The first team to make an in-season coaching change in 2016-17? The Florida Panthers, who relieved Gerard Gallant of his duties less than a full season after he guided them to 47 wins, 103 points and an Atlantic Division regular-season title a year ago.

Jack Eichel has returned from his severe ankle sprain and the Buffalo Sabres are already benefitting from having him in the lineup for the first time this season.

Calgary could have flamed out on their just-completed six-games-in-ten-nights road trip out East, but instead fashioned a 3-2-1 record without star forward Johnny Gaudreau in the lineup.

These topics, and more, on the current edition of The Hockey Writers Live podcast.

The Guests

Joining me on this week’s program are one team broadcaster and two of my fellow reporters here at The Hockey Writers.

Steve Goldstein (@goldieonice), the long time play by play voice of the Panthers, joins the program to discuss the how’s and why’s surrounding the firing of Gallant, and provides insight into the team’s sub par start this season.

Chad DeDominicis (@C_Dedominicis10), co host of the Beyond the Blade podcast and a writer at THW, discusses the effect of having Eichel back in the Sabres lineup after Buffalo played the first quarter of the season without its injured star.

And Jon Bateman (@sportfanyyc) checks in from Calgary where the Flames are back home and trying to build upon that solid road trip back East, and shares his thoughts on whether Chad Johnson is surpassing Brian Elliott as the team’s No. 1 goaltender.

Upcoming on The Hockey Writers Live

Make sure to tune in to our next podcast, the week of December 5, as long-time Toronto Star columnist Damien Cox (@DamoSpin) joins The Hockey Writers Live to talk about the Toronto Maple Leafs and the book 100 Years in Blue and White: A Century of Hockey in Toronto.

If you have any comments or suggestions, please feel free to reach out to me at: Jim@TheHockeyWriters.com.

Enjoy this week’s show!