Bittersweet Ending 04/21/25

Jeff Taylor and Jordan DeFigio convene for a season’s-end chat, at the tail end of the Penguins’ 24-25 campaign. A resounding victory over Alex Ovechkin and the first place Capitals is bittersweet on the tongue, as the Pens best the Caps in game 82.

Also in this episode: Joining Jeff for a lo-fi, impromptu interview recording here is Mike Kirkpatrick of Sreamin Yeti Designs. Visit Mike’s IG page to check out his amazing graphic design work, including his original take on what eventually became the official logo of the NHL’s 32nd franchise, the Seattle Kraken.

Mike Kirkpatrick’s Screamin Yeti Designs:
https://www.instagram.com/explore/locations/1012703238/screaminyeti-designs/

Thanks to Espresso A Mano, Pittsburgh’s finest coffee roasters and cafe, for partnering with Fly Penguins Fly podcast. Visit an Espresso A Mano location near you:
https://espressoamano.com/

Fly Penguins Fly Podcast is produced by Jeff Taylor.

Thank you for listening!! Follow the podcast on X/Twitter: @penspod
Jeff Taylor: @penspod_JT // Jordan DeFigio: @fidgenewton

LETS GO PENS.

JEFF TAYLOR + JORDAN DEFIGIO

Intro/Outro music composed and recorded by Jeff Taylor
Mark Guiliana plays drums - thanks, Mark!

Shane Taylor designed and delivered our artwork.
To hire Shane for design work: shanetaylordesigns@gmail.com - tell him Fly Penguins Fly sent you.

This episode includes portions of the following musical selections:
Kid Kodi by Blue Dot Sessions
Hardboil by Blue Dot Sessions
In Passage by Blue Dot Sessions

Bagpipes ft. Rob Rossi of The Athletic 04/16/25

Rob Rossi, Pittsburgh Penguins beat writer and current senior staffer with The Athletic joins Jeff Taylor and Jordan DeFigio to share his vivid, heartfelt recollections of former Penguins general manager, the late Ray Shero.

Thanks to Espresso A Mano, Pittsburgh’s finest coffee roasters and cafe, for partnering with Fly Penguins Fly podcast. Visit an Espresso A Mano location near you:
https://espressoamano.com/

Fly Penguins Fly Podcast is produced by Jeff Taylor.

Thank you for listening!! Follow the podcast on X/Twitter: @penspod
Jeff Taylor: @penspod_JT // Jordan DeFigio: @fidgenewton

LETS GO PENS.

JEFF TAYLOR + JORDAN DEFIGIO

Intro/Outro music composed and recorded by Jeff Taylor
Mark Guiliana plays drums - thanks, Mark!

Shane Taylor designed and delivered our artwork.
To hire Shane for design work: shanetaylordesigns@gmail.com - tell him Fly Penguins Fly sent you.

This episode includes portions of the following musical selections:
Kid Kodi by Blue Dot Sessions

Pittsburgh Penguins: End Of The Road 04/11/25

Heading into Newark, NJ for the final road game of their 2024-2025 campaign, the Pittsburgh Penguins will look to upset a very fast, very playoffs-bound Devils team. Even without star forward Jack Hughes the Devils have yet again managed to punch their ticket to Lord Stanley’s fabled dance.

Our hearts go out to the family of former Penguins GM, the late Ray Shero. Rest In Peace, Ray.

Thanks to Espresso A Mano, Pittsburgh’s finest coffee roasters and cafe, for partnering with Fly Penguins Fly podcast. Visit an Espresso A Mano location near you:
https://espressoamano.com/

Fly Penguins Fly Podcast is produced by Jeff Taylor.

Thank you for listening!! Follow the podcast on X/Twitter: @penspod
Jeff Taylor: @penspod_JT // Jordan DeFigio: @fidgenewton

LETS GO PENS.

JEFF TAYLOR + JORDAN DEFIGIO

Intro/Outro music composed and recorded by Jeff Taylor
Mark Guiliana plays drums - thanks, Mark!

Shane Taylor designed and delivered our artwork.
To hire Shane for design work: shanetaylordesigns@gmail.com - tell him Fly Penguins Fly sent you.

This episode includes portions of the following musical selections:
Kid Kodi by Blue Dot Sessions

Meaningful Hockey 04/07/25

The Pittsburgh Penguins have officially been eliminated from contention in the race to qualify for the 2024-2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. And with less than a handful of regular season games remaining on their schedule, the Penguins are at home tonight for the back half of a home-and-home matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Jeff and Jordan convene remotely for today’s episode - doing their very best to keep their respective spiritual trains on their metaphorical tracks - as we all get ready for another Penguins-less NHL postseason.

Thanks to Espresso A Mano, Pittsburgh’s finest coffee roasters and cafe, for partnering with Fly Penguins Fly podcast. Visit an Espresso A Mano location near you:
https://espressoamano.com/

Fly Penguins Fly Podcast is produced by Jeff Taylor.

Thank you for listening!! Follow the podcast on X/Twitter: @penspod
Jeff Taylor: @penspod_JT // Jordan DeFigio: @fidgenewton

LETS GO PENS.

JEFF TAYLOR + JORDAN DEFIGIO

Intro/Outro music composed and recorded by Jeff Taylor
Mark Guiliana plays drums - thanks, Mark!

Shane Taylor designed and delivered our artwork.
To hire Shane for design work: shanetaylordesigns@gmail.com - tell him Fly Penguins Fly sent you.

This episode includes portions of the following musical selections:
Kid Kodi by Blue Dot Sessions

Future Marker: Our 250th Episode featuring The Athletic’s Josh Yohe 04/03/25

Dear Listeners,

It’s hard to believe we’ve made it to our 250th episode.

We’re joined today by The Athletic’s Josh Yohe, Pittsburgh Penguins beat reporter and one of our first proper guests. Josh is a fine example of someone who’s become a good friend and a generous collaborator in this unrivaled U.S. hockey town.

I started Fly Penguins Fly Podcast in the attic of the old Jersey City where I lived, along with my wife leading up to when we moved to Pittsburgh.

I still get a thrill out of creating and posting each episode, especially at this time when the Pittsburgh Penguins are rebuilding, in preparation for what - hopefully - will be an exciting, successful new era of hockey in the Steel City.

Thanks for listening, stay tuned as we continue to cover this hallowed franchise.

All my best,
Jeff Taylor
Producer and Co-Host
Fly Penguins Fly Podcast

Link to heartwarming clip of known St. Louis Blues fan, Laila Anderson scoring her first-ever goal in organized hockey:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3vviSwunpd/?igsh=MW05ZHp2ejZmMzhoZQ==

Thanks to Espresso A Mano, Pittsburgh’s finest coffee roasters and cafe, for partnering with Fly Penguins Fly podcast. Visit an Espresso A Mano location near you:
https://espressoamano.com/

Fly Penguins Fly Podcast is produced by Jeff Taylor.

Thank you for listening!! Follow the podcast on X/Twitter: @penspod
Jeff Taylor: @penspod_JT // Jordan DeFigio: @fidgenewton

LETS GO PENS.

JEFF TAYLOR + JORDAN DEFIGIO

Intro/Outro music composed and recorded by Jeff Taylor
Mark Guiliana plays drums - thanks, Mark!

Shane Taylor designed and delivered our artwork.
To hire Shane for design work: shanetaylordesigns@gmail.com - tell him Fly Penguins Fly sent you.

This episode includes portions of the following musical selections:
Kid Kodi by Blue Dot Sessions
Hardboil by Blue Dot Sessions

Flying So Low(Fi) 04/01/25

With Jordan otherwise occupied and Jeff busy on a work trip, today’s offering is truly a solo dispatch, cobbled together from iPhone recordings and found musical pieces from old episodes. In short, a humbling final push to the big 250th episode, featuring Josh Yohe and coming at you tomorrow from the studio.

Disclaimer: The audio quality of the majority of this episode is pretty darned poor. Traveling for work meant no way to get into an isolated space, so Jeff recorded this one (literally) out in the streets of Jersey City.

Thanks to Espresso A Mano, Pittsburgh’s finest coffee roasters and cafe, for partnering with Fly Penguins Fly podcast. Visit an Espresso A Mano location near you:
https://espressoamano.com/

Fly Penguins Fly Podcast is produced by Jeff Taylor.

Thank you for listening!! Follow the podcast on X/Twitter: @penspod
Jeff Taylor: @penspod_JT // Jordan DeFigio: @fidgenewton

LETS GO PENS.

JEFF TAYLOR + JORDAN DEFIGIO

Intro/Outro music composed and recorded by Jeff Taylor
Mark Guiliana plays drums - thanks, Mark!

Shane Taylor designed and delivered our artwork.
To hire Shane for design work: shanetaylordesigns@gmail.com - tell him Fly Penguins Fly sent you.

This episode includes portions of the following musical selections:
Kid Kodi by Blue Dot Sessions
In Passage by Blue Dot Sessions

Mr. Consistent: Sidney Crosby Grabs Gretzky’s NHL Point-Per-Game Record! 03/27/25

With an original working title of ‘Passenger Princess,’ production/release of this episode was delayed until close to the start of this evening’s road game versus the Sabres. And wouldn’t ya know it? Just as I sat down to knock out the edit and get this one posted, Sidney Crosby does what he does best: Contribute to his team’s offense.

It was a beautiful goal, featuring many of Crosby’s best attributes as an athlete and a teammate: On-ice awareness, positional intelligence, and a practiced ability to have quick hands, even from tough angles.

The puck ended up on Sid’s stick as he floated to the net front, and even though it was in-tight to his body, the captain managed to get a super-fast shot off, beating Billy Reimer high on the glove-side. Just incredible.

From us here at Fly Penguins Fly Podcast: Congratulations to Sidney Crosby on a monumental achievement, as he passes Wayne Gretzky to possess the longest-ever season streak of point-per-game play in the NHL.

Thanks to Espresso A Mano, Pittsburgh’s finest coffee roasters and cafe, for partnering with Fly Penguins Fly podcast. Visit an Espresso A Mano location near you:
https://espressoamano.com/

Fly Penguins Fly Podcast is produced by Jeff Taylor.

Thank you for listening!! Follow the podcast on X/Twitter: @penspod
Jeff Taylor: @penspod_JT // Jordan DeFigio: @fidgenewton

LETS GO PENS.

JEFF TAYLOR + JORDAN DEFIGIO

Intro/Outro music composed and recorded by Jeff Taylor
Mark Guiliana plays drums - thanks, Mark!

Shane Taylor designed and delivered our artwork.
To hire Shane for design work: shanetaylordesigns@gmail.com - tell him Fly Penguins Fly sent you.

This episode includes portions of the following musical selections:
Hardboil by Blue Dot Sessions
Kid Kodi by Blue Dot Sessions

Battle Jackets 03/21/25

The Columbus Blue Jackets are fun to watch and they’re in Pittsburgh tonight, taking on your Pittsburgh Penguins for the final time this season. While the Penguins’ 2025 playoff hopes seem to have been dashed along the rocky shores of mediocrity, the Columbus club are still very much in-the-hunt for the Eastern Conference’s second wildcard spot.

Jordan may have found the deal of a lifetime on a vintage Sidney Crosby jersey, and both hosts - Jeff and Jordan - have music gigs tonight. All that and more, on ‘Battle Jackets,’ our 247th episode - a mere three episodes away from our 250th installment. Thanks for listening!

Thanks to Espresso A Mano, Pittsburgh’s finest coffee roasters and cafe, for partnering with Fly Penguins Fly podcast. Visit an Espresso A Mano location near you:
https://espressoamano.com/

Fly Penguins Fly Podcast is produced by Jeff Taylor.

Thank you for listening!! Follow the podcast on X/Twitter: @penspod
Jeff Taylor: @penspod_JT // Jordan DeFigio: @fidgenewton

LETS GO PENS.

JEFF TAYLOR + JORDAN DEFIGIO

Intro/Outro music composed and recorded by Jeff Taylor
Mark Guiliana plays drums - thanks, Mark!

Shane Taylor designed and delivered our artwork.
To hire Shane for design work: shanetaylordesigns@gmail.com - tell him Fly Penguins Fly sent you.

This episode includes portions of the following musical selections:
Hardboil by Blue Dot Sessions