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PODCAST

Tough Call

Discussing questionable hits and controversial calls around the NHL. PLUS: Is fighting necessary? How can we get MORE HITTING back in hockey? Player development, rule change proposals, and MORE!

sports hockey

All Episodes

00:34:08

Slashing/spearing, linesman/linesperson: What's in a...

Tough Call ·

2025/10/16

Slashing or spearing? Linesman or linesperson? And have I gone soft on boarding? What is the line between great hit and dirty boarding? This and more!Theme song written and performed by Everett Boulton.Subscribe to Tough Call on YouTubeFollow and rate this podcast!

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00:32:40

Panthers and Lightning - Bullying wins...again

Tough Call ·

2025/10/08

15 minutes of regular episode, 15 minutes of how the NHL completely botched the Panthers/Lightning fiasco, and how the DOPS has set the table for more trouble moving forward.

en

00:34:17

Clean checks are back! Now how can we get more?

Tough Call ·

2025/10/06

Covering the NHL pre-season period of Sept 21st-29th.What suspensions should there have been? In terms of checking, how late is LATE?When should we start teaching "checking" in minor hockey? and HOW do you teach it? Spoiler: It doesn't have much to do with legalizing hitting.This and more!

en

00:20:46

Fighting and contracts and neck guards, oh my!

Tough Call ·

2025/09/18

What's the deal with Connor McDavid not signing yet? Did the Q fighting ban make hockey more dangerous? Does fighting have a place in hockey? Should neck guards and face masks be mandatory in pro hockey?Find out here!Theme song by Everett BoultonSubscribe to Tough Call on YouTubeFollow:@ToughCallPod on Twitter and Bluesky@toughcallpodcast on instagram and Threads@tough_call on TikTok

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00:30:43

What's the problem with Leafs culture?

Tough Call ·

2025/09/10

Welcome to a new season of Tough Call! Mitch Marner and Leafs aura. Which country promotes real hockey: Canada or the US? What is the real purpose of body contact? This and more... Now also a video podcast!Theme song: Everett Boulton (eb_hunter0 - instagram)Subscribe to Tough Call on YouTubeFollow: @ToughCallPod - X and Bluesky @toughcallpodcast - Instagram @tough_call - Tik Tok

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00:19:13

Angling Works!

Tough Call ·

2022/09/30

Tough Call Podcast is back four a fourth season! Get caught up on the latest NHL hits and suspensions through the first week of the pre-season. What’s the deal with all the open ice hitting? Is it here to stay??? And why are forecheckers so surprised when defenders “turn their back” when they’re the ones who forced them into doing it? Why are we so surprised when angling works?

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00:25:24

Call the Rulebook

Tough Call ·

2022/03/30

The Markstrom spear, the Cogliano knee. And what would happen if we called the NHL rulebook to the standard to which it’s written?

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00:20:46

The Auston Matthews Episode

Tough Call ·

2022/03/17

This is an 18 minute rant on all that’s wrong with the NHL and the fans who won’t allow it to be fixed. My apologies. 😬

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00:17:42

Exploding Hittens

Tough Call ·

2022/02/16

The theme is exploding into contact and maybe not doing it. The Zadorov check to Kase, the Dunn slash on Zegras, the Brad Marchand suspension, and more! Plus the trivia: last week’s answer and this week’s question. Subscribe to the Tough Call YouTube channel, and to this podcast!

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00:25:01

A Boarding by any other name…

Tough Call ·

2022/02/08

The Myers boarding to Lewis, the Gourde boarding to Vaakanainen, and why basing suspension length on injury is a bad idea. My usual segments and as always I end off with some trivia.

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00:20:52

Hit me With Your Best (Head) Shot

Tough Call ·

2022/01/21

The Greenway interference on Kuemper, the Drouin crosscheck to Seguin, and what’s my motivation for doing Tough Call? As always, fun trivia at the end.

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00:19:27

To Hit or Not To Hit?

Tough Call ·

2022/01/14

This covers NHL incidents from the week of January 2nd - 8th, 2022.

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00:24:47

Danbury Trashers - A Mockery of the Game?

Tough Call ·

2021/09/19

I’m back for a third season! This tells you everything you should expect to get out of this podcast when you follow me this year (and you absolutely should). Plus, why is there such a difference between hockey player personas on the ice vs off the ice? And finally, a little bit of trivia to end off!

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00:22:17

If you think that’s hockey you need some help

Tough Call ·

2021/06/10

What is a hockey play? Keeping things within the context of the game. Also, what do we do wrong when comparing incidents? Who’s dirtier? Reaves or Wilson? Find out here!

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00:13:23

Reaves and Kadri: A Tale of Two Repeat Offenders

Tough Call ·

2021/06/01

Ryan Reaves of the Vegas Golden Knights was issued a 2 game suspension for his actions against Ryan Graves of the Colorado Avalanche in game 1 of their second round series. This is the last straw for many in a years long chain of poor decisions from the NHL’s Department of Player Safety. It’s time for real change.

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00:17:58

Dmitry and Perry and Petry, Oh My!

Tough Call ·

2021/05/30

Why did Nick Foligno fight Corey Perry after the Tavares injury? Why did Dmitry Orlov have his major penalty against Kevan Miller reduced to a roughing minor? How did Jeff Petry avoid any discipline at all from both the on ice officials and the Department of Player Safety for his blindside hit to Alex Galchenyuk in overtime of Game Six? Also, subscribe to the new Tough Call YouTube channel for all my suspension recommendations, and follow both @ToughCallBlog and my companion account @NhlCall on

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00:11:58

Playoffs, Baby!

Tough Call ·

2021/05/20

The Kadri incident. Brad Marchand and his after the whistle antics. And how to keep the right kind of physicality in hockey.

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00:21:02

The Tough Call System - What’s It About?

Tough Call ·

2021/05/11

In this show I explain my suspension scale in a little more depth and how I apply it. Subscribe to my YouTube channel and see how it plays out with real incidents. Plus, Brayden McNabb has a habit, but is it good or bad?

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00:13:10

Wilson on Panarin - What is the DOPS Thinking?

Tough Call ·

2021/05/04

Why Tom Wilson SHOULD be treated differently.

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00:11:41

Edler Fights Simmonds: The Price of The Code

Tough Call ·

2021/04/30

Why did Edler have to fight Simmonds? Also, can Matthew Tkachuk throw a normal check? And Tough Call is now on YouTube! Listen to find out more.

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56 results

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