Playoff nerves, puck talk, zero stiffness.
Empty The Benches tracks hockey when the standings feel unstable and every roster decision becomes an argument. Nick and Mac mix NHL playoff talk, trade-deadline speculation, college hockey interviews, and casual sports banter with a loose rhythm.
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Empty The Benches is a hockey show shaped by playoff nerves, deadline rumors, and the everyday language of fans who have spent too many nights watching standings boards. Nick and Mac anchor the conversation with a loose back-and-forth style. The show is casual first. Then the hockey brain kicks in. Recent episodes move through Eastern and Western playoff races, Islanders coaching talk, Red Wings frustration, Caps storylines, deadline defensemen, and the emotional aftermath of big international games. The speakers are comfortable drifting into March Madness, office bracket pools, Wisconsin weather, or fan-life jokes, but the detours usually feed back into the same thing: what it feels like to live inside a sports season. Guests give the show useful range. Katie Florio brings a media-room perspective on daily access, practice coverage, and the work of getting reserved hockey players to open up. College hockey guests talk about Penn State recruiting, facilities, development, Frozen Four milestones, and the pull of Minnesota high school hockey. Deadline episodes lean harder into roster construction. Olympic hockey talk brings out the show's most intense fan energy, especially around USA Hockey, Canada, and the speed of best-on-best play. Empty The Benches is not polished studio punditry. It is sharper, messier, and more conversational than that. The appeal comes from hearing knowledgeable fans process hockey while the story is still moving, with enough specificity to satisfy regular NHL followers and enough personality to keep the room loose. The show suits listeners who want playoff stakes, player interviews, and opinionated hockey talk without losing the feeling of a weekly hang.
Made for: For hockey fans who follow NHL races, trade-deadline movement, Caps storylines, college hockey, and international tournaments with real emotional investment. It especially suits listeners who like analysis wrapped in casual banter.
What sets it apart: Empty The Benches blends fan-level urgency with access-driven conversations, moving easily from Caps practice-room trust to Penn State recruiting paths and deadline blue-line debates. It feels less like a panel and more like informed hockey friends catching the week while it is still hot.
Grab a seat and crack a cold one with Nick and Mac on Empty the Benches, the hockey podcast that doesn't hold back. Whether you're a diehard fan who's been watching since the '90s or just getting into the game, we've got you covered. We're diving deep into the NHL, NCAA, and beyond, with unfiltered takes and exclusive conversations with players, coaches, and everyone in between. If you live for the game, you've found your new weekly ritual.
Based on 5 episodes we listened to · September 2026
Empty The Benches connects hockey's emotional swings to detailed discussion of plays, roster construction, coaching, and the playoff race.
Nick and Mac treat hockey as an argument that keeps changing with every result, roster move, and coaching decision. Empty The Benches moves comfortably from the NHL trade deadline and playoff races to Olympic hockey, mixing immediate reactions with close attention to how teams…
Trade deadline grief gets a check-in before you have to pretend it was just another roster move.
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Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
Katie Florio explains how time at Capitals practices and in the locker room helps her build trust with players.
Katie Florio, a Capitals radio host and content producer, joins Nick and Mac to talk about getting past the familiar answers hockey players give in interviews. Her approach depends on time spent at every practice and in the locker room.
The Islanders' coaching change draws strong views; Detroit's slide leaves the hosts searching for answers.
The Islanders' coaching change gives the hosts plenty to debate as they follow the Eastern playoff race. They see DeBoer as a strong hire, but the timing interests them most. Had players begun tuning out the previous coach? Could DeBoer bring more structure right away?
Trade deadline heartache leads into Eva's memories of Minnesota high school hockey.
Nick and Matt begin with a difficult trade deadline before turning to Eva and Minnesota high school hockey. Matt calls it the hardest trade he has dealt with as a fan, though he understands the business side.
A deadline discussion that gives a possible bottom-pairing pickup as much attention as bigger names.
Trade deadline week gives Empty the Benches a question: what would Tyler Myers offer a team looking for help on defense? Detroit comes up as a rumored destination, and the hosts weigh whether Myers could manage playoff minutes on a bottom pairing.
A jubilant USA hockey recap gets its best moment from a close look at Matt Boldy's goal.
The hosts celebrate gold medals in men's and women's hockey, though the USA men's game against Canada soon takes over. They debate three-on-three overtime and linger on the tournament's speed and physicality, with players in midseason form.
Daily Canucks panic with receipts.
Buffalo hockey, argued daily.
Flyers wins, losses, and reality checks.
Nick and Mac interview Katie Florio, a Capitals radio host and content producer, discussing her role and the NHL playoff race.
The hosts discuss approaching their 300th episode and reminisce about past playoff matchups as the NHL postseason nears.
Nick and Mac chat about unpredictable spring weather and Mac's new beer league hockey team.
Nick and Mac discuss March Madness basketball before transitioning to Red Wings hockey talk.
Nick and Mac discuss March Madness and Cole Hutson signing with the Capitals.
Nick and Matt open Empty the Benches with trade-deadline fallout, saying Sean Carlson's move changes how the Capitals look and sounds like the hardest trade Matt has handled as a fan.
Friday's 3 p.m.
Empty The Benches recaps Team USA's women's and men's Olympic hockey golds against Canada, with both finals ending 2-1 in overtime.
The hosts preview the NHL Conference Finals and discuss the Panthers and Stars advancing.
A sports podcast episode previewing NBA playoff Game 7s and second round matchups, with sponsor messages for DraftKings and CAMH Sunrise Challenge.
This episode previews the Eastern Conference playoffs, discussing key matchups and storylines.
A preview of the Western Conference NBA playoffs with a DraftKings sponsorship and betting promotion.
A hockey podcast previewing the Frozen Four and discussing the Capitals' extension of Jakob Chychrun.