Episode 7

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Published on:

15th Jul 2026

Divisions Explained

This week Ryan breaks down the divisions for the MNHL, and how the PWHL doesn't have divisions yet.

There looks to be a lot, but there's not, we promise. There's 32 teams in the MNHL, and half of them are East or Western Conference. These are the two that are going to be facing off in the Stanley Cup finals. One from the East. One from the West.

The Divisions are broken down into Atlantic, Metropolitan, Central, and Pacific. This is where you'll get the most rivalries between teams. Teams in the Atlantic division play each other more often than the other divisions, creating more opportunities to create friction between teams.

The PWHL doesn't have this problem because they don't have as many teams. With only 6 teams their inaugural year, 8 teams last year, and 12 teams this coming year, the PWHL takes on a more league-wide approach to the Walter Cup finals.

As always, if you have questions, comments, concerns, insults, corrections, or just want to yap our ear off, our email and Instagram are always open!

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About the Podcast

Icing Pucks

The Leftist Hockey Podcast for the Girls, the Gays, and the They's

We, Bex and Ryan, got into ice hockey this year, 2026, and quickly became frustrated with the lack of inclusion and the complicated way many attempt to explain the sport. So we decided we could do better. We'll see (we do have raging ADHD). Join us as we break down the rules of the game, the players, and answer your questions about ice hockey in a fun, judgement free zone, where we won't mansplain concepts to you. <3

About your hosts

Bex Addams

Bex grew up watching the Chicago Cubs with their father and family. They've been a baseball girly their whole life, and even played softball most of their childhood (they sucked at it, but it was their favorite sport).

When Heated Rivalry came out, Bex, like most people, went down the rabbit hole of hockey and became obsessed. They started liking goalie videos on TikTok and Instagram, started researching MNHL teams and discovered the PWHL, and immediately fell in love. They went to their first hockey game at a local ECHL team and begged Ryan to get into hockey with them so they could talk about it more.

They quickly realized that men like to complicate the sport and thought that was bullshit, so again begged Ryan to start a podcast with them so they could bring it to others like them - queer, neurodivergent, and new fans of the sport!

Bex has two dogs, Wrigley and Apollo, and two cats, Caramel and Niko.

Ryan Parker

Ryan is a simple Demiboy in the world not made for him. Bex and Ryan have been friends since 09, since they were eighteen years old!

They’ve followed each other in fandom everywhere because they’ve been unable to follow each other in life everywhere. Thicker than thieves and more loyal than golden retrievers to each other.

Ryan has three human children!

Ryan also has a chronic illness called intracranial hypertension, where his brain literally tries to squish itself with pressure from too much fluid.

Due to this condition there will be random times that Ryan will inexplicably sound ‘stuffed up’ or ill.