Burning Questions On The West's First-Round Matchups

About this episode

The episode discusses key questions and insights regarding the NHL's first-round playoff matchups.

Here's what Katie Gaus, Ryan Kennedy and Michael Traikos discussed: 1:00: Thoughts on the first-round schedule? 2:59: How can the Los Angeles Kings stay competitive against the Colorado Avalanche? 5:55: What will be a key difference in the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild series? 8:19: What are the expectations for Mitch Marner in the playoffs? 9:30: What do you make of the Vegas Golden Knights' end to the regular season? 13:12: Who should be the Edmonton Oilers' starting goaltender? 14:45: What's the scouting report on the Anaheim Ducks as they enter the playoffs? 17:03: Which of the first-round series are you most looking forward to watching? 18:20: Who is an unlikely playoff hero? 19:30: What is the toughest series of the bunch? BetMGM Playbook 22:15: What are the odds for NHL teams seeking to win the Stanley Cup for the first time? 23:14: What are the concerns with each of these teams that could prevent them from winning? 29:40: Which team would you pick as the first-time Stanley Cup winner? 31:02: What are the overall Stanley Cup odds? Rapid Fire 31:46: The 2026 NHLPA Player Poll is released. David 'Pasta' Pastrnak was voted the player with the best nickname. Do you agree…

People in this episode

Host: Katie Gaus

Guests: Ryan Kennedy, Michael Traikos

Topics covered

• NHL playoffs
• first-round matchups
• team analysis
• player expectations
• Stanley Cup odds
• fantasy draft

Keywords

• NHL playoffs
• first-round matchups
• Stanley Cup
• fantasy draft
• player performance
• team analysis

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Los Angeles Kings, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Knights, Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Ducks, BetMGM, NHL, Vancouver Canucks

More episodes of The Big Show

• Are The Hurricanes Finally Wearing Down The Golden Knights? · June 12, 2026 · 43 min
• Who Is The Stanley Cup Favorite Through Four Games? · June 10, 2026 · 41 min
• Is Mitch Marner The NHL's Playoff MVP No Matter What? · June 8, 2026 · 35 min
• Was John Tortorella's Coach's Challenge A Bad Mistake? · June 5, 2026 · 39 min
• How Are The Golden Knights Getting These Comeback Wins? · June 3, 2026 · 36 min
• Previewing The 2026 Stanley Cup Final With Devan Dubnyk · June 1, 2026 · 43 min