A Foot In The Crease Jeff Hume, Dave McCarthy

Ahead this week on AFITC, a third of the way through the season and the Maple Leafs find themselves in a playoff spot. And they didn’t even trade for Roberto Luongo. Surprised? Shocked even? We’ll answer that question as well as look at why things have gone right, if it’s time to change the perception of the Leafs goaltending and what to do with a glut of defensemen. Back Checking gets the Listeners voice onto the program as we check in with some emails and tweets. The Gong Banger is along as well later in the segment to ring in another Troubling Fact of the Week. Rigamarole wraps the program as well with a look at arguably the biggest question that Dave Nonis and company will have to answer in the coming year. Also in this episode, we’ll make an announcement about the future of the podcast. You know “the nobody on the ice until the zamboni doors are completely closed” rule in minor hockey, well it doesn’t apply in the NHL. This is Episode 8.2 of AFITC.

It’s the season eight premiere of AFITC on the day the NHL season was supposed to begin. But alas, the memories of 2004 turn to the reality of 2012 as NHL arenas again sit dark with yet another lockout in our midst. The owners, the players; who’s right this time around? What makes this time different than 8 years ago? We’ll answer these questions along with a host of other lockout topics in the Redline Report. Back checking brings your voice onto the program as we check in with some contributions from listeners about their thoughts on the lack of NHL hockey. Wrapping the segment, the Gong Banger rolls in to ring in a Troubling Fact of the Week. Are you feeling lost, forlorn, aimlessly wandering about with nothing to do without NHL hockey? Rigamarole will wrap the program with some ideas as to how you can fill that deep void the NHL has left for you.

Ahead this week on the program, Season 7 of AFITC comes to an end as we look back at the first week of free agent frenzy (?) in the NHL. The Leafs make some minor moves while the Minnesota Wild went wild luring Zach Parise and Ryan Suter with massive money deals. How does this shift the balance of power? Is spending out of control? What does this mean to the Leafs? We’re all over it in the Redline Report. Back Checking comes your way next. We turn to you for Listener Contributions through Twitter and Email and welcome the Gong Banger in for another Troubling Fact of the Week. Wrapping the program is rigamarole, this week looking at the ripple effect that could be seen in Nashville now that Ryan Suter has hit the road. This is Episode 7.39, the Season Finale of AFITC.

Ahead this week on the penultimate edition of Season 7, Brian Burke waited until late in the weekend but then dropped a bomb when he announced Luke Schenn had been dealt for James Van Riemsdyk. We’ll tell you who won that trade coming up in the Redline Report. As well, the Leafs General Manager doing too much talking? We’ll tell you his latest eyebrow raising remark along with which team can least afford to move forward under their current scenario, the Leafs starting the season with Reimer and Scrivens or the Canucks bringing  both Schneider and Luongo back to camp. Wrapping the segment, we’ll follow up on a trade involving considerable consanguinity and debate whether the Penguins owed Sidney Crosby his massive contract extension. Back Checking comes your way next with Listener Contributions from Twitter and Email and close it out with the Gong Banger and a Troubling Fact of the Week. And finally rigamarole wraps the show. This week, I’ll tell you why the Hall of Fame debate about who should be in and who should be out bores the hell out of me. They said it would be so hot in Toronto today that it would feel like oven like conditions. Well when I got home, the bread dough I’d left on the sidewalk hadn’t baked yet. This is Episode 7.38 of AFITC.

Ahead this week on the program, if the NHL offseason was a game of musical chairs, Brian Burke might end up without a chair when the music shuts off. Lots of options falling off the table for the Leafs to upgrade so what should they do? Would you be happy with Reimer / Scrivens next season? Could Jordan Staal be in play? Should the Leafs try to move up in the draft? We’re all over it in the Redline Report. Later in Back Checking, we tip our hats to Jake Gardiner and Teemu Selanne, check in with Listener Contributions from Twitter and Email before making way for the Gong Banger to ring in another Troubling Fact of the Week. Also in this segment, we reveal the word that was the final cut when Brian Burke was holding tryouts to fill out his team of four big words. Rigamarole wraps the program with a look at why the wheeling and dealing has been rather quiet so far in the week leading up to the NHL draft.

Ahead this week on the program, California Dreaming, the Kings crowned in LA as the Cup heads west. Where does the Kings playoff run rank all time? How does their win affect other team’s mindsets going forward? We’re all over that to kick start the Redline Report. The Toronto Marlies made the Calder Cup Finals but the magic ended as the third round did. Swept by the Admirals but what does it mean to the Leafs future, and more specifically how will Ben Scrivens affect the Leafs goaltending. Back Checking follows next with some bullet points from around the league, Listener Contributions from Twitter and emails from Alan and Aaron. After that, the gong banger is along with a Troubling Fact of the Week. Rigamarole wraps the show with a look back at some of the things we learned over the last year in the NHL. Did Buzz Aldrin make history when he became the second man to step on the moon first? This is Episode 7.36 of AFITC.