In The Harbor
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In The Harbor
#21 Olympic Hockey Preview with John Buccigross
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John Buccigross joins Sean Ritchlin and Jason Johns for a full preview of Olympic Hockey at Milano Cortina 2026. With NHL stars returning to the Games, best-on-best is finally back on the Olympic stage. Can Team USA’s blue line and goaltending depth hold up against Canada’s firepower? Who are the X-factors?
From roster battles and injury storylines to medal favorites and dark horses, this is your roadmap to Olympic hockey.
Best on best returns at #MilanoCortina2026 ❄️🏒 #WinterOlympics
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Welcome back to In the Harbor. Today we have a special episode for two reasons. One, our first returning guest and John Buchagrass. Two, we're talking all things Olympic hockey. Or John and Sean are talking all things Olympic hockey.
SPEAKER_01That's right. We're gonna go through the overall teams, mostly the US and in Canada. We'll talk about, of course, this beautiful jersey behind me from the 1980 Marathon Ice, which I just watched, which is awesome, by the way. You should watch it. Uh the the documentary on Netflix. They did a nice job of going through all the all the things that uh those boys went through when they were kids in Lake Placid, which uh was was an amazing time uh for those guys. But I'm super excited for this tournament. It's great to have the guy who watches more NHL than just about anybody out there and broadcasting games, and and he'll give us uh an overview of what's happening out there for the tournament.
SPEAKER_02And I I think it's really interesting because we're best on best again. The Olympics haven't been inclusive of the NHL since 2014.
SPEAKER_01Uh that's correct, yes.
SPEAKER_02So that should be fun to watch. Coming off the heels of the Four Nations tournament should be great momentum, great hockey.
SPEAKER_01Oh, it's gonna be unreal hockey. And the NHL is on fire right now. It's must-watch TV. We just had that great outdoor game, which between Tampa and the Bruins, and you know, great outdoor fight. It's hilarious. Vasileski and Swayman going at it, who will both uh or one will be because Russia, again, is not in this tournament, which is a bit of a bit of a bugaboo for from a skill talent-wise, because they would certainly be in the conversation for a gold medal. But uh, it's gonna be one heck of a tournament, and we have an awesome person here to outline his thoughts on what's gonna happen.
SPEAKER_02All right, let's take it away. All right, John, welcome to the podcast. You're our first returning guest.
SPEAKER_03Oh, big time. He's big time that deserves that deserves a sleeve of titleist.
SPEAKER_02Yes, a couple sleeves. They might be in the mail.
SPEAKER_03I got those. Now I need two more. Yeah, now he needs more. Exactly. I'll be using those golf balls in Whisper Rock next week.
SPEAKER_01Oh, hey, who doesn't like going to Arizona to play some golf?
SPEAKER_03Four days at Whisper Rock.
SPEAKER_01I'm sure you have 36 a day lined up, although daylight might be tough.
SPEAKER_0318, 36, 36, 36.
SPEAKER_01Oh man, that sounds actually horrible.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and it is kind of an expensive marketing campaign for the pod. We're just counting on him losing balls and somebody else finding them.
SPEAKER_01So the rattlesnakes will get him out there.
SPEAKER_03Well, when we make when we make our announcement on the first T of what ball we're playing, I'll scream out the logo as well.
SPEAKER_01Perfect. Appreciate it. All the snakes will really enjoy the balls. Don't you don't go look for them out there, John. When you're hitting them wide.
SPEAKER_03Nope.
SPEAKER_01Go in and and go. So are you gonna get him ready for your little three-week break here? Or how how are you feeling about uh some time off from the NHL?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, it feels good. Like I said, a week in Arizona, then two weeks in Naples. So I'm gonna delete February from the Northeast calendar, which I'm excited about. Uh yeah, I don't think. But yeah, you know, we'll still be watching Olympic hockey and some college hockey, getting ready for the frozen four. And so uh well, no hockey will still be in my life, just not at night every night on ESPN Plus.
SPEAKER_01So well, I'm certainly excited for the Olympics to get going and can't wait for everything that comes with it, the camaraderie of the America team. I watched the special last night actually. Uh and uh there's so many scenes in that special that are just awesome to think about, you know, Jim Craig and OC and what they went through. But um this is a different team, a different tournament, different time in in hockey uh across the world. The Americans are now, you know, not favored, but they're certainly up there. Um I wanted to get your thoughts first on this rink situation. How do you think that played into roster um making for you know Billy Guerrin and the like when they were looking at okay, this this rink's gonna be smaller than the NHL rink? What kind of team do I want to put out there?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I think it's possible. Certainly, you know, you're smaller defensemen like Elaine Hudson. Maybe that's something like, yeah, we just can't afford that in the corners. Um when they get into kind of a cycle game there, and Tom Wilson's out there, and there's other big fellas out there. But in the end, I think the players could adjust either way. I think the game's gonna be tight checking anyway, like it was last year in Four Nations. That's what they anticipated. So yeah, perhaps they think it might be even more tight checking now uh because of the slightly smaller dimensions, especially in the corners and things like that. So it's possible, I guess we'll we'll have to wait till afterwards, probably, because they wouldn't say publicly until after if they actually did think about that, and whether it was Cole Caulfield or whether it was Lane Hudson. Is that why Billy Garrin opted not to? And even Jason Robertson isn't an electric skater, so if you think there's going to be less room, then he would have a hard time separating himself from other players. So it's possible. So I'm looking forward to the post Olympic news conferences and interviews with these GMs, uh especially if USA wins. And I think the more if you win, you'll be more forthcoming than if you lose, I think.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_01Um, Jason Robertson, great great example. 66 points on the year. He's top ten in scoring in the NHL. He's, I think, is the second left winger in scoring, maybe leads in left wingers in scoring, and he didn't get selected for this team. And and you wonder with the dimensions. So I was I was reading this. Uh, the dimensions of an NHL rink are 200 foot by 85. And in this rink is like 196. So it's it's three feet shorter. Now, that doesn't sound like a lot, but when you have the top players in the world, uh it's something.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, you notice it like we notice it when it's like you know, 205, and some college rinks used to be 205. And BU is actually 200 by 90. There's a couple college rinks that are a little wider. They're that, you know, they're 90 feet wide, not 85. It gives you two and a half feet on each side. And so, and we could you could just tell on TV, we could tell. But what was the Minnesota rank we used to do? That was like massive, never-ending C. Yeah, it was like 210 by 90 or 100 or something. That was just enormous. Yeah, it was huge. So, yeah, you can tell. So that will be an interesting thing to look at as uh as the tournament begins.
SPEAKER_01And and when you look at this United States roster, um, you know, I I start with the defense. To me, it's the what are your thoughts on these six guys? Uh it's my opinion that they may be the best six in the tournament. What where where do you sit on that?
SPEAKER_03For sure, because remember, they didn't have Quinn Hughes last year, and he is obviously a top three player on the team. Like literally, he might be the best player on team USA, and he wasn't there last year, and they lost in overtime. So just to plug him in is huge. And uh I do agree that the team USA defensemen and goalies are better than Team Canada. You know, if you do bring this tournament down to two teams, USA's group is very easy. They're gonna move on quite, you know, get right to the right to the thick of this thing quite easily. Uh Canada might have a couple more, you know, Chechia and Cups games. They they could be difficult. They could be in one and uh late in the game. And there'll be some Canadian tensions rising high, which they see in uh in their tournaments on the men's side from world junior uh to four nations losing in Montreal to Team USA last year. So, you know, they they get tense pretty quickly up there because it's the biggest thing they have. It's the biggest thing that they root for. So yeah, I do love Team USA's defense and goaltending. The question is going to be do is do they they have enough scoring? And that's where Billy Guerin could come under scrutiny. There's three Americans who have 30 goals this year at least who are not on the team to break it, Caulfield and Robertson. They all have over 30 goals and they're home. Meanwhile, JT Miller and his disinterested body is on the team. And and uh obviously you want Trochek for some versatility, but he as another guy, like is he going to be able to score in a tournament like this? Is he really gonna provide any offense if you might you might need that one goal to win? So that's where the initial scrutiny and the as it as the tournament begins, and then afterwards, it depending on what happens, that's where the scrutiny will come on team USA.
SPEAKER_01And look at the Rangers, they're a dumpster fire right now, and they got two forwards on this team that are that are making this club, and and and the stars are on top of the world right now. Montreal is playing great hockey, so it is kind of interesting when you have to put these rosters in place so early before you get going on the tournament. It puts your team in a weird spot. When were they actually finalized?
SPEAKER_03They were finalized um right around New Year's Day, yeah. You know, the Canada there's New Year's Eve, USA was a couple days after. Obviously, sometimes you get an injury and you're able to replace a guy, so that could have been a mulligan. I wonder deep down if some of these GMs wish they had a mulligan and said, hmm, wouldn't be my like, you know, Anthony Sorelli's not going. So now they get Sam Bennett. Maybe in the end that's the right play. I think most GMs would take Sam Bennett in a playoff series tournament over Anthony Sorelli. So they got that one taken care of with Sorelli's injury. Looks like Point's going to give it a go, but you know, Point's a guy that obviously you like to have there. But Canada has plenty of options to replace guys. And yeah, but for Team USA, you know, JT Miller or a couple other guys didn't get injured. And so they're they're they're going, they're going to Milan. And uh, but uh, you know, Brock Nelson was another guy who was a little bit controversial, but in the end, he's having a really good year on a really good team, and so he's probably fortified his spot being a guy who can play center and wing. And uh those other guys we talked about, you know, Robertson and and Caulfield, uh to brink it, they're they're just wingers. So, you know, they did want some versatility and some guys uh that could play a heavier game and a tight checking close game. And I get that because uh, you know, you watch Caulfield play sometimes defensively, he is kind of lost out there in the corners and the neutral zone. So that might be, but again, just so electric in terms of scoring big goals, big moments. You like big moment people in these kinds of tournaments. And uh and so, like I said, the questions will be asked after if Team USA just doesn't score enough.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, we'll see how it plays out.
SPEAKER_02If you win it all, then nobody can complain. But exactly.
SPEAKER_03It's like every trade that's made. I always say that about like the Red Sox back in the to go to baseball. They signed JD Drew once in this massive, ridiculous contract, and he was a bust for three, four years, but then he hits a grand slam in the ALCS against Cleveland. They go on to win the World Series. That's a good sign now. Once you win, every trade is good, and every free agent sign is good because that's all that matters. Is what so if if he contributes one moment that costs you$60 million, it's worth it. So yeah, once you once you win, every decision is the correct one.
SPEAKER_01You look at the NHL players, the season's been condensed quite a bit, and uh the guys who are getting or are not going are getting several weeks off. They're gonna be able to rest, so the run in the NHL is gonna be awesome. What's your sense with the NHL guys you've talked to on their excitement level to play in this tournament?
SPEAKER_03On their what level?
SPEAKER_01Excitement.
SPEAKER_03Oh, yeah. This I'm this is really, you know, it's been 12 years since we added Olympics. Obviously, we saw that's why going into Four Nations last year, I was telling people, this is gonna be it's it's really amazing. People really thought it was gonna be all-star intensity last year. They really thought that was gonna be the case going in. And I'm like, no, there's gonna be fights, like there's gonna be injuries. Like this is there's gonna be blood. This is the it's just amazing. And then it worked out so well because it was the same week as the NBA All-Star game last year. So you saw the intensity of the NBA All-Star Game, which is what the NHL All-Star game is, too, even the skills competition, it's 80% intensity, and then the game is probably 50. So so then you had the Kachuks do what they did, it was phenomenal with those two fights right off the bat. The sports world explodes, right, and Twitter and X get all over it, and suddenly eyeballs go on it. We have 9 million people watch watching the Four Nations game, which that is just a ridiculous number for hockey. Nothing ever come close to that. Game seven of the Stanley Cup finals might get you four million or five million. So it was just a phenomenon. And I think because people had no idea, they were surprised by it. They compared it and contrasted it to the NBA All-Star Week. So, and the players just again, Connor McDavid hadn't won a trophy since he was about 16, 17 years old before last year.
SPEAKER_00World Cup or something, was it? Or was it what was the world junior he won? World Juniors, maybe.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, he didn't he did he didn't win a junior or a Memorial Cup either. Like this is going back to teenage years. So just to be on a winning team, you know, so and now to add the Olympic, because that and that being said, we everyone knew all along that the Olympics was going to be bigger than than four nations. And so, yeah, that this once they get there and they put that uniform on and they're on the ice and they get a chance to bring that medal and put that in their bookcase and put that in their display at home and uh part of their life, you know, career resume, especially for Canadians, because it's really kind of that's kind of your baptism to immortality now and legendary status is the Olympic gold medal. You know, Sid obviously had the overtime goal in Vancouver that cemented his legacy, and it just it really matters. And so, you know, Team USA, I don't think it matters as much. We we look at it a little differently. Um, it would be it would mean as much to those players as the Canadians, but in terms of, and that's why there's more pressure on Canada, because I think it does, you know, it it does mean just a little bit more in a different way compared to the U.S. players. They they should play a little more free than Canada, they should use that to their advantage.
SPEAKER_01It's it's interesting. You know, you look at the sports out there, hockey, baseball. Here in Detroit, we can't get a pitcher to go past nine or ninety pitches, and and these guys are taking their time to go play in the Olympics, uh, you know, overseas. So it's fascinating the passion in the sport, and it is. There's there's a lot of money involved with an injury here. If someone goes over there and gets hurt, and and these guys just go play and they're playing for pride.
SPEAKER_03That happened before. John Tavares tore his ACL last Olympics, right? And the I the Islanders lose him. That could happen here.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that could be a big, big factor. Uh so uh we we talked about the Fords a little bit, the D-men. Let's talk about the goalies. Who do you think's gonna get the start in the pipes? You think they're gonna rotate for Team USA?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, it's a tough decision. Obviously, Hellebuck and Winnipeg, they they've been brutal this year. He came off an injury, he's been going. You know, Jake Ottinger has won his last five, six in a row, but I don't think it's not because of him. Swayman had a great start. Great fight. Had a good fight with uh as a good attention getter with Vasilevsky. You know, it's I'm sure they'll give a couple guys a look. They'll look at them in practice. They'll probably have a couple really good competitive practices, mainly to judge the goalies. Um, you know, again, those first couple of games, they can give, they can give, they can maybe identify two and say, okay, we'll give we'll give Hellebuck the first start because let's face it, he was our guy last year. Or do you just start fresh and say, you know what, we lost with Hellebuck. Let's start with Swayman and give him a chance to to win the net. He won the world championship gold last, you know, last spring, first time the U.S. had won world championship gold in what, 80, 90 years, and he was the goalie in the net. So we want to start fresh. We just don't want to throw at Hellebuck again. Or do they throw out the MVP and says it's no, we're going with him again. It's his job, wasn't his fault. We lost. Connor McDavid was wide open, 20 feet away in the slot, all by himself, picked the corner, like you expect he would, and he won the gold and he won the championship four nations for Canada. So yeah, I think you give each goalie a start after a good week of practice and just have a you know make your decision that way.
SPEAKER_01Well, they they have three great options, though. I mean, let's be honest. If you look at their goaltending versus Canada, uh, I think all three of them might start on the Canadian team uh as of today. You know, Logan Thompson's had had a had a great year, but uh I think it's gonna be I think it's gonna be Halibuck or Swayman, but we'll we'll see how how it plays out. Um but I agree with you with Hellibuk, you know, give let him lose the job. Although their round robin games are kind of a joke.
SPEAKER_03That's what I'm saying. Yeah. So you so you can start all three if you want and just see how they feel, see their body language, see how they react to the rink. And um, because you know that that is an adjustment for goalies too, the smaller rink and guy, the angles and the guys, the dump ins will be might might bounce a little differently. Who do you like? None of really all three of them, no one really handles the puck that great. That's what you know Bennington does so well for Canada, is he he is like an extra defenseman. He can handle the puck so well. That's why they'll definitely start. I think they'll start with him. Um, but yeah, that's gotta be a tough Logan Thompson, Darcy Kemper, and Bennington. That's uh, you know, none of the teams are in a in a in a real strong you know playoff position right now. They're all outside looking in. Uh Thompson had an injury a couple weeks ago. I I did a capital game and he had you know an injury, so he wasn't even able to go. So that could be a factor there. Kemper's older. Um, so I think in the end, Bidnington's gonna get the guy. They're gonna go with him and just hope that he's able to it's like the old Augusta National thing when Fred Couples and Phil Mickelson go down Magnolia Lane, no matter how they're playing, they're gonna make the cut. Like it doesn't matter. Something about that place just gets them in the right frame of mind, the right intensity, the right concentration. And I think that's what they hope for Bennington is when he puts on the Team Canada sweater. It doesn't matter what he did with the Blues, it's like a total reset for him, and he's the guy, he's the alpha guy, and you're gonna win with me. And I think that's what they're banking on.
SPEAKER_02So I hate that and love it at the same time. So we're in we're in group D, I think. It's the U.S. and group D, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Group D, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. And so I'm I'm wondering in in that group in particular, if we're fairly confident we're gonna advance out of the group stage, it's a great opportunity to have a lot of guys see ice time.
SPEAKER_03Exactly. You can do that, you can figure out, and uh really I think it's about the goalies. I think they'll identify their four lines in 60 pretty quickly, and then just from there go from injury. There's there's a chance, like they make they definitely make changes. So you have a bad game and they will make a change, and we'll see if Jackson Lacomb, you know, how they feel about him. But you know, you think maybe he starts on the sideline, and then but if something happens and a guy has a bad game, or like I said, though they'll be there, there could be some injuries. Um, then they'll make that decision. But I think, yeah, I think the round robin is why you can use the goalies to kind of see who's comfortable and who's really who who just look. And that's the thing with goalies. It is really so much about the eye test, not only keeping pucks out, but how what is his body language? Like what does he look like and how did he look in practice? And then they can make that determination for when they get to the quarterfinals and start seeing, you know, Finland, Sweden, Canada, however that you know works out, and uh, and then make that decision then. So that's a tough decision, a lot of pressure, man.
SPEAKER_01It is. So Herb Brooks, the great Herb Brooks to quote, he one of the right players versus the best players, and and you gotta try to navigate that as you go through this. And and the guys who are orchestrating the rosters and putting them together. And I think there's something to be said about the right coaches versus you know the maybe the best coaches, but Canada has John Cooper who had a sick outfit on the other day in the outdoor game. Um and uh I think he's just the right coach. The guy can win, he's won at every level. Um, and uh he seems to do a great job with the players as they get organized. I know you know him well. What's your sense with with him going into this tournament?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, this is a big one for him. Um, yeah, guy starts out as a lawyer, starts helping out a local high school team coach. They win a state championship, then he goes to junior championship, and then he uh USHL and AHL and NHL, just a he's an Uber people person, just amazing people skills. He's a connector, he just knows what to say, when to say at the right moment. Um obviously has the swagger now of the two Stanley Cups and the Four Nations, even that outfit the other night. Like you wear that outfit in the outdoor, you have to win. Like you can't wear that and lose, right? That that's a gamble because you look like a clown if you lose. And they're down five to one and they win. Like that only adds to his whole deal. So yeah, he's got a he's just got a charismatic swagger and um still young enough. He still skews kind of young, almost has like a boyishness, which I think helps him identify with younger players uh as he gets older. He's still kind of where Mike Sullivan, I think it's the opposite. He's like, he's a he's skewing older, I think, which is maybe why he had a problem in Pittsburgh. This is a big moment for Mike Sullivan. Like, is he the guy that should be the coach? He didn't win a playoff series in Pittsburgh in the last, you know, forever, five, six years. Now his team and the Rangers are the worst team in the Eastern Conference. It's like this isn't a great vibe going in. Well, Canada's coach, John Cooper, they're the best team in the East. They've won 18 of 20. And now he's going into there with a as a winning coach. And I think that also matters. Just the the fact the coaches are both coming from complete opposite success stories right now, presently. Forget resume. So there's a lot going on in Canada's favor. And then, of course, that Players' Tribune article by Connor McDavid. He releases that, talking about how much you know this means to him uh to wear the Canada sweater and to be in that room with Sidney Crosby in the Four Nations in the overtime and how calm they were. And then he went out and scored the winning goal. It's just, I think, I think Canada has a lot of good things, despite the question marks we talked about goaltending, and even the their defense is not as good as America's. There's just something about that, the Cooper McDavid combo and all the support that they have. Obviously, McDavid has that he doesn't have in Edmonton with you know Nathan McKinnon and Sidney Crosby and Macklin celebrating. I think Canada has a lot going in their favor.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I saw McKinnon last week here in Detroit. He was unbelievable on the ice. There was nobody even close to him on the ice. I think we all know who should be the team USA head coach for every tournament on a go forward basis, and that would be a college coach out of the University of Denver. The guy just wins tournaments, wins every AAA championships. Just make him the coach of everything in USA. It's unbelievable. David Carl, what he's been able to do. So that may be down the road, though, John.
SPEAKER_03Exactly. Yeah. He came close last time, but he'll he'll eventually be in the NHL, but a few more years.
SPEAKER_01If you look at the Canadian forwards, you're right. They are so deep. Sam Bennett got getting on the squad. Celebrini, what a year he's had. Going down to the second, I would say, tier of forwards, you know, you got newcomers, Suzuki. What about Tom Wilson? What's he going to add to this team? You know, you can't play the top two lines the entire game. So what do you think of the second grouping there?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, it's you know I I just I love their whole team. They're so defensively sound, which is what they'll kind of be, you know, that'll that'll be their idea. I think the the big players have to score, the top two lines on both teams, like Austin Matthews and Jack Eichel have to score for for Team USA. And, you know, are the Kachuks healthy and ready to go? Matthew Kachuk is slowly getting back into it. But um but yeah, for Canada, they are they they're just they just so they're so potent. And especially with McDavid and McKinnon being on separate lines, just to roll those guys out there constantly. And uh, you know, off of timeouts and and and breaks, they can roll them back out there. But you know, John Cooper, that that was one of the things that he kind of maybe, you know, outcoach Mike Sullivan at the Four Nations. Sullivan shortened his bench there in that championship game. And by the time they got the overtime, they were gassed. And Cooper did, and he kept rolling. He kept rolling the four and kept them fresh, knowing that you know that could happen and late in the game. But what is interesting about this over is about the Olympics is the overtime. People don't realize this is three on three overtime. It's not real hockey after regulation. And you know, when Sidney Crosby scored his golden goal in Vancouver, that was four on four overtime hockey. Now we're doing three on three. And it the gold medal game goes right to three on three, and you play till someone scores. Now, earlier in the tournament in the preliminary, it it's you do you have some three-on-three, then you have a shootout uh, you know, before you get to the to the you know, the semifinals and the finals. So that that is interesting, and that obviously with McKinnon and McDavid really does play into Canada's hands as well. Just getting to a three-on-three. They might even coach somewhat for a tie to get to three-on-three because of the advantage they'll have with Cal McCarr, Nathan McKinnon, and Connor McDavid. Imagine you puts those three out there? Like, how the hell do you guard those three guys?
SPEAKER_02I'd have to imagine that adds to the excitement, too. It does. You're right.
SPEAKER_03The anticipation at the end of regulation, it's three-three. Team USA, like I know we have good players too, but we might want to push and try to win this thing now, you know. As it were a Canada, might be a little more, hey, let's just get to three-on-three. I really like our chances here uh in a gold medal game with these guys and our speed. Uh, but that that would be crazy. That would be amazing drama intention uh if it does get to that point.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you'd have to, if you're the U.S. team, you'd have to have Hughes and Werensky or Macvoy on the ice. Maybe just put three defensemen out there.
SPEAKER_03Uh, maybe, yeah. You're just your three best skaters. If that's right, when those guys are out there, match up. Um, but yeah, it it'll be it'll be fascinating to watch the strategy. And of course, also part of Team USA, the coaching staff, you know, I've been working with John Tortorella all year at ESPN here. That's where I am and across the street from ESPN in the hotel. And and so Torts uh being on that staff and you know, being next to him all year long here, talking about the team and different guys. They would assign him a couple guys to watch and look at. I know he's looking at Matthew Nice for a while, and you know, Nice didn't end up making the team. But uh it was it's been fun sitting next to Torts and you know, because he's gonna be on that bench and and just taking me through the process a little bit. So, you know, I'll I'll be rooting for him. I'll I'll definitely be it's it's kind of fun. I really haven't I don't have a really have a favorite team in the NHL anymore, but so it's kind of fun when they get these international events. I I'm kind of a fan again, which I enjoy in rooting for Team USA. Yeah, it should be a great tournament.
SPEAKER_02Well, and I I think with the success of the Four Nations, I mean the viewership should be pretty incredible. I bet it kind of builds off of that.
SPEAKER_03And I agree, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Now they were best on best again for the first time in the Olympics since 2014.
SPEAKER_03Well, hockey is very important for the uh uh winter Olympic success. You know, it really is about figure skating, the hockey tournament, and uh probably sometimes skiing, especially the Lindsay Vaughn story is gonna get an incredible amount of you know rating.
SPEAKER_02Now, if she ends up she's competing.
SPEAKER_03I know. She she just posted a video this morning of her squatting, and she's gonna actually try to still compete with a torn ACL, which is amazing. So if that story keeps building, that'll be a huge number. Figure skating, obviously, you've got to rely on that someone grabbing someone's attention. We don't seem to know our figure skaters like we used to back in the day. You knew them going into the tournament, right? So, but the the Lindsay Vaughn, the USA Canada game, those will be massive ratings for NBC and the Olympics. And that's why, you know, that's why the NHL plays kind of hardball, because they know the winter Olympics need them. And and they need to, you know, the winter Olympics were so the NHL is like, we we want to be able to use some of this video. We want to be able to promote, we want to be able to promote our players, and the you know, the IOC just w wouldn't let them do anything. And so saying no a couple times to them, and and so they I still don't think they're really happy because they really do it because they know the players want to do it, and the play it means a lot to the players, and so the NHL relents. You don't really like to shut down your business for three weeks in the middle of you know, like a department store closing during the Christmas season for two weeks. Like, you know, you just don't this is hockey's chance. Football's ending. You got you got you you have the attention here in February as the football season ends this Sunday, and now you're shut down for two weeks. So the NHL, the owners don't like it. Some people still don't like it, but they know how much it uh it means to the players, and and they have a good relationship right now with the CBA and how they do business, so they they they don't want to ruin that.
SPEAKER_02Well, and that's an interesting narrative, too. I mean, take three weeks off, teams that had momentum before the break, Columbus Blue Jackson. And somebody could come out. I mean, it's actually pretty inter interesting.
SPEAKER_03It is. So you just and people out what do you think is gonna happen? I don't know. We have to wait until it happens. It's one of those things you just don't know. Maybe Columbus will come back and keep winning because they're a good team. Maybe they won't. Maybe the the momentum and rhythm was part of their success, right? You just don't know. And then, of course, the injury that could happen to somebody, an NHL team, you know, David Posternak for um, you know, gets injured. And then the Bruins are toast, right? Then they're they're done. And that gives other teams. So there's all kinds of storylines that will come out of this. Again, hopefully nobody gets it's it's it's a possibility nobody gets hurt, any kind of you know, major injury, which we hope. Um and so we hope that's the case. But yeah, there's a a lot of things to look at uh a tournament that way.
SPEAKER_01Outside of US Canada, who who do you think has a chance to win over there?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, you know, Sweden is certainly, you know, for a while there it looked like they were so injured they didn't have a chance. Um, but now it looks like Neilander will play and Landeskog will play. And so they have enough stuff. And um, you know, even you know these are like you know, you get a goalie can win a game. That's the thing, you know, with with Finland. You know, Finland, they're kind of beat up, they don't have bark off. And but you know, they were they get they beat Team USA at the 4-8. It didn't matter. Team USA was still in the finals, but you get one hot goaltender with a few players, and then that's what's cool about those other countries like Finland, Sweden, even a Slovakia, Chechia. Like this is everything, man. And and what it does, it's even probably, and because they're such an underdog, it's a whole different vibe as opposed to that pressurized Canada vibe I talked about. USA, it's it's it's a little different. It's not a be-all end-all for them. Um, but those other countries, those European countries, it's it's really a cool vibe that they have about this tournament where it would just mean everything. And the way they party after they win some of these events shows it. So yeah, it it it's possible, but unlikely.
SPEAKER_02So who uh in that vein, who do you think uh there's gotta be an upset anytime you have international play? Who do you think's a dark horse that could surprise?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, you know, because the four four nations are obviously there's only four. So um um so that it was limited, but in the end there really was. And you had you know, you had Canada and the US, and I'd and I'd be really shocked if that doesn't happen again. Very, very hard to believe um that it won't be USA and Canada again. But it would, you know, I think Sweden would be the only team that would really have a chance to upset and get to uh to get to the gold medal game and maybe you know pull off the miracle hall nice 2026.
SPEAKER_01Without Barkov, it's just hard to believe Finland can make that jump.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, Chechia and you know, Slovakia, they just don't have enough NHL players uh, I think to really realistically pull off one of those gigantic uh gigantic upsets um against a team of veterans growing up. We see it in rural junior because obviously they're kids and it can happen, but yeah, with these veterans and the way they're and their single-mindedness, it's gonna be very difficult to beat those two gauntlets.
SPEAKER_01All right, John, we've got a few minutes left with you here. Uh so I found this fascinating. Do you know who the NHL team with the most Olympians is? Oh either uh Panthers or Tampa? Tampa, my man got it. Look at that. Nine guys on their team made the an Olympic roster. So uh Denmark, Slovakia, you know, Canada, Sweden, obviously.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, that Geergensen's Latvia. That was a sneaky one that got them over the hump with Giergensen's, right? Yeah, Latvia. Yep.
SPEAKER_01And then second, shockingly, I I it took me a minute to figure out how, is Minnesota with eight.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, they got Hughes and Boldy and and uh Gaber, Augustus and they have two goalies, so there's both the goalies are going. Yep, that's five. Yep.
SPEAKER_01And then Bruins, Abs, Panthers, Devils, all with six, Dallas with five, the Golden Knights with five. But shockingly, most of these teams are doing pretty well in the NHL this year that have this number of players going. Funny how that goes.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, it kind of goes hand in hand.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it's it's kind of interesting. But Tampa, they just continue to get the get the guys going. Everyone wants to go to Florida to play high. Tax-free. Tax-free, yeah. They gotta figure that one out. Although it is super beneficial for for those those uh teams in those states.
SPEAKER_03Clearly, they they've been uh we're on a tax-free Stanley Cup run right now. Yeah, it'd be really well. Florida, Florida, Vegas, Tampa, Tampa.
SPEAKER_01That's right.
SPEAKER_03Five in a row.
SPEAKER_01And Vegas looks good again this year, although Colorado. I don't know if anybody's gonna be able to keep up with them as we head into the the cup. But we'll see what happens after the Olympics. Who knows who knows?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, we got a trade, we gotta trade, we have a trade freeze now. There's no trades during the Olympic break, and then we come back, remember, and then we have like one week till the trade deadline. So it could be really a lot of fun that week. As these I'm I imagine they're gonna start maybe maybe they can probably talk parameters of trades. These GMs easily can text each other and talk about some stuff. Um, but you can't consummate a trade. So I'm kind of curious when that when it opens back up again on the 20, uh, on the 23rd, if uh 25th, if we're gonna see just a bevy of trades, because you know the trade deadline's coming up on March the 6th. So that's good. That's an interesting factor, too, with this Olympic break is the trade freeze. And only a couple were made yesterday with Panarin and Bukestead. So uh that's gonna be fun to watch out of the break, especially again, if there are injuries, then wants and needs change, and that could really open things up.
SPEAKER_01What do our Red Wings need to do? What do we need here? I know you were just doing a game here in Detroit. What do you think after watching that team?
SPEAKER_03No, they certainly need another defenseman. They're definitely, even if Edmondson's Edvinson's was healthy, uh, but the fact that he's injured, um, they would need another big time defenseman, a little small back there. And they really need one more, you know, score up front, I think. You know, their numbers are pretty much the same as last year. The reason why they're above the playoff line is because they've gotten goaltending this year. They're getting saves if they haven't gotten a while. You know, John Gibson went on a 17-3 run there. So yeah, I think Stevie Watt, and he should be the he's got the most assets and the biggest cap space amount to deal. So he could hit home runs. Now, I thought he would go after Panarin and try to hit a home run there because I think that would have been a good short-term thing, but Panarin had a uh a location in mind, and it wasn't Michigan, it was either Florida or California. So he's so he couldn't do much about that.
SPEAKER_02You know, the the Tigers have been spending some money, so maybe their their little sister across Woodward is gonna also spend some money.
SPEAKER_03Inspire them because he has it. Stevie Y has it, all kinds of cap space. He's got draft picks, he's got some prospects that he's after the last couple of years that aren't good enough to make the team now that he certainly could deal. So I hope that Stevie Y swings big because they're the window is open and they're ready to go.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I would agree. I think it's been a good year for them all around. Well, absolutely. We're looking forward to the Olympics. Can't wait to watch it. Enjoy your time off and and appreciate you uh spewing some uh Bucci knowledge on uh in the harbor.
SPEAKER_03Anytime, boys, love the harbor.
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