Spittin' Chiclets Episode 676: Featuring Bob Stauffer

Summary of Spittin' Chiclets Episode 676: Featuring Bob Stauffer

by Barstool Sports

2h 6m•October 16, 2026
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Overview of Spittin' Chiclets Episode 676: Featuring Bob Stauffer

This episode blends the usual Chiclets chaos with early-season NHL analysis, Halloween banter, minor-league war stories, and a long sit-down with Oilers reporter Bob Stauffer. The crew reacts to the league’s “Frozen Frenzy,” debates a few big contracts and coaching decisions, and spends plenty of time on the Oilers’ outlook, Connor McDavid’s pace, and how Mike Babcock is reshaping Edmonton’s culture.

Halloween, Sponsors, and Off-Ice Banter

  • The show opens with sponsor reads and a long-running bit about Reese’s being the ultimate Halloween candy.
  • Biz says he wants to be the guy handing out full-size candy bars and jokes about chilling them in a cooler for the kids.
  • The crew floats costume ideas:
    • Don Cherry for Biz
    • A naval officer/baseball player idea for Whitney’s kid
    • Mike Ditka as an homage to the recently deceased football legend
  • A contest is announced: listeners can tag the show’s social accounts with their Halloween house decorations for a chance to win Reese’s candy to hand out.
  • There’s also some classic Biz family material, including more talk about his cousin Pierre, who apparently:
    • Has flown exactly once in his life
    • Only ever flew to Colombia
    • Carries himself like a high-end character straight out of Montreal

Around the NHL: Early-Season Storylines

Frozen Frenzy reactions

  • The hosts say the NHL’s “Frozen Frenzy” delivered on the ice, even if the promotion itself was poorly advertised.
  • Biggest takeaway: there was a lot of good hockey, weird scoreboard chaos, and plenty to discuss across the league.

Red Wings and DeBrincat / Edvinsson debate

  • Detroit’s Alex DeBrincat extension sparks debate.
  • The group is split on whether signing DeBrincat long-term was the right priority compared to locking up Simon Edvinsson.
  • Bottom line: DeBrincat is proven and productive, but many think Edvinsson is the more important future piece.

Bruins keep rolling

  • The Bruins are praised as one of the league’s early bright spots.
  • Highlights mentioned:
    • Jeremy Swayman continuing to look like a star
    • Paterka fitting in well
    • Mason Lohrei benefiting from extra responsibility
    • Charlie McAvoy returning and contributing immediately
    • Nikita Zadorov and Will Borgen drawing praise for physicality and reliability
  • The Bruins’ early record gets used as another example of how strong their goaltending and defensive structure look.

Rangers are the surprise team

  • The Rangers are called one of the biggest early surprises.
  • Key names discussed:
    • Alexis Lafrenière finally breaking out
    • Dylan Garand going from waivers to the crease because of injuries and playing well
    • Adam Fox being elite as usual
  • The team’s speed, structure, and transition play are getting high marks.

Jets, Hellebuyck, and Perfetti

  • Cole Perfetti is one of the early breakout stories.
  • Kyle Connor and the Jets are mentioned as a major surprise.
  • The ongoing Hellebuyck contract / trade speculation comes up, including the running “money lost by the second” tracker.
  • Biz and the crew joke that the situation feels fumbled, but Winnipeg is playing well.

Hurricanes and Capitals

  • Carolina is praised for looking dominant, though they’re dealing with injuries:
    • Jordan Staal suffers a major setback
    • Taylor Hall also goes down
  • Washington’s young players get attention:
    • Ryan Leonard is benched after a dumb penalty, but the coaching staff frames it as a teaching moment
    • The Caps’ depth makes it easier to sit a young player without wrecking the lineup

Blue Jackets / Columbus frustrations

  • The Blue Jackets get painted as one of the most miserable situations in the league:
    • The coach is publicly hard on the team
    • The roster is viewed as flawed
    • There’s frustration about the captain situation and overall direction
  • The tone is: they have talent, but the environment and consistency are rough.

Flyers look bad

  • The Flyers are described as a mess:
    • Poor record
    • Ugly underlying numbers
    • Rumors about front-office dissatisfaction with Travis Konecny
  • The group jokes about how dire it would be if Matvei Michkov were ever moved, while also acknowledging the Flyers may need a bigger teardown.

Bob Stauffer Interview: Oilers, McDavid, Babcock, and the State of the Team

Stauffer joins to talk about the Edmonton Oilers, and the conversation centers on whether this version of the team can finally take off.

Key themes from Stauffer

  • Connor McDavid is described as the most advanced player the game has ever seen.
  • Stauffer does not believe McDavid will realistically break Gretzky’s single-season point record, but he emphasizes that McDavid’s pace and talent are still absurd.
  • He praises the Oilers for playing with more structure and process early in the season.
  • He credits Mike Babcock with bringing accountability, organization, and a coach-first mentality.
  • Stauffer says the players wanted a coach who would tell them the truth and demand more.
  • He’s especially bullish on:
    • Bouchard as a true elite defenseman
    • Podkolzin as a hardworking fit with McDavid and Draisaitl
    • The bottom-six support pieces and the improved overall game management

Babcock’s impact

  • Stauffer argues Babcock’s style fits Edmonton because the roster was ready for a demanding coach.
  • He says the team and organization had studied other successful teams and wanted more structure.
  • The takeaway: Edmonton may not be fully healthy yet, but the culture and game model look better.

R.A.’s World and Other Tangents

Bruins and goalie stats

  • R.A. dives deep into Bruins history and goaltending records.
  • He highlights Jeremy Swayman’s rise and compares him to historical Bruins goalies.
  • There’s also a fun original-six goalie-wins discussion.

Blackouts and streaming frustration

  • R.A. vents about NHL blackout rules, arguing they are outdated and unfair to fans.
  • He says fans in places like Arizona, Minnesota, and Canada still face too many barriers to watching games.

Conspiracy theory rabbit hole

  • The crew spends a long stretch on conspiracy theories:
    • Moon landing skepticism
    • The JFK assassination, with R.A. arguing the lone-gunman theory doesn’t hold up
  • This turns into a full-on history tangent that’s half serious, half comedy.

Music and culture detours

  • R.A. recommends the Oasis documentary and talks about seeing multiple live shows recently.
  • He raves about a Sturgill Simpson concert, saying it was so good he’d go again immediately.
  • There’s also a music-game recommendation called Hitster, which the crew says is a strong group-night option.

Notable Takeaways

  • The biggest hockey headline in the episode is the early-season evaluation of teams like Detroit, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Boston, and the Rangers.
  • The crew thinks Bob Stauffer made a strong case that Edmonton is more structured, more accountable, and more dangerous than last season.
  • Several young players are emerging as real stories:
    • Lafrenière
    • Perfetti
    • Garand
    • Ryan Leonard
  • The show also leans into its usual strengths: chaotic humor, personal stories, and hockey history mixed with current analysis.

Action Items / Listener Notes

  • Decorate your house for Halloween and tag the show’s social accounts for the Reese’s giveaway.
  • If you’re into hockey talk, the best segments are:
    • The Frozen Frenzy roundup
    • The Bob Stauffer Oilers interview
    • The Rangers / Jets / Bruins early-season discussion
  • If you like the off-topic stuff, don’t miss the:
    • Pierre stories
    • JFK/moon landing tangent
    • Sturgill Simpson / music recommendations