Spittin' Chiclets Episode 637: Featuring David Carle & Kyle Dubas

Summary of Spittin' Chiclets Episode 637: Featuring David Carle & Kyle Dubas

by Barstool Sports

3h 10m•April 14, 2026
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Overview of Spittin' Chiclets Episode 637: Featuring David Carle & Kyle Dubas

This episode (637) of Spittin' Chiclets features long-form conversations about college hockey and the NHL with two high-profile guests: David Carle (Denver Pioneers head coach) and Kyle Dubas (President/GM, Pittsburgh Penguins). The hosts (Biz, G, Merles, Murr) cover Denver’s national title and coaching dynasty, Frozen Four/IceCon recaps, college hockey recruiting/CHL/NIL changes, plus an extended NHL roundtable with playoff previews, team eulogies (Detroit, Islanders), Ovechkin/Crosby retirement talk, and an in-depth sit-down with Dubas on Pittsburgh’s turnaround, analytics, drafting, and personnel moves.

Episode structure & main guests

  • Opening: ads, IceCon/Frozen Four recap (Merles & Murr), Denver national title reaction
  • Guest interview 1: David Carle — deep college-hockey breakdown (recruiting, goalie Johnny Hicks, roster building, CHL rule, NIL, suggested NCAA regional changes)
  • Mid-episode: NHL news and playoff chatter (Detroit, Islanders, Minnesota v. Dallas predictions, Ovechkin/Sid speculation, Jonathan Quick retirement)
  • Guest interview 2: Kyle Dubas — Pittsburgh turnaround, Dan Muse hire, player development, analytics, draft/dev philosophy
  • Closing: more NHL playoff takes and pop culture/sports notes (Rory McIlroy / Masters recap)

Key takeaways — College hockey (David Carle)

  • Denver dynasty: Carle explains Denver’s culture — emphasis on grinders, multi-year players, relentless in-game coaching and adjustments, and a relentless expectation to win. He’s already viewed as a long-term fixture at Denver.
  • Johnny Hicks (goalie): near-miraculous season: recruited late (was committed to a WHL/TSU route that collapsed), arrived as a backup, stepped in after injury, went undefeated and posted historic numbers (tied/broke single-season records once qualified), earned the locker-room nickname “Johnny Bricks.”
  • Transfer/portal and CHL rule impact: the program navigated the recent legal/eligibility turbulence carefully, delaying moves while the litigation and rule changes settled. Denver recruited a mix of CHL and USHL talent and favored cultural fit and academics alongside ability.
  • Recruiting & roster-building philosophy: Denver emphasizes development and bringing in the “right” freshmen (10 freshmen this year, many from CHL) rather than chasing only first-round picks; they value depth and buy-in over star-only approaches.
  • NIL & revenue-sharing: Carle describes Denver’s cautious approach — limited outside collectives, focus on revenue sharing (internal donations to DU), Alston/COA distribution (scholarship-related compensation), and a priority on education/long-term development over headline NIL bidding wars.
  • Format suggestion for NCAA regionals: Carle strongly advocates top-8 hosting bottom-8 for regionals to preserve atmosphere, ticket revenue, and momentum (and cut the awkwardness of tiny host venues for top teams).
  • Notable quotes: “Anything worth having in life is hard.” / “Winning cures everything.” (on the fan reaction at IceCon)

Frozen Four & IceCon recaps (Merles & Murr)

  • Atmosphere: Vegas Frozen Four felt like a destination event — packed venues, strong energy even without proximate schools.
  • IceCon (fan meetup/cult-like following): Mr. Ice and his “Ice people” fanbase generated a fervent celebration; Merles described the community and the build-up to their win.
  • Personal anecdotes: Vegas gambling stories, celebrity sightings, and interaction with fans/fellow media.

Key takeaways — NHL roundups, storylines & predictions

  • Detroit Red Wings: brutal late-season collapse — went from early leaders to missing playoffs; criticism over roster construction (similar profiles, lack of grit), expensive deadline moves (e.g., trade for Falk involving an unprotected first-rounder) and whether Stevie Y should remain (hosts lean to giving him one more year).
  • Pittsburgh Penguins (pre-Dubas deep dive): Dubas credited for aggressive offseason moves and organizational rebuild paying off; Dan Muse hire widely praised.
  • Minnesota Wild vs Dallas Stars (only confirmed first-round preview): hosts give mixed takes — Biz and some pick Dallas, others back Minnesota; injuries (Hintz, Heskinen) and center depth are central matchup storylines. Consensus possible: series could go six or seven games.
  • Islanders: exceeded expectations thanks to young players (Schaefer) and Sorokin; still have holes — team-building opportunity.
  • Ovechkin & Sidney retirement chatter: mixed debate — Ovechkin’s future unclear; Sid likely to continue. Hosts discuss emotional/legacy elements around possible retirements.
  • Jonathan Quick: final NHL game noted as a major career send-off to follow.
  • Avalanche: clinched President’s Trophy (discussion of historical context and relevance).
  • Other tidbits: Oilers loss to Kings; playoffs shaping up with lots of volatility and storylines (Leafs/Ottawa banter, Washington push, etc.).

Interview highlights — Kyle Dubas (Pittsburgh Penguins)

  • Dan Muse hire: Dubas explains why Muse was chosen — developmental track record (college, USHL, U.S. program), excellent work ethic, and ability to connect with both young and veteran players. Muse’s bench hires (Nick Bonino, Rich Clune, Todd Nelson) were his choices and fit the roster.
  • Turnaround blueprint: emphasis on development, a clear plan, and staff alignment. Dubas credits the players for execution but emphasizes collaborative front-office work.
  • Breakout players & depth: notable contributors (Eric Carlson’s resurgence and leadership; Ryan Shea’s emergence; Anthony Mantha trade signing working very well; young rookie Connor Kelley/Kindle earning minutes). Dubas praised the depth and hard-to-measure "intangibles."
  • Drafting & development strategy: Dubas describes the new complexity after CHL rule changes and the portal — teams must weigh USHL/college/CHL routes case-by-case. He favors letting players choose but provides guidance on programs that best develop prospects.
  • Analytics role: analytics are used as an edge — not the only input — integrated with coaches’ scouting and film verification. Analytics help identify undervalued attributes and measure performance when combined with tape.
  • Regret/redo: Dubas cited trading Mason Marchment to Florida as a move he regrets — Marchment later became a strong NHL player.
  • Mentors & influences: deep respect for Lou Lamoriello (old-school detail, culture) and the lessons learned in different roles (Sioux, Toronto).
  • Handling veterans: Dubas prefers to explain rationale to veteran leaders (e.g., Crosby) rather than ask for their decision-making; prioritizes minimizing added burdens on elite players.
  • Notable quote: Dan Muse “hardest working person” Dubas has worked with.

Notable quotes & moments

  • David Carle: “They just win it… it’s a coaching masterclass.” / “Anything worth having in life is hard.”
  • Johnny Hicks nickname: “Johnny Bricks.”
  • Merles on IceCon: “Winning cures everything.”
  • Kyle Dubas on Dan Muse: “The work ethic is unmatched.”

Quick takeaways — what to watch next

  • College hockey: watch Denver’s recruiting/transfer decisions and how the CHL/college blend evolves; keep an eye on programs that embrace revenue-sharing strategies.
  • NHL playoffs: key matchups — Stars vs Wild, Penguins’ playoff push under Dubas/Muse, Detroit offseason decisions, Islanders roster-building, Ovechkin/Sid legacy storylines.
  • Players to monitor: Johnny Hicks (NCAA → pro outlook), Eric Carlson (PIT), Ryan Shea (PIT), Anthony Mantha (bench-to-30-goal form), Connor Kindle (rookie breakout).
  • Off-ice league changes: NIL, revenue sharing, CHL eligibility, and regional hosting formats are evolving and will materially affect recruiting, rosters and competitive balance.

Action items / recommendations for listeners

  • If you follow college hockey: rewatch Denver’s coaching and goaltending tape (Hicks) and monitor offseason portal/transfer moves.
  • If you follow the NHL playoffs: pay attention to goaltending statuses, late-season injuries (Hintz/Heskinen), and how coaches adapt to playoff styles.
  • Listen to both interviews in full for the nuanced perspectives: Carle on program-building in college hockey; Dubas on aligning analytics, scouting, and culture to rebuild an NHL contender.

If you want a super-quick single-line summary: Denver’s hockey machine keeps rolling under David Carle (small-school culture + elite coaching + unexpected heroes like Johnny Hicks), while Kyle Dubas walks through Pittsburgh’s rebuild — the right hires, analytics + scouting integration, and player development turning a questionable offseason into a playoff team.