Sticks in the 6ix

Sticks in the 6ix is a Maple Leafs show with the temperature turned up. Andrew Forbes and Peter Barrichini work through Toronto hockey as fans who are tired of excuses but still invested enough to argue the details. Recent episodes lean hard into a season that went wrong. Brad Treliving, Keith Pelley’s public messaging, the trade deadline, playoff positioning, and the club’s larger organizational culture all become part of the same conversation. The show often lands on a simple but demanding question: what has to change before the Leafs can be taken seriously as a contender? It is blunt, but not empty outrage. The hosts spend time on player usage, roster construction, asset value, and timing. Easton Cowan’s minutes, Luke Haynes’ small sample, backup goaltending possibilities, and the value of veterans such as OEL all get treated as pieces in a larger build. The deadline episodes carry a seller-market anxiety, with first-round picks, comparable trades, and missed leverage points driving the discussion. The show also follows the pain points around injuries and league discipline, including the fallout from the Austin Matthews injury discussion and Radko Gudis suspension debate. There is room for wider hockey, too. Emma Malte’s appearance shifts the conversation toward Team Canada, Olympic experience, the PWHL, sold-out crowds, and the growth of women’s hockey in Canada and Europe. Kyle Manifold brings another voice on deadline movement and Calgary Flames connections. Brock Otten helps frame the 2026 NHL Draft, Gavin McKenna, Oscar Hemming, and the way teams may value heavy playoff-style prospects. The pacing is casual and familiar, with live-show energy, sponsor reads, side comments, and closing nods to Alex Hobson. Still, the center of gravity is clear. This is a Leafs podcast for people who want the week’s anger, hope, roster math, and prospect talk in one place. It knows the fan base is exhausted. It also knows the next piece of Leafs news will pull everyone back in.