Author: Chris Ostrander

The Instigator Podcast 11.37 – Catching Up on the Amerks and the Cup Final

Chris OstranderLeave a comment

We couldn’t catch up on the latest exploits for the Rochester Americans last week, so we devoted time this week to their impressive run in the Calder Cup playoffs. The Amerks have reached the Eastern Conference Final and are in a tough battle with the Hershey Bears. We run though some of the most notable contributors for the team and even look ahead to how the likes of Ryan Johnson and Nikita Novikov will make an impact in Rochester in 2023-24.

This week also includes a brief preview of the Stanley Cup Final between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Florida Panthers. We offer up our thoughts on some of the most notable storylines of the series and provide our predictions for this year’s Final.

The Instigator Podcast 11.36 – Big Change in Toronto

Chris OstranderLeave a comment

A BIG week of news saw the Toronto Maple Leafs move on from Kyle Dubas, rumors of move upheaval in the Leafs front office, more movement on the ownership bids for the Senators and continued trdouble in Arizona. We break down each of those stories, speak on the new entry level contract for Nikita Novikov, Matthew Savoie’s assignment to Rochester and more on this week’s episode. 

The Instigator Podcast 11.35 – Sniffing Out the Hellebuyck Smoke

Chris OstranderLeave a comment

The Conference Finals are set to begin and we run through the matchups in the East and West, giving our outlook on both series. We transition to a discussion about Connor Hellebuyck and the fresh rumors connecting him to the Sabres.

The Instigator Podcast is sponsored by Betstamp. Download the Betstamp app by visiting betstamp.app/instigator

The Instigator Podcast 11.34 – Blackhawks Win the Lottery, Sabres to Pick 13

Chris OstranderLeave a comment

Now that the draft lottery has been drawn, we discuss the Chicago Blackhawks winning the right to pick first and the reaction to their lottery win. We also take a look at the Sabres staying put at pick 13 and determine what options the Sabres will have at this year’s draft.

The Instigator Podcast 11.33 – First Round Reflection

Chris OstranderLeave a comment

The first round of the NHL Playoffs are behind us and we reflect on some of the teams who were dispatched early. We dig in to the potential fortunes of the Winnipeg Jets and the New York Rangers while sprinkling in some thoughts on the Calgary Flames (though they didn’t make the playoffs). The show kicks off with a conversation about newly signed prospect, Viktor Neuchev and when we might see Nikita Novikov follow with his entry level contract.

The Instigator Podcast 11.32 – Remembering Some Goals (and Guys)

Chris OstranderLeave a comment

Round one of the NHL Playoffs are still rolling along and we offer up some thoughts on how the series have played out thus far. In addition, we discuss one of the hottest topics of the playoffs: officiating.

Our main topic is a discussion around a Tweet asking what goal you celebrated hardest for. We offer up a handful of memorable highlights to try to best answer the question posed by the tweet.

The Instigator Podcast 10.31 – Job Openings and Playoff Previews

Chris OstranderLeave a comment

There are a host of job openings around the NHL with the regular season concluded and we run through some of the most notable firings and departures that have come down. We also run through the NHL Playoffs lineup and provide some thoughts on what will tip the scales in each series this spring.

The Instigator Podcast 11.30 – End of the Line

Chris OstranderLeave a comment

The Sabres playoff push came up short and we serve up a post mortem as the dust settles on the chase for a wild card spot. We examine the 2022-23 Sabres season and identify some of the games that stand out most as squandered opportunities to capture points for a team that will so narrowly miss the playoffs. We also look ahead to what could be an exciting and busy offseason thanks to such a promising season.

The Instigator Podcast 11.29 – Levi Time?

Chris OstranderLeave a comment

Devon Levi has hit the ground running for the Sabres with a pair of impressive starts over the last week. We talk about how impressive his play has been and try to determine how many more games he will see between now and the end of the season. We also touch on Tuesday’s loss to the Panthers and the implications it will have on Buffalo’s playoff hopes. The show closes with a frank discussion about the Arizona Coyotes and how much more rope the league should be giving the franchise before exploring other options.

The Instigator Podcast 11.28 – Mock GM Meeting featuring Joe Yerdon and Lance Lysowski

Chris OstranderLeave a comment

Joe Yerdon and Lance Lysowski of Maintenance Day join the show for a roundtable conversation on a number of hot topics from around the NHL. We tried something a little different this week and got together for a mock GM meeting that allowed us to tackle a number of topics which we see as ways to improve the league. We touch on off-ice topics like playoffs and the World Cup and on-ice issues like overtime and the shootout.

Thanks again to Joe and Lance joining the show.