A Review of Blue Jackets and NHL Podcasts
By Mike Majeski
I’ll be up front about it, I am addicted to podcasts. Three years ago I subscribed to Puck Daddy Radio (now MvsW) and ESPN’s Baseball Today (RIP), and since then my subscription list is now up to 19 shows. Podcasts are a great form of entertainment for while you are working out, a way to keep your sanity at work, and a great source of information on a variety of subjects. The format has really taken off in the last few years, as podcasts have given people a form of talk radio that they can listen to on their own time. Very few people have the time to devote themselves to a daily 5 hour talk radio show. However, a daily 30 minute podcast or a weekly 1-2 hour show is easily digestible for listeners. In this post I will provide a list and brief reviews for the NHL podcasts I listen to. This list includes general NHL related shows, as well as Blue Jackets specific podcasts. I have provided links to all of the show’s webpages, but each of these shows are also available in iTunes and other podcatchers.
Blue Jackets Podcasts
The DKM (short for Distinct Kicking Motion) Hockey Podcast is a must listen for all Blue Jackets fans. The best way to describe the show is it gives you a fly on the wall view of a group of CBJ fans hanging out, knocking back a few drinks, and talking about hockey and the Jackets. While there is plenty of news and information about the team discussed, the best segments are of the comedic variety; “Being John Kempovich”, “B is for Boomer”, as well as several Blue Jackets related song parodies. The show is well produced and the audio quality is right on par with a professionally produced podcast. The DKM Hockey guys are also not just voices on a podcast. You can find them at the Jackets Watching Parties, CannonFest, and on some nights, in the CBJ Social Suite. They are also very active on twitter ( @DKMhockey ) and a good friend of the Union and Blue blog! During the season, new shows are generally posted weekly.
Photo Credit: Jessica Corson
Cannon Fodder is a podcast from the Columbus Dispatch’s hockey writers, which includes Aaron Portzline, Mike Arace, and Shawn Mitchell. This the perfect podcast for someone who wants a show devoted to CBJ news without the comedy or fan-type conversation. Think of it as the NPR of Blue Jackets podcasts. At times Cannon Fodder can be a bit dry, as it serves to inform, not entertain. New shows are posted weekly during the season, but since the writing team is busy covering the Jackets for The Dispatch, sometimes a weekly show is not possible.
The Blue Jackets Roundtable is produced by SB Nation’s “The Cannon” blog. Much like the SB Nation blog, it blends the “from the fans, for the fans” approach of DKM with the straight up news approach of Cannon Fodder. Matt Wagner and Dan P from The Cannon run the show and each week they include a variety of guests to discuss the Blue Jackets. The podcast is available through iTunes as well as The Cannon blog.
General NHL Podcasts
Easily the best hockey podcast available! During the offseason MvsW has about 2-3 shows per week (they usually take the majority of July and August off) and then switches to daily once the season starts. Jeff Marek covers hockey on the Sportsnet network in Canada and Greg Wyshynski is the editor of the Puck Daddy blog on Yahoo. With MvsW, Jeff and Greg strive to not just read you last night’s box score and instead they provide deeper insight into the latest NHL news, as well as hockey history. Mixed in with the hockey talk are hilarious pop-culture references and old hockey stories. The show is well produced and usually runs about an hour long.
Backhand Shelf is produced by The Score and is a great podcast for general hockey news, as well as great recaps of the previous night’s games. While they do cover the entire NHL, The Score is a Canadian network, so the Canadian teams do get a bit more coverage. Justin Bourne (son of Islander Bob Bourne) is a huge Islanders fan, so you will get some interesting stories about the 80s Dynasty teams his father was on. Backhand Shelf is a daily podcast during the season, and most shows run around 30-45 minutes. The show is a great source of news, and like MvsW is also very funny as well.
UPDATE: The Backhand Shelf re-launched today for the 2013-14 hockey season with a new format. Justin Bourne has taken over as host. Instead of a group conversation format, Bourne has a guest for each show lined up and they discuss the latest headlines. Now would be the perfect time to jump on board as a listener of this podcast!
This is a relatively new podcast and I only started listening during the last month or so, but it has been a great source of information. During the offseason they have been a weekly show and it appears that will continue once the season starts. Each week, hosts Hunter Crowther and James Stephan, focus on one main topic or team and usually have a guest on to add to the discussion. While the professional podcasts get the biggest following, it is also great to see a smaller blog develop and distribute their own podcast! I look forward to listening to the Hockey Guys Podcast throughout the NHL season. Each weekly show is around 30 mins.