The Sheet with Jeff Marek - On the Sheet: Mollie Walker on Mike Sullivan, Team USA, and the Olympics

Episode Date: December 5, 2025

Mollie Walker joins the show to share her recent sit-down with Mike Sullivan, covering Olympic prep, small-arena dynamics, Team USA construction, and a full check-in across New York: the Rangers’ staying power, the Devils’ inconsistencies, and the Islanders’ latest identity crisis.SHOUTOUT TO OUR SPONSORS!!👍🏼 Fan Duel: https://www.fanduel.com/👍🏼Bauer: https://www.bauer.com/👍🏼Uber Eats: https://www.ubereats.com/ca👍🏼Prime Video: https://primevideo-row.pxf.io/c/5560083/3303015/20020Reach 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-faceoff Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of our favorites around these or any parts, you read her at The New York Post, as she joins us now to talk about The Rangers and Mike Sullivan and Team USA. There she has Molly Walker. How are you, Molly? I'm good, Jeff. How are you? Doing very well. We're thinking about you the other night as well.

All of us were. Thank you. I know it was a tough one. We thank you for joining us here today. Before we get to the Olympics and before we're, Before we get to the Rangers, do you have a thought on, we're just going through like awards watch here with Wish,

he's the latest at ESPN.com. Do you have a thought on who your heart trophy slash, I want to throw in Norris as well here, heart slash Norris trophy winners would be right now if you voted today. And be spicy, be spicy, be spicy, be spicy, don't just, don't just say Nathan McKinnon.

Don't just say Nathan McKinnon. I'm not going to say Nathan McKinnon. I'm not going to say Nathan McKinn, but I mean, he always puts forth a valiant effort every single year. I respectfully decline. Like, I respectfully, I can't. Like, it's too early. There's so many different things that, you know, who the hell knows? Who knows? I would do. I would do it. I would do it every morning. Like, honestly, if I ran like NHL.com, there'd be like an awards watch every single morning. They almost do. They almost do. Molly, Molly, let me spin. Let me spin Merrick. intrusive question to you into something a little bit different now sure give me more specific if you want me to go specifics Adam Fox is banged up but before he left the lineup I think like he's had a resurgence season I think a lot of the hundred percent of the grief that he was getting for his his overall game he had cleaned up and he was he was killing it um do you do you think like that played on his mind at all the fact that he came out of four nations last year with people being like, should this guy even be on the Olympic team?

100%. I think that when you think about the big picture of the Rangers season, the whole Rangers team took a punch to the face, so to say, but nobody's reputation took a harder hit than Adam Fox. And that is no doubt about that, especially with the Four Nation stage. So I heard that he was in the gym a lot this summer. So I think that that was something that he took with him into the off season. And, you know, he's such a cerebral guy. He'll never lead on that that was a fueling thing for him. But he acknowledged it 100%. And I think that the results are what we're seeing on the ice. I think that he has 100% bounce back. And the way that he's racked up points, obviously, before this injury has been huge. for the Rangers more than anything, but also his pairing with Gavikov has been one of the best

top pairings in the entire league. Their numbers amongst other top D pairs who have the same amount of minutes as them, they are near the top in most statistical categories. They have really forged a special top pair for them. And that was a huge thing for them to happen by signing Gavarikov to that long-term deal in the off season. So it is paying off. The sneaky good pair over the last couple of years around the NHL that didn't get a lot of fanfare

was Gavrikoff and Mikey Anderson in Los Angeles. Like, in their own zone, like, Pucks did not go to the net. It was a freak show in their own zone. Do you have a quick thought on the early return? Well, not so early now, but the returns on Gavrikov

so far this season for the Rangers? I mean I think it's it's it's been self-explanatory truly I feel like he has been so important to them on the back end their defensive game is so much different than it was last season the way that the Rangers play in the D zone the way that they're defending the rush it's completely different than what we saw from this Rangers team last season and I think that Gavikov's defense first mindset his His predictability, as Mike Sullivan likes to point out all the time, has just been such a key part of what's made them so steady back there in the games that they have been, at least, because as we know, it's been a little bit all over the place. But I've been impressed. So the size of the Olympic ice is this week's big story. Yes, it is.

Pete DeBoard talked about it on Sportsnet, and then other outlets. discovered the story, even though they said they knew about it since September. Good Armstrong mentioned it in September. It's been out for a while. He mentioned it on John Shannon's podcast, and I loved, I know you and Shannon of her boys, I loved him getting so pissed off.

He's like, we were talking about this. We had this. Listen to our goddamn podcast. But Molly, you talked to Mike Sullivan about it today. I was curious what his thoughts are about, about trying to ice a, or coach an Olympic team on with NHL players on smaller ice. Yeah, I mean, first of all, fascinating conversation with Mike Sullivan this morning, just in general.

Once the Olympics were brought up, because, you know, he was asked if he can look at the opponents at the other end of the ice and be evaluating them for how they would possibly fit in Team USA, tonight's example being Shane Pinto on the other end of the ice. So he gave such a great answer about how, you know, yes, yes, he does. But that takes place the next day when he's breaking down the footage. Of course, when he's behind the bench, he's like the Rangers and the Rangers. Okay. Uh-huh. Uh-huh.

All right. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. Yes, he said that he does, you know, take the time to look at other players and take all that as consideration. And, you know, then he was asked about Pinto in particular and he talks about Pinto. And then I was like, well, we're here. What are your thoughts about?

the projected ice size being smaller than NHL standard and he just was like I don't know if I have any thoughts honestly I really hope that's not the case he just kept saying and I was like it sounds like it is Mike I hate to break it to you

so what are your thoughts and he just not only does he think that you know that's not great for the game and it shouldn't be that way in Milan but he feels like the NHL standard is to small to begin with because they're playing on the same sheet of ice that they did in the 50s

and the guy, the average height of the players nowadays is astronomical compared to what it was back then. So he thinks that it should be expanded to begin with. All right, Molly? To accommodate the evolution of humanity guys. Oh, okay. So this is, oh, Molly, thank you for opening this door for this show right now. So I still maintain, and maybe this started with, I think maybe nationwide arena would have been the first one in this sort of like the wave of the quote unquote newer arenas. I thought one of the things that the NHL should have done, they should have insisted on any new arena that is built, should have the option built in that in case they need to expand the ice surface that it's able to be done easily. Now it's like multi-million rip out seats and make it big.

It's almost like it's so hard to do in the offseason that is kind of prohibitive. But I thought that when they started to build all the new rings, that was one of the contingencies that should be built in. Now, I don't disagree with Mike at all, but I don't want the double IHF size. I don't want the 200 by 100. Way too many places to hide, a lot of empty calorie. It comes like soccer at that point. Oh, it's so, remember asking you girl Larry Anoff about this once. I'm like, what do you like better?

The big sheet or the small sheet? I thought like, you know, he's a creative player. He wants the bigger sheet of ice. And he said, no, I like the small. He goes, I step over the blue line. I'm in position for a scoring chance. I'm on the big ice. I step over the blue line.

I still need a GPS to find the net. It's just slower, boring hockey. So defensive. But I'm with you, Molly. And I'm with Mike. A little bit more room to the outside. Maybe like 200 by 92. You know, maybe a bump up.

85 to maybe seven more, a little bit more room to the outside. I know. The best thing about Mike Sullivan is then he starts talking about where on the ice it's going to be shorter. Like it just things that, you know, who is thinking about that? Obviously he is. And then he starts talking about how, you know, creating scoring chances off the rush are going to be a lot more difficult if it's a little bit more compact.

You know, it was really fascinating. And I was so loving the Olympic talk. You know, at every game day morning. I think, no, have both of you heard the same thing that I think where they're going to take the, take the ice from is the neutral zone. Like the neutral zone will be smaller. The offensive slash defensive zones are essentially going to be the same. But it does sort of open up the door for, I mean, listen, smaller ice surface, physical players become that much more important, which is why, you know, up north here in Kinnuckistan, we're all talking about Tom Wilson. Is there an equivalent player that, you know, that Americans are talking about,

hey, if the rink is smaller, maybe we should have this bruiser on the team. Is there something? Greg, do you have someone in mine? Well, I was going to say, I think it's less about the Tom Wilson-esque bruiser than it is that factoring into the debate that we've been all having about Cole Cawfield and about, you know, some of the more diminutive, you know, Clayton Keller. Like players that were left off. nations um despite their their offensive talents and goal scoring ability like the argument was always

like let's put them on this national team hey we lost an overtime game to canada because couldn't score goal couldn't score let's put the guys who score goals on the team but now if the rink is if the ice sheet is smaller it almost seems like it would play into more of the belgarian philosophy of 200 foot dig your heels and defensive players are more necessary than guys that are just go go go go offensively. I mean, that's just my, my, my, you know, surfaced area or super superficial read on it. Just think, just listening to Mike Sullivan, I don't know if he personally is taking so much of the approach of a player that would fit better in a smaller rink because my guy was gone on some miracle on ice talked about about, about putting to about, no, seriously,

about putting together, you know, not a team of all stars, but a team. and every true sense of the word. And I was like, I'm about to run through a wall, Mike Sullivan. I'm about to run through a wall, straight to Milan. Like, it was just so perfect. But, like, those are the types. I mean, he went on this whole thing. He's like, who's going to be first over the boards in a three, two game?

Canada just pulled their goalie. You know, who's going to be, you know, the first PKK shift? Who's going to be first over the boards, you know, to defend Crosby, McKin. And they're thinking about Canada. Let me tell you I'm almost thinking about Canada Was he So let me get

I would love to have been a fly on the wall Was he going like Was he going full Herbie on you? Like do I have this right? Like is he doing the full Herbie? It was a thing of beauty For a member of media I'm just really

I'm just really impressed to talk to you guys about it Because he didn't Me too It wasn't the next day And he didn't have his team USA hat on Where he could think about such things 100%. A hundred percent

But what I will say is it has happened in Canada. When we're in Canada, I think today it was, it was Colin from Newsday, who is a Ranger reporter. He was the one who brought up the Olympics. But usually,

in the past, when we've been to Canada a bunch already, it's the Canadians who are bringing it up. And that's how it kind of becomes more of a conversation. So it was funny that it happened today in Ottawa. But yeah, he was going full of Herborks a little bit and we really got him going.

I said, I was like, well, while we're here, I'm just going to keep going with what everybody's talking about. So, and he was great. So, so, so here's the, there's a couple of things that I wonder about here. I was joking the other day. Were you on with me when we were talking about Jason Robertson? Yeah. Yeah.

So I talked to him. Because he played, he was trying to put on a show. in front of Sullivan, and I made the joke. I'm like, I don't know what his shot total is, but I'd probably take the over. And then he had one shot on goal that night. So you're off to me, Jason Robertson. Here's the whole thing. I did the whole thing. And

it wasn't Maxifian and Gannoff, by the way, it was Miroslav Chatan. So Miroslav Chetan, famously in a Buffalo Toronto Maple Leafs game, after he scored a goal, sort of reached into his hockey pants and, you know, mimed the call me with the phone. Yeah. And I'm just wondering, like, how awesome would it have been if, like, Jason Robertson, Snipes, too,

skates by the Rangers bench and gives Mike Sullivan the call me here. But do you find, this is very unscientific, but do you find that like candidates are playing that much differently in front of Mike Sullivan?

Has Mike Sullivan said anything? I know that there was that, there was a Buffalo game a couple of weeks ago where and Bill Garen was there and like Tage Thompson, like you could tell like he knew and Alex Tuck knew that Bill Garen was there.

Does Sullivan comment or said anything or have you noticed any American players just a little bit extra spice in the chili when they're playing in front of the Rangers? Well, Sullivan won't say anything unless he's directly asked about a certain player like he was Shane Pinto today. He's not going to offer it up in any way like that. Like I said, he's really trying to make it clear that he is, that his focus is on the New York Rangers. But I think just being at the Four Nations and, you know, Adam Fox in particular, who is obviously in the running and gets to play, not for the next foreseeable future, but was playing in front of Mike Sullivan every night as a tryout, of course it is on everybody's minds.

It's, I mean, I, Four Nations was awesome because it really was, I called it the appetizer to the Olympics because to see how much. these guys care and how invested they are. Of course, I mean, each of the rosters, you know, there's competition. There really is. You know, there are players that are really in the running here that this start of the season here is going to dictate who is going to be on these rosters. So when you know that your possible head coaches on the other bench, of course, you're going to see 10 times the effort and it is in the back of their minds. They all care They're all thinking about it.

We're ready for the Olympics. Let's let's go. Let's speed it up. Milan's not ready, but we're ready. Yeah, yeah, Milan's still building it. They're still figuring out if they can make ice, but we're ready. The last thing I want to ask you is about going back to the Rangers is the J.T. Miller of it all. What do you make of J.T. Miller and the Rangers at this point?

I have so many thoughts. I have so many thoughts because it's hard not to have so many thoughts about J.T. Miller, truly. He is such a presence in the locker room in so many different ways. He's actually been so good at keeping it light for a guy that is so intense. Right. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Is this like when Liam Mason does comedy where it's just kind of like the juxtaposition of it you guys are all you guys you guys are like what are you saying but it's true like whether it's a funny comment or just the way he walks into the locker room after a

morning skater after whatever he he he doesn't take it too seriously you know and it's his his vibe is is very easily to to catch on to and it's contagious but at the same time especially in his post-game interviews, you know, he is also not afraid to let them hear it when they need to hear it and be blunt in his assessment of things. And, you know, we all know that bluntness that J.T. Miller can have. And it's effective. It gets the point across. And I just feel like just the way he's carried himself around the room and things like that. It's been good for them. It's a different kind of player than they've had in the past. And it gives them it gives them a different. kind of attitude. And I think it's still settling and figuring out what it is, what their identity is, who they want to be. But he's been right in the middle of it, doing what he can to steer the team in the right direction while also, you know, being himself, which he told me he really came into this trying to be unapologetically himself. Yeah. Let me close with this one. Listen, we still have a lot of

hockey to play but if it if it if it stays this way for the rangers this season what does the off season look like it depends if they if they really fall off and they don't make the playoffs again that's what i mean like if it if it's like we're underneath the cut line here yeah i i definitely think that there's going to be more movement i mean are if they're not within uh you know any reasonable distance of the playoffs by the trade deadline. I mean, it would be negligent on Chris Jury not to use Artemmy Panarin, you know, and see what kind of haul that they can get for him, obviously. So I would expect, you know, the next few weeks, especially leading up to the trade deadline,

to kind of dictate where they're going to go. But, I mean, two years in a row not making the playoffs is not going to be well received. so to say and I expect movement if that's the case yes listen this is so kind of

to hop on with us always appreciate everything you do and always making yourself available and sharing your expertise on

Mike Sullivan not paying attention to any American players when they're playing the Rangers he just cares about those two points damn it

and guys this is going to be the last time he's ever going to talk to us about the Olympics now. They're going to be like, Molly didn't shut up about the Olympic talk this morning, and now we can't do it anymore. I still think it's the funniest thing. The, like, the childlike

innocence of Mike Sullivan wishing that the ice is, is going to be a normal size when it's obvious to everyone involved that it's just going to be smaller. He's like, I hope that's not the case. I hope that's not the case. I'm like, Mike, it's built. Like, it's, it's in the graph. The way, Jeff signed off on it. Yeah, like, it's, it's happened. I said to him, I said, it sounds like it's happening, Mike. It's so funny. I love it. He was great.

He was great. I love it. I love it. Molly, you're the best. Thanks as always for stopping by. Be good. Of course. Thanks for having me, guys.

I care. I can't get out my head, lost all ambitions day to day, because I can call it all right. I went to the dark man, he tried to give me a little medicine. I'm like, no, but that's fine. I'm not against those methods, but I knew. It's me and myself and how this is going to be fixing my mind. I'm on the back. I do want to back.

Yeah, I turn on music. It's enough and I don't think you sometimes lose it. Have been on the days that we're wrong. Mm, in the dead dark night.