There may not be much in the way of concretes for the 2020-21 NHL season yet, but Ryan and Rory can’t wait any longer to talk about which teams are truly in contention to be the league’s next champion.

Any title discussion must take into account the fact that, as of this moment, it appears the traditional East-West conference format will give way to a four-division alignment based on regional groupings. With that in mind, which contenders now look as though they’ll have a tougher path to the title? Has the window finally closed on Pittsburgh and Washington? And what might the fallout be with a Canadian division that has six teams with legit designs on the playoffs?

This episode is produced and sound engineered by Michael Mayers, and hosted by Ryan Dixon and Rory Boylen. Mike Tassone is our video and social media producer.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

With the initial flurry of off-season trades and signings in the books, Ryan and Rory sift through the new NHL landscape. It’s hard to argue any one team put itself in pole position to be the 2021 Cup favourite. Rory is unconvinced Calgary’s big splash in the goalie market will make a huge difference and it’s fair to wonder what the net gain is for Vegas when the team acquires Alex Pietrangelo but losses Nate Schmidt and alienates half its roster. Meanwhile, how much better can the Edmonton Oilers really be with the tandem of Mike Smith an Mikko Koskinen coming back?

In keeping with the latest NHL rebuilding trend, the Chicago Blackhawks have posted a letter to their fans indicating the club could be in for some tough times as it prepares to take a step back for the purpose of leaping forward — but how will they acquire the assets necessary to do so if they’re not trading any stars? Finally, the boys examine moves Tampa Bay and Vegas can make to get out of salary cap hell.

This episode is produced and sound engineered by Michael Mayers, and hosted by Ryan Dixon and Rory Boylen. Our video and social media producer is Mike Tassone.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

Roughly four months after it was originally slated to happen in Montreal, the 2020 NHL Draft is finally upon us.

Ryan and Rory welcome prospect guru Sam Cosentino to comb over all the intrigue. While everyone expects the Rangers to select Alexis Lafreniere first, there are a number of wild-card prospects who could introduce a serious jolt of uncertainty into the proceedings. Also, with Ottawa holding both the third and fifth picks, what could the Sens — not to mention other clubs with multiple first-rounders — do to make things interesting?

Also, with free agency following so closely after the draft, Ryan and Rory zero in on the most fascinating teams to watch. Rory is locked in on what the Leafs could do in an attempt to land blue-line help, while Ryan wonders what the next move for cresting Colorado is.

This episode is produced and sound engineered by Michael Mayers, and hosted by Ryan Dixon and Rory Boylen. Our video and social media producer is Mike Tassone.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

Two months of bubble hockey left us with some unprecedented memories and one of the most deserving Cup champions we’ve seen in some time. Ryan and Rory unpack everything from Tampa’s six-game win over a decimated Dallas Stars crew, including why Rory believes the wrong guy skated off with the Conn Smythe Trophy. Now that they’ve gotten over the hump, can the Bolts do some salary-cap maneuvering and win more titles? And what’s next for a Dallas team that has some great young talent, but a lot of money tied up in a top line that didn’t produce?

As the final pieces of confetti float down, it’s officially time to consider what big off-season moves a flat salary cap could bring. Patrik Laine’s name has shot to the top of the list in terms of intriguing trade candidates, meaning one of the best young snipers in the game might be on the move as the NHL Draft and free agency hit next week.

Tape to Tape is powered by RAM, back-to-back winner of MotorTrend’s truck of the year.

This podcast is produced and sound designed by Michael Mayers, and hosted by Ryan Dixon and Rory Boylen. Our video and social media producer is Mike Tassone.

Audio Credits: Sportsnet

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

The Tampa Bay Lightning are two wins from the Stanley Cup. Can they close the deal?

Sportsnet’s Luke Fox — who picked the Stars to win the Cup 12 months ago — joins Ryan and Rory to break down what he’s seen in a series Tampa leads 2-1. The Stars desperately need to rediscover their stingy defensive ways and, on offence, if the big boys don’t find the net soon, it will be too late. Also, what a sight it was to see Steven Stamkos streaking down the wing and firing a shot past Anton Khudobin. Is there any hope we’ll see Stamkos again or was his Game 3 appearance a one-off cameo?

There’s also no shortage of big news to tackle around the league. It’s quite possible captain Alex Pietrangelo could leave the St. Louis Blues as a UFA one year after leading the franchise to its first championship. And with the Cup final almost wrapped, how do the boys see next season rolling out?

Tape to Tape is powered by RAM, back-to-back winner of MotorTrend’s truck of the year.

This podcast is produced and sound designed by Michael Mayers, and hosted by Ryan Dixon and Rory Boylen. Our video and social media producer is Mike Tassone.

Audio Credits: YouTube.com/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 Media Inc. or any affiliate.