PODCAST · sports
Top Shelf
by Score Media and Gaming
theScore's flagship hockey show takes a weekly deep dive into the hottest topics and contentious debates in the NHL and beyond.
Episodes
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McDavid and Matthews Won't Stay FOREVER...
Welcome to Top Shelf!On the latest episode, the guys unpack the futures of Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid. Will one or both marquee players be on the move this offseason? Summer of 2027? And what does the possibility of superstar movement say about the modern NHL?Hosted by: Levi Smith...
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Post-Lottery 2026 NHL Mock Draft!
Welcome to Top Shelf!On this week's episode, the guys mock the top 10 picks of the 2026 NHL Draft after Tuesday's lottery. Will Toronto take Gavin McKenna first overall? Who should Vancouver pick after dropping to No. 3?Check out the remaining 6 picks at...
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The NHL Playoffs Are F@%#!NG Broken!!
Welcome to Top Shelf!On the latest episode of Top Shelf, the guys discuss the NHL's much-maligned divisional playoff format before diving into the Minnesota-Dallas first-round series. Are people overreacting to the format? Can the Wild take advantage of a shorthanded Stars squad?Hosted by: Levi...
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How the Tage Thompson Trade SAVED The Sabres
Welcome to Top Shelf!On the latest episode of Top Shelf, the guys discuss the rise of Tage Thompson and revisit the trade that brought him to Buffalo in exchange for Ryan O'Reilly. In retrospect, who won the deal?Hosted by: Levi Smith (@LeviSmithh | X)John Matisz (@matiszjohnKyle | X)Cushman...
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Golden Knights Are RUTHLESS!
Welcome to Top Shelf!The guys breakdown the Vegas Golden Knight’s ambitious decision to fire their long-time coach, Bruce Cassidy, with just 8 games left in the season, with John Tortorella taking the reigns. What’s going on in Vegas, and how will the players react to their new bench boss?Hosted...
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The BEST Re-Build in Hockey
Welcome to Top Shelf!The Montreal Canadiens are one of the NHL's best young teams. How did they get here? The guys break down the smart moves and risky bets that have allowed the Habs to go from the 2021 Stanley Cup Final to last place and back to contention.Hosted by: Levi Smith (@LeviSmithh |...
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Tier-Listing Stanley Cup Contenders!
Welcome to Top Shelf!On this week's episode of Top Shelf, the guys tier-list the NHL's Stanley Cup contenders following the 2026 trade deadline. Who's worthy of the top "Cup of bust" label 60-plus games into the season? Which teams belong in the "Fraudulent" tier? Dark-horse contenders?Hosted by:...
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How To Fix Team Canada
Welcome to Top Shelf, presented by Molson!On this week's episode of Top Shelf, the guys debrief the epic Olympic men's hockey gold medal game. Lessons to learn from Canada's loss? Takeaways from USA's gold turn? Plus: who's in/who's out on Team Canada as the focus shifts to the 2028 World Cup of...
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Canada SURVIVES Czechia
Welcome to Top Shelf, presented by Molson!On the latest episode of Top Shelf, the guys react to Canada's quarterfinal SCARY victory over Czechia at the 2026 Olympics. Which players stood out in the country's first elimination game? Who needs to step up in Crosby's potential absence? Hosted by…
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Best-On-Best Is Back!
Welcome to Top Shelf, presented by Molson!On this week's episode of Top Shelf, the guys preview the Olympic men's hockey tournament with a fun fill-in-the-blank exercise. What's Canada's No. 1 weakness? What must go right for Team USA? Who's the dark horse country nobody's talking about? And much...
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Canada's Path To Gold
Welcome to Top Shelf, presented by Molson!On this week's episode of Top Shelf, the guys preview the Olympic men's hockey tournament with a fun fill-in-the-blank exercise. What's Canada's No. 1 weakness? What must go right for Team USA? Who's the dark horse country nobody's talking about? And much...
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P.K. Subban Talks Olympics, Macklin Celebrini, Best and Worst Trash-Talkers
Former NHLer turned broadcaster P.K. Subban joins the panel for a special episode of Top Shelf. Hosts Levi Smith and John Matisz chat with Subban about the CBC documentary "RIVALS: The 4 Nations Face-Off," Canada's chances at the 2026 Olympics, the rise of Macklin Celebrini, best and worst...
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The Most Important NHL Awards Show RETURNS!
Welcome to Top Shelf, presented by Enterprise!On this week's episode of Top Shelf, the guys reflect on the 2025-26 NHL season with a superlative "Enter-Prizes" awards show ahead of the Olympic break. Who's most likely to partake in the next goalie fight? Snub most likely to keep an Olympic GM up…
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Test Your Olympic Hockey Knowledge
Welcome to Top Shelf, presented by Enterprise!On this week's episode of Top Shelf, the guys get into the Olympic spirit with a full slate of trivia. Name the 10 countries with the most men's hockey medals, the most notable NHLers from obscure nations, and the entire 2014 Team USA roster.Hosted…
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Can the New York Rangers Be Fixed?
Welcome to Top Shelf, presented by Enterprise!On this week's episode of Top Shelf, the guys analyze two recent NHL trades -- Kiefer Sherwood to San Jose and Rasmus Andersson to Vegas -- before diving into the state of the Rangers. How can GM Chris Drury conduct a proper retool? Plus: Mitch Marner...
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10 Trades That REWROTE NHL History
Welcome to Top Shelf, presented by Enterprise!On the latest episode of Top Shelf, the guys put their heads together to make a list of the 10 most impactful trades since 2020. How many recent blockbusters make the quarter-century cut? Where does 2016's P.K.-Subban-for-Shea-Weber whopper land? Joe...
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Celebrini Is This Years MVP
Welcome to Top Shelf, presented by Enterprise!On the latest episode of Top Shelf, the guys drum up some future headlines for the second half of the NHL season. Panthers and Leafs playoff chances, next teams for Stamkos and Panarin, Celebrini and the Hart, and much more. Also: Trivia! Top...
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World Juniors Recap + Midseason Mock Draft
Welcome to Top Shelf, presented by Enterprise!On this week's episode of Top Shelf, the guys talk NHL prospects: biggest team takeaways and strongest player performances from the 2026 world juniors, plus a 10-team midseason mock draft. Is Gavin McKenna still the presumptive No. 1 pick?Hosted by:...
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WHO TO WATCH at the 2026 World Juniors
Welcome to Top Shelf, presented by Enterprise!On this week's episode of Top Shelf, the guys preview the 2026 World Junior Championship. Who are the key players to watch? Will Canada right the ship after consecutive poor showings? Can the USA three-peat on home ice? Also: handing out Christmas…
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Tier-Listing All 32 NHL Teams!
Welcome to Top Shelf, presented by Enterprise!On this week's episode of Top Shelf, the guys unpack the Quinn Hughes blockbuster then tier all 32 NHL teams a couple of weeks shy of 2025-26's halfway point. How good is Minnesota, really? Which teams are certified Stanley Cup contenders? One trade...
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How New Jersey Can Acquire Quinn Hughes
Welcome to Top Shelf, presented by Enterprise!On this week's episode of Top Shelf, the guys deep dive the Quinn Hughes trade saga. What makes this situation unique? What would a Devils-Canucks trade even look like? Do Carolina, Philadelphia, and Detroit have better packages to offer Vancouver?...
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6 Trades That NEED To Happen This NHL Season
Welcome to Top Shelf, presented by Enterprise!On this week's episode of Top Shelf, the guys play trade matchmaker. What are the needs of the NHL's Stanley Cup contenders, and which players fit those needs? Spicy mock trades for Montreal, Carolina, New Jersey, Edmonton, Colorado, and Anaheim.…
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Predicting USA’s 2026 Olympic Roster!
Welcome to Top Shelf, presented by Enterprise!On this week's episode of Top Shelf, the guys project the United States' 2026 Olympic men's hockey roster. Which players are locks? Which non-locks have the upper hand? Are J.T. Miller and Cole Caufield no-brainer picks? Also: we lay out the cases for...
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Predicting Canada’s 2026 Olympic Roster!
Welcome to Top Shelf, presented by Enterprise!On this week's episode of Top Shelf, the guys project Team Canada's men's roster for the Olympics. Is Macklin Celebrini a lock? Could Matthew Schaefer actually make the team? What about the goaltending? All that and more!Hosted by: Levi Smith...
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Comparing Hall of Fame Cases: Active NHL Players Edition!
Welcome to Top Shelf, presented by Enterprise!On this week's episode of Top Shelf, the guys discuss the Hockey Hall of Fame candidacies of some active NHLers. Who's more worthy of the Hall call, Brad Marchand or Corey Perry? Matthews or Eichel? Doughty or Kopitar? Also: Hall of Fame-themed...
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Are the Penguins For Real? Early Season NHL Debates!
Welcome to Top Shelf, presented by Enterprise!On this week's episode of Top Shelf, the guys debate the merits of some early-season trends. Will the Penguins hang around the playoff race all year? Are the Maple Leafs too slow to contend? What's real and what's not in the NHL? Also: Hockey Hall of...
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Biggest SURPRISES and DISAPPOINTMENTS this NHL Season
Welcome to Top Shelf, presented by Enterprise!On this week's episode of Top Shelf, the guys fill out an All-Surprise Team and an All-Disappointment Team roughly 10 games into the season. Which players have left strong impressions one way or another? Plus: the return of Top Shelf trivia!Hosted by:...
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Ranking All Canadian NHL Teams For The 2025/26 Season | Tier List
Welcome to Top Shelf, presented by Enterprise!Tanking, under-performing and exceeding expectations; all 7 Canadian teams are off to wildly different starts. So on this episode of Top Shelf, the guys decided to throw all 7 clubs north of the border into a tier list.Hosted by: Levi Smith…
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The BIGGEST Overreactions One Week Into the NHL Season
Welcome to Top Shelf, presented by Enterprise!One week into the NHL season and it is officially time to overreact! On this episode of top shelf the guys go through their biggest early season hot takes: Is Schaefer bound for the Olympics? Could Nazar score more points than Celebrini? And are the...
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Connor McDavid Just Flipped The NHL UPSIDE DOWN
Welcome to Top Shelf, presented by Enterprise!The guys are back for Season 2! On this week’s episode, they unpack the various layers of the truly shocking Connor McDavid extension, then project which pending free agents will exceed the Oilers superstar’s team-friendly cap hit.Hosted by: Levi…
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5 Words To Describe The State Of Each NHL Team
On this episode of Top Shelf, the guys serve up one big-picture thought each on all 32 NHL teams!Hosted by: Aidan Thakkar (@Aidan_Thakkar | X)Levi Smith (@levismithh | X)John Matisz (@MatiszJohn | X)Kyle Cushman (@Kyle_Cush | X)0:00 - Let's get into it1:00 - Anaheim2:20 - Boston4:10 - Buffalo5:45…
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Bold Predictions for the NHL Offseason
It’s NHL draft week! On this episode of Top Shelf, the guys go through their boldest predictions for what should be a wacky offseason.Hosted by: Aidan Thakkar (@Aidan_Thakkar | X)Levi Smith (@levismithh | X)John Matisz (@MatiszJohn | X)2:00 - JJ Peterka5:30 - Columbus8:15 - Utah11:30…
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Final 2025 NHL Mock Draft
On this episode of Top Shelf, the guys run through the entire first round of the 2025 NHL Draft to see how it could all play out on draft night.Hosted by: Aidan Thakkar (@Aidan_Thakkar | X)John Matisz (@MatiszJohn | X)Kyle Cushman (@Kyle_Cush | X) Josh Wegman (@JoshWegman_ | X)0:00 - Welcome to…
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Landing Spots And Price Tags For The NHL's Biggest Free Agents
On this episode of Top Shelf, the guys look into the crystal ball to determine the futures of the NHLs biggest free agents + test their knowledge of past Free Agent Frenzy with the return of Top Shelf Trivia!Hosted by: Aidan Thakkar (@Aidan_Thakkar | X)Levi Smith (@levismithh | X)John Matisz...
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One Move To Fix The NHL's Biggest Problem Teams
It’s officially Stanley Cup Final time! On this episode of Top Shelf the guys give their Cup picks before getting into some offseason chatter around the NHLs 6 biggest problem teams.Hosted by: Aidan Thakkar (@Aidan_Thakkar | X)Levi Smith (@levismithh | X)Kyle Cushman (@Kyle_Cush | X)Follow us on...
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10 BIG NHL trades that could happen this summer
Let’s talk trades! On this episode of Top Shelf the guys throw together some mock trades for 10 of the NHLs hottest commodities.Hosted by: Aidan Thakkar (@Aidan_Thakkar | X)Levi Smith (@levismithh | X)John Matisz (@MatiszJohn | X)Kyle Cushman (@Kyle_Cush | X)Also on Spotify:Follow us on…
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We Have A Plan For Fixing The Maple Leafs!
On this episode of Top Shelf, the guys put their GM hats on to fill out the 2025-26 Maple Leafs roster and also try to name all of the Leafs killers of this era + are we headed for a Stanley Cup Final rematch?Hosted by: Levi Smith (@levismithh | X)Kyle Cushman (@Kyle_Cush | X) John Matisz...
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Leafs-Oilers Stanley Cup Final Would Be The Best Thing For NHL
On this episode of Top Shelf, the guys recap everything going on in the second round of the playoffs and discuss their dream Stanley Cup Final matchups + what’s with all the super tall forwards in the NHL?Hosted by: Aidan Thakkar (@Aidan_Thakkar | X)Levi Smith (@levismithh | X)John Matisz...
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Post-Lottery NHL Mock Draft!
After last year’s draft lottery was completely chalk, well, Monday night created chaos. On this episode of Top Shelf, the guys break down the fallout from the lottery and project how the top-16 picks of the 2025 NHL Draft could play out.Hosted by: Kyle Cushman (@Kyle_Cush | X) Aidan Thakkar...
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NHL Playoffs Round 1 Check-In! + Can the Refs Just Drop the Damn Puck?
On today's episode of Top Shelf, the guys recap what's been an electric 1st-round of playoff hockey so far. Who's the team to beat? Which players have broken out, and which have disappointed? Then, some discussion about some non-playoff teams, before capping the show off with a fun "Where Did…
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Early NHL Playoff reactions + The Ultimate Stanley Cup Playoff Trivia
On this edition of Top Shelf, the guys dissect the first few days of the NHL Playoffs + go head to head in Stanley Cup Playoff Jeopardy!Hosted by: Aidan Thakkar (@Aidan_Thakkar | X)Levi Smith (@levismithh | X)Kyle Cushman (@Kyle_Cush | X) John Matisz (@MatiszJohn | X)Also on Spotify:...
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Picking The Winners Of Every First Round Matchup
Welcome to Top Shelf, presented by Skyscanner!On this episode of Top Shelf, the guys preview and give their predictions for every series in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Can the Senators knock off the Leafs? Is it finally time for Los Angeles to advance past the Oilers? Do the...
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The Most Important NHL Awards Show
Welcome to Top Shelf, presented by Skyscanner!It’s time for the Scannies! Top Shelf’s flagship NHL award show. The guys cover the leagues best goons, top defensive defencemen and biggest Galaxy brain GMs!Hosted by: Aidan Thakkar (@Aidan_Thakkar | X)Levi Smith (@levismithh | X)Kyle Cushman...
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Ranking Cup Contenders + The Most Underrated Players In The NHL
Welcome to Top Shelf, presented by Skyscanner!On this episode of Top Shelf, the guys discuss the top Stanley Cup contenders, the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens’ postseason paths, and draft the NHL’s most underrated players. Then, John Matisz joins the show to chat more about the Sens and...
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Toronto's Ideal 1st-Round Opponent + Could Matthews Break Ovechkin's Goal Record?
Welcome to Top Shelf, presented by Skyscanner!On this episode of Top Shelf, the guys discuss the Toronto Maple Leafs’ potential first-round opponents in the Florida Panthers and Ottawa Senators, Mitch Marner’s imperative playoffs, and Toronto’s postseason X-factors. Then, John Matisz joins the…
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Who's The Joke Of The NHL On April Fools' Day? + Leafs-Sens Would Be Chaos
Welcome to Top Shelf, presented by Skyscanner!On this episode of Top Shelf, the guys chat April Fools’ memories before diving into the NHL’s most pleasantly surprising teams, those who have failed to meet expectations, how a Maple Leafs-Senators playoff series would be chaos, and draft prospects…
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Has Ovechkin Surpassed Crosby's Legacy? + Why Toronto Will Never Win A Cup With Auston Matthews
Welcome to Top Shelf, presented by Skyscanner!It’s time to tackle Hockeys toughest debates! On this episode of Top Shelf the guys make their cases for Ovechkin surpassing Crosby’s legacy, Bedard versus Celebrini + Will the Leafs ever win with Auston Matthews?Hosted by: Aidan Thakkar…
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Which NCAA Players Will SHINE in the Frozen Four? + Wild-Card MADNESS
Welcome to Top Shelf, presented by Skyscanner!On this episode of Top Shelf, the guys discuss NHL trade deadline overpayments, directionless teams, officials making headlines, intriguing prospects at the NCAA Frozen Four, and more, before engaging in some Canadian-themed NHL grid trivia!Hosted by:...
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We Built an NHL March Madness Bracket!
Welcome to Top Shelf, presented by Skyscanner!On this episode of Top Shelf, the guys chat about the Western Conference wild card race, fill out an NHL March Madness bracket, break down the goalie market, discuss the unique case of Hannah Miller, and engage in some 2013 draft-related trivia.…
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Who's The NHL's Team To Beat After A Chaotic Trade Deadline?
Welcome to Top Shelf, presented by Skyscanner!On today’s episode of Top Shelf, the guys chat about the Marner-Rantanen blockbuster that never was, draft Stanley Cup contenders, marvel at Ovi's goal pace, talk influential women in hockey, and engage in some captain-related trivia. Hosted by: Levi...
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Top Shelf have?
Top Shelf currently has 65 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Top Shelf about?
theScore's flagship hockey show takes a weekly deep dive into the hottest topics and contentious debates in the NHL and beyond.
How often does Top Shelf release new episodes?
Top Shelf has 65 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Top Shelf?
You can listen to Top Shelf on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Top Shelf?
Top Shelf is created and hosted by Score Media and Gaming.
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