The Sheet with Jeff Marek - Milan Games: Men's Hockey Eve ft. Jonny Lazarus & Greg Wyshynski

Episode Date: February 10, 2026

Today on The Sheet, Jeff Marek is joined by Greg Wyshynski and Jonny Lazarus for a wide-ranging hockey conversation that blends social media oddities, international intrigue, and a major tournament preview. The trio kicks things off by unpacking the New Jersey Devils’ bizarre cropped photo of Jack Hughes that somehow removed his brother Quinn Hughes, and what it says about optics, branding, and hockey discourse online. From there, they dive into the spectacle of the Kontinental Hockey League All-Star festivities, including the goalie hardest-shot competition that had fans buzzing. The episode then shifts into full preview mode with an in-depth breakdown of the men’s hockey tournament set to open in Milan, examining rosters, storylines, expectations, and pressure points ahead of puck drop at the 2026 Winter Olympics.Canada vs USA Watch Along with Irfaan Gaffar: https://youtube.com/live/y1r_AYYa7nA?feature=shareLeave 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 #JeffMarek #GregWyshynski #JonnyLazarus #JackHughes #QuinnHughes #NJDevils #NHL #HockeyPodcast #KHL #InternationalHockey #MilanGames #MensHockey #OlympicHockey #DailyFaceoff Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You know what, Greg, is I get everything going here? He's trying to tweet out the link for today's show. Realizing to myself, none of it really matters. Enjoy the hockey while you have it right now. It's all going away. Why is it going away, Jeffrey? China. China. China.

China. If Canada does a trade deal with China, hockey is going away and say bye to the Stanley. It was a hockey. It was a great run. It was great run. Now, where did you hear such malarkey, sir? I saw it on social media.

The president of the United States said that if we, our country goes ahead with a trade deal with China, that the first thing they're going to do is take away all the pucks and the sticks and melt the ice. And that's it for hockey. And the Stanley Cup goes with it as well. So it's, uh, listen, it's a tough day. I'm going to find out if they're hiring at the post office. Don't know. But it looks like it's all, it's all curtains now for hockey.

Now, is he threatened? Tough way to find it. Isn't he threatening not to open a bridge to Ontario? Cordy how? Yeah. That we paid for, by the way. Wouldn't closing off Ontario? I was going to make a Stanley Cupfrey out joke there, but I won't.

Listen, I don't know what his deal is. There's a whole debate here in the States. Not to get off on this, but like, there's a whole debate here in the States. and Pablo Torre was just talking about this too, whether or not Trump's actually a sports fan or whether he just uses sports as social currency. And I think there's ample evidence that he's not a sports fan. I think the closest he's come is maybe an NFL fan

because he tried to buy the bills, which by the way, in an alternate universe, he owns the bills and everything's different. But the fact that he doesn't know that the Stanley Cup has not belonged to Canada since 1993, I think is indicative of overall. Canada won it. I mean, 93.

They last won at 93. Then the Rangers took it 94. My good friend Mark Messier. And then the United States has had a monopoly on it ever since. And he, I mean, Trump loves monopolies. He'd figure he'd like that too. I don't know. Yeah.

Anyway, tongue in cheek. I am dying for someone to ask like either the commissioner or, or Wayne Gretzky. Thoughts, thoughts on that tweet? Things that will never happen. Things that will never happen. The last thing we'll say about this, this individual. I mean, there's no question that his presence was felt during four nations in a way that was palpable and increased the angstiness of the tournament and gave Canada a lot more grist for the mill with regards to their feelings towards the United States.

And I'm wondering what that is going to be like as we get deeper into the men's hockey tournament. Like if there is a USA Canada game on the horizon, you assume that's going to be catnip for him. You assume Bill Garrett and the GM of Team USA will end up on Fox News again, the morning of the game, which was a real thing that happened during four nations. And we'll see where it all goes. I mean, it's sort of the undercurrent right now to the entire U.S. Olympic experience, which is that the rest of the world hates us. and in many cases is actively rooting against us. And what is that manifest as ultimately? It will be.

And it will be an undercurrent should this thing get to the gold medal, as many of us expect. And this is going to be a lot of the conversation here today on the program. So let's get right to it. And so enjoy hockey while you can, folks. The blueprint is powered by Fanduel. Download the app today and play your game on Fanduel. Coming up on the program as we preambleed with our feature.

here on Tuesdays and Thursdays around these parts. MVSW redux. Greg Woschinsky from ESPN. And I love the piece getting people primed once again. Lapsed fans guide to the NHL at the Olympics. Thank you. We got a lot of things to talk about here today. And not just all of it's going to be Canada, USA, both on the men's and women's side. By the way, we have a watch along here at our daily face off YouTube coming up at the top of the hour.

So, Greg, we have to be mindful. like really mindful of our time today. We can't just pretend that it's podcast, do whatever you want. It's kind of more of a radio formal. We don't have to do like time and temp on the 11s or anything like that, but we got to get out by the top of the hour. Sure. I think we'll get together all the sixes.

Yeah. Johnny Lazarus stops by for Morning Cup of hockey as well. And we're all getting itchy and excited for the beginning of the men's side of the Olympic hockey tournament. You said something interesting. I did? That's a first time, the first time for everything. And it didn't involve the 1967 star-eust thing. You said that the anticipation is that the U.S. and Canada could play for gold.

And as I wrote about this morning on ESPN.com, the last time that we had a best-on-best Olympic tournament, the anticipation may have also been that the U.S. and Canada would play for gold. except they were in different groups and the third group was headlined by the Swedes and there went Sweden three leg regulation wins the US and Canada with two regulation wins

and an overtime win and lo and behold the USA Canada showdown happened in the semifinals where Dan Bilesma decided to try to beat Canada 1-0 instead Canada beat the US 1-0 and then the US went to the bronze medal game

and they were so boo-boo-faced that they didn't try and they came home with nothing. Not even an aluminum metal, nothing. So that was, by the way, that Canada, US game in Sochi, probably the most boring Olympic hockey game any of us had ever seen.

Now, Carrie Price was excellent and Chuck chill out and cool. But as far as like hype not meeting the moment, God, that game was awful. Right. For Canadians, great outcome, fun and all that off the fun. That was such a bad hockey game. That was such a boring hockey game. I still remember right in the column.

Like, I was in the media center in Sochi, and I was just like, flames were coming off my fingers as I torched Dan Palsma. And the coaching staff for deciding to play a completely different way than they had played the entirety of the tournament, which is what I, you know, as I think it's impacted me as a USA hockey fan to not have to see that again. I cringe now whenever I hear things like we're built to beat Canada. Okay, don't.

Build your team to win a gold medal. Build your team to flex your muscles. Build your team to put the puck in the net. Like, don't build your team for one game that may or may not happen. Like, I just don't get it. And I think it is sort of my Pavlovian response to feeling the way I did after that Sochi game where they just played with cowardice in trying to win that game on the margins because they entered the game feeling as though they were inferior to Canada.

I don't know if they still feel that way, to be honest with you. I think they probably feel like after four nations going to overtime and everything, they feel like they're on more equal footing. And they probably have some win in their sales with Quinn Hughes back in the lineup. But like that Sochi game was just like they lost that game the minute they walked in the arena from a mindset perspective. You know what's interesting? Just thinking about like the nature of how you win tournaments, one of the things that I've always wondered about.

And we can go like completely historical with this. Like think about all the teams that you've ever seen in the NHL. And obviously specifically Stanley Cup winners. For me, the answer is that Islanders team that won four in a row. But given how you have to play and play a lot of different ways in order to be successful at the Olympics, if you could pick one NHL team that you think would do well at the Olympics, like you are taking the team regardless of where they're from, Canada, USA, Sweden, Finland, Mars.

You're taking one team. For me, it's that Islanders team who can play it any way you wanted. Do you have one? You have one that you go like, you know what? Yeah, this is the team that could win gold at the Olympics. I mean, I think that early OTS Detroit team is probably high up there with the ability to win in a number of ways.

I mean, I think the Islanders probably had, I mean, that was, who was the goalie for that Detroit team? That wasn't Hachick, right? Yet that was Ozzy or who was her? Well, that was, well, there was two. I mean, Mike Vernon and Chris Osgood. So it was Osgood. So again, the Allender's probably had the advantage and goal, right, on that one with Billy.

But, you know, I know you have to win a number of ways. But at the end of the day, what are we really talking about with the Olympics? We're talking about competence and confidence. We're talking about the ability not to make mistakes that are going to end up in your own net. And then hopefully your goalie holds up his end of the bargain and doesn't allow those mistakes to manifest as goals for the opposition. And then you're talking about confidence. in the sense that one, you're walking into the arena believing that you can win, which I don't think has always been the case with the U.S. and Canada.

And then two, the confidence that if adversity hits, you can come back. And therein lies my biggest, my two concerns for the U.S., as stated on the show previously. Merrick is offense, goal scoring, the amount of it left at home in the hands of Cole Cawfield and Jason Robertson and Lane Hudson and others. And when adversity hits, can they handle it? There are three players, three. Chuck Matthew Jake Gensel

Jack Eichel that have Stanley Cup rings on the U.S. roster. You walk into the Canadian locker room it is a jewelry store of rings and also their captain is Sidney Crosby. The U.S. does not have the same experience in leadership and moments on

this stage and in big stages where I am confident if they are down to 1 to Finland in the third period of the elimination round that they aren't going to clutch their sticks tightly and think about gold medals lost and embarrassing themselves before playing Canada. So here's a question.

In tournaments like this, and maybe the answer to this question is yes, for both countries, since we'll focus so much on Canada, the United States. Although the person that texted me this yesterday has Sweden winning the whole thing because they won't have to do this. And this one specific thing is outscore your goaltending. Hmm. Interesting. Does Canada have it to outscore their goaltending?

Probably. Yeah. Does the United States have it to outscore their goaltending? Wait, but I understand the sentiment, but like in what world does the U.S. have to outscore their goaltending? They have the best goaltending in the tournament. Are we worried about them giving up three to four goals a game? And do they have enough offense on the roster to score six?

That's what I'm asking. That's insane. That's insane. Hellebuck, Ottinger, and Swayman are going to be the Achilles. he's heel. They're going to be the thing that you're worried about. They're going to be a thing. Let's hope that Kachucks and Eichol can put three on the board tonight because we don't have faith in Connor Hellebuck. Yeah. Connor Hullabuck, who we saw with the St. Louis Blues series last year, freezing in his net, the inability to move. Now, Hella Buck was excellent at the Four Nations.

I'm going to give him that. He was fantastic. But what have, like, show us the main, again, this is such a small sample size. but if Conor Hallibuck is going to be the guy stem to stern, what has been the story of Connor Hallibuck last year in the playoffs and this year so far? It hasn't been there. Well, okay, but you know what I'm getting it. You know what I'm getting at here.

Yeah, I do. We're all trying to like pick apart how all of this is going to work. And the point that the person I was texting with yesterday was making is if you have to outscore your goaltending in a tournament like this, You're going to be in trouble. There are going to be games where I don't think you can ask a goalie to steal a game, but you can ask a goalie to steal a period and probably two. I think it's unfair in this era of hockey to expect a goalie to completely steal a game.

It happens, but I don't think you can go in there with the expectation a goalie is going to steal a game. Sweden doesn't have to do that. Sweden doesn't have to outscore their goaltending? No. So Philip Gustafin, who gave up two goals on four shots and four nations and then left the game because he was ill, is the guy that you believe is better than Hella Bukottinger and Swamen? Or just per Wellstatt? Or just per Walshatt? You skipped one because it ain't going to Wellstead.

It's going to Markstrom next. It can't go to Markstrom. It will go to Markstrom. But if it does, but if it does, too. You think you're skipping over Markstrom to go to a rookie? Sweden? I would not be surprised. I wouldn't.

I would not be surprised at all if they do that. Why would you be surprised? Why are you putting Markstrom on the roster to be the third string goaltender? The insurance policy? No, you're putting them on because he's a veteran. You show deference to him. You're putting them on because Allmark was hurt. And the next guy up is going to be a veteran.

It's not going to be a rookie. The entire concept of Sweden being on steadier goaltending ground in the United States. It's one of the most asinine things you said on the show. Let's see how it all plays out. called the J.T. Miller trade, the worst trade in NHL history. Yes, I did. Worst trade in NHL history. And, okay, let's stick with that.

I wanted to comment on that, too. Everybody missed the point. Here's why it's the worst trade in NHL history. It killed both teams. Yes. We've seen trades before where it's lopsided. We go, oh, what a bad trade. But it's only a bad trade for one side.

The point that I made with the J.T. Miller trade was it is bad. It's horrible for both teams. teams. One's in 32nd place now and the others in 30th. Find me a trade in the history of the NHL that has done that to both teams involved. Find me that trade. Didn't improve either team and demonstrably made them worse. I made them not just not just worse.

Lottery worse. Like we're selecting first and second in the draft. That was my point. Everyone looked at that and said, oh, Drewie's made worse trades last week than that one. Everybody's going back to the Marcus Naslin trade. They're like, what do you talk about? Stoyant- What the hell?

The trade was bad because of what it did to both teams. It let them on fire. Both of them. I don't- Find me a trade that did that. Find me a trade that did that. If your standard is both teams now suck post-trade, I think you have a really good point.

I do think, though, that in the case of the Rangers and J.T. Miller, conditions changed. Much like I don't think when Mike Sullivan signed on to be the head. head coach, he thought they'd be in their second rebuild in eight years. And the problem for the Rangers is they acquired a player who becomes a sulking, just, you know, boo-bo-faced mess of a guy when the team isn't successful. Now, that's why I'm intrigued to see what he does in the Olympics, by the way, is because he's going to be maybe able to find whatever smile J.T. Miller can conjure

at the Olympics versus being in a rebuild the Rangers. But, like, I think that condition was the unforeseen aspect of the trade. But ultimately, I don't discus. point if you're looking for hey here's a trade one team had to make the other team decided to make and neither of them got better yeah that was my point that's why this is and i defy anybody to find one worse than this that completely destroyed both sides it sounds like someone's been checking his mentions you're going to take a little on that on that clip yeah yeah i love it though no but i love that though i always read my mentions it's fantastic that's how you know how people are feeling but like i keep

I'm like, I'm not going to respond. I'm not going to respond. Like, you're missing the point. The point is, is it destroyed two teams? Yeah. In the process. That's why it's the worst trade in the history of the NHL. So back on the Sweden thing real quick.

Like, Nielander, Nielander's hurt. Yeah. Well, well, well, well, well, well, well, he just wasn't a practice today. Okay, it wasn't a practice today. They obviously are suffering at center without Leo Carlson. being their big stud offensive guy. In fact, I think I saw the lines. They have Pedersen on the wing right now,

which is kind of intriguing. It's weird. Do you, like, they have, their group is Finland, Slovakia, correct? And the host nation, I believe. Finland, Slovakia, Italy, Sweden, that is group B, yes. Right. And the Canadians have Switzerland, Latvia, and France. No, no, Switzerland, Czechia, and France.

United States has Latvia, Germany, Denmark. Who did I say Latvia? Latvia. I'm sorry. Yeah, you're right. You're right, Chequia. Yeah, because you guys are in a tougher group than we are. There's a better than good chance that Sweden's going to run the table.

And if that's the case, like if Canada or the U.S. stumble, we're going to be right back in the same boat we were in in Sochi, which is this just like world, you don't, I can't use World War anymore. It's a bad example. This gigantic battle between Canada and the U.S. Thanks. happening in the semifinals instead of for the gold medal. Would you be bummed? Would you be bummed if it's in the semis again instead for the gold medal? I would be bummed, too, because that's what we're all, as we all expected.

And that's how everything has been hyped up in the future of international hockey between these two teams and fumes of foreign nations. Yeah, of course, of course. But that's just the reality of a international tournament. Yeah. Like, I'll tell you, like, I have wondered if, and this wink. at obviously 1972.

If the NHL under the philosophy of give the people what they want for international hockey, just a seven game series between Canada and the United States or a five game series.

Just give the people what they want. Like, oh, we're going to have a tournament. And Finland's going to be involved. And maybe Czech is going to be involved. And Sweden's going to be... People want Canada, U.S. But Merrick, don't you think they're going to do that? So the way the U.S., the way the NHL is structuring its international calendar is there's going to be the Olympics, then something, then the World Cup, then something, and then the Olympics.

Now, we all assume that something is going to be some semblance of an All-Star game, but what if it's not? What if you take one of those years where something's going to happen and then make it a Ryder Cup between the U.S. and Canada? Like, who wouldn't want to watch that? They know where they're breadsputter right now. They know, they know this is the hottest thing that they have in hockey right. But the thing, you know how hockey people want to overthink everything at the same time. Besides heated rivalry. So it's got to be like, well, it's not really fair to the Swedish players in the league and the Finnish players in the league.

And so we have to have more of a tournament. Like one of the great lessons that I learned that has really fueled a lot of how I feel about everything in media and sports is a Star Kissed tuna commercial. from the 70s. I probably would have watched this when I was like eight years old. Okay? So, and I wish I could find this online. I keep looking for it and I can't find it. But there's, there's Charlie, I think is Charlie.

Charlie the tune is sitting there and he's reading a book of Shakespeare. And the big fish comes by and says, Charlie, what are you doing? He says, I'm reading Shakespeare. He says, well, I'm reading Shakespeare because people will think that I'm smart. if I'm reading Shakespeare. And the Big Fish says, Charlie, people don't want tuna with great taste.

They want tuna the taste great. There it is. There it is. People don't want tuna with great taste. They want tuna the taste great. Just give them Canada, US. Just give people what they want. Go through the charade of all these other teams.

All the less, we can talk about Marshall McLuhan, the medium is the mess. and all these other types of it. Star Kiss Tuna. It taught me the biggest lesson about media and sports. I mean, I was more of a bumblebee man myself. But that being said, I think your point is well taken.

And I don't know, and I don't think that's, I don't think Steve Mayer and the NHL are going to fail you, man. Like, I really think that good. The point to the point where we might be a little nervous about overdoing it. Like they're going to, they're going to probably give us more USA Canada in, in short order. They know what this rivalry is. They know how excited the players are. and then you just have to like deal with the fallout of not including like half your league in your in your in your like midseason plans which was already a problem with four nations.

Let's get the Johnny Lazarus. He is the host of Morning Cup of hockey. He joins us now on the sheet. A pleasure to welcome back to the program. Our man, Laz. We've been talking a lot about USA. We've been talking about USA. Now, so here's the thing.

Before we do Olympics, under the umbrella of give the people what they want, should the NHL for one of their international events, just do Canada, US. Just like 1972 Soviets versus Canada, that was an eight game series. Just make it, I don't know, a two out of three, a three out of five, a five out of seven. I don't know how you want to do it. But considering this is what everybody wants anyhow, do you just give it to them? Just give them, give them one. My initial thought is no.

I think there is a lot of buildup toward the USA versus Canada matchup, right? Like all these tournaments, it's like a part of the journey is finding out if those two will actually play against each other and meet each other. And I think that's what makes it a little bit extra special is the buildup.

If you take away the buildup, I wonder if it would be the same. But my initial thought is no. And again, I get why people would want that like a best of three series or like how cool would that be. but I don't know. I think just the buildup of like that one game and how important that one game is,

it's so cool. Like why change it? Yeah. First off, please give Mike Madano his hat back. It's very cruel of you to take it. I don't want to, listen,

we're going to get to, we're going to do Olympics like up the wazoo with you. But I want to touch on the thing that happened on the, on the tri-state hockey podcast with Rupp talking about Joe Hughes. I thought that was so fascinating. I know like a lot of Devils fans were cheezed off about it, but basically it rups like it was probably the player's decision not to play, at least in the last game before the Olympic break,

because that's how things work internally. He was giving us the NHL inside look. Jack doesn't play in the game, hops on a plane to Italy is basically medically cleared like a day later. Well, they stopped it. They stopped at Lourdes on the way, and he bathed in holy water. Yeah, that's right.

He stopped in the Rosal-Gul Lazarus pit on the way to... He's all good. He's all good. That's actually a reference with you two that I get. I'm proud of myself. There you go. Johnny, like, I don't want to judge Jack here. Like, maybe he feels like the season's lost.

I mean, to his credit, he also came back early from the hand injury and tried to play through it and it didn't go all that well. But like, if he feels like the season's lost and he doesn't want to play in the game, And that's his call and the Olympics he's giving priority to in a season in which they're far out. I do kind of have a problem with him not playing in a four-point swing game against the team that you're chasing. But ultimately, it's his call and he's going to probably have to deal with the repercussions from it from a segment of the fan base. What do you think? Yeah, listen, I think to Ruppert point too and just going to my own playing experience, again, like not in the NHL, but, you know, in juniors in college, when you see someone is playing through some sort of pain, it does fuel you a little.

bit. And with Jack, like all credit to him in the world for coming back early with that hand injury. And sometimes there's a fan base who says, like, why is this guy playing hurt? He's just a liability out there. There's no need for this. Let him rest up and be 100%. I think Jack is so important to the devil is that you'll take him at 65%. Right? You'll take him at 50%. And that's where I think Ruppert's point hit home because the leadership with Jack has always been somewhat questionable. Everyone talks about his immaturity, and that's why I love Jack Hughes, because Jack Hughes is who he is, and he marches to the beat of his own drum, and I think that's something that I have a lot of respect for. But if I were a Devils fan, I think you do look to Jack to be the guy. And to Ruppers' point, again, Brad Marshan was ruled out in that game, you know, and then he comes out and plays.

And that's a difference between, again, Brad Marchan is much older and has much more experience in this league. But that's the difference. And I think Rupper just wants Jack to be more of that or have more of that. And if Jack does do that, it goes a long way in the devil's locker. And it goes a long way with the fan base that, you know, with this guy, you'll have to snap his leg off to get him not to play. That was, see, that was the point in that conversation on Tri State where I went, ooh, that's like, that was like really good peek behind the curtain. Yeah. This is how it works.

This is what day to day means. This is, this is players choice. and then he went, Brad Marchand did this. Brad Marchand said there's no way. It's at that point, that's what made, to me,

that at that moment, that's where that conversation went from a level 10 to a level 12. Really like, whoa, that was like, and he came back for, he came back for a battle of Florida game

against the team that they're chasing in the standings and like Jack missed two games against division opponent. Lost twins. Yeah, it wasn't, Calgary on a Thursday night. Like it was the Blue Jackets and the Islanders who unfortunately are both ahead of the Devils and the standings.

Again, like, it's tough because Kit did come back early, tried to, will it, it's been a disastrous season at all fronts. But like, to Ruppers point and to your point, Merrick, like, at some point when he doesn't play in the last game before the break and then he's like all systems go in their first practice, according to Mike Sullivan, like, it kind of like daggers you a little bit as a Devils fan. Optically, it's horrible. right it just like if you look at it optically it's like okay his focus is clearly somewhere else

but again this somewhere else happens once every four years and he's never done it's the it is it is a very confusing conversation to have and i get why it's an argument but what the year that the devils have had and a lot of you know the downfall has been because of some freak accident that jack had and jack can't seem to stay healthy every year it just makes it just makes it makes it look bad and yeah it's it's tough that's a great but last that's a great point which is that if he does play again in that islanders game like there's at least a 60% chance and an anvil falls on him like that's jack he's like luck and so by not playing you're basically guaranteeing that you're going to be able to go to italy and not suffer some other freak thing in the last game before

the break so fair point there what one other point about jack hughes we've seen him a little bit play wing this year for the for the new jersey devils uh do you like him as a winged or does Jack Hughes have to be a center? I don't think it really matters in this kind of game because, you know, Jack again, like in the D zone, he'll just, like, I thought last year in Four Nations, I think Jack got a lot of heat for the way he played, but like he took a beating in that first Canadian game

in Montreal and that Saturday night. Like he was getting laid out left and right, but he was getting pucks out of his own. You know, I thought he was doing the little things he needed to do, playing the role he needed to play. Was he driving offense and was he created? a lot of opportunities, not necessarily, but in that game, I don't think he needed to.

Obviously, I think you would have wanted more from him in the championship game, but these guys are buying into doing the little things. They're not playing 22 minutes a night like they normally do with their NHL team. So with Jack, like, you know, his role right now is to be a fourth line guy. His role is to make sure that line doesn't get scored on and to keep the buck out of their own end, and that's what he'll focus on. I need Jack Hughes to drive the offense on this team. Would they like to?

Yes, of course. But I don't think they're looking for Jack. to be the guy to do it. So whether that's center or wing, as long as he's doing some sort of job and maybe not being a liability, I think that's all they can ask for. And again, like you have Brock Nelson playing center.

It's not like, you know, the options are so much worse, right? Like you have really good center depth on this USA team, and I don't think you need Jack to play center. Yeah. Easily the deepest they've ever been in the middle in my lifetime, like as far as Michael, Matthews, Larkin, who was insanely good in Four Nations,

and then either Trochecker Nelson as your fourth liner. Group C, my buddy. Can I ask one thing about the Larkin Thompson and I think right now it's Kyle Connor line? I'd love to see Clayton Keller in Kyle Connor's spot and bump Kyle Connor down. That line interests me so much

because, you know, Connor obviously and Tage, I think are both shoot first guys. And Larkin, while he is a decent playmaker, I don't think he's known for his playmaking abilities. I think you need a distributor on that line. I wonder if Clayton Keller is on the left side there at some point in this tournament, because right now he's one of the extras. Yeah, but if you bump Connor down, that means you bump him to the press box,

doesn't it? No, no, no. That would probably move out of J.T. Miller. And then you have Kyle Connor, Brock Nelson, and Jack Hughes. And Jack Hughes on your checking line. Yeah, but you need a playmate. Noted Selkie candidate, Kyle Connor. You need the playmaker, I think, on every line.

And right now, I think that's the one line. It doesn't necessarily have, like, the distributor. That's fair. That's fair. Group C, you get Germany, dry sidel Stutzlidl, Cedar, and Grubauer. Latvia is the Teddy Blugher show with Elvis Merce Likins. The Danes have whatever is left of Freddie Anderson. I think it's the easiest group to be in.

But is there any landmine? Is there any dangerous spot for the U.S. in this group? Complacency. Like maybe Germany just because. Too easy a ride. Too easy a ride. I was saying this to Pete Blackburn on our, honestly, like I've seen this to Pete Blackburn on our preview show.

Is this a blessing or a curse? Like, do you want to breeze through three teams before you get punched in the mouth? Or do you want a challenge? Like, Sweden's going to have a Finland, Finland's going to have Sweden. I think Sweden, yeah. Canada's going to have with Chequia, et cetera. Like, do you not want some of that before it gets real? So I'll answer Greg's question.

I want to point out Sweden too. To Greg's question, I think obviously the concern is Germany. Germany. Germany is like the only team that I really look at that can maybe score the first goal in the game and then rely on Gruberauer to stand on it. Like they can get out shot 80 to 10. But if they score first, you know, maybe they can come away with the win. Like that's the only team that really poses a threat to me. But Sweden's a great point because last year in four nations, I think Sweden didn't really know what was coming. You know, they played that first game against Canada in the Bell Center. And, you know, I had heard guys were out the night before and maybe just, you know, like no one really knew what to expect in that first game. And they came out and they got punched in the match. right in that first period but you know they came back and made it a game and then they didn't

lose a game after never lost in regulation so sweden yeah sweden is the team that really interests me and like we talk about foreign nation it's always Canada US but Sweden like still had a chance to make it to that final um I think Canada like had to beat Finland by a certain goal differential maybe um and you guys can correct me on that but Sweden having Finland and I think Slovakia in their group with Italy right that's the four like yeah they're gonna be engaged in battle by the time they get to the crossover. And I think that's going to really do a lot of good for them, where the U.S. probably won't adversity.

And I doubt Canada will face any adversity. And you don't always need adversity. It's good to roll over teams and feel good. But Sweden, to me, they're the team to look out for just because of the disappointment and what they showed last year. And it all started in that first game. You played four games. So if you lost one, your chances were basically diminished.

And I don't think they were happy with how last year went out of foreign nations. I always find myself. And this might just be a byproduct of, you know, growing up and watching, you know, Boya Salman and Inga Hamerstrom, debuting in the NHL. And then, you know, Kent Nielsen was one of my favorite players to live to this day. Ditto Peter Forsberg. Dido, Nick Clint Strumman.

And all the way, I always find myself cheering for Sweden at all these tournaments. I really, really do. I think it all comes down to whether or not they can find, like, they have a salad spinner of forwards right now. And they kind of have to figure out where all those pieces fit. And if they find some lines that work, then they're in business because I made fun of Merrick before for him putting over the Swedish goaltending. But like Gustafsson's been great this season.

And so if he's the guy, you know, he could be a difference maker in a game. But here's where I think their real value is in Sweden, which is their decor, which I think top the bottom is better than Canada's. Loaded. Loaded decor. What is it? Dahlene, Headman, Foresling. Dahlene and Foresling, Hedman and Raspersand. and then Carlson's on the

Hampton, the third hearing. And Hamper's Lynn home. Brodeen's not playing, right? Brodine's out and that, see, that to me is like, you look at like someone going stride for stride with any forward team Canada or team USA but skating backwards. That's where Yonis Brodeen shines. Yeah.

And they don't have, that's a four. I think that's a major hit. That's a major hit. Forrestling's an excellent skater too. And to me, Brodine is like, I don't know. He invented oxygen as far as I'm concerned. But by the way, hit. me back on that Canada will have no challenges

when Pashtrake has a hat trick and Dostal makes 45 saves. That's the one I'm telling you, man. That's the team that I worry about. That's going to be against Chequette. That's going to be fantastic. And everyone's getting get to know Lucas Dostal's

name. Like, you can see this one coming a mile away. You know, Johnny, one of the points I was making with wish before he came on is I don't think that in this era right now, like once upon a time, you could expect a goalie to steal a game. I can expect a goalie to steal one, maybe two periods,

but to steal a game is too much. Do you agree with that or not? In this setting, you're saying? Like in the Olympics? No, just in this era of hockey, not just this setting, but it would extend to the Olympic tournament as well. I think expecting a goalie to steal a game, given how much it's advantage shooter now more so

than it was in the last 20, 30 years in the NHL, I think stealing a game is too much, but stealing one, two periods, I think a goalie can do that. I don't know. I've been spoiled to watch a lot of Igor Shusirken against Caroline Hurricanes playoff hockey. And that guy steals a lot of games. I'll tell you firsthand. I mean, that's probably the best example. And I think back to this year, Sorokin against the Oilers, I think the Islanders snuck away with a one-nothing win in that game. Like, Sorokin was unbelievable against the Oilers in that game. I think that's a game where he maybe stole.

Yeah, it's hard, obviously. goalies now are faced with, you know, you got college kids that can shoot at 95 miles an hour. It's insane what hockey is now. But I still think there are, you know, some of the elite elite goaltenders that can find a way to steal a game. And we, you know, I've seen it honestly against the Rangers this year. Charlie Lingren stole one at MSG. The Rangers lost that game, one nothing. You know, there's, there's been a lot of those cases.

I mean, it may be my own experience, but maybe not across the league. That's one of the things I'm most intrigued by in the Olympics is that like you've got some goal tenders that have been absolutely dog shit during the season that what do they look like in a in a short track tournament like freddie anderson has been a sieve but we all know that he's that guy in the olympics that could give you a headache if you're the u.s and all of a sudden you're only winning one nothing going into the third and then the other guy more importantly is uc sorrows like that that finland team and merrick you know this like finland is a hard out like even without barkoff they're just a hard out always and it always is if they get

any semblance of goaltending from that guy, like they could be, they could be a real spoiler in that group. But again, he's been bad, like, in stretches for Nashville on it. And I don't know, I don't know how many of these guys can flip the switch. J.T. Miller is another one. Like, there's a bunch of guys who haven't been good. Bennington's another one, too, where you wonder if they can just flip a switch and all of a sudden be good in the Olympics. What about, uh, who's starting for Lafia? Is it Merseleekins or she loves? Do we know? I think it's Merzleacens. I would think it's Merzleacens, yeah. You do? Okay, because I feel like Sheelavs has been a guy who's come out of nowhere before, you know,

and stolen games and has played unbelievable. And, you know, the Lofians, was it Souchy where Canada, like, scored maybe in the last, like, three minutes to beat the Lofians? Was that the game? I love, like, Latvians. I mean, we've all, like, we're all, you know, we've all watched the rise. Yeah. Of Latvian hockey, where they used, they just used to always be that team where they would go,

they would get scorched by whomever, but their fans were the best, and the players were just happy to be there. Now, are you thinking about, like, the World Juniors last year in Ottawa where Latvia just completely torched the Canadians and went to the show? And they also went in the world?

Like, not too long ago? I think they beat the U.S. in the world. It was in Germany? There was that one world championship where it was Latvia and Germany that were the two big surprises. When Merrick was I don't think

They're a tough game. Always. I love them. When Merrick said he's experienced the rise of Latvia, I thought he met the rise of their fans at 7 in the morning to have their first beer. They haven't gone to bed. They ever gone to bet seven in the morning. That's just when they're starting last call.

You kidding. I love the Latvians. I'll never forget. Like Vancouver and Sochi were the two winter games that I covered. And like both times the Latvian fans were just next level. Like you're just, it puts every. Every NFL tailgate you can imagine to shame the shape these guys show up.

One of the things that I love about tournaments like this is, and my answer is the captain for Chequia. But there's a couple of guys that as you're watching the game, who's their captain? Roman Servenka. So here's where I'm going to go with this. Are there players, as you've looked at the lineups, we're like, oh, wow, I haven't heard that name in forever. Like that's what I love about these tournaments. And not only is Roman Servenka now, this is pretty obscure I get. I think it was like 2012.

He played one season with the Calgary Flames. He was out of shape. And he ended up just shuffling back to play in Europe. But I just remembered how much hyped he was going into that season with the Calgary Flames. Now, he is the all-time leading scorer for Chequia at the World Championships. He's 40 years old and they named him captain. I absolutely adore that about Czechia, right? Germany's going like dry side, like all the NHL names and all that, not Chequia.

They go with Roman Servenka. And it's an obscure name. We only watch them in the NHL for one season. But one of the beauties of this tournament is like, ooh, I haven't heard that name in forever. Do you guys have like a, ooh, I haven't heard that name in forever in the tournament? I'm looking through rosters right now. Yeah. I got one.

This guy always comes up. It's former flames, avalanche, panthers, and ducks, goaltender. 39-year-old Rito Barra. Yes, come on down. 39. I wouldn't have done that. The game. Rito Barrett.

That was one where I'm like, oh, my God. I haven't heard that name in a minute. But that is always fun. I have none of those. Honestly, like seeing these names is like soothing. It's like it's a it's a it's a it's a lozenge from my old soul. I'm just like, but it's also America time. It's also a time for for names that you're not familiar with to come to the forefront.

Who among us could not forget 2010 Vancouver, the legend of Tor Viking stad of the Norwegian team. Yeah, that's right. where all of a sudden he shows up with the greatest name in hockey history. And he shows up and plays really, really well. And we come to find out he's like a legend back home, Torvikingstad of Team Norway in the Vancouver 2010 games. If I can give one of those names, I'd love to give one of those names to look out for. Don's Les Smellis, former UMass hockey player.

He is a Boston Bruins prospect. He's playing in Providence this year. He played in the World Championships last year. He had a great second half or whenever he left UMass last year and finished with Providence. He looked unbelievable in the HL last year. I think he put up like 11 points in 10 games and maybe you can back check me on that one.

But Don Chesmellis right now, I'm looking at the Lafian roster, third line center, but he's a guy who if he has like a great tournament, you know, maybe he ends up in Boston this year. Like maybe that's one of those cases too, right? Someone has like a coming out party

and ends up playing in the playoffs on one of these teams. And Don Chish Melis is a guy who, you know, I watched play for a couple years in college, who was unbelievable at UMass. And he's the one who can certainly have his mark made in these Olympics. To answer your previous question, Johnny,

about Latvia and Canada, that would have been Sochi. And here's another blast from the past for everybody. And it was a two to one win. And everyone fell in love with Krister's Goodlaskis. Who is on the roster for the Latvians. Is he really?

Oh, yeah. And Chris is Goodlasquez. Well, he was on that 2023 World Championship team where Latvia won bronze. to your other previous point, just doing a quick search here. Krista's good left skis. All right.

Merrick, let the Americans talk for a second. Johnny, okay, fine. How you, how you feeling? What's your scale of one to ten,

one being we are going to get our asses kicked in by Canada, 10 being we're going to defeat them and win gold. Where is your level of confidence right now for the United States men's Olympic hockey team? Or will they not even each other? I think it's, no, I think it's like a seven. Like, I feel good, but I don't feel overly confident.

I mean, you look at that. Just look at Canada's first power play unit. It's McIntyre, McCart, and Reinhardt. Like, good luck defending those five. I don't know. Like, it's tough. Like, Canada's team top to bottom, especially their forward group, it's so much skill.

Like, how are you taking the puck away from those guys? I genuinely don't know how you do it. If you have Sidney Crosby on your third line, like, that's insane. So I don't know I'm not overly confident I'm really just excited You know I don't really remember like the Olympics For say I didn't I didn't watch really in 2018 or 2020

And in 2014 I was a senior in high school So like I kind of remember getting up and watching with my friends But not necessarily the ins and outs of the games And 2010 I was like too young to really like remember everything But the gold medal game and maybe when US beat Canada And then preliminary rounds So this is like the first time in my lifetime where I'm like really going to be dialed in on every game and that's something I'm really excited

about. So like actually pick apart, you know, the Olympics and, you know, what goes into it and what guys really stand out and what guys disappoint. Like Four Nations was obviously a preview of that for me. But this is the first time where I'm like really, you know, dialed into every game, watching, knowing the game, you know, I feel like my hockey knowledge is obviously improved since I was 14 years old or at least I would hope so. And yeah, yeah, I'm just excited to like obtain it all, you know, for like the first time. And the way you guys are, the way you guys are talking about 2010 and 2014, like this will be my first one of those, I feel like.

Yeah. And, and the journey there is the best part. Like the round robin, you just consume every game. Then you get to the metal round and everything gets serious. And, you know, storylines you don't expect. I mean, remember America in 2010, the yacht, the, the, the, the, the, Yager renaissance that happened during that tournament, too. I don't even remember that.

That was it, that was it, that was that 2010 where Ovechkin caught Yager in the neutral zone. Yes. One of the best hits of all time. That was great. Little hockey, little hockey legends happened all throughout the tournament. I mean,

TJ Oshy, great example. Like, you know, no one knew going into that tournament that all of a sudden he'd be on the Today show, you know, and that's the joy of the Olympics.

Like, like we talk about like why they go and all the financials and the players having to collectively bargain for it and stuff. But like ultimately it does produce some of those moments that become indelible to hockey. hockey fans, maybe not enough to financially benefit the NHL to their liking, but enough where it's wonderful to have them back. Yeah, and think about this golden age of hockey that we're in.

You know, like the, I, you know, a lot of us have talked about it throughout the year, like that three different generations of NHL right now, like the Crosby's, Ovechkins, on the way out, who are still playing unbelievable. And then you got McDavid and McKinnon and Matthews and, you know, all these guys that have now been in league for like eight plus years that are veterans. And then you got Macklin in this term. You know what I mean? Like that's a huge deal.

You got three different generations of, of NHellers and superstars all on one team. And you don't get that a lot. So it's super cool. I'm glad you bought that up. Zach, do you have the photo of Team Canada from yesterday for their little class trip that they were taking around Milan? Because you mentioned Sid,

famously in this photo that they had. Sid is off to the side like he's a class trip chaperone which I thought was just an amazing thing so here it is so he's over on the side he's like Oh my God that's hilarious Bus and five

He's a teacher He's a teacher He's a teacher There's so much going on to this photo You've got you've got Marshan His feet off the ground You know being supported by Tom Wilson You've got Nathan McKinnin's smiling

But the thing I wanted to point out Based on what you just said Johnny If you look at where Sid is Well, hold on. If you look at where Sid is all the way on the right, and then you look all the way on the left, you see Macklin-Silbrini. And the moment I saw this photo, I'm like,

okay, so the guy getting all the Sidney Crosby comparisons happens to be positioned exactly on the opposite side, but in the same spot as Sidney Crosby. I thought to myself, did Mac kind of glance over and be like, where should I be in this thing? Okay, he's over there. So I'll be over here. It's just like perfect symmetry.

A good point. It's a good polar state. Okay. Here's the thing about this photo too. Look at Nathan McKinnon in the front row. He's only smiling because someone told him to. This might be the only time that he'll smile the entire tournament. If you've read the quotes about like, do you think, are you enjoying the sites?

And he's like, no. No, I don't need to do that. No, I mean, like this is like, this is business trip for, for, you're talking about a guy that's like, wired to run hot 24-7 someone just told him like look you're in the front row everybody else is smiling can you please smile can you please show us your upper teeth

this this is such a great there's so much you can pick out of this like McDavid's not worrying any team Canada gear probably because he's got a different sponsorship deal but like Seth Jarvis is like right in the front he looks just like a guy man Canadian guy they happen to stumble upon

in Canada picture and got into it he's like one of the guys summer drinking buddies it just came along. They're like, yeah, get him in the picture. He's awesome. Like Seth Jarvis. This is an unreal picture. It's a great picture.

It does the play a class trip. That's hilarious. It really does. And Crosby on the top right there does look like the gym teacher. He really does. Just like, all right. Settle down boys for two seconds. We're just going to take a picture.

Leave only footprints. Take only memories. All right. Listen, bud, we'll be checking in regular. Morning Cup is going to be all over it as well. Very much looking forward to it. We're going to get going here. And then may the best country win.

May the best team win. I don't even know what you say before. Made the best team win. Yeah, may the best team win. All right. Johnny, thanks as always, pal. You'd be good. Thank you, guys.

Be good. There he is. Johnny Lazarus, host of Morning Cup of hockey, right here on the Nation Network's daily fix-off YouTube channel. Yeah. That's awesome stuff. He's so good. I saw on the rundown, Merrick, that we also wanted to talk about another infamous photo that hit the internet this week.

Okay, yeah, we got a couple of minutes because we got the, we got the USA. We got a watch a long, a hard out coming up top of the. I remember, this is like radio format here today, and Zach's got to get to shine in. But, okay, Cropgate. You're all over this one from the get-go. Cropgate, here we go. The devil's cropped out Quinn Hughes in this photo. Everyone knew it.

It's a terrible crop job. Like, people have like six arms. How many legs? it turns out this is a running bit the devils do where they crop coin out of photos of Jack and Luke which is probably funny

to the people in the devil's fan base that know about the bit not everybody in the devil's fan base knows about the bit and certainly people outside of the devil's fan base that know about the bit where it became quite big news for the Ryan Whitney's of the world

and the bleacher reports of the world and others that are like has the Quinn Hughes trade broken the devil's brain so badly that they're editing him out of photos, but it is a running bit. I will say this. I think the devils understand

that maybe the room was not read correctly in trying to do this bit on a grand stage of the Olympics and especially post-quin Hughes. I will also say that this bit was not applied to when the Devils played the Minnesota Wild back in January at all. In fact, Quinn Hughes was in like every picture they put up with Jackie Luke.

So a bit of a bad room read, a bit of social media faux pa, But I apologize for saying that the Quinn Hughes trade broke the devil's brains. It turns out it's just a running bit that they do involving Quinn Hughes. All right. Gotcha. Okay. So we've cleared all that up.

We've got to hustle around these parts. Enjoy Canada versus USA here coming up on the women's side in a couple of moments without Marie-Philippe Poulin. I know. I'm sad. She's not playing in this game. This game is meaningless. so I'm hoping that she's okay to play in the real game and the gold medal game. Again, if you're Canada, make it a game.

Make it interesting. Get a little momentum against the team that has certainly had the better of you for the better part of a year. Well, the rivalry series was just dominated by the United States. And some blistering scores too. We shall see what Sarah. Sarah Filier over to you, to you from, as they say in Flanders Fields, to you from failing hands. We pass the torch for you.

to hold it high, also written inside the Montreal Canadian dressing room. I believe that was Charlie Tuna who said that, yes. No, we're confusing all of my examples here. But come on, that's a good one, right? People don't want tuna with great taste. They want tuna that tastes great. That's media, baby.

That's sports. Give people. Okay, all right, get out of here. Well, we'll talk again on Thursday, Greg Wischinsky, and we'll be on right after Canada versus Czechia. So looking forward to that. There is Greg Wischinsky from ESPN and ESPN.com. All right, we got a couple things to get to here.

The sheet is powered by Fanduel, as you very well know, Zach. Play your game with Fanduel. It's the NHL season, and Fandul is your home for all the action on the ice. From Blue Line to Betslip, we've got you covered all season with unique promos, live offerings, and more features to let you play your game. Miss Puck Drop, no sweat with the live, same game parlay. You can build up your bets until the final buzzer. Download FandualSports book today and play your game.

Please play responsibly, 19 plus, and physically located in Ontario. 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 to speak to an advisor free of charge. St. John's Seadog hat is affixed nicely on your head. What do you got for us today? The event of the night in Milan is the Canada versus USA Women's Showdown, Jeff. And if everyone is healthy, I think for the most part, it could be considered, basically a coin flip, but unfortunately that's not the case tonight, as everyone knows.

Poulin, when saw the nurse, and isn't fit to play. And for that reason, I think it's USA is the way. Hillary Knight's... You can't fit that on the screen. Yeah, it's a lot. There's a lot on the screen there. Hillary Knight, Kendall Coin, Schofield, Sarah Nurse, and then U.S. to win by two or more here today. $5 wins you $143.73.79.

That is your parlay for today. Coming up in 15 minutes, Canada versus USA. Stay tuned for that one, and we will be watching very closely. We do have the watch-alongs. We've got to get off the stream here. Erfeng Gaffar, alongside Madison Packer and Sophie Bette as well. We'll be handling the affairs for this one. So I very much look forward to this watch-along coming up here in a few moments at our daily face-off YouTube channel.

They will be doing throughout the tournament. You got a final thought on today's program. Anything jump out at you from Wish, Las, or even your humble narrator? I'll just give you a quick thing here for people to think about on the way out. Nathan McKinnon, he said, you know, he's all business. He's not going to enjoy the games. He's not there to do that. I wish I could play it.

I can't play it because we can't on here for the rights reasons. Nathan McKinnon caught. doing the wave at the short track speed skating today. So he's enjoying himself a little bit. There's nothing to profound there in my note for today, but he was caught doing the wave

and smiling with Tom Wilson. Maybe he's enjoying it a little bit. Clearly unfocused. Clearly unfocused. What does this mean for Canada's good metal hoax? Take him off the powerplay. He's not focused Cooper. Take him off the power play right now.

All right. Great stuff. We go Sinski for stopping by. As always, thanks to Zach for putting together another great program with our guest, Johnny Lazarus, the host of Morning Cup hockey. Again, Canada, USA, coming up on the women's side here in a couple of moments. Erfang Gaffar, Madison Packer, and Anne-Sofi Bette coming up here in a couple of moments. Looking forward to that game, which we will all be watching, even though there's no Marie-Filippe-Poulin involved. The LBI lower body injury, and she is listed as day-to-day Canadian tears, Canadian tiers including mine. She is the clutches

player that ever clutched. We hope she is back by the end of this tournament. Oh man, it sucks. All right. Enjoy the game. We're back tomorrow. We're back tomorrow. 1 o'clock Eastern. Brian Brooke will be aboard, as always, on our Wednesday additions here of the sheet. So enjoy the day that hockey is going to bring you.

And we'll be back tomorrow. We're going to be back tomorrow. We're daily face-off YouTube channel for everyone who has already subscribed to the channel. Thank you. If you haven't, please considering doing so. We have lots of good stuff for you right now that's available as you click and more stuff on the horizon. Got you covered at our Daily Faceoff website, DailyFaceoff.com. Stay in tune with all the events coming from the Milan games on the hockey side. Got it.

Back tomorrow. Enjoy your day. Last night every day this month. I can't get out my head. I lost all ambitious day to day because I can call it a rush.