Tales with TR: A Hockey Podcast · The Hockey Podcast Network

2026 Winter Olympics and Legendary Scout Gerry McNamara - FT. Ken Reid - 292B

February 7, 2026·1 hr 1 min·5 clips

Ken Reid reveals how a local legend named T-Pot became the heart of his small-town hockey fandom.

This episode of Tales with TR features host Terry Ryan in conversation with frequent guest Ken Reid, a Sportsnet broadcaster and best-selling author of hockey books. They discuss Reid's latest book, which focuses on hockey scouts and includes hometown hockey stories alongside scouting profiles. The conversation centers on legendary scout Gerry McNamara and the changing culture of local sports fandom. Gerry McNamara was the Toronto Maple Leafs scout who discovered Swedish players Börje Salming and Inge Hammarström in the early 1970s. Reid notes McNamara had Sweden virtually to himself as a scouting territory at that time, allowing the Leafs exclusive signing rights. The book also details scout Ken Fox's long drive in a beat-up Ford Tempo to watch a young Arron Asham play Bantam AA hockey in Saskatchewan. Asham adapted his high-scoring junior game to become a versatile NHL role player, exemplified when he filled in for an injured Simon Gagné during the Philadelphia Flyers' 2010 playoff run. A memorable insight is Reid's reflection on his hometown hockey hero, "T-Pot" (Dana Johnson), a local legend in Pictou, Nova Scotia, who excelled in hockey, golf, and lobster fishing. Reid laments declining attendance at local junior games in major cities, contrasting it with the packed rinks still found in smaller Maritime towns. The hosts agree multi-sport participation is crucial for youth development, with Ryan citing Newfoundlanders like Alex Newhook who played high-level soccer. They analyze Team Canada's 2026 Olympic roster decisions, debating the selection of Seth Jarvis as a logical replacement for the injured Brayden Point over other candidates like Zach Hyman. Reid argues final roster spots often hinge on intangible chemistry and fit within the room, not just on-ice talent. Ryan shares an anecdote about observing Auston Matthews' leadership during a community event, highlighting traits not visible to the public. The tone is casual and conversational, filled with personal anecdotes and nostalgic reflections on hockey's past. The style is educational but informal, weaving between book promotion, hockey analysis, and personal stories. Hockey traditionalists and fans of grassroots, storytelling-focused podcasts will enjoy this episode. Listeners seeking hard news or tactical game analysis might find it too anecdotal.

As heard by us

A loose, lived-in hockey chat about politics, parenting, and the grind of managing two AAA ball players.

Episode 292b keeps things loose in a way that mostly works. Terry Ryan and Ken Reid settle into a friendly hockey chat that drifts from politics and the habit of people sorting themselves into camps to the daily grind of raising two AAA ball players and moving them between…

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Why you'd press play

For when you want a hockey hang that sounds like real life, not a panel.

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