Spittin’ Chiclets Episode 658: Featuring Dave Portnoy

Summary of Spittin’ Chiclets Episode 658: Featuring Dave Portnoy

by Barstool Sports

2h 31m•June 30, 2026
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Overview of Spittin’ Chiclets Episode 658: Featuring Dave Portnoy

This episode is a wide-ranging mix of NHL offseason chaos, hockey-business talk, World Cup banter, and a long interview with Dave Portnoy about his new book Cancel Me If You Can and the behind-the-scenes fight to get Barstool Sports back. The crew spends most of the show reacting to major player movement, debating team-building strategy, and breaking down how the NHL, social media, and modern sports media are all changing fast.

NHL Offseason Chaos: Trades, Offer Sheets, and Team-Building Philosophy

The hosts spend a large chunk of the episode on the league’s latest roster shuffle, emphasizing how active and unpredictable the NHL has become.

Biggest topics discussed

  • Mike Babcock’s Oilers hiring: The crew revisits Babcock’s press conference and his reputation, with some defense of him from former players who say he was tough but effective.
  • Jason Robertson saga: A major discussion about whether Dallas should pay him top-dollar or explore a trade.
    • The hosts debate whether a player can really say he wants to stay if he turns down huge money.
    • They compare his situation to other stars and argue that players increasingly have leverage.
  • Seattle Kraken’s appeal problem: They note that Seattle is still building credibility and that players often prefer proven contenders over a good market.
  • Zach Werenski and Dylan Larkin rumors: The group discusses the possibility of big names being moved or not re-signing, and how public trade requests create headaches for teams and fan bases.
  • Washington Capitals retooling: They praise Washington’s moves, especially the additions of skill and speed, and think the Caps are reloading smartly.
  • Buffalo Sabres’ smart contract strategy: The hosts highlight Buffalo locking up younger players on value deals and call it a strong example of building with cap efficiency.
  • Chicago Blackhawks acceleration: They debate whether Chicago’s aggressive moves, including adding Byram and pursuing immediate improvement, are the right way to support Connor Bedard.
  • Utah’s ambition: They speculate Utah is hunting big names and trying to become a destination.
  • Draft takeaways:
    • The decentralized draft format was mostly disliked by the people they asked.
    • They thought some teams reached or fell in surprising ways.
    • They liked the storylines around prospects with unusual backgrounds, especially the Cayman Islands player and the farm-boy energy of one of the top picks.

Main hockey-business themes

  • Teams are no longer just drafting and waiting; they’re trying to win now.
  • Elite players are increasingly controlling their own destinations.
  • No-state-tax markets and cap structure matter more than ever.
  • Young players are getting paid earlier than ever, and teams are gambling on upside before the breakout.

Dave Portnoy Interview: Cancel Me If You Can and the Barstool Origin Story

The Portnoy interview is the centerpiece of the episode. He talks in detail about the book, why he wrote it, and the long, messy history behind Barstool’s rise and near-collapse.

Why he wrote the book

  • He says the idea of seeing a book with his name in an airport or bookstore was exciting.
  • Francis Ellis originally wrote it, but Portnoy says it didn’t sound like him and contained too much invented material.
  • Portnoy ended up rewriting most of it himself, which took significantly more time than he expected.

The biggest revelation: how Barstool got back

Portnoy explains the backstory behind the Penn/ESPN situation:

  • Penn bought Barstool, and an ESPN deal was being negotiated.
  • ESPN reportedly said they would only do the deal if Dave Portnoy was removed from ESPN programming.
  • Portnoy says he felt blindsided and effectively “fired from his own company.”
  • Once it became clear Barstool and ESPN were a bad fit, Penn and Portnoy renegotiated, and he got Barstool back for a symbolic $1 deal structure.
  • He says the whole thing would have likely led to many employees being cut, which was part of why he fought to keep the company intact.

Portnoy on the media attacks

  • He discusses the Business Insider and New York Times stories that targeted him personally.
  • He says many claims were false or missing key context.
  • He names Sophia Franklin as playing a role in connecting one of the accusers to reporters, which he says is in the book.
  • The whole stretch made him more jaded, but also more determined to push back publicly.

Portnoy on Barstool’s success

  • He credits a lot of the company’s growth to timing, luck, and being quick to adapt to new platforms.
  • Early Barstool growth came from being among the first to exploit:
    • blogs
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • Instagram
    • short-form video
  • He says the company succeeded because it was early, fast, and willing to take risks.
  • He also admits that the Boston sports dynasty era helped Barstool become culturally huge.

Portnoy on PMT, PFT, and McAfee

  • He says his relationship with PFT and Dan evolved over time.
  • There was real bad blood during earlier years, but they eventually unified after shared conflicts with ESPN.
  • He says he and PFT trust each other now, even if they don’t always see eye to eye.
  • He also clarifies that his issue was never really McAfee himself, but ESPN and what it tried to do to Barstool.

Miscellaneous Observations and Recurring Bits

Women’s hockey and NHL audience growth

  • The hosts joke that the NHL’s recent “super team” and rivalry momentum has helped grow female viewership.
  • One stat mentioned: women’s audience growth was reportedly up 138% from last season.
  • They also mention upcoming female players attending Edmonton Oilers development camp, framing it as another sign of hockey expanding.

World Cup / soccer chatter

  • They celebrate Canada’s men’s World Cup run and joke about becoming “bandwagon” supporters.
  • They discuss how the U.S., Canada, and Mexico should have hosted more knockout games at home.
  • The group also gushes about the quality of soccer skill, especially highlight-level goals and dribbling from elite players.

R.A.’s movie and culture recommendations

R.A. closes with his usual pop-culture roundup:

  • The Warriors — classic gritty New York movie recommendation
  • Friends of Eddie Coyle — free screening in Boston
  • Jaws — seeing it in theaters for July 4th
  • He also plugs a clip/reel related to Tom Cruise and a new film trailer.

Key Takeaways

  • The NHL offseason is fully in “super team,” leverage-driven mode.
  • Stars like Robertson and Larkin are driving the news cycle as much as GMs are.
  • Buffalo, Washington, and Chicago are all trying to get better fast in different ways.
  • Portnoy’s interview is less about the book and more about the full history of Barstool’s survival, fight with ESPN, and the company’s rise.
  • The episode reinforces how much hockey media now overlaps with business, internet culture, and personal brand warfare.

Notable Lines / Ideas

  • “Trust no one and accuse everyone” — used jokingly in the show intro and reflects the chaotic offseason vibe.
  • Portnoy’s central theme: Barstool worked because it was built at the exact right time, by people willing to move fast and take heat.
  • The crew’s recurring hockey takeaway: the league is better when stars force movement and teams are willing to get aggressive.

Suggested Follow-Ups for Listeners

  • Read Dave Portnoy’s Cancel Me If You Can
  • Watch the latest NHL moves through the lens of cap structure and player leverage
  • If you’re in Boston, check out R.A.’s movie recommendations
  • Keep an eye on the next wave of NHL young stars, especially in San Jose, Buffalo, and Chicago