Overview of Spittin’ Chiclets Episode 595: Featuring Jon Gruden, Jeff Blashill, Bob Stauffer, and Darren McCarty
This episode is a long-form, freewheeling hockey/ sports culture show that mixes big-name surprise guests, NHL season talk, team-specific analysis, viral moments and sponsor reads. Major guests include John (Jon) Gruden (surprise clip/interview from a hockey game), Bob Stauffer (Oilers play-by-play voice), Jeff Blashill (Chicago Blackhawks head coach), and Darren McCarty (Red Wings legend). The hosts bounce between light banter, deeper sport/locker-room insights, hot takes about the NHL’s current “golden era,” and several topical controversies.
Episode structure & main guests
- Opening banter, sponsor reads (McDonald’s Buffalo Ranch, Boar’s Head, GameTime, BodyArmor, DraftKings, Ro.co/Roe, Roback, etc.)
- Short surprise clip + phone segment with Jon Gruden: reflections on hockey, meeting Alex Ovechkin, team camaraderie and coaching philosophies.
- Bob Stauffer (Stoff): Edmonton Oilers postmortem after a 9–1 loss, discussion on defense, goaltending and team identity.
- Jeff Blashill: Chicago Blackhawks progress, Connor Bedard’s development, goalie play (Spencer Knight), young core and Blashill’s coaching reset.
- Darren McCarty: Red Wings 100th anniversary events, Fedorov memories, sobriety milestone and alumni culture.
- Mid-episode: news, league-wide commentary on emerging stars (McKinnon, Bedard, Celebrini, Leo Carlsson, etc.), viral/controversial moments (Ovechkin/Portnoy mix-up, Couturier/Michkov comments, Marco Sturm rant).
- Teases: “Peaking” doc release schedule, upcoming Sandbagger drop, Chicklets content slate.
Key segments & highlights
Jon Gruden (clip/interview)
- Met Alex Ovechkin in a suite — short, respectful interaction; Gruden expresses deep admiration for hockey’s speed, physicality and team culture.
- Coaches’ son background: learned the value of team and leadership from upbringing, Notre Dame connection.
- On competitiveness: loves coaching, stays involved (calls with coaches, tape study), would welcome being on the show for a long-form interview and hosting the pod at his “laboratory” (invite to Lightning games/practice).
Notable insight:
- “The greatest team sport… when you go see it live, it’s a hell of a lot different than seeing it on TV.”
Bob Stauffer (Edmonton Oilers)
- Reaction to Oilers’ 9–1 home loss: rare rant, calls for defensive tightening, simpler structure, more physical play and accountability.
- Defense and goaltending are the issues, not just scoring — team gave up far too many goals early in season compared to their 16-game win streak years ago.
- On goaltending: skeptical about external short-term upgrades (cap/availability limits); short-term solution likely internal.
- Pushback on social-media/locker-room narratives (e.g., photos, off-ice social posts) — said some overreactions were silly.
Notable insight:
- “They were a little too easy — there was no pushback, no physicality, no grit shown.”
Jeff Blashill (Chicago Blackhawks)
- On Connor Bedard: praised maturity and winning mentality; Blashill met with Bedard pre-season and liked his introspection.
- Role development: Bedard and many youngsters improving by focusing on winning hockey (compete, be reliable defensively) rather than scratchy highlight plays.
- Goaltending: Spencer Knight and Kevin Soderstrom (Soti) have stabilized Chicago, allowing a young D-core to learn through games.
- Team-building philosophy: enjoyed time in Tampa to reset, learned to stay steady and enjoy coaching more this time around.
Notable insights:
- “The best players play winning hockey.”
- Praised Bedard’s attitude and the team’s fun, tight culture — “They like coming to the rink.”
Darren McCarty (Detroit Red Wings)
- Red Wings 100th celebration recap: strong alumni turnout; Sergei Fedorov’s return and Jan 12 retirement/rafter ceremony noted as a huge moment.
- Personal: celebrates 10 years sober (milestone discussed warmly), still heavily involved in hockey culture and community.
- On alumni culture: told stories about teammates and acknowledged Steve Yzerman’s influence and tough-love leadership.
- Team outlook: slow rebuild but steady progress — youth and speed are central; Red Wings want to keep building roles and depth.
Notable insight:
- On Sergei Fedorov: called him “one of the most misunderstood human beings” and praised his heart and influence.
NHL season themes & discussion
- “Golden era” narrative: hosts argued the NHL is entering a new golden era — influx of generational young talent (Bedard, Celebrini, Leo Carlsson), while veterans like Ovechkin and Malkin are winding down.
- Top teams: Colorado Avalanche highlighted (McKinnon, Makar) as elite/likely favorites — Avalanche praised for speed and balanced attack.
- Young forward wave: Bedard, Celebrini, Carlson, McKinnon, and others are reshaping conversations about the future MVP/goal-scoring races.
- Goaltending & defense remain decisive factors — repeated panels on teams being built from the back out.
Viral/controversial moments covered
- Ovechkin/Gruden/Portnoy picture mix-up: Biz relays being snubbed for a photo; lighthearted ribbing of Dave Portnoy.
- Whit (Witt) Internet Invitational/golf locker-room culture: Gruden on how pro locker rooms would handle on-course bullying (much harsher).
- Flyers controversy: Sean Couturier’s comments about Matvei Michkov’s style/need to contribute beyond scoring sparked Flyers-fan backlash — hosts defended Couturier as honest/leadership-minded and argued Michkov needs to tighten details when not scoring.
- Marco Sturm rant about his Bruins: hosts played the clip and dissected intensity from a coach’s perspective.
- Social posts/photos: players posting “thirst traps” and the reaction from fans/media — tied into team focus/locker-room attention.
Notable quotes
- Jon Gruden: “If you find your passion, you’re a lucky person.”
- Bob Stauffer: “They were a little too easy… there was no pushback.”
- Jeff Blashill: “The best players play winning hockey.”
- Darren McCarty (personal): marked 10 years sobriety — discussed accountability and teammates who “saved my life.”
Sponsors & promotions mentioned (short)
- McDonald’s — Buffalo Ranch promo
- Boar’s Head — platters/dips for game day
- GameTime app — promo code CHICKLETS ($20 off)
- BodyArmor — NHL official sports drink
- DraftKings — promo code CHICKLITS (bet $5 get $300 in bonus bets if win)
- ROE (ro.co/chicklets) — men’s sexual health product
- Roback (clothing) — discount code CHICKLETS
Releases & upcoming content teased
- Peaking (documentary-style content): multi-episode rollout — episodes dropping Nov 19, Nov 25, Dec 5 (various locations: Whistler, Tofino, Moat Lake).
- Sandbagger (3v3) release: November 20 (features Bruins players like Krug); more Sandbaggers planned before year-end.
- Chicklets U, Game Notes, other mini-series: continuing content drops and collaborations.
Key takeaways
- NHL season is lively: young phenoms + established stars = highly entertaining product; Avalanche viewed as early team-to-beat.
- Team-building lesson repeated by guests: winning hockey demands structure, role clarity, and leadership — young stars must learn to win, not just produce highlights.
- Edmonton needs short-term defensive and goaltending fixes; internal accountability and buy-in are crucial.
- Chicago’s project is encouraging: Bedard’s maturity and goaltending have given Blashill a platform to develop youth.
- Red Wings are in visible progress; alumni culture and historical moments (Fedorov’s ceremony) reinforce identity during rebuild.
- Off-ice narratives (social posts, viral clips, press comments) continue to create noise; hosts generally favor contextual, tough-love takes from coaches/veteran leaders.
If you want to revisit any single interview later: key long-form follow-ups were promised — Gruden (long sit-down planned), Blashill (long-form coaching deep dive), and more content from Darren McCarty and Stoffman across upcoming shows.