NHL Playoffs With Ryan Whitney, NFL Draft Recap, NBA Playoffs, Who’s Back Of The Week + We Get Involved In The Press Off

Episode of Pardon My Take · April 27, 2026 · 2 h 39 min

Big Cat and PFT Commenter recap the 2026 NFL Draft and NBA playoffs, stoke a fan 'press off,' and talk Stanley Cup playoffs with Ryan Whitney.

Summary

The Pardon My Take hosts Dan Katz (Big Cat) and PFT Commenter opened with a recap of the 2026 NFL Draft, covering Diego Pavia going undrafted, the fall of quarterbacks who returned for a final college season, the Eagles' raw prospect Uar Bernard, Jacksonville general manager James Gladstone's reaches, and Sean McVay's apparent unhappiness after the Rams drafted Ty Simpson. Staffers graded their teams' drafts, with Katz calling the Bears' approach a 'trust in Ben Johnson' draft despite no defensive line help.

The NBA playoff segment covered the Celtics' blowout of the 76ers, LeBron James' overtime-forcing three and alley-oop to his son Bronny against the Rockets, Katz's newfound belief that the Magic would beat the Pistons, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's efficiency, Ayo Dosunmu's 43 points for Minnesota, and Nikola Jokić confronting Jaden McDaniels. Katz argued that enforcing unwritten rules in professional sports almost always makes the losing side look bad. In 'Who's Back of the Week' the crew discussed the Red Sox firing Alex Cora and coaches, Papa John's return to Louisville, and record marathon times, before an extended bit trying to arrange a second 'press' between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia fans Pickensburg and Icy Vert.

Ryan Whitney joined in studio while watching the Oilers-Ducks game live. He said Connor McDavid's ankle injury had taken away his elite edge work, criticized Edmonton's perennial goaltending problems, called this Carolina's best chance at a Cup Final, praised Philadelphia's Porter Martone and Tampa's Brandon Hagel, and named Colorado the favorite. He also discussed coaching his sons in youth hockey and the importance of being a good teammate, the NHL draft lottery and Gavin McKenna, and McDavid versus Sidney Crosby. The episode closed with staffer Jacob recounting being hit by a car door, the numbers game, and birthdays.

Chapters

  1. 2:44

    NFL Draft recap

    The hosts discuss Diego Pavia going undrafted, falling quarterbacks, the Jaguars' reaches, and Sean McVay's reaction to the Ty Simpson pick.

  2. 16:45

    Team draft grades

    Hank, Memes, Max, Zach, PFT and Big Cat grade their own teams' drafts.

  3. 37:02

    NBA playoffs

    Celtics-Sixers, LeBron's big night, the Magic's upset bid, SGA, the Knicks, and the Timberwolves-Nuggets series.

  4. 56:33

    Unwritten rules debate

    Big Cat argues unwritten rules in pro sports only make losers look bad, while allowing they matter for kids.

  5. 1:07:15

    Who's Back of the Week

    Red Sox coaching firings, Papa John's Louisville return, Top Gun 3, Fernando Mendoza, and record marathon times.

  6. 1:23:18

    The Pickensburg-Icy Vert press off

    The crew tries to arrange a second confrontation between Penguins and Flyers fans.

  7. 1:33:02

    Ryan Whitney joins: Oilers and McDavid

    Whitney watches the Oilers-Ducks game live and discusses McDavid's injury and Edmonton's goaltending.

  8. 1:42:44

    First-round Stanley Cup playoff storylines

    Whitney covers Carolina, Boston's collapse, Buffalo, Anaheim, the Flyers' Porter Martone, and Lightning-Canadiens.

  9. 2:02:57

    Coaching kids and youth hockey

    Whitney describes coaching his sons, hockey birthdays, and his backyard rink.

  10. 2:10:35

    Cup picks, draft lottery and McDavid's legacy

    Whitney picks Colorado, calls the lottery rigged unless Vancouver or Calgary win, and compares McDavid and Crosby.

  11. 2:29:59

    Monday reading and Jacob's accident

    Jacob recounts being hit by an opening car door while on his scooter.

  12. 2:34:46

    Numbers and birthdays

    The show closes with the numbers game and birthday shout-outs.

Key points

What was said, by whom, with the exact words. Timestamps jump to the moment.

  • Dan Katz

    Katz argues Jaguars GM James Gladstone's many reaches mean he will prove either a genius or a mistake.

    “So he's either a genius and he's like moneyballing this and he's seeing something before everyone else or we're going to look back and be like, Why do we hire that young nerd?”

    Listen from 12:29 · 2026 NFL Draft

  • PFT Commenter

    PFT Commenter observes that Sean McVay appeared unusually unenthusiastic after the Ty Simpson pick.

    “He was the least jacked up Sean McVay I've ever seen”

    Listen from 15:28 · 2026 NFL Draft

  • Dan Katz

    Katz defends the Rams drafting Ty Simpson, arguing teams should acquire quarterbacks before they are desperate.

    “The worst time to get a quarterback is when you need one, right? When you're desperate for a quarterback, that's when things go wrong”

    Listen from 15:36 · 2026 NFL Draft

  • PFT Commenter

    PFT Commenter calls the Commanders' selection of Sonny Styles the best value of the draft.

    “Sonny Stiles, I think, was best value in the entire draft. I love Sonny Stiles. Great linebacker”

    Listen from 27:05 · 2026 NFL Draft

  • Hank Lockwood

    Lockwood argues Joel Embiid's return actually helped the Celtics in their series against the 76ers.

    “I think Embiid coming back actually saved the series for the Celtics”

    Listen from 37:27 · Boston Celtics

  • Dan Katz

    Katz marvels at LeBron James leading the Lakers past the favored Rockets at age 41 without Luka Dončić.

    “The fact he's doing it at 41 is just absolutely nuts. The Rockets were favorites in this series, and LeBron, with no Luka, it just defies all logic”

    Listen from 40:33 · 2026 NBA playoffs

  • Dan KatzDidn’t happen

    Katz predicts the eighth-seeded Magic will beat the Pistons because of matchup advantages.

    “I do think they're going to beat the Pistons because the Pistons don't have, like, the Magic are just bigger and stronger”

    Listen from 47:49 · 2026 NBA playoffs

  • PFT CommenterCame true

    PFT Commenter says he bet on the Timberwolves to win their series against the Nuggets.

    “I bet on the Timberwolves last night at minus 145 to win the series”

    Listen from 55:54 · 2026 NBA playoffs

  • Dan Katz

    Katz argues that anyone enforcing unwritten rules in modern pro sports looks like a loser, since they are usually losing.

    “If you get aggressive about an unwritten rule, you're going to pretty much always look like a loser because almost all the time you're mad because you're losing”

    Listen from 1:00:30 · Unwritten rules in sports

  • Ryan Whitney

    Whitney describes McDavid's skating as unmatched, noting he is faster with the puck than without it.

    “He skates like no one I've ever seen before. He's faster with the puck than without”

    Listen from 1:37:33 · Connor McDavid

  • Ryan Whitney

    Whitney urges Pardon My Take to lead with hockey after football season to help grow the sport.

    “After football season, I just think it would help hockey a lot. That's all I'm saying”

    Listen from 1:40:05 · Pardon My Take book

  • Ryan WhitneyCame true

    Whitney says that with Florida out, this is Carolina's best chance to reach the Stanley Cup Final.

    “I think Carolina, actually, if there's any year that they could get to the cup final, it would be this year”

    Listen from 1:43:21 · 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs

  • Ryan Whitney

    Whitney reports that Bruins coach Marco Sturm implicitly criticized his team after Swayman's outburst.

    “Sturm was asked about it after, and he said at least we had one guy show some fire today”

    Listen from 1:47:33 · 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs

  • Ryan Whitney

    Whitney credits rookie Porter Martone with transforming the Flyers.

    “Then he came and he changed the entire team. He looks unreal”

    Listen from 1:50:53 · 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs

  • Ryan Whitney

    Whitney says he emphasizes teamwork when coaching his children, citing business owners who prefer hiring former athletes.

    “I just am like, learn how to be a good teammate, right? I know that from my friends I talk to, a couple guys who own their own businesses, the kids they hire are all former athletes”

    Listen from 2:05:38 · Youth hockey and relative age effect

  • Ryan WhitneyDidn’t happen

    Whitney names Colorado the favorite to win the Stanley Cup.

    “It's tough to say Colorado's not going to win. Yeah, they look so good”

    Listen from 2:10:37 · 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs

  • Ryan Whitney

    Whitney jokingly claims the NHL draft lottery is rigged unless Vancouver or Calgary wins the top pick.

    “If Vancouver or Calgary doesn't get first overall pick this year, it's rigged”

    Listen from 2:16:18 · 2026 NHL Draft lottery

  • Ryan WhitneyCame true

    Whitney predicts Gavin McKenna will still go first overall though expectations of a McDavid-type player have cooled.

    “I think he's still going to go first overall, but it's, I think some people now who were saying like McDavid type player”

    Listen from 2:17:41 · 2026 NHL Draft lottery

  • Ryan Whitney

    Whitney distinguishes McDavid as the best player he has seen while calling Crosby the greatest ever.

    “So I've said he's the best hockey player I've ever seen”

    Listen from 2:22:13 · Connor McDavid

  • Ryan Whitney

    Whitney says he would feel bad for McDavid if he retired without a Stanley Cup.

    “And for him, for McDavid, if he ever finished without one, I would feel really bad for him”

    Listen from 2:23:41 · Connor McDavid

People

In the conversation

  • Dan KatzBarstool Sports personality known as Big Cat, co-host of Pardon My Take
  • PFT CommenterBarstool Sports writer and co-host of Pardon My Take
  • Ryan WhitneyFormer NHL defenseman and co-host of the Spittin' Chiclets hockey podcast; Oilers fan
  • Hank LockwoodPardon My Take contributor and Boston Celtics fan

Discussed

Topics

More from Pardon My Take

From the publisher

NFL Draft is complete and we give some storylines and grades for our teams (00:00:00-00:35:48). NBA Playoffs, Celtics whomp the Sixers, LeBron’s incredible Friday night, believing in the Magic and more (00:35:48-01:06:39). Who’s back of the week and we get ourselves involved in the Press off hoping for a round 2 (01:06:39-01:31:42). Ryan Whitney joins us in studio to talk hockey playoffs, McDavid’s injury, surprising teams in the first round and more (01:31:42-02:25:54). We finish with a Monday reading and numbers. You can find every episode of this show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Netflix. Prime Members can listen ad-free on Amazon Music. For more, visit barstool.link/pardon-my-take

Summary, chapters and key points were generated from the episode transcript on September 27, 2026. Quotes are checked word for word against the transcript.

Categories: Sports·Hockey·Football