The JD Bunkis Podcast

JD and DJ Bean, co-host of the What Chaos Show, talk about Nikita Zadarov's fit with the Maple Leafs and his reputation among former teammates, the transactional prevalence early in this NHL season, if DJ is surprised by the Leafs uneven start, what seems to be the Leafs key to success, if this the best Connor McDavid has ever looked, and how much the hockey buzz from the Olympics has lasted in America. JD then ties together his thoughts on the Leafs goaltending, Gavin McKenna's ice-time, and breaking news that Artur Akhtyamov being recalled from the Marlies. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

JD reacts to Gavin McKenna's benching and the Maple Leafs narrow 5-4 loss to the Sabres. James Mirtle, senior writer at The Athletic, analyzes Jim Hiller's decision to bench Gavin McKenna for half the game, Hiller's reputation in Los Angeles, how the Leafs could handle Chris Tanev's return, if the Leafs could call up Ben Danford soon, what depth defencemen the Leafs could target in the trade market, and why the Leafs traded for Aatu Raty. JD ends the hour discussing the Seahawks loss to the Broncos. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

JD is joined by Ryan Reaves, 16-year NHL forward, his interests post-retirement, dealing with Toronto's media market, what he's going to miss about his playing in the NHL, what he would've done if he didn't take the hockey path, and how he feels about the decline of fighting in the NHL. Marco D'Amico, co-host of The Starr and D'Amico Show, discusses the "we want Larkin" chants in Montreal, if Dylan Larkin would fit in Montreal, and if the NHL could see any splashy trades in November. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

JD Bunkis and Sam McKee react to the Maple Leafs' narrow 5-4 loss to the Mammoth. The duo break down their biggest positives and negatives from Toronto's West Coast road trip, talk about the Leafs' biggest room for improvement: their blue line, and lay out what they think about Kirill Marchenko's impact. They also discuss what they are seeing from the Leafs' special teams and what the options for the top power play unit are. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

JD reacts to the Maple Leafs' 6-3 victory over the Avalanche and the injury to Chris Tanev. JD is joined by Adam Ottavino, 15-year MLB pitcher and NBC analyst, to get into what MLB's 2026 postseason has taught us about modern pitching, the best starting pitchers not making it deep into ball games, what's going on with Shohei Ohtani, and the rise of Jose Ramirez. Later (42:00), JD discusses the lack of NHL hockey on Canadian Thanksgiving. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

JD opens the show with his thoughts on the Maple Leafs’ 6-3 win over the Avalanche on Saturday. Shayna Goldman, NHL writer at The Athletic, joins (15:52) to discuss Kirill Marchenko’s impact since joining the Leafs, how encouraging Auston Matthews’ start to the season has been and Gavin McKenna’s quick adjustment to the league. They also touch on the possibility of Connor Hellebuyck going to New York after the Rangers lost Igor Shesterkin for the year. The hour ends with JD’s thoughts on Game 1 of the NLCS. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

JD and Sportsnet's Sam McKee get into the positives and negatives from the Maple Leafs' 4-3 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. The duo try to make out how good the Leafs are going to be this season, if the Leafs' defense can become trustworthy this season, Auston Matthews' altered game style, their continued impressions of Kirill Marchenko, and the Mitch Marner closure. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

JD and James Mirtle, senior writer at The Athletic, the feelings this season playing against the Vegas Golden Knights and what's stood out most through four games of the Maple Leafs season. JD and James discuss the Leafs most important developments of the early season, their upcoming schedule, and what the biggest areas of improvement need to be. The hour ends with JD's thoughts on MLB's divisional series. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

JD reacts to the Maple Leafs' exciting 5-4 victory over the Nashville Predators at Scotiabank Arena. Two-time Stanley Cup champion, Kris Versteeg, and JD chat about Gavin McKenna's breakout game, Jim Hiller dropping McKenna to the third line and blending the lines in the third period, what's stuck out about Hiller's coaching, a vintage Auston Matthews game, and the nuances of defensive responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

JD is joined by Jason Bukala, Sportsnet NHL analyst and founder of the Pro Hockey Group, to dive into Gavin McKenna's first week in the NHL. JD asks Jason what the Maple Leafs can do with their line combinations to support McKenna, why the Leafs second line with McKenna has been quiet, and why McKenna should be moved into the first powerplay unit. JD and Jason (29:00) then get into Easton Cowan's impressive start and Alexander Ovechkin's goal-scoring legacy. JD ends the hour discussing the sudden Atlanta Falcons threat. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

JD is joined by Ben Ennis, co-host of The FAN Morning Show, to debate if sports rivalries will ever be the same in professional sports. Later (29:00), JD and Ben then give the rational and irrational perspectives on Gavin McKenna's first week in the NHL. The duo then shift their focus to their interests in MLB's postseason. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

JD reacts to big nights from former Maple Leafs; Joseph Woll, Matthew Knies, and Nick Robertson. Marco D'Amico, co-host of The Starr and D'Amico show, joins JD (6:00) to talk about Montreal's interest in Kirill Marchenko and Matthew Knies, Gary Bettman's comments on no-trade clauses, how player empowerment has evolved in the NHL. Later (22:00), JD asks Marco about the Jets' strategy with Connor Hellebuyck, the Oilers precarious goaltending situation, and Alexander Barkov's injury. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.