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

Answering Listener Hockey Questions! FT. Brad Brown

January 21, 2026·39 min·3 clips

Brad Brown's coach told him he'd only make the NHL as a tough guy, changing his career path forever.

This episode features host Terry Ryan and his guest, former NHL defenseman Brad Brown, answering listener-submitted hockey questions. Ryan and Brown share a long history as former teammates and friends, providing a personal dynamic to the discussion. Their conversation covers a wide range of topics from their playing careers to current NHL events. Brad Brown details his most memorable goal, which he scored on Dominik Hašek while playing for the New York Rangers, with a pass from Theoren Fleury. He explains that his coach in Fredericton, Paulin Bordeleau, once told him his path to the NHL would be through fighting and toughness. Brown recounts a specific junior hockey bench brawl that occurred during a warm-up when he was 14 or 15 years old. He analyzes the current Ottawa Senators, stating their primary issue is goaltending and praising coach Travis Green's defensive impact. Brown shares a story about his former teammate Steve McLaren, who famously challenged Dennis Bonvie to a fight at training camp and was knocked out. He recalls the 1994 Memorial Cup fight between Steve McLaren and Chris Murray as one of the best hockey fights he's seen. Terry Ryan reveals that during their time with the Montreal Canadiens, coaches secretly put weights on their skates during practice drills. Brown discusses the mental challenge of being a healthy scratch for multiple games, describing how it eroded his confidence. He reflects on the different media and lifestyle pressures between playing in a Canadian market versus a city like New York. Brown mentions he is currently coaching his son's AAA hockey team, which he says gives him purpose. The episode includes Terry Ryan's lengthy recommendation of the Brian Wilson biopic *Love and Mercy* before the interview begins. Brown also briefly mentions his experimentation with intermittent fasting and references scientist David Sinclair. The tone is highly conversational, casual, and filled with inside jokes and personal anecdotes between the two hosts. The style is nostalgic, often revolving around stories from their junior and professional playing days in the 1990s. Hockey fans who enjoy unfiltered stories from former players and discussions about the "old school" era of the game would love this episode. Listeners seeking highly structured analysis of current NHL strategy or those unfamiliar with the hosts' personal backgrounds might find it less engaging.

As heard by us

Terry Ryan and Brad Brown drift from listener talk into rink lore, a birthday-game memory, and a brief Love and Mercy aside.

Terry Ryan and Brad Brown keep things loose, drifting from fan talk into junior hockey memories around Steve McLaren and Dennis Bomby, with a quick Love and Mercy nod that fits the same easy pace.

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Why you'd press play

You want junior-hockey stories, tough-guy lore, and Bradley Brown in the guest seat.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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