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The 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast - Episode 36Where did these guys come from? Obviously the extended absence from "rubbing one out" as they say in the podcast game (and other exercises) left our friends from the 5-Hole with lots to say and only an hour to say it. A summary of the Leafs' end-of-season, from the standpoint of heartbroken fans was not on the agenda. Instead what we have here is more of a look back on the typical, the usual, the expected, and the sad. I'm moving to Vegas.2023-06-061h 09The 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast - Episode 35Here come the Stanley Cup Playoffs and this is our Playoff Preview Pod. Amongst the many possible topics, the 5-Hole tackles the potential impact of Joseph Woll and Matthew Knies, two players who have recently inserted themselves into the playoff roster and have tantalized with their potential. Of course we at the 5-Hole speculate on Leaf roster structure and of course we provide our predictions for the Leafs/Lightening series. But where else can you go for comparisons of Joseph Woll to Ken Dryden circa 1971 and his Conn Smythe win backstopping the Canadians to an unexpected Cup that year...2023-04-1452 minThe 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast - Episode 34The 5-Hole returns to the studio with a rich and varied slate. What's happening with Michael Bunting, is he losing his position of favour in the eyes of coach Keefe and a Leaf organization which will certainly need to give him a big raise in the off-season if they wish to retain him. Which NHL destinations would the boys in the pod place on their personal limited no-trade list? What does the banning of fighting in the QMJHL portend for major junior hockey in Canada and how did those old-timey NHL teams get their crazy nicknames. The 5-Hole also...2023-04-011h 08The 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast - Episode 33 (32 Pt 2)Remember back in episode 32 part 1, we explained why episode 32 was split into two parts? To recap - we had been so prolific in a recent in-person sit-down that we had over two hours of material and that warranted a two-parter. Well, we were wrong. And this episode is not really an episode after all. Nonetheless, we have released it for the curious and because we said we would. We'll be back next week with the usual 5-Hole for your listening pleasure.2023-03-2407 minThe 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast - Episode 32For the first time in 5-Hole history the boys have actually assembled under one roof. We review the Leafs new additions now that they've had some time to make themselves feel at-home in the Leaf uniform. We also discuss Auston and his off-year - is he returning to form as a nagging hand injury affecting his shot and puck handling may finally be a thing of the past? Also - some quick takes on celebrities attending Leaf games, Leaf player pain thresholds and how they compare to Robert Svehla's and what NHL uniforms can Patrick Kane see himself wearing as h...2023-03-1654 minThe 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast - Episode 31This week the boys from the 5-Hole do their best to contain their excitement for recent Leaf acquisitions in prep for the playoffs. Probably the biggest development is King Conko's about-face on the performance of Kyle Dubas, Leaf GM (like you'd be reading this if you didn't know that). Wistfully we reflect on past Leaf failures to get the job done, and we all join listener Stover Lymph (mailbag contributor) in asking his very simple question - "Is this it?"2023-03-011h 11The 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast - Episode 30The NHL All-Star break has come and gone. The 5-Hole boys debate the merits of the event and list its many problems as an entertainment product and as a representation of the state of professional hockey in North America. The pod is bursting with bits featuring some of our favourites - Lou Lamoriello, Morgan and Tessa, and even Punch Imlach opines from the grave on the state of the Leaf team. Looking forward to when real hockey, featuring the Blue and White, returns. 2023-02-0836 minThe 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast - Episode 29This is the episode where King Conko brings his A-game. And as such it behooves 5-Hole Podcast creators, producers, listeners - the whole 5-Hole community to give this one a good listen. You'll learn something. Topics range from Samsonov and how his hot streak does not impress KC, team nicknames throughout North American professional sport, the coverage by the two sports channels that broadcast Leaf games into Southern Ontario and there's even a review of the Harold Ballard documentary that recently aired on CBC. Fascinating nuggets of knowledge never stop dropping from KC's full lips for the full hour. It's...2023-01-271h 12The 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast - Episode 28The 5-Hole leaps into the New Year with a wide-ranging set of topics in this their 28th addition to the canon. Subjects include Nick Robertson's future; that Kerfoot can't sink a putt; Connor Bedard and his potential; how to end an NHL game and hand out the points; even anthem singers around the league are discussed. A true George Bell makes an appearance. Admittedly belated, but never lazy - we at the 5-Hole want to thank our listeners for their patience and support. 2023-01-111h 00The 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast - Episode 27The 5-Hole Podcast asks the question "what questions are answered by Jordy Benn". And what is Michael Bunting worth in a contract extension. The Leafs continue their up and down season, reaching the quarter pole seemingly out of step with a trend towards 3 on 3 defensive play that has cost them many a bonus point. And of course King Conko has his say on the Blue and White Reverse Retro uniform entry. All for you - the much appreciated 5-Hole listener. 2022-11-2559 minThe 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast - Episode 26Unintentionally the 5-Hole spends almost the full hour lamenting the fall-out of the NHL's hard cap and the mistakes Dubas and the Leafs have made in their management of it. A couple questionable moves that have served to hamstring the club ever since. And we go on... and on... about it. This may seem like a stupid thing to include in the summary of a podcast that is supposed to entice listeners... but we must include a warning... this Pod is for those who love detail and numbers served with a stew of jumbled facts. Listener, you've been warned. 2022-11-091h 02The 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast - Episode 25The 5-Hole is back after ironing out some technical difficulties, ready to discuss the difficulties the Blue and White seem to be having to start their season. Has Kyle Dubas run out of rabbits and failed to secure an adequate supporting group for the top-heavy squad? What's going on between Leaf stars and their coach? Why does that same coach feel the need to walk back an innocuous comment about his best players? If this is the on-ramp to a championship season, it sure looks like a slippery one. Leafland is never short on drama and we at the 5-Hole...2022-10-2854 minThe 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast - Episode 24They say the definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over, expecting a different result. Sort of like being a Leaf fan. On the brink of the team's 105th season, the boys in the Hole are ready, once again, to buy a ticket on the train that hasn't reached its destination in more than 50 years. Leaf management is intact, a fact that rankles some. And the approach hasn't changed although there are signs that this may be their last hurrah without a change in playoff fortune.
Hey, last season wasn't so bad - 115 poin...2022-10-0557 min
The 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast - Episode 23The 5-Hole must once again summarize in bitter terms, another unsuccessful Leaf post-season. We respond to the media availability session with Leaf management, the attitude on display and the direction forward, which according to this management group, includes precious little change. Is the popular consensus to blow it up or to stay the course? We know where Shanahan has landed on this. It may seem that complacency has set in, not so for the 5-Hole's opinion department.2022-05-1954 minThe 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast - Episode 22Brown eggs and white eggs, Pierce Brosnan and Timothy Dalton - what do these subjects have in common - they're all fodder for the 5-Hole. Of course interspersed are discussions of HNIC features, underrated Leafs, Auston Matthew's pursuit of 60 goals, and of course the Holy Grail of team awards - The President's Trophy. 2022-04-281h 01The 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast - Episode 21The 5-Hole tackles the trade deadline (belatedly) and how the Leafs, with a boatload of requirements, performed, with little cap space and diminishing assets with which they're willing to part. Jason Spezza's future is touched on as well as Willy Nylander's. We swerve into the reasoning behind the retirement of the number 5 in honour of Bill Barilko and trample upon that reasoning. All this and another episode of "Cliff Fletcher - Leaf Consultant" is on tap in Episode 21.2022-04-0152 minThe 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast - Episode 20The 5-Hole takes on the Leaf's goaltending debate as NHL contenders approach the trade deadline when those final tweaks are applied to lineups across the league. Is it time for Matthews to inherit the C - stripping it from JT would be painful, but is it appropriate and fair? Leaf fans can only dream about Lord Stanley's mug parading down the streets of TO, but on an individual level, several Leafs are contending for hardware. We debate the chances for such success. A couple media figures and their pod, elevated to an HNIC intermission feature, is reviewed - can't the...2022-03-0957 minThe 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast - Episode 19The 5-Hole breaks one of their own rules in this episode - discussing a recent Leaf game, the splendid Monday night tilt with the Carolina Hurricanes. What does this Leaf win tell us about the team and where they stand in the league amongst the upper echelon. In light of Nazem Kadri's career season - the boys compare his contributions to that of the man who supplanted him on the Maple Leafs - namely John Tavares. And what about that All-Star Weekend - we get the boy's impressions of the skills competition and the event as a whole. Spoiler Aler...2022-02-1057 minThe 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast - Episode 18This week the 5-Hole examines the All-Star game - the selection process, the event as an entertainment product and the significance for the players of being selected. The boys also look at the disappointing Alexis Lafreniere, former first overall selection in the entry draft. Topics drift from Leaf free agents to the professional wrestling ring and even the tennis court as we look forward to actual Maple Leaf game activity picking up in the month of February. 2022-01-2842 minThe 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast - Episode 17Unconfirmed sources indicate that this week's edition of the 5-Hole is filled with information that is unreliable, rife with speculation, innuendo and subterfuge. Presented with such feedback and uncertain how to respond, the boys immediately looked up the words "rife" and "subterfuge" and were quickly satisfied that no one was questioning their love of the game nor their dedication to the Maple Leafs hockey club. "From a hard-boiled journalist's perspective" King Conko clarified, taking no prisoners.
Episode 17 meanders from the future of Evander Kane to the present of Ilya Mikheyev, a likely post-retirement relationship between MLSE and Ja...2022-01-1549 minThe 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast - Episode 16This week's episode arrives as Covid once again flexes its muscles and the NHL schedule is buckling. The boys keep it light for your listening pleasure, touching on a long list of topics and events - the Spezza suspension, a Lightfoot entry to encourage aggressive play on the penalty kill, a re-evaluation of the President's Trophy, the Zegras/Milano connection, the surprising arrival of Kristians Rubens and a chat about the great William Nylander and his odd fitting helmet. All this and more await your hungry ears, eager for distraction from news of new lockdown protocols and cancelled events. Als...2021-12-1857 minThe 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast - Episode 15The 5-Hole Boys discuss the current Leaf hot streak - what's different about it from past seasons and can the term Juggernaut be applied to the squad. But the discussion wanders... just where did Mitch Marner grow up, is Nate MacKinnon deserving of the criticism he's received for mistreating his teammates in the name of competition, how do the Blue and White spend their time at the Tavares family cottage and who will Canada's Olympic Ice Hockey entry have in net if the NHL sends their players and make it a best-on-best competition. 2021-12-0242 minThe 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast - Episode 14In this edition of the 5-Hole topics include how Mrazek's injury creates a perpetually tenuous goaltending situation for the Blue and White, the new Reilly contract and the ongoing woes of Jake Muzzin. We also discuss the Eichel trade and how the Golden Knights are transforming into a top-heavy outfit along the same lines as Toronto. The boys also comment on some of the players in the Leaf media landscape and test themselves against the expertise of one of those players - the bombastic Steve Dangle.2021-11-1142 minThe 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast - Episode 13The 5-Hole Pod rings in the 21/22 NHL season with an examination of the climate in Leafland. Has early optimisim turned to concern and is that change warranted - are the Leafs what they are on paper or what they appear to be on the ice? What will it take this year for management to retain their jobs. On balance, are the Leafs a better team than the one that collapsed last year to the lowly Habs. And what do Jack Campbell and Lou Francheschetti have in common? All these issues and more are discussed in this - lucky Episode 13.2021-10-2742 minThe 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast - A Champion for 20/21The 5-Hole looks back at the Stanley Cup Final. The boys chat about Tampa's cap manipulation, and look forward to a Leafian future with few dollars to spend and many holes to fill. Are the Leafs about to enter a period of decline before their ascent reaches the top of the mountain? Opinions are split.2021-07-1851 minThe 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast - Your Cup FinalAt long last - The Stanley Cup Final. Our friends at the 5-Hole talk about how we got here, explore simmering resentments on who made it and what to expect in this ultimate series to decide who will sip from Lord Stanley's great chalice. In addition, the Wayne Simmonds signing is reviewed and the boys explore its implications for the future of the home town Leafs.
These special playoff editions have each been rendered bit-free, in order to deliver a review packed with relevance and chock full of timely candor. 2021-07-0242 minThe 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast - The "Semis"The semi-finals are next on the NHL playoff agenda and the inexplicably unstoppable Habitants are about to face their toughest opponent - the Las Vegas Golden Knights. Meanwhile Lou's scrappy New York Islanders are heading to Tampa to play the defending champions, the league's most complete team named for a weather event. The boys of the 5-Hole Pod are here to set us up for these penultimate series while continuing their reflections on the state of the Leafs, the arrogance of their management and the very narrow path forward.2021-06-1438 minThe 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast - A Post-MortemIn the wake of the latest and greatest playoff collapse of their beloved Blue and White, the boys at The 5-Hole attempt to pull themselves from the depths of their collective despair long enough to review what went wrong and what it might mean for the Leafs moving forward. Because they are professionals, they also take a shot at predicting the winners of the next playoff round, but quickly bail when it becomes obvious to all concerned that they are just going through the motions. They can't even summon up enough energy to do a "bit". In the words of...2021-06-0346 minThe 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast - Episode 8It's The 5-Hole Playoff Preview 2021. The boys finally get around to some hard-hitting hockey journalism - well not really. But there is an attempt made to stick to the script for once - kind of. Besides an around-the-league review of matchups and a take on each, the boys in the hole provide us with a glimpse into a day in the life of Leaf Consultant Cliff Fletcher, examine more of Lou's Rules and open the 5-Hole mailbag to engage with you, the listening audience.
The 5-Hole Podcast would like to acknowledge an inaccuracy in their review of west...2021-05-1757 minThe 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast - Episode 7Things are heating up in the North. Our friends at the 5-Hole Pod take a deep dive into Kyle Dubas's trade deadline acquisitions, examining their potential contributions to a deep Leaf Cup Run. Included in this analysis is a somewhat sentimental look at who might be losing their spot in the Leaf lineup when the playoffs roll around. And don't miss another new segment - Leaf Legends By The Numbers and another installment of Where Are They Now - this time the subject is multiple Stanley Cup Champion Mark Messier. Yes, Captain Mark seems to be a 5-Hole Pod favo...2021-04-2953 minThe 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast - Episode 6At the approximate three-quarter pole of this pandemic-shortened NHL season, our friends at the 5-Hole - Bill Moges, G Francis and King Conko review such recent events as the virus's effect on the Canuck's season, team names based on weather phenomena, McDavid's recent slap on the wrist for his intent to injure an opponent and discuss the effectiveness of recent Leaf veteran signings. We also enjoy another entry of Leafs Got Talent with visits from Zach Hyman and Leaf alum Steve Thomas.2021-04-1554 minThe 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast - Episode 5With spring in the air, the 5-Hole crew discuss the Tim Peel controversy, the Leaf goalie situation, their scoring drought and the decline of Captain John Tavares. They also take a look at the life and times of Coach John Tortorella in a feature called Torts Shorts and the 5-Hole mailbag is back, calling for the boys to step outside their buttoned-down sports journalist comfort zone to speak to the people. 2021-03-2949 minThe 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast - Episode 4Lou's Rules return, listener mailbag makes its debut and topics include Leaf trade deadline objectives, how to retain Zack Hyman, an evaluation of Freddie Andersen and recent North Division coaching changes. 2021-03-2245 minThe 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast - Episode 3The 5-Hole boys talk Leaf MVP, what's wrong with the Sabres and their stars, how the Shanaplan is going plus more new segments and once again the music budget is happily blown through without a thought to the bottom line. All this for our valued listener - whoever you are.2021-03-1046 minThe 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast - Episode 2The 5-Hole boys discuss Crosby's future, the unexpected Penguin's hire of Brian Burke, they are visited by some talented Leafs and reprise the Lightfoot which finds them complaining once again about things that will never change.2021-02-2846 minThe 5-Hole PodcastThe 5-Hole Podcast PremierThis week the boys discuss what's wrong with the North Division, introduce Lou's Rules and suggest changes they'd make to the NHL if anyone was listening in a segment named for Canadian musical icon Gordon Lightfoot.2021-02-1142 min