Kings Realm · The Kings Realm

377: Shooshi

April 1, 2026·1 hr 2 min·5 clips

James's room-temperature beer explodes during a shotgun attempt, spraying liquid everywhere and leaving the hosts in hysterics.

1. Kings Realm episode 377, 'Shooshi,' covers the LA Kings' final stretch of a disappointing season with hosts Dennis Wilson, James Whitlock, and Jordan Heckman in an unusually loose, emotionally varied session. 2. Jordan Heckman hosts having arrived from a four-hour birthday sushi dinner with his dentist Dr. Tran (who shares his March 3rd birthday), his sons, and James; he reports testing 0.04 BAC before starting. 3. The episode's core throughline is reconciling the Kings' statistically failed season — four points out of a wild card with 11 games left — with what the remaining games should mean to the players and fans. 4. Dennis opens by noting the Kings went 2-2-3 since the last recording and have tied the all-time NHL record for overtime losses at 18, which also equals their total regulation win count for the season. 5. The Kings are ranked 23rd in the league, and the hosts review recent results including losses to the Flyers (4-3), the Utah Mammoth (first ever loss to that franchise), and the Calgary Flames in overtime. 6. A bright spot discussed is Artemi Panarin, acquired mid-season, who continues to produce; Jordan notes his continued scoring at age 36 or 37 gives hope for next season. 7. Anze Kopitar broke the Kings' all-time goal-scoring record during the losing streak, and Dennis marks it with an audio clip from the broadcast. 8. Jordan argues the Kings should ignore the standings for the remaining 11 games, play freely, get to know each other, and use the stretch to rebuild chemistry ahead of the following season. 9. James attempts a beer shotgun using a side-opening tool, producing a full-studio explosion that coats the walls, floor, wine cabinet, and James's shirt; listener Michelle captures the moment on video. 10. The beer explosion becomes the episode's comedic centrepiece, with the hosts spending several minutes replaying Michelle's Instagram video frame by frame and comparing it to a Stone Cold Steve Austin stunt. 11. Voicemails from listeners are played including one from a caller who describes going on a boat party with Jordan Belfort, one from a long-absent caller getting vibes of a historic bad season followed by a coaching change, and one from a beer-league player who won a championship game the same night. 12. Jordan delivers a personal speech about attending the celebration of life for his high school ex-girlfriend Jen, who had a heart condition her whole life and consistently modelled the habit of asking follow-up questions to understand others. 13. He quotes life coach Rachel saying 'leadership is about doing for others without the concern about yourself' and applies it to Kopitar's career as evidence that selflessness produces results. 14. The Predikshuns segment — the hosts' season-long prediction-tracking contest — is discussed; the standings are Dennis 22, Jordan 20, James 24, with James declared winner, all having outperformed the Kings' regulation win total. 15. The hosts preview the remaining schedule: a home game against the Canucks (last in the Pacific, officially eliminated), the Utah Mammoth, the St. Louis Blues (69 points), and the Colorado Avalanche (already over 100 points). 16. A DraftKings Sportsbook ad is read by Dennis with Jordan mispronouncing parts and James laughing throughout; a Rakuten Canada cashback ad is also read. 17. The episode's format is a stream-of-consciousness table read mixing game recaps, live-commentary on comments from listener Michelle, and extended tangents. 18. The tone shifts between self-deprecating humour about the Kings' season, genuine warmth in the birthday and loss stories, and chaotic energy during the beer incident. 19. Diehard LA Kings fans who enjoy unfiltered fan podcast banter with personal storytelling and season-end reflection will find this episode most rewarding. 20. Listeners seeking analytical hockey commentary, tight episode structure, or context-free listening will struggle with this format.

As heard by us

A loose Kings hangout that turns bad standings math into shared jokes.

Kings Realm plays best as a loose Kings hangout, where bad standings math turns into shared frustration instead of pure misery. The team is four points out of a wildcard spot with 11 games left, and the hosts keep circling back to the 2-2-3 run, the overtime-loss total, and the…

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Why you'd press play

You want a Kings postgame that feels like the group chat got a microphone.

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