Spittin' Chiclets Episode 660: Featuring Jordan Staal

Summary of Spittin' Chiclets Episode 660: Featuring Jordan Staal

by Barstool Sports

2h 53m•July 14, 2026
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Overview of Spittin' Chiclets Episode 660 Featuring Jordan Staal

Episode 660 is a mix of classic Chiclets chaos, major NHL talk, and a long, heartfelt interview with Carolina Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal after his Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe run. The hosts cover everything from the Yellowstone bison attack and Noah Kahan concert drama to major hockey stories like Leo Carlsson’s offer sheet, the Carolina Cup engraving controversy, and the latest on Bedard, Larkin, and other offseason news.

Jordan Staal Interview: A Cup Run Years in the Making

Key themes from the conversation

  • Staal’s long journey in Carolina: He reflected on leaving Pittsburgh, choosing Carolina, and staying through years of rebuilds and playoff disappointments.
  • Brotherhood and family: Playing with Eric and Jared Staal, plus sharing the Cup with his brothers, parents, and huge extended family, was clearly emotional for him.
  • Belief in the Hurricanes’ process: He praised:
    • Rod Brind’Amour for setting the culture and accountability
    • Tom Dundon for pushing the organization to spend and improve
    • Eric Tulsky for the analytics-driven approach
  • Playoff growth: Staal said the team kept learning from each heartbreak and eventually broke through in a run where everything clicked.
  • Goalie depth: He singled out Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov (“Bussi” in the conversation) as huge reasons Carolina got over the hump.

Notable moments

  • He described the Brady Tkachuk fight at the start of the playoffs as a tone-setting moment.
  • He spoke about how the Hurricanes’ fan base in Raleigh has grown into one of the loudest and most engaged in hockey.
  • Staal emphasized that he wasn’t thinking about himself in the Final—he wanted the Cup for his teammates.

NHL Headlines and Offseason Debate

Leo Carlsson offer sheet and the “hypocrite” discussion

The crew spent a big chunk of time on:

  • Leo Carlsson’s offer sheet being matched by Anaheim
  • Why players should be allowed to maximize earnings
  • Why teams sometimes need stars to take less to build a winner

They also debated:

  • Whether Anaheim should have gone higher sooner
  • The role of signing bonuses in creating a market advantage for richer teams
  • Why contracts are escalating fast after deals like Kaprizov’s and Carlsson’s

Cutter Gauthier, Bedard, and future offer sheets

  • They speculated that Cutter Gauthier will continue to push for top dollar.
  • They discussed whether Connor Bedard could be offer-sheeted, with the general conclusion being probably not, because Chicago would almost certainly match anything.
  • Barrett Hayton was briefly mentioned after Utah matched him.
  • Dylan Larkin reportedly expanded his trade-list of destinations to include Dallas.

The Carolina Cup engraving controversy

A major topic was the Stanley Cup engraving after Carolina’s title:

  • Tom Dundon reportedly had multiple family members engraved on the Cup.
  • The panel joked that it looked like a “Dundon bonanza.”
  • They noted that equipment manager Bobby Gorman was left off despite long service to the franchise.
  • The debate centered on:
    • Whether the NHL/Hockey Hall of Fame approved the names
    • Whether the league simply missed it because it was the offseason
    • Whether an owner should be allowed to use so many spots for family

Other Hockey and Sports Topics

Connor McDavid/league economics

  • The hosts talked about how future superstars could soon push contracts even higher, with McDavid’s next deal possibly resetting the market again.

Blackhawks and Bedard injury update

  • Bedard’s shoulder surgery and recovery timeline were discussed.
  • The hosts thought he likely could have had surgery sooner if not for the Olympic considerations and the desire to keep playing.

Ottawa and Toronto crossover

  • The crew reacted to Daniel Alfredsson joining the Maple Leafs’ coaching staff, calling it a painful look for Senators fans.

Sport radio shutdowns

  • R.A. covered the shutdown of several Rogers sports radio stations, which hit fans and media workers in multiple Canadian cities.

Off-Ice Chaos and Personal Stories

Yellowstone bison attack

A big early segment centered on a viral video of a man being thrown by a bison in Yellowstone:

  • The guys debated whether anyone could realistically outrun or evade a bison.
  • They joked about “animal calls,” cutbacks, and whether Whit could juke one.
  • The actual takeaway: do not get close to wild animals.

Noah Kahan concert and fake tickets

Whit and the others told a long story about:

  • Buying fake Noah Kahan tickets
  • Scrambling for replacements right before the show
  • Eventually getting the issue fixed
  • A very memorable night at Fenway, including a broken phone, a relaxed vibe, and a lot of appreciation for the concert

Road trip and summer travel

Biz recapped a long drive through:

  • Yellowstone
  • Bozeman
  • Coeur d’Alene
  • Seattle
  • Vancouver

He also mentioned helping out at the Gretzky Hockey School, where he got dusted by fast teenagers.

G’s bachelor party and Nashville plans

G shared that he’s heading to Nashville with 15 friends for his bachelor party:

  • Boat day on Old Hickory Lake
  • Golf at Hermitage
  • Trying to fix a big slice before the trip
  • He also opened up about getting married and how long he’s been around the Chicklets crew

Mailbag and Pop Culture

Best reality shows / franchises

The boys answered listener questions about:

  • Favorite reality shows
  • Best movie/TV franchises to star in
  • Dream fictional universes

Some picks:

  • Biz: Jersey Shore or Summer House
  • Keith: Jersey Shore
  • RA: South Park
  • Whit: Rookie of the Year
  • G: Entourage
  • KY: Avatar

Movie and documentary recommendations

R.A. recommended:

  • Dr. Strangelove
  • He also mentioned a documentary about a man with a facial deformity who gets into wrestling
  • They briefly discussed Dune and The Odyssey

Key Takeaways

  • Jordan Staal’s interview was the emotional core of the episode, highlighting perseverance, family, culture, and the payoff of staying loyal through the hard years.
  • The NHL offseason is still very active, with major talk around offer sheets, contract inflation, and front-office strategy.
  • The Cup engraving controversy became one of the funniest and most debated non-game stories of the summer.
  • As always, the episode blended hockey analysis with road stories, pop culture, and pure podcast chaos.