Overview of Spittin’ Chiclets — Episode 597 (Featuring Craig Ludwig & Frank the Tank)
This episode (Barstool Sports’ Spittin’ Chiclets #597) is a loose, wide-ranging show covering the Internet Invitational golf finale (big drama and grief), a long NHL rundown (injuries, team form, and weird stories), a 10-minute interview with Devils superfan “Frank the Tank,” and a feature interview with former NHLer Craig Ludwig about the Dallas Stars. Recurring themes: Pink Whitney plugs, Sandbagger/YouTube content plugs, and lots of takes on the chaotic weekend in golf and hockey.
Key takeaways
- Internet Invitational finale delivered huge drama, tears and controversy — a storybook win for “Beef” (posthumous emotional emphasis) but questions about equipment rules (rangefinder slope) and on-course behavior.
- The NHL is being battered by injuries (Jack Hughes’ freak cut in Chicago is the biggest story), yet many teams are still overperforming — coaching and depth are being credited.
- Frank the Tank (fan who photographed with Devils at Chicago Cut) talks through meeting the team and the folklore/“Fleming curse” surrounding recent Devils injuries.
- Craig Ludwig praises the Dallas Stars’ depth, Jason Robertson’s resurgence, Rantanen’s two-way impact, Glenn Gulutzan’s coaching style, and the value of a strong backup goalie.
Internet Invitational — recap & controversy
- Final match: Francis Ellis & Brad Dahlke’s team (with Beef, who tragically passed before airing) beat the Foreplay team (Frankie Borelli, Paige Spiranac, Melosi). Beef’s win was emotional and widely celebrated — organizers and Barstool honored his family.
- Drama centered on the 10th green: allegations that Paige Spiranac pressed down turf (a rules/ui etiquette issue) and that Melosi had the “slope” feature on his rangefinder (gives yardage adjusted for elevation). That led to heated exchanges, tears, and a chaotic scene with multiple people confronting each other.
- Outcome: despite controversy, the right team won in the eyes of hosts; the match (and its editing) is being hailed as top-tier YouTube golf content. Expect follow-up interviews and behind-the-scenes coverage on Barstool channels.
Jack Hughes / New Jersey Devils — injury saga & “Fleming curse”
- Big story: Jack Hughes cut his right pinky at a team event dinner in Chicago (rookie party, photos at Chicago Cut). He had surgery and is expected to miss about two months.
- Devils injury context: multiple key players out (Dougie Hamilton among major absences, multiple forwards and blueliners), yet the Devils are still near the top of the standings due to depth and coaching.
- Frank the Tank (fan present in the same restaurant) joined the show to explain he wasn’t part of the dinner circumstance, recount meeting players and Chris Chelios, and expand on superfan lore — including joking references to a “Fleming curse” and the weird history of the Prudential Center site (old burial ground rumors).
- Reaction: hosts are sympathetic to Hughes, stressed about the cluster of injuries, and jokingly considering rituals (shamans, burning a cursed doll) to change the Devils’ luck.
Notable NHL team news & injury updates
- Boston Bruins: strong play under Marco Sturm — Brad Marchand milestone (1,000 points) and David Pastrnak on a long point streak. Charlie McAvoy suffered a puck-to-face injury (scary, teeth visible); update: he traveled with the team but the injury looked severe and was closely monitored.
- New Jersey Devils: injuries piling in; Jack Hughes timeline ~2 months; team still managing to win thanks to smart coaching and depth.
- Dallas Stars: breakout season — Jason Robertson back to form (hat trick), Rantanen, Wyatt Johnston and Heskinen all scoring at near point-per-game paces; strong depth and excellent goalie performance from the tandem (Oettinger/DeSmith).
- Toronto Maple Leafs: struggling — several losses in a row; roster and defense issues; some roster movement and rookie-contract tangles discussed (David Kampf contract termination and move to Vancouver).
- Tampa Bay / Florida: Tampa dealing with injuries (Hedman, Sorelli), but Vasilevskiy performed well in a key win; overall parity remains high across the league.
- Other notes: cadence of European NHL games vs. NFL/NHL scheduling, junior hockey violence (dangerous stick swing incident), and various personnel updates (Bruins additions, prospects trending up).
Guest segment — Craig Ludwig on the Dallas Stars (summary)
- Overall view: Stars are a serious contender and have taken shape under Glenn Gulutzan (Gulutzan’s player-friendly, communicative coaching style).
- Jason Robertson: Ludwig praises his renewed compete, shot volume, and mentality this year — pushing him to elite outputs.
- Rantanen: Ludwig calls him a “force” — physical, deceptively hard to knock off the puck, elite finishing and playmaking; he’s a tone-setter who commands teammates’ attention.
- Goaltending: Jake Oettinger + DeSmith tandem working well; competition between netminders is elevating performance.
- Roster/deadline: Stars might look for a top-six upgrade at the deadline if injuries persist, though the front office is conservative about cap constraints.
- Coaching difference: Gulutzan’s individualized approach, ability to connect with players, and tweak physicality/identity have helped the team find an identity.
Notable quotes / insights
- “If you go up against the right team that has no allegations of cheating, there’s a karma element; the right team won.” — on Internet Invitational drama.
- On coaches: “Gully seems more relatable to this generation” — why Gulutzan’s approach has worked in Dallas.
- On Jack Hughes: shock and empathy about the freak nature of his injury and its timing during a strong season.
Guests, episodes & content plugs (what to watch)
- Sandbagger (Wollaston Golf Club) — drops Thursday at noon on the Spittin’ Chiclets YouTube channel (they teased chaos and Bruins involvement).
- “Peaking” doc on Wanton Don YouTube channel — upcoming Wednesday drop; hosts plan a follow-up interview with the doc’s subject.
- Internet Invitational finale — available on YouTube (millions of views); must-watch for the full footage of the final and the on-course chaos.
Sponsors / offers mentioned (short)
- Pink Whitney — recurring show sponsor (frequent mentions).
- Noble (NoBull) — official training shoe of the NHL; special offer: nobullproject.com/chicklets for 30% off.
- GameTime — ticket app: code CHICKLETS for $20 off first purchase.
- DraftKings Sportsbook — new users: bet $5, win and get $200 in bonus bets; code CHICKLITS mentioned.
- Rho (Ro) — ED product; ro.co/chiclets with a sign-up discount.
- Rollback — apparel promotion: code CHICKLETS for 20% off (promo discussed). (Hosts tied multiple product codes into ad reads — check official show descriptions for exact links and terms.)
Action items / recommendations from the episode
- Watch the Internet Invitational finale (YouTube) to see the full final-round drama and Beef’s emotional win montage.
- Subscribe to Spittin’ Chiclets YouTube (sandbagger and Game Notes content forthcoming).
- Check out the “Peaking” doc on Wanton Don channel this Wednesday; hosts will interview the subject next week.
- If you care about team news: monitor Devils’ injury updates (Jack Hughes timeline) and Stars at the trade deadline.
Final note
This episode blends emotional, must-watch sports moments (a posthumous tournament win, a major NHL injury) with deep hockey analysis and a feel-good, honest interview with a fan (Frank the Tank). Fans of hockey, YouTube golf, and Barstool content will find both entertainment and substantive takes — plus several follow-up video releases to look out for.