The Sheet with Jeff Marek - Knockout Stage Underway ft. Mike Modano & Greg Wyshynski

Episode Date: February 17, 2026

The knockout stage is officially underway at the 2026 Milan Games and the intensity is ramping up. On today’s episode of The Sheet, Jeff Marek and Greg Wyshynski break down a dramatic first round of the men’s bracket that saw Germany eliminate France and Switzerland take care of Italy to punch their tickets forward. The guys dive into what stood out, which teams are trending, and what these results mean for the rest of the tournament as the path to gold narrows.From there, the focus shifts to the blockbuster gold medal matchup set for Wednesday the 18th — Canada vs. USA. Marek and Wysh debate the strengths, pressure points, and X-factors on both sides, while also reacting to comments from Switzerland’s women’s captain suggesting Canada looked “shaky” in their semifinal — bulletin board material?Then, the legend himself joins the show. Mike Modano stops by to talk USA Hockey, his Olympic experiences, the evolution of the program, his thoughts on this 2026 squad, and what it takes to win on the biggest stage.It’s knockout hockey, cross-border rivalry, and one of the greatest American players of all time — all on today’s episode of The Sheet.Leave a voicemail: https://www.speakpipe.com/TheSheetEmail us: [e-mail] TO OUR SPONSORS!!👍🏼 Fan Duel: https://www.fanduel.com/👍🏼Uber Eats: https://www.ubereats.com/caReach out to [e-mail] to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us!If you liked this, check out:🚨 OTT - Coming in Hot Sens | https://www.youtube.com/c/thewallyandmethotshow🚨 TOR - LeafsNation | https://www.youtube.com/@theleafsnation401🚨 EDM - OilersNation | https://www.youtube.com/@Oilersnationdotcom🚨 VAN - CanucksArmy | https://www.youtube.com/@Canucks_Army🚨 CGY - FlamesNation | https://www.youtube.com/@FNBarnBurner🚨 Daily Faceoff Fantasy & Betting | www.youtube.com/@DFOFantasyandBetting____________________________________________________________________________________________Connect with us on ⬇️Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/daily_faceoff💻 Website: https://www.dailyfaceoff.com🐦 Follow on twitter: https://x.com/DailyFaceoff💻 Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dailyfaceoffDaily Faceoff Merch:https://nationgear.ca/collections/daily-faceoffReach out to [e-mail] to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us!#TheSheet #Milan2026 #OlympicHockey #TeamCanada #TeamUSA #CanadaVsUSA #KnockoutStage #USAHockey #IIHF #Hockey Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Okay, welcome to the program for this Tuesday, February 17th. This is the sheet. And before we get going on today's program, and we'll talk plenty about the Olympics, and Greg Wyshinsky is going to be joining us here in a couple of moments. I just wanted to take the opening of the show today and just briefly discussed what we saw yesterday in Pottock at the absolutely horrific events that we saw and the visuals that we saw.

And I think we should begin the program by offering condolences. to the family and the friends of all the people who were killed yesterday at Dennis M. Lynch Arena. I'm sure all of us feel the same way the visuals of young hockey players skating off the bench and trying to get off the ice and into the rooms and to safety and fearing probably for their own lives as they do so to say nothing of the fans in the stands who did the same running for their lives when someone started shooting is a visual that will stick with me, and I think we'll stick with all of us for the rest of our lives. Special nod to that brave man that grabbed the shooter's gun,

and I would imagine prevented even more senseless loss of life. There's going to be a period now where a lot of people there obviously are going to need a lot of help. certainly that family will need a lot of help fans in the stands, anyone at the arena, the players themselves, I hope everybody gets the help that they need either by way of grief counseling or therapy or whatever you need for that hockey community to get together and to heal. It's going to be a long time until the Rhode Island hockey community feels normal going back into a hockey arena, and I think we all understand that, and are sympathetic to it.

We would like to pass on all of our thoughts to them. Again, our condolences. And however long it takes to heal, please know that the sun does come up in the morning. And that this hockey community, hockey is a wonderful place, as we've seen, and the communities are strong. And the hockey community in Rhode Island

is certainly a strong one, as I've now found out, by way of people getting in touch and reaching out and telling me about it, We hope that everybody comes through this one. All right. Take the time that you need. Get the therapy that you need. Get the counseling that you need.

Take care of the kids and take care of that family. Okay. Coming up on the program today, we have a lot to get to. And the program is called The Sheet. The Blueprint is what is on it. And the blueprint is powered by Fanduel. Download the app today and play your game on Fandul. Coming up on the program.

Greg Wyshinsky is standing by from ESPN and ESPN.com. Games are still going on as we speak. And Sweden has a big one coming up here in a second in about an hour and a half, two hours against Latvia. We'll get into that. We're at the knockout stage, folks. So we'll talk about that. We will talk about Marie Philippe Poulin,

who sets a new Olympic hockey record. We'll talk about Canada versus USA on the women's side. Shocking that that's the final once again. But it's been different getting to it this time around. Mike Madano will stop by, who of course played for USA in 2002 in Salt Lake City, the Silver Medal, a Hall of Famer, one of the best to ever play,

one of the best skaters that we've ever seen as well, former first overall draft pick, Stanley Cup champion with the Dallas Stars in 1999. He will join us and a full sort of 360 on all of the issues on and off the ice at the 26 Milan Games. Greg Wischinski joins us on the program from ESPN and ESPN.com. Hello, Wish. How are you?

Keep stretching. We've got 27 seconds left in Denmark and the Czech. Keep tap dancing? Anything else you want to talk about it? This would be a good time for you to talk about the 1967 Starneous Sting Power Play over the next 16, 15 seconds. I don't know why you always reference. I don't think the Sarnia Sting actually started commenced playing in the OHL to like 1994. You always reference them like they're from the 60s or something like that.

No one cares. And the checks advance. Spoiler warning for anybody out there. That was close. By the way, that was close. It was really close. The first period was an absolute snoozeroo. And the second period was just lines of cocaine on the ice between these two teams.

And then the third period was pretty intense. But the Czechs really pulled it together, man. I was impressed that they played as well as they did. Obviously, a kind of a dangerous team of Dostal plays as well as he can. and they seem to really have something kicking with Marty Natchez and the circle on the power play, two of the most gorgeous goals. I think I've seen in the tournament came for Marty Natchez on the power play.

Don't necessarily think they have the depth to really hang with Canada. No, but still, like to the point about Marty Natchez, one of the things that I always loved, everybody loves Connor McDavid and Leon Dreisselt on the power, on the three on three for the Edminton Oilers. And that's true. Like, that's pretty close to an automatic goal. But as far as, like, watching, like, just gorgeous plays

and as close to being as automatic as possible, when the Carolina hurricanes through Aho and Natchez over the boards in overtime three on three, to me, with all their respect to Connor and Leon, who we all love, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, to me, the most fun to watch was Martin Natchez and Sebastian Ajo. And when that trade was made, that went the way the Dodo Bird.

Now, if you are, if you're one of these teams in the qualification round, Okay, so like the Czechs just played a really emotional, tight, exciting game against Denmark and they get the win and they advance the way Canada. Would you rather have that and let the momentum of playing the day before and having that kind of win carry you? Or would you rather have the, let's call it methodical win that Germany had over France, where they go up to quote Jeff Merrick three Cobb in the first period, And then they're on like cruise control the rest of the way. France actually outshoots them the rest of the way, the second period.

Like the French get a goal from Belmar and it was great to see that happen in his last international game. But they like, I don't know how many hearts they lost to put it in legend of the Zelda terms against the French. While I'm sure that the checks, while high on the emotion of the victory probably expended a hell of a lot more energy in their game against the Czechs. Who would you rather against Denmark? Who would you rather be? So first of all. all in that cruise control game, somehow Leon Dreisselt play 25 minutes.

Like if you're talking about, like, we've got to pay back to back. You might want to rest the bag. I don't know, just an idea here. Just like, dude, you've been to weddings. You see how much,

how much time the bridesmaid has to spend at the wedding trying to get things in order for the bride. No surprise you put in the kind of time. They're the first star. They're not, they don't get the spotlight, but they do all the work they do. They are organizing,

the stagget down south, all of it. Yeah. The makeup lady and the hairdresser get there in time. Like, he's very busy as the bridesma. Yes. Well, you know, the one thing, like, if you ask the players, players be like, no, let's play right away.

Like, you know, like, let's keep the momentum rolling. Let's, like, flood the ice again and let's bring on the next team. The only thing that you're concerned about and this could be, like, when you blow a team out early and then you just coast, what do coaches always worry about? Bad habits. Right? Bad habits, bad habits, bad habits. Like, you see it at every single level.

Like, even at, like, minor slash youth hockey, I know a lot of parents. that don't want their kids to do like three on three in the summer is like a lot of fun. The kids all love it. And there's a lot of parents that I know they don't want their kids to do it because they get bad habits. So bad habits, bad habits, bad habits. So that would be the only thing that I think you're concerned about is in a blowout game, are you spending two periods doing things that you're not going to do in the next round, right? If you're now you're playing Slovakia.

The stakes are higher, obviously. You don't want any habits from the second and third period. to translate into that next game. But if you're Czechia, like, you just want to ride the vibes. You just want to ride the vibes. How do you see going? We all know how the Canada-Chukia game is going to be. But, like, what do you see out of that Slovak Germany game?

You're a Slovkovsky continuing to cement this international reputation. Well, listen, I have, I experienced something with Slavkovsky that I've never experienced before, which is. Montreal fans getting mad at me for saying that a player plays his best on the biggest stage. They read that as, well, if you had watched him for the last 25 games, you certainly would know this is no surprise. I'm not surprised at all. Guys had been over a point per game over the last 23 games at the very least.

But like, I'm not surprised at all because he was a goal per game in the previous Olympics. And now he's a goal per game now. It's the first time of my career, I don't think, I don't think it's ever happened. I've paid someone a compliment and then had people mad at me for the compliment because they saw it as a slight for not having recognized how good he is in the regular season. There is...

Guys, good. The guy's real good. There is a segment of every single fan base that lives to be offended. That wakes up in the morning and finds reasons to be offended and finds reasons like, oh, now you discover Slavkos.

Well, if you'd been paying. attention. Like they just live for that. But you know where I'm not really seeing that? And it's, and it's really cool. San Jose Sharks fans with Celebrini. It's just like a,

it's like more like a, hey, like, yeah, like, yeah, he's great. No one's doing, no one's like looking down your nose at you. Like, well, if you'd been paying attention, you'd know how good. If you'd stay up a little bit later, East Coast, you don't see it from, everyone's just like, yeah, he's great. I don't think there's a reason for that.

though like the sharks were expected to be dog shit. Like no one's going to be like, why aren't you watching us? And then the second thing is, since the beginning of the season, people have called him the second coming of Sidney Crosby. So it's not as if they haven't noticed them there. Okay, fair enough. I do want to pause. Go.

Go ahead. I said, the Germany-Slovakia game is interesting to me because if you look inside the numbers, I thought the Slovaks had an advantage in this tournament because of the inherent chemistry that they already had. A lot of these guys had played together in the previous Olympics and I think that goes a long way. I think on paper, based on the analytics,

Germany's the better squad and has played better than the slowbacks. And that's even with having played the United States. And so here's where my struggle is. And we'll get to the Americans and all that stuff in a second. But like, I don't know if I'm red, white, and blue-pilled.

to think that the Americans need to have the toughest journey in order to have the Swedish victory when they win gold. And the toughest journey, obviously, is to play Sweden and then play Finland. And in order for them to play Finland, Germany has to beat Slovakia. So I don't know if I'm like, you know, pulling a Paul Heyman here and holding the book

and trying to figure out what's the most compelling matchup Cape wise for the Americans. But I do kind of think Germany is going to beat the Slovak. under rate Slovakia at your own peril. But if Grubauer plays as he's played this tournament, and he's been quite good, he's been fourth and goals saved above average in the tournament through four games.

And they keep on getting production out of their two top lines with the dry side of the line and the Stuttsl line in Stutzel line, in Stutzel, with playing with Patyrka. I think Jeremy is a better team, and I think they pull the ups up. Look, you know me. I cheer for whatever the better hockey story is, right? I don't really care.

Like, what do you think? A better hockey story then. Well, see, that's the question I keep coming back to you because I love the story of the reemergence of Slovakia on the international landscape. Right. Just knowing how much like players like, you know, the late Pavel Dmitra and Marianne Gabbrick have meant to, you know, to rejuvenating this thing and giving it a shot in the arm because this program, like Greg, you remember how bad it was for Slovakia for a lot of years. Like this program was dead and it's come back to life. And that's awesome. Yet at the same time, here we have Germany who we've been waiting now for a while,

this emerging hockey power. And we're starting to see like, okay, they've sent the elites. Now can they sort of round out the roster? Like Leon Dreisel is always in the conversation for the Rocket, always in the conversation for the Hart Trophy, always in the conversation for the Art Ross, all of it. And now all of a sudden, more outsiders in the conversation for the Norris trophy. That ain't going to go away.

But so now they're inching closer and closer. So what is the better story then? The emerging hockey power that have been waiting for for a long time or the reemergence of Slovak hockey here. And I keep going back and forth. The Germans have almost the entire DNA template of a Stanley Cup champion. They've got two great centers, right? They have one great defenseman.

Usually need another one. You need the Ryan McDonough to your Victor Hedman in order to win a Stanley Cup. And they have a goalie in Grubauer, who's probably the NHL, comeback player of the year. Like, they're real good. And so to further your point, though, as far as like what is the best booking for the tournament, from a USA perspective, the best booking is Finland because then you have to overcome Sweden and Finland before you get to the final boss in Canada.

That's the best story. Or is it the snot-nosed, insult-throwing American NWO bad boys getting knocked on their collective asses by the upstart Cinderella Slovaks. Is that the better story? No, it's not. America's got to start winning these things. Right. You've mentioned.

Again, I keep pounding on this one. And, well, you know, Mike Bedano is going to be joining us here towards the bottom of the hour. It's one of the things I don't want to ask. Actually, he's going to be joining us in like five minutes. One of the things I want to get to is how much 1980 meant for his cohort. him and John Leclair and Jeremy Roneck and like all, Chris Jellios, like Bill Garrett, Doug Waite, like all those guys.

The guys that we ended up seeing in 2002 in Salt Lake City, like that's the fumes of 1980. Like that silver medal, you can draw a direct line all the way back to Mike Madano in Livonia, Michigan is going like, wow, I want to be like these guys. And next thing you know, he's playing at Little Caesars. Next thing you know, he's playing in the Western Hockey. Next thing you know, he's getting drafted. and first overall in the NHL draft of the Minnesota North Stars.

So that was like one major pop for USA hockey. And if it's going to pop again, you're not a church. You've got to kind of live up to your end of the bargain here. Yeah. No, you and I are on the same page. I'm also tired of seeing Mike Erruni-Irugioni waddle out every time we needed an Olympium with a gold medal who played hockey for the U.S.

One more thing on the Germany game. If you watch it this morning, heard our old friend Louis de Brusk doing the color commentary and you heard one of the greatest developments of the entire Olympics doing play by play yeah if you've been watching hockey you undoubtedly heard the soccer announcer that is doing the hockey games and it's been amazing like not like like calling the Canadians the maple leafs and not understanding the context of calling Team Canada the Maple Leafs and saying all these wonderful

things that you would normally hear during the course of a soccer match and it being applied to guys handling the puck. I texted Louis. He says it's Jonathan Bell is the gentleman's name is doing play by play

who's your soccer commentator doing hockey. I've been looking around for information on Jonathan Bell. I can't really find anything. But one, it's incredible. credible to hear how someone else who primarily does another sport interprets hockey, but not in insulting, I don't know the rules way, but in applying the language and the poetry of another sport to our sport. It's been fascinated to listen to, and I think it's really enhanced

my viewing entertainment in group play in particular. But it also reminded me something, Merrick, of what I've always said about hockey in the U.S., and in particular the growth of hockey in like the non-traditional markets as they were. It always bugged me that Nashville didn't have any announcers. It sounded like they were from Nashville. Or Atlanta didn't have any announcers. I know what you mean.

I know what you mean. I completely know what you mean. It always brings you back to that. I mean, there's a novelty to having somebody who doesn't sound like they should be doing hockey, doing hockey. But it also speaks to, and I think that speaks to that sort of connection that should exist in non-traditional markets where it shouldn't be somebody,

from Saskatoon doing the play-by-play, and it shouldn't be somebody from BC doing the color commentary. They should sound like Jeff Foxworthy when they're doing play-by-play in National Atlanta. Listen, I don't disagree. I really wish that there was that flavor to every single market. Like, you sound like you are actually from there, 100%. Like, I'll tell you, like, as a kid, one of my favorite.

And it actually helped me learn French. Like before I started to take French in school I would listen or watch rather Montreal Canadiens games In French Le L'Anse le Beou Two minutes for la rudess Two minutes or five minutes

For Saint-ra-Batt-2 Like I loved I mean French is such a lyrical language To begin with It just sounds beautiful And then you put it up next to like A really rough and tumbled sport like hockey And it's that collision of like beauty

Meets Violence So like I've always felt that the French language Marries so well with hockey because there are two opposites that are colliding, which is why I absolutely love it. So I know exactly what you mean. And I wish that there was that flavor for all those different markets.

And the only place you do get it is in the French call in Montreal. That's it. There you go. That's where you get. Shout out, shout out according to Louis de Bruss, Jonathan Bell,

for being one of the things that will remember from this tournament along with, you know, team Italy giving Sweden a scare. and them having to change the colors of the boards. Because players couldn't see the puck. Because Jeremy Swamen couldn't see the puck.

Because Jeremy Swamen let it a floater from center. So we've got to change the color of the boards here. Okay, so here's what I want to do. I want to get your thoughts on Pierre Crinon. Not that I want to spend too much time with this one, but I know that the French Hockey Federation are getting blasted for this versus spending them for the remainder of the tournament, which is now over. which is three periods.

We got suspended for three periods. And Elliot reported that a bunch of French players were upset and all that. I really, my initial reaction is, oh, come on, it's hockey. And then I realize I'm coming at that from a North American point of you. Like,

oh, come on, it's hockey. Like, you can't do that. But then I catch myself and I say, who might have tell them how they want to run their federation? Like, if they want to run their sport like that,

well, okay, that's fine. Like, if you want to adhere to that, you know, really old school idea of how the games, you know, should embody the best of everybody and, and how we want our athletes to behave in a very specific way.

I mean, look, we just kind of had that in the NHL, which whichever team Lou Lamarillo was in charge of. There was like the NHL and then there was Luz teams. We kept hearing about Luz rules. That's France's rules. If that's the way they want to do it, let them. I may disagree with it, not want to run my federation like that. But I like the idea.

Like, I'll be honest to that there is a country who's saying like, you know, you're sort of, you know, doing this to the fans. You're lipping off the fans on the way out. We're not going to have that on my watch. Hippie. You're sitting down for the remainder of the tournament. What do you think? From what I gather, they suspended him for apologizing to McKinnon because being rude is the French ethos. And he clearly violated what is expected by the French in a tournament like this.

And certainly too many waiters. I just think it's an interesting bit of self-editing, right? Like, I've seen this mentioned on Twitter a few times, like the idea that like the Washington Capitals would see Tom Wilson deliver a specious hit that may or may not result in supplemental discipline, and then they'll hold them out for the next game as a how dare you, sir, you know, behavior correction. That's something we would never see in the NHL.

No. No, I thought it was interesting. But I also think that as we kind of joked about off the top, they kind of know their lot in life. They're not going to rise up and get out of the qualification round. So it sort of is standing on ceremony to take a stand like this with your own player when you know that it's going to cost you all of 60 minutes of play before you're eliminated from the tournament. I get it. I understand it.

I just there's a part of me that likes that there's a country that's doing it. I don't expect it to be Canada. don't expect it to be the United States. I don't expect to be Sweden. I don't expect to be Finland. France did it. I can, I can, I can live with that. And I, and I do understand.

I know there's a, there's a lot of people that did the phony outrage about it, but I, I just can't drum it up. If that's the way they want to run their federation, cool. I'm fine with it. We haven't talked since the Canada, France game, though.

Like, how many laps around your living room did you do when, when you finally got to see a Gordy Howe hat trick in the Olympics? First of all, it's a Harry Cameron hat trick. he was the first back in 19. I got to all smug with it. It was weird. I'll be honest with it. It's one of those things that I never thought that I would see.

I think anyone, any one of us thought that we would see. You know, the accent, of course, being on the fight, not the fact that, you know,

Tom Wilson's getting a very Tom Wilson-esque goal and a helper in that one as well. It's just, put it this way. Up until now, the game's been boring. The games have been very mediocre. Right?

The games have not. been like, wow. I mean, Slovakia, Sweden on Saturday was fascinating. And the game was actually really good, too. Like that, you know, leading up to today, that was the best game of the tournament. But as far as like, you know, edge of your seat, no, I'm not going to answer that call. I can't turn away. I'm not going to flip around.

I'm not going to open another browser. Like, no, man. Like, there hasn't been, there haven't been those games yet. We haven't seen it. So seeing that, it was like, wow, here's something interesting. That's how I react to say why. I think you're feeling No, you're feeling the absence of the Russians

I really do Like if the Swedes aren't playing that well And the Finns are missing Barkoff And you know Slovakia has been fun And the Swiss and the Czechs are kind of like Not as deep as maybe other versions of those teams of B Without Russia to kind of spice up the broth a little bit

In some of these games against some of these other hockey power houses, you don't really have that stocking horse. You don't really have that compelling reason to tune in when the Russians are playing the Finns or when the Russians are playing the Slovak. So I don't think they should be there. Let me just be on the record. I'm Ukrainian. I have a very particular feelings about the ban that's been ongoing and we'll probably not be going on the next time we see an international hockey tournament. But I do think that when you don't have that team in the mix, then you're left wanting for some of these matchups to be more compelling than than they are. And the fact that both Canada and the U.S. are just on another plane of existence

in the men's tournament is not helping at all. Like some of the first periods of the American games have been a little bit compelling, but then, you know, they just wear you down and blow you away with the depth of talent that they have. But okay, so I was going to ask you, so as an American, the only point of concern that I have coming out of group play are the first periods. They argue it is building a base for what comes later. I argue it is a lack of putting your pedal down early, keeping teams in the game, providing too much oxygen for the Germans and the Latvians of the world when you shouldn't be giving them any. And if they do that against Sweden or if they do that against Canada, they're probably going to not win a gold medal. That is the only

the issue I have with the Americans coming at a group play. I think everything else is perfectly functional provided, you know, Jeremy Swayman doesn't face any more shots on the red line. Where are you on Team Canada? Are there any points of concern right now for Team Canada other than the utter ease and with which they won those games in group play? Goal number two by the French on Sunday, the slap shot past Bennington. But I catch myself and say games like that are really hard for. for goaltenders because you're standing around a lot and you're not feeling the puck and you don't really feel you're part of the game and then here comes someone stepping over the

blue line the game's already a blowout and lets a back scratcher go and so you go oh so part of me it's funny i talked to to berkey on the on the the pod that i do with gabby on monday and he's and we're talking about about bennington and he said bennington's going to keep playing but he's on a chihuahua's leash right now if you're john cooper John Cooper. I thought that's a very burkey visual. He's on a chihuahua's leash. It is.

And again, I don't want to take issue with anything Brian Burke says. However, wouldn't a chihuahua's leash be a long leash? You know what he's trying to say. You know, because he's a lower to the ground than a big dog.

I know. Like a greyhound's leash. Or one of those big, tall, freaky dogs that has its own group at the Westman's side show. I understand what you're saying. No, listen. As an American, again, I speak for my country.

Yes. I would be a lot more nervous about playing Canada. We're at Logan Thompson instead of Jordan Bennington and goal. That does not seem like the direction they want to go. And that's fine by me. By the way, we mentioned the bridesmaid thing before with the Kachuk's taunting Leon Drysettle. I saw CBC did a little edit where they took the chirp from Matt Kachuk to Leon Drysaddle about always the bridesmaid, and then showed McDavid's overtime goal in Four Nations.

Let me give you a little advice there, a social media manager. Matthew Cucuk didn't play in the overtime. Matthew Cucucuk didn't play a shift after the second period in that game. Matthew Cuckech was in the game. He was on the bench because he should have been scratched, but because the bells of the ball were the Cichuk brothers. Kyle Conner's got to wear a suit to the game. It's like making an edit for Quinn Hughes.

Like these guys were not part of the overtime. That's one of the reasons why we're really excited about getting another rematch against Canada. I honestly should have full participation from this team. Here's where I'm at on both these teams. Any concerns or criticisms of both Canada and the United States is so nitpicky. Right now, these two teams have distinguished themselves as the class in the field, period. That's what makes this thing so compelling. Like even the Jordan Bennington conversation is the fumes of,

what's happened as he's played for the St. Louis Blues, not for Team Canada. So these are, and I, you know what, and I like it this way. Because I like going into a game like this, if it gets there, if it gets to Canada, USA, and these two teams behave exactly the same way that they have through the whole tournament, that to me is a symphony because you love going into a game where you really can't say what is going to happen. I have no idea who wins that game. Canada looks dominant up front. The blue line of USA, holy smokes.

It is dynamic. The goaltending on board. Connor Hallibuck, great job. Jordan Bennington. Logan Thompson is good job. Outside of the floater from Center Ice, Jeremy Swayman, the goaltending's been good. That's what you want.

That's what you want in a gold medal game. the biggest most important two developments for the Americans in group play Tage Thompson who wasn't there in four nations who sat in the stands in Boston and watched the gold medal game needs to play more I agree he does need to play more but he plays in the power play and his presence has been impressive but the the single most important development for team USA in the group play was the fourth line outside of J.T. Miller who continues to be in completely invisible in this tournament that one's Brock Nelson

Yep. Jack Hughes. Yep. I mean, we all watched Four Nations. Jack Hughes looked absolutely lost on the wing. He looked like he was a boy amongst men. He looked like he lost the instructions on how to play hockey. And then you watch him in this tournament, and he's Patrick Kane. Like, it's insane.

It's insane how good Jack Hughes has been on that line with Brock Nelson. And so when you look at the Canadians and you look at the absolute effing, steamroller that they are up front, the Americans needed to find four lines that could match that. And my concern has always been, what does that fourth line look like with the way Bill Guerin has built this team, with little blue-collar role players instead of skill guys. Well, now you've got a skill guy playing with a blue-collar guy and Brock Nelson.

And the stuff that Jack Hughes and Brock Nelson did in that group play, if they were to replicate it in the metal round, I think goes long way towards the Americans winning gold. How do you feel about Dylan Larkin's play? I mean, I'm biased because I looked, I looked at the four nations where I thought he was, US is best forward. And I kind of expected that again. And their best forward has been Jack Eichel.

The two, but I look like, oh bad, Larkin's, Larkin's going to dominate again. Here we go. And it's been good. But their best, so their best forward at four nations was Dylan Larkin. And their best offense in the four nations was Jacob Slavin. It wasn't even close. Neither of those guys have been much of a factor. Well, Slavin hasn't played a ton.

Like Slavin's only got like 13, 14, minute, which, you know what? I under, like, to me, that is sane. I look at, I look at Quinn Hughes playing 22 minutes a night, 23 minutes a night for USA. I'm like, guys, guys, the games don't really count yet. Like, don't do this to him. Like, get this, keep this kid fresh.

Most Cedars do the same thing for Germany, but like he's got to, like, they have other options on the U.S. I was wondering about the Slavin thing. Like, he's, I mean, obviously he was out for quite a while this season for Carolina. and then on top of that, with Quinn being in the lineup where he wasn't in the lineup in Four Nations, I wonder whether it's a function of where Slavin's health is.

I wonder if it's a function of simply just like those guys eating up all the ice time. I don't know, but it's a luxury to have that you don't make a slave to play as well as he did in Four Nations to win these games. Not only did I think he was the best defender for USA last year of Four Nations, I thought he was the best player in the entire tournament.

full stop, last call, period. Okay, let's get to someone who knows all about Olympic hockey and knows all about the Hockey Hall of Fame and knows all about Stanley Cup Championships and is from a town that is very near and dear to my heart, Livonia, Michigan, where half my family is from. He is Mike Madano, and he joins us on the sheet. Mike, first of all, thanks so much for stopping by today.

How have you enjoyed the tournament so far? It's been great. It's really kind of lived up to what we all expected and everybody beat and whoever we expected, predicted that would be beat. But now you get into these one-game eliminations and, you know, crazy things happen in these type of games compared to a five or seven game series.

So you have to be, you know, you have to be really on it and, you know, have a little puck luck maybe once in a while. And just try to avoid overtime. I'm not a fan of the three-on-three. I wish it was five-on-five the whole way through. But, yeah, I'm not a big fan of that. up to this point has been great. I've enjoyed all the games.

I remember back in the day, you told me that one of the reasons why the Canadians were so damn good was that their best players could also be their role players if necessary. Like they all have buy-in. Like their best players no matter who they are. Billy Guerin, who you know so well, I think built this roster with more of an idea of we need to import some role players to do that and not rely on, say, like,

Cole Cawfield to be a fourth line checking winger. How do you feel about the way Billy has built this team? Is it kind of within the vision of what you think the Americans need to do to win gold? Yeah, I believe so. I think there's obviously some guys that were missing from the Four Nations. But as far as your top guys being your best players and playing in both ends, I think, you know, Eichl's been that guy. Matthews has been really, I thought his tournament up to this point, has been really good and solid in both ends of the ice.

I mean, he's, you know, obviously Toronto's a tough market. They've had ups and downs this season. But what's nice about going to these tournaments and these experiences is you've got a clean slate. You don't have to worry about what's happened in the past in Toronto. You get to prove yourself all over again, and he's done that. So J.T. Miller, same thing. You know, these guys come in and have a little bite to their game, but they have the offensive skill to kind of open up a game as well.

So it'll be interesting how this goes on. But, yeah, Tage Thompson, another guy, Quinn Hughes, you know, Clayton Keller's there, guys who weren't there that, you know, could play a significant role if this kind of thing kind of goes down the path we're hoping to goes. See, you know, Mike, the guy that he keep coming back to on the USA side of things is Jack Eichael. And I look at his entire career, like Peaksin Valley is a situation with the ADR with the Buffalo Sabres and the trade to Vegas, wins the Stanley Cup. I mean, he's distinguished himself now

as one of the best two-way players in the game. And, you know, I kind of play this game in my head when I'm bored. I go, like, would this player switch careers with that player? Would this player switch careers with that player? And I think, like, even like Austin Matthews or Connor McDavid, like there are a lot of players now in the NHL. And this always wasn't the case that would say, you know what?

You catch me on an honest moment? I'll tell you, I'd love to switch careers with Jack Eichel. Do you have a thought on what, like, the whole career that Eichols had and how he's now turned himself into this leader. I know Matthew's got to see, but leader on the team, two-way player, elite offensively, dynamic skater,

like all of it. Like there are so many guys now that I can look at and go, all these guys which would switch careers with Jack in a heartbeat, and that never used to be the case. Yeah, and it's funny, I was at the Four Nations, and I finally kind of got to meet them personally, and I was like,

I was, you know, he's such a, he's a tall guy, real big, kind of thick, tall guy, but he moves so well on the ice. You know, his reach, he's a great face-off guy, good on the power play, just good. I mean, just a real good, reliable player at all ends of the areas of the game. And so I think, I feel like that's, you know, as kind of, once he got to Vegas, I think that role and that kind of rejuvenation to his game kind of come to the forefront. So he had a chance for a fresh start in Vegas. He took advantage of it. He's the lead guy there in Vegas. That whole team runs around him.

So I think he's just been a phenomenal guy. He does everything so well. And he's just a top-in guy, great shot, great passer. I mean, God, I don't know what you can pick a part at his game right now. Well, you know, I'm curious because, Mike, like, listen, man, you were one of the best skaters we ever saw on the legend of the Jersey Flapsdale rides to this day, of course. I'm curious. I remember when I would work with Colby Armstrong, we'd always be fast.

fascinated with Ikel and Colby said he skates like a velociraptor like he has like this upright almost like he looks like he's like Pete Mahavlich from the sir Frank Mahavich from the 60s and then like his lower body it's like he's doing this like raptor running thing and it's so powerful and it's so strong Mike you're one of the best skaters the NHL ever saw what do you see when you see Ikel or this velociraptor skate I would agree there there's a lot of quietness from the waist up but yeah down below there's a lot of things pumping and moving yeah we all always needed our upper body to kind of get us going and get some momentum and velocity going. But he just, you know, he just seems to push really hard. And he's kind of got that deceiving speed.

You think he's really kind of just, you know, kind of making some space. But then all of a sudden, he's by you and he's got a, he's got that wrong reach, big stick. So he's, he's just kind of very elusive. I think his skating, his speed, top end is very, you know, underrated. So he can, you can get some space and difference between some guys and, you know, but yeah, I agree. A lot of quietness because you think McKinnon, McCabe, guys who can just really pump it and get going, everything's moving at 100 miles an hour,

but he's really kind of seems like he's under control and very, very calm about it. I wanted to ask you a question about the Olympic experience. You were there three times, right? I think, yeah. I've been trying to wrap my brain around like what it's like in the village right now with Team USA and Canada. You got some friends on both sides,

but they also probably for this three-week period, hate each other in a pretty specific way. What was it like in the village when you would see other nations hockey players? Was it a hang? Did everybody just kind of sit at their own lunch table and not talk to each other for three weeks? What was it like in the village? Yeah, we were kind of all over here at the one end of the cafeteria

and they were all over that one end of the type of period. So you got through the buffet table and you kind of beeline towards your table. It's like it was like in the high school days, all the cool kids at the one table and all the jocks and, you know, maybe the not so cool guys at the other end of the spectrum. So you just grab your tray, head down, don't make any eye contact to you get to your table with your guys and you're able to relax and enjoy it. So, yeah, there's this uncomfortableness there too because then you're playing against each other. you go back to the village to eat.

So now you're there after you just played a game, pretty heated game or whatever. And so you're crossing past there as well. So, yeah, it's a really unique kind of experience in that sense. But nonetheless, it was always neat kind of rubbing, seeing a lot of the great athletes in the other sports. And we were around a lot of the U.S. hockey girls at the time, and they were having a great year in Japan in 98 and 02. So we had a lot of fun kind of kind of, kind of,

collaborating and hanging out with them. But yeah, there's a there's a there's a big divide and you know, when you go back to your team in two weeks, you can kind of all be buddy and then you try to win the cup together. But like this at this point, you're, you know, enemies number one. So one of the things that I was talking to Greg about before you came on is drawing a straight line specifically with like with your cohort like you and cellios and Leclair and Bill Guerrne, Greg throws in that Brian Rolston. Like you go right down the list. Like you can draw. You can draw straight line between that cohort and the Miracle on ice. Correct me if I'm wrong.

You're like all those guys. This is like in hockey pops in the, in the United States after that Olympics at Lake Places and everybody wants to pick up a hockey stick and everybody wants to play. Everyone wants to be either Jim Craig or Michael Ruggione or Ken Morrow or take your pick. How accurate is that? Jeremy Roanick, there's another one.

Like how accurate would you say that is? Because you're a group was the one that I say that was, that's the 1980 group, man. That's the 80 effect. Yeah, I think there was a little bit of difference there because you're dealing with a lot of college kids. I think we didn't know them as kids, as 10-year-olds relate to them because you didn't see them on an NHL platform. So you never saw any of these guys leading up to the games. And you only saw maybe a couple of them go on to an NHL career after with Morrow and Brotson, Ramsey, Christian, a few guys that went on to some great long careers.

But, yeah, there really wasn't, you know, any comparison. want to be a Ruzioni when I grow up because leading up to, like I said, the Olympics and then it was over, then you never saw these guys again until maybe if you got to the NHL, you might be playing against them. And I did that and played with some of them. So that was a neat retrospect going against these guys and playing against them at that time. Then I'm 1820. I realized what kind of the magnitude of 1980 was. But yeah, now you have our 96 World Cup team, 98, 0206. And now you have this young guard of guys where, you know, Piraeze was part of it, Cain, Souter, those guys were really looking up to us at the time.

And now you've transcended the game with expansion, with the growth of the game in the U.S. Now you're hitting a lot of different demographics in the U.S. And the game's grown in popularity, you know, not even in the U.S., but all over the world. So it was tough kind of comparing ourselves and really looking up to those guys because you didn't. Like I said, you just never saw them up until that point. in Lake Placid or a little bit after.

I think the three most influential players like the last 20 years were Sid, Patrick Kand, and Patrice Bergeron. Everybody I talked to about like patterning their game after somebody or why they picked up a stick. It's one of those three guys. It's really interesting. That's what players see at the combine

to impress their coaches. Oh, I want to play like Patrice Berger. Oh, I'm getting a 200-foot responsible guy. Like, okay, thanks. No one's saying. It's been seven years of you one of those. Bob Daney said, you'll never plan on his game if you don't play 200 feet. I mean, it took them seven years to $5.5.5.000 to bite.

And I'm like, okay, I submit I'm good. I'll play to 200 feet if I can play a lot more. So it took me six years of money into that program from Dany. Shoot, man. Canada wins gold this year. You're going to see a lot of people being like I see myself with a Tom Wilson type and coaches start drooling immediately. They're doing that now.

They're doing that now. Mike, do you, would you be shocked if the U.S. doesn't play for gold if the U.S. gets bullied my speed. I would definitely be. I think they just have the tools, the depth. Everything's going well. The guys that weren't there and four nations are here. Quinn Hughes, the goaltenders all have something to prove Hellebuck as well.

So I think there's a lot of undone business from last year that carried over. So I'm excited about it. I think that would be if they're not in the gold medal game, that would be disappointing. But I think in the end, I think it's, going to be, I mean, Canada, the U.S. has kind of looked like it's a head-on collision there, so it'd be great for the game. What was Herb Brooks like, 2002?

He was great. He was very reminiscent of 1980. He had some great anecdotes in the locker room to get us pumped up and get us excited for the game. And, you know, not too many, you know, you're dealing with 18-year-olds as a pro-athletes and Brett Hall and Cellio's and Phil Housley and Brian Leach and guys who knew the game. It was just more or less like, hey, let's get some direction, a little bit of detail to our game and then just, you know, open the gate and let these guys play. So, yeah, it was fun listening. He had some of the outfits that looked like from the 80s to the coach and the sports coach born.

So he was a lot of fun. He was great to have and reminisce and sharing that experience with. Last one for me, how, when you look at the kachucks and you think about these two little ruts running around, playing mini sticks. Like, what, does your mind wrap around the fact that, uh,

that Keith's kids have become this important, not only to American hockey, but to the NHL in general? Uh, I could say yes and no to that because Keith was really one of the guys in, in 96 that really kind of stood up and say, hey, we're, we're done taking this anymore from Canada.

We're going to stand our ground. We're going to knock the bully off the block and, you know, we're tired of being, uh, the bridesmaid here. we're going to step up and play hard. Billy Garon was one of those guys. They're just, and, you know, to go back to 96, I mean, that was just some of the hardest hockey. I think we've all played in a three-game series against Canada.

But I think it was him that really kind of made that point. And his boys made that point last year of Four Nations right off the get-go that this is going to be a tough, you're not going to have to earn this deal. But, yeah, rightfully so. I mean, they got skill, they got toughness. They can beat you any which way you want. They can take the body. They got great hands.

I mean, they just, it's really been interesting to see knowing Keith as well as I've had and played against them and with them. I'm not too surprised their two boys have a big impact on this tournament and probably will be the time it's over. A lot of fun. Listen, before I let you go, a non-Olympic question, something I'm always like, I've always been curious about this story. So 1988 your draft year, Traverse City, there's Minnesota North Stars, are having. a meeting. You're there. Trevor Linden, Mr. Gunn, the owner of the Minnesota North Stars and his wife as well. And the flight back, every, you guys are going back to Detroit, I believe, on the, on the flight back. And Trevor Lyndon is talking to Mr. Gunn's wife. And Mr. Gunn's wife really wants

the Minnesota to draft Trevor Lyndon. And Gunn calls up Lou Nanny and Lou says, tell your wife if she wants to see Trevor Linden, she's going to have to move to Vancouver or taken Mike Medano. Is that a true, is that a true story, Mike? What do you remember from that Traverse City meeting so many years ago? Oh, that's exactly how it worked through. And he has some good contacts to have that story. But yeah, Trevor was in the back of that plane and just had Mrs. Guns here the whole

way for about an hour. And so, yeah, she called Gorge right away and told Lou, we're drafting Trevor. and, you know, Traverse City was tough because we went in for our meetings and all the scouts and the GMs and everybody was there and knew. So it was more like a Senate hearing. I'm sitting alone at a table and all right across me about 15 guys just coming at me with these questions. Why should we draft you? What makes a good leader? What did it?

And I'm like, I'm 18. I just got done with my getting ready for my prom and got my braces off. I'm like, I have no idea. I'm like, I call my parents. I'm like, I think we're going to Vancouver. I don't think they're going to draft me after this meeting. I just butcher the heck out of it. So about three days later, I go to Vancouver.

And Tony Taney meets me at the airport, takes me down, checks me in. We go out in Vancouver. The next day we're at McAhargy, Pat Quinn, the Griffins who owned them at the time. We're on a boat floating around Vancouver Island, just having a great old time. I'm like, I kind of like Vancouver. I played out West. I'm familiar with it. with Western Canada.

I mean, I could be happy going to Vancouver, but thankfully, Lou put the kibosh on that and ended up going to Minnesota, but neither one of us knew what Lou was going to do at the draft, which made it really great. I mean, nowadays, you know in December, McKinnon's going, McKenna going somewhere, Connor's going to Edmonton, blah, blah, blah, whatever. So it was really neat how he kind of held it secret

until he walked up to the podium. But, yeah, it was a painful meeting nonetheless in Traverse City, but Lou kind of put George in his place after Mrs. Gunn called him. And did you like it when Minnesota followed up by drafting Link Gates as well? Well, Lou said we drafted Mike in the first, Link in the second. We should have drafted a lawyer in the third. That's one of the great lines of all time and not wrong either. Mike, you're generous with your time.

Thanks so much for sharing some great stories and your expertise on Team USA at the Olympics. Really appreciate it from this corner. Thanks so much for this. You got it, guys. Good talking with y'all. there is Mike Madano former Olympian silver medalist Stanley Cup champion hockey Hall of Famer

and first overall draft pick and yes he did mention and played out West played in the Western Hockey League with the Prince Albert Raiders you know I was going to get one in I got to get one geeky question in there's no way I listen I thought I thought Velocerabic skating was going to be it but little that I know we were going to go to the draft

do you think that the current group of quartet of American centers is as good or better than what they had in the 90s with him and Ronick I guess Lafontein towards the end of his career but then I guess Doug Waite would be the other one too I mean we'll see how it all ends up

but right now you could be looking at a golden age of centers with USA and you can say the same thing about Team Canada too and so many of the great centers too are just sort of shoved to the wing by necessity and the Canadian philosophy of skill adapts and our guys can go and play and go and play anywhere but like you kind of have the same thing with USA right now too. I mean, you've got Tage Thompson on the wing. Jack Hughes is on the wing.

I mean, there's like, I mean, I just can't stop talking about how great Eichel is. I know I'm just like so fixated on them and it's not just this tournament. But I don't know if you ever like indulge in that little like would they switch careers game. And it's always an awkward question for an athlete to entertain. But if you ask, like, I'll give an example. If you ask Connor McDavid right now today, would he switch careers with Jack Eichael? What do you think he would say? No.

Why? Because Connor, because this sort of revisionist history on Eichael. Like, Eichael had to wander the wilderness for like the majority of his career before he got traded in Vegas. And that's why I brought up like with the ADR surgery and the sour face and, you know, a suck in a sense. Sauriki and Buffalo. Like, I get it. Like, it was, it wasn't good. But look how it's all come up roses for Jack Eichael.

And he may top it all off with a gold medal. And then you might these guys. Would you switch careers with Jack Eichael? Yeah. I mean, listen, I think the career he's had is, I think the career he's had was validation for all the people that were like, you just have to free him from the situation in Buffalo, then watch him shine. And he goes to Vegas and he becomes the place.

of everyone thought he could. He's healthy. And has gotten better, too. We should also say that too. He's not the player that he was in Buffalo. No. Like, he's made extremely large strides defensively during his time of Vegas. I'm sure sidling up to Mark Stone probably helps from a visual learning standpoint. But yeah, he's dope. I mean, like him, Matthews, Larkin, Brock Nelson, Tage Thompson, Jack Hughes,

if you want to again like draft the guys on the wing to the middle. Yep. That is just incredible center depth for a, for a, for a country that didn't always have it. Like there was, there was a time between the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the center depth was nowhere to be found. And, and, and I think, you know, it certainly impacted how good the Americans were in, in Vancouver and in Sochi. I wonder how, I wonder what, what Olympics they felt like.

like was the closest to be in Canada. It had to be Salt Lake, right, for Medano's group? What was that final score, 5-2? But, I mean, that group was really good. Like, that team was really, really good. And, but that final game, Canada just put the pedal down. Like, that game wasn't close. Like, it was wonderful, big celebration in Canada.

Oh, gold medal of Avenge 1998 and all of it. But, like, it wasn't like Vancouver, 2010. See, I will go, and the thing about 2010 was U.S. was not supposed to be there. Sorry. In the gold medal game? Yeah, we're not supposed to be there. And they had chances early in that overtime, whereas like, whoop. No, that's it.

Close Canada. The U.S. just one. Explain to be not supposed to be there because we did beat your ass in group play. That's fine. I'm saying going going into the tournament before they dropped the park. Oh, okay. Like what were all the expectations, Canada, Russia? Yeah, it's going to be Canada, Russia.

That's going to be the final. And then actually, that's because all the Canadians wanted it to be Canada, Russia. You wanted it was the Olympics in Vancouver. You're all wearing your stupid Paul Henderson T-shirts. And you're all like, oh, let's do it again. Let's run it back against the Russians. Listen, at that time, too, because don't forget, first of all, Canada has always been, although I do think it's changed now to the USA.

I really do think that. the fixation with Canada Russia, of course, goes back to 1972. And like, look, like even in junior hockey, like the CHL, like for years ran that, you know, CHL versus Russia showdown across the country. Two games against Russia and the West. Two games in the OHL, two games in the QMJHL. Like, they've always, Canada has always looked to recapture what was 1972, which is that was the beginnings of international hockey.

game one of 1972 to me is the most important game maybe in the history of hockey because that was the beginning of real international hockey Canadians like say oh game eight because Canadians is won no game one when the Soviets stuck at the Canada at the Montreal Forum that was the beginning of international hockey because that was like oh oh

yeah for all of it and everyone's coasted on the fumes ever since just like game one of the four nations face off set the tone speaking of rivalries. Yes. I feel very strange about my confidence

going into the USA Canada final on the women's side because look I've felt that the Americans would win a gold medal game against Canada before. I have not felt in my bones that it would be via blowout victory. And this American team is so far better than anyone else in this tournament, including Canada, that I am like expecting it to be a romp.

And I know that's bad to think that, because Poulin's going to play and it's Canada, and these games are always going to be tight. I just think that the Americans run another. This best women's team I've ever seen, this mix of veterans and the younger players like Harvey and, you know, Murphy and all these. I mean, like, they're just so good.

And like, Haley, Wicken, Hyder's not walking through that door. You're saying it's not walking through that door. You're seeing. You're seeing a, you're seeing a transition right now. Like, listen, the last Olympics on the Canadian side, that was the best, I think, the best team Canada, male, female animal vegetable that I'd ever seen. And we can look at this U.S. squad and say, here's here's your question. is this the best U.S. Olympic hockey team that we've ever seen?

I know 1980 was 1980. I get it and that was spectacular. But as far as like a team goes and we'll see what happens to you in the final game. But if USA can finish this, the way that they've gone through the tournament, like a hot knife into butter, are you prepared to say it's the best U.S. hockey team in the Olympics, period? Yeah. It's been impressive, man.

It's incredible. They've just destroyed their opponents. And, you know, it's the point where the games are just kind of like they feel like you've said in group play for, for, you know, most of the men's tournament. Like these games have felt very pedestrian because it's just a matter of time before the U.S. decides it's time to open the floodgate. I don't know, man. Like this, I'm fully prepared to have my heart broken again because it's been broken many times before against the Canadians and the Olympics on the women's side. But as much as Mike. But then I said a shock.

US has won gold medals and beaten Canada. We've definitely won gold medals. But, but, but, but, but my expectation here is very high. And I feel like I'm discounting

a Canadian side that has been very adept at break my heart. I covered 2010 and I covered 2014. And it's in particular, 2014, I certainly felt like the Americans were going to win, but they didn't. Gold post. Remember that?

Remember that rolling puck? Very much. I remember it all. I remember it all. Bing. I want to hang on This one seems like destiny And I don't like that feeling

Maybe again maybe Maybe it's not a red white and blue pilled American brain That feels like we should always be the underdog And overcoming the odds And the feeling of being The overwhelming favorite in this game Based on group play Based on the rivalry series

Based on World Championship Based on the roster Based on the eye test Based on all of it Is a very uncomfortable place for me to be as an American who believes it's all blue collar and grease under the fingernails and we're the underdogs and yada, yada, yada. Just enjoy the game. What we're seeing is it is a transition right now on the women's side of the puck.

Before you wrap up, I wanted to show you something because I know you'll like it. Sue got this email from Spencer Stein. Okay. So this came in. When did it come in? Zach came in yesterday, I believe. We have the best listeners, the best viewers, the sheet at the Nation Network, this morning,

the sheet at the Nationnetwork.com. So Spencer set this one in, and I wondered if this would happen, and I love that it did. Fire this one up here, Zacharoo for Greg to see. Have you seen this yet? Yes. The mammoth, Yeti cup.

I have to have one of these. It's the. That was the whole thing. The whole thing was the Yeti Cup. People were like, you can't call it Yeti because there'd be confusion in the marketplace. And so now we know why because it's a mammoth, Yeti Cup. Yes, I just love it. That's incredible.

That's really great. Sign me up for a dozen of those things. I have to, you know me, I don't really go much for merch. I take it or leave it. Man, I really want a mammoth Yeti Cup. Just so I can laugh every morning over a coffee. It's funny. Somebody was saying

In heated rivalry, they can't, they don't use any of the NHL branding, obviously on that show. Someone's like, they should do the Stanley Cup but have it be a Stanley Cup, the drink cup,

because they have the trademark for it and just use that and then call it the Stanley Cup because you could legally if you wanted to. No, you could. No. Who was it? Who was?

Who was? Who was it? You saw it. Spencer, thank you. That's awesome. Who was it? Was it? What band was? Was it Def Leopard? Turn the cup upside down at that celebration part? Do you remember that stuff? Was it Def Leopard?

So the back when we had NHL Awards, that was. Yeah, back we had NHL awards, Def Leopard was one of the musical guests. Again, the NHL always with the finger on the pulse of what is hot in today's culture. And they took the cup and Joe Elliott, the lead singer, Perouse. That was it. And then he put the cup bowl down on the podium. And then says something along the lines of, well, I don't care.

I'm a soccer fan. And I just went. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Thanks, Joe. Okay, really quick. You want to be with us for Zach Shinespot?

Again? One more time. Here we go. All right, let's do this. Okay. The sheet is powered by Fan Duel. play your game with Fanduel. It's the NHL season.

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If you have questions or concerns about your gambling or the gambling of someone close to you, Please contact Connects Ontario at 1-866-531-2,600. Do speak to an advisor free of charge? I wish I could do a really good Walter Cronkite impression because I'd love to read that promo as Walter Cronkite. I'm going to try to have to work on that one. Legendary CBS Newsman, Walter Cronkite. Anyhow are you?

CBS News, a bastion of respectability these days. Not exactly true. Anderson Cooper just pieced out. Over to you, Barry Weiss. Anyway, enough politics and news drama. What do you got for us today? Well, as you guys know, Sweden has kind of been under fire for their play so far through the Olympics. I mean, they're going to play in a playoff qualification game here today.

I think that's what they're being called in the first round of the knockout stage. And their play has been lacking to this point. But you know what? I think if they show up here today, I really think the Swedes, can erase the negativity if they rack up the goals in a big win against Latvia today. You really think so. You really think. You really, really think so.

I really think so. I really think so. The Swedes can erase, oh, man. Erase the negativity if they rack up the goals in a big win against Latvia today. First of all, Zach, we haven't seen each other since I correctly called the Kachuk thing. in the bet on the show last week. You bet the Kachaku's going to pass. He had the wrong one.

He had the wrong one. This one looks pretty good, though. I think this one looks pretty good, especially the puck line, obviously. Raquel, I don't know. He's been a little bit wonky. But then again, who hasn't on Sweden? Yeah, that was kind of my thought there.

I want Sweden to be better because I do want the U.S. to have a challenge quarter final game. And at this point, Sweden just seems like their coaches like putting their lines in a blender. Yes,

for Brats playing like a minute. Like it's just, it's just something weird going on with that team as far as like the lineup and the usage and everything else. But hopefully they all still, they beat him seven to one

and you can win your parley. You know what? You know what? You know what the Swedish coach never wants to do? What? Coach in the NHL. Everybody's watching this.

Everybody is watching this. That's what I can't help with thinking for a lot of these coaches at these tournaments. Like this is sort of like an audition for like, hey, I can come and. And I'm looking at Hallam and I'm like, he just doesn't like at some point, he just like, I'm never going to go there. I don't care. So I'm just going to do whatever I think here. Speaking of, speaking of stocks rising.

Yeah. How do you like if you're the Anaheim Ducks? Oh, man. Damien Clara of two. Second round pick, baby. Italy. Absolutely sick. 48 saves for Italy.

Like, he's just dope. And now he's there. He's in the system. He's their property. Well, he's not in the system, but he's their property. He's their property. And he's, I think, a short, there's a short list of players that have actually, like, increased their stock at the Olympics.

But I think he's clearly the top of the list. Yeah. It's been a good, phenomenal. As much as the Olympics have not been up to, like, exciting standards, I, agree with you. I don't think that most games have been all that like filling. It has been pretty good for remembering some guys. Tobias Reader. Holy shit. Yeah, man.

Speedy Tobias Reeder, baby. Look at them go. Yeah. About Tobias Reader. 100%. Bill some guys to remember. And that's all you need from the Olympics. When's the last time you heard the name Sven and Dragetto?

Yeah. When's the last time? Like, honestly, I remember going into this, having this conversation with you. This is one of the reasons why I love the. these tournaments because there are names you haven't heard in forever and you just get that soap and warm water feeling like oh wow I remember that guy that's why that's one of the reasons why I just absolutely adore tournaments like this um okay listen uh we will speak again at some point this week the show is on hiatus on Thursday because we're doing a watch

along for the women's final so we got to figure out of time to drag you back on here we'll figure it out it's a busy week it's a weird schedule there's probably post game shows to be had on everything and then on sunday it's kegs and eggs for what hopefully will be a USA Canada gold medal game I was going to say like holy stick okay so strategically do you like go to bed early on Saturday or do you just carry Saturday right through to Sunday if it ends up Canada US strategically I wake up at like 630 and get these kids in order before I settle in and do my job. The schedule has your boy doing takeaways and doing live blogging. I hate it because it's kind of like something that I want to, A, enjoy and be, the nervousness of watching the U.S. and Canada play will never dissipate, even if I'm treating it as a professional endeavor. I just hope it's the U.S. and Canada.

Look, I've said to you before the tournament, man, you know, there's going to be a moment in which they're down by a goal in the third period against the team that isn't Denmark or Latvia, and we're going to see what the team is made of and whether or not there's a goal scoring problem on the roster of the team that Bulgarian built. It could be Sweden against Markstrom or Gustafson. It could be Finland against Soros. It could be one of these teams that they're going to play, and then they'll earn it. And if they earn it, great.

And if they don't, then this would be, well, they'd be the bridesmaid, wouldn't you? They might not even be the bridesmaid. They might be the usher if they get eliminated in the quarterfinals at the wedding. But if the U.S. I think we all want USA Canada. If the U.S. goes out, they will not get a microphone in Leon Dreisaitle's face fast enough for comments. You know that. But this is the beauty of the Kachks, though.

They put themselves out there. I just worry. I don't think that the IOC and the double IHF fixed their turrets. in the same way that we do to make sure it's going to be the two teams everybody wants to see play for the championship. So I'm a little, I am moderately concerned that they're going to get upset by one of these teams. Like, it's entirely possible they play Sweden and Sweden has their best game of the tournament. They're on their asses. I can't see it.

No, shaking your head. No, why are you shaking your head? No. Because U.S. is too good. U.S. is too good. This thing's going to end up Canada and the United States. They are the two teams that honestly, if I raise any criticism as about either of them, I am the most nitpicky person in the history of nits. picking. These two teams are the class of this tournament.

would, will and should meet in the final. I understand the nervousness of American hockey fans, Sweden, Finland. I get it. Your team's good. You have to be comfortable now that you know, you're not always going to be the underdog. Like USA is actually very good and can compete with and can beat Team Canada. It's a good team, Greg. I feel like your therapist here. I just hope they can overcome these insurmountable odds and even play in the gold medal game against the hockey school.

We're just so honored to be here just to compete against a country like Canada. All right, Peter, get out of here. We all got stuff to do. We will talk soon. Thanks to Mike Minano for stopping by the program today. Greg Wachinsky, thanks to you as always from ESPN and ESPN.com. Thanks to you for watching, listening. interacting and subscribing to our daily face-off

YouTube channel. If you have already, thank you. If you haven't, please consider doing so. Thanks to everybody listening on your favorite podcast platform. If you're watching live, we're watching Sweden in an hour here, folks facing off against Latvia, the winners face off against the United States. Thanks for joining us. Sheet returns tomorrow. Brian Burke will be aboard. It is

Burkey Wednesday, civilian Wednesdays, as you will. Until then, enjoy the action. Back with more Olympic talk. This month I can't get out my head because I'm cow