Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - OLYMPICS SQUAD: DOMINATE: Team Canada and Team USA CRUSH Opening Games—Connor McDavid and Jack Hughes LEAD
Episode Date: February 13, 2026Slovakia shock Finland as Juraj Slafkovsky and Simon Nemec make a statement—could their Olympic hockey run upset the favorites? Canada assert their dominance, with Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, ...and Macklin Celebrini igniting early, while questions linger about Finland’s goaltending and Sweden’s struggles. The hosts highlight the evolving Olympic tournament, from surprise upsets and breakout performances to fierce rivalries and roster intrigue.Gil Martin, David Morrassuti, Zach Berman, and Ian McLaren break down key moments as Canada’s star-studded lineup dismantles Czechia and Team USA’s depth makes waves against Latvia. Insights include Switzerland and Germany’s dark horse potential, Quinn Hughes’ impact on Team USA’s blue line, and the rising physicality shaping Olympic hockey. Will Finland rebound, and is Canada on track for gold? Don’t miss this fast-paced analysis of Olympic hockey’s early drama and contenders. Everydayer ClubIf you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!QuoMake this the year where no opportunity — and no customer — slips away. Try Quo for free plus get 20% off your first 6 months when you go to http://Quo.com/lockedonnhl.FactorHead to http://factormeals.com/lockedonnhl50off and use code lockedonnhl50off to get 50% off and free breakfast for a year. IndeedNow, you can speed up your hiring process with a $75 Sponsored Job Credit. Just go to https://indeed.com/lockedon right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply.GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.FanDuelThe Winter Games are on. And there’s no better way to follow them than with a bet on FanDuel. FanDuel - Play your game.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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The men's Olympic hockey tournament is now underway.
We'll talk about some of the early games, including Canada and the United States.
All that and more coming up on today's Lockdown NHL Squad Show Olympic edition.
You are Talking Puck with the NHL Squad Show.
From the Oilers to the Stars, Golden Knights and the Panthers, the Rangers, Avalanche, and yes, even the Maple Leafs.
The Locked On Podcast Network brings together all its local experts to provide the spoof
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Don't miss the hard hits and glove dropping hot takes on the Locked-on NHL Squad Show.
It's time to drop the puck.
Welcome everybody to today's episode of the NHL Squad Show Olympic edition.
I'm Gil Martin from Lockdown Islanders.
I am joined by David Morrisuti from Locked on Leafs,
Zach Furman from Lockdown, New Jersey Devils, and Ian McClain.
of Locked-on Boston Bruins today, as we talk about everything going on now in the Olympic
hockey tournament. I want to thank everyone who makes the Locked-on NHL Squad show your first
listen today. And don't forget to subscribe to Lockdown NHL on YouTube or wherever you
listen to podcasts. So you never miss an episode. And thanks for helping to make Locked on
the number one sports podcast network. We've had the first games of the
men's tournament so far now getting underway and let's start with two countries that are not
considered local right now Finland and Slovakia and what your thoughts are on that first
match there.
It's been surprising.
I thought, you know, looking like it was going to be a pretty tight game and then all of a sudden
Vinland just falls apart in that third period.
I mean, I don't know coming into it, we didn't really give Slovakia.
give their due as much just because
Finland has such, they had more
of the star talent, but Slavkovsky
I mean, get him a lot of credit
because, you know, he's, he's
had his ups and downs, you know, during his
time with the Canadians and
I think, you know, that was a bit of
a, you know, a statement game
for them to say, hey, don't forget about
Slovakia here. We got
we got the opportunity to
give some teams a tough run in this tournament.
Yeah, I
really thought the NHL dropped the ball
last year by not including Slovakia and Czechia in the four nations faceoff, especially with
games being played in Montreal, Slokovsky should have been playing on home ice, games being
played in Boston, featured David Posternak on home ice. I don't know what it is about Slavkovsky,
but he just elevates his game at the Olympics. He was incredible at the previous Olympics and really
raised his stock, kind of helped him to become the number one overall pick.
he kind of made a Bruins defenseman look pretty silly,
and Henry Oki Haru on that opening goal that he scored,
that really set the tone.
And, yeah, I can see him being a real breakout performer in this tournament for sure.
About his countryman.
Simone Nemich, first line minutes.
And he was, he's like a running back in football.
The more you play him and the more responsibility you give him, the better.
At least that's just what we've seen from him in New Jersey.
but he was phenomenal on both ends yesterday.
No doubt he had his moments and really did shine.
What does this mean?
We talked a little bit about what this does for Slovakia,
but how does Finland respond to this?
That's a real good question because this is a team that I think they had a little more pressure on them
going into this tournament where, you know, again, you got some start talent there.
you have some guys who have also had some, you know, some tough seasons.
Like UC Soros, to me, I think there's going to be a lot of pressure on this guy because
he hasn't been playing up to his, you know, the caliber that we've expected from him,
even at the NHL level.
So if I'm, if I'm Finland, that's probably the first question I have is, is UC Soros
going to have to be, you know, have to be some question marks about whether or not he's the guy
to carry this going for because it's not a good, not a good start for him.
You know what? I was going to bring that up as well.
Austin Bruins goal tenor, Eunice Corbusallo, is a late addition to team fill-in
because Uco Pecalucanin and Buffalo is injured.
And if you're looking at kind of how the goalies were playing heading into this tournament,
Corbusallo actually had a pretty fantastic January.
And that's one of the reasons why the Bruins are back in a playoff spot
because that tandem of Corbusalo and Jeremy Swamen had been playing very well.
well, like near top of the NHL, safe percentages at five on five.
I mean, in a short tournament like this, you can't afford to just go with the reputation guy.
You got to take some chances.
And you could either go with Kevin Lankinen as the backup or go with the guy who is playing
pretty well heading into the tournament and give Corpus Salaura shot.
I mean, it can't hurt.
And Soros just isn't the same guy that it used to be playing for them.
Those guys need to have the confidence to go out there and create some offense.
They can't be worrying about, you know, any shot going in the back of the net and being down.
So whatever gives them the most confidence that they got to run with that, I think.
I mean, I am so intrigued to see what Finland Sweden's going to look like tomorrow
because the Swedes didn't exactly have the easiest of paths yesterday getting by the hosts.
and, well, you say Soros is a veteran who's having a rough season.
The Swedes are going with Jacob Markstrom tomorrow,
who's a veteran probably having the roughest season out of any big-name goalie in the National Hockey League.
So you have a squad and fiddling that got slapped in the face out of the gate against the Swedes,
who realistically probably should have won yesterday's game by a lot more than they actually did.
but it feels a lot more dire and a lot more do-or-die, perhaps,
than I think either country may be expected tomorrow's game to feel on both sides
because the loser of tomorrow's game is going to be going, oh, boy.
I really wish that game wasn't a 6-10 Eastern start either.
That one should be featured at least in the morning.
Come on, that's a bit too early.
This is the Nagano games we're dealing with here.
Ice time is tough to come by in Italy now, I guess.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, the time difference is always difficult.
I mean, now you got, as you mentioned, Finland, Sweden is going to be so meaningful for those two teams.
And you got that built-in rivalry as well.
I mean, which team do you think comes out more desperate?
I mean, you got to go with Finland because they lost their first game.
I don't think anybody, if I remember correctly, the format set up where everybody kind of advances, there's like a play in game to the quarterfinals.
So your path just gets harder, the worse you do in the round robin.
But, man, you can't go 0 and 2 to start the tournament and feel like you have the best shot at it.
So I would think the pressure is more on Finland, although, you know, Sweden, only 5'2 against Italy.
nobody really saw that coming too.
So you're going to bet they're going to be
wanting to make a statement to show that they
belong with Canada and
USA among the gold
medal hopefuls their favorites at the
very least.
Yeah, I would say the thing for Sweden,
like the pressure for them is just
you let Italy stick around
with you for so long. Like Finland is going to
be, they're going to come out desperate because
they know that they dropped the game
that was winnable for them
until the third period. So
they're going to be they understand that they cannot allow uh sweden to get on them early they're
going to come out hard and i think when especially finley that's such a big rivalry for them the game
swain like that's that's their biggest rival so those games always a little extra pep in the step
um and i do think that there's going to be some players like miko ranton in like i'm expecting
him to have to step up a bit more as a leader on this team to really you know especially game
Sweden. They're so many
places. You need someone
to step up and as you said, you can't play
timid. You have to go. Look at
all these other top teams.
They're not sitting back.
They're full steam ahead
in this tournament. So you have to expect
you're going to be seeing a little over that in this game.
Is there, other
than Slovakia, is there another
dark horse that has emerged in these
early games so far?
I thought the checks would be
a darker,
than they are.
Lucas Tostal is good enough to steal a game versus anybody.
The problem is is outside of their top line of Marty Natchezha, Tomash Hurtle,
David Posternak, the depth drop-off is swift and ridiculous.
And I mean, the checks hung in there for a little bit,
but Canada was just too much to muster.
I really don't think this year we're going to have a crazy dark horse
outside of the four names of the top, obviously Russia would have been the fifth.
But I like what I saw from the Slovaks.
I think they might be the closest thing we have to that team.
Only one for me is Switzerland.
Switzerland is that pesky team that if they get a good goaltending performance,
like look, you got Roman Yose, pretty good hockey player, right?
They got, you know, they do have like Tim O'Mire.
They got names on that team.
Yeah.
It's just can they get the goal tending?
France, not exactly the biggest test.
So I, and Canada knows like Canada talked a lot.
They gave, they gave Switzerland quite a bit of credit, maybe a little bit too much credit, you know,
but I think if there's a team that can pull off an ups and that, I've seen it.
I've lived it 2006.
I remember that game.
Yeah.
Switzerland is very much capable of a shocking.
a shocker, but it's going to be tough.
Like, you know, people say,
oh, let's see if they can do it against Canada.
This team Canada ain't going to make it too easy on them.
Yeah.
I was going to mention Switzerland, too.
I mean, they are always, you kind of look at them as like the old,
who's the most underrated player in the NHL discussion.
It was always Louis Eriksid to the point where he wasn't underrated anymore.
That's kind of like Switzerland on the international stage.
Like they always seem to to just be right in the mix.
And it was, I thought it was interesting in their opener.
They went with a guy I had never heard of Leonardo Giannoni and Nett.
And I guessing they're keeping the NHL goalie that they have on the roster
kind of fresh for the Canada game in Akira Shmede, who's played pretty well so far this season for,
for Vegas.
So I thought, yeah, checks with Dosh Dahl, they had a chance to surprise.
I think the same with the Swiss with with Schmidt and that I think he's the guy that can
really steal a game on the international stage although I don't know if after today's game for
Canada I really can't see anybody beating them the way that they played today but we'll see
I think Germany might be that dark horse if anybody just because nobody
outside of those
typical favorites has
a top center who can drive
an entire game as much as Germany does with Leon Drysidal
and to have him and Tim Stutzler running the shots
like that's a that's a squad I would not want to get
into a track meet with
yeah well I mean God what do you have
Maurice cider on the back end too
you got Peturca like they they got good talent
Like that's a team that's emerging.
It's just we haven't seen it all come together for them.
And they had a pretty, I mean, what a great game they had to start things off.
But it's going to one game is not going to be enough.
They're going to have to really show it against some really quality opponents.
Yeah.
It's going to be interesting and going to be a lot of great hockey ahead.
But we have a lot more to discuss.
We'll talk a little team Canada, a little team USA,
as those two squads made their first games.
In this Olympic tournament, we'll have that coming up next on the NHL Squad Show Olympic edition.
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miss customers. All right, guys, team Canada, they got their first game going. And as you alluded to,
they looked pretty darn good. What were some of your key takeaways? Ian, let's start with you
this time from Team Canada's big first game.
Yeah, I think David mentioned it earlier.
Like the Canada's set in the tone both offensively and physically, like in the early
minutes of that game, we saw Connor McDavid level a big hit in the offensive zone.
Nathan McKinnon was out there.
Like these guys seem like men on a mission for sure.
And it's just the biggest question coming into this tournament for Canada was the
goaltending.
Jordan Bennington, we talked earlier about guys who haven't been playing up to
scratch this season in the NHL.
He's one of the worst goaltenders in the NHL this season, comes in, post a shutout
against Czechia team that, you know, a lot of people thought would surprise.
So just top to bottom, they're just so formidable.
I know I'm biased as a Canadian, but it's just crazy to see the oldest player in the tournament
continuing to dominate.
And then you got the youngest guy in the tournament
in Macklin-Cellebrini,
making his impact felt early on.
With the opening goal, he had a couple other opportunities.
All four lines were rolling.
I guess the one concern was Josh Morrissey left the game
due to injury.
So they'll have to call on Travis Sandheim,
I think, is their next man up.
So if he's hurt, that's a bit of a problem.
But, I mean, I expect.
I've selected a bit more from Chequia.
David Posternak played all right, but held off the score sheet, obviously.
They're missing Pavalzaka, which is a big hole for them to fill.
But Canada, I mean, it's hard to see anybody really beating them in this tournament, to be honest, the way they look today.
I would agree with you.
I think the Morrissey thing is pretty significant just because without Josh Morrissey, I think the one area.
where the U.S. really has a leg up on Canada is at the blue line.
Because Sanheim, he's a vet.
He's good.
It's not great.
But I wonder if the Canadians could have potentially gone a different way.
And you keyed on it a little bit, but the thing that stood out to me the most was
Macklin-Selabrini is ridiculous.
I mean, for his age, I, I have.
hesitate to throw the G word around, but I think generational might be the most acceptable term.
Just to see him hanging with the big boys, he's not even a drinking age yet.
I mean, he is some part.
I think he is a lot of, but Canada he is.
Canada he is for sure.
But not in the States, but look, when you can run the forward lot, the forward
pairings that the Canadians can there was a tweet that went went big it's a it's a it's
we're talking biblical levels of greed seeing mckinan to macdavid de crosbie on the power play and then
running out kale mccar is the top don't take penit don't take penalties against Canada like
please don't yeah i mean that's the thing right like and you brought up you and it's not just the
skill like right off the hop car mac david's like i want to just
absolutely crush somebody in the corner.
Like,
he doesn't do that all the time in the NHL.
This is what it means.
Like,
it was just like,
followed up.
This was bottle up for these guys for so many years.
And then they just kind of exploded,
right?
And I just like the fact that Canada came into this game thing,
like,
this is business.
We're not going to play around here.
We're going to go right off the hop,
show everyone who we are.
And the other part of this,
too,
is the guys that maybe
were put on this team
and you're like, really
like Bo Horvath?
Unbelievable goal he had.
Like him winning, he says,
I would fill the water balls
if it meant being on this team.
Like these guys, like, but you know
like these guys weren't just put on this team
because they can do some of the small
things. Like they can contribute in so many
different ways.
Mark Stone, I know a lot of people were bringing
up him like, oh, he's always
injured and he's older and it's like,
like yeah he can also score some pretty good goals too like him and marter the chemistry there
sydney crosbie is your third line center is just absolutely criminal and you know Nathan mckin
should have probably had a goal uh another goal in this game but that was taken back of by a questionable
penalty call so like that's just the thing is canna's got just so many ways that they can beat you
and you know everyone was talking about the goaltending and this is going to
to prove once again, it doesn't matter who's
in net for Canada. Like even like 2014,
you could have had anyone. You had
generational carry price in net.
But like Canada
doesn't really need to worry about
who's in goal. When you have players
who can play all over
the ice like they do, they're
responsible defensively and they
can still push the pace. Like John Cooper's
like, let's just play in the other end.
We don't need to worry about defending.
When we could just have the puck in their opponent's
own for however long we
need to. So yeah, I mean, look,
Cheki, I expected a little bit more, but you just see the depth of talent wasn't there to go up
against the Canada. We'll see as the tournament goes along and they get tested a bit more
against teams to have a bit more of the operational on and the depth to go toe to toe
and match things up a little bit better. And yeah, I mean, Canada has to be pretty happy that,
you know, other than the Morrissey injury, there weren't any glaring issues that you could point
to in this game.
I think I saw a stat where McDavid had more attempts on net than Czechia had scoring chances.
Like he was unreal all over the ice.
You mentioned the new guys on the team too, like Nick Suzuki, who had that penalty
called on him to wipe out that McKinnon goal.
He scored later on.
It pains me to say it, but as the Canadians captain, he is like, I was able to cover him,
watch him win the OHL champion MVP when the Guel Storm won in.
in 2019.
This kid, he has so much talent, so much leadership.
Just to be able to add him to the mix is,
it's just an embarrassment of riches and makes you wonder,
like, that trade with Max Patrick Reddy a few years ago.
If Vegas had Marner, Stone, and Suzuki,
that would probably be the best line in the NHL right now.
Yeah, Canada, so stacked.
And to be able to add those younger guys to the mix,
just makes them even more dangerous.
And they didn't even add Matthew Schaefer.
Amazing.
Ridiculous.
He's swimming in the wings for four years from now, right?
I mean, unbelievable.
All right, we have got more to get to.
Team USA also had their first game.
We're going to talk about that and more coming up on the NHL Squad Show.
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All right, guys, Team USA also had their first game.
Looked pretty darn good against Latvia.
What stood out, Zach, to you most about Team USA?
I mean, before we get things going.
Oh, Mama, don't you cry?
Okay, I had to get that out of the way.
Now, with that being said, it was the fourth line.
There was a lot of, needless to say, controversy about,
oh, Brock Nelson on this team, J.T. Miller on this team?
Why is Jack Hughes on the fourth line?
They were the best offensive line by far for the Americans today.
Brock Nelson and Jack Hughes look like they've been playing together
their whole lives, which is crazy because
Brock Nelson looks like he's 60.
Yeah, it's kind of crazy when you see a Jack Hughes
on the fourth line. And he looked way better. Obviously, four nations
didn't go so well for him. And I think, like,
what didn't know,
if the U.S. want to go far in this tournament, they're going to need
a guy like Jack Hughes to be not on the fourth line at some point.
I think it's nice to have that death. But I think he's got
a lot more to give to this team. I think you've probably
are going to see him move move up at some point but i mean also the quinn hues factor like they
didn't have quinn hues last year when you have a quinn hues on your team you're going to be a
better team and it showed i think maybe team u s is going to have to learn a little bit about the rules
and the in the w i hf uh with when it comes to goal uh players in the crease because we know
they they like to play that tough as nail style getting in the getting in the kitchen and all that
stuff, but
double HF, I mean, look,
as a Canadian
watching those goals
get called back, but then the goal
against Canada the other day and not get
called back, it just goes to show
that the international officiating
still has some kinks to work out.
So I'm sure, I'm sure
the U.S. are going to realize, okay,
we can play tough, but we have
to be, there's some areas you're going to have to work
on there, but I mean, oh,
that's a team that looks ready to go.
You know, guys who probably either were missing from the last year's term or didn't have their best performance,
they know that they got to get off to a good start here, and they certainly did today.
Yeah, I mean, a lot has been made of J.T. Miller, Vincent Trocheck, being on the team instead of guys like Jason Robertson or Cole Cofield.
And you could kind of see why in today's game, talking about like the toughness, how hard they play.
I think Chris Cuthbert mentioned it on the Canadian broadcast where those two Rangers specifically were brought in for kind of that penalty killing expertise as well.
So you're kind of balancing out that toughness with a couple guys who will be out on the ice in those key moments.
Whereas if you had Robertson Coughfield obviously would add to the talent level, but if you're getting into penalty trouble or it's a physical game, maybe those guys are kind of lost in that mix.
So Team USA looks so good, so deep on the blue line.
Yeah, they probably have the better blue line top to bottom.
If you can roll out like Quinn Hughes, Zach Werenski, Charlie McAvoy,
as you're like your top three guys getting the most minutes.
You're in a pretty good spot.
Connor Hellebuck, you know, he's had his struggles this year as well,
but he's the reigning MVP, Vesdena Trophy winner.
it feels like it's a Canada, USA, kind of on a collision course.
That's what everybody wants in the gold medal game.
And really, through the first games for every country,
I don't think there's any reason to doubt that that's kind of where we're headed in this tournament.
Were you guys at all surprised by the physicality that we've seen so far?
I mean, we saw it at the four nations a year ago,
but historically, the Olympics are not quite as physical.
as let's say NHL hockey.
Are you surprised at the physicality?
No, not in the slightest.
These guys have been waiting, what, 12 years?
Be back on this stage, in this moment.
If you're a fan, you've been chomping at the bit.
Imagine if you play the sport for a living,
of course you want to go out, represent your country,
kick the crap out of whoever standing next to you on the ice.
Like maybe it's just the evolution of the sport and maybe the days of the Olympics being more finesse oriented might just be, I don't want to say completely over, but evolving.
And they said on the broadcast too, like on the Canadian broadcast talking about how the IOC and the international hockey wants to get a little more to the North American style, where physicality is more accepted, especially in the men's terms.
tournament where you saw some you saw some hits you saw some stuff happening and just like all right
these are mhl playoff prison rules happening right now yeah i think you know what it's good that they're
if if like that's the way it's going to be called do it right off the hop don't you know don't be
flip flopping back and forth now i i'm hoping that the whatever has been accepted as a level of okay
we're allowing the stuff to happen it doesn't change as the tournament goes along because it's so
hard once you dial it up to dial it back. Yeah. Right. And so that's my only concern with that.
But I mean, look, I think if you see how these teams are setting the tone now, I think it's good.
I think Four Nations brought that out a lot of players, a lot of teams last year. And I think this only,
I think I'm sure a lot of the officials were brought in to say, look, these guys are, as Zach said,
these guys have been waiting for this for a while. So don't be going out with the whistles on a, on a,
a penalty break is it's going to be a long, long day for everyone.
So I just hope that the way it's been officiated doesn't change because that's,
that's going to be very frustrating to watch if the standards change.
And the physicality, too, this might be where the kind of shorter ice surface comes
into play.
Like guys are forechecking.
They're maybe not letting up as they used to because they're used to having a few extra
inches to play at the puck.
Maybe they're coming in a bit quicker than they used to.
That could be a real factor as well.
And I'm not surprised about the physicality.
You've seen some kind of questionable hits already.
Austin Matthews taking a hit to the head in the USA Latvia game.
Some guys taking a few liberties here and there.
But I think unlike the Four Nations where there was actual gloves dropping, like we know
that's not going to happen, but guys are going to have to really rain today in terms of potential,
you know, hits to the head or boarding penalties, stuff like that, which could really,
like a major penalty in this tournament could really turn the tide of a game.
So you got to be really cautious about that for sure.
No doubt.
Look, I think the key is consistency with officiating.
Whatever the standard is, it should stay the standard.
So the players know what to expect, the fans know what to expect.
and we get an even fair quality of officiating throughout the tournament.
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information about the everyday or club. Check it out today. I want to thank everyone, David
Morrisuti from Lockedon Leaves, Zach Berman from Lockdown Devils and Ian McClaren from Locked
on Bruins for joining me today. I'm Gil Martin. We will be back tomorrow with another episode
of the Lockdown NHL Olympic Squad Show. Thanks for watching and listening, everyone. Have a great
day and we'll see you tomorrow.
