiev #KevinMandolese #JackDrury #MikkoRantanen #TaylorHall #JoelKiviranta #BrentBurns #BrettKulak #JackAchan #NickBlankenberg #ZakarBardakov #HartTrophy #NorrisTrophy

The Colorado Rockies swept the sad New York Mets.Charles Barkley ripped Denver Nuggets head coach David Adelman, calling him “terrible” in his handling of Joker.Nikola Jokic started a fight as the game was ending, but was he in the wrong?The Avalanche swept the Kings - but could that have been a bad thing? Joe Sakic has some thoughts on that type of thing.The Colorado Mammoth got screwed, and the NLL admitted it.Recap of the NFL draft: Broncos got another JK Dobbins, the Cleveland Browns doing classic Browns things, Heisman finalist Diego Pavia went undrafted, the Philadelphia Eagles drafted Uar Bernard, from Nigeria, who has never played football, and Deion Sanders' CU Buffs had zero players drafted this year.

Dover and Cecil opened the show previewing the Broncos-Packers game. What's the latest update for Josh Jacobs and his injury. Dover gave his keys to a Broncos victory. The guys reacted to the Avalanche dominating the Panthers last night. Who would you take, Nathan MacKinnon or Joe Sakic?